Allan fired
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8:38 am, July 24th, 2023 - 162 comments
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This does not help.
Kiritapu Allan has been fired as a Minister after being charged with reckless driving, resisting arrest and driving in breach of alcohol limits last night.
On the face of it she clearly failed the attitude test. This suggests that her decision making was not optimal.
Her recent personal difficulties have been well documented. Parliament is not the sort of workplace that allows you a supported transition back into good health.
National and Act will be like pigs in mud this week.
And rational debate about the future of the country, and how we deal with climate change and child poverty will be obliterated in a process of Wellington centric unpicking of a personal tragedy.
Update: The Police now say that Allan has been charged with careless driving not reckless driving. This is significantly different. Careless use is a fine only offence, reckless driving can involve a jail sentence. This is very sloppy reporting by the police who should know better. And the second charge was refusing to accompany not resisting arrest. Very very sloppy although the decision to fire her is still appropriate.
Further update: It appears that the source of the misdescription may have been Allan herself.
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- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...3 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...3 weeks ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...3 weeks ago
- $571 million for Defence pay and projects
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...2 hours ago - Climate change – mitigating the risks and costsNew Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...3 hours ago
- Getting new job seekers on the pathway to workJobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...1 day ago
- Accelerating Social InvestmentA new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...1 day ago
- Getting Back on TrackCheck against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...1 day ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than everYour Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...2 days ago
- Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...2 days ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...2 days ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...2 days ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...2 days ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...2 days ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...2 days ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...2 days ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...3 days ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...3 days ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...3 days ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...3 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...3 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...3 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...3 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...3 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...4 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...4 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...4 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...4 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...5 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...6 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...7 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...1 week ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...1 week ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...1 week ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...1 week ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...1 week ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...1 week ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...1 week ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into forceKiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...1 week ago
- Confused or playing for time? 3 possible reasons NZ is taking so long to make a call on AUKUS
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand governments have been actively exploring the option of joining pillar two of AUKUS for over a year now. But according to foreign minister Winston Peters, the government ...51 mins ago - Consensus Welcomed
BusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...2 hours ago - How many lives is that tax cut worth?
Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...2 hours ago - How the Phoenix went from wooden spoon favourites to title contendersThe club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors. “There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...2 hours ago
- Ministry cuts will harm Pacific health, wellbeing – union
The PSA is warning cuts at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples will have severe consequences for the health and wellbeing of Pasifika families. ...2 hours ago - No more bad accents, stereotypes or cringe: why the rise of multilingual TV is good news for everyon...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By César Albarrán-Torres, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Apple TV+ As one of billions of bilingual individuals in the world, it disappoints me when a film or TV show with characters of a non-English-speaking background is ...3 hours ago
- It’s time to ditch Berhampore Golf CourseThe under-utilised course is a waste of space, and with a little political will, it could be turned into something better. For the duration of her stay in Wellington, my long-suffering cousin listened to me rant about golf courses. They’re bad for the environment: water intensive and pesticide heavy. They ...3 hours ago
- Women in rich countries are having fewer kids, or none at all. What’s going on?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, Podcast at MissPerceived, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows US fertility rates dropped 2% in ...4 hours ago
- We looked at over 166,000 psychiatric records. Over half showed people were admitted against their w...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Corderoy, Medical doctor and PhD candidate studying involuntary psychiatric treatment, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney shop_py/Shutterstock Picture two people, both suffering from a serious mental illness requiring hospital admission. One was born in Australia, the other in Asia. Hopefully, ...4 hours ago
- Feral horses in Australia’s high country are damaging peatlands, decreasing carbon storesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Treby, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University P.j.Hickox, Shutterstock Peatlands store more carbon per square metre than any other ecosystem on Earth. These waterlogged, mossy bogs beat even dense rainforests for their ability to act as carbon reservoirs. Under the ...4 hours ago
- Andrew Tate’s extreme views about women are infiltrating Australian schools. We need a zero-tolera...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Wescott, Lecturer in Education, Monash University RDNE Stock Project/ Pexels , CC BY Earlier this week, two students were expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in creating a spreadsheet that ranked girls using sexist and violent categories ...4 hours ago
- Yes, spending on health is growing, but new research shows we’re getting more for itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Goss, Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra Government spending on health has been growing so rapidly that a decade ago the then health minister Peter Dutton called it “unmanageable” and “unsustainable”. Health spending grew in real terms by ...4 hours ago
- Govt must regulate to smooth EVs and data centres' demand on power grids – VectorNew Zealand's largest electricity distributor is warning the country to hurry up with controls around charging electric vehicles or face unnecessary bills running into the billions. ...5 hours ago
- Could you be about to lose your power?New Zealanders have been asked to conserve energy this morning to combat a possible electricity shortfall, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A call to conserve power New Zealand is facing a possible electricity shortfall, with people up ...5 hours ago
- What actually are the Ockhams?Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams? The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...7 hours ago
- Selling Wellington Airport would be colossally carelessWellington City Council should keep its 34% ownership share in Wellington International Airport, argue Unions Wellington spokespeople Finn Cordwell and Ashok Jacob. Insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wellington City Council (WCC) is yet again proposing to dispose ...7 hours ago
- Two senior publishers axed at Penguin Random House amid major restructureNew Zealand’s largest book publisher has undergone drastic changes this week, leaving its future role in local publishing uncertain. Two of the most recognisable local publishers in New Zealand are among those restructured out of Penguin Random House, it was announced this week. Head of publishing Claire Murdoch will leave ...7 hours ago
- What will Willis’ social investment fund look like?
