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Poto Williams’ maiden speech
Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, January 30th, 2014 - 3 comments
Video of Poto Williams’ maiden speech given yesterday in Parliament. Congratulations Poto.
Reef piranha
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 pm, December 22nd, 2013 - 42 comments
Today’s Herald editorial gets one thing right – a media pack has turned on Len Brown. But it’s not gutsy journalism – it comes straight out of the Rupert Murdoch playbook. Len’s latest sin is his upgrades – EY says they total $32,000 for 64 occasions. That’s $500 an upgrade, which seems a lot on top of what Len paid. The report does not detail how this total was arrived at, and I cannot find any example of any journalist asking questions about it.
Cameron Slater: So who pays who?
Written By: - Date published: 4:19 pm, December 12th, 2013 - 203 comments
Looks like John Key’s communications boss Jason Ede has been busted supplying material for the most disgusting site in local politics – Whaleoil. It has long been suspected that he supplies material and possibly even writes for that site as part National’s dirty tricks team. Looks like we have some confirmation. So how much is the taxpayer paying for this public servant to blog and does he do it for his job? How much does Cameron Slater “demand” from the taxpayer to provide this service?
Avoiding the silly wars of the republic
Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, October 30th, 2013 - 60 comments
So the US military/diplomats has decided that we should be friends again after nearly 30 years. Whooptee do! Who really gives a pigs arse? Well I do. The republic in the USA gives all republics a bad name because of their habit of using military force for poorly thought-out ideological and even odd personal reasons. Someone to be wary of following blindly into one of their silly wars.
Outside the bubble
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, September 16th, 2013 - 51 comments
For many years there used to be a blog site called The Thordon Bubble that was dedicated to the minutiae of the political scene as seen from a small area in Wellington. I always thought it was a perfect name for the thermocline difference of views between the hunting grounds of the politicians and parliamentary political media, and what happens inside the Labour party. The leadership vote numbers highlight the scale of the event horizon between them.
Law Society – GCSB Bill still flawed
Written By: - Date published: 6:13 pm, August 6th, 2013 - 23 comments
A timely press release from the Law Society. The revisions to the GCSB Bill “do not address the fundamental flaws in the bill and the legislation should not proceed”. Peter Dunne, your last fig-leaf is ripped away. Please do not vote for this travesty.
Schadenfreude
Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, August 5th, 2013 - 59 comments
Schadenfreude.
First they came for……………….
On converting .pst, government style
Written By: - Date published: 1:52 pm, August 4th, 2013 - 49 comments
Were David Henry and his staff the right people to pursue an inquiry? They were incapable of opening a Outlook .pst file. And this appears to have held them up for days. They had the files before they even requested permission from Peter Dunne and (apparently) only their incompetence prevented them from their intent of reading the emails. If they’d been capable of using google, then our political landscape might look quite different..
Spying scandal forensics
Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, August 4th, 2013 - 49 comments
National’s Friday afternoon document dump of emails between the Henry enquiry and Parliamentary Services is a trove of information. John Armstrong describes the whole mess as “Govt betrayal on a monumental scale”. For an initial forensic analysis of the evidence trail, check out Pete George.
Andrea Vance’s privacy breach is going to the Privacy Commissioner
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, August 3rd, 2013 - 83 comments
In the latest episode of Kim Dotcom inspired craziness it appears that Parliamentary Services collated and sent Peter Dunne’s emails to David Henry clearly without Dunne’s permission. Dunne and Andrea Vance are understandably apopletic about this. Because this sort of stuff only happens in banana republics …
Friday document dump
Written By: - Date published: 5:33 pm, August 2nd, 2013 - 63 comments
The government has tried a good old fashioned Friday Document Dump, releasing the email correspondence relating to Henry Inquiry. More incompetence and or lies are revealed, and Peter Dunne is pissed. No doubt we can expect the same levels of honesty and competence when the Key-Dunne spying bill extends the potential for spying to us all.
This is Key’s scandal
Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, July 31st, 2013 - 64 comments
Key’s loyal retainers are trying to keep him out of the Vance spying scandal. Major players are straight-out lying. Sadly for Key, the evidence of the timeline is clear. This is his scandal, start to finish.
Knuckleheads – nothing to fear?
Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, July 12th, 2013 - 51 comments
The knuckleheads (tm John Key) in the parliamentary press gallery are concerned about their privacy. Are they concerned about ours too?
Smarmy Brownlee on urgency
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 pm, July 2nd, 2013 - 25 comments
Brownlee’s press release on urgency is pure smarm. The Nats have always abused urgency, and this current session is no exception.
Networks of influence: Lobbyists
Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, June 19th, 2013 - 23 comments
The Speaker’s list of lobbyists has doubled over the last year. “Neoliberal” & corporate entities have the balance of power. Journalists & PR merchants get more influence than the marginalised, low income & politically disengaged. Social media is a means to counter such influence. [Update: Bunji, NRT]
You can be a leader of nothing!
