leadership
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Heart and balls
Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, October 29th, 2011 - 106 comments
Labour’s opening address shows that the Party has rediscovered its heart. It’s policies show that its rediscovered its balls as well! Win or lose, right now Labour is a party to be proud of.
Opening addresses for your convenience
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, October 29th, 2011 - 32 comments
In case you missed them last night, here are the National, Labour and Green election opening addresses, collected for your convenience.
Labour Opening Address
Written By: - Date published: 8:16 pm, October 28th, 2011 - 246 comments
Amazing. Brilliant. I’ve seen a lot of political television, and that would have to be the best piece of contemporary political television by a political party I can remember. Could not have been better. National utterly trounced.
Ride that pony
Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, October 28th, 2011 - 44 comments
On RNZ today: Mr Goff said Prime Minister John Key did not have the “guts” to debate him. “It’s time to make a decision that will build a stronger future for New Zealand. We’ve got the balls to do that. John Key doesn’t.”
Campaigning on policy – what a concept!
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, October 28th, 2011 - 27 comments
Labour has once again broken the mould and chosen to focus its election campaign on policy. As a country we’ve been saying for a long time that elections should be about policies and not personalities. Now we’ve got a chance to try it. If the media is up to the challenge, of course.
Cult of personality deficit
Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, October 27th, 2011 - 37 comments
It’s not surprising that National are trying to run a presidential, personality based election campaign – after all, their policies aren’t going to win many votes from those middle and lower income kiwis who understand them. And up till now, presidentialism has worked very well for National. But it’s also starting to become apparent to […]
National – putting the disaster into Disaster Management
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, October 22nd, 2011 - 35 comments
New Zealand’s economy, Christchurch, Pike River, Rena – all terrible disasters to befall our country and our Government. It’s a massive challenge to respond well to such crises, and nobody really expects a magic wand, but we do have a right to expect some kind of competent, coordinated and decisive leadership response from our Government. Yet […]
Amnesty International: Arrest Bush for war crimes
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, October 13th, 2011 - 22 comments
Perhaps Mr Key’s staff might like to explain to him what the implications of this development, in conjunction with the recent UN Report on NZ SAS rendering prisoners in Afghanistan and the housing of CIA operations at NZDF bases, might mean for the PM. Amnesty International (London) has issued a call to Canadian authorities to arrest […]
Returns on investments
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, October 8th, 2011 - 90 comments
When John Key was elected to power in 2008, he was estimated to have a personal wealth of about 40-50 million dollars.
So how much is John Key worth now?
Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
Written By: - Date published: 1:25 pm, October 6th, 2011 - 71 comments
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died today at the age of 56.
Partisan politics
Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, September 26th, 2011 - 45 comments
John Key is ridiculously negative on seemingly any proposal raised by a perceived political opponent. Which is a pity, because there are issues facing the country that need a bipartisan consensus.
Your PM at work for you
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, September 20th, 2011 - 38 comments
Two news snippets yesterday seemed to me to capture the essence of John Key PM. First, his response to recommendations about super, and second his prognostications on the Christchurch insurance market.
Labour’s plan for Christchurch
Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, September 19th, 2011 - 109 comments
Today Labour released another substantial policy, a plan for recovery in Christchurch. It’s a policy that works for ordinary people, and a much needed helping hand for displaced red-zone residents.
Goff dissects Key on RWC
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 16th, 2011 - 65 comments
A video clip from Parliament yesterday. Goff calmly and systematically rips Key and the government apart on Friday’s RWC fiasco. Armstrong calls it Goff’s “best speech in a long time”.
Excuses, excuses
Written By: - Date published: 11:35 am, September 13th, 2011 - 67 comments
According to his interview in the SST, John Key seems to think the job of Prime Minister is essentially taking emotional decisions in relation to high-level questions and leaving the rest to the underlings. But what happens when ministers are getting it wrong and Key isn’t monitoring them? The evidence is mounting that the government got it badly wrong on RWC transport.
McCully needs to front up
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, September 11th, 2011 - 92 comments
McCully is Minister for the RWC. He claimed the government had done “their best” and assured Auckland that the transport systems were ready to go. He was wrong in every respect. In the aftermath of the fiasco McCully now needs to front up and get three things right…
Auckland transport shambles
Written By: - Date published: 1:27 pm, September 10th, 2011 - 111 comments
The RWC public transport fiasco was not a good look for our biggest city, and not a great advertisement to the world.
Wrong government for the times
Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, September 1st, 2011 - 44 comments
Fran O’Sullivan calls on the government to act on Christchurch. Good luck with that. This is not a government of action. It is the wrong government for these challenging times.
Joyce to roll Key!
