Steven Joyce
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National’s vision for New Zealand’s future
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, January 12th, 2016 - 94 comments
Stephen Joyce has had published an opinion piece in this morning’s Herald which extolls the virtue of free trade and ignores the pitfalls. Such as those shown this week when TransCanada sued the US Government for rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline contract.
#Sheepgate – but wait there’s more
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, December 4th, 2015 - 28 comments
At the same time that there is an Auditor General’s investigation into the appropriateness of the Government spend on the sheep farm in the middle of a Saudi desert the Government has announced a further spend of $2.6 million on a kit set abattoir. And the resumption of live exports by ship may be in the pipeline.
Jarrod Gilbert 1 – Windmills 0
Written By: - Date published: 7:09 am, November 29th, 2015 - 22 comments
About time the Police got around to becoming a “very evidence based” service. Building great relationships with academia is a sensible way to start.
Nats positioning for 2017
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, November 28th, 2015 - 48 comments
Nothing Matthew Hooton says can be taken at face value, but perhaps there are rumblings within National about 2017.
Useless on unemployment
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, November 6th, 2015 - 73 comments
“Less debt more jobs” says National’s billboard. Instead we good the opposite. With extra helpings of icing on this Cake of Fail.
Wallowing in extravagance
Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, October 23rd, 2015 - 16 comments
“Wallowing in extravagance” is how Labour described the latest news of extreme spending from Steven Joyce’s MBIE.
From out of the Shadows
Written By: - Date published: 9:58 am, September 28th, 2015 - 20 comments
Goff has attempted to throw a fire-cracker into the notion of the National Party leadership and caucus being one big happy family. Is this the Labour Party’s way of sowing seeds of discontent without tainting the image of their leader? It is NOT Dirty Politics by any normal understanding of that term as captured in the book of the same name. Is this Goff’s role now? To box from the shadows?
The cost of Joyce’s vanity
Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, August 25th, 2015 - 21 comments
Another entry in the ongoing story of Steven Joyce’s ego-ministry – $600K for a web site.
Hosking, Henry and Media Bias
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, August 18th, 2015 - 187 comments
Yesterday a debate that has occurred on the Standard about how main stream media has a right wing bias became mainstream when Winston Peters accused Mike Hosking of being a National Party Stooge. An online poll provided overwhelming support for his statement. And recently Steven Joyce attacked Rod Oram because his analytical thoughtful analysis critical of the Government displayed evidence of left wing bias.
Labour is the party of economic competence
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, August 17th, 2015 - 147 comments
The old myth that National are good managers of the economy should now be well dead and buried. For a recent case study see Robertson vs Joyce on dairy prices…
National’s terrible deal making
Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, August 9th, 2015 - 114 comments
A brief analysis of a number of deals that National has negotiated suggests that its reputation as a supposedly tough dealmaker is misplaced.
One tough issue
Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, July 15th, 2015 - 301 comments
Although the issue, the unfettered flow of overseas money into Auckland’s housing market, is important Labour’s current handling of this issue is not optimal and needs to be reconsidered.
Parnell Ponzi; When are National going to Act on Housing?
Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, July 15th, 2015 - 176 comments
National need to act now to end the housing crisis. The market has failed and doing nothing is going to blight the future of Kiwis. The answer is easy. End speculation, build houses. But do National have the guts to do the right thing?
Sky City redux – the house still wins
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, May 27th, 2015 - 101 comments
Sky City has managed to persuade the Government to allow it to build a cheaper building while retaining the same valuable gambling regulatory concessions. Update: and the Government appears to have made further contractual concessions to Sky City.
Joyce’s $1,248 taxi ride
Written By: - Date published: 12:02 pm, May 1st, 2015 - 52 comments
Stephen Joyce has spent $1,248 keeping a taxi waiting for him in Sydney for nine hours. The level of born to rule arrogance displayed has been unmatched for some time.
LocalBodies: Northland speaks and National still isn’t listening
Written By: - Date published: 2:22 pm, March 29th, 2015 - 25 comments
Steven Joyce is adamant that Northland was unique and what it really needed was improved infrastructure such as roads and broadband. Joyce has a narrow, blinkered view of the world. Sadly the election defeat didn’t remove his blinkers or open his eyes to look at Northlands real needs.
