Corrupt US

Written By: Bill - Date published: 8:21 pm, March 10th, 2020 - 60 comments
Categories: campaigning, corruption, democracy under attack, elections, International, us politics - Tags: Biden, corruption, democracy, democratic party, sanders, US Primaries

In a few hours from now (if I’m getting my time zones right), Americans will hit the polling booths in another six primary states. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I reckon Bernie Sanders is fucked.

If you’re an outsider running for high office, then it’s possible to overcome a Party establishment. And sure, a Bernie Sanders could also overcome the concerted efforts of various corporate actors out to thwart him. He could also quite conceivably overcome wall to wall, 24/7 mainstream media coverage that’s largely only looking to hang negative memes from his campaign and/or compile a list of “gotcha!”s.

Bernie could maybe even get away with throwing in a bit of self sabotage – insist Biden, a man who epitomises the very thing he claims to represent an existential threat to, is his friend and a decent guy. He could throw surrogates under the bus if they point to Biden’s obvious corruption. And when asked whether Biden can defeat Trump, he could even be so stupid as to say “yes” and still win at the ballot box.

Or at least, he could if the votes being cast at the ballot box (for those citizens who can actually get to a ballot box) corresponded with election results (those that were actually counted). But they don’t.

When California was called for Bernie Sanders with barely 1% of the vote counted, I admit I was a bit puzzled as to how the likes of CNN could call it at such an early point in the process. Well, it turns out that CNN gets the results of exit polling conducted by Edison Research. Those polls gave Sanders a 15% winning margin in California. Yet according to TDMS research…

The unobservable computer counts cut his lead by half (to 7.3%). In the total delegate count to date, substituting the estimated California and Texas exit poll delegate apportionments for the apportionments derived from the computer counts, results in candidate Sanders currently leading candidate Biden by 42 delegates instead of trailing by 45. (my emphasis)

See. No-one can beat that kind of fuckery.

And the pattern, with discrepancies always advantageous to the favoured “establishment” candidate, repeats across Vermont (+26% for Biden), Massachusetts( +16% for Biden) South Carolina (+8.5% for Biden) and New Hampshire (+12% for Buttigeig)…

Interestingly, TDMS had previously looked at the exit poll results in 2016 and stacked them against published results. Guess what? While almost all of the Republican Primary results from that year fell within established margins of error for such polling, the Democratic Primary results were all out of whack.

Anyway. Here’s what the The United States Agency of International Development (USAID), has to say about such exit polls –

Detecting fraud: Exit polls provide data that is generally indicative of how people voted. A discrepancy between the aggregated choices reported by voters and the official results may suggest, but not prove, that results have been tampered with.

So yeah. I guess people will argue what they will argue or dismiss based on their preferred candidate, while some will just casually reckon to “fuck election integrity”.

Meanwhile, CODEPINK and The Grayzone are calling on the Organisation of American States (OAS) to provide emergency international election observers. Laughable, right? I mean, what in God’s name would the self proclaimed “home of democracy” be needing with election observers?

Certainly, by November, no observers will be required when, in the words of Chris Hedges, the voters are to vote for –

The consolidation of oligarchic power under Donald Trump or the consolidation of oligarchic power under Joe Biden.

60 comments on “Corrupt US ”

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lprent 1

10 March 2020 at 9:11 pm

Welcome to the joys of advance voting.

As I remember the news articles that I read in advance of Super Tuesday (digs around) but after South Carolina (digs some more), indicated that there was a high turnout in California in advance voting. Which is where much of the exit polling would have been looking at…

Try this one… https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-03-02/klobuchar-buttigieg-california-primary

The population of advance voters is not the same as those voting on the day. Early voters are usually the ones who are more committed and more likely to vote closely to their ideological beliefs than to news media.

The on-the-day voters are also changing opinions due to events over the previous 3 weeks. In particular to events like a win elsewhere or to candidates dropping out.

Indeed, all the research tends to indicate that on-the-day voters effectively are the now voters – the ones who are more likely to make a decision at the polling booth – which leads to name recognition voting. Like winning South Carolina or getting endorsements from people, that they recognise.

Plus that there was a largish drop out from advance votes for candidates who dropped out (changes the percentages in a one-on-one comparison) and their on-the-day voters shifting to someone else – usually unequally.

Not to mention that at least in California, there were some significiant changes in how the election was being run this time. Although even though the count probably won’t be finished until April 3rd (FFS), that doesn’t seem to have affected turnout. https://abc7news.com/5986202/

Basically you should look at the numbers more closely rather than counting on eating carrots before they’re harvested – beetles are always ready to eat the ~~vote~~ carrots.
- Bill 1.1
  
  10 March 2020 at 9:23 pm
  
  This is an answer about polling those early votes/postal votes in the thread below the South Carolina post from the TDMS site.
  
  From the President of Edison Research:
  Edison has two methods of reaching people who voted early or by mail. They conduct a regular telephone survey in the week or two leading up to the election to reach those who have already voted by mail, specifically geared toward states where bigger groups of the population vote by mail (like Arizona, Washington, Colorado and more).
  
  They also place interviewers at early voting locations in states where majorities vote before election day (like Tennessee, North Carolina and Texas)
  - lprent 1.1.1
    
    11 March 2020 at 6:52 am
    
    That is what I pointed out. The estimates for the 'exit voting' on advance voting only reflect how the advance voters voted. They don't bind
    
    If there was a 15% lead in advance voting up to 3 weeks before polling day, but if (say) only a third or a half had voted using that technique – then you can't assume (as you have) that the same proportions will apply for the other half or 2/3rds in the polling booth on election day. They usually don't.
    
    Events happen, opinion shifts, and the statistical group who pre-voted are unlikely to fully reflect the group who voted on the day.
    
    I used to see it all of the time when I was looking at the drawn out process of the postal votes in Auckland local body elections. Here the people who voted early weren't the ones that we wanted to see voting – they were far more likely to have voted for National in drag (Citizens and Ratepayers).
    - Nic the NZer 1.1.1.1
      
      11 March 2020 at 8:17 am
      
      Pretty amazing that these results could be used in early reporting. If they are exit polls of only the postal part of the ballot this should be stated clearly reported when cited.
      - Bill 1.1.1.1.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 10:38 am
        
        They aren't polls of postal votes. Postal votes appear to be factored in, but essentially the exit polls are polling of people as they leave the polling station.
    - bill 1.1.1.2
      
      11 March 2020 at 9:57 am
      
      The exit polling conducted by Edison is by way of polling voters who have just left the voting booth.
      
