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Vale David Parker MP
Written By: - Date published: 2:08 pm, May 8th, 2025 - 20 comments
David Parker’s Deputy Leader ‘s speech in 2014 at the Wellington Labour Party Conference was the best I ever heard from a Labour Leader. Vision matched values in intensity and scope. Parliament now loses one of its very best.
Leadership D.O.A.
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, February 10th, 2025 - 31 comments
As we approach the half-time oranges for his government, I thought I’d give Mr Luxon some feedback and a few suggestions on how he might turn things around – if becoming a real leader interests him.
Standing for Auckland
Written By: - Date published: 1:47 pm, February 2nd, 2025 - 16 comments
Can Kerrin Leoni pave the way as Tamaki Makaurau’s first wāhine Māori Mayor? Open to all today from Nick’s Kōrero…
Is Luxon on a roll?
Written By: - Date published: 10:12 pm, December 18th, 2024 - 24 comments
Or about to be rolled? Word has it that Chris Bishop is waiting in the wings, as Luxon’s favourability rating drops below Hipkins.
Waitangi Tribunal slams Treaty Principles Bill
Written By: - Date published: 9:27 am, August 17th, 2024 - 15 comments
The Waitangi Tribunal has in a scathing interim report slammed Act’s Treaty Principles Bill. And Christopher Luxon has underlined his weakness by refusing to halt the bill.
Being a political satirist is difficult these days
Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, November 16th, 2023 - 2 comments
One has to really feel for those trying to write political satire these days. How can a satirist be more ridiculous than many of our political leaders they wish to lampoon? Case in point, yesterday’s “resignation letter” from sacked former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Nigel Haworth on Labour at the crossroads
Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, November 8th, 2023 - 42 comments
Former Labour Party President Nigel Haworth: “Any decisions about leadership should follow a careful and comprehensive review of, first, the recent campaign, and second, the broader settings in which Labour has chosen to work in recent years”
Hipkins endorsed
Written By: - Date published: 8:02 pm, November 7th, 2023 - 53 comments
It was never going to be anything else, but two positive emerged. All policy options are back on the table, including tax, and there is a realisation that the main task ahead is to rebuild a strong and progressive party.
Labour’s leadership
Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, November 3rd, 2023 - 34 comments
Now that the dust is settling it is time for the Labour Party to think about its future.
Has Labour become a cadre Party? Pt 1 Leadership
Written By: - Date published: 4:43 pm, November 2nd, 2023 - 18 comments
In 2021, I voted against Labour’s conference proposal for midstream leadership change to be determined by Caucus alone, saying that it risked Labour becoming a cadre party for elites. A series of posts will start with why the Caucus should not rush to a leadership vote.
Understanding the New Zealand General Election 2023: Historical trends and perspectives.
Written By: - Date published: 6:01 am, September 20th, 2023 - 15 comments
From the outside, the New Zealand 2023 General Election seems both lacklustre and slightly strange. The Labour Government, having won a huge majority in 2020 is now fighting for its political life. Yet National, the main centre-right opposition party is still on average polling significantly worse now than they were when it lost power in 2017.
The Future of the Monarchy
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 am, May 5th, 2023 - 111 comments
Support for the monarchy is largely based on sentimentality. Democracies are not enhanced by feudal relics performing old-fashioned ceremonies and living in castles. These quaint traditions and displays are all rather nice, and for the most part fairly benign and harmless in themselves. But to pretend that they are in any way relevant to the modern world is absurd.
National’s Brown problem
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, February 2nd, 2023 - 71 comments
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is providing National strategists with a rather large headache.
Boris Johnson – why he fell and can he come back?
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, January 15th, 2023 - 1 comment
It is risky to make predictions, but it is safe to assume we have not heard the last of Boris Johnson. And much like Berlusconi in Italy, the results will undoubtedly be bad both for politics and the country.
Big developments in Beijing
Written By: - Date published: 4:44 pm, February 7th, 2022 - 31 comments
The meeting between Putin and Xi Jinping is likely to set the geopolitical direction for the 21st century. If ‘divide and rule’ was the mantra for the US’s hegemonic rule in the 20th century, ‘unite and share’ looks like setting the tone for the 21st. Co-operation rather than competition is the mantra, and “friendship between the two states has no limits.” A truly remarkable turnaround.
Germany Votes: Where To Now
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, September 26th, 2021 - 22 comments
Germany is up for Federal election tomorrow and it’s pretty important for the stability of the European Union.
Todd’s going … who is next?
Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, June 24th, 2021 - 67 comments
Yesterday National suffered further damage to its ranks when Harete Hipango was outed as the MP with Parliamentary Services resources issues and Todd Muller announced that he will stand down as an MP at the end of this term nominally so that he can eventually spend more time with his family.
Cummings: Boris is unfit for the job
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, May 27th, 2021 - 20 comments
Former top aide Dominic Cummings has accused UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being unfit for the job, and of making constant U-turns, “like a shopping trolley smashing from one side of the aisle to the other”.
What the recent elections tell us about British society
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 pm, May 17th, 2021 - 35 comments
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s Blog In a nation that has suffered over 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, one may be somewhat taken aback to see the latest YouGov Poll where The Conservative Party enjoy a 15% lead over the Labour Opposition. 17 months after the Conservatives won the 2019 General Election, it would be easy to […]
Bridges supports Judith at this time
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 am, April 14th, 2021 - 10 comments
Simon Bridges had added to rumours of a leadership challenge by pledging support for Judith Collins as leader “at this time”.
You have 30 min to get your business in order!
Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, March 12th, 2021 - 77 comments
Government should have announced the decision for Auckland to go down to Level 1 first thing this morning.
What if other countries had Jacinda as their president?
Written By: - Date published: 8:22 pm, February 22nd, 2021 - 39 comments
From Project Nightfall. Truth is, no government is perfect but Jacinda Ardern showed outstanding leadership in the recent years and put New Zealand on spotlight. There’s still a lot to do and she calls on her people to work with her and work together.
We must resist US pressure on China that could lead to war
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, February 20th, 2021 - 41 comments
In February 2002 I was at a union-NDP conference in Ottawa watching US television in my hotel room. Back home I reported on the conference to the Labour Party caucus and stated as an aside that the US was going to war with Iraq. Helen Clark stood up straightaway and said “we won’t be going with them.” Jacinda Ardern needs to do the same now.
Tranquillum
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 pm, December 6th, 2020 - 134 comments
Don’t expect a jellyfish to grow a spine, they just bob along on the current and keep moving, gently, slowly, kindly.
“Beyond Jacinda” – Colin James and Cr Tamatha Paul
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, December 3rd, 2020 - 20 comments
Colin James and Councillor Tamatha Paul will discuss Colin’s paper “Beyond Jacinda” on Monday 7 December at 5:30pm at Baptist Church, 46-48 Boulcott Street Wellington. It will also be shown on Zoom and available on YouTube. Registration links below. All Welcome.
