Bullshit upon Bullshit.

Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, April 18th, 2018 - 34 comments
Categories: articles, International, journalism, making shit up, Media, news, Propaganda, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: ,

The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations was founded in France in 2012. Organisations that form the coalition are from the US, Canada, UK, France, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey. So no member organisations from Syria, or anywhere else in the Middle East. Yet the Guardian has seen fit to quote them and uncritically run a major piece off what they are saying in the aftermath of Douma.

There’s a lot to unpack. Far too much for me in the time I have between coffees and starting my day.

Maybe someone should have pointed the Guardian to pieces by Robert Fisk and others who have been to Douma and who have spoken to doctors from Douma. The UMCRO assures the Guardian that doctors from Douma (their “colleagues” apparently – as though they work right beside them) are being threatened by the Syrian government should they “speak out” about what happened in Douma. The thing is, when Robert Fisk and others spoke to doctors, none said they were fearful for their safety or lives, and none said that a chemical attack had taken place.

Here’s the Guardian.

The head of the largest medical relief agency in Syria claims that medics who responded to the suspected gas attack in Douma have been subjected to “extreme intimidation” by Syrian officials who seized biological samples, forced them to abandon patients and demanded their silence.

Dr Ghanem Tayara, the director of the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations (UOSSM) said doctors responsible for treating patients in the hours after the 7 April attack have been told that their families will be at risk if they offer public testimonies about what took place.

A number of doctors who spoke to the Guardian this week say the intimidation from the regime has increased in the past five days, a timeframe that coincides with the arrival in Damascus of a team from the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which aims to determine whether chemical weapons were used. All the medics insisted on anonymity, citing the fear for their lives and those of their families.

And “the number of doctors who spoke to the Guardian this week” (and who insist on anonymity)…well, the doctors who spoke to Fisk and others weren’t bothered about their names being known. And the residents of Douma who reporters approached weren’t fearful of speaking either. So, I’ll state the obvious. The doctors who spoke to the Guardian are either members of UMCRO or ‘First Responders” – ie, White Helmets. And those same doctors from UMCRO who have been speaking to the Guardian, well let’s just say it’s remiss for the Guardian to allow them to suggest they are “colleagues” of doctors from Douma as though they work at their sides day after day. They are no more “colleagues” than say a lawyer might say that all lawyers were his or her colleagues.

Y’know, at least back in the day of the USSR, everyone knew that PRAVDA was a crock of shit. Everyone knew that to get a sense of what was actually happening, it was necessary to read between the lines, read carefully, or pay attention to what was not being reported. It’s much less straightforward dealing with western corporate/liberal media. There is an illusion of plurality dancing around grey, lock-step uniformity. Case in point. Do you think any mainstream liberal/corporate outlet will take the two minutes to rip apart the piece of nonsense the Guardian is pushing? Of course not! But another outlet would have eviscerated the piece if it wasn’t true or accurate, or if it was seriously misleading, right? Because that’s what happens in a pluralistic  environment when we’re talking about serious news pieces. And so the fact that isn’t happening, must mean the piece is accurate enough, truthful enough and sign-posting the right stuff.

Welcome to this world we’ve made.

34 comments on “Bullshit upon Bullshit. ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Flock 1
    18 April 2018 at 10:42 am

    If “the number of doctors who spoke to the Guardian this week” insist on anonymity, are they doctors? Do they even exist?

    Why did they talk to neither Robert Fisk nor Pearson Sharp anonymously?

    But wait, there’s more
    US: Russia Hacked The Evidence Of Chemical Attack In Syria
    “It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site,” reports U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Ward. “It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation.”

    http://www.mcscnetwork.com/2018/04/17/us-russia-hacked-the-evidence-of-chemical-attack-in-syria/

    • Bill 1.1
      18 April 2018 at 11:04 am

      I dare say UMRCO has a fair whelter of doctors in its ranks. None of them in Douma (or even in Syria) though.

      If your read the piece carefully enough, the idea that doctors from Douma were speaking is only ever implied.

      Meanwhile, we also get Russia (read “Kremlin”) cyber attacks and threats to infrastructure.