      As per my comment above, it seems they collect some data on postal data and presumably feed that into their stated and varied margins of error that apply to different candidates in each set of results they publish.
      
      But picking up on what you say about people shifting their preferences.
      
      Can we reasonably assume many early or postal votes would have gone to Warren in her home state of Massachusetts? In that instance, the exit polling would have underestimated her vote share if she had been dropping out of favour post- S. Carolina, yes?
      
      Yet, in Massachusetts, the reported count (the result) was a 14% drop (over double the margin of error) for Warren when compared to the exit polls.
      
      I'm no statistician, but the links I provided appear thorough and robust. I strongly suggest you peruse them
- Cindy 1.2
  
  11 March 2020 at 7:37 am
  
  The latest vote to report in California will be skewed even more toward Bernie… why? Because it will include the provisional ballots that we manage to actually get counted (big effort to not count them) and the vote by mail ballots that were initially rejected by the signature verification machines and then later accepted when humans looked at them. There was a massive effort to hand out provisional ballots in Bernie strongholds… heavily Latinx communities and precincts where a lot of young people (college students, etc) vote. This is very intentional and form of voter suppression. On the initially rejected by the machines and later accepted by humans vote by mail ballots, in 2016, these went very heavily for Bernie… the machine accepted ones went heavily for Hillary Clinton… imagine that! The first ones were including in the sampling for the supposedly "random" 1% mandatory audit… the later ones were not… imagine that! I will also point out that the absentee votes in South Carolina and very very suspicious in their overwhelming dominance for Biden, much higher than the same day vote.
A 2

10 March 2020 at 10:03 pm

Figured it would be Biden, but also thought he would pull out at a point further along due to "health reasons" at which point the pre-selected candidate will run. Guess we will see.
adam 3

10 March 2020 at 11:51 pm

Nothing to see here – move on.
Ad 4

11 March 2020 at 7:29 am

Hang in there Bill.
Andre 5

11 March 2020 at 8:22 am

Let's ponder how many different people in how many different organisations would be needed to pull off what's being insinuated here.

There would need to be employees within Edison Research and CNN 'adjusting' the results of exit polls in coordination with all the state Democratic Party organisations involved (and remember, the state organisations are independent from each other and the DNC). Then those involved in the "unobservable computer counts" would have to be involved – in somehow providing a mechanism to manipulate the results and then actually doing so.

Out of all these (probably thousands) of people that would have to be coordinated in manipulating results and making it possible to manipulate results, not a single one is sufficiently dedicated to democratic principles and/or sympathetic to Bernie's ideas to preserve evidence and blow the whistle? Really?

Or maybe, just maybe, what is observed is the entirely natural result of a previously very chaotic fluid situation with multiple moderate candidates splitting the vote, that was quickly resolved by the undecided moderate majority coalescing around Biden triggered by the South Carolina vote showing Biden was indeed a popular viable candidate.

edit: Oh, and all of this sophisticated widespread conspiracy would have to be carried out in perfect secrecy with the DNC coordinating it all. Has the hilariously inept DNC ever displayed even a tiny fraction of the unity, competence and discipline that would be required to pull it off?
- bill 5.1
  
  11 March 2020 at 10:03 am
  
  Let's ponder how many different people in how many different organisations would be needed to pull off what's being insinuated here.
  
  In the case of electronic voting, not many. Read the link I provided to The New York Book of Reviews on voting machines in the post. (under "unobservable computer counts" in the first block of quoted text)
  
  I can't see why there would be any fuckery at play with the exit polls. The whole point is that the final count does not correspond with the exit polls and their margins of error.
  - Andre 5.1.1
    
    11 March 2020 at 11:09 am
    
    CNN's exit polls:
    
    https://edition.cnn.com/election/2020/entrance-and-exit-polls/california/democratic
    
    Latest vote counts (not all complete):
    
    https://www.thegreenpapers.com/
    
    Looking at just a few of them, they look quite close.
    
    CA: Biden exit 24% vote 27% Bernie exit 36% vote 34%
    
    MA: Biden exit 34% vote 34% Bernie exit 28% vote 27%
    
    VA: Biden exit 54% vote 53% Bernie exit 23% vote 23%
    
    Note that the exit poll numbers for California are different to the ones claimed in your TDMS Research piece. This is apparently because
    
    [1] Exit poll (EP) downloaded from CNN’s website by TDMS on election night, March 3, 2020 at 11:00 PM ET. Candidates’ exit poll percentage/proportion derived from the gender category. Number of EP respondents: 2,350. As this first published exit poll was subsequently adjusted towards conformity with the final computerized vote count, the currently published exit poll differs from the exit poll used here and available through the link below.
    
    (quote from your TDMS Research footnote)
    
    I'll leave it to readers to form their own opinions as to whether it reflects a genuine difference between early and late exit poll respondents, CNN/ Edison Research fuckery, fuckery by dude publishing stuff in teh webz (look the guy up if you want to consider that possibility) or something else.
    
    It's entirely plausible there's a significant difference between early deciders, where those with their hearts set on Bernie would be overrepresented, and late deciders who hadn't decided which moderate to go for until the late coalescence around Biden would be overrepresented. Hence the steady increase in Biden's vote share as the late mailed ballots are ever so slowly counted.
    
    It's also entirely plausible there's a systematic difference between those that vote by mail, and are more difficult to capture in exit polling, and those that turn up to deal with the lines and hassle of polling booths and are easy to capture for exit polling.
    
    As for the voting machines, they are not universally used (rarely used is a fairer description), and there are several vendors. Are they all in on the same conspiracy?
    
    Looking at the states that voted on Super Tuesday, your piece says electronic machines are used in "California (again, for the most populous county)", "Texas (for at least Dallas and Travis counties)", "Colorado (for early voting)", " Arkansas (at least four counties)", "North Carolina (for the most populous county)". All of that adds up to just a tiny fraction of the votes cast on Super Tuesday.
    