Reti’s running
Written By: - Date published: 7:50 am, September 18th, 2020 - 62 comments
Yesterday Shane Reti ignited leadership rumours after he was asked if he wanted to be National leader and did not pledge support for existing leader Judith Collins.
Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Government: Style over substance or a guiding light for progressive politics?
Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, August 10th, 2020 - 33 comments
Critics have dismissed the Jacinda Ardern government as being one of style over substance. This is unfair given the challenges this government has faced and the policy achievements it has had. However, it is a government that has much work to do if it wins a second term. And its over-reliance on Jacinda as party leader is a huge strategic risk, especially when the governments front bench is perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be lightweight.
National Has Found a Moral Compass
Written By: - Date published: 3:46 pm, June 6th, 2020 - 34 comments
National has embarked on a moral crusade to not lose the Election.
National’s Petition is Cynical Populism
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, April 9th, 2020 - 124 comments
National is trying to steal show political leadership and relevance by launching a petition.
Addendum added
Two Bubbles Bridges’ Big Day Out
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 pm, April 6th, 2020 - 67 comments
Simon ‘Two Bubbles’ Bridges feels he’s entitled to flaunt the rules because he’s, ahem, essential.
Bullet Train Wreck
Written By: - Date published: 10:21 pm, March 25th, 2020 - 23 comments
New York Governor Cuomo was told CoVid-19 was like an approaching freight train. More like a bullet train was his response. Watching the White House daily briefing with Trump dominant it looks like a massive train wreck is on the way in the US.
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- Will and Resources
In the 2004 film Downfall (Der Untergang), which portrays Hitler’s last days in a Berlin bunker, he says that if the German people are weak they deserve death. It is a view from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who argued that conflicts are won by those with the strongest will. ...
1 hour ago - It’s time to be up front. Tell Australians why we’re preparing to host US forces
Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating argues that Defence Minister Richard Marles has ceded power to the US in a ‘dark moment’ by confirming that Australia’s geography would be crucial to the US in any war ...2 hours ago - Matariki Thoughts: Playing the Long Game
And everything seems cut and dryDay and nightEarth and skySomehow, I just don't believe itSongwriter: Dave Pirner.Today, a guest letter from Julia Schiller, so without further ado, it’s over to her…Lifelong New Zealanders may not appreciate some of the best things about our country. Among them I would number a ...4 hours ago - David Seymour Wants More People to Die From Cancer
It’s a grim day for Aotearoa when a politician like David Seymour, leader of the ACT Party, can stand up and effectively cheer for New Zealanders smoking themselves into an early grave. As I'm sure you're aware, the National-led coalition government gutted our world-leading smokefree laws when they first came ...7 hours ago - The future of Iran’s nuclear program: views from ASPI analysts
Among all the uncertainties of the Israel-Iran conflict, two things are clear: a nuclearised Iran is a threat to global security; and Tehran will not give up its nuclear program easily. What’s less clear is ...22 hours ago
- Sovereignty: more than a slogan, less than absolute
‘Sovereignty’ is one of the most frequently invoked and most poorly understood terms in Australian strategic debate. It dominates arguments against AUKUS, US military presence in Australia, and our deepening alliance with Washington, yet it ...23 hours ago
- Show your Stripes Day on June 21 2025
Every year on 21st June we encourage everyone to participate in "Show your Stripes Day" to start conversations about climate risks and solutions. Springboarding from a crocheted blanket created by fellow University of Reading professor Ellie Highwood, the "warming stripes" graphic was created in 2018 by Prof. Ed Hawkins, who explains the ...24 hours ago - The Patupaiarehe Concerto: Published
It is Matariki (Maori New Year) as I write this, on the eve of the Winter Solstice. It’s not cold – global warming rather killed off that some time ago – but it ... 1 day ago - Stability, alliances and renewables: Australia is the place for AI computing
Artificial-intelligence computing infrastructure is more critical to Australia’s strategic future than developing sovereign AI models. The country should indeed aim at becoming a dependable computing hub for its allies. Markets forecast that AI systems could ...1 day ago
- A 1903 law, not technology, is the biggest problem for ADF defence
Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web has fundamentally redefined the nature of drone warfare and highlighted just how vulnerable Australia’s precious cache of exquisite systems truly is. The operation’s ingenious use of small, cheap, commercial drones to ...1 day ago
- China’s meeting was mostly talk, but the Pacific still listened
China’s first in-person meeting with Pacific island foreign ministers demonstrated Beijing’s willingness to talk the talk with little substance to back it up. But in a time of regional uncertainty, Pacific leaders showed they were ...1 day ago
- Matariki Hunga Nui
Morena folks, wishing you a very peaceful and enjoyable Matariki long weekend.Our newest public holiday might just be my favourite. There’s no commercial drive to buy presents nobody wants, or to make scheduled declarations of love.It’s about the past, the present, and the future, about whanau and kai, and us—a ...1 day ago - Pakistan’s air-combat lesson for Indonesia: buy air-surveillance aircraft
In Jakarta, decision makers are gradually convincing themselves to buy Chinese J-10 fighters, viewing the possible order as a step in defence modernisation. But it would be a misstep. The J-10, while a capable aircraft, ...1 day ago
- Bernard Hickey, Peter Bale, Cathrine Dyer, Robert Patman, Antony Loewenstein, Jonathan Lyons & A...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking with regular guests and about the week’s news in geopolitics and climate. This week’s Hoon featured special guests:author, historian and a former colleague from Reuters, former Tehran bureau ...1 day ago - Why Ukraine’s AI drones aren’t a breakthrough yet
Despite early hopes, machine vision has not yet become a game-changing feature of Ukraine’s battlefield drones. But its time will come. The technology, a form of AI, allows drones to identify and strike targets autonomously. ...2 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #25 2025
Open access notables Human influence on climate detectable in the late 19th century, Santer et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences When could scientists have first known that fossil fuel burning was significantly altering global climate? We attempt to answer this question by performing a thought experiment with ...2 days ago
- Heterogeneous air power is here
Current conflicts have overturned how air power is applied. Air forces should no longer be built solely around crewed aircraft. A different balance is required. The use of drones in very large numbers in the ...2 days ago
- The Philippines must consider security of hyperscalers
The Philippines is embracing digital technology to drive economic growth and tackle socioeconomic challenges. Hyperscale cloud solutions—far larger than typical cloud service providers—promise robust cybersecurity and operational stability to protect critical data. But their adoption ...2 days ago
- Catching waves, not counting them
Statistics Minister Dr Shane Reti says there's “no need for anyone to get worked up” about plans to dump the census and replace it with a finger in the wind and Mike Hosking's reckons.Speaking from a beanbag in a Raglan surf shop, Dr Reti told reporters the new methodology would ...2 days ago - More colonial bullying
Back in February the Cook Islands - a former New Zealand colony which is now "self-governing in free association with New Zealand" - signed a strategic partnership agreement with China. Winston Peters was upset, feeling that he should have been consulted about such a move, and jerked the colonial chain. ...2 days ago - ACT Barking Mad
ACT issued a press release today to its supporters, claiming that NZ has experienced “the best quarter of economic growth in two years” . Leader David Seymour states that the only thing in our way of a recovery is the “mad opposition.”Yet official statistics confirm business liquidations are at a ...2 days ago - What the hell is happening with Health NZ & Tend Health?
