But, Rugby!

Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, April 7th, 2019 - 134 comments
Categories: Christchurch Attack, Social issues, sport, terrorism - Tags: , ,

I’m in two minds about the proposed name change for the Super Rugby franchise the Canterbury Crusaders.

On one hand, it seems like a reasonable and considered response to the Mosque tragedies.

On the other hand, it should never have been the name in the first place and the RFU owes all New Zealanders an apology for choosing it in 1996 and ignoring the muted criticism of the choice ever since.

Just as a reminder, the crusades were repeated attempt by religious fanatics to commit genocide against adherents of a different faith.

There has never been anything positive about the name crusaders, nor is there an innocent use of it.

It is the glorification of war, a celebration of mass murder.

It has taken the death of 50 innocent people to wake NZ rugby up to their complicity in bigotry.

However, it’s really obvious that the average rugby head still hasn’t made the link between the offensive nature of the crusader name and the events of March 15.

Sympathy for the dead only goes so far. If it affects rugby in even the smallest way, then all rationality goes out the window.

Just to be clear, the name wasn’t chosen by fans; it was a marketing exercise.

And franchise clubs regularly change names, colours and even home towns. The Washington Bullets are probably the nearest example of a club responding to a community crisis, changing name to the Washington Wizards in 1997.

It’s simply no big deal to switch to the Canterbury Plainsman (or my own suggestion, the Canterbury Courage).

But, rugby ….

 

 

 

134 comments on “But, Rugby! ”

  1. Rae 1

    The day after the incident, I saw a couple of Stuff headlines close together, one was about the massacre, the other about the Crusaders/Highlanders game being canceled and it immediately struck me the name may no longer be tenable. I mentioned in a group on fb I subscribe to and I think I might have been one of the first to make the connection and say something about it. I got ripped to shreds.

    I’ve grown to think if that was all it was, the historical meaning of the term, then maybe it could survive, but minus the imagery. (I love horses so I thought they could do some sort of display with Kaimanawas to promote the adoption of them, knowing full well that would never fly).

    People were coming with all sorts of ludicrous stuff such as Hurricanes would need to change their name because people die in hurricanes, can’t have the Blues because depression and on and on.

    I had read that thing in jail had traveled around the world, including visits to sites of the old crusades and something else began to occur to me. He sees himself as a crusader on some sort of modern crusade but in the original sense of the word. So I delved a bit deeper.

    It seems these white supremacist shits do see themselves as just that.

    It also seems that the guns used were painted with all sorts of symbols and stuff, one of which was “Acre 1189” and that was a particular siege during the crusades where the crusaders routed the Saracens. It began to occur to me then, that it is entirely possible that shit chose Christchurch very purposely, because of the Canterbury Crusaders.

    Anyone can find what I found, and it’s made me realise the team name is untenable now, but it just might take a bit of time for much of the reason why to sink in. The trial may well reveal more.

    Forget about the historical aspect, that is long gone, but the connection today is very real and I imagine white supremacists around the world will see the retention of the name as some sort of victory for them.

  2. Rae 2

    PS I suggest the name Canterbury Peacemakers (yes, I know there was a revolver called a Colt Peacemaker) but I think that name would be something they could be proud of, because that day and in the days after that is exactly what we did. You could hold your head high with that name.

  3. marty mars 3

    Imo pretty well all of those brands for super rugby are weak and useless. The brand loyalty argument is pathetic and disingenuous. Change it dickheads and change it now.

    • Dukeofurl 3.1

      NZRU has said it will change, as we are halfway through season , next year gives them time to find a new one

      • mauī 3.1.1

        I think they are just buying for time…

        I haven’t heard the NZRU say it WILL change the name. They are investigating it and looking at two options, changing the logo or changing the name.

    • solkta 3.2

      “The Canterbury Dickheads”

      Sounds good to me.

  4. Dukeofurl 4

    But its not a canterbury only team either , as it includes the Westcoast , nelson marlbourough unions as well.
    Thats why my choice is the giant eagle which lived in the Northern South Island, the Pouakai or Haast eagle.

