Anti-MMP group white supremacist link

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, July 4th, 2011 - 60 comments
Categories: MMP, racism - Tags: , , ,

A good piece of detective work by Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury at TUMEKE! has revealed that one of the founding members of the anti-MMP group “Vote for Change” is a white supremacist:

So the usual list of National and ACT Party right wing money men are in the list of founding members of this anti-mmp front group, but so is the name of Alex Fogerty. …

Ummmm – this isn’t the same Alex Fogerty who was associated with various ultra fascist and racist organizations is it? The same Alex Fogerty who was the site admin for the white supremacist online group, Australia New Nation?

Contributions in our Open mike yesterday gave a link to some of Fogerty’s writings (Google cache here). It’s pretty vile stuff, I’m not going to repeat it here.

“Vote for Change” responded quickly to this development, with a post on Facebook:

Vote for Change is investigating allegations made about a member of its organisation. The allegations of Mr Fogerty’s previous membership of a white supremacist group appear to be true and he will be asked to resign his membership immediately, or have his membership revoked if he chooses not to resign. …

Vote for Change will not be commenting on this unfortunate matter further.

Too late, damage done. The organisation which is working to undermine the most democratic electoral system for NZ is now tainted by association with one of its founding member’s extreme white supremacist beliefs. Want yet another reason to support MMP? “Just look at who opposes it”.

As a quick postscript to this tawdry affair, bonus points if you can guess which National Party MP pops up on Alex Fogerty’s friend list. Labour Party candidate for Dunedin North, David Clark, asks “Please explain”

60 comments on “Anti-MMP group white supremacist link ”

  1. I cannot think of a less suitable person being a founding member of an organisation dedicated to advocating for change of our democratic system than a white supremacist.
     
    Just saying.

  2. KJT 2

    MS. Totally appropriate considering who the other members are.

  3. kriswgtn 3

    haha Kerry Prenderghastly-Act no surprise

    Isnt she working for Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)-appointed by whom? I wonder

    • Blighty 3.1

      hey, she’s a public servant isn’t she? She can’t be publicly representing of a political organisation like this.

  4. Peter 4

    “There are many things wrong with this. SM, the group’s real favourite, would be grossly unfair to the voters. Under it, 90 electorate seats would be chosen by FPP, and 30 list seats by PR. This means that the winning party gets a huge and unfair advantage, which is why SM – such an unfortunate acronym! – is known as a “winner’s bonus” system.

    At the last election, for instance, National would have won 57% of the seats with only 45% of the votes. The Greens, on the other hand, would have won only 1.6% of the seats although they got 6.7% of the votes. Under MMP, on the other hand, the usual pattern is for a party’s share of the seats to reflects its share of the votes. ”

    Quote from the SST which explains what these guys are really after, an unfair proportion of the seats allowing them to rule without regard for anything apart from their own interests.

    • Jim Nald 4.1

      So SM is disproportionate & unfair.
      And MMP is proportionate & fair.

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.1

        If the Greens and Mana want to survive they better turn out for MMP. And Labour needs to be completely unequivocal about pushing MMP every day. (Unlike Labour in the UK who were totally half hearted about their recent piddly attempt at improving proportionality).

  5. Colonial Viper 5

    I reckon Bomber could possibly have waited another month before blowing the lid. All in the timing for maximum effect 🙂

    • Lanthanide 5.1

      Yeah, he should have sat on it. Waited until this group had a bigger media profile, so that when the lid was blown off it would end up on the 6 o’clock news, instead of just being blog material like it is now.

      I would see nothing wrong with that approach whatsoever – this group would be going out to get a large media profile, and the fact that they didn’t bother to background check their own members (founding members even!) would be their own fault.

      • jackal 5.1.1

        I disagree. I think Bomber plucking out the weed before it had a chance to grow bigger was the best thing to do. He would be playing a cat and mouse game otherwise with a chance that the mouse hides the cheese, if you know what I mean.

        The story is mainstream media news worthy. The fact that they have not picked up on it says more about media bias than it does about the story being big enough. There will be more dirt to dig on these idiots who oppose MMP, therefore a metered and sustained campaign is required.

        Bomber’s precision marksmanship is going to be hard to match.

  6. joe90 6

    Looks to me like most of the founding members would fit right in here.

