Big developments in Beijing

Written By: - Date published: 4:44 pm, February 7th, 2022 - 31 comments
Categories: China, Iran, kremlinology, leadership, Peace, political alternatives, Russia, United Nations - Tags:

The meeting between Putin and Xi Jinping is likely to set the geopolitical direction for the 21st century. If ‘divide and rule’ was the mantra for the US’s hegemonic rule in the 20th century, ‘unite and share’ looks like setting the tone for the 21st. Co-operation rather than competition is the mantra, and “friendship between the two states has no limits.” A truly remarkable turnaround.

Some are dismissing the statement of the two leaders as boilerplate virtue-signalling. That in my view is a mistake. The statement is accompanied by a work programme and other initiatives, and as recent history shows both countries place an emphasis on delivery. Andrei Graevsky provides a useful breakdown of the significance of the various section of the statement here.

In an article in the Observer titled ‘Biden rattles his saber at Putin…but its Xi he really wants to scare” Simon Tisdall begins by saying:

If, as seems probable, Russia decides not to launch an all-out invasion of Ukraine, tub-thumping US and British politicians who have spent weeks scaring the public with loose talk of looming Armageddon will have some explaining to do.

The military build-up directed by Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, is real enough. But suspicion grows that the actual as opposed to the hypothetical threat of a large-scale conventional attack is being mis-read, misinterpreted, over-estimated or deliberately exaggerated.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

How true that is. I well remember General Colin Powell’s display at the UN about Saddam Hussein’s supposed weapons of mass destruction. But the money quote in Tisdall’s article is this:

The birth of this Sino-Russian axis, conceived in opposition to the US-led western democracies, is the most globally significant strategic development since the Soviet Union collapsed 30 years ago. It will define the coming age.

We hear very little in our media, dependent as it is on the Anglosphere, about the Shanghai Co-Operation Organisation, which has now admitted Iran to full membership, and  the Eurasian Economic Union,  who link the Eurasian landmass with road, rail and pipeline. They will not be easily contained by the 19th century maritime colonising powers US and UK, no matter how much these tell us they are ‘back’ or ‘global.’

This strategic link-up between China and Russia at the poles of Eurasia with the associated rapidly developing real and political networks is something we should be paying close attention to, and not just listening to the Western voices. For a start, it would do us well to pay attention f=to former Indian diplomat V,. K. Bhadrakumar, who writes at “Indian Punchline.” He notes that the Russian/China friendship does not fit the traditional definition of an alliance:

the Russian-Chinese partnership does not fit into the definition (of an alliance.) For a start, It is not about wartime contingencies. Rather, it is built on commonality of interests dating back to the early years of the post-cold war era and is far from a time-serving alliance of limited objectives. It is built on the principles of equality, mutual respect and on the complementarity between their political economies. Unsurprisingly, an exceptional “closeness” developed in course of time between the two countries.

 

 

31 comments on “Big developments in Beijing ”

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  1. francesca 1
    7 February 2022 at 5:42 pm

    Interesting that even Simon Tisdall is starting to get real .The US crying wolf one too many times is wearing thin

    No matter how many times Peng Shuai says she was not sexually assaulted, she was not "disappeared" and that she deleted her original post herself, western tennis officials and media can not give up on their sensationalised allegations

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2022/02/tennis-china-s-peng-shuai-makes-gives-first-foreign-media-interview-after-2021-disappearance-backtracks-on-sexual-assault-allegations.html

    That link itself is also slanted but there are plenty of others since Shuai's interview with French outlet Equipe

    • Andrew Miller 1.1
      8 February 2022 at 11:40 pm

      Awwww bless.

      Yes, of course she just withdrew it herself, what possible reason could we have to think the CCP may have coerced her?
      .

  2. Dennis Frank 2
    7 February 2022 at 7:25 pm

    Classic triangulation – against USA primarily.

    For those eager to see cracks in the China-Russia bonhomie, Xi had a message: “China and Russia have stayed committed to deepening strategic coordination of mutual support… The two countries have never and will never waver in this choice.”

    Likewise, Putin proclaimed that “Russia sees in China the most important strategic partner and a like-minded friend, and hails the Russia-China relationship as an example for international relations in the 21st century.”