    With these sports team brandings – which is what they are- you usually like to have emblem as well as the name. ‘Courage’ doesnt supply both.

  5. millsy 5

    How about calling the team “Christchurch City”, so people actually know where the team comes from.

    Same with the Blues — call them Auckland City, and so on.

    I never could get the point of those silly little nick names.

    Look at the Liverpool Football Club. Or Manchester United. They dont have a silly little nickname tacked on the end. They have a GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. Yes, they are called the Reds and Red Devils, but those are nicknames steeped and traditions, and used unofficially.

    And yes, we have the All Blacks, Lions and Springboks, but they are steeped in tradition, and were, as above, used unofficially.

    At least the Japanese are honest. Their club teams are owned by their corporate sponsors, and are, as such, named after them.

    • Bg 5.1

      The Crusades are a franchise representing not only Canterbury, buy Marlborough, Nelson, Westcoast and many of the smaller districts.

      • SHG 5.1.1

        The Super Rugby “franchises” are commercial operations. They will hire the employees they need for the roles they have available… wherever they come from.

    • Roy 5.2

      Because they don’t really come from there, any more than most players for Man-U et al come from those places. Maybe the home ground is there – whatever that means.

  6. WeTheBleeple 6

    Watched Invictus last night. Quite the contrast where Nelson Mandela uses rugby as a vehicle to bridge racial divides.

    To be honest, I thought it was an evil South African Rugby Union plot, to make me cheer for the Springboks beating NZ in the World Cup Final.

  7. Sanctuary 7

    As far as i can recall, Canterbury had a sheep as a mascot back in the day. This whole “Crusader” business is a 1996 branding exercise for a competition that was rushed into existence to compete with the NRL and various threatened rebel rugby competitions.

    The Crusader brand has past it’s use by date. Brands can change their packaging to suit changing times, and the Crusaders need to change pronto or every time they play, they’ll be a toxic reminder of racist terror.

  8. Just as a reminder, the crusades were repeated attempt by religious fanatics to commit genocide against adherents of a different faith.

    Only to the extent that Muslim efforts of the time to conquer Europe (eventually successful in the case of the Byzantine part of it, largely unsuccessful in western Europe) were a “repeated attempt by religious fanatics to commit genocide against adherents of a different faith.” It’s not a very accurate or useful description in either case.

    That said, Muslims recognise the word “crusaders” as referring to deadly enemies of Muslims, so if NZ Rugby insists on teams being identifying by daft names as branding exercises, it would be well advised to change that particular one. Declaring Christchurch rugby the enemy of Muslims isn’t really the brand message they’re looking for right now, surely?

    • I tried to use neutral language there, PM. I don’t think either faith can be said to have clean hands in the matter, however it was the Christians in the East and West of Europe who banded together in a coordinated attempt to drive Islam out of the Holy lands and gave the two century long campaign its name.

      • Psycho Milt 8.1.1

        And it was the Muslims of the Middle East who banded together in a coordinated attempt to drive Christianity not only out of the “Holy Lands” but also its home base of Europe, which lasted a lot longer than two centuries. The term “Jihad” should be as offensive to Whitey as “Crusade” is to Muslims, but having won in the end we have less of a chip on our shoulder about it.

        • solkta 8.1.1.1

          but having won in the end

          Say what? Do you mean capturing much of the Middle East in WW1? I don’t know, but i don’t think we are at the end yet.

          • Psycho Milt 8.1.1.1.1

            I mean the conflict between the Umma and Christendom was eventually lost by the Umma, in that “Christendom” conquered their countries rather than vice versa. Starting in the 19th Century but completed in the 20th takeover of the Ottoman possessions. “Christendom” in quotes because it effectively no longer existed by that time, having been itself defeated by secularists.

        • Dukeofurl 8.1.1.2

          Arrival of St Augustine in Britain 632 AD, supposedly the formal beginning of Christianity there.

          Muslim conquest of central Levant from the Byzantines 634-637AD
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_conquest_of_the_Levant

          • SPC 8.1.1.2.1

            Augustine of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597.