  7. bomber 7

    Grin @ Colonial

  8. grumpy 8

    Yep, read the link. Just sounds like a white Hone, I thought you guys approved of that……….?

    [lprent: Don’t be stupid. Writing broad brush statements like that means that you even include yourself (you’re around here about as much as I am :twisted:). I hardly think that you approve of Hone. Actually, coming to think of it, it is really hard to think of anyone you do approve of….. Apart from yourself of course. ]

    • KJT 8.1

      No. Don’t think Hone is really racist.The mouth overtakes the brain sometimes.
      I don’t think Hone is really a brown supremacist either, though Titiwhai may be.

      • Gosman 8.1.1

        Yes Hone isn’t really racist. He just makes racist statements for political effect. Nothing wrong with that is there?

    • The Voice of Reason 8.2

      Bullshit, grumpy. You’ve been around here long enough to know that Hone’s racism has been rejected by many commenters at The Standard, myself included. I appreciate it’s a monumental task for the dull witted to understand that there are many strands of thought on the left and that there is no one overiding political philisophy, but I would have thought you could have at least slipped your brain out of neutral before making such a stupid comment.

      • grumpy 8.2.1

        Sorry, VoR, but you were not uppermost in my mind when I wrote the comment. Of course I remember your principled views on this issue……now for the other 13 of you……

    • Gosman 8.3

      What is the definition of irony again?

      I’m pretty sure that lprent criticising someone for making broad generalisations about a group of people when the whole point of the attack on the anti-MMP crowd in this article is pretty much doing just that.

      You guy’s do provide a mine of comedy material.

    • grumpy 8.4

      lprent, actually there are heaps of people I approve of, some of who you probably do too.

      At the moment I am nursing a deep and abiding hatred for those who rip off the elderly in the “Resthome” industry. – We might have that in common too?

  9. PeteG 9

    Why the surprise? Hasn’t most organised anti-MMP campaigning been with minority white supremacist motives?

    Labour Party candidate for Dunedin North, David Clark, asks “Please explain”…

    Can David explain all the associations with 455 “likes” on his own Facebook?

    • Colonial Viper 9.1

      Can David explain all the associations with 455 “likes” on his own Facebook?

      Apart from the fact your comment is a derail, I’m pretty sure they are almost all Labour supporters. Also pretty sure that as such they support Labour’s ‘broad church’ approach to encouraging diversity, participation and equality in NZ.

      • McFlock 9.1.1

        The other point being that there’s a difference between somebody liking what you do versus letting a white supremacist be a founding member of your richboy club.

    • bbfloyd 9.2

      that’s just silly pete… i’m starting to wonder if you have any principles at all.. defending the dregs of society just so that you can wave the party flag at all costs… really pathetic…

      so you’d best keep that up… people need reminding why they need to remove any trace of nationals influence from the political landscape.. the fact that they are supported by such dross is ample evidence of their unfitness to govern.

  10. Whistleblower 10

    The fact that he is facebook friends with a National MP is barely worth a mention.

    However, the fact that he is on the National Party Ohariu Electorate executive, and that he used to be employed as out of parliament staff by Katrina Shanks may require some explaining..

  11. Gosman 11

    I like MMP. I think it is great. However I dislike the tactics being used by many members of the pro-MMP lobby in this debate.

    Why can’t you just debate the merits of MMP versus the alternatives rather than enagaging in gutter personality politicking as if that makes a difference to the overall debate?

    • Blighty 11.1

      the merits of the system have been debated to death.

      there have been numerous posts here and elsewhere on that.

      But, if you want to raise the merits of an alternative system over MMP, go ahead and make that argument I’ll happily debate you.

      Right now, the anti-MMP group isn’t even making a serious case against MMP, let alone arguing one of the alternatives would be better.

    • Colonial Viper 11.2

      However I dislike the tactics being used by many members of the pro-MMP lobby in this debate.

      We learnt from the Right. Get used to it.

      • lprent 11.2.1

        Exactly. I even wrote a post just after the election about how we’d have to use the tactics of the right if only to rub their noses in how disgusting and stupid those tactics are. We’d just have to do them better.

        Not to mention the tactics used by Shirtcliffe and co in the 90’s which resulted in us having this stupid referendum based on a fictitious ‘promise’ to have another referendum. Quite frankly identifying that the anti-MMP idiots crap on their own feet is simply identifying why they like FPP – they are too stupid to squat when the situation demands it.