OPINION/ANALYSIS:“Why, How, and What Happened?”Last night, 1News revealed that Tend Health was granted Primary Health Organisation (“PHO”) status days after Health NZ lifted its ban1 on new PHOs.I’ve covered2 Tend Health over the last few months. My last article estimated an outfit like that could easily get up to $1.358 ...2 days ago - Highway Twenty-Nine: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
2 days ago - Economic growth still in the hole dug in 2024
Data released by Stats NZ today shows that the economy grew on a quarterly basis by 0.8% but fell on an annual basis by 1.1% said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “This is positive data for the first quarter of this year, but the fact that the economy ...2 days ago - The threat spectrum
Planet A Severe drought is affecting large areas of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia, with some regions receiving near-record low levels of rainfall. Agricultural producers are incurring substantial financial costs to purchase feed ...2 days ago
- Israel’s Pretext for War With Iran Isn’t Achievable
Benjamin Netanyahu’s pretax for war with Iran, their supposed nuclear program, is an exercise in hubris wrapped up in flimsy excuses. The Israeli PM claims his military’s recent strikes, launched 13 June 2025, were a pre-emptive blow to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb. But this pretext for war ...2 days ago
- The role of aerosol declines in recent warming
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink Over at Carbon Brief I have a new detailed explainer on aerosols. They have a major (but poorly constrained) cooling effect on the climate, masking about 0.5C warming from CO2 and other greenhouse gases that would otherwise have occurred. However, we are rapidly reducing both ...2 days ago
- Careful what you wish for.
One gets the sense that Netanyahu has used his post-October 7 military successes (including ethnic cleansing and IDF war crimes in Gaza) to prepare for this moment of friction vis a vis Iran while manoeuvring Trump into a corner on joining the war in pursuit of regime change as much ...2 days ago - Now show the US, and Australians, how AUKUS addresses China threat
The Pentagon’s review of the AUKUS defence partnership has surely generated anxiety in Canberra. But the Trump administration’s goal of verifying the program’s alignment with the ‘America First’ agenda presents Australia’s leadership with an opportunity. ...2 days ago
- The Dread of Nuclear Chaos
Hi,If you’re anything like me, it feels like there’s too much dread going on in the world right now to keep up. I’ve had my head deep in Alex’s story (“The Life and Death of Alex”) — and I’d like to thank you for your outpouring of empathy in the ...2 days ago - Another piece of critical infrastructure in foreign hands? Not without conditions
Gas still plays a role in powering Australia, even as the country transitions towards a fully renewable energy system. The link between gas supplies, national resilience and economic prosperity means that any decision affecting its ...3 days ago
- Bookshelf: How China won over America, and then lost it
In the four decades before 2010, the United States maintained a policy of engagement with China, notwithstanding such fluctuations as the reaction to the Tiananmen Square massacre. China won over the US through generally reformist ...3 days ago
- Stealing from their victims
Between 1950 and 1993 the New Zealand government tortured and abused up to 250,000 children in residential care facilities. Following decades of cover-up and denial, dragging out cases, slandering their victims, and denying redress, the government finally gave a two-faced "apology" last year. You might think that that would mean ...3 days ago
- In All Honesty
Nobody's got the heart to tell you where to goBut in all honestyFuck offFuck offJust F-U-C-K O-F-F, fuck offSong: Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool.A disclaimer: Please be aware that this newsletter is about David Seymour and therefore contains swear words; however, not the one that is forever ...3 days ago - “Quick, Dirty and Affable” Chris Bishop
Opinion/Analysis:Chris Bishop, the man who wants to be PM, is not interested in “local control, local democracy” anymore now that Labour have been turfed from power. Subscribe nowNor does he appear interested in democracy at all.Similarly changed is the organisation his father, the late John Bishop, helped to set up ...3 days ago - Treasury’s Austerity Advice Should Be Ignored
The National-led government, under Christopher Luxon’s watch, is steering New Zealand toward a grim horizon, guided by Treasury’s cold, austerity-obsessed hand. It’s a betrayal of ordinary Kiwis, workers, families, small businesses, who are being financially crushed to pad the pockets of the ultra-wealthy. The 2025 NBR Rich List exposes the ...3 days ago
- What if Clausewitz had a sister?
Carl von Clausewitz’s On War remains one of the foundational texts on strategy. It’s quoted in war colleges, cited in white papers, and clutched by officers the world over trying to sound profound in briefings. ...3 days ago
- Submission on Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill
The NZCTU opposes the Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill. The Bill will implement another significant restructure of the vocational education and training (VET) sector, even though the reforms of the previous government have only finally started to bed in. This will increase change fatigue in ...3 days ago
- Taiwan’s accession to Pacific trade pact would uphold economic order
The Indo-Pacific’s economic and security architecture is under strain. Strategic competition, supply chain fragility and the contesting of trade norms demand bold moves—greater efforts in strengthening diplomatic and economic ties and supporting the rules-based order. ...3 days ago
- Gordon Campbell On Sacrificing Worker Rights On The Altar Of Commerce
In the interests of efficiency, maybe Brooke van Velden should just outsource her Workplace Relations and Safety Ministry to Business NZ and be done with it. Because (obviously) corporate wishes are her command. Within a short time in the job, van Velden has trashed a decade of pay equity work, ...4 days ago - Forging a stronger defence partnership in a time of strategic risk
Book clubs aren’t typically my thing. Like many tech CEOs, my calendar is a blur of calls across multiple time zones. But when David Tudehope from Macquarie Technology Group handed me a hardcopy of Freedom’s ...4 days ago
- Hotel Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina
Paul Rusesabagina was the manager of Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali when the Rwanda genocide began in April 1994. The movie Hotel Rwanda was inspired by his actions in preventing the massacre of over 1200 Hutu and Tutsi refugees hiding in the Hotel. He was awarded the Presidential Medal ...4 days ago - More unnatural ACT policy
4 days ago - The West should still look towards peeling Russia away from China
As tensions grow between China and the West, and Moscow drifts further into Beijing’s orbit, a strategic question is emerging. In 1971, the United States opened to Mao’s China to weaken the Soviet Union. Could ...4 days ago
- Dismantling the state
The New Zealand state has traditionally taken an expansive role in our society, providing health, education, and welfare systems to enrich and enable all our people. But ACT's weirdo radicals want to change that, and are directing the weak National government into enacting their agenda of dismantling the state. There's ...4 days ago
- Chris Luxon’s Turbocharged Comms Disasters
Christopher Luxon’s neoliberal government is lurching from one communications disaster to another, making a complete mockery of their promise to govern with transparency and competence. The PM’s incessant bleating about “turbocharging the economy” is laughably detached from reality, while Ministers such as Brooke van Velden and Tama Potaka trip over ...4 days ago
- Mammoth Money Heist
Last year, Health Minister Shane Reti and Prime Minister Chris Luxon visited Auckland’s Ormiston private hospital to talk up privatisation.Everything was up for grabs, Luxon said - “schools, health, hospitals, roads, 3 Waters investment”1. The Prime Minister also inferred he was talking to finance related companies, echoing Former NZ Health ...4 days ago - Tuesday 17 June