Experts in financing social investment initiatives say New Zealand is in a prime position to tackle social issues via a social investment approach The post What will Willis’ social investment fund look like? appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago - Three waters repeal hitting Far North hard as Auckland signs dealForced to lift rates by 33 percent to fund water infrastructure, a fifth of the Far North’s ratepayers have missed their first payment The post Three waters repeal hitting Far North hard as Auckland signs deal appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- All trained up and nowhere to writeIn 2021 the Public Interest Journalism Fund launched the Te Rito Journalism project, a $2.4 million initiative to boost diversity in New Zealand’s newsrooms. The initiative was in response to the decades-long shortage of Māori and Pacific journalists in the media industry. It was billed as New Zealand’s ...7 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 10 MayThe post Daily crossword, Friday 10 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- Black Ferns Sevens: The greatest team of allThe Black Ferns Sevens appeared to be a mile behind Australia at the halfway point of the 2023-24 SVNS international circuit. Winless in three tournaments, a cup quarter-final exit in Perth was one of their worst results. To add insult to injury, talismanic skipper Sarah Hirini had been ruled out ...7 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 10 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 10 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- Government hypes gas crisis ahead of restarting drillingAnalysis: Solar power is the cheapest form of energy in the Pacific but the Government says NZ’s only choice is gas or coal The post Government hypes gas crisis ahead of restarting drilling appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- NZ sanctions needed to back Myanmar resistance – ministerAn exiled Myanmar politician says NZ must continue to place pressure on the country’s military junta The post NZ sanctions needed to back Myanmar resistance – minister appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- There’s still time to avoid a ‘crime school’ at WaikeriaOpinion: Liam Martin examines the pitfalls of building a mega-prison twice the size of any other in the country in a remote area with few resources The post There’s still time to avoid a ‘crime school’ at Waikeria appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- Government looks for a better way to count MāoriSuccessive governments have tried, and failed, to count Māori. But with the return of social investment, it’s more important than ever to get good data. The post Government looks for a better way to count Māori appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- ‘Completely stupid’ – ex-Tuvalu PM plea to NZ to rethink fossil fuel planBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A former Tuvalu prime minister says while the New Zealand government’s oil and gas plans show it is concerned about its economy, he is more concerned about the livelihoods and survival of the Tuvalu people. Enele Sopoaga — who still serves as an MP ...13 hours ago
- Grattan on Friday: Like the famous budget tree, Chalmers can change the story to suit the seasonSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Many people who follow federal budgets know about the magnificent “budget tree” in a parliamentary courtyard, which turns a glorious red in time for the May event. This week Treasurer Jim Chalmers posed by ...13 hours ago
- Australia can have a future for the gas industry, or meet its climate commitments – but not bothSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Aerial-motion/Shutterstock Gas is back – if it ever went away. Yesterday, the Albanese government doubled down on gas with the release of its Future Gas Industry policy. Under this proposal, gas will ...15 hours ago
- Technically accomplished, sonically subversive and fiercely independent, I’ll remember Steve Albin...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Bennett, Professor of Music, Australian National University Richard P J Lambert/flickr, CC BY The future belongs to the analogue loyalists. Fuck digital. As a tsunami of CDs, DAT tapes and samplers swept the recording industry in the ...16 hours ago
- Hind’s Hall is Macklemore’s bold new pro-Palestine anthem. What might it actually achieve?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University This week American rapper Macklemore released a new track, Hind’s Hall, which has gained a lot of attention because of its explicitly political nature. The track is unapologetically pro-Palestine. It declares the artist’s ...17 hours ago
- How KidsCan provides a nutritious school lunch for $2A charity says it is - and that it has been doing so while providing fresh meals for nearly 6000 children per day. ...18 hours ago
- Shane Jones sets sights on killer kina – 'An industrial grade problem'"They kill all the kelp, they kill all the seaweed, and they turn the marine environment into a virtual desert," the Fisheries Minister says. ...18 hours ago
- Using a structured literacy approach to teach reading: What you need to knowExplainer - The government from 2025 is mandating how state schools teach children to read. But what is structured literacy and how does it compare to other teaching methods? ...19 hours ago
- ‘We do not want to be like Russia’: a first-hand account of Georgia’s fight for democracySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danica Jenkins, Lecturer in European Studies, University of Sydney On a freezing spring night in March, Georgia’s national soccer team beat Greece in a nail-biter penalty shootout to qualify for the Euro 2024 championships. The atmosphere on the streets of the capital ...19 hours ago
- Our research shows higher carbon emissions increase costs for Australian businessesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam G. Arian, Lecturer (Accounting & Finance), Australian Catholic University Loic Manegarium/Pexels Imagine every ton of carbon dioxide a company emits is slowly inflating its costs — not just in terms of potential fines or fees but in the capital it ...20 hours ago
- Ponsonby shooting: Hone Kay-Selwyn death not suspiciousThe death of Hone Kay-Selwyn, who was involved in the Ponsonby shooting, is not being treated as suspicious, police say. ...21 hours ago
- Our cities are widening the divide between the well-off and the rest. How can we turn this damaging ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Somwrita Sarkar, Senior Lecturer in Design and Computation, University of Sydney The “latte line” is the infamous, invisible boundary that divides Sydney between the more affluent north-east and the south-west. Historically, people north of the line enjoy better access to jobs and ...21 hours ago
- Supercharged thunderstorms: have we underestimated how climate change drives extreme rain and floods...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dowdy, Principal Research Scientist in Extreme Weather, The University of Melbourne Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock In media articles about unprecedented flooding, you’ll often come across the statement that for every 1°C of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture. This ...22 hours ago
- Former Fiji PM Voreqe Bainimarama jailed over block of USP probeRNZ Pacific Former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has been sentenced to one year in prison, Fiji media are reporting. Bainimarama, alongside suspended Fiji Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho appeared in the High Court in Suva today for their sentencing hearing for a case involving their roles in blocking a police ...22 hours ago
- ACC proposes cutting more than 300 jobsThe cuts would be a 9 percent reduction in the Crown entity's total workforce. ...22 hours ago
- Government To Respond To 259 Human Rights RecommendationsActing Chief Human Rights Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo says, “Addressing violence and abuse remains New Zealand’s most significant human rights issue affecting women. ...22 hours ago
- Marlborough by-election still possible when MP Jamie Arbuckle resignsThe mayor says she understands the MP's bid to avoid a costly by-election but the decision is one for councillors. ...22 hours ago
- Glaring Hole Exposed In Government’s Single Use Plastics BanJust Earth Papers has challenged the Ministry for Environment to follow its own guidance on the phase out and ban of single-use plastics. ...22 hours ago
- ACT's interpretation of Treaty of Waitangi inaccurate and misleading – claimantsSpeaking to the Waitangi Tribunal, Ngāpuhi Kaumātua Hone Sadler said ACT's interpretation is not in tune with the intent of Te Tiriti. ...23 hours ago
- Should we fight climate change by re-engineering life itself?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Symons, Macquarie School of Social Sciences, Macquarie University Michael Schiffer / Unsplash Life has transformed our world over billions of years, turning a dead rock into the lush, fertile planet we know today. But human activity is currently transforming Earth ...23 hours ago
- Please let me watch the horny tennis movie at a reasonable timeOne woman’s quest to watch Challengers without ruining her body clock. Every Saturday morning, I wake up with a screaming demon inside my head urging me to “Do. Something. This. Weekend.” I run through the possibilities in my head in a defensive mental crouch, reminiscent of that one time I ...23 hours ago
- ACC Job Cuts Will Mean More Accidents And InjuriesThe PSA is alarmed that ACC is proposing to shed 309 jobs including 29 dedicated injury prevention jobs at a time when the number and cost of injuries is rising. ...23 hours ago
- ACC proposes cutting nearly 400 jobsThe cuts would be a 9 percent reduction in the Crown entity's total workforce. ...23 hours ago
- ‘City deals’ are coming to NZ – let’s make sure they’re not ‘city back-room deals’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Baker, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images As local and regional councils struggle with inadequate infrastructure and unsustainable costs, New Zealand will be hearing a lot more about the potential solution offered by ...23 hours ago
- Not all ultra-processed foods are bad for your health, whatever you might have heardSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock In recent years, there’s been increasing hype about the potential health risks associated with so-called “ultra-processed” foods. But new evidence published this week found not all “ultra-processed” foods are linked ...24 hours ago
- Explainer: Nicola Willis' pre-Budget speech – what we learntThe Finance Minister has done a conservative lift of the lid on her upcoming Budget. Here's what she laid out. ...1 day ago
- Explainer: Nicola Willis's pre-Budget speech – what we learntThe Finance Minister has done a conservative lift of the lid on her upcoming Budget. Here's what she laid out. ...1 day ago
- NZ's reliance on forests to absorb carbon emissions is risky – OECD reportFears that New Zealand is relying too heavily on low-cost forests to absorb its carbon dioxide emissions have been reignited by a report from the OECD. ...1 day ago
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It would be nice if we could pretend Chippy had been able to show decisive leadership by firing Kiri, unfortunately she resigned.
