Breaking News – Russell Norman resigning from Parliament

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, September 11th, 2015 - 85 comments
Categories: greens, Politics, russel norman - Tags:

Greenpeace’s gain is Parliament’s loss.  Russell will be replaced by Marama Davidson when he stands down next month.

85 comments on “Breaking News – Russell Norman resigning from Parliament ”

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  1. Bob 1
    11 September 2015 at 10:27 am

    Well that should help squash public perception of a link between Greeenpeace and the Green Party.
    Russell Norman was obviously picked because of his experience running charities because remember, Greenpeace aren’t a political organisation at all ‘sarc’

  2. save NZ 2
    11 September 2015 at 10:30 am

    Sad news that Russell is leaving parliament.

    Although great for Greenpeace.

    Wish Russell Norman the best, but with him out of parliament and John Campbell out of TV – more and more dirty dealings are not going to be uncovered and communicated to the public.

    And that is the tragedy.

  3. Gerald 3
    11 September 2015 at 10:32 am

    A great loss which will enable the Green Party to distance itself farther from its roots and become more watered down in its principles. Best wishes to Russell and Greenpeace

    • weka 4.1
      11 September 2015 at 10:39 am

      Marama Davidson, 41

      Ngāti Porou, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi

      Marama Davidson lives in Manurewa, Auckland and has six children. She comes to Parliament after a ten year career at the Human Rights Commission.

      Recently Marama worked part-time as the Chief Panelist for the Glenn Inquiry into Domestic Violence and Child Abuse.

      Her involvement in the inquiry has placed violence at the forefront of her political radar.

      Marama stood for the Green Party in the 2013 Ikaroa Rāwhiti by-election and then in Tāmaki Makaurau for the 2014 General Election.

      She also has a powerful presence on social media where she blogs and writes about social justice, Māori politics and women’s rights.

  5. Pasupial 5
    11 September 2015 at 10:35 am

    This is not entirely unexpected, as exleaders tend to move on fairly rapidly. I would say that this was also parliament’s gain, as an eager Davidson will be a greater asset than a distracted Norman (what with family commitments). Certainly a boost for the GP in their process of renewal; hopefully it won’t be the only retirement this term, there have been rumors about a couple of other GP MPs (but as they may be just that, I won’t name them).

    [edit] This TDB post just after the election is one of the last Davidson did there, and gives a good window into her priorities:

    I am not leaving this fight. Striving for a fairer society is too important. It feels quite liberating knowing that my family and I are in this for the long haul – both in our support for the visions of the Green Party and community actions, and to contribute with my voice however appropriate. I have always said that we need decent people everywhere and at all levels. It is essential to have more decent people in Parliament and the Green Party has loads of them.

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/09/23/hang-tight-everyone-marama-davidson-campaign-reflection/

    • weka 5.1
      11 September 2015 at 10:41 am

      I agree about Davidson coming in and parliament’s gain. Norman has done his dash and I’m glad for him that he’s going on to do something else that will allow him to use his skills without the brutality and frustration of parliament.

      • dukeofurl 5.1.1
        11 September 2015 at 10:48 am

        You mean the Green party vote wasnt increased over last time. They are stuck around 11%.

        I guess kevin Hague is heading for the door too!

        • weka 5.1.1.1
          11 September 2015 at 10:57 am

          If you look at the party vote over the time that Norman has been in the party, it’s pretty good. He looks burnt out to me, or he did at the last election, and some of that’s to do with the internal party priorities, but I think it’s also to do with the fact that the GP and Norman want humanistic politics and it’s just not possible at the moment. Many of the good ones end up leaving because of that.

          The Greens want change not power, so if you want to assess their success you have to look at what they’ve achieved in terms of change not power. In those terms, they’re still doing very well, but I can appreciate that for individual MPs there comes a time when they’re spent and need to move on.

        • maui 5.1.1.2
          11 September 2015 at 11:06 am

          Any party that can increase their voting numbers by 64% in 6 years should be looked on as fairly successful… maybe not in your book.

          • dukeofurl 5.1.1.2.1
            11 September 2015 at 11:14 am

            Successful ?

            2011 11.06%
            2014 10.7%

            Its normally called going backwards, as MMP is all about the %

            • maui 5.1.1.2.1.1
              11 September 2015 at 11:24 am

              Really? That’s not what the voters are saying.

              2005 120,521
              2008 157,613
              2011 247,372
              2014 257,356

              • Lanthanide …
                11 September 2015 at 1:08 pm

                But it’s not raw votes that matter, it’s the proportion of people who back you, your ideas and policies compared to backing other parties.

                GP have gone backwards on that basis.

                • maui …
                  11 September 2015 at 1:28 pm

                  Hmm, if I look out the window and see thousands of protestors and realise a few people have walked off in the last 5 minutes, whereas numbers had more than doubled in the last couple of hours I’m not going to say the protest has failed. DOU seems to be looking at the few people walking off and saying look the protest is a failure.