            • Grant 8.1.1.2.1.1

              Plenty of Romano-British Christians in Britain before the Saxons arrived as well.

    • mikesh 8.2

      I think the crusades were not directed against Muslims generally, but only against those who occupied the “holy land”, a land which Western nations considered sacred to Christianity, and to Judaic religions generally.

      Still I can understand why Muslims might not see it that way.

    • Phil 8.3

      …the crusades were repeated attempt by religious fanatics to commit genocide against adherents of a different faith.

      …Muslim efforts of the time to conquer Europe (eventually successful in the case of the Byzantine part of it, largely unsuccessful in western Europe) were a “repeated attempt by religious fanatics to commit genocide against adherents of a different faith.”

      It strikes me as an utterly pointless exercise trying to pinpoint a single origin or catalyst for the crusades when history simply doesn’t operate in well defined linear timelines.

      The implicit argument both of you seem to be making is that one side or the other is ultimately to blame for the crusades? That’s folly. Hell, there weren’t even clearly defined sides along religious lines for huge portions of the crusades period – the storming and sack of Christian-Orthodox Constantinople in 1204 being the example that comes to mind first.

      • Psycho Milt 8.3.1

        My implicit argument is that it doesn’t make sense to try and explain historical events in terms of genocidal bad guys vs innocent civilians. Leave that to the movies.

  9. bwaghorn 9

    I suppose its akin to some future Muslim football team being called “the jihadis ” it would be poor taste but if it was a thousand years since the last jihad probably not that offensive.

    • Rae 9.1

      White supremacists are on a crusade, see themselves as crusaders, same thing, I would have thought

      • Gabby 9.1.1

        So you’re happy about surrendering ownership of the word to the nazis are you raerae?

        • Rae 9.1.1.1

          No which is why I would change the name of the crusaders so they don’t get the wrong impression and think that means we support them. Along with crusader symbolism – acre 1189 – on the killers weapons were also nazi symbols so two birds with one stone, sounds good to me.

        • Rae 9.1.1.2

          Just reread your comment Gabgab and now I am at my big computer I can see it better than I did on the phone. Surrendering ownership of a word? Seriously, this is not Cardi-B trademarking a stupid sound, this is a name that means something, not all of it good, and I would not give too many effs about letting go of a word in order not to be mistaken for supporters of white supremacists, or to have the team and supporters overseas, especially as I trust it would not happen here, subject to reprisal attacks. Low road for me Gabgab.

          It is all around the world that white supremacists align themselves with the original crusaders, not just that dude, and it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that he chose Christchurch because of that very name, that maybe 50 people would be still alive today if they were called something else, who knows.

    • How about a couple of weeks after a militant Islamist had murdered 50 people and injured nearly 50 others gathered at local humanists and rationalists society meeting in that football team’s home town, in the worst terrorist attack in that country’s history? Could be that “Jihadis” suddenly looked like a seriously inappropriate name for the local team?

      • bwaghorn 9.2.1

        The name predated the act . If the act happened in Auckland would be changing the crusaders name ?
        On this they are letting the killer win ,got fighting amongst our selves.
        I doubt that when the footy team was named they were planning any raids on the middle east (unless the got a team worth playing. )
        I’d leave it but I wont lose to much sleep if it changes
        It’s a very common theme nowadays though ,making people change things to please a minority .
        The poor buggers that set up a small business called ‘south naki ‘ are finding this out plus the town of bennydale .

        • McFlock 9.2.1.1

          Having a little bit of empathy is quite the opposite of “letting the killer win”.

          The thought has occurred as to whether any of the not-closeted fascists in ChCH over the last 20 years actually felt a little bit more at home there because of the team branding.

          • bwaghorn 9.2.1.1.1

            Ardern said we would give him nothing . For being a private company to rebrand to please the vocal few is not nothing

            • McFlock 9.2.1.1.1.1

              But it’s not going to him, is it.

              I think it would be quite nice if the fucker’s act resulted in greater consideration, rather than division along the lines he wanted.