Written By: - Date published: 3:38 pm, August 19th, 2011 - 81 comments
Hey! Psssst! Here’s a hot one! I hear via the tipsy line that Joyce has been doing the numbers and is ready to roll Key! It should all go down at a BBQ some time this weekend…
Compulsory Kiwisaver?
Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, August 4th, 2011 - 39 comments
Good to see the government considering a move that would significantly boost KiwiSaver uptake – even if it does highlight their ideological inconsistency!
Boggled
Written By: - Date published: 9:47 am, July 30th, 2011 - 39 comments
I/S at No Right Turn on the public’s perception of the management of the economy, and National’s “dismal non-performance “.
In other news
Written By: - Date published: 8:59 am, June 25th, 2011 - 14 comments
The spotlight was on Christchurch last week, and will be on Te Tai Tokerau over the weekend. Lots of stories are slipping by under the radar. But here are a couple of pieces that deserve further comment.
The Christchurch Solution – Part 1
Written By: - Date published: 6:15 am, June 23rd, 2011 - 57 comments
The main details of the government’s plan for the worst affected Christchurch suburbs have been release via TV3. Partly good, partly bad, partly ugly. While some families will be relieved and happy, others will be angry, and still more will remain in limbo. This is only the start of what is going to be a hugely complicated process.
The wrong man for the job
Written By: - Date published: 12:07 pm, June 19th, 2011 - 46 comments
I haven’t seen the full interview of Brownlee on the Nation. If the clips on the news were anything to go by, it was more of the same. No info for Christchurch residents. No empathy for them either. More haughty bullshit. More vague excuses for delays. More focused on himself than the people who need help. He needs to go.
Key’s Midas touch
Written By: - Date published: 5:08 pm, June 11th, 2011 - 17 comments
John Armstrong reckons Key has the “Midas touch”. Ahh, no. Or at least, not in the sense that John meant…
Drifting
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, June 10th, 2011 - 27 comments
The Nats haven’t got a clue how to run a successful country, and most of the things they do try just make matters worse. We’re drifting…
Tell Key to keep Pharmac
Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, June 2nd, 2011 - 35 comments
Like the ACC, Pharmac is a Kiwi institution that delivers benefits to everyone at a lower cost than other countries. National has got ACC on the butcher’s block. We must make sure that Pharmac doesn’t follow.
Rearranging the deck chairs
Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, June 1st, 2011 - 41 comments
Renaming, merging and splitting agencies is what a government does when it wants to look busy but has no ideas.
Hard to believe it has only taken two and a half years for National to get to this point.
Try hard John caption contest
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, May 31st, 2011 - 82 comments
My contribution: Key does the vertical plank. Not pictured, National’s economic plan .
- House suspended as haka interrupts first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill
Speaker Gerry Brownlee has suspended the House of Representatives after a haka, led by Te Paati Māori and performed by members in the public gallery, interrupted the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. As thousands continue to protest and hīkoi around Aotearoa, the first reading of the Treaty Principles ...2 weeks ago - Review: Crowded House gets Ōtautahi breaking the rules
Last night at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, Crowded House did the unthinkable – they got a polite New Zealand concert crowd to break the rules. Here’s something I’ve observed about concert attendance in the north vs the south. Where most Aucklanders will bustle in just as the main act takes ...2 weeks ago
- The case for reading books about animals wearing clothes
In light of Gloriavale’s reluctant acceptance of Winnie-the-Pooh, Claire Mabey argues in favour of the wider canon of anthropomorphic animal literature. There is nothing more bleak than the banning of books and the curtailment of reading. Control what people read and you control what they think, and how they behave. ...2 weeks ago
- Coldplay and 57,000 babies at Eden Park
Review: Everything happens all at once at Coldplay’s sold-out show. About 15 minutes into Music of the Spheres, I realised that we were all just big babies. When Coldplay emerged for their first song, our compostable plastic wristbands lit up around Eden Park, delighting us all. Minutes later, Chris Martin ...2 weeks ago
- Dear Donald, here’s why you should cut NZ a break in the tariff torrent
Ten irrefutable reasons for the incoming president to exempt plucky little New Zealand from import tax hikes. The former and future president, Donald J Trump, has been re-elected on a platform pledging new and universal import tariffs of 10%-20%. The challenge for New Zealand politicians and officials is to somehow ...2 weeks ago
- Help Me Hera: Why do I only befriend people nobody else can stand?