The Key magic
Written By: - Date published: 7:17 am, March 27th, 2015 - 98 comments
“John Key heckled in Northland” – ouch.
Northland by election – National gets desperate
Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, March 19th, 2015 - 37 comments
National is obviously deeply afraid of losing the Northland By Election as is clearly shown by the liberal application of pork barrel politics, the misuse of statistics, the use of Ministerial resources to help campaigning and now the bullying of a local group seeking to have a local road improved.
SkySore broken by design
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 18th, 2015 - 14 comments
So the Nats spent $250,000 working out that an Auckland convention center needed 3500 seats to break even, and are now about to be delivered a center wtih 3000 seats.
The house always wins
Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, February 16th, 2015 - 23 comments
The flaws in the process whereby SkyCity promised a free convention centre in consideration of legislative changes are now clear to see. Through an act of brinkmanship SkyCity has embarassed the Government and caused it political damage. And it has achieved a return for investors, the legislative changes will be the same despite there now being a smaller cheaper convention centre.
Third termitis
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, February 15th, 2015 - 69 comments
The John Key led National Government is showing signs of third termitis. Symptoms are a confusion of the national interest with National Party political interests, a willingness to sell state houses and pay the proceeds to large corporates when even your best friends are saying don’t, a staleness and inability to handle issues properly and being completely bereft of new ideas to improve the country. The condition is almost inevitably terminal.
Sky City’s playing us for suckers
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 pm, February 10th, 2015 - 87 comments
Sky City crying too poor to build a bigger casino – give us a break, please! Casino expert Sudhir Kale estimated the extra pokies gained by Sky to be worth $35million over figures used by government. That’s for year upon year to 2048. It could cover any casino upgrade in four years. Either Joyce and Key are being played for suckers, or they are playing the rest of us for suckers. The deal stinks.
The SkyCity Deal
Written By: - Date published: 1:11 pm, February 10th, 2015 - 76 comments
Eighteen months ago Stephen Joyce said about the Sky City Convention Centre deal that anything not written down was not happening. It appears that he was wrong as John Key softens us up for more public money being spent on a private convention centre.
SkyCity a nightmare for the Nats
Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, January 12th, 2015 - 76 comments
Far from fading away into the Christmas haze, SkyCity looks likely to be one of the defining political issues for 2015.
The Sky City Convention Centre
Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, December 23rd, 2014 - 81 comments
Sky City is doing what Rio Tinto and Warner Brothers have done in the past. Threaten to walk away from a deal unless the Government writes you a big cheque …
Thumbs down for Joyce’s ministerial domain
Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, December 22nd, 2014 - 33 comments
A new report shows that Steven Joyce’s MBIE fiefdom is failing miserably. Meanwhile the MBIE is under fire for the major cost blow out of the Sky City Casino deal – another deal with Joyce’s imprints all over it.
Eminem sues National
Written By: - Date published: 3:11 pm, September 16th, 2014 - 182 comments
Eminem is suing the National Party for breaching his copyright in the song “Lose yourself” used by National in its campaign video. Stephen Joyce previously claimed that National had the full rights to use it. But it appears that this may not be the case. Update: There may be some interesting legal issues for National if it loses in terms of its spending cap and the Electoral Commission broadcast allocation.
“VRWC” exposes rift at top of National
Written By: - Date published: 11:48 am, August 30th, 2014 - 18 comments
There is a self-appointed “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy” in New Zealand. Odgers and Slater are key members. Search VRWC on Slater’s website and you’ll find their activities. After Pansy Wong’s forced resignation from Cabinet for misuse of her travel perk the VRWC thought the National Cabinet needed “some serious steel going forward.” You can read the minutes of their virtual white-board session on post-it cards – the rifts at the top are deep and nasty.
But the door was open…
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 am, August 15th, 2014 - 277 comments
The intention of this post is to examine the similarities and differences between the hacking of Cameron Slater’s communications on the one hand, and the hacking of the Labour Party donor database on the other. There are two important issues to determine in both cases and I will cover them separately. The first is the legality of the hacking and the second is the ethics of using the resulting information regardless of whether the obtaining of the information in the first instance was unlawful.