                  • Lanthanide …
                    12 September 2015 at 11:58 am

                    That’s nice, but that has nothing to do with the rules of how Parliament allocates seats and how the government is formed, which is ultimately the goal if you are a political party.

            • weka 5.1.1.2.1.2
              11 September 2015 at 11:34 am

              “Its normally called going backwards, as MMP is all about the %”

              No, it’s not, as I’ve already explained. But keep spinning your donut there duke.

              • dukeofurl …
                11 September 2015 at 12:33 pm

                so the electorate is getting bigger and the numbers who went out to vote increased last time.

                The % of the party vote which is used to calculate the numbers of MPs has decreased for the GP

                it went from 11.06% of voters to 10.7%, which is going backwards.

                Curious maui that you missed out the numbers for 2002 ? It was 142,250 and 7.0% and it took till 2011 for that to be exceeded.

                The % of the voters going to the poll and who voted Green has dropped in the last election. All the bullshit doesnt change that Greens SHARE is falling

                • weka …
                  11 September 2015 at 12:56 pm

                  “Curious maui that you missed out the numbers for 2002 ?”

                  Whereas you left out all the numbers except the last two elections. As if those two elections are definitive of GP success.

                  You don’t have any evidence that the GP vote is dropping in general. Yes it dropped slightly in that election, but that’s not indicative of them going backwards, as much as you would like to spin it that way.

                  Pretty much every comment you have made in this thread is an attempt to cast the GP in a negative light. It’s getting boring.

                  • Lanthanide …
                    11 September 2015 at 1:10 pm

                    “but that’s not indicative of them going backwards, as much as you would like to spin it that way.”

                    So down is up and black is white?

                    They dropped their share of the vote. They went backwards. It’s pretty basic english.

                    Whether they are still in the process of ‘going backwards’ is a different question.

                    • weka …
                      11 September 2015 at 1:46 pm

                      Duke is arguing that a .36% drop between two single elections means the GP aren’t successful. There is more being discussed here than selected numbers.

                    • maui …
                      11 September 2015 at 1:55 pm

                      National dropped 0.3% in vote share last election so going backwards too I’m guessing.. You just have to block out they got an increase of 70,000 votes last election and have increased their vote numbers consecutively for the past four elections.

                    • weka …
                      11 September 2015 at 3:11 pm

                      lolz, so National are unsuccessful too then.

                    • Tracey …
                      11 September 2015 at 3:33 pm

                      and we darent mention what that makes labour party.

                      if the answer is “diss” the greens, i shudder at what the question must have been.

                    • dukeofurl …
                      11 September 2015 at 4:53 pm

                      Tracey , this is about Greens failure to get a ‘larger share of the vote’, which some cant see. Emphasis on “share”. This is the real reason Russell is going

                      Labour party has accepted they did badly.

                    • Sacha …
                      11 September 2015 at 7:01 pm

                      Russel Norman has been clear about why he is going – and he leaves with dignity most of us struggle to muster, let lone politicians.

                    • Lanthanide …
                      12 September 2015 at 11:59 am

                      “lolz, so National are unsuccessful too then.”

                      Yes, National were unsuccessful at increasing their share of the vote.

                      It’s a pretty basic factual statement, not sure why you have trouble with it.

                    • weka …
                      12 September 2015 at 12:09 pm

                      Fuck off Lanth. I’ve already said I think this conversation is about more than just select numbers and their interpretation. If you want to talk about the abstract out of context, by all means do so, but don’t put me down when I’m already having a different conversation by the time you arrive.

                    • Lanthanide …
                      12 September 2015 at 12:26 pm

                      “but don’t put me down when I’m already having a different conversation by the time you arrive.”

                      You should be more careful with your language, then. Here’s what you said:

                      “Its normally called going backwards, as MMP is all about the %”

                      No, it’s not, as I’ve already explained.

                      You’re denying that reducing the share of the vote is going backwards. Strange thing to deny.

                      If what you really meant is “Yes, over the very short term, their share of the vote went down. But over the longer term, their vote has gone up substantially, and that is why they’re successful”.

                      It’s a pity that if that is what you meant to say, you didn’t actually say it. Would have resulted in much less confusion for the people who can only read what you actually write (such as myself), and not what you meant to write.

                • swordfish …
                  11 September 2015 at 8:43 pm

                  dukeofurl

                  Norman elected co-leader of Greens in June 2006

                  Greens % Party Vote

                  2005 5.3%
                  2008 6.7%
                  ………+ 1.4
                  2011 11.1
                  ………+ 4.4
                  2014 10.7
                  ……..- 0.4
                  (2005-2011 = + 5.8)
                  (2005-2014 = + 5.4)
                  Yep, a very slight decline at the last election, and no doubt very disappointing for them given the high (dare I say it, somewhat exaggerated) expectations, but pretty successful leadership overall, I’d say.