Written By: - Date published: 2:45 pm, June 6th, 2013 - 67 comments
Well it turns out I was wrong – you can be a leader of nothing! Chaos in Parliament at the Speaker’s ruling.
You can’t be a leader of nothing
Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, June 6th, 2013 - 19 comments
Peter Dunne’s status as a party leader in Parliament (i.e. funding and perks) is under threat. Seems pretty cut and dried – you can’t be a leader of nothing. Being a sensible type, I’m sure that Peter will agree.
Old Boys Club
Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, June 5th, 2013 - 36 comments
This speech follows Metiria Turei’s (previous post). In which John Banks (facilitated by Eric Roy) indulges in some good old fashioned Parliamentary sexism (first 2 minutes).
Then why don’t you release the advice John?
Written By: - Date published: 6:49 am, May 21st, 2013 - 151 comments
A legal expert has raised the alarm over the Nats’ latest outbreak of constitutional arrogance. So too has the Attorney General, and the media. Key says it’s all OK (of course), but why should anyone believe him when his government won’t release the advice that it has received?
Constitutional arrogance
Written By: - Date published: 5:05 pm, May 18th, 2013 - 86 comments
The invaluable Andrew Geddis has yet another good post on Pundit, describing National’s latest outbreak of constitutional arrogance. Add to the long list. These are the actions of politicians who are drunk on power, and not being held to account for it.
Kitteridge report released
Written By: - Date published: 4:46 pm, April 9th, 2013 - 42 comments
Following the leaking of the Kitteridge GCSB report to the media (who had copies? who leaked?) and ructions in Parliament’s question time today, the report has been released early. (Very convenient timing for the Nats!)
Key needs time to get his story straight
Written By: - Date published: 2:48 pm, April 5th, 2013 - 130 comments
In an interview this afternoon Key said that: “There will be no more answering of questions straight away, if I need to get details”. Defensive and petulant, Key is backing away from accountability.
NRT: David Carter must go
Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, March 28th, 2013 - 51 comments
I/S at No Right Turn with a full and frank assessment of The Speaker…
Democracy needs straight answers to straight questions
Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, March 21st, 2013 - 49 comments
The current Speaker in the House, David Carter, is a disaster. Yesterday he let the government get away with avoiding providing serious answers to important questions: a government ploy? Russel Norman has complained. Democracy needs the government to be held to account.
Two Things
Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, March 14th, 2013 - 12 comments
Marriage Equality and Mondayisation – both proceeding fabulously!
NRT: The Constitutional Conversation
Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, March 5th, 2013 - 6 comments
A useful note from NRT on the constitutional review. Make your submissions…
Mr Answerer
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, February 20th, 2013 - 70 comments
Oh dear. Lockwood Smith was by common consent one of the best Speakers we’ve had. David Carter seems to be heading in a different direction. Lockwood required Ministers to give direct answers. Today in the House Carter gave the answer for Hekia Parata, interpreting her words to get her off the hook. He may well have put himself on one though, if that is the way he is going to go.
Against a four year term
Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, February 8th, 2013 - 159 comments
Key and Shearer want 4 year terms. Why? Efficiency, they reckon. 3 years is ‘too short to govern’. Well, they wouldn’t be the first politicians to argue that less democracy would be more ‘efficient’. In New Zealand, we are unique among democracies in the degree to which power is held by the government. Regular opportunities to vote the bastards out is all we have.
Government in turmoil over spending cap
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, August 31st, 2012 - 20 comments
Conflict between support parties. The government without the majority needed for legislation. The Nats’ economic plans in turmoil. Thank goodness the country is in such safe, steady hands.
Marriage equality – how they voted
Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, August 30th, 2012 - 165 comments
How they voted, some wise words on the range of christian belief, and credit to John Key.
Conscience votes
Written By: - Date published: 7:06 am, August 28th, 2012 - 91 comments
Two high-profile conscience votes are coming up in Parliament over the next two days. It will be interesting to see the breakdown of who votes which way on the issues. But the level of malice expressed by some of those opposed to marriage equality is disturbing.