            • Rae 9.2.1.1.1.2

              I am more inclined to think the victory for him will be in retaining the name, he could well see that as some sort of validation of his act, as a self styled crusader in the original sense of the word, on a crusade in the city of a team called the Crusaders.

              Seriously people, you need to see the connection between white supremacists and the term crusaders, iconry, and the act of March 15. The more I think about it, the more I cannot understand how anyone could want to retain a name linked to him and his ilk.

        • Psycho Milt 9.2.1.2

          The name predated the act .

          Irrelevant.

          If the act happened in Auckland would be changing the crusaders name ?

          Of idle academic curiosity interest only.

          On this they are letting the killer win ,got fighting amongst our selves.

          No doubt he’ll be chuffed to learn that for the low, low price of spending the rest of his life in prison, he’s scored the lasting victory of getting a few people to argue about a brand name on blog comments threads.

        • Rae 9.2.1.3

          Yes, the name predated the act, but have you considered the possibility that an Australian native living in Dunedin may well have chosen Christchurch to do what he did, seeing himself as a crusader, with stuff that white supremacists use to connect with the original crusades, exactly because of the team name?

    • Phil 9.3

      if it was a thousand years since the last jihad

      I’m not convinced time is a relevant factor. For instance, it has taken more than 2000 years for historians to bring people around to the notion that Alexander ‘The Great’ was actually little more than a genocidal monster who makes the likes of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot look like children with a magnifying glass over an ants nest.

      I hope that society would be less tolerant today than 100 years ago if, say, Ashburton wanted to call their rugby team the Alexanders and have a Macedonian phalanx as their mascot or logo.

  10. Bg 10

    How Woke do you want to get?

    Northern Kinghts? The Cheifs? The Warriors?

    No one in Kzulu Natal screamed for the Sharks to have a good look at themselves and change their name after Mick Fanning nearly got eaten by a white pointer?

    • Rae 10.1

      Read my comment above and you might understand why the name is now no longer tenable.

    • mauī 10.2

      “Northern Kinghts? The Cheifs? The Warriors”

      Can you please explain how these are offensive or inappropriate names?
      Are you anti-Maori or something?

    • maggieinnz 10.3

      “How Woke do you want to get?”

      You lost me at ‘woke’.

      “No one in Kzulu Natal screamed for the Sharks to have a good look at themselves and change their name after Mick Fanning nearly got eaten by a white pointer?”

      If the sharks had come out of the water and collectively decided to wipe out humans you might have had a point but comparing genocide to a naturally occurring phenomenon is silly.

  11. AB 11

    All those stupid , cringey names should be reviewed by someone over the age of 12.

  12. Really interesting. I want to know everything about rugby. Thank you so much.

  13. mac1 13

    After reading above the name the “Peacemakers”, how about the Canterbury Quakers, which would incorporate both peace-loving and recent events in the whole region. 🙂

    I had a discussion with a man who thought the disquiet for the name only came up recently. I told him that I had heard this for some time. I said it was a bit like naming a team in County Clare in Ireland the “Clare Cromwellians” or a team in the Highlands of Scotland the “Glencoe Campbells.”

    We should know and respect our history, and its meaning. My old primary school teacher, a lovely Irish nun, once said to me, referring to the Ulster plantation, “There are some things we don’t joke about!”

    Where I come from, the name for a local historical event has changed from the “Wairau Massacre” to the “Wairau Affray.” The judgement of history does change with time.

  14. WeTheBleeple 14

    Rugby at it’s heart is tribal. It was always an us vs them scenario. But that’s no excuse to be culturally insensitive, especially in the light of teams trading players from all over the globe.

    We have 200 nationalities here now. That’s incredible, and will be the subject of my first guest post if I get roundtuit.

    The branding or naming of teams allowed fan tribalism to continue while player’s regional loyalties waned in favor of player’s financial incentives. So having names that are not specifically regional makes sense.