If you ignore the fact the PM's statement was issued before her own (indicating she had resigned).
One can note that the ministerial matters faced this year were all historical ones.
Except Chippy's statement agrees Kiri resigned and was not fired.
I'm sure there will be those who will claim this is just "Political Speak" however it is clear to any reasonable person that Chippy is weak and unable to manage his Ministers.
Defining yourself as an arbiter of reasonable, is somewhat arrogant, as well as untrue.
If you bothered to listen to the PM's press conference you would know your take is wrong, though obviously you aren't here for accuracy.
It's not weak at all, With someone who has put themselves in Allen's position you should always allow them to do the right thing and resign. If she hadn't resigned then I don't think there's any doubt she would have been fired.
How does it show he is unable to manage his ministers??? She made a personal choice to get in her car and drive whilst drunk, not sure how he could have prevented that.
I’m guessing that if she hadn’t immediately resigned, she would’ve been sacked. She also needs to resign from parliament.
And before people say I’m being harsh, being a cabinet minister means being a grown up, this just can’t happen. She was in Wellington, cabinet ministers have access to chauffeur driven cars, Uber and also old fashioned taxis.
I’ve known guys & girls who have done the same thing, & their employer has sacked them.
She has said she will be reviewing her future in politics.
I could recount the story of the head of police prosecutions who was found asleep in a car after being in a police bar (he however got home before officers arrived there to ask him if he was well and OK to resume work). I'd name him, (he once replied to one of my letters to a police minister, with what I would regard as warning not to ask questions about police practice, so I am tempted to) but it is not a matter of formal public record.
A warning?
Do you mean a threat?
If so then you should absolutely have reported it
Reported to whom.
I was informed that I should not ever write again about the matter to the police minister (after an earlier letter was replied to at the local level without answering the questions asked and on that same day I was a victim of a classic gaslighting method by the force concerned).
I could go on a bit about the modern PW methodologies available to the establishment, but most people really have no idea (and not revealed to joe public, but "classified").
I can now add, the years of tinnitus back then, returned today. I am once again left with the concept of consequences for any challenge to the corrupt of this country.
The long arm of the law, with modern technologies, is that ability to bully and gaslight the victim.
100%
I agree she should resign as an MP. Members of parliament are elected by the public and are in a position where deliberately breaking the law is unforgiveable. If she is found guilty of drink driving then she has to resign, I don't see how she could remain and still have the confidence of the public. What if she had killed someone…
The people you mention that were sacked by their employer must have been driving a company car or still at work else they couldn't have been sacked. (unless such an act meets the criteria for serious misconduct in their employment contract)
Who is taking over her ministerial portfolios?
Who is left?
Presumably we will wait until after Cabinet meeting.
Might as well call a snap election and get it over with, allen has hammered the final nail in the coffee
The right-winger hehir noted on rnz that when voters go into the booth in 12 weeks they will be voting on cost of living etc etc….
Not on the demise of a minister…
'final nail in coffin' earns you a place on the shortlist for today's hyperbole-award…
5 ministers gone in 6 months , labour is obviously a shit show internally,
I prefer 'careless'…
Duncan Webb should get it surely, yes he's outside of cabinet but he should have been in cabinet years ago,even Helen Clark on election night said he should be minister of foreign affairs or justice!
Unfortunately you need to be a hard arse to survive in Parliamentary politics as many have discovered over the decades. Todd Muller had a meltdown and got an easy ride from the media channels, Kiri Allan will be unlikely to get similar treatment.
Hopefully the demographic change from boomers to new gens will see the NZ Labour Caucus dramas sidelined in favour of keeping Natzos and Act away from office.
Todd Muller didn’t crash his car after drinking & then get arrested for resisting arrest. It appears that Kiri Allen has done such a thing. This is what she will (rightly so in my opinion) crucified for.
Of all the stupid things a cabinet minister can do is crashing a car and then getting arrested.
She needs to leave parliament and walk in the wilderness for a while.
Really? What a crass shithead.
Why am I a “shithead”? You without doubt would crucify someone from national or act if they had done the same.
We cannot in any way have a cabinet minister getting arrested for resisting arrest. There is no excuse for this. Labour needs to cut her loose now. Sure Labour can say that they will “support her recovery”, but she has to go & stay gone.
The rest of us ordinary workers get zero sympathy when this happens to us. What is so special about a Kiri Allen, that she deserves some sympathy?
I’m saving my sympathy for the families of two men who were murdered in their work place, and the family of the kidnapped woman in Christchurch.
The only saving grace, is that while she was drunkenly driving her car, she didn’t run into someone and kill or injure them.
For gods sake, back in the ‘80’s & ‘90’s we collectively had zero sympathy for drunk drivers.
You..know nothing about me. Obviously. And thankful for that I am. As to crucifying Kiri Allen ? Or anyone for that matter ?
I stand by what I wrote.
Terry very clearly meant the media was going to onslaught on her would be like nothing we ever seen before…
The minister of justice, the minister who explains and defends government laws, arrested for careless driving and being belligerent to the cops and refusing to accompany them.
The country is reacting to this the way the left would react if Kiri was a national minister who did this: no sympathy
Hey there…corey. Dont attempt to "explain" what other people have clearly written… for my benefit.
But you appear to need common figures of speech explained to you.
To crucify someone (and for what exactly ?) might well be common to you and your fellow comment circle.
Quite glad to not be anywhere near you and your ilk…
Corey, thanks for clarifying, what I was in-elequently attempting to say.
You sir are a gentleman and a scholar.
Her level of blood alcohol was such she would have been under the limit applying back then. We have since moved to discourage any (even moderate levels) drinking while out and about with the car.