    The joint statement issued after their meeting made clear what China and Russia have in common. Both see a world moving “towards redistribution of power,” where “the international community is showing a growing demand for the leadership aiming at peaceful and gradual development.” China and Russia intend to fill that demand by providing alternative global leadership for any countries unhappy with the status quo.

    As U.S. President Joe Biden has made defending democracy a watchword of his administration, China and Russia have responded by attempting to claim the mantle of global democratic leadership. In his meeting with Putin, Xi even congratulated both China and Russia for having “safeguarded the true spirit of democracy.”

    The joint statement goes much further. Its first point is a lengthy (re)definition of democracy, culminating in the claim that “Russia and China as world powers with rich cultural and historical heritage have long-standing traditions of democracy, which rely on thousand-years [sic] of experience of development, broad popular support and consideration of the needs and interests of citizens.”

    https://thediplomat.com/2022/02/what-putin-and-xi-said-and-didnt-say-about-ukraine/

    If I were Biden's political advisor, I'd advise him to issue a media release citing that last paragraph of the joint statement, then appending this US response: laugh (Lol).

  3. Stuart Munro 3
    7 February 2022 at 8:58 pm

    Russia seems inclined to put the Ukraine invasion on hold – at least until Nordstream comes on line. But neither country has much patience for relationships where they are not the controlling partner. Shirvan has a discussion of some of the issues Unpacking the China-Russia alliance – YouTube but neither country likes to bend the knee. Both are exploiting a xenophobic nationalism for domestic consumption. I wouldn't bet the farm on the alliance proving very robust.

    • Blazer 3.1
      7 February 2022 at 9:03 pm

      Interested to know how Russia put the invasion of Ukraine on 'hold'.

      Putin and Lavrov have stated on a number of occasions they do not intend to…invade.

      • Stuart Munro 3.1.1
        7 February 2022 at 9:12 pm

        One shouldn't repose much confidence in Putin's statements – he said he wasn't going to invade in 2014 either.

        His real object is perhaps discernable here: to the extent that he believes the lines that have gone out under his name, it is not acceptable to him that Ukraine remain separate, no matter what democratic processes may have resolved without him.

        • Blazer 3.1.1.1
          7 February 2022 at 9:19 pm

          I thought he was worried about Ukraine joining Nato,and just wanted the Minsk Agreement and the guarantees of 1997 followed.

          As Ukraine is on the border of Russia,the West tooling' up Ukraine seems a legitimate concern.

          Do you think the U.S revelation that Russia was engineering a false flag incident in Ukraine has any credibility?

          I note there are alot of miles between the U.S and Ukraine.

          Also since the end of the Afghanistan moneymaker for U.S defence contactors …profits are on..a slide.

          • Stuart Munro 3.1.1.1.1
            7 February 2022 at 9:36 pm

            For a long time Russia depended extensively on dirty tricks, having less in the way of force of arms and materiale to achieve their aims. We see signs of this continuing with cyber attacks, and it would not be out of character for them to create a false flag pretext. But the US is no stranger to such tricks either.

            It is less the tricks than the preparations for invasion, and the rhetoric for internal consumption, that spell out Russia's intent. NATO however had no particular plans to expand eastward. The fall of Ukraine, and subsequently Poland, however, would oblige them to keep standing armies of Cold War proportions – an expense they would rather avoid.

            No doubt the military industrial complex will find a way to profit – but the instigator of current tension is certainly Russia – Germany has had to be dragged to hold up its NATO commitments – it was looking forward to cheap gas.

            • Blazer 3.1.1.1.1.1
              7 February 2022 at 9:41 pm

              As Ukraine is not a member of NATO and european nations signed the Minsk Agreement,what are those commitments ..exactly?

              • Stuart Munro …
                7 February 2022 at 9:53 pm

                I could not say – but they no doubt amounted to more than contributing a few helmets. It is Russia that has broken the Minsk agreement, by renewing hostilities, for the cessation of which they received the Ukrainian nukes in good faith.

                • Blazer …
                  7 February 2022 at 9:58 pm

                  What are these hostilities?

                  Seem like allegations.

                  Russia can parade its military within its borders every day of the week ,if it wants to…surely.