    Being sensitive to the political climate will earn clubs more loyalty and fans than worrying about angry old RSA patrons opinions. I used to do a bit of work when the warriors played: while supported majorly by our Maori/Pacific Island communities, the Warriors pull a seriously multicultural crowd. I imagine many rugby crowds are similar today?

    Imagine 200 nationalities comfortably supporting our teams. That’d help the ticket sales. That’d widen the pool of new recruits. Stars would emerge.

  15. Booker 15

    It’s not so much the name, as their mascots being guys dressed up in medieval gear, swinging swords and riding out on horseback. Even before the mosque attacks I’d see that and go “ummm…okayyy, whose idea was this?”

  16. mosa 16

    Feckin rugby.
    Typical that this would be an issue so close to an massacre of innocent people.
    No matter the situation we have to have rugby as a focal point in anything we have to deal with as a country.
    Even Money boy Williams had to interfere in this time of sincere grief and the media had to run with it.
    We will never mature as a country.

    • tc 16.1

      Not possible with our infantile media dumbing it down for the sheeple peddling the distractions and misdirection

    • Formerly Ross 17.1

      A marketing exercise that is no more.

      • McFlock 17.1.1

        Oh, that’s alright then /sarc

        Get back to us when they change the logo

        • Formerly Ross 17.1.1.1

          McFlock

          It probably will be changed but not in five minutes.

        • Gabby 17.1.1.2

          You’d be a bit ropable about all those flags covered in crosses around the world too I spose flockers?

          • McFlock 17.1.1.2.1

            At least national flags generally have some relevance to the nation in question.

            What relevance does a knight swinging a sword have to rugby, or Canterbury?

            • Grant 17.1.1.2.1.1

              So relevance is the criteria for whether the crusader symbolism is offensive and should be removed?

              • McFlock

                You do realise there’s more to “crusader symbolism” than just a cross, right?

                Although you will obviously be aware that in many nations the role of the Red Cross is under the brand “Red Crescent” because, in part, of that problem.

                You see, the issue is context. Relevance is part of that context. Local history is part of that context. The Red Cross is not directly from Christianity, it’s a colour inversion of the swiss flag. But in some nations, the local context makes a symbol change appropriate.

                • Grant

                  I do indeed realise that the issue is much more complex than has so far been explored in this post and subsequent comments.

                  Leaving that aside for now, are you sure the Red Cross / Swiss flag is not directly from Christianity? My understanding is that the Swiss flag is almost certainly taken directly or indirectly from the battle standard of the Holy Roman Empire.

                  Context is certainly an issue. When Crusader type imagery is used by Fascists or Nazis the context is obvious. When a bunch of rugby boof-heads who’ve barely read a book between them do it in a totally unthinking way I’m more inclined to sigh and see it as an extremely diluted cultural remnant which bears little significance to most Kiwis of whatever background.

                  • McFlock

                    The Swiss flag is. The red cross isn’t. It’s one removed.

                    Context is certainly an issue. When Crusader type imagery is used by Fascists or Nazis the context is obvious. When a bunch of rugby boof-heads who’ve barely read a book between them do it in a totally unthinking way I’m more inclined to sigh and see it as an extremely diluted cultural remnant which bears little significance to most Kiwis of whatever background.

                    Yeah, current context means maybe the boofheads should start thinking.

                    • Grant

                      So just to be clear, cultural relicts from the crusading age are permitted and non-offensive when they are not used by extreme right wingers and not used in a casual and unthinking way by boof-heads?

                    • Grant

                      The red crescent has nothing to do with Islam?

                    • McFlock

                      So just to be clear, cultural relicts from the crusading age are permitted and non-offensive when they are not used by extreme right wingers and not used in a casual and unthinking way by boof-heads?

                      “permitted”? 🙄
                      Am I permitted to criticise unthinking boof-heads for being insensitive dicks?

                      If a humanitarian group can rebrand in areas where its brand sent an unintended message, a fucking rugby team can, as well.

            • Gabby 17.1.1.2.1.2

              Isn’t Canterbury a religious centre any more flockers?

              • McFlock

                You mean the one in the UK? Yeah, they don’t have a good history with drunken knights freshly returned from the crusades, either.

