Cam Slater: politely being called a lying arsehole

Written By: - Date published: 2:28 am, October 22nd, 2013 - 130 comments
Categories: blogs - Tags: , , , ,

I’ve been trying to think of a way of expressing my complete and utter distaste for the arsehole of the local blogs and politics. But someone beat me to it. Hamish Price has been attacked in the usual way by Cameron Slater. I’d guess it is because he doesn’t want to play politics in the dirty and disgusting way that Cam thinks it should be played. Here is his facebook statement in response to something I haven’t seen in the sewer.

This rings quite true to me from what I know of the people and timelines. In fact I’d say that it is one of the few truthful statements made in this sorry saga. It has been evident for some time that the amount of deliberate lying by the Palino team is approaching critical mass proportions. Cameron Slater of course would refuse to acknowledge The Truth is the last news spike from that sad rag penetrated to the peanut that he uses in his occasional excursions to rational thought.

But have fun reading this…. I know I did.  I even altered the banner to paraphrase a Pratchett joke while I was waiting for a server upgrade.

Hamish Price gets a bit testy with both Slaters and John Palino.

Just as a counterpoint to Cameron Slater’s statement over the weekend on The Nation where he said

Slater: Well, Auckland politics is like where any politics is, in that it’s a dirty, disgusting, despicable game. And it involves dirty, disgusting despicable people at all levels.  And to have this sort of high and mighty belief that New Zealand politics is clean, isn’t.

Only a complete political dickhead would think that. It speaks of the approach of an amateur who is too busy grasping at small victories to seek the larger ones. Politics is almost invariably a generational process when the political system is operating reasonably well and the political and economic changes aren’t jammed up. If the political system is doing its job then revolutionary changes are not required and the grubby style of politics that attracts scavenging maggots like Cameron Slater isn’t used much.

Chasing the dirt on people in the way that Cameron Slater does simply builds up a wellspring of distrust.  But politics and political change depends on a level of mutual respect and trust between people, if only so the changes that are brought in aren’t summarily chucked out by the other side as soon as they get a chance. You don’t have to look far to see this amongst politicians and activists. Looking at the videos of Mapp and Kelsey last week arguing about the TPPA is a pretty good demonstration of the way that politics actually works.

In my experience it is only the politically toxic and ineffective who think as Cameron thinks if only because they can’t work with others in anything more than a scavenger pack mode fighting over left-over offal and other peoples misery. Such hyenas become permanently politically toxic and slowly sidelined by those of us who have to work in the real worlds of business and politics. Even as rampant an individualistic and abrasive eccentric as I have been for most of my life recognises that.

But more importantly you don’t get things actually being done if you act like the moronic dickhead with a head trauma like Cameron has been doing for many years. Trying to shift things by fear may be all that the fool knows. But it isn’t effective in shifting the culture. For that you have to carry people with you. And the noisy but small minority that carefully cluster behind Cameron are neither smart enough nor socially aware enough to do anything of value for anyone else. They’re just parasites of society.

But of course there are many countries where toxic politics are the norm, mainly because they have rather bankrupted both their political and economic systems. The USA and Italy come to mind. As well as the refugees from those countries (it is noticeable the number of Americans we’re seeing moving here at present)  we also seen some of the dregs and their tactics…

But if politically toxic is where Cam has finally made it to, he has dragged or been dragged by Cook, Palino, Wewege, and probably others.

My main interest is he has succeeded in making me lose a bet I made back in 2008. He should have held out for another two years. I figured that he’d be useful to someone in National’s internal factionalism after the next election. But he was never particularly patient. As has been shown by the incompetence of this particular bit of political threatre. Imagine what someone like Winston Peters could have done with it drawing out the pain. But of course Winston isn’t a complete arsehole like Cameron, so he’d never have done shat on peoples lives for such a petty matter anyway.

130 comments on “Cam Slater: politely being called a lying arsehole ”

  1. Gruntie 1

    Why doesn’t someone sue Whale Fat for slander – I’m willing to donate $100 to the legal fund

    • chris73 1.1

      Possibly because everyone involved knows you’d then have to prove it in court? Much cheaper and less burden of proof to stick to the court of popular opinion I’m guessing…

      • karol 1.1.1

        So it’s just the costs that are causing people to sit on some details in a Chuang affadavit? Russel Brown:

        I have a copy of the second Chuang affadavit, the one that seems to land John Palino squarely in the middle of the plot. There’s more in it than has been reported so far, which I suspect is partly because she directly attributes words to both Slater and Palino that could constitute grounds for a criminal prosecution. They have both denied its contents. Stephen Cook’s she-was-totally-up-for-it version of his interactions with Chuang is contradicted by her account of him demanding to know only the most salacious detals: how was Brown in bed? What’s his penis size? Journalists have been left with a situation in which no one can truly be regarded as reliable witness.

        Or maybe it’s just that it will take more time checking out all the contradictory stories?

        There does seem to be grounds for a prosecution, especially with what Price has posted publicly. Price will know what hes doing, and he is pointing out to Slater et all, that he knows a lot of details that would damn them in a court of law.