The Government is considering cutting sick leave entitlements for part-time workers. Brooke van Velden has introduced a new bill which legislate changes to personal grievances, the 30-day rule and the ability of workers to test their employment status in court. NZEI is considering legal action against the government’s decision to ...4 days ago
- Radical employment bill threatens every NZ worker
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is urging all political parties to vote against Brooke van Velden’s new Employment Relations Amendment Bill, as it will severely undermine workers’ rights. “This new Bill will legislate many of the attacks on workers’ rights signalled by Brooke van Velden, ...4 days ago
- Update: On RNZ and Ruth Hill
Hi,Firstly, I just wanted to say thanks for all the outpouring of comments you left under yesterday’s story about Alex — and thanks to all of those who shared the article. It’s a huge help to my work when you share it. Again, here is the link to Alex’s story ...4 days ago - Undersea mining push could echo in Antarctica
An executive order by the United States in April authorising expanded engagement in seabed mining reflects shifting approaches to the governance of critical mineral resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction. As legal frameworks evolve beneath ...4 days ago
- Short and Silly
Morena, folks, I’m in a bit of a rush this morning with an appointment, so today it’s something short and silly.No, not your Miniature of Health, although Simeon certainly fits the description if that’s who came to mind. I’m talking about the grand Poobah, your Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon.Yes, our ...4 days ago - No guardrails: Australia’s messy rules for using the military on home soil
Australia needs clearer guidelines around domestic deployments. Australia’s constitution mirrors many key features of the United States, including a provision that allows federal troops to intervene domestically in states. But unlike the US, Australia has ...4 days ago
- Van Velden Continues Be A Cunt To Women Workers
Van Velden shows her inexperience — and the privilege of the MPs surrounding her — as she announces potential new sick leave for part time workers doing the types of jobs she wouldn’t deign to call “real work”. Her older, more established colleagues are equally sheltered, or equally uncaring. David ...4 days ago - 10 ways that Trump’s tax bill would undermine his energy promises
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections President Donald Trump has promised to reduce gas prices, improve energy security, create domestic manufacturing jobs, boost the economy, and ensure that Americans breathe the cleanest air. But by gutting the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, Congress’ big new budget bill would undermine all of these objectives – ...4 days ago
- Israel is Lying About Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Capability
Israel’s unprovoked airstrikes on Iran, justified by baseless claims of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, expose a glaring double standard in global politics. While Israel, an undeclared nuclear power, operates beyond international scrutiny, Iran faces relentless pressure, even as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), despite ...4 days ago
- The Israel-Iran war reveals the danger of a piecemeal approach to statecraft
Australia’s approach to the Israel-Iran war has so far been based on a flawed model of statecraft. It’s one that tends to balkanise problems into convenient buckets, to be tackled piecemeal, rather than recognising the ...5 days ago
- No aid without access: transforming Darwin into a regional humanitarian hub
As climate volatility increases and regional instability looms, Australia should consider developing Darwin into the Indo-Pacific’s leading humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) hub. This will require recognition of Darwin’s strategic value beyond defence, funding ...5 days ago
- Today in dysfunctional government
The big news this morning was that the Prime Minister thought the government he leads was going to steal your sick leave. But apparently even the ACT zealots could see that that would deeply unpopular, so they've "clarified" that the Prime Minister was wrong, and really they're just going to ...5 days ago
- Government turns its back on workers’ safety
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is dismayed by the Government’s decision to abstain from the new International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on biological hazards that would strengthen worker protections. “This Convention provides a comprehensive framework for preventing and managing biological workplace health and safety issues,” ...5 days ago
- 90% of NZ Lawyers Linked to Panama Papers Still Practicing
Back in 2016, the Panama Papers ripped the veil off New Zealand’s squeaky-clean image, exposing our foreign trust regime as a playground for tax dodgers and money launderers. The leak of 11.5 million documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm, revealed how Kiwi lawyers facilitated secretive trusts for the ...5 days ago
- 41 questions
I’m pretty tied up for the next couple of weeks so unless there are significant new developments (things like, for example, complying with the OIA) this will be my final post on events around the Orr resignation for the time being. We know from what the Reserve Bank did choose ...5 days ago - Thinking about Chinese Australians: how to mention the war
After the federal elections of 2022 and 2025, a certain supposed truth is taking root in Australian political discourse—namely, that discussion of potential conflict involving China is politically disadvantageous, because it is likely to have ...5 days ago
- Wish Giver
For paid subscribers - Van Velden steers WorkSafe toward a softer touch has an interesting revelation about Brooke Van Velden’s Worksafe reforms.Not only is the Minister transforming Worksafe from enforcement to a soft ‘advisor’ mandate, she “wants to see more prosecutions of workers” and “reduce the obligations on directors.”Think about ...5 days ago - Read About It
You've got the words to change a nationBut you're biting your tongueYou've spent a lifetime stuck in silenceAfraid you'll say something wrongIf no one ever hears it, how we gonna learn your song?Songwriters: Emily Sande / Benjamin Kohn / Iain James / Peter Kelleher / Stephen Manderson / Thomas Barnes.Morena, ...5 days ago - Mapping India-Pakistan military power
India strives to render Pakistan strategically irrelevant to better focus its attention on China. But neither Pakistan nor China has an interest in allowing that to happen. It’s an ongoing saga of which we saw ...5 days ago
- The Life and Death of Alex
Note: This story contains sensitive content, including discussion of eating disorders and disordered eating. Please read with caution.Hi,Last week, Radio New Zealand published a story about a 17-year old trans man who had tragically died, alone, in 2023.It was an extensive, detailed piece from journalist Ruth Hill — over 3500 ...5 days ago - Resources & Support For Trans Teens
Hi,In light of today’s piece about Alex, it’s important to share some places where support can be found.To prevent further loss of life, we need to help families support trans young people, ensure medical and social services are equipped to understand and respond to their needs, and resource community organisations ...5 days ago - Gordon Campbell On The West’s War Against Iran
Clearly, the world needs to stop talking about Israel’s right to defend itself, and start talking about the world’s need to defend itself against Israel. Gaza, Lebanon, Iran….these have become the stepping stones in Israel’s plan to expand its rule, unrivalled, over all the land between the river and the ...6 days ago
- 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #24
A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, June 8, 2025 thru Sat, June 14, 2025. Stories we promoted this week, by category: Climate Science and Research (8 articles) Stefan Rahmstorf - Atlantic ocean circulation: a ...6 days ago
- Ruth Richardson Is Wrong on NZ Super
6 days ago
- Assassination of Democratic Lawmakers in America Predictable