    • tc 17.2

      Gooner will run with this as a distraction as a break from his low IQ ranting.

  17. Formerly Ross 18

    “There has never been anything positive about the name crusaders…”

    Of course a crusader is defined as a “person who campaigns vigorously for political, social, or religious change; a campaigner“, so there is nothing wrong with the word. It is all about context, as always.

    How was Batman referred to? The caped crusader who fought evil.

  18. Stuart Munro. 19

    Crusaders seems to have been chosen for alliteration. Since the franchise has dropped the provincial part of the title, pretty much anything would do. But the intent of choosing Crusader was (as far as we know) not intended as a gratuitous offence to residents of the Levant.

    The obvious replacement would be something like ‘The Strivers’, because it is the striving that is the respectable part of the modern use of crusader. Not sure they’ll adopt it though; jihad means striving, and it is considered a duty in all facets of life by Muslims, as well as among their co-Abrahamic neighbours, the Hasidic Jews. Language is as riddled with religion and philosophy as the Gnats are riddled with incompetence, malice, and vice.

    • SPC 19.1

      I doubt it.

      The head of the Anglican Church Communion is the Arch Bishop of Canterbury (location of Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent). The franchise is based in Christchurch (note, no one is going to change the name of the city).

      Blues (Auckland and Northland in blue), Chiefs of Counties/Waikato-KingCountry Bay of Plenty, Hurricanes of windy Wellington, rrrr Highlanders of the cold south. Each name seemed self-evident.

      I agree about the use of the term jihad, we associate it with terrorism because of groups who use violence, but it’s meaning is distinct from the means that some groups use.

    • Gabby 19.2

      No it’s not stuey, it’s the military image, they’ve all gone for it, highlanders, chiefs, etcetc. A break from bloody beasts of pray anyway.

      • Grant 19.2.1

        “..beasts of pray..

        Is that a bit of clever word play Gabby?

      • Stuart Munro. 19.2.2

        It’s lots of things. Knights are packed with romantic as well as military associations. What a marketing outfit looks for is something that will resonate with the public – Crusaders was one of their better choices in those terms.

        It’s losing relevance though. Rugby participation is falling, and much like regional brewery preference, people can take it or leave it in a way they didn’t in the past.

        • In Vino 19.2.2.1

          It seems to me that we are arguing about this from one perspective only – that of the ignorant rugby boof-heads. Many have pointed out that for us, the words ‘crusade’ and ‘crusader’ have good connotations about fighting for an ideal.
          People need to learn the truth about how the medieval Crusaders actually behaved. Most people seem to have no idea at all.
          For the Islamic world, I have read that the word ‘Crusader’ is a pejorative, an insult. The equivalent maybe of ‘bloodthirsty Jihadi fanatic’.

          If that is true, we have to get real about inclusiveness and get rid of the name ‘Crusaders’ asap. We need to look beyond our own narrow cultural knowledge (or rather, ignorance.)

          To those who want to keep the name – read up on the historical truth of the barbaric Crusades.

  19. Tiger Mountain 20

    Time to name rugby teams more accurately?
    –“the easy beats”, “lots off contract soon”, “the bottom dwellers”, “sponsors too rich to fail”, “the problem gamblers”, “the coke heads”, “the refs favourites”, “the Pacific imports”, “the sheep shaggers” etc. might suffice…

  20. SPC 21

    The name was given to the franchise by the NZRU led by David Moffat, the Australian currently head of the anti UN migratrion compact New Conservative Party.

    The origin is with Constantine, who claimed to see a sign – a cross of light inscribed with ‘Conquer by This’ before the battle at Malvian Bridge.

    In that sense alone the term crusade has a wider meaning than “the Crusades” – military conflict between Moslems and Christians occured in a larger area and for a longer period of time. It would also include the Tuetonic Knights in Eastern Europe, the Conquistidors in Americas, and non militant forms of crusade – evangelical, environmental, social justice etc, anti-corruption etc.

    An English rugby club has the name, Saracens.