    Furthermore, it would be astonishing if the vote distributions coming out of the voting machines weren't closely scrutinised for redflags in comparison to the huge majority of votes cast by other methods. Going off the 2016 experience, the election officials involved will be well aware of the likelihood of allegations of impropriety from disappointed BernieBro cultists.
    
    To be sure, the flaws in those machines means using them is a really crap idea. But leveraging those flaws that might affect a tiny portion of the votes cast into building a conspiracy of election-changing fraud? Really?
    - Bill 5.1.1.1
      
      11 March 2020 at 12:14 pm
      
      You're looking at the wrong figures Andre. The percentage differences that matter are the ones relating to a per candidate basis.
      
      Take Massachusetts. Warrens percentage drop was 14.7%. But the drop she records in relation to the overall vote is 3.7%.
      
      Yes, the exit poll numbers are adjusted by CNN to better fit vote counts as time passes. That's a known and doesn't invalidate the original exit poll results in any way whatsoever. You do understand that it's not the veracity of the exit polls that's in question, yes?
      
      On the early vote versus actual day vote scenario, I'll just repeat for you what I wrote in response to Lynn above –
      
      Can we reasonably assume many early or postal votes would have gone to Warren in her home state of Massachusetts? In that instance, the exit polling would have underestimated her vote share if she had been dropping out of favour post- S. Carolina, yes?
      
      Yet, in Massachusetts, the reported count (the result) was a 14% drop (over double the margin of error) for Warren when compared to the exit polls.
      - Andre 5.1.1.1.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 12:48 pm
        
        The CNN exit poll for Massachusetts gave Warren a 20.9% share, from 1443 respondents. This result has a margin of error of 2.1% (95% CI).
        
        Warren's actual vote share in Massachusetts was 21.4%, well within the exit poll's margin of error.
        
        bill 5.1.1.1.1.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 7:01 pm
        
        Again Andre – you're looking at the wrong figures. To repeat. The important numbers – the ones that indicate fuckery – are the difference in the numbers for Warren (or who-ever) when looking at their exit polling numbers compared to their reported count.
        
        Read the links that provide ample explanation and stop trolling with 'stupid'. Thank you.
    - Bill A 5.1.1.2
      
      23 March 2020 at 11:16 pm
      
      Andre in your skew answer me this . The same company Edison Research does exit polling for Republican primary also in 2016 and 2020 they were all within the margin of error.
      
      If there was a flaw in the method it would also show in the Republican primary.
      
      If it was random it would show on both sides
      
      So why is it that every time the discrepancy outside of the margin of error always favors the DNC favored candidate ? Hillary in 2016 and Biden in 2020 with i think 1 exception.
      
      States with paper trail were within margin of error. State with unobserved machine counts are where the discrepancies show up.
      
      In 2008 Between Obama and Hillary strangely enough there were no such discrepancies.
      
      Of course your bias shows in your reply
Tiger Mountain 6

11 March 2020 at 8:53 am

The US political scene has the potential to do any leftists head in. So many systemic ‘fixes’ are in already to preserve oligarchical hegemony, that it is amazing anyone turns out. On Super Tues the majority of contests were “open” primaries, so the results can be affected by Republicans! or whoever turns up.

South Carolina was vote herded by Mr Clyburn–a DNC favourite–will any Democrat go near the state again before November? It is clearly a Trump state–yet a major harbinger for the pundits in the Democratic nomination process. I don’t buy the “noble working class has spoken and critics should butt out” line over SC from TRP and other centre line huggers that post here. The SC working class wouldn’t even vote to go Union at Boeing!
https://labornotes.org/blogs/2017/02/viewpoint-boeing-vote-was-not-referendum-organizing-south

Bernie has run an actual campaign with countless rallies and gatherings–Biden’s has been a phantom campaign–now with unimaginably huge backing, the billionaires are all in for him. They will keep him out of the public eye and charge on. A Union AFL/CIO Biden/Sanders debate scheduled prior to Florida Primary has been cancelled due to “Corona virus” uh huh…will in fact there ever be a one on one Sanders/Biden debate now?

All the previous candidates have had “the call” and Elizabeth Warren (so far) seems the only one not to have shown their inner weasel. From the Buttigieg sponsored vote rigging application in Iowa to the millions of dollars spent by Bloomberg it has been a rotten affair. What a man Bernie Sanders is, and the disparate peoples movements that have enabled Sanders MkII, standing strong against that pile!
- Phil 6.1
  
  11 March 2020 at 10:07 am
  
  South Carolina was vote herded by Mr Clyburn–a DNC favourite
  
  He's literally the House Majority Whip and has been a long-standing senior member of the Black Congressional Caucus. Maybe you could be a little less patronising next time and describe him by his role rather than like someone's favorite flavour of icecream.
  
  It is clearly a Trump state–yet a major harbinger for the pundits in the Democratic nomination process.
  
  SC was the first state that black voters (approx 40% of the overall democratic primary electorate) got to make their voice heard en masse. It *is* important for understanding trends and forces in the nomination process.
  - bill 6.1.1
    
    11 March 2020 at 10:18 am
    
    50% of African Americans polled who had voted for Biden, said they had voted for Biden because of Clyburn's endorsement.
    
    Some black folks are less than impressed at what Clyburn has enabled. Try the vid below from about 5min 30 sec for a taster, aye?
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUj8T50PZ20&t=21s
    - Sabine 6.1.1.1
      
      11 March 2020 at 10:36 am
      
      maybe some of that shit is what puts people of the Saint?
      
      https://twitter.com/blackwomenviews/status/1236352623428673539
      
      or this shit here, but then he 'condems' it. 🙂
      
      https://www.businessinsider.com.au/bernie-sanders-condemns-attacks-against-elizabeth-warren-after-super-tuesday-2020-3?r=US&IR=T
      
      or this shit
      
      https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-02-19/bernie-sanders-supporters-toxic-online-culture
      
      personally i my fave has quit the race and now its a race of three old white man and i am like so many in the US. If i had to vote for any of the three old white man i would have to don a full body hazmat suit, bring a barge pole to push the button with and then sanitze for hte rest of the year in a tub of liquid alcohol.
      