Irritated and up early
Written By: - Date published: 11:27 pm, August 14th, 2014 - 72 comments
There has been a bit of pestering of authors by media in the last few days and some inadvisable waffling by fools ignorant of the blogging world about this site. I’ve had to bestir myself to talk about it. I’m not too happy about the time wasting. But on a happier note, the site is performing superbly under load..
National Response
Written By: - Date published: 10:18 am, August 14th, 2014 - 155 comments
National’s standard response is to ridicule – other political parties, Jon Stephenson, scientists etc have all had it. It slots nicely with Cameron Slater’s style. Now they’re ridiculing Nicky Hager, but they need to be taken up on each allegation.
- 26,000 unemployed under National
The latest labour market statistics have dropped, showing another rise in unemployment. There are now 148,000 unemployed - 26,000 more than when National took office. ...which is what happens when you sack thousands of public servants and have the Reserve Bank crash the economy. This is apparently the most severe ...2 weeks ago - How our housing market distorts education too
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I am woman, hear me roarIn numbers too big to ignoreAnd I know too much to go back an' pretend'Cause I've heard it all beforeAnd I've been down there on the floorAnd no one's ever gonna keep me down againSongwriters: Ray Burton / Helen ReddyIt was an unusual campaign.How crazy ...2 weeks ago - Living in risky times
As the world waits for the results of the United States Presidential election today, the New Zealand Reserve Bank has issued a reminder that we live in risky times. The Bank’s annual Financial Stability Report not only highlights the various geo-political scenarios that could set our economy back but also ...2 weeks ago - An Election Thread
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The blunt fact is that a collapse of an old order is playing out before our eyes and many in that country are going to be asked to make some choices. The obvious choice you’re probably thinking about… but also a few others that will still plague that country ...2 weeks ago - Prediction for Tomorrow (2024 Edition)
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CTU, NZEI and PPTA have filed a formal complaint to the International Labour Organization alleging the Government’s new charter schools law breaches obligations to protect collective bargaining. The Postal Workers Union says a proposal that would no longer have NZ Post mail deliveries to letterboxes at front gates as selective, ...2 weeks ago - Down to the waterline
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- Government science cuts take New Zealand even further backward
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- National risks being eaten alive by NZ First & ACT
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Go out and find a girlCome on, come on, and dance all nightDespite the heat it'll be alrightAnd babe, don't you know it's a pityThat the days can't be like the nightsIn the summer, in the citySong: John Sebastian, Mark Sebastian, Steve BooneThank YouTo begin today, a thank you. Yesterday, ...2 weeks ago - The Bewildering World of Chris Luxon – Playing Politics in Glass Houses
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- Health Officials say Casey Costello’s Advice is “Crap” & Luxon Refuses To Prot...
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When do you know that a big international news story might be looking like An Historic Moment? When it gets a bunch of utterly superfluous New Zealand reporters inserted into it.I've been sympathetic to our media fretting about hanging on by a thread, but each time they despatch their microphone-holders ...3 weeks ago - Sabotaging justice
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- Don’t Lux-Speak
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- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #44
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- Unions shouldn’t get in the way of student learning
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- Prime Minister pays tribute to Sir Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies
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- Bringing Crown director fees closer to market rate
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- Prime Minister congratulates Donald J. Trump on election win
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- Efficiencies found to deliver two further NIWE recovery projects
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- Safe, secure digital identity services on the way
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- Base Woodbourne resolution with Kurahaupō Iwi
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- Overwhelmed by ever more clothing donations, charities are exporting the problem. Local governments ...
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- Help Me Hera: Should I cut contact with my ex-stepdad?