    Maybe they should have a match with the Crusaders in Jerusalem.

  21. Grant 22

    Just the Canterbury Crusaders or all references to Crusader history and symbolism everywhere?

    • Skunk Weed 22.1

      The “Supremists” name would fit perfectly ?

    • McFlock 22.2

      Some history should stay in the history books, and not be used in some alliterative marketing exercise.

      • Grant 22.2.1

        Just trying to get a feel for how extensive the argument for removal of all crusader symbolism is.

        • McFlock 22.2.1.1

          Maybe the argument should be for “relevance” rather than “removal”?

          Let me put it this way: if NZ provincials can build an emotional bond with a brand that was completely irrelevant to their region, imagine their bond if the name was actually relevant in a positive way.

  22. Skunk Weed 23

    I don’t know how the Crusaders fits with Canterbury anyway, theft of Maori Land perhaps and the conuqeuring of the South Island by Government financial stealth perhaps ?

  23. greywarshark 24

    I remember seeing an old man in recent years, complaining about the heinous behaviour of protesters who stopped some springbok matches in 1981.

  24. Nik 25

    How about ‘Arch-Bishops’?

  25. Professor Longhair 26

    Canterbury Cox-Huckers?

  26. ken 28

    What do the Crusaders have to do with Canterbury anyway?

    ‘The Canterbury Lambs’ is far more relevant.

  27. bwaghorn 29

    While we are at it we better stop calling the Auckland league team the warriors.
    Warriors have killed millions down through the ages

    • Skunk Weed 29.1

      Worriers would be a better name ?

    • ken 29.2

      They should all drop the silly marketing hype.
      How about calling Auckland ‘Auckland’ and Canterbury ‘Canterbury’?

      • DS 29.2.1

        Because it’s not Auckland. It’s Auckland, North Harbour, and Northland. Nor is it Canterbury. It’s Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman, Buller, and the West Coast.

  28. reason 30

    Even in modern history …… ‘crusader’ language is polarizing and contentious

    ” It was bin Laden’ s first reference to Iraq and to the UN sanctions which were to result, according to UN officials themselves, in the death of more than half a million children.

    “Killing those Iraqi children is a crusade against Islam,” bin Laden said.
    “W e as Muslims do not like the Iraqi regime but we think that the Iraqi people and their
    children are our brothers and we care about their future.” It was the first time I heard him use the word “crusade.” ”

    The Great War for Civilisation …… R . Fisk

  29. AB 31

    Rugby for kiwis is like guns for Americans. Any vaguely critical discussion of it flushes nutters out of the bushes.

    • SHG 31.1

      Rugby player and fan checking in, all the Super Rugby team names are infantile and the “Crusaders” brand has always been offensive. The name, the knights on horses waving swords, the imagery, it’s cringeworthy.

      • SPC 31.1.1

        No more infantile than with sports franchises the world over.

        • SHG 31.1.1.1

          Yeah but a lot of those sports franchises have been in existence for fifty, hell, a hundred years or more. The Super Rugby teams were named by some marketing ponytail during the Internet Age.

          Blues? Chiefs? WTF?
          Crusaders? In the city of skinheads?

  30. Gabby 32

    Maybe you should think of it as aversion therapy. Before we know it christophobia might vanish, who knows.

  31. Jimmy 33

    They will always be the Crusaders to me. Until the attack I have never associated Crusaders with muslims …i just don’t know my history. I also think that by changing the name because of the gunman is wrong.

  32. Observer Tokoroa 34

    Rugby ?

    It’s a good game for stocky stumpy Girls. They get a lot of fun out of it. And why not !

    The man’s Rugby has had it. Too many Mishaps. And too Dull unfortunately.

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Recent Posts

  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 27

    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 hour ago
  • Ticket To Anywhere

    You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 hours ago
  • Stories of varying weight

    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
    7 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    19 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    24 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 day ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    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 Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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

  • 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
    18 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
    21 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
    22 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
    24 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
    1 day 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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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. ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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 ...
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    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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    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
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    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
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    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
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    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
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    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
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    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
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    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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