      Meanwhile, we also get the residuals from the story of Russians (read “Kremlin”) running facebook posts to undermine democracy in …the US, Germany, Spain…..

      Meanwhile, we also get Russia (read “Kremlin”) poisoning retired spies and “half” of an English town.

      I’m sure there’s more. (Where PRAVDA threw a bullshit line, “our” media throw booksworth, serials and mini-series’ of the stuff)

      To be honest, I’ve more or less given up on corporate/liberal media for info, bar the level of stuff I’d use “wiki” for – ie, not a lot beyond basics.

      • Win Win 1.1.1
        18 April 2018 at 12:15 pm

        Yip. Never trust MSM. Not after what they did to Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. Pulling the same shit in Syria with these random chemical weapon attacks when Assad has won the war and peace is about to break out. Just waiting for Nikki Haley to hold up a phial of some chemical found in Syria, in the UN, then it will be all the compliant and complicit press running the line they are told to.

    • Cemetery Jones 1.2
      19 April 2018 at 4:40 pm

      Silly Americans, they’ve painted themselves into such a dumb corner with this.

      We know they have these areas under more than adequate aerial surveillance to supply the world with pictorial evidence should the Russians attempt to decontaminate the site. There’s no way you could discreetly clean down an area which wasn’t just allegedly hit with gas, but bombed aerially and sits in the middle of a rubble-strewn urban hellscape by just going around and spraying some soapy water or giving it a bit of a scrub. You’d inevitably miss more than enough spots for the OPCW to find something with a decent analysis of the site and its surrounds.

      Plus, I’d imagine that the sort of decontaminants you need to use in order to properly clean up the site of a legit chem weapon attack would themselves be very detectable by any professional agency. I’d imagine they would go over the site in great detail swabbing surfaces and collecting various items of clothing, dirt, brick, flooring, etc. and bagging them up for lab analysis. Surely the chemicals used for decontamination would have their own signature, and would therefore provide a dead giveaway of a decontamination op, had one actually taken place.

  2. james 2
    18 April 2018 at 10:50 am

    Yeah, been pretty disappointed with the Guardian lately. Thought I could trust them.

    • Bill 2.1
      18 April 2018 at 11:07 am

      Trust them to always side with power and parrot official lines on matters of importance, and you won’t go far wrong. It’s the way they’ve been since 1800 and whatever.

      • reason 2.1.1
        19 April 2018 at 12:38 pm

        The Bullshit predates post world war II …. But this Interview / Audio doco gives a good insight into the start of the cold war ….. the lies that were used to scare people …. and the influence of far right / nazi groups upon usa foreign policy.

        It’s all very relevant to the propaganda today …. and the eternal wars still going on

    • D'Esterre 2.2
      18 April 2018 at 10:57 pm

      James: “Yeah, been pretty disappointed with the Guardian lately. Thought I could trust them.”

      Try the Off-Guardian. And The Canary.

  3. Stuart Munro 3
    18 April 2018 at 11:20 am

    They used to say “there’s no news in the Truth and no truth in the News” V Pravde nyet izvestii i v Izvestiakh nyet pravdy.

    Russian journalists did not investigate, that was a possibly dangerous practice, instead they reported the opinions of party mouthpieces and the trivium of uncontentious meetings. As with North Korean newspapers, without the passionate condemnation of external enemies (who “must be annihilated”) the news would be too bland to be worth reading at all.

    • Win Win 3.1
      18 April 2018 at 12:21 pm

      Yes but the Russian people knew their news was all shit. Unlike us more ‘informed’ Westerners. sac

      • Stuart Munro 3.1.1
        18 April 2018 at 1:53 pm

        You don’t understand – Russia had no journalists – only pathetic repeaters like Hosking or Garner.

        We still have some real ones – the difference between that and undiluted kremlin drivel is important.

        • One Two 3.1.1.1
          18 April 2018 at 2:43 pm

          Which journalist’s do you….

          * Reject
          * Endorse

          • Stuart Munro 3.1.1.1.1
            19 April 2018 at 2:38 am

            I think Campbell of Scoop is one of the better ones. It is more a matter of what they do than who they are. If they use sources properly they’re real, if they are merely a channel for noise they are not.