My parents are finally getting divorced. So why do I feel like my stepdad’s feelings are still my problem? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera My parents recently announced their separation. This in itself isn’t a problem. I’ve already gone through this once before in my early childhood, so ...1 day ago - New Zealand Drops In Global Ranking On Climate Action
If the government won’t hold polluters to account, then people will. People are increasingly taking to the streets and the courtrooms, putting their bodies on the line to shut down polluting industries. This will only escalate further unless New ...1 day ago - Government’s fiscal policy dragging out recession, economists say
Slashing the budget deficit and reducing public debt are making matters worse for households and businesses, they say. ...1 day ago - Mongrel Mob member charged 3 minutes after patch ban begins
The new gang patch law came into force at midnight. The first person under the ban was caught at 12.03am. ...1 day ago
- Spending Cuts Need To Stop – PSA Urges Govt To Listen To Economists
The economists, drawn from universities, unions and the private sector, are calling on the Government to urgently revisit its fiscal policy stating the economic rationale for spending cuts and deferral of key infrastructure projects was ‘unclear’. ...1 day ago
- Government proposes law change on name suppression for sex offenders
Convicted adult sex offenders would not get permanent name suppression unless the victim agreed to it, the justice minister says. ...1 day ago
- Insufficient data on restraint and seclusion of children in Oranga Tamariki facilities, watchdogs sa...
The Independent Children's Monitor says it cannot determine if there have been improvements since a 2020 report found both practices were used inappropriately. ...1 day ago
- No mental wellbeing priority in government’s latest child strategy
Mental well-being has been removed as a standalone priority in the government's latest Child and Youth Well-being Strategy - despite officials warning against this earlier in the year. ...1 day ago
- ‘Enforcement action taken’ hours after gang patch ban comes into effect
The Police Minister says gang members in the Hawke's Bay came out at midnight to challenge the law. ...1 day ago
- ‘The deal sucks’: MPs question Tauranga marine precinct sale
Two MPs in Tauranga are calling for the Auditor-General to investigate the sale of the city's marine precinct, which one believes is a "really bad deal for Tauranga". ...1 day ago
- Will banning gang patches actually make New Zealand safer?
Gang members say it will create more problems, but the government argues it’s about improving public safety, explains Stewart Sowman-Lund for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...1 day ago
- Gang patch ban: ‘Subtle adaptations’ of insignia already being seen
Gang members are already changing their insignia to get around the law that came into effect overnight. ...1 day ago
- Bootcamp bill to have first reading before verdict on 10-boy pilot project
The Govt’s bootcamp bill will have its first reading on Thursday, ahead of a final evaluation of the controversial pilot programme. The post Bootcamp bill to have first reading before verdict on 10-boy pilot project appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago - Where to find $1.3 trillion for climate finance
Fossil fuel subsidies, solidarity levies and wealth taxes have all been proposed as sources of the trillions of dollars of climate finance needed The post Where to find $1.3 trillion for climate finance appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- It’s not too late to halt the death spiral of New Zealand’s public health system
It’s a shambles of our own making, but it’s still one we can turn around, argues health sector expert Dr David Galler. Trust and confidence in the public health system is at an all-time low. Not a day goes by without another story highlighting its alleged failings, eroding what little ...1 day ago
- The gang patch ban is now in force. What’s going to happen?
