Blogger on breaching name suppression charges gets name suppression

Written By: - Date published: 11:54 am, April 10th, 2015 - 67 comments
Categories: blogs, crime, journalism, law, suppression orders, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

You may have to read the headline twice.  And whoever he is should hand in his blogger’s union card.  From the Herald:

A blogger accused of breaching a high-profile name suppression has been granted name suppression himself.

The 51-year-old appeared in Auckland District Court today facing two charges of contravening suppression orders made by Justice Helen Winkelmann – the former chief High Court judge, newly appointed to the Court of Appeal.

The Auckland-based blogger, who writes about corruption in New Zealand, is also charged with five counts of criminal harassment.

The complainants include a politician, civil servants, a real estate agent and the former partner of an Auckland businessman – all of whom feature prominently on his website.

It is alleged that both in August and December last year, the defendant named and posted photographs of two teens involved in a high-profile attack that left another teenager dead.

Their names and images, which were specifically suppressed by Justice Winkelmann at sentencing in the High Court at Auckland, are still up on the blog.

This person is in major risk of the Streisand effect kicking in.

Please note suppression orders are in place.  There should be no Speculation on who this blogger is although it took me about five seconds to work out who he is.

67 comments on “Blogger on breaching name suppression charges gets name suppression ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Clemgeopin 1
    10 April 2015 at 12:06 pm

    “There should be no Speculation on who this blogger is although it took me about five seconds to work out who he is”

    It has been much more than 5 seconds now and I am still no wiser! Frustrating!

    • MM 1.1
      19 April 2015 at 2:50 am

      “It has been much more than 5 seconds now and I am still no wiser! Frustrating!”
      His victims have had to wait YEARS for this. And some of them are vulnerable disabled people, not a politician, civil servants, a real estate agent and the former partner of an Auckland businessman. The falsely accused are disabled and innocent so deserve closure. So please remember we cannot jeopardise their opportunity to have that after years of unfettered abuse, unjustified defamation bullying threats and more. Please at least allow them to have that after he’s ruined their lives.
      You only need wait a month.

  2. DoublePlusGood 2
    10 April 2015 at 12:14 pm

    Well, based on the age, my first 10 guesses are wrong, so perhaps this is a suppression order that might actually work.

  3. Anita 3
    10 April 2015 at 12:19 pm

    Is there any indication (not the the Herald, useless rag! 😉 ) what the grounds for the suppression are?

    I am guessing it’s preventing more people accessing the content which is alleged to breach suppression. If so, it actually frustrates the blogger’s intent rather than acting for their benefit.

    • mickysavage 3.1
      10 April 2015 at 12:40 pm

      You might be right although there is an allegation involving sheep on a counter site …

      • Anita 3.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 2:26 pm

        There are always allegations involving sheep 😉

        On topic tho, it seems like it could well be an entirely sensible call by the District Court which is ensuring its own process does not act as a megaphone to someone who is alleged to have breached the order of the High Court. If prosecuting someone for breaching a suppression order only served to magnify the breach there would be an obvious problem.

      • Gareth 3.1.2
        10 April 2015 at 11:23 pm

        Which one is the troll blog?

        • mickysavage 3.1.2.1
          10 April 2015 at 11:25 pm

          I thought the one mentioning sheep shagging but you can never tell …

          • Gareth 3.1.2.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 11:37 pm

            How difficult, when you can’t tell which one is Robin Hood and which one is the Sheriff.

    • weka 3.2
      10 April 2015 at 3:28 pm

      “I am guessing it’s preventing more people accessing the content which is alleged to breach suppression. If so, it actually frustrates the blogger’s intent rather than acting for their benefit.”

      It does beg the question of why the state can’t forcibly remove the content. Anyone know?