      But fact is that the US has the enviable choice of thee old white man. And two of these guys have some of the worst supporters ever.
      
      p
      - Bill 6.1.1.1.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 10:54 am
        
        Confused where you get the "two old white men" thing from.
        
        Sanders, Biden and Gabbard (a 40 something non-Christian woman of colour) are the three remaining candidates.
        
        Of course, the DNC has changed the rules (yet again) – this time to exclude Tulsi Gabbard from the upcoming CNN debate.
        
        Phil 6.1.1.1.1.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 11:15 am
        
        Oh, please, Bill, get off it. Gabbard hasn't qualified for the Dem debate stage since November and, as far as I can tell, never polled higher than about 2% nationally.
        
        Andre 6.1.1.1.1.2
        
        11 March 2020 at 11:22 am
        
        Gabbard has won 0.71% of the votes cast so far. You think that should get her a spot on the stage? Really?
        
        Bill …
        
        11 March 2020 at 11:57 am
        
        The debate rules put in place by the DNC – that they claimed were immutable right up until they changed them to allow Bloomberg in – state that any person who has won a delegate qualifies to be in debates.
        
        Gabbard has a delegate.
        
        Phil …
        
        11 March 2020 at 12:10 pm
        
        Yeah, getting into the debate REALLY helped Bloomberg, didn't it?
        
        The qualification thresholds have, entirely reasonably, increased for every debate and narrowed the field. Statistically speaking, if the polling was representative of regular commenters on this blog, literally no-one other than you gives a single fuck about Gabbard's campaign.
        
        Andre …
        
        11 March 2020 at 12:11 pm
        
        Getting a delegate was one of the ways to qualify for the tenth debate on 25th February.
        
        There were no announced qualifications for the eleventh debate until the requirement of 20% of the pledged delegates awarded by March 15, announced on March 6. Qualification rules for the eleventh debate weren't changed, they simply hadn't been finalised.
        
        Unless you got a link that says otherwise?
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_debates#Qualification_11
        
        Bill …
        
        11 March 2020 at 12:17 pm
        
        Sure. The rules were changed post Super Tuesday. What's your point?
        
        Andre …
        
        11 March 2020 at 12:30 pm
        
        The rules for qualifying for the eleventh debate did not exist before the March 6th announcement of what they were going to be. They were not, repeat, not changed.
        
        Nobody with any authority ever asserted or promised the rules would remain the same from the tenth debate to the eleventh debate, that I'm aware of or can find.
        
        Some Tulsi fanbois may have had a head explosion when Tulsi met the bar too late for the previous debate that had already happened, but that's not actually the same as meeting rules that have yet to be announced for a future debate. That's just a lack of understanding of how time works.
        
        RedLogix …
        
        11 March 2020 at 12:41 pm
        
        As a "Tulsi fanboi" whose head hasn't exploded, it's still clear to me that the DNC establishment went out of their way to ensure she wasn't going to get a hearing.
        
        All other considerations aside … who would you actually prefer as a US President … an intelligent woman with an articulate story to tell about US foreign policy, or Joe Biden's doddery establishment fuckery?
        
        And just for the record, I strongly supported Sanders in 2016, but the context changed in 2020. I think he should not have run this time, but rather committed his formidable campaigning powers to supporting younger voices.
        
        Andre …
        
        11 March 2020 at 2:05 pm
        
        @RedLogix: I'm assuming that comment was aimed at me.
        
        Looks to me more like the DNC declined to take the opportunity to create contorted rules to bring Tulsi into the debate. Given her very low support level, and that she's 2:1 underwater unfavourable/favourable with Democratic voters, I can't see much incentive for the DNC to go out of their way for her.
        
        Sure I'd love to have an articulate woman with a story to tell about US foreign policy as president, provided that foreign policy was something I could at least choke down. Tulsi's enthusiasm for authoritarian dictators and nationalism, and droning the fuck out foreign brown people whose religion she doesn't like using a bloated military means she's not that person.
        
        RedLogix …
        
        11 March 2020 at 2:23 pm
        
        Tulsi's enthusiasm for authoritarian dictators and nationalism, and droning the fuck out foreign brown people whose religion she doesn't like using a bloated military means she's not that person.
        
        Having actually listened to her speak at length I really wonder exactly how you managed to twist what she is saying into that smeary mess. But then again if you're getting your info from the Dem mainstream I'm not surprised.
        
        Sure she isn’t ‘progressive’ enough to make anyone happy around here, but in purely pragmatic terms of governing a nation like the USA she’s a better fit than Sanders TBH.
        
        Andre …
        
        11 March 2020 at 2:37 pm
        
        I didn't think Jacobin was a mainstream Dem source. Learn something every day, I s'pose.
        
        https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/05/tulsi-gabbard-president-sanders-democratic-party
        
        RedLogix …
        
        11 March 2020 at 2:46 pm
        
        I realise the left is in love with anything Islam at the moment and any discussion or criticism of fundamentalist terrorism is off-limits. So … no comment.
        
        Sabine 6.1.1.1.1.3
        
        11 March 2020 at 11:43 am
        
        i have no use for Gabbard. None. And she is some 300+ delegates short to being even mentioned. Like this is pulling at straws. At the very best this chick should get hired by either Fox or RT and then she did well for her. And no, she was not excluded, she got 1 – i repeat 1 delegate (from her Native Samoa) and thus needs a bit more to get into any debate. Now it is set at delegate count and not money raised. But she will look nice on RT or Fox whinging about the Democrats while not once mentioning the shenanigans of hte republicans.
        
        Ask her constituence in Hawaii how well they did, and look just at how much support she got from her native American Samoa.
        
        There are three old white men running. 🙂 One is the sitting bullshitter and the others are still fighting about whom will be the selected bullshitter for the D's to go after the sitting bullshitter for the R.s.
        
        As for Bernie, he wasted almost 4 years doing fuck all. And again, this is the choice the public has to make, which of the three mediocre white men to elevate as that is the only choice there ever was.
        
        None of these three are the solution to anything.
    - Phil 6.1.1.2
      
      11 March 2020 at 10:37 am
      
      50% of African Americans polled who had voted for Biden, said they had voted for Biden because of Clyburn's endorsement.
      