                  • Stuart Munro …
                    7 February 2022 at 10:50 pm

                    Oh it's doing a little more than that – and the insurgency it has sponsored in the eastern Ukraine continues to produce casualties.

                    It has assembled a force sufficient to overwhelm its peaceful neighbour, conducted cyber attacks and a disinformation campaign about NATO creep. We could perhaps think about Russian rights had they not invaded in 2014, after sending in the insurgents.

                    Ukraine was probably Russia's test of the new president, who, in the wake of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, looked relatively weak. In the event however, he was able to rapidly find a consensus with traditional European allies, none of whom want a recrudescence of the Iron Curtain. Russia's gains under Trump proved not to be enduring – he couldn't do soft power to save himself, which is no doubt why he readily made common cause with Kim Jong Eun and Putin,

                    • Blazer …
                      8 February 2022 at 8:50 am

                      There is alot more to it than that.

                      Sure Russia annexed Crimea,to ensure Black Sea access for its navy.Ukraine renegged on their agreement.

                      Ukraine also had nuclear capability.

                      Not surprisingly Russia regarded that as a threat,just as the U.S would not accept the same near its borders.

                      With Nato having 30 members and Russia's Western front encircled it is not surprising that military initiatives are live concerning her national security.

                      My guess is Russia if it wanted to,could take out Ukraine quite easily.

                      A diplomatic solution needs to be found,U.S threats are not helpful.

                  • Stuart Munro …
                    8 February 2022 at 11:59 am

                    A diplomatic solution needs to be found,U.S threats are not helpful.

                    In the absence of US and NATO threats, Putin would by now have butchered Ukrainian civilians just as he did Chechen, Georgian, and most recently Kazakstanis.

                    You might want to consider whether the expansion of a criminal autocracy that has no rule of law is likely to be in any way better than US adventurism. Talk to some Polish people – they know what Russia is, and why even the US is infinitely better.

                    Russia has modernized its army at considerable expense for their marginal economy. They mean to use it – and if not deterred will recover all their European and Central Asia occupied territories. Without the figleaf of a new liberating system of governance, which is what Stalinist Communism pretended to be, Russian invasions are no more legitimate than Hitler's. Putin has even built a Hitler youth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAaoEFHlLqk, trying to paint Ukraine, which bore the brunt of WWII German aggression, as fascists. There is no lie too dirty for Putin.

                    • Blazer …
                      8 February 2022 at 1:20 pm

                      ' they know what Russia is, and why even the US is infinitely better.'-Talk to some Iraqi people,they may have a different viewpoint,along with dozens of other countries who have had the misfortune to deal with U.S hegemony.

                  • Stuart Munro …
                    8 February 2022 at 1:45 pm

                    Quite.

                    But it is not the US invading this time, but Russia.

                    The Russian history of invasion is, if anything, worse. The Russian invasion halved the population of Chechnya – and illegal and immoral as the US invasion of Iraq was, they didn't go quite that far.

      • Andrew Miller 3.1.2
        9 February 2022 at 10:12 am

        We’ll, that settles it then. Putin has proved time and time again he’s a man who’s word we can trust and it’s obvious he only wants to see agreements stuck to….

        Good grief!

        • Blazer 3.1.2.1
          9 February 2022 at 12:37 pm

          So you think the U.S cares less about the people in eastern europe!

          Good grief alright….a million died in Iraq='sorry,our intelligence …failed ..us'!

  4. pat 4
    7 February 2022 at 9:06 pm

    Its built on the (years ago stated) desire to replace US dollar hegemony

  5. adam 5
    7 February 2022 at 9:42 pm

    Watch Russia get back on it's feet by selling it's resources to China. And watch Europe freeze, without Russian natural gas it's all going to turn to shit next winter for the average European. Gas prices are completely crazy this year, next year are going to be much worse.

    Putin does not have to invade, he just needs to turn the tap off, and China have just made that possible.

    • Blazer 5.1
      7 February 2022 at 9:49 pm

      Agreed.

      The sun is setting on the U.S empire.

      I think it is a good thing for the world.

      People are much the same,we can still respect them ,even if they don't speak ..English.

      • Blade 5.1.1
        7 February 2022 at 11:00 pm

        ''The sun is setting on the U.S empire. I think it is a good thing for the world.''