      • McFlock 3.2.1
        10 April 2015 at 3:36 pm

        Technically it’s practically impossible: even if the servers are in NZ or a sympathetic jurisdiction that will respect a NZ court order, and all backup servers are also identified, and copies in google cache and Wayback are found and the process repeated to erase those copies, then people who have already viewed it will probably still have copies on their personal machines that can then be distributed via new websites or services like dropbox or mega.

        Dictators, movie moguls and the porn industry have been trying for years, and without all that much success.

        Actually, suppressing the blogsite is probably the best option, as it starves of oxygen the only blogsite that’s particularly interested in violating those suppression orders, anyway 🙂

        • weka 3.2.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 3:42 pm

          Technically it’s practically impossible: even if the servers are in NZ or a sympathetic jurisdiction that will respect a NZ court order, and all backup servers are also identified, and copies in google cache and Wayback are found and the process repeated to erase those copies, then people who have already viewed it will probably still have copies on their personal machines that can then be distributed via new websites or services like dropbox or mega.

          That’s largely beside the point though. I’m not talking about controlling the internet. I’m talking about content on one particular site. I’m curious as to why the state can’t compel the blogger to remove the content. NZ and other states have confiscated servers and computers etc before.

          I’m assuming that if it’s being hosted overseas it’s not a breach, is that not right?

          Is the blogger using a commercial blogging platform? Why have they not removed it?

          • Anita 3.2.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 4:57 pm

            I would have thought that it would be possible for the court to issue an order for the content to be removed by the person.

            Given the fact that the breach of suppression is currently only alleged and not proven – and appears to be disputed – it might be seen to be unreasonable to do that if there current posting is not causing widespread publication of the detail.

          • Anita 3.2.1.1.2
            10 April 2015 at 4:59 pm

            While I’m thinking of it, the long running Vince Siemer related litigation may well be the model here. There were, from memory, injunctions to have websites shut down.

          • jay 3.2.1.1.3
            19 April 2015 at 10:19 am

            “I’m assuming that if it’s being hosted overseas it’s not a breach, is that not right?”

            That’s what the man is relying on; that the site is an off-shore based blog. The co-writer is also domiciled in NSW and has a law degree. So they’ve been blatantly flouting the fact they’ve been able to avoid the rules, wilfully… Except the police know who they are… That’s retty much how TVONE news got the details of the twitter threats against the Christchurch based Indian student. Its not hard to find out who online bullies are as internet posts can leave a digital footprint. (Well done TVNZ news for that one too)

  4. Skinny 4
    10 April 2015 at 12:28 pm

    Sounds like a warning shot about exposing the worst kept secret relating to the prominent New Zealander by judge Winklepicker boots.

  5. Paul 5
    10 April 2015 at 12:38 pm

    51-year-old
    Auckland-based blogger
    Writes about corruption in New Zealand

    5 seconds have passed for me
    Any other clues?

    • felix 5.1
      10 April 2015 at 12:43 pm

      It is alleged that both in August and December last year, the defendant named and posted photographs of two teens involved in a high-profile attack that left another teenager dead.

      Their names and images, which were specifically suppressed by Justice Winkelmann at sentencing in the High Court at Auckland, are still up on the blog.

      I would add that so are those of the “politician, civil servants, a real estate agent and the former partner of an Auckland businessman”

      • McFlock 5.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 1:52 pm

        If written words were spoken, could you say that any louder?

        • weka 5.1.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 3:30 pm

          I have no idea either. Lots of politicians, civil servants, real estate agents and exs of Auckland businmen in NZ.

          • McFlock 5.1.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 3:39 pm

            indeed. Just googling an italicised phrase brings up loads of sites.

            • weka 5.1.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 3:46 pm

              lolz, you’re not suggesting a beige tinge to the offending are you?

            • felix 5.1.1.1.1.2
              10 April 2015 at 4:57 pm

              Well there are only a couple of sites displaying the photo related to the teenager who died. The victim’s name is (not suppressed) Stephen Dudley. Of those two sites, it’s unlikely that both of them would feature all of the other people mentioned…

                • felix …
                  10 April 2015 at 6:36 pm

                  hmmm, maybe I’m using a different google. I get one interesting result on the first page.