- Homeowners move house sooner than you think: Why the average stay is shrinking
It turns out that the so called ‘seven year itch’ is more like five these days. The latest data from realestate.co.nz shows how long people hold onto their homes before they sell. And it’s shorter than you’d think.Kiwis keep their homes for an average of just five and a half ...5 days ago - Country calendar: woolsheds
Milking sheds, I know intimately; the headlights of a farmbike illuminating mysterious valleys in the darkness before dawn, herding the old moos, working the pumps, tuning the transistor to the Concert Programme to soothe yourself and the beasts, the whole place reeking of wet pooh and spilt milk; but of ...5 days ago
- Hīkoi: ‘The whole world is watching’
Māori leaders say the hīkoi was ‘never about the bill’, it was about forging unprecedented unity throughout the country The post Hīkoi: ‘The whole world is watching’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- ‘What’s good for Māori is good for everyone’ – Hīkoi ends with peaceful protest
By Ashleigh McCaull, RNZ News journalist Aotearoa New Zealand’s capital Wellington Pōneke turned into a sea of black, white and red today, as more than 42,000 people supporting te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti overflowed Parliament’s lawn and onto the streets. Supporters then headed to Waitangi Park, where a post-hīkoi concert ...5 days ago - Kiwi workers lose jobs as billion-dollar firm quietly shifts production to USA
There was a sense of secret pride among the 300 staff at the little-known contract manufacturer Alaron.Tied up by non-disclosure agreements, the Nelson workers weren’t allowed to talk about their biggest customer – ... 5 days ago - Chalmers targets reforms to superannuation products and transparency in the retirement phase
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers will announce on Wednesday a package of reforms to the retirement phase of the superannuation system, to make it easier to navigate and consumer friendly. In a speech to the industry, Chalmers ...5 days ago
- We rated the urban forests of 8 global cities – only Singapore passed the 30% canopy test
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thami Croeser, Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Ryan DeBerardinis, Shutterstock Can you see three trees from your home, school or workplace? Is there tree canopy cover shading at least 30% of the surrounding neighbourhood? Can you find a ...5 days ago
- More children going hungry, Health Survey shows
Meanwhile, wait times for GPs keep increasing, along with rates of mental distress. ...5 days ago - Kiwi pilot kidnapping in West Papua leads to police raids in Australia
By Duncan Graham An alleged plot involving firearms and threatening the life of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens when held hostage in Papua this year is being investigated by the Australian Federal Police. The case involves “advancing a political cause by the separation of West Papua from Indonesia . . ...5 days ago
- 42,000 join as Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi reaches Parliament
By mid-afternoon today 42,000 people gathered at the Parliamentary precinct and the surrounding streets, police say. ...5 days ago
- Political finance law reforms will reduce big money in politics, but will rich donors be the ultimat...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Political funding in Australia has long been shrouded in secrecy. It is also dominated by large donations and unrestrained spending, courtesy of laissez-faire federal political finance laws. The Albanese government has ...5 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke reacts to haka heard around the world
In the face of criticism, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke says there was definitely a moment of 'what just happened?', after the House was suspended during voting. ...5 days ago - ‘What’s good for Māori is good for everyone’ – hīkoi ends with peaceful pr...
The capital turned into a sea of black, white and red today, as more than 42,000 people supporting te Hīkoi mō te tiriti overflowed Parliament's grounds and onto the streets. ...5 days ago
- Bunnings breached privacy law by scanning customers’ faces – but this loophole lets other shops ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margarita Vladimirova, PhD in Privacy Law and Facial Recognition Technology, Deakin University Nils Versemann/Shutterstock Hardware giant Bunnings breached the privacy of “likely hundreds of thousands” of Australians through its use of facial recognition technology, the Privacy Commissioner ruled today. “Individuals who ...5 days ago
- Could keeping native species as pets save them from extinction? Here’s why it’s not that simple
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meg Edwards, Lecturer in Wildlife Science, University of Southern Queensland Captive squirrel glider Author provided, CC BY Humans have been turning wild animals into pets for thousands of years. Pets – animals kept for companionship, not for food or work – were ...5 days ago
- Why did the US change its mind on Ukraine firing missiles into Russia? And will it impact the war?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University The lifting of US restrictions on the use of ATACMS ballistic missiles by Ukraine may help it repel Russian forces trying to retake Russian territory seized by Ukraine earlier this year. ...5 days ago
- Albanese government gives firm ‘no’ to joining UK-US agreement to advance nuclear technology
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government has been put on the spot by a new agreement – which it has declined to join – signed by the United Kingdom and the United States to speed up the deployment of ...5 days ago
- The government wants to keep cash alive for buying essentials. Here’s why it’s such a challenge ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Worthington, Adjunct Professor, Swinburne University of Technology Cre8tive Images/Shutterstock Cash usage has fallen off a cliff in Australia, but the federal government says it must have a future. So, it’s going to mandate one. The Australian government will require ...5 days ago
- Time for soldiers to do civilian work extended until mid-February