Oh, so Terry has a selection process he follows when assessing whether to have sympathy for someone based on who else is deserving of sympathy (for whatever reason) at the same time. There isn't enough sympathy available to go around you see, so someone has to dip out. Stupid is as stupid does. 🙄
Well it’s like a sliding scale…
A woman being kidnapped and possibly worse is tragic and horrifying.
A couple of men being gunned down in the workplace is also tragic and horrific.
A father driving home on a Saturday evening bringing seriously injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver is also tragic and horrific.
The innocent person and families in the above stories deserve sympathy.
A drunk driver who crashes into a parked vehicle, who then gets arrested for resisting arrest, doesn’t deserve sympathy.
She deserves someone telling her that she should have known better and that she’s a grown up who needs to sort her stuff out.
Oh and I guess the families of those men who were gunned down and murdered in their workplace are not deserving of sympathy?
As I said:
Stupid is as stupid does. 🙄
Stupid is being a highly paid Cabinet minister, who after a glass or two of wine, gets into a car, crashes, and gets arrested.
No Terry
Stupid is obviously trolling.
On this sad day, your sliding scale looks like cynical opportunism, and your spelling is not great.. (Irony: 'elequently??')
You show a total failure to understand what Anne wrote.
Just bog off, you idiot.
Stupid is someone who deliberately gets in a car and drives under the influence of alcohol.
Why would you have sympathy for someone who drinks and drives? It's not like she can't afford an uber or a taxi. She could have easily killed someone, If she hadn't been drinking and had a car accident then absolutely I would have sympathy for her, but she made a conscious choice to drink alcohol and then put the public in danger by driving.
Sorry, my spelling is not great!!! Seriously!!!
I take it that you were the class prig, who sat at the front of the class, always brought a apple for the teacher, & told tales on your classmates. As a result you had no friends and grew up with a BO Problem.
Nice Tui moment there, Terry…
There's nothing crass about it. After last night she simply cannot fulfil the roles she was elected to perform.
For her own benefit, she needs to step away from politics. For the benefit of her Party, she cannot remain, especially with these events occurring so close to the election.
If you would call for any National or ACT MP to resign for similar conduct, then you cannot reasonably expect her to remain in her current role, such as it is…
I don't think anybody is suggesting that she should.
Hello? Crass, as in Crucified. As in : Crucify this woman. Who has had cancer. And Mental Health issues. You might just want to re-ponder there…..
She was arrested after not going willingly with a police officer (for processing and alcohol testing presumably).
There has apparently been no charge for the over the alcohol limit.
The reckless driving charge has been dropped to merely careless driving.
No doubt the resisting arrest can be dropped as only being a misunderstanding because she was in a state of shock after bumping her head or suchlike.
By tomorrow morning her supporters will all be saying that she has been exonerated and was only being picked on because she was a Maori woman.
Chippie will go quiet and point out that she resigned and that he didn't sack her but only accepted her resignation because she asked to be allowed to quit and she really didn't do anything wrong at all. It is all Chris Luxon's fault will be the cry and it is Luxon who should resign.
You did OK with a couple of factual sentences to start. Should have stopped there. Leave fantasy writing to George RR Martin.
I see the third sentence is now well on the way to being correct.
She isn't now being charged with resisting arrest. It has been lowered to refusing to accompany a police officer. How long before the offenses are all wiped?
alwyn, old boy, don't hold your breath waiting for further affirmation.
I enjoyed the malicious humour of you last two paragraphs, but…
What do you mean – it was already at that level when you wrote your post at 10.33.
Note my 10.47 am post.
At the time I wrote it I had only heard Hipkins original announcement that she had been charged with resisting arrest.
I believed him at the time. Silly me.
It's apparently standard for there to be an infringement notice for excess breath alcohol between 250 and 400 micrograms (the old limit).
Going from reckless to careless use of a motor vehicle, is a way to manage a guilty plea and avoid wasting court time. The refusing to accompany a police officer charge still stands.
Alwyn..!..have you met terry yet..?
I reckon you two could hit it off..
( He's a (self-styled) working class hero…didn'tyaknow..?)
I assume you think you are talking sense. I however haven't the faintest understanding of what you are trying to say.
Do you know why no charge for the over the alcohol limit? This would be a very bad look for the Police and the Government unless there's a very good reason for no DUI charge. The public would see this as one rule for some and a different one for the rest of us.
The media have covered why. The low level of alcohol.
The public would see this as one rule for some and a different one for the rest of us.
The public could see a lot of things that aren't there, if they choose to be uninformed.
Allan was not treated differently from the rest of us, as the detailed reporting on the incident has made very clear.
See I never read anything like the above account in the media re Todd Muller (or JL Ross). That'd be close to the 'crucifiction' you're baying for. Ugly and unnecessary, but according to you, quite deserved when it's not your beloved boys in the gun.
Well I don’t think that I recall either of them drunkenly driving their car into a parked vehicle and then being arrested. All while being the cabinet minister for Justice!
We should all be angry about this! People in these positions cannot be putting themselves in this situation. It’s just not acceptable!
I'm not mad just disappointed!!
You said crucify. That's not anger, that's idiocy and I think you know it.
Calm down Roy, you are obviously from Canterbury, being so one eyed.
I’m sure on any given Monday, ordinary voters/taxpayers are heading into work, shame faced because they got caught drink driving, and have to explain to their bosses what happened over the weekend.
This sort of behaviour has nothing to do with politics, sexuality, gender etc. It’s about one of our most senior politicians being arrested.
I’m angry because it’s someone in power who should have known better, & because at heart I’m a Labour supporter.
How'd ya feel about a prime minister repeatedly touching a young woman's in a hair in a creepy fetish manner despite being asked not to,???
Terry has just revealed himself as yet another concern troll.
Welcome to the long, tiresome list. Terry.
I'm glad you think I'm from Canterbury, because that dump typifies the worst in this country – farm after shitting farm, fouling our rivers to the horizon. A bit like the posts I've been making, as you'd see it.
Nice try, but you're not a 'supporter' of anything (and certainly don't have a heart) – you're a known and proven troll, who didn't like what he saw in the mirror I'm holding upb to you. Boo hoo.
It's called a figure of speech and used in this context probably (very very likely) means she should be severely criticized and pressured to resign.
Justice minister, nonetheless.
You don't need to be hard arsed, you just need to be of good character, 100% honest with those who you represent, principled and law abiding. Probably helps if you're there for the right reasons too I would guess.
Oh, you mean like Woodhouse, Kuriger, Lee and Uffendell etc?
I hope she has a lot of love and support surrounding her while she rebuilds and recovers and continues to be awesome in whatever comes next.
Ditto miravox.