                  • weka …
                    10 April 2015 at 7:13 pm

                    ok, got it. It’s who I thought it was, but the thought of having to trawl through so much verbiage for such little gain probably means that very few people will actually get to see the breach 😉 If you didn’t already know the site, I’m not sure how many people would pick it.

                    (was on the phone before, where google is pretty much useless).

                    • felix …
                      10 April 2015 at 7:24 pm

                      Yes well I suppose I used the word “interesting” pretty loosely 😀

                      Also I would have thought the blog was more known than the blogger.

                    • weka …
                      10 April 2015 at 7:51 pm

                      Yes, I don’t know the blogger’s name.

                    • Anne …
                      10 April 2015 at 8:02 pm

                      ok, got it. It’s who I thought it was,
                      Same here, but its taken me all bloody day to confirm it. And I had better things in mind to do. 🙁

                • Tracey …
                  11 April 2015 at 12:20 pm

                  Ever noticed how illiterate [Please be careful – MS] writers canbe while having an air of intellectual superiority in what they write?

                  I was googling blogs and found this

                  “[Please be careful – MS] report went virile and received over 700,000 views in a few days after its release. ”

                  ” values it has installed in its pupils “

                  • Anne …
                    11 April 2015 at 5:22 pm

                    [Please be careful – MS]’s report went virile and received over 700,000 views..

                    Not surprised.

                  • weka …
                    11 April 2015 at 5:25 pm

                    Just going to bring this to the MODS attention I think, looks a step to far maybe?

                    TROLL NAZI keywords (not that you are a troll nazi 😉 ).

                    edit, Good grief, what do you have to do to trip the mod filter?!

                    • Tracey …
                      11 April 2015 at 7:47 pm

                      funny thing is… i genuinely didnt know who was the subject of the suppression nor the site. I find the site i mentioned a bit wierd and saw it when i searched and saw their torture of the english language. it was that i was genuinely commented on.

                      the odd thing is now i think i know and i wasnt even speculating.

              • miravox …
                10 April 2015 at 6:26 pm

                I can only get an Australian-based site using this info. However, that was interesting.

                Also interesting (I thought) is that a combined Google search on the accused and victim gets “Some results may have been removed under data protection law in Europe”. This appears to to be due to an application to remove information under the Right to be Forgotten law in Europe. A potential international career may be problematic if names are linked, I guess.

                So anyway, the NZ blogger is still a mystery to me.

  6. Paul 6
    10 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

    The Streisand effect
    Had to look this up.

    The Streisand effect is the phenomenon whereby an attempt to hide, remove, or censor a piece of information has the unintended consequence of publicizing the information more widely, usually facilitated by the Internet.

    It is named after American entertainer Barbra Streisand, whose 2003 attempt to suppress photographs of her residence in Malibu, California, inadvertently drew further public attention to it. Similar attempts have been made, for example, in cease-and-desist letters to suppress numbers, files, and websites. Instead of being suppressed, the information receives extensive publicity and media extensions such as videos and spoof songs, often being widely mirrored across the Internet or distributed on file-sharing networks.

    • lurgee 6.1
      11 April 2015 at 12:52 am

      I always thought the Streisand effect was so-called because the less you wanted to hear it, the louder it seemed to get. You know, like her singing.

  7. Puckish Rogue 7
    10 April 2015 at 12:51 pm

    Well its not who i thought it was, the age has got me stumped

  8. swordfish 8
    10 April 2015 at 1:00 pm

    Ha, I guessed correctly as well. Took me a little more than 5 secs, though.

  9. Paul 9
    10 April 2015 at 1:04 pm

    How does one find out the ages of prominent New Zealand bloggers?