                  The Greens have more than doubled their % since Norman took the co-leadership, moving from just another minor party to something approaching middling status. And he’s been one of the most impressive performers both in and out of Parliament, almost the proxy Leader of the Opposition at times.

                  weka’s trying to point out your relentless focus on the last election to the total exclusion of the wider electoral context. Only by pursuing this decidedly dodgy strategy can you plausibly maintain your argument.

    • DoublePlusGood 5.2
      11 September 2015 at 10:52 am

      The family commitments thing is a bit nebulous, seeing as Davidson also has a family. I agree though that Norman has a different focus at this time.
      I’m not entirely convinced by Davidson yet, as I’ve seen a few unusual comments or strange press releases. However, she has huge experience and commitment in social justice, and if she focusses on this area she will be of huge benefit to New Zealand as an MP. Here’s hoping she gets to shred a few of the incompetent ministers in her area of expertise.

      • dukeofurl 5.2.1
        11 September 2015 at 11:01 am

        If only she she could got those most impacted by social justice issues to vote for the Greens, because they sure as hell dont see the Greens as the answer.

        • weka 5.2.1.1
          11 September 2015 at 11:15 am

          I do. I know other people impacted by social justice issues that vote Green.

          • dukeofurl 5.2.1.1.1
            11 September 2015 at 12:23 pm

            Really ?
            ‘Other people’ doesnt show up when you look at Greens votes in poorer areas of South Auckland or marginalised rural areas?

            Green party vote in Auckland central was a bit higher than labour party vote
            6204 to 6101
            Manukau East, GP 971 to labours 16,925
            mangere , GP 1084 to labours 18,470

            In general the GP vote in areas that are socially disadvantaged is down below 5% while it is commonly over 20% in richer, whiter areas.

            Social justice issues

            • weka 5.2.1.1.1.1
              11 September 2015 at 12:28 pm

              I thought you were saying that none of the people who vote Green are impacted by social justice issues. I’m just pointing out that’s not true.

              I don’t have a problem with the GP demographics at this stage. I think it’s the middle classes that are preventing social justices issues from being resolved, so it’s good that more of them are voting Green.

              I suspect that many people impacted by social justice issues aren’t voting.

              • dukeofurl …
                11 September 2015 at 4:48 pm

                The numbers show the Green party support is very high in the wealthier areas where social disadvantage is very low.

                As for Green policies, well they have about 150 of them , so maybe those disadvantaged voters dont see any high priority from Greens on things that matter to them. In fact national gets more party votes from theses areas.

                • swordfish …
                  11 September 2015 at 9:15 pm

                  “The numbers show the Green party support is very high in the wealthier areas where social disadvantage is very low.”

                  No that’s bollocks. The sort of bollocks I regularly read from commentators interviewing their own keyboards in the MSM over the last 10 years (I’d point in particular to Guyon Espiner and Jane Clifton as well as one or two others).

                  In reality, the Green constituency is considerably more diverse.
                  It does poorly in Pasifika enclaves but not low income suburbs/areas as a whole. It does well in some affluent areas (particularly inner-city and, above all, in Wellington and Dunedin) but decidedly not in others.

                  The Greens core demographics are:
                  Young (under 45, and especially under 30)
                  Wellington City and suburbs
                  Central Dunedin (but not suburbs)
                  social liberals and postmaterialists
                  Athiests and people with non-Christian religions
                  Arts community

                  Their support is pretty evenly divided among the various socioeconomic groups.

                  (Their strongholds in the Greater Wellington region, for example, are the relatively low-income but politically-progressive communities of Aro Valley, Paekakariki and Houghtons Bay)

                  In fact, I’d say the archetypal Green enclave would be a socially-diverse, inner-city suburb with above-average proportions of young voters, public sector workers and ethnic-minority migrants.

            • Karen 5.2.1.1.1.2
              11 September 2015 at 2:15 pm

              In Auckland the Green Party definitely has a white, middle-class image, which is one of the reasons I am really excited at having Marama Davidson becoming an MP. She is really feisty so she will make a difference.

              The Green Party social policies were good last election but most voters do not actually read policies unfortunately.

              • Tracey …
                11 September 2015 at 3:35 pm

                its like turei doesnt exist.. she and davidson together can be strong voices that need to be heard on behalf of the vulnerable.

                • Karen …
                  11 September 2015 at 6:33 pm

                  You missed my point about Auckland.

                  I am a huge fan of Turei but she lives in Dunedin while Marama lives in South Auckland. The Greens have done well in Auckland with white, middle class, liberals but they have not been very effective at getting more widespread support in a city that has a third of NZ’s population.