Cartoonist: Musa GusmusOpinion:The assassination of Democrat lawmakers in America is regrettably predictable. Democratic House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, 55, and her husband, Mark, 58, were both shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park in what Gov. Tim Walz called a “politically motivated assassination.”Another couple were also attacked: DFL ...6 days ago - A message from Chris
The New Zealand Prime Minister, a Mr Christopher Luxon, pleads with the world to take him seriously. ...6 days ago - Why the Regulatory Standards Bill is dangerous to New Zealand’s democracy
There’s a post still coming about farming and our future that spans oceans and centuries, but I’m sending something else today because time is of the essence. So: first some memories, and then some words from Sir Geoffrey Palmer about Seymour’s goddam bill.Before I share with you something written by ...6 days ago - Fact brief – Was 1934 the hottest year in the global record?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Was 1934 the hottest year in the global record? 1934 was a particularly hot year in the contiguous United States, but not globally ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt overreach removes power from local councils
Ministers will now be able to override the decisions of councils and locally elected officials. ...3 days ago - ECE funding review must centre tamariki
The Government’s review of Early Childhood Education funding, announced today, is a clear and appalling reflection of its priorities, with a ministerial group being directed to balance “quality and affordability for services”. ...4 days ago - ERA changes hurt workers, pander to big business
The Green Party says proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act announced today by the Government will further undermine workers’ rights while pandering to big business. ...4 days ago
- Release: Govt Bill strips vital job protections from workers
The Employer Relations Amendment Bill will make work even less secure for Kiwis. ...4 days ago
- Release: Government is full of it on homelessness
The Government continues to deny its policies are contributing to homelessness in New Zealand, despite being told they are. ...4 days ago
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The Government’s directive to give private hospitals 10-year outsourcing contracts to perform elective surgeries is yet another step down the path of privatisation in our healthcare system. ...4 days ago
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Te Pāti Māori is calling out the Government’s proposed changes to sick leave entitlements as a cruel step backwards that punishes low-income, part-time, single parents and essential workers. We staunchly support the concerns raised by PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, that this move will disproportionately harm wāhine, who are most ...5 days ago
- Greens show Willis’ fiscal straight-jacket is junk, validate case for strong public investment
The Green Party has released its fiscal strategy, demonstrating how we can and must invest in the real-world needs of our country, planet and people. ...5 days ago
- Concern over signs Govt will reduce sick leave for workers
The Green Party is calling on the Prime Minister to stand up for workers’ rights for once and rule out reducing sick leave entitlements. ...5 days ago
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Te Pāti Māori Co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi, has slammed the Rotorua Lakes Council’s treatment of homeless whānau as “inhumane and disgraceful,” following the forced police removal of people sleeping outside the Salvation Army on Amohia Street yesterday. “Our most vulnerable whānau were woken by police, trespassed like ...1 week ago
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The Green Party says the Government’s newly announced Biodiversity Credit scheme is a tiny positive that doesn’t undo the biodiversity harm caused by the Luxon Government. ...1 week ago
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A new report, ‘Outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau in the oranga tamariki system 2023/24,’ has confirmed that Oranga Tamariki is severely failing our most vulnerable Māori youth. ...1 week ago
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Today’s damning report on Oranga Tamariki shows Māori children are being left with little chance of success, or even survival, after their experiences in the state care system, and Minister for Children Karen Chhour is making it worse. ...1 week ago
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Last week, world-leading climate scientists called out the Government’s approach to agricultural emissions. This week, climate lawyers have sued the Government because its Emissions Reductions Plans do not add up. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Changes to stalking Bill important step for women’s safety
Parliament today took an important step to improve women’s safety with the Government moving closer to Labour’s position on how stalking should be defined in law. ...2 weeks ago
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Te Pāti Māori condemns the Israeli navy’s armed interception of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel carrying food, medical supplies, and international activists to Gaza, including Greta Thunberg. Communications of the Madleen have been cut, and there is no knowing if the crew are safe and unharmed. This is the ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for safe passage of Madleen and Government to sanction Israel
The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel on course to Gaza, following the Freedom Flotilla being seized by the Israeli Military and urging the New Zealand Government to sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine. ...2 weeks ago
- Rich get much richer, driving inequality and poverty
The 2025 NBR Rich List makes immediately obvious the need for a fair tax system, says the Green Party. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Manawatū Gorge replacement opens toll-free
Thanks to a successful community-led campaign backed by Labour, Lower North Island locals are today celebrating the toll-free opening of Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt parent boost changes prioritise rich over poor
The Green Party is calling out the Government’s parent boost changes that benefit a wealthier minority while doing nothing to help reunite thousands of migrant families. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Timid tariff response fails New Zealanders
The Government is failing New Zealanders by ‘being comfortable’ with a 10 percent tariff on all goods going into the US. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party condemns decision to suspend Te Pāti Māori MPs
The Green Party condemns the unprecedented decision to suspend Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi for 21 days, and MP for Hauraki-Waikato Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for 7 days. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Reserve Bank predicts more job losses
The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Statement predicts a sluggish economy with higher inflation and more job losses. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon must end climate denial speculation
The Greens welcome the open letter from world-leading climate scientists to the Prime Minister, urging his Government to abandon any plan to water down climate targets. ...3 weeks ago
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Good Morning. It is a pleasure to be in Jakarta again today. Indonesia is an absolute priority for the New Zealand government, which is why we have now visited here four times since re-taking office as New Zealand Foreign Minister in late 2023. Indonesia is one of New Zealand’s oldest friends ...1 week ago - Foreign Minister visit strengthens ties with Indonesia
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ visit to Indonesia today has secured tangible progress in New Zealand’s relationship with Southeast Asia’s most populous nation. “Indonesia is an indispensable partner for New Zealand,” Mr Peters says. “Demonstrating our commitment to the relationship, this is our fourth visit to Indonesia in the past 18 ...1 week ago
- Joint Statement: By the Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Indonesia and New Zealand at the 12th J...