      Right. Even in the hyper-online world of 2020, some old-fashioned personal endorsements still matter.
      - Sabine 6.1.1.2.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 11:46 am
        
        Maybe this is a good read in regards to the 'black vote'. https://www.theroot.com/there-is-no-such-thing-as-the-black-vote-1842086544
- bill 6.2
  
  11 March 2020 at 10:09 am
  
  will in fact there ever be a one on one Sanders/Biden debate now?
  
  Apparently not. CNN the DNC have decided the next "head to head" will in fact be a seated affair where each candidate fields audience questions. So…no opportunity to debate one on one, and no mutual grilling by journalists or moderators on specific points…just (surely not vetted!) audience questions from a (representative?) audience.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LikgDwzMvCQ&t=314s
Adrian Thornton 7

11 March 2020 at 10:38 am

Voting Biden for anyone in the states who earns less than 100K is like voting for your old slave master, and for the rest of the world it means a big fuck you to anyone who cares what shape the planet will be left in for our children and grandchildren..because as we know now these so called moderate centrist liberals have no answers for climate change and never will..that is a fact.

Here is an indication to what a Biden White House will most probably look like..it makes me feel a bit sick..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0NRqQVw2nk
- Bill 7.1
  
  11 March 2020 at 10:46 am
  
  christ
  - mat simpson 7.1.1
    
    11 March 2020 at 11:53 am
    
    I think Christ has endorsed Trump Bill.
    - Phil 7.1.1.1
      
      11 March 2020 at 12:38 pm
      
      Christ was notoriously anti-establishment but so far He hasn't spoken directly. I guess people would rather spend their time trying to pressure Elizabeth Warren into endorsing a candidate.
      - RedLogix 7.1.1.1.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 3:34 pm
        
        Christ was notoriously anti-establishment
        
        Not necessarily in the way you might imagine:
        
        Mathew 5:17
      - Ad 7.1.1.1.2
        
        11 March 2020 at 6:18 pm
        
        Only sometimes.
        
        Jesus was Labour.
        
        And, like Labour, I preferred his early work.
Tiger Mountain 8

11 March 2020 at 11:21 am

The 2020 US General Election so far has been a masterclass in US ruling class corruption, – “do you really want to know how a sausage is made”…

The Democrats Abroad Primary voting (3-10 March) should have closed now, and will that ever be fully reported in a timely manner, as per California, unless favourable to Joe? Predictions from pundits are for a huge absentee mail in vote in Michigan too, following a 2018 change.
Siobhan 9

11 March 2020 at 12:40 pm

another factor in all of this…the closure of Voting booths..which arguably, in some states, favours Republicans..but most definitely leaves the most disadvantaged cut off from chance to engage in American style Democracy…6 hour wait times in Texas…"Hey Mr McDonald's manager..I may be a little late for my shift…"

https://www.kctv5.com/news/local_news/kansas-city-mayor-turned-away-at-polling-location-on-election/article_8e2b2c5e-62cc-11ea-89ac-1ba48ed21669.html?fbclid=IwAR1zpcO0d7vYIDPfGNU

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/02/texas-polling-sites-closures-voting

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/03/texas-primary-lines/
Tiger Mountain 10

11 March 2020 at 1:12 pm

The more you delve into US political innards the more you wonder why anyone bothers…
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/your-candidate-dropped-out-some-michigan-residents-can-vote-twice-n1151891
- joe90 10.1
  
  11 March 2020 at 1:31 pm
  
  So if their first choice candidate drops out they can redistribute their vote.
  
  Sounds familiar.
Phil 11

11 March 2020 at 2:12 pm

Just after 2pm NZT and Michigan has been called for Biden. Whatever flickering flame of hope Sanders had of clinching the nomination has been extinguished. Farewell, good man.
Ad 12

11 March 2020 at 2:35 pm

Why isn't Sanders doing better than last time?

Surely Biden is weaker than Hillary was?
- Andre 12.1
  
  11 March 2020 at 2:51 pm
  
  Biden's history is somewhat bland and innocuous. Hillary's history includes decades of smears.
  
  Biden has a willy. Hillary doesn't.
  
  Biden's caricature is the uncle that's friendly goofy, slightly-not-with-it but fun anyway. Hillary's caricature was shrill, calculating, evasive and devious.
  
  Hillary’s strengths are being articulate and prepared and capable and having thought things through. Biden’s strengths are … not those. But apparently those don’t matter to the broader American electorate.
- Phil 12.2
  
  11 March 2020 at 2:59 pm
  
  I think the harshest lesson to learn from 2016, in hindsight, is that it was more of an Anti-Hillary movement than it ever was a Pro-Bernie movement.
  
  Biden also still gets some reflective glow from the Obama era.
  - McFlock 12.2.1
    
    11 March 2020 at 4:05 pm
    
    But why were white men so much more anti HRC than they are anti-Biden?
    
    https://twitter.com/ryanstruyk/status/1237546951026946048
    - Sabine 12.2.1.1
      
      11 March 2020 at 7:15 pm
      
      30 years of vilifying starting with her not wanting to sit at home baking cookies when dear hubby was governor of arkansas. Literally she is the most vilified person in us politics, and fwiw, she is either the most genius of all villains – no bodies are ever found, or she is just good at what she is but she has a vagina rather then a penis and thus can not be godly. After all women shall not teach men, or something like that the bible says.
      
      Also quite a few of evangelics and armageddon and pro 'forced pregnancy' white men would never ever ever vote for a women, they would vote to repeal the 19th ammendment to remove the right to vote for women and to be honest some of the women in thise cults would probably do the same. Cause we are made for making sandwiches, babies and sexually pleasing hubby. Sentient doormats in essence.
      - weston 12.2.1.1.1
        
        11 March 2020 at 10:23 pm
        
        sounds like you bought 'dear' hillery's Tulsi is a russian mole story hook line and sinka sabine ?Since hillery has the clinton family fortune to fall back on and hence any amount of cash to give her lawyers i doubt tulsi will ever see much of the 50 mil from her lawsuit still it might induce HC to lie a little less openly perhaps ?
mat simpson 13

11 March 2020 at 3:05 pm

Imagine if Bernie had reacted this way.