I suspect Kiri Allan has been going through more than we know about. Given the toxicity in society these days it is possible she is also coping with a nasty form of harassment. We will know more in due course.
In the meantime, those who take delight in judging others without knowledge of contributing factors are loathsome individuals who should be shunned.
And the first question from the press was to blame Hipkins for letting her return to work.
After the press harassed her without any process or natural justice.
The problem here is that the right is allowed to wage campaigns on Dame Jacinda, calling for her to be hanging, setting fire to the playground at parliament and generally being absolutely awful in a way that would get them arrested if they were harassing anyone else.
Perhaps what is missing is a harassment campaign from the left. We see a mayor who can call for effigies of journos pissed on, journos who can accuse ministers at a much much lower burden of proof than anyone else, and an opposition who got ticked off by Audrey Young (and no one else) for using the protest at parliament for political gain.
The only harassment right wing figures get is from their own side.
It’s not a new thing though the form is. I knew someone who was standing for a small local roll and got followed at public meetings by goons from another party who were not there to debate.
The right has seen kindness and empathy as dirty words.
I wish these cretinous vultures had to suffer the same way that Dane Jacinda had. That they had to understand how that impacts.
Currently if you’re a right wing journo involved in a dirty politics sting all you have to do is apologise at the end of your career and you are lionised as an amazing self aware font of wisdom. ‘I’m sorry I participated in a conspiracy of lies to damage a politician and affect the election. Worked though didn’t it?’
Perhaps tomorrow Hipkins will introduce the Relationship Trouble act where you will be required to share all messages in your relationship so your employer can judge your state of mind before allowing you back from leave. #sarc
"Perhaps what is missing is a harassment campaign from the left…"
I concur. It doesn't have to be dirty like the other side. Labour is allowing the perpetrators from the right to get away with murder (metaphorically speaking). They should be calling them out at every turn.
Labour seem to have an expectation that the majority of voters will see through these dirty campaigns. They are wrong. It is almost as if they are fearful of their detractors in the media in particular and what they might do to them.
I mean I am angry that this kind of shit is just par for the course:
She gave an example: “I was at a Bunnings, got the kids with the bloody sausages and tomato sauce over their hands, we’re running through trying to get nails or whatever we were doing, and just literally being cornered in by two people who were very aggrieved around mandates, locking us in – myself, my partner and our two kids, in a row in Bunnings … I don’t like that that has become the state of New Zealand.”
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/24-07-2023/the-kiri-allan-story
I’d just love to share that experience of work with the nameless and faceless accusers who wouldn’t raise an employment issue but mouthed off in the press and the slimeball reporters who got on their high horse. Maybe she had something to answer, but the way it was done seemed calculated to stick the knife into someone at their lowest ebb and to overshadow the PM’s biggest trip overseas.
Agree Anne.
To Anne at 4.1 : My thoughts too Anne…the scene has always been toxic for many women, some obvious, much coped with in silence.
I know of four prominent women parliamentarians who suffered such abuse in earlier years, three resigning on account of it.
Yes Heather Grimwood. I went through a series of abusive experiences which saw me forced out of a career and job 30 years ago. It went well beyond the workplace and left me with PTSD. I therefore have compassion for anyone who has been or is being treated in a similar fashion.
Its so easy for the ignorant – and those who lack empathy for the tribulations of others – to blame the victim for their misfortunes without taking into account what they may have been through, and how it may have temporarily left their ability to cope.
I have a lot of empathy for Kiri Allan. Still wish her all the best. And Labour. And all the "coulda, woulda, shouda"…..is not going to DO anything.
At the moment..Im not too sure how I feel about our chances to keep the NAct creeps from power.
Who have Labour got to jump in and get moving to make a difference?
Slim pickings at the moment it would seem. Well past time to boot Rogernomics as Te Pāti Māori have already said. But, nonetheless, NZ Labour are still the lesser evil in the situation and have to be supported for one more round–though I am weighing up Green vs. TPM.
Surely she was just kicking the tyres of the justice system? Seems to be working ok.
Good one.
Unfortunately, she missed her opportunity to explain that motivation to the public. Labour's desire to imprison 12-yr-old ram-raiders could be explained similarly perhaps, with a bit of judicious spin-doctoring.
Haha nice one. Doing an internal audit, you might say.
It is sad for Kiri that she was really not ready for being back in the bear pit. It is sad for the PM that this has happened not just now, but any time. And it is sad to see the caustic, gleeful comments from some of the commenters here. For goodness sake, Kiri has had serious cancer and personal problems. Show some decency, though some people don't know what that means.
Resisting arrest is the most flagrant issue here. From a minister of the Crown. The Justice Minister, no less.
Sure, a driving mistake was made but to then physically refuse or challenge the police is an affront to the nation.
Good riddance.
The arrest and charge was in not willingly complying with a request to accompany police for charging (as to the driving offence) and presumably a blood alcohol test.
Exactly. Required to accompany, she tells them where to go. It is highly likely she would also have been warned after the initial refusal that failing to accompany would result in arrest, yet here we are.
When inebriated, kiwi males are sometimes inclined to tell cops to fuck off. Good to see kiwi females coming to that party, huh? And one who just happened to be justice minister at the time. Sets a new standard for democracy – unlikely to be surpassed soon, even by the next Labour minister!
Still, look on the bright side; she has not been reported as asking the cops if they knew who she was.
Scenario as foreshadowed by Seti:
Kiri prangs a 4WD parked on the side of the road. The police are called. Kiri throws a wobbly and refuses to cooperate with them. Did she stamp her feet too Seti? Did they drag her handcuffed into the police car? Do tell us the juicy tid-bits. We'd love to know cos we’re not clairvoyant. (sarc)
What more is there to know? The facts as I understand them are that the then justice minister failed to accompany a police officer when required to do so.
Inexcusable under any lens.
They reported it as 'Kiri had a car crash'. I would never describe swiping a parked car as a crash, I would have thought that 'crash' involved another motorist, as considerable speed. Preferably with the other person injured and the cars written off.
FWIW, photos after incident now in the Herald:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/justice-minister-kiri-allans-arrest-and-resignation-photo-shows-crash-on-evans-bay-parade-wellington/PZLIGJ763VEMRODL44SKEFMQVU/
TBH I have no idea how she managed to do that. Initially I thought she must have hit a parked car while passing it. On Wellingtons very narrow streets a little more understandable, but having said that that hardly ever happens. But this particular road is pretty wide and a relatively easy drive especially when there's not much traffic is around.
I have some compassion for her and hope she is getting a lot of support.
On the other hand she was driving under the influence of alcohol and over the limit. Unforgivable. We all know not to do this and most people who are suffering from depression don't do. this. If she has had professional help it is likely that she was told alcohol and depression aren't a good mix especially if she was taking anti depressants. Just no excuses for driving over the limit.