        • mickysavage 1.1.1.1

          Yep I have seen the affidavit. The B word is mentioned a couple of times. The Herald was not prepared to repeat this but the SST did in its editorial on Sunday which I can’t find on line.

          • karol 1.1.1.1.1

            Thanks for the tip, micky. Just read the SST editorial on Press display. Extracts:

            His wife and children may disagree but right now the only person in the Len Brown imbroglio who seems trustworthy is Len Brown.
            […]
            The new text messages released by Stephen Cook , who broke the story, indicate that Chuang was part of a plan to bring down Brown, to smear him enough to make him unelectable.

            The roles played in this by Auckland mayoral contender John Palino, his campaign manager john Slater, Slater’s son Cameron, Palino campaign team member Luigi Wewege (allegedly Chuang’s other lover) and Chuang herself seem, on the surface, to be far more worthy of investigation than where and when Brown and Chuang had sex or what sort of underwear Brown bought his mistress. The Palino Camp’s orchestrated campaign was designed to force Brown to quit the mayoralty but Brown called his bluff, confessed to his wife, and stayed on.
            […]

            Those manipulating and encouraging Chuang to dish dirt on Brown should exit politics in disgrace as their tactics are effectively blackmail.
            […]

            The whole thing is like a plot from a movie about ham-fisted conspirators with half a plan and no idea of how to carry it out.

            – Sunday Star Times editorial, 20 Oct 2013, p A15

            • tinfoilhat 1.1.1.1.1.1

              “His wife and children may disagree but right now the only person in the Len Brown imbroglio who seems trustworthy is Len Brown”

              Really ? Is Len Brown ghost writing for the Sunday Star Times ?

              Facts are Len brown behaved abominably and looks like he’ll stay on as auckland mayor regardless of his behaviour hopefully he’ll be kicked out next time round and we’ll have a credible and respectable left wing candidate voted in.

              All the other characters are a sideshow and the blog and political war of personalities seems to be a case of multiple pots calling each other various shades of black a pox on all their houses.

              • Draco T Bastard

                Facts are Len brown behaved abominably

                That’s not a fact, just your opinion and one backed up more, IMO, by you hatred of Brown than anything else.

                All the other characters are a sideshow
                Nope, the other actors have proven themselves completely untrustworthy by their actions and lies.

                • greywarbler

                  All the other characters are a sideshow and the blog and political war of personalities seems to be a case of multiple pots calling each other various shades of black a pox on all their houses.

                  It’s a Punch and Judy show folks. The traditional sideshow complete with a Policeman with a very long truncheon to give good measure.
                  ‘Now clear the way people, return to your homes, nothing to see here.’

                • tinfoilhat

                  “That’s not a fact, just your opinion and one backed up more, IMO, by you hatred of Brown than anything else.”

                  I had reflected on the whether it was the behaviour or the person that was affecting my opinion and thought whether my opinion would change if the behaviour was attached to my political preference and I can assure you it would not.

              • Hanswurst

                I disagree. Neither do I see Len Brown as a particularly left-wing candidate, nor do I see how an extramarital affair affects his ability to be mayor. Similarly, if such a fate had befallen a more decidedly right-wing candidate such as John Banks or Christine Fletcher, I’d have been vocally opposing their policies while resoundingly failing to give a shit where or with whom they slept.

                • tinfoilhat

                  “Neither do I see Len Brown as a particularly left-wing candidate”

                  Oh I agree completely he’s more to the right than the left and will change his story depending on which groups he’s talking to.

                  I also agree that an extramarital affair in and of itself is not of itself a hangable offence but having conducted it on council premises and time is very poor and the possibility of further impropriety/favourtism in terms of freebies and favours is very bad.

            • Rhinocrates 1.1.1.1.1.2

              “It was worse than a crime; it was a blunder.”

              And for historical pedants (like me):

              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Antoine,_Duke_of_Enghien

              [On Napoleon’s execution of duc d’Enghien] Either Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe[3] (deputy from Meurthe in the Corps législatif) or Napoleon’s chief of police, Joseph Fouché,[4] said about his execution “C’est pire qu’un crime, c’est une faute”, a statement often rendered in English as “It was worse than a crime; it was a blunder.” The statement is also sometimes attributed to French diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord. Sometimes the quote is given as, “It was worse than a crime; it was a mistake.”

    • ghostwhowalksnz 1.2

      He has no assets ?

    • AsleepWhileWalking 1.3

      I’ll donate! If nothing else I’m sure I’ll get my monies worth through entertainment value alone.

    • Murray Olsen 1.4

      Probably because he’s got no worthwhile income and would have all his assets protected in some sort of trusts. The case would be easy to prove, but collecting on any judgment would be difficult.

      What would be more interesting would be to take him to court with a view to seeking a penalty along the lines of what was served up to Derryn Hinch. He was banned from accessing the internet for a period. Now, if someone can come up with a plan with a reasonable chance of success to achieve that, I’d certainly help with funding it.