The government has notified Parliament it is extending the time soldiers will be filling in for their striking non-uniformed colleagues until Valentines Day. ...5 days ago
- Live: 42,000 join as Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi reaches Parliament
By mid-afternoon today 42,000 people gathered at the Parliamentary precinct and the surrounding streets, police say. ...5 days ago
- Hīkoi day 9: 35,000 join as Treaty Principles Bill protest reaches Parliament
RNZ News More than 35,000 people today gathered as Aotearoa New Zealand’s Hīkoi mō te Tiriti overflowed from Parliament’s grounds and onto nearby streets in the capital Wellington Pōneke. Eru Kapa-Kingi told the crowd “Māori nation has been born” today and that “Te Tiriti is forever”. ACT leader David Seymour ...5 days ago
- Hīkoi not representative of New Zealand, David Seymour says
Seymour came out of the Beehive today to acknowledge the hīkoi and wave at the protesters - but retreated inside after just a few minutes. ...5 days ago
- Alan Jones once seemed unassailable. What ended it was a peculiarly Sydney story of media, politics ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne For decades it seemed Alan Jones was unassailable. A finding against him of professional misconduct by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (2000); a finding that he incited hatred, serious contempt ...5 days ago
- Daily smoking rates flat-line, youth vaping keeps rising – NZ Health Survey
Daily smoking rates have flat-lined after dramatic falls in previous years, while vaping among younger people continues to rise. ...5 days ago
- Watch: Traffic-stopping haka breaks out during hīkoi to Parliament
Vehicles were barred from entering the intersection as a group of men performed the haka to a crowd of hundreds of onlookers. ...5 days ago
- Hīkoi to Parliament: The families taking part and why
The hīkoi is a family affair, with tamariki everywhere; pepe sleeping in carts and buggies or tugging their cousins' hair. ...5 days ago
- The best signs from the final day of the Toitū Te Tiriti hīkoi
How many ways can you say you’re pissed off? A good protest sign signifies all the things you want to say at a demonstration: I’m here, I care and I’ve found the most fed up/witty/creative way to express this. And after a week of nationwide protests for the Toitū Te ...5 days ago - Pike River: 14 Years On And Far Too Many Of Us Are Being Injured At Work
"The Minister’s actions on health and safety show the Minister has failed to understand the lessons of Pike River. Instead of boosting health and safety at work, her party and her Government are looking for ways to water down the protections it has delivered." ...5 days ago
- Live: 35,000 join as Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi reaches Parliament
Hīkoi mō te Tiriti is heading for Waitangi Park and heavy traffic through the CBD is expected ahead of the evening commute. ...5 days ago
- Dunedin Hospital protesters rally to support campaign
About 1000 people turned up to hear why building the hospital as planned, was important. ...5 days ago
- Watch: ‘Kill the bill, kill the bill’ – David Seymour walks out, waves to proteste...
The ACT leader was met with chants of "Kill the bill, kill the bill" when he walked out of the Beehive, before waving to the crowd and returning inside. ...5 days ago
- Livestream: 35,000 join as Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi reaches Parliament
The Treaty Principles Bill's architect made a brief appearance, and was met with chanting, as 35,000 people protesting overflowed from Parliament's lawn. ...5 days ago
- Public humiliation is still a common teaching tool in medical education. Here’s how it leaves pati...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carolyn Heward, Lecturer, Clinical Psychology, James Cook University Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock Imagine being questioned about complex technical knowledge in front of your peers, supervisors, and members of the public – knowing that a wrong answer could lead to public ridicule. ...5 days ago
- Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti: The final day march to Parliament in photos
It was an early start for thousands as the hīkoi sets off for its final destination - the grounds of Parliament. ...5 days ago
- It’s clear footy has an Indigenous participation problem, and the AFL draft is only part of the so...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chelsey Taylor, PhD Candidate, Swinburne University of Technology From revolutionary Geelong ruckman Graham “Polly” Farmer, to the electrifying Krakouer brothers (Phil and Jim) at North Melbourne, through to modern stars such as Charlie Cameron, Adam Goodes, Lance Franklin and Eddie Betts, Indigenous ...5 days ago
- What our politicians’ signatures tell us about their personalities
We asked a handwriting expert to analyse the scrawls of our elected officials. Here’s what they said. Recently I received a press release from the trio of ministers – Simeon Brown, Shane Jones and Chris Bishop – tasked with overseeing the government’s controversial fast-track consenting bill. The press release itself ...5 days ago
- Livestream: 19,000 join as Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi reaches Parliament
'The energy, the power-it's palpable here on the ground,' an MP says as a sea of red, black and white flags sorrounds the Beehive. ...5 days ago
- Education minister says kids should be in school instead of at hīkoi
But the son of a haka expert, travelling down with students from Huntly, says "this is all part of our learning, this is their school". ...5 days ago
- Basic rules for screen time at a young age can help reduce childhood obesity – new research
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ladan Hashemi, Senior Research Fellow in Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Childhood obesity is a growing concern worldwide. But in New Zealand it’s a particularly pressing issue. With one of the highest rates in the OECD, about one ...5 days ago
- Livestream: Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi mō te Tiriti at Parliament
Thousands have marched through the streets of a capital and to the Beehive. ...5 days ago
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