    • KJT 11.3

      Because we already thrashed out the pros and cons ad infinitum when it was first voted in.

      I think we have already established that it is more democratic.

      As someone said “one of the best arguments for MMP is the quality of the people who oppose it”.

      • Gosman 11.3.1

        Ummmmm… I think the term is Bovine Scatology.

        Whether you like it or not we are having a vote on the Electoral system. Just ecause we had a vot on the electoral system around 15 years ago doesn’t mean that we should now be able to dismiss having a rational debate about the merits of the current and other systems.

        Put forward the case for MMP or find fault with the alternatives. Don’t be lazy simpleton’s by engaging in the purile witch hunting nonsense.

  12. randal 12

    why indeed?
    mmp speaks for itself but the anti group needs to be exposed for their motivation.

    • Gosman 12.1

      Why does the anti-MMP group need to be exposed for their motivation?

      And how do you know what this guy’s motivation is anyway? It isn’t clear just from his background activities.

      For example, as stated I support MMP. If I joined a pro-MMP group does my background make a difference to the merits of MMP? Does it mean that MMP is more likely to be supported by right leaning people? Of course it doesn’t make a blind bit of diffence.

      • Colonial Viper 12.1.1

        In a proportional electoral system, cheeky darkie DPB mums, the Maori and Pasifika with huge families and the Asians who are turning up in droves are going to take over the NZ Government don’t you know.

        Pure blood whites are an endangered minority in the future, and in a proportional electoral system they have less and less power.

        That’s why white white supremacists want to get rid of MMP.

        • Gosman 12.1.1.1

          Ummmm… no that is just your paranoid conspiracy theory over why YOU think white supremacists want to get rid of MMP.

        • Vicky32 12.1.1.2

          Pure blood whites are an endangered minority in the future,

          I would add “males” to that…

      • Draco T Bastard 12.1.2

        Why does the anti-MMP group need to be exposed for their motivation?

        Well, considering the fact that they don’t actually have an argument against MMP then we need to check their motivation for getting rid of it. Asking the question Are these guys after democracy or power? will give a better understanding of why they want to get rid of a proportional, more accountable system for an elected dictatorship system that allows a specific minority to govern with no checks or balances. In fact, I think you’d want to do that even if they did have an argument. Same goes for the pro-MMP lobby groups as well.

        Nothing happens in a vacuum and often it’s the motive that will show you the true reason for why something happened.

  13. Craig 13

    Note how hard the anti-MMP lobby is not really campaigning for SM. Why do I suspect it really wants to get FPP back due to the donkey vote factor of nostalgic conservatives? Whereupon, they’ll shrug, dust off their shoulders and campaign for the restoration of FPP as they originally intended.

  14. I just checked out some of Alex Fogerty’s other friends: David Bennett (Nat.), David Farrar, Celia Wade-Brown (:P), Garth McVicar (Nut), Hekia Parata (Nat.), Judith Tizard (Lab.), Melissa Lee (Nat.), Nikki Kaye (Nat.), Paula Bennett (Nat.), Stephen Franks (Nat.).
    I probably missed some, but I imagine they will not be ‘friends’ for much longer,

    • Colonial Viper 14.1

      Ah, FaceBook friends, the most loyal kind :mrgreen:

      • Rich 14.1.1

        That’s why Google+ adds the circle concept as in:
        – Friends
        – Acquaintances
        – Who the fuck are they?
        – Nazi scum

  15. twgmbd 15

    One a side note, whoever made that poster on Tumeke is a dipshit – http://bit.ly/lVokWW – the poster says that if you want MMP that the current system needs to be changed. In fact if you want MMP, the current system needs to be retained. Big difference. Was that poster created by the the FPP lobby to create further confusion? Joe Bloggs doesn’t know how many MPs are currently in our parliament. He just knows there are a lot and they get paid too much.

    • Colonial Viper 15.1

      +1

      C.T. is going to be playing the ‘change’ meme a lot this year, neglecting to mention that ‘change’ can be for the better OR for the worse.

    • Pascal's bookie 15.2

      twgmbd, that poster was one of the main ones from the referendum which got us mmp. Bomber is just showing his age, and assuming everyone will recognise it I think.