His Excellency Sugiono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, convened the 12th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) on 13th June 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Ministers welcomed meeting in person, underscoring the importance ...1 week ago
- New modular units will expand bed capacity during hospital upgrades
At least four new rapidly deployable relocatable inpatient units will be rolled out across the country to ensure hospitals can continue delivering care to patients while major infrastructure projects are underway, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “These new inpatient units – part of the Government’s $1 billion Budget 2025 investment ...1 week ago
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The Government is tackling talent shortages in manufacturing and boosting New Zealand’s economic recovery by fast-tracking residency for skilled tradespeople. “We know how important skilled workers are to the resilience of the manufacturing sector. When we don’t have enough people to fill these roles, productivity slows, business growth stalls and the ...1 week ago
- High Court Associate Judge appointed
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Liz Gellert as an Associate Judge of the High Court. Associate Judge Gellert graduated from the University of Auckland in 2003 with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts. She was a law clerk with David Williams KC before ...1 week ago
- $33 million into more classrooms for Central North Island Schools
The Government is delivering 32 more safe, warm and dry classrooms and a major school redevelopment for Kiwi kids living in the Central North Island. “As communities continue to grow, we remain committed to future-proofing our education system so parents have certainty about where to send their child to school. ...1 week ago
- Supercharging residential solar power generation
The Government is expanding the permitted voltage range for electricity networks, so Kiwis with solar panels can send more power back to the grid. Changes are being made to clarify that a building consent is not needed to install rooftop solar panels on existing buildings. Councils will be required to ...1 week ago
- Successful childhood immunisation programme delivering results
A successful programme to help Māori health providers lift childhood immunisation rates will be renewed, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. "The Immunising our Tamariki programme, originally launched in 2023 by Hon Dr Shane Reti, invested $50 million in Māori health providers to deliver targeted, community-based immunisation outreach. It aims to ...1 week ago
- Stronger forestry ties with India driving export growth
Forestry, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay, today announced at the Fieldays Forestry Hub, both inbound and outbound forestry trade missions with India this year, aimed at strengthening trade links, deepening industry ties, and unlocking greater value for both countries’ forestry and wood processing sectors. “India is one of the ...1 week ago
- Judicial Conduct Panel to inquire into Judge’s conduct
A Judicial Conduct Panel will inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken, Acting Attorney-General Paul Goldsmith says. “Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct at the Northern Club on 22 November 2024 was the subject of a preliminary examination by the Judicial Conduct Commissioner. “The ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister to visit China and Europe
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to China and Europe next week. He will be joined in Shanghai and Beijing with a delegation of senior New Zealand business leaders. “China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner and a vital part of our economic story,” Mr Luxon says. The visit will focus on ...1 week ago
- Backing New Zealand’s native forest champions
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today congratulated the winners of the inaugural Growing Native Forests Champions Awards for driving real progress in native forest establishment and land use innovation. “This is what good land management looks like — native forests that support both the environment and the rural economy,” Mr McClay ...1 week ago
- Operation Gallant Phoenix deployment extended
New Zealand has extended its commitment the Operation Gallant Phoenix multinational intelligence mission in Jordan, the Government announced today. The deployment of up to 10 New Zealand Defence Force and Police personnel has been extended for two years until June 2027. “This operation is essential to our commitment to a ...1 week ago
- New and improved radiology services for Auckland City Hospital
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today announced funding for the first stage of a major project to upgrade and expand interventional radiology services at Auckland City Hospital. “This project will significantly improve access to radiology services for patients across Auckland and beyond,” Mr Brown says. “A $41.2 million investment will ...1 week ago
- Wool carpets for state houses a win-win
The return of wool carpets to state homes has been welcomed by Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson. State housing agency Kāinga Ora announced today that from next month, a new supplier agreement will deliver woollen carpets for the fit-out of new state homes. “The ...1 week ago
- Government backs voluntary nature credits
The Government is supporting the expansion of a voluntary credits nature market through the running of pilot projects across New Zealand. Establishing a market that is durable, measurable and transparent will help farmers, landowners, iwi, and conservation groups unlock new income streams for looking after nature on their land, Associate ...1 week ago
- New Zealand food and fibre exports on track to break new records
Farmers, growers, foresters, fishers and primary processors are driving New Zealand’s economic recovery with export revenue on track to surpass $60 billion for the first time, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. “The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) report forecasts export earnings of ...1 week ago
- New Zealand hits digital economy milestone
A key milestone in the push for a more connected digital economy has been reached, with over one million businesses now registered with a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Chris Penk says. “The NZBN is a simple idea with a big impact. It gives each ...1 week ago
- Double-digit growth for aquaculture exports
New Zealand’s aquaculture sector has experienced double-digit growth in export revenue over the past year, sending a clear signal that more is to come from the enormously promising sector, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The forecast export results were released today as part of the latest Situation and ...1 week ago
- Elective boost delivers over 9,500 additional procedures so far
More than 9,500 additional procedures have now been delivered as part of the Government’s elective boost, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “This is what putting patients first looks like. We are focused on increasing delivery of elective treatments – across both public and private hospitals – to reduce wait times ...1 week ago
- Foreign Minister strengthens relationship with Italy
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a constructive visit to Italy, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. Mr Peters and Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met in Rome overnight and confirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship that New Zealand and Italy share. “New Zealand and Italy are long-standing ...1 week ago
- Partnership approach to FMD signed and sealed
A new agreement between the Government and key livestock industry groups marks a major milestone in New Zealand’s readiness for a potential foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “The Foot and Mouth Disease Operational Agreement confirms how Government and industry will jointly prepare for, ...1 week ago
- Public consultation begins on legal aid review
Public consultation begins today aimed at improving the legal aid scheme for those who cannot afford advice and representation, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We have a duty to ensure all New Zealanders have access to justice by means of a fair and open process. “To do so, we need ...1 week ago
- Solar on Farms: Unlocking farm cost savings
Energy Minister Simon Watts has announced the Government’s new Solar on Farms initiative, which will support farmers in taking the next step towards installing solar and battery systems, helping them reduce energy costs, increase on-farm resilience, and allow farmers to gain greater control over their power use, leading to increased ...1 week ago
- New Zealand Grass-Fed certification to take on global competitors
New Zealand is raising its game on the global stage with a new Grass-Fed certification scheme to help our red meat and dairy producers go head-to-head with competitors in premium international markets, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. “International consumers are increasingly willing ...1 week ago
- Innovative pasture project to drive farmgate returns
The Government is backing a $17 million partnership with farmers to boost productivity, profitability, and sustainability by identifying the most resilient, high-performing pastures for New Zealand conditions, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. Minister McClay confirmed the Government will invest $8.269 million in the Resilient Pastures project through ...1 week ago