    • Cemetery Jones 3.2
      19 April 2018 at 4:29 pm

      I like that other Russian saying which has since emerged: “We knew they were lying to us about the Soviet Union; now we know they were telling us the truth about the West.”

      • Stuart Munro 3.2.1
        19 April 2018 at 4:36 pm

        Look, there’s plenty wrong with the West. But the migration patterns remain fairly consistent – the democracy of money is more permeable than the democracy of influence.

  4. You_Fool 4
    18 April 2018 at 12:26 pm

    So one report is from those that fled, i.e the rebels/whatever, whilst the other is from those that stayed, also known as loyalists…

    I wonder if both sides have an agenda to push?

    I know we all like jumping to conclusions, but it seems to me that so far there is no real knock-out blow either way….

    Personally, given the previous use of chemical weapons and other mass-bombing of civilians by the Syrians I am probably more inclined to think they did do it, but I am open to find out I am wrong…

  5. Kevin 5
    18 April 2018 at 1:06 pm

    US needs a reason to remain fighting against Syria because they know Russia and the Chinese have won the end game. To many the ‘gas attack’ was not unexpected, and the US now has another few months grace to try and get a position at the aftermath function.

    The problem for the US is that Assad has won. ISIS is defeated. Turkey is more than happy to keep kicking the shit out of the Kurds and the government forces have to all intents and purposes beaten the rebels thanks to Russian help.

    So now Russia gets to put bases in Syria and extend their influence and have a nice new overwatch position on Israel. Assad now has his oil back the dollars that come from that. Iran now has a major ally in a much better position defensively and the US and Israels position has been weakened.

  6. McFlock 6
    18 April 2018 at 1:09 pm

    In the report linked to yesterday, Fisk didn’t actually speak to any “doctors responsible for treating patients in the hours after the 7 April attack”.

    • bill 6.1
      18 April 2018 at 3:28 pm

      Are you suggesting ‘the guardian’ talked to any on duty personnel apart from those associated with Jihadists and who are now holed up in Turkey or Idlib?

      • McFlock 6.1.1
        18 April 2018 at 11:05 pm

        No, just that from what I read Fisk didn’t talk to any on-duty personnel whatsoever.

        • Bill 6.1.1.1
          19 April 2018 at 10:09 am

          He stated quite openly that all the doctors who had been on duty were in Damascus giving evidence. Talking to one of their colleagues who was off-duty at the time (and therefor not in Damascus giving evidence) – Dr Assim Rahaibani who lived only 300m away is a pretty good second best imo.

          Put that beside There are the many people I talked to amid the ruins of the town who said they had “never believed in” gas stories – which were usually put about, they claimed, by the armed Islamist groups. and that his companions were personal, trusted friends (so no “overseers” or potentially dodgy translators) and I’d say the picture he painted is likely very close to the truth.

          • McFlock 6.1.1.1.1
            19 April 2018 at 12:46 pm

            He stated openly that that is what he was told by the single doctor who was speaking to him.

            As for the others, those are the folks who didn’t run. So it’s probably the truth for them.

            The idea of a gas panic in the hospital, rather than an actual attack, is actually pretty reasonable. But what doesn’t seem to quite fit is the diagnosis of “hypoxia”. That covers a multitude of causes which all have their own specific diagnoses and a variety of different treatments. It’s actually an impressively vague term that includes strangulation, COPD, asthma, drowning, suffocation, and yes chlorine gas inhalation. Or, equally, dozens of people in a poorly ventilated bunker running a diesel generator.

            Point is, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a doctor use a term that broad to describe a group of casualties.

  7. In Vino 7
    18 April 2018 at 7:32 pm

    Is ‘Flock’ the same as ‘McFlock’? One might suppose that we should all notice the difference, but I smell a rat somewhere here. If someone new is coming in, I propose that his name is too close to McFlock to be allowable.

    • McFlock 7.1
      18 April 2018 at 11:10 pm

      They’re not me, but I’m not too worried.