  16. BR 16

    “Well, considering the fact that they don’t actually have an argument against MMP then we need to check their motivation for getting rid of it.”

    The worst aspect of MMP is the fact that political parties are able to determine who gets into parliament based on their list rankings. List MPs therefore put the interests of the party before those of their constituents. This is an appalling situation. It could be easily fixed by having FPP type elections, with proportionality being made up out of constituents who lost their seats, starting with those who lost by the smallest margin. MMP in it’s current form allows people into parliament with no public mandate at all.

    Bill.

    • Draco T Bastard 16.1

      List MPs therefore put the interests of the party before those of their constituents.

      Bollocks

      If a list MP pisses off the electorate then the electorate (the entire friggen country) can make enough noise so that the party will remove them. As we found out with Philip Fields though, it’s actually impossible for an electorate to remove an electorate MP.

      As it stands, List MPs are more accountable than electorate MPs.

    • Pascal's bookie 16.2

      Parties determine who electorate mps are as well though BR. The size of the margin in seats is also fairly predictable, so parties would just make sure that the candidates they really want in parliament will be in either safe or close seats.

    • lprent 16.3

      BR: Except that any election based around just geographical seats is also highly susceptible to gerrymandering, and has been gerrymandered throughout our history. It really doesn’t matter if lots of people in the electorate dislike a MP, so long as enough do, and the seat can be twisted like a pretzel to ensure that those wanting a change are rendered ineffective. Almost every electorate MP is voted in by a minority of their electorate.

      Besides, the candidates are still picked by the parties. It is pointless doing what you are advocating unless there are no parties. The politics of selection largely happen inside the party simply because there are relatively few people interested enough in politics to be bothered.

      Is pretty easy to get rid of list MP’s. They serve at the displeasure of the party. If you want to get rid of one, then be a member to exert significiant pressure inside the party, or exert less pressure on that party from outside.

      But it is really really hard to get rid of electorate MP’s.

      I guess that you simply know bugger all about politics from your comment.

      • Draco T Bastard 16.3.1

        Almost every electorate MP is voted in by a minority of their electorate.

        Which is why electorate voting needs to be changed to STV.

        I guess that you simply know bugger all about politics from your comment.

        From reading BR’s comment I figure he only knows what he’s been told over at places like Kiwiblog etc. Hasn’t actually studied or thought about the electoral system and how it works.

        • lprent 16.3.1.1

          From reading BR’s comment I figure he only knows what he’s been told over at places like Kiwiblog etc. Hasn’t actually studied or thought about the electoral system and how it works.

          Yep. That would also tie in with his inability to deal with such complex notions as the Reply button and threaded comments. He replied here. I really can’t be bothered pointing out how superbly stupid his idea is.

          Suffice to say that I’d prefer giving MP’s with safe seats unattainable list rankings as an incentive to win the frigging seat. If they can’t and they’re not in the top tier in cabinet then they should be out of parliament. The people I want to see in the attainable listings are people who I’d want in parliament to try out. If they don’t work out then as a party member, then I’d like to drop them down next time.

          What I don’t want to see is dead wood coming in on the list. We’re slowly getting rid of that idea in Labour. We don’t want some VfC-wits coming up with an idea last used for weaning FPP MP’s to MMP from the 1990’s and trying to say it’d be a good idea.

    • The Voice of Reason 16.4

      List MP’s don’t have constituents, but they do have a public mandate. That mandate is earned by being ranked by party members to fill the positions on the list. The public then choose to endorse those candidates or some other party’s candidates. There are two democratic votes held before a list candidate becomes an MP. Party, then public.
       
      It’s a pretty good system and delivered some excellent MP’s who wouldn’t otherwise be in the house. Ok, it’s also given us David Garrett and Richard Worth, but every system has its flaws.

  17. felix 18

    Ever notice how in the upside-down world of Cameron Slater, David Farrar and their mates, everyone is a racist except for white supremacists?

    • Pascal's bookie 18.1

      Silly felix. Racist is bad, and whites are supreme. It just doesn’t work!

      And anyway, this poor Foggitty chap was quoted OUT OF CONTEXT when he congratulated Australian groups for the increasing attacks on Jews, and when he said that “I’d love to get rid of all Jews, blacks, gypsies, retards and social degenerates, I would love to have genetic cleansing.”