  10. Lord Donkey 10
    10 April 2015 at 1:04 pm

    the article in the NZ Herald would frankly have to be one of the dumbest i have seen in terms of complying with any Court rulings. It is rather obvious what the case was by naming the Judge. As for who the blogger is – what fact is that based on?

  11. Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark 11
    10 April 2015 at 1:21 pm

    darn. from what i am aware and searches online, the age is out by 4 years.
    i wonder why. quite sure i had the correct guess.

    • Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark 11.1
      10 April 2015 at 8:28 pm

      Ok. I have figured it out. Was not my first guess.
      Age matches now.

  12. The Murphey 12
    10 April 2015 at 1:37 pm

    No need to speculate it is clear which blog site this article is referring to

    • Paul 12.1
      10 April 2015 at 1:37 pm

      I can’t work it out.
      You use questions a lot The Murphey.
      Maybe some would help here?

  13. The Murphey 13
    10 April 2015 at 1:43 pm

    Q. Mods with the blog site involved currently online including a recent update what is the consensus on linking to the site concerned ?

    • te reo putake 13.1
      10 April 2015 at 2:00 pm

      I imagine that would be a breach of the suppression order, which would put TS in legal jeopardy. Not a sensible course of action. I also note that the post specifically asks for there to be no speculation. That should be enough in itself.

      • weka 13.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 3:31 pm

        Micky probably shouldn’t have said it took him 5 mins then. Human nature and all that.

    • mickysavage 13.2
      10 April 2015 at 2:03 pm

      Best not to. The treatment of name suppression is a valid topic of discussion but reinforcing the breach is not.

    • The Murphey 13.3
      10 April 2015 at 2:40 pm

      Thanks for the responses

      Q. What of the historical mentions of the blog site on this site as recently as last month when the ‘prominent New Zealander’ discussion was circulating ?

      • te reo putake 13.3.1
        10 April 2015 at 2:49 pm

        Again, it should be obvious that anything that identifies the person subject to the suppression order is not permitted. You’re bordering on wasting author/mod time, bud.

        • The Murphey 13.3.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 3:05 pm

          Try not interpreting the questions with such prejudice TRP

          The question was legitimately seeking to understand the position of historical references to the ‘blog site’ involved which has been named and discussed in recent times on this blog site

          Q. Do historical references require removal from The Standard until such time as name suppression is lifted ?

          • mickysavage 13.3.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 3:06 pm

            No but current references to them are dangerous.

            • The Murphey 13.3.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 3:12 pm

              I appreciate the explanation MS

              A complex and sensitive space where taking the conservative path so as to avoid any blow back makes the most sense

  14. her 14
    10 April 2015 at 1:45 pm

    Maybe he will leak his own name on his blog. Or is that illegal too?

    • Anita 14.1
      10 April 2015 at 2:23 pm

      It would be as illegal for him to name himself as the person covered by the suppression order as it would be for you to do it.

      That is, he is welcome to tell you over coffee, he is not welcome to publish it.

      There is a slightly awkward process that happens with statutory suppression (which this does not appear to be) where the identity of a victim of some types of crime (e.g. rape) is automatically suppressed. That means that the victim needs to ask the court to remove the suppression if they wish to talk about it in a way which would see their identity published (e.g. write a real name article of their story of surviving rape).

    • Chris 14.2
      10 April 2015 at 2:35 pm

      Interesting he doesn’t name himself anywhere on his blog.

      • mr plod 14.2.1
        10 April 2015 at 11:08 pm

        Would you if you were intentionally abusing, harassing (criminal harassment), defaming, and slandering innocent people … as well as breaching suppression orders?

        Who ever it is may have many victims sitting in Court next month watching the prick spoil his pants!

        • Stephanie Rodgers 14.2.1.1
          11 April 2015 at 10:34 pm

          Would you if you were intentionally abusing, harassing (criminal harassment), defaming, and slandering innocent people … as well as breaching suppression orders?