  2. tc 2

    Good points and yet again the hollowmen show the depth of talent they draw on to get what they want.

    Slater, banks etc were all needed at some point but unlike the likes of farrar who keeps his cool and doesnt bite the hand that feeds whereas cameron needs help/therapy on a few fronts.

  3. geoff 3

    Wow, the National Party is imploding.

  4. Tracey 4

    I posted last week on narcissistic personality. Slater fits so many traits. I have always struggled to understand how someone with a mental illness expects to find health and peace embroiling themselves in a hate filled vitiolic site like wo and the vengeful way he pursues his ideology.

    brett dale disputes he is narcissistic. I stand by it. His use and abuse of people to achieve his own engrandisement shows little or no empathy.

    • Rhinocrates 4.1

      I could recommend a psychiatrist. Unfortunately he lives in Baltimore but he does throw excellent dinner parties.

    • repateet 4.2

      re “shows little or no empathy.”

      I attended a most enlightening session about the autism spectrum. I am sometimes reminded of things I heard there when I see Cameron Slater talking and responding to questions and relate them to people I have been in contact with who fit the autism profiles. I don’t know about narcissism but another commentator said Slater was a sociopath. Slater’s writings might give an indication as to the accuracy of that.

      • Rhinocrates 4.2.1

        My comment above was a dark joke, no more. A chocolate fish for those who get the reference (OK… Hannibal Lecter eats the rude).

        I attended a most enlightening session about the autism spectrum. I am sometimes reminded of things

        Beware confirmation bias.

        As someone with autism and an anxiety disorder, I really get disturbed by amateur medical diagnoses AND the branding that goes with it.

        Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Cambridge Autism Research Centre has often noted in interviews that autists are almost always very moral people. My own experience is that I’m awkward in reading cues in real time, but people credit me with very high emotional intelligence – it’s just that the inputs are SO overwhelming (stick your head inside a pinball machine and you’ll get the idea), that as a survival mechanism I have to erect layers of filtering and rules to get by (hence Baron-Cohen’s comment about morality – we need rules that work).

        Please leave the amateur diagnoses to Shearer… or not even that idiot.

        • NickS 4.2.1.1

          THIS.

          People who are otherwise normal are also perfectly capable of being complete arseholes, and while depression can make sufferers more grumpy/angry, in Slater’s case he was just as much a douche before developing depression. Only now he’s much more open about it and has time to kill…

          Also – I’m sort of the same, though my filters are more there to deal with depression triggers.

        • Molly 4.2.1.2

          Agree +100.

          I have a son on the spectrum and he has one of the usual traits of being unable to lie. This trait makes him a social timebomb occasionally, but his integrity and honesty are without fault.

          • Rhinocrates 4.2.1.2.1

            If someone asks “How are you?”, I struggle to say “Fine”, because I want to be accurate.

            Them: “How are you?”

            Me: [Internally: well, I have this persistent strain in my right popliteal fascia due to the posture I keep at my desk and my left foot is half a size bigger than my right, so that there is this constriction in my boot and my left big toe always feels as though there’s something under it and the little toe has a corn, and there’s this pale patch on my jacket that really upsets the colour scheme and I really should lay out that rug again and did you know that Gliese 667C has three planets in the Goldlilocks Zone, though solar wind combined with weak magnetic fields – due to them most likely being tidally locked – suggest that the inner two might be uninhabitable due to atmosphere loss, just like Mars, which has only a fragmentary magnetic field, though life might exist underground, even if it is a Godawful small affair to the girl with the mousy hair and…]. “Urgh… fine, thanks for asking.”

            And I’m “high functioning”.

            • Molly 4.2.1.2.1.1

              Wow – I knew there was a reason why my son is one of my favourite people.

              • Rhinocrates

                Hi Molly – that’s good! My best wishes for you and your son.

                By the way, those “bombs” (see below – 4.2.1.2.1.2) are FUN.

            • Rhinocrates 4.2.1.2.1.2

              The short version being, if anyone with autism gives you a blank stare, it’s not because there’s nothing going on behind their eyes – on the contrary, a bomb of associations has just detonated, once again, and they’re trying to assemble the pieces into a simple object that they can give back to you.

        • ianmac 4.2.1.3

          In my experience Autistics and ADHD seem to take “rules” literally and get upset when a grey interpretation of a rule is so unsettling.
          You seem well able to manage your autism Rhino.

          • Rhinocrates 4.2.1.3.1

            grey interpretation of a rule is so unsettling.

            Everything that is automatic for neurotypical people has to be manual for us, I like to say. It makes us more aware in some ways, but requires a bit of (legal) self-medication due to the effort it requires…

            I’ve had time to learn the tricks at least. I feel sorry for those who haven’t yet.

      • emergency mike 4.2.2

        Slater, autism? Nah, can’t see it. As Rhino said, those on the autism spectrum usually have a strong moral code, and as far as I can see don’t generally covet the limelight.