The establishment mask is beginning too slip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQF30eCZuvs
Adrian Thornton 14

11 March 2020 at 3:19 pm

‘You’re A Piece Of Shit And I Hope Everyone Like You Dies,’ Says Biden To Democratic Voter In Stirring Call For Party Unity

https://politics.theonion.com/you-re-a-piece-of-shit-and-i-hope-everyone-like-you-di-1841363666?utm_campaign=SF&utm_content=Main&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&fbclid=IwAR22y3t0WrfeOr1KMq_yf82NxejcJkNp07Yliwth5GqAC8YiQ1JMZRjciIA
- McFlock 14.1
  
  11 March 2020 at 3:20 pm
  
  lol
Ad 15

11 March 2020 at 6:24 pm

Tough day there Bill.

If it's any consolation I feel as disappointed with our own government.

I'd like Sanders in Cabinet at HUD.
- RedLogix 15.1
  
  11 March 2020 at 6:44 pm
  
  + lots.
  
  I've been through the Sanders disappointment in 2016 so I'm feeling it less the second time around. As I said elsewhere in 2020 the context has changed and I think he should have not run this time. It only badly split an already underdog progressive field.

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7 days ago

The kindest cuts
Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
7 days ago

Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
7 days ago

At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Skeptical Science
1 week ago

How could this happen?
Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
Open ParachuteBy Ken
1 week ago

Always Be Campaigning
The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
1 week ago

Release: Support for new retailers to increase supermarket competition
Labour will assist new retailers to set up business in New Zealand as part of its drive to cut the price of groceries and increase competition. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Labour Manifesto 2023
Labour is in it for you. This election Kiwis will decide what kind of country they want New Zealand to be, who they trust to have their back, and how we can be better, together. This election matters. View our full Manifesto below. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Release: National's water U-turn will drive up New Zealanders' rates bills
The National Party's U-turn on water reform has left local councils high and dry and will drive up Kiwi's rates bills, Labour Party Local Government Spokesperson Kieran McAnulty says. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Labour's Rainbow Manifesto
A re-elected Labour Party will continue to tackle discriminations still faced by members of the Rainbow community in areas ranging from surrogacy and adoption to blood donation. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: National’s plan means more cuts, more kids in poverty
National’s fiscal plan has failed to fill the massive fiscal hole in its dodgy tax scheme, it will mean more cuts to public services, more children being put into poverty and an end to action on climate change. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Release: Labour will continue to back Kiwis when the going gets tough
Labour’s Social Development Plan will build on the social welfare safety net, rather than strip it back. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Policy Announcements: Law & Order and Justice, Courts & Corrections
New Zealand First Policy Announcement: Law and Order New Zealand First believes that keeping society safe should be the priority of law-and-order policies. Every New Zealander deserves to feel safe, secure, and have their person and property respected. That is why New Zealand First continues to fix the flaws in ...
NZ First Press Release
5 days ago

Labour's Dirt Campaign Exposed With Media Help
In last night’s leaders debate Labour Leader Chris Hipkins referred to a quote without giving any explanation of its content, which was about the ‘disease of co-governance’ that is perpetuated by the Māori elite, and he said it was racist. Then, without even examining the content, National leader Christopher Luxon agreed with ...
NZ First Press Release
5 days ago

Labour's Dirt Campaign Exposed With Media Help
In last night’s leaders debate Labour Leader Chris Hipkins referred to a quote without giving any explanation of its content, which was about the ‘disease of co-governance’ that is perpetuated by the Māori elite, and he said it was racist. Then, without even examining the content, National leader Christopher Luxon agreed with ...
NZ First News
5 days ago

Chris Hipkins: Speech Progressing Together
Today, Chris Hipkins delivered a speech about Labour’s relationship with and ongoing commitment to Māori. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: National out of ideas on law and order, copies Labour’s policies and costings
After years of criticising the Government on law and order, National have embarrassed themselves by conceding they have no new ideas and instead copied Labour’s Police policy announced three weeks ago, Labour Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen says. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: Labour releases balanced, costed and credible fiscal plan
Labour’s fiscal plan will continue its focus on carefully managing the books while protecting critical public services like health and education and investing to deliver high wage jobs and a low carbon economy. ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Policy Announcement: Capped Time-Period For Job Seeker Beneficiaries
New Zealand First today is announcing a policy on adjusting the rules and restrictions around access to the Job Seeker Benefit. New Zealand First’s policy is to introduce a capped time-period for any person to access the Job Seeker Benefit during their lifetime. Any individual will have the ability to access the Job Seeker ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Policy Announcement: Capped Time-Period For Job Seeker Beneficiaries
New Zealand First today is announcing a policy on adjusting the rules and restrictions around access to the Job Seeker Benefit. New Zealand First’s policy is to introduce a capped time-period for any person to access the Job Seeker Benefit during their lifetime. Any individual will have the ability to access the Job Seeker ...
NZ First News
1 week ago

Release: National’s traffic light system has child poverty reduction stalling
National’s cuts to funding for beneficiaries will once again leave children and their parents with less, Spokesperson for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Green Party will end child poverty
The Green Party will double the Best Start payment and make it available for every child under three years of age - and it will be paid for with a fair tax system. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Labour pledges billion-dollar medicines boost
Labour will fund more medicines for more New Zealanders by investing over $1 billion of new funding into Pharmac if re-elected, Chris Hipkins announced today. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

National's welfare policy is cruel
The National Party’s job seeker policy announced today is heartless. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Labour's PHARMAC Policy A Placebo
Labour has just announced a policy to increase Pharmac funding by $1billion over four years to fund additional medicines. With the current Pharmac budget of $1.2billion per year and needing a further $213million, by Minister Verrall’s own admission, just to keep up with current costs - then this is nothing ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Labour's PHARMAC Policy A Placebo
Labour has just announced a policy to increase Pharmac funding by $1billion over four years to fund additional medicines. With the current Pharmac budget of $1.2billion per year and needing a further $213million, by Minister Verrall’s own admission, just to keep up with current costs - then this is nothing ...
NZ First News
1 week ago