How do I end this cycle of misery, once and for all? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera How do I break a lifelong pattern of forming close friendships with people that nobody else can stand? Ever since I was about 12, I have had a succession of very ...2 weeks ago
- On the frontlines of Hīkoi mō te Tiriti
Thousands converged on Auckland, the day before the first reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...2 weeks ago
- You’re gonna miss the post office when it’s gone
Despite it dwindling locations and reduced service, NZ Post remains a pillar in every community, writes Hera Lindsay Bird. Every Saturday morning I arrive at 7.30am, and enter the post office box lobby. Behind the narrow corridor of identical red letterboxes, there is a locked room, full of ancient Christmas ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Whaka round, find out’: When the hīkoi came to Auckland
The Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi reached Auckland on Wednesday, seeing thousands cross the Harbour Bridge and walk around the coast to Bastion Point. Lyric Waiwiri-Smith joined them. Atop Bastion Point, a crowd of red, black and white gathered at the end of what we’ve been told is a history-making moment. ...2 weeks ago
- Government Will Not Say If Gang Members To Be Excluded From Abuse In Care Compensation
The government is refusing to say whether gang members could be excluded from compensation for abuse they suffered while in state care. ...2 weeks ago - Fair News Bargaining Bill In Limbo As Minister Says It Is Not Ready
It was supposed to have its second reading on Wednesday, but on the final order paper appeared at 13th, meaning it was effectively postponed for the week. ...2 weeks ago
- Free Speech Union Endorses Carter’s Copyright (Parody And Satire) Amendment Bill, But It Raises Qu...
We commend the Green Party’s Bill to protect the speech rights of creators, artists, and commentators who are regularly targets of censorship. We hope this represents the turning of a new leaf in their defence of all speech rights. ...2 weeks ago
- A hīkoi dispatch from Ōtautahi
A thousand-strong crowd gathered in Ōtautahi today to show support for the Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi. Alex Casey was there. One of the most charming aspects of attending demonstrations in Ōtautahi’s city centre is that they happen right in the orbit of our many tourist trams, periodically forcing the crowd ...2 weeks ago
- Submissions Open For The Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill
The bill seeks to amend the Employment Relations Act 2000 to protect employees who discuss or disclose their remuneration. ...2 weeks ago
- Hobson’s Pledge Support Peaceful Protest But Encourage Listening
It is concerning that some participants of the hīkoi seem to believe only their voice and actions are to be respected, and are intent on shutting down any debate. ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Effortless-seeming genius’: Carl Shuker’s favourite reads and other stories
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Carl Shuker, author of new novel The Royal Free. The book I wish I’d written I wish I’d written Philip Hensher’s Kitchen Venom. No one talks about it ...2 weeks ago
- Gone By Lunchtime: Our decision desk is now ready to call the US election
The new old president, the hīkoi hits Auckland, and a momentous day of apology at parliament. After more than a week scrutinising the granular data, the Gone By Lunchtime podcast decision desk is ready to make a call: Donald Trump has won the US presidency. In a new episode, ...2 weeks ago
- Small Business Owners, MPs Rally Together To Demand Transparency In Tauranga Marine Precinct Sale
“This sale, and the lack of information surrounding it, shows exactly why we need better regulations to hold council staff and it’s leadership more accountable,” Harvey said.” ...2 weeks ago
- The Lord of the Rings musical is better than you’re probably expecting
Musical theatre sceptics Gabi Lardies and Stewart Sowman-Lund review the three-hour spectacle at Auckland’s Civic Theatre. Gabi Lardies: Stewart, we sat through THREE HOURS of musical theatre last night. That’s a big ask for an audience trained on 12-second reels. Tickets are between $69 and $179 – we were both ...2 weeks ago
- The four funniest New Zealanders are ready for their holiday orgy
In 2016, Chris Parker, Tom Sainsbury, Kura Forrester and Brynley Stent surprised audiences with an orgy. Now they’re doing it all again, on a bigger, shinier stage. Eight years ago, four little-known comedians, two who had just met, ended their play thrusting, sweating and panting in an over-the-top orgy. There ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand Government Refuses NGO Calls To Back End To Secret WCPFC Compliance Processes
Accountability.Fish, a global non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving the transparency and accountability of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), has raised concerns for some time over the lack of transparency within the ...2 weeks ago
- Who are the New Zealanders who can’t afford nourishing food?
By calculating the weekly deficit in people’s budgets, a new report shows how those receiving benefits or working for minimum wage often can’t pay for food after the cost of fixed expenses. One in five working-age New Zealanders doesn’t earn enough to feed themselves and their family well, new ...2 weeks ago
- The Cost Of Silence: NZ’s Role In Standing Against Iran’s Repression
The piece highlights the recent execution of Jamshid Sharmahd by the Iranian government, discusses New Zealand's current approach (as well as that of other democracies) toward the regime's hostage-taking tactics, and suggests an alternative, more unified approach. ...2 weeks ago
- Horrific, heartbreaking, wrong: Who apologised, and how
Politicians and public sector bosses say sorry, but victims of state abuse have something to say, too, writes Toby Manhire in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Sorrow and substance ...2 weeks ago
- As te reo Māori grows, so does the search for trilingual interpreters
Deaf Māori face exclusion from their whānau and cultural heritage due to an extreme shortage of trilingual interpreters. Imagine being deaf and at the tangi of a loved one. You stand when everyone else stands, sit when everyone else sits, and stare at the lips of speakers, trying to catch ...2 weeks ago
- We have the ratings for Stuff’s ThreeNews. What story do they tell?