Wow, it's even more pathetic then I thought, thanks Molly! This is what a 'crash'is now?? Jesus wept, and loudly.
From what I can see on the photo, the rear wheel & axle have been pushed forward. This will be expensive to fix. Certainly not just a swipe.
Obviously this is going to be a vulture thread, which will say more about the vultures than Kiri Allan. So courageous, to feast on a corpse.
Her political career is over, and that is very sad. I hope she gets the help she needs. MPs and Ministers come and go, most are asterisks in a footnote to history, but there is only one life to live. Aroha to her.
Nice words there obs. Actually the vulture feeding will come after the crucifiction which knobhead above is calling for.
https://thestandard.org.nz/allan-fired/#comment-1961093
Concur 100% observer (@9). Cheers.
Well said Observer.
TBH I think most people are being quite kind about this.
People do have a right to say some negative things though. She was drunk driving.
Can we blame their employer? Please, pretty pretty please.
They clearly had mental health issues, and probably for a while now, and they simply is now at a stage where any and all coping strategies they might have had no longer work. Should they have been sent on a longer holiday after the last time they were in the news, yes. Should they never have been burdened with hard portfolios such as justice as such a young member of parliament and such a vulnerable member, yes too.
As above stated, they have access to drivers, ubers, and the likes, they did not need to chauffeur their own vehicle. Fuck this is sad and depressing. Not because they are a Labour MP, or a prominent Tangata Whenua, but because it is and was and always will be such a pointless offense by those that have paid drivers and free vehicles at their disposition. Drink, don't drive.
Will the Labour Party survive their own hubris.
Yes!
I remember as a kid in the ‘70’s at a friend’s place up the road, it was as Saturday night. The cops came knocking at the door, my friends dad had been in an accident caused by a drunk driver. It was a horrible experience, & unfortunately back then all too common.
Joe public doing this is one thing, but a cabinet minister!
What do you understand "Mental Health Issues" to mean?
In general terms it means making bad/poor/inappropriate decisions based on faulty perceptions or loss of any sense of danger due to overload of emotion, or being partially or totally detached from reality.
The decisions made here were self damaging, and very sad. I am glad she has ongoing support and love.
I mean mental health issues to mean mental health issues.
We can all have them from times. Break up of personal relationships, body issues, stress, high work load, public scrutiny etc, all can cause mental health issues. And sometimes they can cause us to do dumb stuff that we regret for many years to come.
Drink driving despite having an option of uber or driver is one of the things that can fall under 'mental health issues' that causes us to do dumb stuff that we would not do were we of fully rational mind.
And again, Ii stress Patricia, that I believe that everyone can have these 'mental health issues' in the same circumstances. Not everyone does, but everyone can, and many do.
I also consider these types of 'mental health issues' to be temporary, meaning with a reduction of stress/workload, a distance to family issues, speak therapy with a professional or a priest/spiritual advisor or iwi/whanau elder, a break from routine etc might be enough to provide some much needed clarity of thought again.
Kiri Allen had a lot of stuff going on, and maybe they needed a bigger plate for all that stuff but was not provided one and the one they had just broke under the heavy load.
Thank you Sabine for showing what a ridiculous effect that silly pronoun thing can have upon our language.
I do not believe that normal people will ever do what you just did so diligently!
In your second language, too!
Jeez Chris Hipkins looked shattered at his press conference just now. I know the look, it was the face of someone who had sat through the night next to a loved one on their death bed.
Agree S.
Perhaps he was worried it was close to self destruction?
My thoughts as well. He was ashen faced.
Press Gallery at PM's press conference give yet another demonstration of how they are trapped inside the bubble. Reporter asks about a snap election … because the public (those strange people who live outside the building) are marching and chanting for September instead of October? Nobody with any grasp of reality thinks that. FFS.
The tendency to focus on the practice of politics, rather than the issues of governance for the good of wider society, is why there is reference to the gallery as creatures of the beltway. The talk of a snap election is just them trying to create a news angle to connect their style of gotcha politics to the wider public.
It’s like a pretence of being important to the democratic process, without much reference to the real concerns of the wider society. The ultimate in continuance of the form of democratic normality in an era of a neo-liberal small government. Which could be called a transition stage towards the American style culture war populism to bed in a class order of rule.
I hope she gets diversion over this. It seems to me she has been under huge pressure. Hopefully the police will take this into account. I don't think it would be good for her mental health to have to deal with a court conviction on top of what she has been going through already. As much as I disagree with her politics, she seems like a genuinely good person.
Why diversion? I know people who have been sacked for being charged with this type of offence, and they are nowhere near the level of responsibility as a cabinet minister.
I think that civil penalties (e.g. losing your job for bringing your employer into disrepute; or because your usual employment requires driving) – are quite different to legal penalties (a conviction).
Diversion would only apply to the latter.
She could be admonished without conviction if the Judge decides that is appropriate but I would doubt that will happen.
And there are others who have been convicted (not just charged) of more serious crimes, and yet they have permanent name suppression. Justice is not equal, never has been.
Allan is now facing a level of crushing humiliation and condemnation that most of us could not even begin to cope with, all in the full glare of the media spotlight. She probably wants to curl up into a ball and make the world go away.
Her sentence is permanent. A promising political career is over, forever, and it will be a long time before she can play any kind of role in public life. Any court verdict will be a minor punishment by comparison.
"And there are others who have been convicted (not just charged) of more serious crimes, and yet they have permanent name suppression. Justice is not equal, never has been."
Why would she get name suppression, there has to be a very good reason and having mental health issues isn't one of them. Especially as an elected member of parliament it is very much in the public interest for her name to be published. I haven't read anything to suggest that she applied for interim name suppression?
As for the rest of your comment. If somebody chooses a career in the public eye, especially an elected position of trust then you have to understand everything that comes with that including the consequences for breaking the law. I couldn't imagine any situation where a sitting member of parliament would get name suppression after breaking the law no matter what the crime because it is a position with public accountability.
Of course she wouldn't/shouldn't get name suppression. You've missed the point entirely.
I agree.
Last week I felt she was the star of the Labour team in presenting their Law and order policies.
Regardless of whether you agree or disagree on the policies, she was articulate, intelligent and all over the detail (unlike Davis, for example). She looked like someone with a long career ahead in politics. Truly one of the bright spots in the Labour line-up.
This must be a desperately sad outcome, for her supporters and for Allan herself.
I truly hope that she is getting the support she needs to come to terms with her decisions and the reasons for them.
I've been thinking about this Kiri Allen situation and first I thought how would I in my own life be situated? Yes, I've clipped a car under the influence. Yes, I've had four cancer diagnoses and treatments and know something of that pressure. Yes, I've had a serious relationship break-up when young. Yes, I've had three months off work due to 'hitting the wall'.