        To me Slater, Banks, and Brownlee are both textbook cases of narcissistic personality disorder. Otherwise known as ‘being a complete arsehole’.

        Also as Rhino said, be careful about labeling people with psychological disorders, it’s very easy to work backwards from a conclusion about someone and see what you want to see to confirm that conclusion. It’s probably best avoided.

        However I’m happy to make exceptions for the turds I’ve mentioned. And for good measure – John Key: sociopath.

        • dpalenski 4.2.2.1

          If Slater is autistic, I’m one super out going party people in this altervative universe and I have girlfriend too. In this universe Slater properly suffers from arsehole disorder like Micheal Laws does when he claimed to be autistic.

          BTW does else’s ablity to spell go backwards when they write about Micheal Laws the guy dumbs me just writing about him in passing :p

    • SpaceMonkey 4.3

      Actually I think Cameron Slater oscillates between narsissist and psychopath…

    • Mary 4.4

      Yes, and part of that will be loving the attention he’s getting.

    • Tracy:

      I dont think he is narcissistic, he maybe something else, but not this.
      Also why oh why do you feel the need to use my full name when writing a
      message?

      • Mary 4.5.1

        Because it’s got a nice ring to it.

      • the pigman 4.5.2

        If Tracey just said “Brett” you might be confused with any number of other TS users (whose names might be Brett).

        I mean you chose the name, are you seriously complaining when people call you by it?

  5. Tiger Mountain 5

    Well it is rather refreshing to read Hamish Price’s words. Articulate and thoughtful. There are old fashioned decent torys in the modern world as contradictory as that seems.

    Don’t agree with them and the damage their comprador (crony) capitalism does to our country in so many ways but Price’s remarks are fresh air after the Whalespew stench. Cam Slater really needs to be “sectioned” for assessment at least.

  6. karol 6

    Ha! I didn’t know about the Terry Prachett thing before, but it does suit your reworking of it in TS banner above:

    The Standard
    Because The Truth will make you fret
    especially if a misogynist creep ran it.

    Indeed.

    Such a sloppy conspiracy to undermine Brown using a smear that is all tabloidish bluster and sleaze, with little real ammunition. Meanwhile Slater, Cook,Wewege and Palino were leaving track marks all over town.

    That Price and many others knew of the attempt to “embarrass” Brown makes a lie of Slater claiming only people close to Brown would have known, and therefore someone in the Brown camp must have sent the texts.

    And WO claimed on The Nation that he hadn’t lied about anything? Didn’t he first say Chuang came to him with the story? And then later claimed, after Wewege’s role was exposed, that Wewege brought Chuang to him?

    How many more lies?

    • lprent 6.1

      Not quite..

      The Standard
      Because The Truth will make you fret.
      Especially if a misogynist creep still ran it.

      For the space of one word I could add the boot.. And in the best tradition of the Ankh-Morpork Times could I do less. The book is called The Truth and it stands out even amongst his many other books. I was reading it last night while waiting, and it seemed so appropiate

    • Such a sloppy conspiracy to undermine Brown using a smear that is all tabloidish bluster and sleaze, with little real ammunition.

      Brown flies the flag of family values during his campaign and then has initiates an affair in which his role as mayor played a significant part.

      Is hypocrisy an accepted part of politics now?

      • karol 6.2.1

        Show me where Brown campaigned on “family values” – whatever that term may mean?

        As an Auckland voter, I’d never heard the term “family values” being associated with Len Brown before this news of the affair broke.

      • amirite 6.2.2

        qI; is hypocrisy an accepted part of politics now?

        a: Yes it is, cue: Banks voting for gay marriage and the casino laws while being a fundy Bible basher, Dunne voting for the very law that allowed the GCSB to spy on him too and cause him a massive tantrum.
        There are countless other examples, I’m sure everyone can contribute with theirs,

        • Ugly Truth 6.2.2.1

          Yes it is

          This hypocrisy is consistent with the perversion of law which is sold by the state. It isn’t restricted to either the left or the right of the political arena. The perversion is the atheistic interpretation of law which is fundmentally theistic.

          Incidentally hypocrisy is connected to Christianity via Paul. Paul was a Pharisee, and they were collectively characterised as being hypocrites. The connection between Christianity and the state is underscored by the fact that the NZ head of state is also the “Supreme Governor” of the Anglican Church.

  7. bad12 7

    i quite like this bloke Hamish Price, i just listened to Him on RadioNZ National saying much the same things as what the Facebook page does,

    Price isn’t afraid to air nationally His belief that Slater/Cook and Palino are lying their faces off about their knowledge of and involvement in the sub-plot surrounding Len’s dalliance to force Him from the Mayoralty,

    Isn’t it great tho to see them take to each other, the right that is, it can be heard from down here in Wellington, riiiiippp, as the National Party power base in Auckland tears itself apart, the laughable mainstream media at pains to try and distance the Party from the blood-bath among the ‘activist’ cadre tasked with holding the lefts feet to the fire, have in reality shown the whole country that National are now riven with intercine factional fighting out-side of the Parliament and i would suggest that while patently not involved in this ugly mess, Slippery’s National Government will not avoid being splashed in the offal as the blood-letting continues…

    • SpaceMonkey 7.1

      What I know of Cameron Slater… if Price wasn’t right, Slater would be in like a robber’s dog suing Price for defamation and slander.