- Radiology backlog cleared at Taranaki Base Hospital
Health Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the clearance of a significant radiology backlog at Taranaki Base Hospital, calling it a practical outcome that puts patients first. “In March, more than 6,000 x-ray reports were sitting unprocessed at Taranaki Base Hospital. That was causing unacceptable delays for patients needing diagnosis and ...1 week ago
- Saying yes to more housing
City-shaping changes are coming to New Zealand’s largest city, ensuring that Auckland can fully harness the economic growth benefits of the new City Rail Link, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill (the Bill) has been ...1 week ago
- Primary Sector-Government partnership to boost rural health and resilience
The Government is stepping up support for rural New Zealand with a $4 million Rural Wellbeing Fund to expand investment in community-based initiatives, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. “The establishment of this fund is a result of advocacy by Federated Farmers Chair, Wayne Langford, who ...1 week ago
- Applications open for $30 million Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund
Applications have opened for a $30 million fund for projects that will enhance the resilience of New Zealand’s coastal shipping connections and help boost economic growth, Associate Transport Minister James Meager has announced. The Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund was established through the Government Policy Statement on land transport. Funding will ...1 week ago
- Foreign Minister focuses on Pacific resilience during visit to France
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has taken part in two major international events in Nice, France this week, focused on Pacific resilience, prosperity and security. The sixth Pacific-France Summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, took place in Nice overnight. “The Summit brought together Pacific countries for discussions with France on ...2 weeks ago
- NZ places travel ban on extremist Israeli politicians
New Zealand has joined Australia, Canada, the UK and Norway in placing travel bans on two extremist Israeli politicians, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. The bans will prevent Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from travelling to New Zealand. “Our action today is not against ...2 weeks ago
- 6th Pacific-France Summit – Intervention by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs
6th Pacific-France Summit Intervention by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rt Hon Winston Peters Nice, France, Tuesday 10 June 2025 Thank you, President Macron, for convening this meeting today, the sixth Pacific-France Summit. We were privileged to have also been at the second Pacific-France Summit, during the Presidency of ...2 weeks ago
- Tourism Growth Roadmap speech to Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA)
Tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you for the warm welcome. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to MEETINGS 2025. First, I would like to acknowledge Mayor Wayne Brown attending MEETINGS 2025 today and a special acknowledgment to Ngāti Whatua Orakei for their pōwhiri and welcome. I would also like ...2 weeks ago
- More funding to grow international tourism
The Government is increasing funding for attracting overseas visitors and investing in tourism infrastructure as part of its new Tourism Growth Roadmap, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says. “We’re investing $35 million to deliver the first stage of the Roadmap, which sets out the Government’s plan to double the ...2 weeks ago
- Major changes to proposed anti-stalking law
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is welcoming changes to toughen up the proposed anti-stalking law, including being triggered after two specified acts within 24 months. “This change better recognises patterns in stalking behaviour and time that can pass between incidents. For example, stalking that occurs around anniversaries would not be covered ...2 weeks ago
- Speech: APAC energy capital assembly, Singapore
I am delighted to be here in Singapore once again, to speak to you in my capacity as New Zealand’s Minister for Resources and Associate Minister for Energy. If you haven’t heard of me before today, I’m proud to declare myself the champion of New Zealand’s petroleum and minerals sector. ...2 weeks ago
- Speech to the Law Association 2025
Thank you all for the invitation to speak with you this morning. I have been looking forward to this opportunity. May is a busy month for the Government, and it is always a relief to have the Budget delivered. Today, I would like to speak about what I see as ...2 weeks ago
- Government backing rural resilience and wellbeing
The government is boosting support for rural resilience and wellbeing announced by Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson. “We’re backing Rural Support Trusts by committing $3 million over the next four years, to help improve rural communities’ access to primary mental health services and specialist ...2 weeks ago
- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 21, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 21, 2025. Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark blames Cook Islands for crisisBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/producer Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark believes the Cook Islands, a realm of New Zealand, caused a ...2 hours ago - What does the government consider a couple, anyway? – Ask Susan
RNZ's money correspondent answers your questions. ...3 hours ago - Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark blames Cook Islands for crisis
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/producer Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark believes the Cook Islands, a realm of New Zealand, caused a crisis for itself by not consulting Wellington before signing a deal with China. The New Zealand government has paused more than $18 million in development assistance ...4 hours ago
- PM appeals to China’s ego in the pursuit of peace
Analysis: The Prime Minister has singled out the Pacific, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as tension points during his meetings with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing. And when pushed, he all-but confirmed he also raised China’s live-firing exercises in the Tasman Sea in February – something he’s ...9 hours ago - Christopher Luxon concludes China trip: ‘No evidence’ of collaboration with Russia, Iran...
The prime minister has wrapped up his trip to China, dismissing suggestions the superpower is working with Russia, Iran or North Korea - as alleged by NATO's top official. ...10 hours ago
- How big should a prison cell be?
Comment: The day after the 596-bed Waikeria prison expansion opened on June 5, 2025, The Press reported that Invercargill prison had New Zealand’s smallest prison cells measuring 6 square metres. Our newest prison was thus juxtaposed with our oldest one, which opened 115 years ago. Over that period, the Prisons ...11 hours ago
- Short story for Matariki Weekend: It followed her home, by Jessica Hinerangi Thompson- Carr
They lived in an overpriced flat two blocks from the beach. Peter, Nathan, Luke and Harley all took commerce, Isla studied environmental management, and Kiri had enrolled in marine science. Kiri met Isla through Te Rōpū Māori association, and as soon as she’d expressed needing a place to live, ...11 hours ago
- ‘A big, brave thing’: Janine Morrell-Gunn on What Now’s huge pivot
The children’s television veteran shares her life in television. A year-and-a-half ago, beloved local children’s series What Now made the hugest swing of it’s television tenure. After four decades as a live studio show, the series pivoted to be digital-first. YouTube became the primary platform for the show, with short ...12 hours ago - ‘Punitive and suffocating’: a doctor’s view of the working environment for nurses
In this excerpt from his memoir, A Dim Prognosis: Why our health system is on its knees, Ivor Popovich gives an example of why we need more nurses; and why their working conditions are less than ideal. Some years ago I was on a night shift looking after a patient ...12 hours ago
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Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour’s comments to a London audience calling smokers “fiscal heroes” – and declaring people should “light up” to save their government’s balance sheet – are reprehensible and make light of addiction, tobacco researchers say. Seymour largely stands by his remarks, arguing smokers are a net economic ...12 hours ago
- Records fly but top swimmer to sit out world champs
Three women have met qualifying standards in the 50m butterfly for next month’s World Aquatics championships, all in lifetime best times. Two were in New Zealand record time; one was close to a Commonwealth record. It’s the first time three Kiwis have gone under the World Aquatics qualifying standard in ...12 hours ago
- Hawke’s Bay residents outraged over council’s proposed water rate hike
Hawke's Bay has some of the highest rates in the country due to three waters, roading and debt servicing. ...19 hours ago
- Defence heads face scrutiny week hearing, promise to be fiscally responsible
The increased budget means troops can now move past being only partly equipped, says defence secretary Brook Barrington. ...20 hours ago