          It’s never seemed to bother Cameron Slater, to be fair.

        • MM 14.2.1.2
          19 April 2015 at 1:50 am

          Yes indeed. He may very well have many victims sitting in Court next month watching the prick spoil his pants! One bedridden lady in particular suffered harassment, stalking, defamation and veiled death threats in a case of mistaken identity.

          “… is unmarried and has no kids….wait until our readership sees the latest pictures…..fuck she is one ugly old brown cunt who will not be missed when right is done.”

          She’s been blamed for the writings of another blogger who routinely posts news links about the man’s criminal activities and violent behaviours.

          I can say no more since its subjudice. SORRY. Wait until next month.

  15. Richard Christie 15
    10 April 2015 at 2:11 pm

    I wondered why the site has been rather dormant since February.

  16. McFlock 16
    10 April 2015 at 2:39 pm

    Damn.
    Too many puns and jokes to be made on the blogsite’s name, especially in this context.

    Once again the draconian court system prohibits base and unimaginative humour.

  17. the pigman 17
    10 April 2015 at 5:41 pm

    Practically every post here is speculation on who the blogger is. Was that your intent MS?

    I mean, presumably if this blogger breached suppression orders in relation to Stephen Dudley (per Felix above) he has a history of breaching suppression orders related to other prominent New Zealanders…

  18. Hanswurst 18
    10 April 2015 at 7:01 pm

    Regardless of the he possible accuracy of any given theory espoused on the blog in question, it always strikes me as being the result of jumping to conclusions and then going out in (extensive) search of any details that might support them, all of which is then presented in a long-winded and rambling style that fails to prove or even convincingly present anything at all.

  19. jay 19
    19 April 2015 at 10:03 am

    “long-winded and rambling style that fails to prove or even convincingly present anything at all.”

    You’d be surprised the amounts of people who do believe the blog, esp the damning defamation he posts about his targets. One doctor had to go to court and get his name cleared but the damage has been very hard personally and professionally on the doctor’s reputation.

    The defamer falsely insists that the Dr is a disgraced medical practitioner; that he was and remains struck off the Medical Register that is maintained under statute by the Medical Council of New Zealand; that he pretended/pretends to be a doctor when he allegedly was/is not one; that in 2004 he lost his licence to practise Medicine; that he has been in the business of supplying drugs illegally; that he is intemperate and dishonest; that he is a proven “fraudster”; and, finally, that many years ago he was one of six conspirators involved in a bomb-plot to kill over a hundred staff in the Takapuna Accident Compensation Corporation.

    Every one of the above eight statements is not only false, but was made knowingly, recklessly and, arguably, maliciously by the man and his brother. However, despite the gross falseness of the statements having been repeatedly pointed out to the brothers, every one of the statements persist on their blog and so remain continuously and highly damaging to Dr’s personal and professional reputation.

    The man’s a psychopath and his manic brother in NSW co-authors the site, knowing they can hide behind the off-shore base of the blog and the legal quals of that psychotic brother. They hide behind anonymity but like the Twitter death threateners to the Indian student in CHCH, their identity has been found out. The double standards and the privacy they demand is not what they respect for their victims.

  20. The Murphey 20
    19 April 2015 at 12:00 pm

    So many agendas …

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  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    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
    5 days ago

  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    Bowalley Road
    5 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • National’s murderous smoking policy
    One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    New Zealand has  a chance  to  rise  again. Under the  previous  government, the  number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing  year by year. The Luxon-led government  must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising  the  pillars  of the economy. After the  mismanagement  of the outgoing government created   huge ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    5 days ago

  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • The stupidest of stupid reasons
    One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • A website bereft of buzz
    Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being  sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found ….  Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: A new Ministry – at last
    Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon's Breakfast.
    The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL:  Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreement
     Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item:   Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki:     “Section ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record. Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    7 days ago

  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago

  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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