  8. Tracey 9

    Yup…. eating their young. Certain nats will be bemoaning how clumsy this was. It shows you get what u pay for even when playing dirty…

    has collins tweeted cam recently…

    I saw cactus kate commented here when it broke but no comment since it turned on her boy?

    • Pascal's bookie 9.1

      nah. the SOP is to lay low until it all blows over and then to start being public friends with him again when he says something funny about a greenie.

      And if anyone ever says ‘how about all that crap?’ you go on about how ‘no one can control Cameron, but to those who know him, they know he is a big lovely and you just don’t understand.’

    • Murray Olsen 9.2

      A person less trusting than myself would be wondering if the prickly one, with her links to Hong Kong, actually played some role with Bevan Chuang, also from Hong Kong. Of course, they would be totally wrong, and Cam is one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.

  9. JK 10

    Have a look at Richard Harman’s comments on Front Page. Its about the factions in National. And Harman having been a press gallery journo for years, and right-wing leaning – it sounds credible to me. Sorry – don’t know how to do links, but the link is in Bryce Edwards’ column in today’s Herald – somewhere down near the end of it.

  10. Tat Loo 11

    “As well as the refugees from those countries (it is noticeable the number of Americans we’re seeing moving here at present) we also seen some of the dregs and their tactics…”

    There’s no doubt that NZ is seen as a “lifeboat” by some Americans seeking shelter from the fallout of a struggling empire. As tides rise in the pacific and the Washington DC gridlock worsens (next budget showdown is being replayed in Jan) we’ll have to carefully consider what this lifeboat status means for us.

    • vto 11.1

      Yep. One of the biggest and most unavoidable issues of our time.

      Our population will soar at some few points in time over the next period to a density comparable to most other similar nations (UK? Japan? Fancy 50million living here?).

      And there virtually nothing a government or a nation can do at those points in time.

      • Tat Loo 11.1.1

        I think NZ should implement policies to maintain a hard cap on total population of 9M or less. That’s double today’s and a high limit, but we are in an over populated world living beyond its carrying capacity, where these issues have to be thought about.

        To put that into perspective, that’s an Auckland with over 3M people. All I can say is… Good luck with that 🙂

    • Rogue Trooper 11.2

      The number of mass shootings in the US has tripled in recent years- A.G Eric Holder. The apart, hide.

    • greywarbler 11.3

      Tat
      Yes, who will come. I keep thinking of the Ossies and writing about them. I wonder how bad things have to get there before they overcome their illogical prejudices and start seeing us as a green alternative. After their houses have burnt down three times? Water gets very expensive?
      They have been feeding themselves a good life story for a long while, with nights out to sometimes lavish RSL clubs built with gambling profits.

      But is it a house of straw? The gambling profits were an incentive for us to get them by the past governments of Tw’dee and dumb. The whole mindset is addictive and hard to cure.

      Chinese are so smart and focussed they can run twice as fast as us on half the breath. They are coming too, and I hope they bring the better part of Mao’s Revolution with them but fear that they will revert to looking after No.1 Family first. Which means they may be drawn to the Right here. Patsy Wong and hubby are go-getters, probably examples of the industrious, ambitious achievers.

      South Africans. I think I catch a hint of the accent in many leaders voices in business, public roles.

      And USA. They have been sliding to the Right so long they probably have scoliosis and we could ban them as being health risks. They will bring all their bad habits with them, won’t have learned a thing from the crunchie bar strength of their country.

  11. Saarbo 12

    Absolutely agree!

    • Tat Loo 13.1

      Thx!

    • miravox 13.2

      Slater’s comment on Harman’s blog:

      Actually the point remains tenuous at best Richard…there are no factions, only bitter people like Boag and Price.

      So that’s ok then. That’s not making Harman’s point for him at all…

    • bad12 13.3

      Lolz, what a excellent piece of journalism, all i could think while reading it was ‘fight you bastards fight’,

      A fight like this isn’t going to disappear anytime soon, it’s a smouldering ruin spurred on by Nationals abysmal polling and it will now morph into the dog chasing it’s tail as the support base in Auckland walks away from National not being able to stand the stench,

      The ramifications of this explosion within Nationals elite arm of movers and shakers will sooner or later become apparent in the Parliament,

      I picked Slippery the Prime Minister’s recent prolonged sojourn into the heady realm of international diplomacy as Judith Collin’s best chance to roll Him for the leadership position and i am going to assume here it is in fact the abysmally low polling numbers that have in fact stopped Her leadership challenge albeit temporarily so,