      Although it’d be funny if an admin told them to get the “Flock” outta here… 👿

  8. Lettuce 8
    18 April 2018 at 7:44 pm

    On the subject of the Guardian publishing unquestioning bullshit about Syria and especially the White Helmets…

    http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/02/12/white-helmets-james-corbett-open-letter-olivia-solon-guardian/

  9. Flock 9
    18 April 2018 at 11:06 pm

    Ah no.
    Flocksquat is truncated to FLock.

  10. Adrian Thornton 10
    19 April 2018 at 12:01 pm

    As I have said many times here, The Guardian is the Trojan Horse of neo liberal power structure of any real Left wing project getting established anywhere in the World, and in that light must be regarded as one of the most dangerous enemies of progressive change.

  11. Draco T Bastard 11
    19 April 2018 at 2:16 pm

    In the NOW is with Rania Khalek. (Video)

    Imagine America’s adversaries funding and arming the KKK to invade and occupy cities in the US and then calling them “moderate rebels” and “freedom fights” as they kill minorities and shell civilians in Washington or New York

    • reason 11.1
      19 April 2018 at 7:15 pm

      +100% ….. The “moderate rebels” nonsense gives me the shits

      Now,….. I may have considered the last National government, and with good cause,,,,,, to have been a corrupt outfit working against the best interests of New Zealand and New Zealanders

      But If I had taken up violence ….. and started murdering members of our Police and Army ….. so I could overthrow them … would anyone in New Zealand have called me a ‘moderate’ ??? .

      When moderates are murderers …. they are no longer moderates.

      But its just one of the logical twists we are expected to swallow in the latest assault on a middle eastern nation the usa / NATO / britain / Israel are trying to destroy

    • Bill 11.2
      19 April 2018 at 7:39 pm

      That a pretty succinct 3min vid there Draco.

  12. Philg 12
    19 April 2018 at 9:26 pm

    Another video explaining US foreign entanglement.

    https://youtu.be/_O2TRzA2ezk

  13. Jenny 13
    20 April 2018 at 4:22 am

    When you’re in a hole, the best advice is to stop digging.

    In your head, in your head

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    You act as thoughYou are a blind manWho's crying, crying 'boutAll the virgins that are dyingIn your habitual dreams, you knowSeems you need more sleepBut like a parrot in a flaming treeI know it's pretty hard to seeI'm beginning to wonderIf it's time for a changeSong: Phil JuddThe next line ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Six.

    The “double shocks” in post Cold War international affairs. The end of the Cold War fundamentally altered the global geostrategic context. In particular, the end of the nuclear “balance of terror” between the USA and USSR, coupled with the relaxation … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Buried deep

    Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.

    Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Leadership for Dummies

    If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Home again

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Dead even tie for hottest August ever

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 7

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?

    An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • Councils reject racism

    Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Homage to Simeon Brown

    Open to all - happy weekend ahead, friends.Today I just want to be petty. It’s the way I imagine this chap is -Not only as a political persona. But his real-deal inner personality, in all its glory - appears to be pure pettiness & populist driven.Sometimes I wonder if Simeon ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Government of deceit

    When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all

    Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024

    Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    7 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies; Excerpt Four.

    Internal versus external security. Regardless of who rules, large countries can afford to separate external and internal security functions (even if internal control functions predominate under authoritarian regimes). In fact, given the logic of power concentration and institutional centralization of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    7 days ago
  • A Hole In The River

    There's a hole in the river where her memory liesFrom the land of the living to the air and skyShe was coming to see him, but something changed her mindDrove her down to the riverThere is no returnSongwriters: Neil Finn/Eddie RaynerThe king is dead; long live the queen!Yesterday was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • Bright Blue His Jacket Ain’t But I Love This Fellow: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power E...