Re: The Call For Corporate Manslaughter Legislation
This matter begins with the Pike River investigation being inadequate, inexplicably lengthy, and after millions of dollars, the evidence that should have been placed before the public still has not been. We have always believed that Pike River is a crime scene, and that a proper investigation would have come to that conclusion. Blue ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Re: The Call For Corporate Manslaughter Legislation
This matter begins with the Pike River investigation being inadequate, inexplicably lengthy, and after millions of dollars, the evidence that should have been placed before the public still has not been. We have always believed that Pike River is a crime scene, and that a proper investigation would have come to that conclusion. Blue ...
NZ First News
1 week ago

Release: Labour releases New Zealand’s first climate manifesto
New Zealand faces a stark choice this election – vote for Labour to continue to confront the climate emergency with eyes wide open or bury your head in the sand alongside Christopher Luxon. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Green voice crucial for climate action
The Green Party is today welcoming Labour’s climate manifesto, but is clear that much more will need to be done to tackle the climate crisis. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Speech: Chris Hipkins – Wellington Rally, 24 September
...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

People need a government that will build many more homes
Labour’s plan to build more homes is a welcome step forward, but it lacks ambition. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Supercharging public housing
Labour is supercharging its plan to solve the public housing shortfall created by National, promising another 6,000 homes on top of what has already been committed says Labour Housing spokesperson Dr Megan Woods. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: New Super Visa for migrants’ parents and rights for Dawn Raid victims
Labour will back migrant working families by introducing a 10-year multiple-entry parents’ and grandparents’ Super Visa, and make good on the Dawn Raids apology by providing a one-off visa for overstayers who have been in the country ten years or more, Labour’s Immigration Spokesperson Andrew Little says. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Only the Greens will deliver a fair amnesty for overstayers
The Green Party is today welcoming Labour coming to the table to ensure an amnesty for overstayers, but only the Greens will ensure immigration settings actually reflect the reality of people who have been failed by our immigration system. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Climate future of communities on the line this election
Green Party co leader James Shaw attended a South Dunedin Future street meeting today to discuss local responses to climate change. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Green Party calls for stronger action by Auckland Council to protect urban trees and native forest
The Green Party is calling on Auckland Council to do more to protect urban trees and housing developer Aedifice Property Group to restore and replant the native forest it cleared, and protect all the remaining trees on Ngahere Road in Pukekohe after a significant number of native trees were cut ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Ram Raids drop to two-year low
Latest Police data shows monthly ram raids have hit a two-year low, laying waste to Christopher Luxon’s false claim that there are two ram raids a day says Labour’s Police Spokesperson Ginny Andersen. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Every party needs to step up on school lunches
Labour has finally said it would continue free school lunches - and the Green Party is calling on every party to step up. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: School lunches on the line this election
Free and healthy school lunches will be here to stay if Labour is re-elected, guaranteeing food for our kids who need it most and significant cost saving for parents. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour commits to a new hospital for the people of Hawke’s Bay
The next Labour Government will build a new hospital in Hawke’s Bay, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall announced. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Govt changes fall short of what’s needed for migrant protection
The Green Party will keep up the fight to support exploited migrant workers, including pushing to end single employer visas, after the government picked up Green recommendations to improve immigration settings. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Clean Power Payment the smartest way forward to reduce emissions and bills
Green Party co leader James Shaw visited a home in Auckland today that has been upgraded with a wide range of energy improvements, similar to those that would be supported through the Green Party’s Clean Power Payment. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Foreign Minister's Action – A Contempt For “Caretaker Government” Convention
The Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s presence in New York today at the United Nations General Assembly is a contempt of New Zealand’s “caretaker government” convention. Despite the long-standing caretaker convention, Minister Mahuta is today at the UN to sign a highly contentious “Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement”, delivering a ...
NZ First Press Release
2 weeks ago

Back To Black Responsibly
The Pre-Election Fiscal Update Changes Everything Within an hour of this speech there is going to be a debate between the political parties that the media, under MMP, still think are the only parties that matter in this campaign. Both of those parties are riddled with inexperience, as evidenced by ...
NZ First Press Release
2 weeks ago

Stop the cuts before they start – Labour launches new TV ad
National and ACT's tax plans don't add up, and that means deep cuts to the public services New Zealanders rely on, says Labour Campaign Chair Megan Woods. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Youth justice programme expands to break cycle of offending
The successful ‘Circuit Breaker’ fast track programme designed to stop repeat youth offending was launched in two new locations today by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis. The programme, first piloted in West and South Auckland in December last year, is aimed at children aged 10-13 who commit serious offending or continue ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
11 hours ago

Major milestone with 20,000 employers using Apprenticeship Boost
The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost initiative has now supported 20,000 employers to help keep on and train up apprentices, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni announced in Christchurch today. Almost 62,000 apprentices have been supported to start and keep training for a trade since the initiative was introduced in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
12 hours ago

Government supporting wood processing jobs and more diverse industry
The Government is supporting non-pine tree sawmilling and backing further job creation in sawmills in Rotorua and Whangarei, Forestry Minister Peeni Henare said. “The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan identified the need to add more diversity to our productions forests, wood products and markets,” Peeni Henare said. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
14 hours ago

Government backing Canterbury’s future in aerospace industry
The Government is helping Canterbury’s aerospace industry take off with further infrastructure support for the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, Infrastructure Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “Today I can confirm we will provide a $5.4 million grant to the Tāwhaki Joint Venture to fund a sealed runway and hangar ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
14 hours ago

Updated forestry regulations increase council controls and require large slash removal
Local councils will have more power to decide where new commercial forests – including carbon forests – are located, to reduce impacts on communities and the environment, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “New national standards give councils greater control over commercial forestry, including clear rules on harvesting practices and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
15 hours ago

New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Immigration settings updates
Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

COVID-19 funding returned to Government
The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Appointment of District Court Judge
Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today. Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today. “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

More support for victims of migrant exploitation
Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

New Zealand provides support to Morocco
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

France to host Pacific defence ministers in New Caledonia ‘hub’ meeting
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ French Pacific correspondent Defence ministers from several Asian and Pacific states are scheduled to meet in New Caledonia for two days during the first week of December, French Armed Forces in New Caledonia (FANC) commander General Yann Latil announced at the weekend. He added that French ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
2 hours ago