      Out of context see.

      And what’s more, he only thinks that some of the Nazis’ ideas were good.

      “Some” geddit? What’s wrong with that? Of course some of their ideas were good. Who doesn’t think that?

      Racists, that’s who!

      What a beat up.

      http://www.fightdemback.org/2005/09/07/nz-press-investigates-dos-attack/

  18. BR 19

    “Parties determine who electorate mps are as well though BR. The size of the margin in seats is also fairly predictable, so parties would just make sure that the candidates they really want in parliament will be in either safe or close seats.”

    Perhaps, but constituent MPs are accountable to their constituents. A high ranking list MP in either major party risks being thrown onto the opposition benches, a constituent MP risks being thrown out of parliament.

    “But it is really really hard to get rid of electorate MP’s.”

    It is hard for the party to get rid of electorate MPs. It is harder for the voters to get rid of list MPs.

    Some MPs can be both, and this makes MMP even more absurd. Who can forget Chris Carter, who as a high ranking opposition list MP and also a constituent MP, went on a spending spree courtesy of the NZ taxpayer. When this was discovered, he hid from the press for four days. When he was finally flushed out from his spider hole, the only thing he had to say in his own defence was that he was a loyal Labour MP. It seems that Carter was more preoccupied with not annoying the party hierarchy than keeping his constituents happy. He obviously placed a higher value on his list placing than his electorate majority.

    Like I said earlier, and this is not an original idea, it would be better to go back to FPP and correct any lack of proportionality by allowing a few constituent MPS who lost their electorate votes a seat in parliament, starting with the ones who came closest to winning. That way the party could not directly appoint it’s own MPs. The current system is not compatible with a representative democracy. List MPs represent only their parties, and that is where their loyalties lie.

    Bill.

    • Pascal's bookie 19.1

      People vote for parties br. true fact. You know that saying about how a dog could win that seat for party x? Versions of that saying are found in all democracies for a reason. People vote for parties. So those list mps that are representing the party, are therefore representing the people that vote for that party. This is not difficult.

      And anyway, your fix is even more absurd than your problem. If your problem is real, then why should mps that have been chucked out get back in? Isn’t that the problem you are trying to fix?

    • Draco T Bastard 19.2

      It is harder for the voters to get rid of list MPs.

      No you friggen moron. It’s easier to get rid of list MPs as we can kick them out during the term and they won’t be coming back next election because no party is stupid enough (except possibly Act) to put them back on the list or put them in an electorate seat to try and win. Can’t do that reliably with an electorate MP.

      Like I said earlier, and this is not an original idea,

      No it’s not – you’re too stupid to come up with an original idea. What you’re describing is, of course, SM or, as it’s been described as, FPP in drag.