So, some understanding there. I went on to read what others were saying, and some of the criticism especially made me think of the saying "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."
I went to read about that biblical injunction and what looked like a more fundamentalist interpretation suggested itself. It was a good choice.
For it looked at the background and also to an interpretation beyond the most obvious one.
Christ saw that the motivation of the Pharisees was also involved in their bringing the adulteress to him for condemnation. They should also have brought the male partner as both were under Mosaic Law equally guilty.
They were trying to trap Christ rather like some politicians, media people and those too ready with their reckons……. They were using the case of the fallen woman for their own purposes in order to bring Christ down.
Instead he drew in the dust with his finger, no doubt thinking about what was happening in all its entirety and saw what was really going on. Then after consideration, he straightened up and spoke.
In the same way, I believe that all those people using the Kiri Allen case to attack and bring down the government should just stop.
Think. Consider. Are they without fault personally in this matter of using one person's sorry circumstance to attack the Labour government, and doing so for honourable motives?
Well said Mac. This is exactly analogous to the Biblical reference.
Interestingly, again the interaction of Jesus with women in every reported instance is one of respect, compassion, and understanding. There are no recorded instances where Jesus disgraces, belittles, reproaches, or stereotypes a woman. Rather his attitudes toward women, show repeatedly how he liberated and affirmed women.
Thank you Mac1.
Yeah Mac 1. Well said.
I think we can all feel compassion for Kiri and recognise this must be extremely painful for her.
I guess if there is a silver lining it is that a government minister can be subject to a normal arrest by a bog standard cop. Not too many countries left where that's the case.
Ruth Dyson back in the day too, routine police checkpoint.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/justice-minister-kiri-allans-arrest-and-resignation-photo-shows-crash-on-evans-bay-parade-wellington/PZLIGJ763VEMRODL44SKEFMQVU/
Yes, but that was back in the day when there actually were checkpoints.
You realise that after making loud noise about lowering the alcohol blood limits, the Key-English govt cut police funding to the point where police felt constrained to cut all checkpoints completely?
My reading of research was that lowering limits had no effect at all, but increasing the number of checkpoints really did reduce drunk-driving offences. TV ads no use at all.
So NZ became the drink-drivers' paradise: no checkpoints!
Labour has started to correct that trend, and not before time.
I didn't know that. Small town life I guess.
Plenty of mobile checkpoints in Auckland – both before and after 2017….
Just a couple of months ago I was breath-tested on a Sunday morning about 9am. I suppose anyone they catch at such an …. unlikely …. time would be a serious alcoholic….
"Yes, but that was back in the day when there actually were checkpoints."
There still are, I've been through 3 just in the last month.
Maybe, just maybe because this Labour government has increased funding, and police numbers?
Precisely, Tony Veitch. The period when there were no checkpoints was leading up to the 2017 election. That is when publicity about the bad accident rates came out. (The limit was lowered back in 2015.)
I too saw the odd checkpoint after the election, so Labour did enable resumption, but only recently have I seen increasing numbers.
(As seems usual, it took a long time for Labour to really do something.. I suspect that further bad stats may have recently come out?)
I suspect that cheapskate NZ must now have near-worst record in the world for combatting drunk driving. Lowering the limit did no good at all, and under the old limit Kiri would not have failed the test.
Came across a checkpoint on Lake Rd, Devonport Sat. night. Now there may have been others from time to time, but that's the first one I have seen in years. Was pleased to see it again.
Yes Anne – over the past week I have been tested twice just outside my own gate, but in the morning. I even told one of them it was good to see them testing again.
This constant testing presence on the roads seems to be the only thing that works. TV ads are worthless.
Yes – this is incredibly important, and long may it continue.
Today10:46 AM Rachel Moore
Statement from National Party leader Chris Luxon
“It was the right thing for Kiri Allan to resign. It was quite untenable for her to continue as Justice Minister.
“Clearly this situation raises questions about the judgement of Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. (My bold)
"We wish Ms Allan well and hope she is getting the support and help she needs.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300934071/live-justice-minister-kiri-allan-charged-after-car-crash-resigns-as-minister
Thank-you Chris Luxon for confirming my suspicion you are in reality a louse.
Did Labour criticise National for not immediately sending Todd Muller home when he was having mental health issues? Not that I recall. Indeed Labour made a point of NOT using the Muller incident for political purposes.
tbf, Muller wasn't a Minister of Justice being charged with drink driving and resisting arrest. And Luxon wasn't the PM who appointed the Minister of Justice and kept her on despite issues with her behaviour and coping with mental health issues in the recent past.
hard to know what Labour would do if the situation were exactly reversed.
We do know what Labour would do if the situation was reversed, Jacinda set the standard for kindness and although Chippy is not afraid to answer back he is not into cheap shots.
"And Luxon wasn't the PM who appointed the Minister of Justice..."
Which is why I said "Did Labour criticise National…"
Being a little pedantic there weka. Of course the two incidents are not identical. But the difference in their responses are worth noting. One party remained silent and did try to use a sad, personal situation to their political advantage. The other party did. And imho there-in lies the real difference between the two.
Ooops. A typo:
“One party remained silent and did NOT did try to use a sad, personal situation to their political advantage.”
I don't understand why you consider Luxon a louse due to his statement. Even Kiri herself said her position was untenable.
"Allan said she was returning home to the East Coast on Monday morning, and was considering her future in politics. She had resigned all her ministerial roles, saying: “I accept that my position as a minister is untenable.”
PM: Kiri Allan's actions 'inexcusable' after car crash and failed breath test | Stuff.co.nz
I thought comments I've heard today from Luxon, Swarbrick, Van Velden and even Seymour have been pretty sympathetic to her. Worse comment IMO was a Labour MP that said "shit happens"! (Damien O'Connor? I could be wrong).
You should remember, when Muller had MH issues he went for a cup of tea and a lie down, he didn't drink alcohol in excess of the driving limit and then crash in to a parked vehicle and then refuse to accompany police.
Someone should spare a thought for the owner of the parked vehicle too. Looked like a work vehicle so they have probably been unable to work today, and now have the hassles of insurance process.
Those rightwingers sitting in judgement on allan…
..could well consider that national has as candidates a former mercenary'soldier/killer for hire..mitchell…and some snot who beat someone with a chair leg…uffindell..
Kinda makes what allan did pale into insignificance…eh..?
Not warming to him, but Uffindell was quick to express sympathy – good on him.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/07/25/uffindell-on-allan-arrest-politics-a-blood-sport-sends-support/
Someone needs to press him on how it questions Chris Hipkin’s judgement.
And see who in the press gallery is a lap dog for the Nats.