      Having picked Maurice Williamson quite some time ago as one quietly painting a large target on the back of Slippery the PM i am not surprised now that He is showing up in more mainstream commentary as the ‘other half’ of the Collins leadership ticket, it was obvious when Slippery urged Maurice to take up the Speakers role in the Parliament that He was trying to get rid of Maurice and just as obvious from Williamson’s refusal to take the Speakers Chair(usually followed by a plum ambassadorial role), that He had ‘unfinished business’,

      i am picking that Collins/Williamson, one or the other astutely reading the political landscape, have decided amidst the National Governments dramatic fall from electoral grace that they will face after November 2014 a Labour/Green Government of at least two terms and that there is far more to be gained by playing the waiting game,

      Should this be true i would expect Collins/Williamson to ‘allow’ Bill English to take the National Party leadership into the first term of Opposition in what is beginning to have the faint whiff of a total electoral rout for National,

      Expect then a woeful election fought by Bill English as leader in 2017 followed by a Collins/Williamson takeover soon after, of course they just might be able to scrape together the numbers to roll Slippery prior to the 2014 election but time for this to gain the pair any political traction is fast running out,

      i can only add again, fight you bastards, fight….

      • gnomic 13.3.1

        I bow to your apparent superior knowledge of the factions in the National Party, but I for one will not be putting any money on Mozza W as a future contender for its leadership. He may slip the odd dagger between the ribs no doubt, but surely not a face for prime time? Perhaps his bungling incompetence across a range of portfolios would not be an impediment alas.

      • Murray Olsen 13.3.2

        One thing to watch for with NAct’s Auckland support base if the stench becomes unbearable is that they will look for Labour MPs to do their filthy work for them again. It worked better than they could have dreamed of with Douglas and co. The pressure really needs to be kept on Labour from its support base.

  12. captain hook 14

    is there anyway of politely calling a lying arsehole a lying arsehole?

  13. Natwest 15

    Ah! got it – Slater, Cooke and company are lying arseholes – because Len didn’t really have an affair after all. Glad we have cleared that mess up!

    [lprent: It looks like the Palino team have been systematically lying in order to do what? That is politically interesting.

    Len Brown boning looks a whole lot less interesting for people who are actually interested in politics. It is probably more of an issue for gossips – you perhaps?. ]

    • karol 15.1

      Bwhahahahaha!

      It’s curious to keep seeing the strange (il)logicality of Slater’s supporters, making comments that have little relation to the evidence as it has been presented, and still trying to hammer the line that the mere having of an affair is the biggest sin a politician can commit. Welcome to the 19th century!

    • framu 15.2

      “because Len didn’t really have an affair”

      no ones saying that! –

      this is yet another thread where your stinking up the place repeating things that exist only in your head

      Do you actually have anything to say?

  14. Sable 16

    Personally sick and tired of hearing about the Slater/Brown affair.

    If the polls are anything to go by most people, including myself, believe the attack is politically motivated.

    Time to ignore little creepy crawlies like the Slater’s of this world and get on with the job of running Auckland.

  15. Mary 17

    Referring to Slater as “Cam” reminds me of that horrible photo of Mallard and Slater with their arms around each other after that silly bike race.

  16. lez howard 18

    Sperm Oil Does not have an a-hole rating.Hes regarded in Tauranga as an ankle,much lower

  17. Natwest 19

    Oh Karol get a grip – this is about the man’s integrity (or lack of it), it’s not the first affair he has been involved in. He cheated on his first wife, with his now second – and now he’s cheated on her (for 2 years). He then provided his mistress with a reference and then personally endorsed her into that council position. He also had her appointed to a board. Thirdly, he abused his position by using the council credit card for personal use – for which he stated was unnaceptable behaviour and, nothing would again occur to tarnish his reputation. He is a proven liar – so stop being an “excuser” for his lack of moral judgement. Mayor of our largest and most strategic city – what a joke. This story ain’t going away any time soon, because where there is smoke there is fire – and I’m absolutely certain there is more revelations to come – watch this space.

    • Te Reo Putake 19.1

      Who are you talking about? The first couple of lines made me think you were dissing Cam Slater, then you drifted off into rant mode.

      On an unrelated matter, nice to see a poll on stuff showing only a minority of people think Len Brown has handled the revelations badly. Looks like he’ll be mayor for many, many more terms now.

    • framu 19.2

      well you made a comment at least – pity its still you interviewing your imagination

    • McFlock 19.3

      🙄
      In order:
      mind your own business
      being investigated
      dealt with years ago
      wouldn’t be surprised if you are, too

      This story ain’t going away any time soon, because where there is smoke there is fire – and I’m absolutely certain there is more revelations to come – watch this space.
      no matter how hard you fan the embers, this is going to be a short dog-end of a cigarette, compared to the bushfire of which muckrakers knew what in Camp Palino – and why on earth would someone send a threatening text to Williamson?

      • greywarbler 19.3.1

        McFlock
        what a fine summation of a rambling rant you make. And totally right. It’s definite ly the way to go through a lot of verbiage for the nub. I guess if I had done my critical thinking paper better I wouldn’t be struck by that thought.

  18. Natwest 20

    Deluded deniers – pathetic, pitiful responses.