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 17-May-2024
    We’re at the end of another week. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked if the Herald’s poor journalism will cost lives On Tuesday Matt covered Wayne Brown’s proposal for public transport in the Long ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • Rishi’s relaunch
    With an election due in less than nine months, Britain’s embattled PM, Rishi Sunak, gave a useful speech earlier this week. He made a substantial case for his government, perhaps as compelling as is possible in the current environment. Quite an achievement. His overall theme was security, first pulling ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #20 2024
    Open access notables Publicly expressed climate scepticism is greatest in regions with high CO2 emissions, Pearson et al., Climatic Change: We analysed a recently released corpus of climate-related tweets to examine the macro-level factors associated with public declarations of climate change scepticism. Analyses of over 2 million geo-located tweets in the U.S. showed that climate ...
    4 days ago
  • The thrilling possibilities of charter schools
    You can be all negative about these charter schools if you want, but I’m here to accentuate the positive. You can get all worked up, if you want to, by the contradiction of Luxon saying We’re going to make sure that every school in the country is teaching exactly the same ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • This Unreasonable Government.
    Losing The Room: One can only speculate about what has persuaded the Coalition Government that it will pay no electoral price for unreasonably pushing ahead with policies that are so clearly against the national interest. They seem quite oblivious to the risk that by doing so they will convince an increasing ...
    4 days ago
  • Supreme Court weighs in on name suppression
    Name suppression decisions can be tough sometimes. No matter your views on free speech, you have to be hard-hearted not to be torn by the tug of the competing arguments. I think you can feel the Supreme Court wrestling with that in M v The King. The case for ...
    4 days ago
  • Is This A “Merchants” Government?
    The Merchants of Menace: The Coalition Government has convinced itself that the Brahmins’ emollient functions have become much too irksome and expensive. Those who see themselves as the best hope of rebuilding New Zealand’s ailing capitalist system, appear to have convinced themselves that a little bit of blunt trauma is what their mollycoddled ...
    4 days ago
  • This is what corruption looks like
    When National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants: On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Take that, Vladimir – and be warned: we have plenty more sanctions (at least, we hope so) in our ...
    Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point.  Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • More Harm Than Good.
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...
    4 days ago
  • The Ombudsman fails again
    In 2020, the Operation Burnham inquiry reported back, finding that NZDF had lied to Ministers and the New Zealand public about its actions in Afghanistan. The inquiry saw a large number of documents declassified and released, which raised another problem: whether they had also lied to the Ombudsman in his ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • No Time To Think: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the Govt
    It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Picking Sides.
    Time To Choose: Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into AUKUS’s  “Pillar 2” – or they are going to China.HAD ZHENG HE’S FLEET sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks ...
    4 days ago
  • Universities offer course in self-serving cowardice
    Henry Ergas writes –  When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The teacher trainee challenge
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Words and (in)actions
    New Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision   Michael Reddell writes –  When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • What do you hope for/fear from the budget?
    Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on ACT’s charter schools experiment
    If there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...
    4 days ago
  • Drought fuels wildfire concerns as Canada braces for another intense summer
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gaye Taylor As widespread drought raises expectations for a repeat of last year’s ferocious wildfire season, response teams across Canada are grappling with the rapidly changing face of fire in a warming climate. No longer quenched by winter, nor quelled by the ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Thursday, May 16
    Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Controversial proposal could threaten coalition
    The University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Of Rings of Power Annatar, Dramatic Irony, and Disguises
    As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...
    4 days ago
  • The future of Nick's Kōrero.
    This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The PM promises tax relief in the Budget – but will it be enough to satisfy the Taxpayers’ Union...
    Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when  the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Fucking useless
    Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Setting things straight.
    Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Far too light a sentence
    David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Unwinding Labour’s Agenda
    Muriel Newman writes –  Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Sequel to “Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour”
    Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Govt’s Fast-Track is being demolished by submissions to Parliament
    Bryce Edwards writes –  The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • A generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day
    An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • NZUP RORS back to life
    The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
    5 days ago
  • School Is Out.
    School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • How Are You Doing?
    Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • The Rings of Power: Season Two Teaser Trailer
    I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – What ended the Little ice Age?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    6 days ago
  • Talking Reo with the PM
    “The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Waitangi Tribunal’s authority in Chhour case is upheld – but bill’s introduction to Parliament...
    Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour.  The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Australia jails another whistleblower
    In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Some “scrutiny”!
    Back in February I blogged about another secret OIA "consultation" by the Ministry of Justice. This one was on Aotearoa's commitment in its Open Government Partnership Action Plan to "strengthen scrutiny of Official Information Act exemption clauses in legislation" (AKA secrecy clauses). Their consultation paper on the issue focused on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • TVNZ is loss-making, serves no public service due to bias, and should be liquidated
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • The conflicted Covid Chair
    David Farrar writes –  Kata MacNamara reports:    Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea
    Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer coming
    RNZ reports –  It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • The climate battleground heats up
    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14
    The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitic
    To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
    6 days ago
  • Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
    6 days ago
  • Wayne Brown’s PT Plan
    Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
    6 days ago
  • Potaka's Private Universe.
    And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Our slow regional councils
    The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • New measures to protect powerlines from trees
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events.  “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani win top Māori dairy farming award
    Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • DJ Fred Again – Assurance report received
    "On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden.  “I raised my concerns after being ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unions should put learning ahead of ideology
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools.     “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMA
    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguard
    Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
    New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says.  “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019.  “It is my pleasure ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
    New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.  “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Further sanctions against Russia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • One year on from Loafers Lodge
    A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaboration
    New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says.    “This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Penk travels to Peru for trade meetings
    Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister attends global education conferences
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA Chair
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
    New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.   This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Panel announced for review into disability services
    Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Minister welcomes Police gang unit
    Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners.  “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • New Chief of Defence Force appointed
    Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
    Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
    Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
    The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
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