Duncan Greive analyses three months’ worth of ratings data to get a sense of whether Stuff and Three’s big bet is paying off. When Three shocked the country by announcing it was shutting Newshub earlier this year, as many as 10 groups are thought to have canvassed the idea of ...2 weeks ago
- The Treaty Principles Bill
Human Rights Commission’s Tino Rangatiratanga leaderJulia Whaipooti explains what has been happening. ...2 weeks ago
- Survivors Must Receive Redress To Have The Opportunity To Heal: Save The Children
Today’s vision shared of New Zealand is of an Aotearoa where every child has their rights understood, respected and upheld ensuring they live good lives now and have a bright future to look forward to. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt Axes Specialist Māori Body Advising Pharmac Without Consulting Māori
"This is another sad indictment of the priority the National-led Government places on improving the health of Māori," said Fleur Fitzsimons, Assistant Secretary for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi Public Service Association. ...2 weeks ago
- An Apology For The Apology? Blind Survivor Deplores Use Of Ableist Slur By Prime Minister At Histori...
“The phrase "turn a blind eye" is an inherently ableist expression that wrongly equates blindness with ignorance, neglect, or deliberate stupidity. This phrase reinforces the dangerous & outdated stereotype that blind people are less perceptive, capable, ...2 weeks ago
- Care Experienced Young People Say Apology Means Nothing Without Action
The apologies seemed sincere, but amongst those listening there was disappointment that there is still no redress system; and a sense that unless the apology is followed by action the words will seem hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Ara Taiohi Calls For Abuse Apology To Be Backed Up By Rangatahi-centred Policies
We must build back better, build a system with rangatahi at its very centre. The legacy of this government will be measured by their ability to respond appropriately, to create a physically safe and emotionally nurturing environment for children and ...2 weeks ago
- Three rooms, one apology: Survivors gather across the motu for abuse in care reckoning
Joel MacManus reports from parliament as the prime minister delivers the national apology for abuse in state care, while Lyric Waiwiri-Smith in Auckland and Alex Casey in Christchurch join survivors watching the livestream. ‘It’s not enough’ – Wellington As Andrew Bridgman, the acting chief executive of Oranga Tamariki, began the ...2 weeks ago
- ‘The room was aching’: Survivors in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch gather for apology
Joel MacManus reports from parliament as the prime minister delivers the national apology for abuse in state care, while Lyric Waiwiri-Smith in Auckland and Alex Casey in Christchurch join survivors watching the livestream. As Andrew Bridgman, the acting chief executive of Oranga Tamariki, began the speeches at the national apology ...2 weeks ago
- Hollow Apology Fails To Resonate With Survivors
Today, the Government had an historic and monumental opportunity to start righting decades of wrongs against survivors. Unfortunately, the Government has yet again let down survivors who placed their trust in it. ...2 weeks ago
- TOAH-NNEST Rejects Choice Of Parliament For State Apology – True Reckoning Is Concrete Reform &...
The national network says the government should have chosen direct engagement at the flaxroots outlining concrete, meaningful actions for survivor restoration and systemic prevention to ensure this never happens again. ...2 weeks ago
- Home Education: The Baker whānau
Home Education follows the everyday lives of six families in Aotearoa educating their children at home. Today, education among whales and horses with the Baker whānau. The new docuseries Home Education is filmed across Aotearoa, in and around the homes of six families who have taken schooling outside ...2 weeks ago
- Great news: New Zealand’s favourite TV show about trucks driving very slowly is back
Tara Ward watches the return of Moving Houses. Seasons change, flowers bloom and bath water grows cold, but one thing never alters: the pulling power of a house on the back of a truck. Moving Houses returned to TVNZ for its third season on Sunday night, and with it a ...2 weeks ago
- The Baker whānau | Home Education | The Spinoff
“Family is always first” | Watch the full series: http://thespinoff.co.nz/videos/home-education 🐋 When a whale washed up on Tokomaru Bay, Israel and Petrina Baker decided it was important to take time out of school so that their tamariki could learn how to harvest the taonga. Truancy officers were not too pleased, ...2 weeks ago
- Review: Inside Mystery Festival, Auckland’s most secretive concert
Does a slightly dodgy gimmick make for a majorly shit music festival? As Lyric Waiwiri-Smith finds out, not necessarily. To have entered Auckland’s Mystery Festival on Saturday, you needed stamina, a fondness for drum and bass, break-neck-speed head bopping, a pair of jorts or those ruched Glassons short shorts and, ...2 weeks ago
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