This is not someone who has worked for or run a mercenary outfit. This is not someone who has sold cigarettes which cause cancer to addicts while working for companies who have arms that work on getting children addicted. This is not someone who has made a career of minimising, misrepresenting and avoiding climate change responsibility. This is not someone who has hidden donations, potentially from an agent of a sovereign state. This is not someone who has spread false information about a pandemic. This is not someone who has sexually harassed someone in a vulnerable position. This is not someone who beat a younger child with a blunt wooden object. This is not someone who attempted to blackmail a ex using photos. This is not someone who has illegally spied on someone in a workplace dispute. This is not someone who can issue and then withdraw a policy in order to be all things to all people. This is not someone whose religion became less important to them than their politics.
This was someone going through a relationship break up.
This was not a question of judgment. This is a capable person going through a difficult time very publicly, and now has crossed a line.
Most people will go through at least one devastating break up and many may drive a little over the limit or carelessly.
Few will make the moral choices made by various National party representatives.
I have long thought that Labour needs to speak up more forcefully in response to National/Act and the Jenna Lynch and Jessica M-M sorts with their vicious nastiness when someone has let themselves down by their behaviour. Luxon maintains he is Christian for goodness sake but can't help himself being very un-Christian.
When National was having numerous dramas in recent years I well recall Jacinda always was very careful and avoided nastiness in her responses. Dignity personified.
Nats are often cold and calculating and display little kindness towards people having a difficult time. There should have been nothing to stop Luxon showing some basic support to Jacinda when she was being ripped apart online. I would have respected him if he had.
Kiri has gone through a lot in the last three or four years since she was diagnosed with then terminal cancer.
My heart went out to her then, and I still think after such a traumatic experience, with a very young and new family on top of it all, rushing back to work so quickly and taking on multiple massive, gargantuan portfolios, throw in a relationship breakdown and it was a recipe for disaster for anyones mental health.
As someone whose had a mental breakdown, I recognised behaviour both online and in public reminiscent of my own.
It sucks that this has happened, she could have been a great advocate for mental health in parliament but … Alas
My sympathy doesn't extend to her actions as a minister of justice driving carelessly over the limit and and a minister of justice being belligerent to police.
Few will have sympathy for those actions, as far too many people die on our roads and a minister in Wellington can easily find a ride.
I think she should resign from parliament altogether and work on herself for her family and her kid.
Forget politics, it's a nasty business, go be with your family and people you love.
Arden and so far Hipkins have been really silly in giving ministers who have giant portfolios, more giant portfolios when these events happen, which puts extreme pressure on ministers.
The portfolio should go to someone outside cabinet like Duncan Webb, not be given to another cabinet minister.
100% Corey. Well said
Agree. Corey is well-placed to offer advice and criticism. Go Corey.
Nat voter.
Her case stands send a clear message to us all. Look after your mental health or else.
No. The message is that poor mental health must be disqualifying for certain occupations, including being a cabinet minister.
She doesn’t have poor mental health, she’s just having some issues that are affecting her mental health. It happens to many of us after big life stresses and situations. She probably should’ve taken more time when issues first started arising. I think the crux for me is her employer ie Hipkins and fellow workmates perhaps didn’t encourage some sort of mental health assessment. Most people try shrug off their issues and say they are ok to work but she clearly wasn’t. Ambulance at the bottom of the cliff stuff. Labour seem to be stumbling head first into all these problems when they should’ve been nipped in the bud so to speak. Now she’s subject to being called ‘sick in the head’ by the indelicate liberal Stephen Franks on the panel and no one in the media seeming to want to address the complexity of the matter. I don’t recall Todd Muller being called ‘sick in the head’ by anybody.
" I don’t recall Todd Muller being called ‘sick in the head’ by anybody."
That's because he's a man Charlotte Rust which I know you are only too well aware 🙂 . Thought I'd spell it out for the thick-heads who are weighing in on this post. I may be wrong but I suspect LawfulN is a man.
Yes, and I am just the one who will volunteer to test LawfulN's own mental health. He seems to have a tendency to making dictatorial statements, does he not?
Quite right. Baldie white rich guy = brave and strong!
Black young lesbo = crucify now!
Sheesh, this country [head in hands]
How many times have we been told that this institution or that entity has rated NZ as the least corrupt country in the world.
It is time that myth was debunked once and for all. We haven't been anywhere near clean since the 1970s when Muldoon reigned supreme. I hope one day the truth about those years and the decades which followed will emerge but it may not be in my lifetime.
Do you need a ghost writer there…anne..?
Clever dick. 😉
It seems that Ms Allan might have rushed herself coming back to work and perhaps needed a bit more time to work on her personal issues.
Unfortunately it makes little difference now, the damage is done.
National and ACT will seize on this as another example of the Labour government falling to pieces before our eyes, and it is hard to find a counter argument.
Political pundits are now saying that this was the last straw, Labour is now history and it is not so much if National/ACT win but by how much?
It just seems to me that this wouldn't have happened under Jacinda's leadership.
Ministerial portfolios reallocated.
Just one more example of why the two major parties are a joke.
We have been here with national
Now we are here with labour.
Come on it's past time to vote for parties who want to the best for the country, which neither national or labour are going to provide.
potential for the Greens and TPM to make a big difference if voters get behind them.
In The Press today, the front page sub-heading reads – "after a late-night car crash".
Who believes that 9 pm is 'late-night'?
Googled, night is given as beginning at 9 pm and evening is between 7-9 pm. Late evening would be a fair description.
So, why does the sub-heading state "late-night'? It's wrong; so, is there an attempt to smear with the connotation of a "late-night out"?
Andrea Vance's article then begins with the first paragraph attacking Hipkins for evading 'crucial questions' including "whether she left the scene of the accident."
There is another crucial question. What does the law say about a driver's conduct after an accident? Andrea Vance doesn't say. Mischievous journalism, in my opinion, because she makes an allegation that does not fit the known facts. In fact, giving the obligations that a driver has following an accident would have destroyed her inference that this driver did wrong by leaving the scene.
I'm not a lawyer so I'll give this reference to a Community Law site which outlines these issues.
https://communitylaw.org.nz/community-law-manual/chapter-32-driving-and-traffic-law/accidents-driver-responsibilities/
Something all drivers should know.
Vance appears to have been fact free, people said she was in her car when people left their homes and talked to her and then the police arrived.
What a stupid and unnecessarily provocative headline. I have no words.
Vance apparently cut her journalistic teeth on the UK Tabloids. Hence her inability to just report things as they are without embellishing her jottings with a little bit of made up sensationalism. Whether it be the truth or not the truth. Either way she’s just a feeder of fanning flames. And very boring with it. I think she has just written a book. Might be looking for sales. I am pretty sure that she said in an article that she was pleased to go into msm because it had more empathy in its reporting. Then again I might have just dreamed that bit.