    My conclusion last week was that The Rings of Power season two represented a major improvement in the series. The writing’s just so much better, and honestly, its major problems are less the result of the current episodes and more creatures arising from season one plot-holes. I found episode three ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago
  • Who should we thank for the defeat of the Nazis

    As a child in the 1950s, I thought the British had won the Second World War because that’s what all our comics said. Later on, the films and comics told me that the Americans won the war. In my late teens, I found out that the Soviet Union ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36 2024

    Open access notables Diurnal Temperature Range Trends Differ Below and Above the Melting Point, Pithan & Schatt, Geophysical Research Letters: The globally averaged diurnal temperature range (DTR) has shrunk since the mid-20th century, and climate models project further shrinking. Observations indicate a slowdown or reversal of this trend in recent decades. ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live at 5pm

    Photo by Jenny Bess on UnsplashCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with special guests:5.00 pm - 5.10 pm - Bernard and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Media Link: Discussing the NZSIS Security Threat Report.

    I was interviewed by Mike Hosking at NewstalkZB and a few other media outlets about the NZSIS Security Threat Report released recently. I have long advocated for more transparency, accountability and oversight of the NZ Intelligence Community, and although the … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • How do I make this better for people who drive Ford Rangers?

    Home, home again to a long warm embrace. Plenty of reasons to be glad to be back.But also, reasons for dejection.You, yes you, Simeon Brown, you odious little oik, you bible thumping petrol-pandering ratfucker weasel. You would be Reason Number One. Well, maybe first among equals with Seymour and Of-Seymour ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • A missed opportunity

    The government introduced a pretty big piece of constitutional legislation today: the Parliament Bill. But rather than the contentious constitutional change (four year terms) pushed by Labour, this merely consolidates the existing legislation covering Parliament - currently scattered across four different Acts - into one piece of legislation. While I ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Nicola Willis Seeks New Sidekick To Help Fix NZ’s Economy

    Synopsis:Nicola Willis is seeking a new Treasury Boss after Dr Caralee McLiesh’s tenure ends this month. She didn’t listen to McLiesh. Will she listen to the new one?And why is Atlas Network’s Taxpayers Union chiming in?Please consider subscribing or supporting my work. Thanks, Tui.About CaraleeAt the beginning of July, Newsroom ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Inflation alive and kicking in our land of the long white monopolies

    The golden days of profit continue for the the Foodstuffs (Pak’n’Save and New World) and Woolworths supermarket duopoly. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 5:The Groceries Commissioner has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The thermodynamics of electric vs. internal combustion cars

    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler I love thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is like your mom: it may not tell you what you can do, but it damn well tells you what you can’t do. I’ve written a few previous posts that include thermodynamics, like one on air capture of ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Three.

    The notion of geopolitical  “periphery.” The concept of periphery used here refers strictly to what can be called the geopolitical periphery. Being on the geopolitical periphery is an analytic virtue because it makes for more visible policy reform in response … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Venus Hum

    Fill me up with soundThe world sings with me a million smiles an hourI can see me dancing on my radioI can hear you singing in the blades of grassYellow dandelions on my way to schoolBig Beautiful Sky!Song: Venus Hum.Good morning, all you lovely people, and welcome to the 700th ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • I Went to a Creed Concert

    Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses

    The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • A Time For Unity.

    Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...
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    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again

    National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.

    A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation

    Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession

    The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 week ago
  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

    This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 week ago

  • New Bill to crack down on youth vaping

    The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping.  “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed

    Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups

    Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it

    The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Targeted supports to accelerate reading

    The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology

    With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final

    Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Driving structured literacy in schools

    The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. “From the first time children step into the classroom, we’re equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. “From 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s misleading information is disappointing

    Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says.   “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine

    The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill

    Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government unlocking potential of AI

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government releases Wairoa flood review findings

    The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Promoting faster payment times for government

    The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...
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    1 day ago
  • Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech

    E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward.  Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test

    More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction

    Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Māori Education Advisory Group established

    The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government welcomes findings of NZ Superannuation Fund review

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight

    Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...
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    2 days ago
  • Have your say on suicide prevention

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    2 days ago
  • Action to grow the rural health workforce

    Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost

    Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...
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    3 days ago
  • Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians

    Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris.  “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

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    6 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

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    6 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
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  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
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  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

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  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

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  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

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  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

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  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

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  • More choice and competition in building products

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  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

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  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

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  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

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    1 week ago

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