From today, police can enforce new gang legislation, including a ban on insignia being displayed in public. Here’s what you need to know. Why are we talking about this again? I thought it came in ages ago. The Gangs Act 2024 and Sentencing Amendment Act 2024 did indeed become law ...1 day ago
- The case for juries
New Zealand will find out early next year if the Government will decrease the number of jury trials in a bid to speed up the court system.Currently, defendants can choose to face a jury – rather than a judge alone – when charged with a criminal offence carrying a maximum ...1 day ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 21 November
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 21 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- National desperately needs to nullify Act’s Treaty bill
The Prime Minister cannot afford to be seen getting bogged down and taken over by Act on the Treaty Principles Bill The post National desperately needs to nullify Act’s Treaty bill appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 21 November
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- Urban fringe precincts give city centres a run for their money
Making way for future growth doesn’t have to – and likely won’t – take place in existing city centres, says a company developing significant office space on Auckland’s Southern Corridor.Unlisted commercial property fund manager Oyster Property Group and global investment firm KKR purchased the Central Park office park in Auckland’s ...1 day ago
- Book of the Week: How to honour te Tiriti
The newly published Te Tiriti o Waitangi Relationships: People, Politics and Law is the third of a Bridget Williams Books series which started with a 2004 volume on the Waitangi Tribunal, and was followed by a collection on Treaty settlements in 2012. Its intention is to present what “leading scholars ...1 day ago
- Kinleith Mill’s troubles highlight industry’s ‘long slow burn’
Commodity manufacturers are at risk when their products can be made cheaper overseas The post Kinleith Mill’s troubles highlight industry’s ‘long slow burn’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- NZ downgraded in global climate rankings
New Zealand has dropped seven places to 41st in the global Climate Change Performance Index, which ranks countries based on their emissions, deployment of renewable electricity, overall energy use and climate policy.The announcement of the latest update to the index, which has been running since 2005 and is considered an ...1 day ago
- Police research adds to evidence against gang patch ban
As Te Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti gathered at Wellington’s Waitangi Park on the waterfront on Tuesday morning, the MC welcomed “brothers of the patched world and sisters of the patched world”.He told the Māori members of the crowd that their whakapapa – carried through tā moko – survived on the ...1 day ago
- Young families are leaving many large US cities − here’s why that matters
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Biswa Das, Associate Professor of Community and Regional Planning and Extension Economist, Iowa State University Parents and educators rally at Boston City Hall demanding urgent action to improve the city’s public schools. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Young families ...2 days ago
- Australia’s $230 billion Future Fund encouraged to invest in housing, energy transition, infrastru...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government has rewritten the mandate of the Future Fund – the nation’s sovereign wealth fund – to urge it to direct investment into the “national priorities” of housing, the energy transition and infrastructure, ...2 days ago
- Third Reading Of Samoa Citizenship Bill In New Zealand Parliament Today
Explainer - New Zealand's Parliament will, on Wednesday, hear the third and final reading of a bill that will, if passed, restore a pathway for citizenship to a group of Samoans stripped of it decades ago. ...2 days ago
- Christopher Luxon Says ‘No Need To Meet’ With Hīkoi At Parliament
The Prime Minister says organisers were "closely aligned" with Te Pāti Māori, but acknowledged it was "a significant day". ...2 days ago
- ‘685’s to the world:’ Restoring Citizenship Bill passes with unanimous support
Greens MP Teanau Tuiono says it's "a significant step for Pasifika justice here in Aotearoa and around the Pacific". ...2 days ago
- What is methanol? How does it get into drinks and cause harm?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide cdrin/Shutterstock Two Australian teenagers are severely ill in hospital in Thailand after experiencing suspected methanol poisoning while they were travelling in Laos. The pair are reportedly among several foreign nationals to become ...2 days ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Special Minister of State Don Farrell on getting ‘big money’ out...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government says it will take “big money” out of election campaigns – or, more realistically, curb it – with its legislation imposing donation and spending caps and real-time disclosure. But crossbenchers and other ...2 days ago
- The hīkoi and Parliament: A photo essay
The House - Parliament protests run the gamut between solo vigils and a few thousand with amplified speeches. The hīkoi was an entirely new category. ...2 days ago
- Why NZ is protesting over colonial-era treaty bill – a global perspective
An overview for our international readers of Asia Pacific Report. BACKGROUNDER: By Sarah Shamim A fight for Māori indigenous rights drew more than 50,000 protesters to the New Zealand Parliament in the capital Wellington yesterday. A nine-day-long Hīkoi, or peaceful march — a Māori tradition — was undertaken in protest ...2 days ago
- The NT and ACT might have small populations but their economies are growing faster than the bigger s...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra sweettoiletpaper/Shutterstock The Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory have won bragging rights for having the fastest growing economies within Australia. Their growth was highlighted in annual data ...2 days ago
- NZ chips in $10m from existing funds to pay for climate losses
It will help pay for losses suffered by poorer countries because of climate change. ...2 days ago
- New law gives up to 3,480 Samoan elders back their right to NZ citizenship
The Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading. The bill’s author reflects on what it means for the Samoan community. It’s rare for MPs across the political spectrum to unite behind a piece of legislation. Rarer still is for an opposition MP’s bill to ...2 days ago
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