    • Varity 20.1

      ok, fine, you’re right … except slater and you supporters … nobodies cares about the affair anymore and you lot banging on about it isn’t going to change that.

      it’s been kind of amusing seeing slater become more n more unhinged but i do have a heart and think for his own sanity he needs to stop. he lost, he should just accept that and move on.

    • Galrandra 20.2

      @ NW
      The mayor’s probity in relation to responsibilities mayoral is currently being examined elsewhere; this post is about the lack of moral compass in a considerable section of the Auckland’s National party machine.
      Do spend a little time and tell us why you see only shine where the rest of us see sleaze.
      So what appears very much like coercion, blackmail, calumny and the subversion of the democratic process is acceptable, in order to punish what you judge to be sexual transgression?

  19. tricledrown 21

    Ratnest Brown did what the right can never do Hey came out and told the horrible truth.
    Now those who flung the dung have been sprung.
    They have not been able to lie in unison so they have been the arhitects of their own demise.
    It would have been far more effective to just say len had an affair and leave it at that.
    Let the media have a feilday.
    But the bunch of slippery shisters wanted to maximise the damage it has backfired and the shit has largly bounced off len and stuck to the palino slater wewege cook .
    LoL poor little natwest !

  20. NickS 22

    I see Slater is spewing on his blog again, probably would have been wiser for him to take a vacation.

    *grabs popcorn*

    • Rhinocrates 22.1

      Ever read or seen Sartre’s Huis Clos or No Exit as it’s known in English? That’s where the famous Existentialist quote “Hell is other people” comes from – the torture being the eternal desire to be right, to have the last word, no matter what one has done, no matter what the means. Whalecum is in that Hell right now.

      • NickS 22.1.1

        *chuckle*

        Except that’s usually fractally wrong, even more so in this case, so he’s also cursed with the hell that is that delusion of being right and the lack insight to see just how wrongzors he be 👿

  21. captain hook 23

    was that from the front or the back?

  22. phil 24

    Will JK jump b4 the election? He appears more stressed by each passing day. Leaving the party to fight it out, in private? Hahaha. Sadly we are paying for this veneer of Dumocravy.

  23. captain hook 25

    well if he is going then he is doing his best to make sure no MP gets a rise this year.
    what a turkey.
    Some MP’s work extremely hard and deserve what ever emolument they can get.

  24. Rodel 26

    A. I object to your calling Slater an arsehole.
    B. Sorry. Are you a friend of his?
    A. No. I’m an arshole.

  25. Rogue Trooper 27

    a little Cameo Creme from Karloff 😀

  26. amirite 28

    I lol at the MSM comparing Len Brown’s affair to the army guy’s – conveniently forgetting that the army have been threatening to ruin the lives and the livelihoods of his former mistress and her daughter.
    Also, the Righwingers request for investigation into the SkyCity gift of freebie hotel room use to Len- let’s see what sort of freebies has ShonKey received in return for the Convention Centre and the 300 + pokies deal. This weeks picture in the Sunday Herald supplement shows him and Bronwyn smiling like possums in the headlights in front of the camera just before they were to go to dinner at the Skycity restaurant.
    Yeah, let’s look into both cases, for the sake of consistency and fairness.

  27. Hamish 29

    Dear Whale Blubber, I know you read these comments:

    “237 Blackmail

    (1) Every one commits blackmail who threatens, expressly or by implication, to make any accusation against any person (whether living or dead), to disclose something about any person (whether living or dead), or to cause serious damage to property or endanger the safety of any person with intent—

    (a) to cause the person to whom the threat is made to act in accordance with the will of the person making the threat; and

    (b) to obtain any benefit or to cause loss to any other person.

    (2) Every one who acts in the manner described in subsection (1) is guilty of blackmail, even though that person believes that he or she is entitled to the benefit or to cause the loss, unless the making of the threat is, in the circumstances, a reasonable and proper means for effecting his or her purpose.

    (3) In this section and in section 239, benefit means any benefit, pecuniary advantage, privilege, property, service, or valuable consideration.”

    Punishment of blackmail

    238 Every one who commits blackmail is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years.

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1961/0043/latest/DLM330263.html
    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1961/0043/latest/DLM330268.html

    • toad 29.1

      Not sure which Hamish you are in this story (or you may be none of them), but you are onto it with that comment.

      There is a serious stench of criminal offending here if we accept what Bevan Chuang is reported as having said.

  28. Just Like Tiger Woods 30

    Get ready, Comrades.

    Incoming……

    Tomorrow, by the looks of it.

  29. Hamish 31

    I’m Sorry Comrade, but I’m too busy working to care whether Len was boning other people on the side. That’s between him and his family, and the people involved…

    Meanwhile, Blubber boy spends the whole day masturbating and getting off on this affair. Is he still a sickness beneficiary? If not where does he get his income from?

  30. gobsmacked 32

    Anyone who thinks this is Left vs Right (like one or two t/rollies above) really needs to wake up. This is the Right fighting themselves – the establishment versus the embarrassment.