        Who do you think will become the world's next sheriff?

        And how can that be good for NZ?

        • Blazer 5.1.1.1
          8 February 2022 at 8:52 am

          Who needs a self appointed Sheriff?

          The U.N is meant to be the forum to resolve international disputes.

  6. Ad 6
    8 February 2022 at 8:49 am

    The media could hardly be accused of not commenting on Russia and energy (via Ukraine), and China and energy (via blackouts for weeks last year).

    Since 2015 Russia has grown to be China's second-largest supplier of crude oil to China and the third-largest provider of natural gas (pipeline and liquefied natural gas combined). Russian companies are also currently increasing their supplies of high-quality coal to China: XI is simply warding off another electricity shock before his 2022 crowning.

    China and Russia have so totally screwed their relationship with their key Europe and North American markets that they can only operate within a rapidly diminishing sphere. It's threats by Russia and China that are causing the west to react with massive sanctions.

    Forget all your bile about the US or "signalling" and concentrate on the politics of energy.

    • Blazer 6.1
      8 February 2022 at 8:56 am

      Patent nonsense.

      Nordstream 2 is a multi billion dollar project,wanted and supported by Europe.

      Russia wants good relations with Europe as they supply 40% of their energy requirements.It makes good commercial sense.

      Arbitrary sanctions and threats are not conducive to peaceful co existence.

      • Ad 6.1.1
        8 February 2022 at 11:59 am

        The sanctions proposed are not arbitrary and the threat from Russia right now is real and has been so since 2014.

        • Blazer 6.1.1.1
          8 February 2022 at 1:28 pm

          Might be real…just not this…real!

          By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: February 7, 2022 ~

          Winston Churchill once described Russia as “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” The same could be said of Bloomberg LP, parent of Bloomberg News, which last Friday ran the false headline “Russia Invades Ukraine.” For still unexplained reasons, the headline was left up for at least 24 minutes on the digital front page of Bloomberg News.

          • Ad 6.1.1.1.1
            8 February 2022 at 2:20 pm

            Some things actually happen in reality.

            The US could, as the post suggests, simply follow China's lead and form a compact of purely mercantile survival and:

            – concede that Russia should have been able to militarily annex Crimea all along in 2014 without consequences

            – concede Russia should simply conquer the eastern quarter of the Ukraine as it continues to do with arms and finance since 2014, and

            – concede that the US simply can't adequately translate its economic heft into diplomatic effect that stops war

            – concede that total European reliance on Russian gas rather than any energy alternative is inevitable

            The Russia-China agreement is also tacit approval for China to continue aggressive moves against Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, Cambodia, North Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam.

  7. Sanctuary 7
    8 February 2022 at 12:06 pm

    The only reason Putin hasn't attacked the Ukraine is his generals are unsure of success in the face of generalised resistance from a re-invigorated Ukrainian army and civilian militia. A battlefield defeat or an attritional stalemate would be a strategic disaster for Russia. Heavy street fighting in Kharkov (for example) would tie up tens of thousands of Russian troops and result in heavy casualties amongst both military and civilian populations. He has to decide soon. Looking at the weather forcasts for Kiev online the spring thaw is beginning early (climate change).

  8. georgecom 8
    8 February 2022 at 8:45 pm

    whilst the Russia-Ukraine issue has a number of faces and angles, one worth making is as follows. When Cuba acquired nuclear missiles the US had a heart attack, a huge tantrum and an existential moment. Soviet missiles 100 miles off their coast didn't sit well. Now 60 years on Russia is a bit nervous about Nato troops and armaments on their border. I think there are parallels. If the US had concerns 60 years back, I think it is reasonable for the Russians to have concerns now.

    • aj 8.1
      8 February 2022 at 10:31 pm

      A quid pro quo

      Khrushchev’s memoirs suggest he would remove his missiles from Cuba in exchange for the removal of US missiles with nuclear warheads in Turkey. The Soviets accepted the terms of the agreement after Kennedy agreed to remove missile bases in Turkey.

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    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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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, ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 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
    4 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
    4 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 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
    11 hours 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
    16 hours 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
    16 hours 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
    17 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 days ago

  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Getting Back on Track
    Check 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your 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.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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