- View from The Hill: Albanese decides against pursuing Donald Trump to NATO
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese, just back from the G7 and his cancelled meeting with Donald Trump, has abandoned the idea of going to next week’s NATO meeting in pursuit of face time with the elusive president. ...21 hours ago
- Britain’s support for AUKUS is unwavering – but its capacity to deliver is another matter
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Howe, PhD candidate in International Relations, Monash University A recently announced Pentagon review of the AUKUS pact has sparked a renewed bout of debate in Australia. Led by the “AUKUS-agnostic” US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, the review raises serious questions ...22 hours ago
- ‘I was in a semi-breaking-down sort of place’: new study sheds light on the emotional toll for e...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Roche, PhD Candidate, Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors, La Trobe University Sergey Dolgikh/Getty Images In Australia, there are around 235,000 emergency service volunteers who help communities respond and recover after natural disasters and other traumatic events. These include volunteers ...22 hours ago
- Australia wants more foreign investment. That’s why a $29 billion bid for Santos puts the Treasure...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shumi Akhtar, Associate Professor, University of Sydney Marlon Trottmann/Shutterstock The Australian origins of Santos have made an indelible mark on the company’s very name. The energy giant was first incorporated in 1954 under the acronym for “South Australia Northern Territory Oil ...22 hours ago
- 15 months after ‘flour massacre’ shock, Israel commits daily Gaza food aid killings
BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied Bethlehem Kia ora koutou, I’m a Kiwi journo in occupied Bethlehem, here’s a brief summary of today’s events across the Palestinian and Israeli territories from on the ground. At least 16 killed by Israeli airstrike on al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. 92 ...23 hours ago
- Cook Islands PM Mark Brown slams NZ for ‘patronising approach’ over China deal
Brown has suggested a double standard, after the New Zealand government cut its development assistance by nearly $20 million. ...1 day ago
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon holds talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing
In introductory remarks, Xi said now was a time to build on the two countries' past achievements and "strive for new progress". ...1 day ago
- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 20, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 20, 2025. Mark Brown: Cook Islands ‘not consulted’ on NZ-China agreementsBy Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has suggested a double standard, saying he was “not privy to or consulted on” ...1 day ago
- Mark Brown: Cook Islands ‘not consulted’ on NZ-China agreements
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has suggested a double standard, saying he was “not privy to or consulted on” agreements New Zealand may enter into with China. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has paused $18.2 million in development assistance to the Cook ...1 day ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Then Worse’ by Jordan Irvine
A new poem by Jordan Irvine. Then Worse Man stood over the bridge like That’s it Rocks stand scared stiff and water says Excuse me Drug dealers on scooters Polite men turn to looters Got a sentence longer than Virginia Woolf’s Look at the clock Chop chop ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending June 20
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House, $60) Spot New Zealand’s former ...1 day ago
- West Australian miners flexed their muscle to block a federal EPA last year. Will it be different th...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diane Dowdell, PhD Candidate in Sustainable Mining, The University of Queensland CUHRIG/Getty This week, Environment Minister Murray Watt met with groups representing business, the environment, renewable energy and First Nations communities in a bid to restart Labor’s stalled environmental reforms. There ...1 day ago
- Eugene Doyle: How centrifugal forces have been unleashed in Iran
COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle The surprise US-Israeli attack on Iran is literally and figuratively designed to unleash centrifugal forces in the Islamic Republic. Two nuclear powers are currently involved in the bombing of the nuclear facilities of a third state. One of them, the US has — for the moment ...1 day ago
- Technology to enforce teen social media ban is ‘effective’, trial says. But this is at odds with...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Given, Professor of Information Sciences & Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University MAYA LAB/Shutterstock Technologies to enforce the Australian government’s social media ban for under 16s are “private, robust and effective”. That’s according to the preliminary findings ...1 day ago
- A new special tribunal will investigate Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Will it be effective?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, Lecturer in Criminal Law and International Law, Curtin University Earlier this year, the European Union, the Council of Europe, Ukraine and an international coalition of states agreed to establish a new special tribunal. The tribunal will eventually be tasked with ...1 day ago
- 6 things Australia must do if it’s serious about tackling school bullying
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanessa Miller, Lecturer in Education (Classroom Management), Southern Cross University Wander Women/ Getty Images Bullying is arguably one of the most serious issues facing Australia’s schools. About one in four students between Year 4 and Year 9 report being ...1 day ago
- ‘Dumb decision’ to increase Nelson highway speed limit reversed
Part of State Highway 6 will remain at 60km/h after a campaign against the government rollback of speed limit reductions. ...1 day ago
- PM’s Intervention To Kill Simon Watts’ Ute Tax 2.0 Welcomed By Taxpayers
The Taxpayers’ Union revealed documents showing that IRD had been working on changes to remove the logbook exemption for work vehicles and impose FBT on the assumed private use of double cab utes. ...1 day ago - Keith Rankin Analysis – America’s imperial ‘gift’: ‘Crusader Democracy’ versus ‘Christ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. The United States has always fancied itself as the founder of modern democracy (aka ‘Democracy’). And, although that country has been self-absorbed for most of ...1 day ago
- Many elite athletes live below the poverty line. Tax-deductible donations won’t solve the problem
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University Australia’s Jaclyn Narracott competes in the women’s skeleton at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Joe Klamar/AFP via Getty Images As the end of the 2024-25 financial year nears, the Australian Olympic Committee ...1 day ago
- ‘Puts New Zealand in a weaker position’ – expert on Peters’ Cook Islands mov...
The decision by the Foreign Affairs Minister to suspend payment of aid to the Cook Islands could backfire on the New Zealand government, an academic says. ...1 day ago
- The cost of being: A political adviser finishing their master’s degree
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a political adviser and master’s student describes their financial situation. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female. Age: 23. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: I work full time as ...1 day ago
- Bribe or community benefit? Sweeteners smoothing the way for renewables projects need to be done rig...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University Louise Beaumont/Getty When a renewable energy developer announces a new project, there’s one big question mark – how will nearby communities react? Community pushback has scuttled many renewables ...1 day ago
- Despite decades of cost cutting, governments spend more than ever. How can we make sense of this?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Lovering, Lecturer in International Relations, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Recent controversies over New Zealand’s Ka Ora, Ka Ako school lunch program have revolved around the apparent shortcomings of the food and its delivery. Stories ...1 day ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saul Eslake, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Tasmania When the Western Australian state government handed down its state budget on Thursday, it showed a balance sheet solidly in the black with a A$2.5 billion surplus. But, as it has for seven years, the ...1 day ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will Jeffery, Sessional Academic, Discipline of Film Studies, University of Sydney Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images When I was eight years old, on a Saturday night before surf lifesaving training, my dad put on the film Jaws and it ...1 day ago
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Detective Sergeant Timothy Leitch said the people charged were “involved with the management and operation of the building, and police allege they were responsible for aspects of the building’s fire safety system. ...1 day ago
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