    And you should read the latest from inside the Palino camp … heartfelt, frustrated and deserving a response from Palino.

    Will there ever be one?

    http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Hamish-Coleman-Ross-Palino-Auckland-must-hear-you/tabid/721/articleID/38516/Default.aspx

  31. appleboy 33

    Slater is scum – he’s been boasting of his web site getting lots of hits – yeah well xxxtube porn site gets more than Whaleoil, so he’s in good company.

  32. georgecom 34

    The more gets revealed, the more words like “incompetent”, “ham-fisted”, “bumbling” etc come to mind.

  33. hoom 35

    I find it quite fascinating how this affair which was obviously thought to be a knock out blow to the Left on Auckland Council has so quickly reversed into an exposé of & shitfight within the internal workings of the Right.

  34. Cactus Kate 36

    Murray
    Up until the day her name was published in the Herald I had never heard of Bevan Chaung. Funnily enough I don’t know everyone living in Hong Kong let alone those Hong Kong born people not living here. I’m also not a Nat or a Tory.

    Try again.

    I’ve lost track of the story and it’s diversions at the time Brown was accused of writing a reference for a woman he had the hots for/was shagging.

    Nick Smith resigned for such and at that point so should Len. Then there’s the Sky City murk as well.

    I’ve changed my mind now as for a man as weird as Len is this rooting is absolutely legendary and he’s just the sort of person I think should be Mayor. It’s not a very important job anyway.

    • unsol 36.1

      “Nick Smith resigned for such and at that point so should Len”. Not so. If it comes out that he was only on general/acquaintance terms with Chuang then the whole issue is moot. Surely you know more than anyone that it is best to draw conclusions based on facts, not hearsay.

      “I’ve changed my mind now as for a man as weird as Len is this rooting is absolutely legendary and he’s just the sort of person I think should be Mayor. It’s not a very important job anyway.”

      You’re wrong about legendary – girls keen to get their leg over to procure political leverage no doubt require very little persuasion and 2 minutes is hardly indicative of someone who really knows their way around.

      But if dirty politics is how NZ wants to progress then what we need now, you know, so that it is a level playing field, is for Slater’s ex mistress Debbie Brown (funny she shares not only the same surname as Len, but his lack of common decency) to come out sharing how many times she slept with him & his prowess….or lack thereof. After all, the political commentators are in the public arena so surely we should be holding their personal lives up to the same scrutiny, otherwise how do we know they can be trusted?

      “…and he’s just the sort of person I think should be Mayor. It’s not a very important job anyway”.

      I agree. The role of mayor is no more than a simple mouthpiece.

    • Tat Loo 36.2

      Nick Smith resigned for such and at that point so should Len. Then there’s the Sky City murk as well.

      Nick Smith resigned?

      How come he is still in Parliament, then?

    • gnomic 36.3

      ‘I’ve changed my mind now as for a man as weird as Len is this rooting is absolutely legendary and he’s just the sort of person I think should be Mayor. It’s not a very important job anyway.’

      OMG! Agree with the Cactus, oh noes. Len is a headcase, no doubt about it. Up there with JFK and Slick Willy on the flopping it out front it seems.

      And anyway who cares who is the ‘Mayor’ since as Penny Bright has pointed out, certain dark forces actually call the shots anyway. She mentioned the Committee for Dorkland and the Property Council.

  35. unsol 37

    Nice response from Price – he is not only much better looking (mind you, most people are), but classier when he responds to accusations.

    I don’t consider politics to be an honourable profession, but Cameron Slater’s gutter politics is a whole new low. It is one thing to expose the affair, but entirely another to provide the kind of information he has.

    The whole thing is embarrassing – not only for Brown & NZ politics, but for Slater & his family. How can he, as a father & so-called Christian justify this kind of garbage to his family? His church?

    The irony of course is that his actions have pretty much guaranteed zero chance of his desired result coming to fruition – Brown will stay as mayor.

  36. captain hook 38

    it’s really great to see banks whining on the telly that the whole country is agianst him.
    Well the thing is that the whole country is just about sick of banks and slater and their vitriol and hatred that passes for politicis.

  37. gnomic 39

    Did some one mention Cameron Slater? How strange that the king of the ratbags (imho) hates ratbags. Most perverse, psychologically. Depressed was it, after his business failed? Diddums. Well worth big sums of cash. Or not, as the insurers eventually decided, last I heard. Daddy was a nasty piece of work too, or perhaps he was a lovely bloke? Despite being a senior official in the ‘National’ party which some might think meant he was scum floating on the surface..

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  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

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  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

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  • Reported back

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  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

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    5 days ago
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  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

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  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

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  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

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    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
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  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

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    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

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    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

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    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

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    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

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  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
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  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

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    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
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  • Flooding Housing Policy

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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

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    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

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    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
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  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

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  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

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    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

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  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

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

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    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 ...
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    17 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
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

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

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

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
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    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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  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

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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

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    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

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    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

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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

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

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

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

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

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