                  • Tracey …
                    12 September 2015 at 3:14 pm

                    Nope didnt miss that, but have you noticed the tendancy of MSM to go to the male co leaders?

                    Last night it was a short mention on the Prime news. Third major party has an MP change… barely a mention

    • Ron 5.3
      11 September 2015 at 12:14 pm

      I would have thought that Davidson with six children would be more distracted than Norman would over family commitments. I would also predict that Metiria will step down now that Davidson is finally in the house.
      Interesting times

  6. maui 6
    11 September 2015 at 10:40 am

    its also going to be a big hit on the business perception of the Greens, something Russel was central in. Marama Davidson has a strong background in social justice, so they won’t make up for it there.

  7. weka 7
    11 September 2015 at 10:43 am

    John Palethorpe ‏@MrDuttonPeabody 7 mins7 minutes ago

    Bloody smug liberal Wellingtonista greens having a Maori wahine who lives in South Auckland as their newest caucus member.

    https://twitter.com/MrDuttonPeabody/status/642104243009228800

  8. Ad 8
    11 September 2015 at 11:08 am

    That is a good person, determined to do more good rather than rot in Parliament.

    Shows courage to leave, and boldness to start a different career.

  10. Karen 10
    11 September 2015 at 11:31 am

    I am sorry to see Russel go in some ways in that he was a very effective co-leader and has a great intellect. Also, I still am not totally convinced by James Shaw.

    On the other hand, Russel was beginning to look a bit jaded in the lead up to the last election and IMO made a very poor tactical decision in the final week when he talked about working with National.

    Hearing he is to be replaced by Marama Davidson has boosted my morale hugely. A māori woman, based in Auckland and concerned about justice and social issues, is just what the Green Party needs.

  11. NZJester 11
    11 September 2015 at 11:32 am

    The current National government has made the current NZ parliament a very toxic environment to work in. He as an elected member of parliament should have had more power as a politician to hold the government to task and help protect the environment. But thanks to Nationals gaming of the system to avoid answering question asked of them in parliament and to strip away a lot of environment protections he will actually have far more power to seek the answers to his questions and help protect NZ in his new role with Greenpeace.

  12. Tom Barker 12
    11 September 2015 at 12:00 pm

    Good luck with the new career, Russell. Greenpeace is lucky to have you, and I hope you find enormous satisfaction in working for them.

  14. fisiani 14
    11 September 2015 at 2:19 pm

    Metiria should go as well and Julie-Anne Genter take up the co-leader spot. That would be an intelligent articulate leadership that could gather votes….from Labour.

    • Tracey 14.1
      11 September 2015 at 3:39 pm

      your success with predictions on this site is sad. this one is up there with your psychological tsunami that never happened.

      • fisiani 14.1.1
        11 September 2015 at 4:07 pm

        My tsunami prediction was 99.8% correct and within minutes of being true. I do not resile from that comment.

        • Tracey 14.1.1.1
          12 September 2015 at 3:17 pm

          But you did relise from it, even when it seemed it might be minutes from coming true, you back-tracked like a whippet in reverse and changed it to a month later, by which time it was even further from being true. Didn’t have the courage of your convictions, although from your comment above it appears you have already re-written what actually happened in your own mind.

          “fisiani 19.2.1
          7 April 2015 at 3:52 pm
          Correct the live science crap has been discredited yet the left still believe it despite all the evidence to the contrary.
          The Tsunami will hit NZ 41 minutes at 4.31pm today.

          The public feel good factor will be the equivalent of winning 5 World Cups and the impact will not recede till will well after the election 2017.
          You read it here first.

          Draco T Bastard 19.2.1.1
          7 April 2015 at 4:34 pm
          Correct the live science crap

          I take it that means that you believe that your either dead or a machine.

          fisiani 19.2.1.2
          7 April 2015 at 4:58 pm
          Make that a month from now.”

  15. Sans Cle 15
    11 September 2015 at 3:09 pm

    I am glad that Russell Norman will continue to contribute so selflessly to NZ society and to our planet. I have huge respect for him, how he doggedly questioned the prime minister, and relentlessly tried to hold him to account. How he rattled John Key is a testimony to his skills and utter commitment.

  16. Observer (Tokoroa) 16
    12 September 2015 at 7:19 am

    Thankyou Russell Norman for your great contribution to Parliament.

    You stood out as the real leader of a Democracy. Way ahead.

  17. Redbaiter 17
    12 September 2015 at 3:23 pm

    Many people would probably be surprised to see a post on TrueblueNZ that praises Russel Norman, but I actually did respect him for at least one thing he did while an MP.

    http://truebluenz.com/2015/09/12/russel-norman-one-small-moment-of-glory/

  18. The Chairman 18
    12 September 2015 at 3:58 pm

    Disappointed to see him stand down, all the best on his new endeavor.

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    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
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