NEW POLL: Statistical Tie Between National And ACT In Race For Tāmaki
A new Taxpayers Union – Curia poll in the Tāmaki electorate shows ACT’s Brooke van Velden mounting a strong challenge to incumbent National MP, Simon O’Connor. The two major candidates for the seat are locked in a statistical tie with 35% of ...
Scoop politics
3 hours ago

Labour-friendly turf Christchurch throws up some testy exchanges for Carmel Sepuloni
The Cabinet Minister was challenged on her party's record on crime, the cost of living, veterans and beneficiaries during a visit to territory normally considered a Labour heartland. ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

Australia’s emissions must decline more steeply to reach climate commitment: OECD
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australia’s emissions need to decline “on a much steeper trajectory” if it is to meet its declared commitment of a 43% reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Tāmaki Is Ready For A Fresh New Voice
“Tonight at the Taxpayer’s Union Tāmaki debate I put forward to voters why I should be the next advocate for their community in Parliament,” says ACT Deputy Leader and Tāmaki candidate Brooke van Velden. “After 63 years being represented ...
Scoop politics
4 hours ago

Against All Odds In Hauraki-Waikato
The youngest candidate in this year’s election is closing in on the Labour stronghold of Hauraki-Waikato. A Whakaata Māori exclusive poll has revealed that Te Pāti Māori newcomer, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, is just four percentage points behind Labour’s ...
Scoop politics
4 hours ago

General election 2023: Nanaia Mahuta facing serious challenge in Hauraki-Waikato, poll shows
The incumbent MP is just four points ahead of one of the youngest candidates in this year's general election, a poll conducted for Whakaata Māori is revealing. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

ACT's Brooke van Velden turns up heat on Simon O'Connor in new poll
The ACT party candidate is locked in a statistical tie with the incumbent in the previously safe National seat of Tāmaki, a new Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll reveals. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

Simon O’Connor vs Brooke van Velden will go to wire in Tāmaki – new poll
Following a poll last week which depicted Chlöe Swarbrick in a battle to hold on to Auckland Central, another seat in the city has been confirmed as balanced on a knife edge. In a battle among the parties of the right in Tāmaki, sitting MP Simon O’Connor leads Brooke van ...
The SpinoffBy Toby Manhire
5 hours ago

No rate hike yet, but will it rise on Melbourne Cup Day? It all depends on petrol prices
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University If the Reserve Bank does push up interest rates again, the most likely next date is its next board meeting, on Melbourne Cup Tuesday. The November 7 meeting is especially ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

The disability royal commission heard horrific stories of harm – now we must move towards repair
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Francis Kelly, Honorary Research Fellow, School of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has shared its final report. In this series, we unpack what the commission’s 222 ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

My Sister Jill: Patricia Cornelius’ new play is a blistering post-war social and cultural commenta...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Austin, Lecturer in Theatre, The University of Melbourne Sarah Walker/MTC Emerging from one of Australia’s most enduring and significant theatrical partnerships between director Susie Dee and playwright Patricia Cornelius, My Sister Jill is a contemporary homage to George Johnston’s ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

‘I voted’ stickers not offered this election due to lack of demand – EC
There’s been a strong outpouring on social media after it emerged that polling booths wouldn’t be handing out the orange man “I voted” stickers during this year’s election. And while many have claimed this to be a new decision, the Electoral Commission told The Spinoff the stickers weren’t actually given ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
7 hours ago

Politicians Need To Break R&D Funding Election Cycle For Science To Thrive
BioTechNZ has called on the next Government to leverage the use of biotechnology to transform the economy, lift the performance of New Zealand industries, and create high-value jobs. The organisation, whose members all share a desire to maximise the ...
Scoop politics
8 hours ago

National Party Statement On Prostate Cancer Welcomed
More than 4000 men are diagnosed and over 700 die from prostate cancer every year. That’s more than twice the road toll. Men’s lives matter too. The Prostate Cancer Foundation today welcomed statements by the National Party relating to prostate cancer ...
Scoop politics
8 hours ago

We started a service for people worried about their sexual thoughts about children. Here’s what we...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma McKibbin, Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock In its 2017 final report, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse identified that there was no large-scale national early intervention service in Australia for people worried ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Large slash must now be removed after harvesting, new forestry regulations say
Cyclone Gabrielle highlighted the need for better regulations on forestry, after woody debris was washed into waterways and caused widespread damage and flooding. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Voice support up in Essential poll, but it is still behind
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The referendum on the Indigenous Voice to parliament will be held on October 14. A national Essential poll, conducted September 27 to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Election 2023: National 'mischief making' over claims Ingrid Leary backs wealth tax &#8211...
The Labour leader is downplaying comments by his MP, Ingrid Leary, who has spoken in favour of a wealth tax. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Time For Aotearoa NZ To Stop Investing In Infrastructure For Yesterday
Time to invest in infrastructure for a modern, flourishing, resilient tomorrow. The New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils hosted its 34th AGM and Community Awards Dinner on the weekend of the 16th – 17th September 2023 in Wellington. Twenty-four ...
Scoop politics
9 hours ago

More than 50,000 people cast ballot on first day of advance voting
The first day of advance voting yesterday saw 56,557 people cast their ballots, according to the Electoral Commission. That’s a big drop on day one of advance voting in 2020, when 92,434 people took part. Given the exceptional, Covid-impacted circumstances of the last election, however, a more instructive comparison may ...
The SpinoffBy Toby Manhire
10 hours ago

Climate debate puts parties' emissions policies under scrutiny
With New Zealand on track to fall 114 million tonnes short of the 2030 emissions reduction target, and billions of dollars likely needed to pay for it, political parties have debated their climate policies. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Climate debate puts parties' emissions policies under scrutiny
With New Zealand on track to fall 114 million tonnes short of the 2030 emissions reduction target, and billions of dollars likely needed to pay for it, political parties have debated their climate policies. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

ACT unveils medicines policy including one-week approvals
ACT is promising to require one-week Medsafe approvals for drugs and medical devices approved by at least two similar countries. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Gambling with Covid: Repeat infections are damaging us
The science is clear, the effects are profound and the toll of Long Covid and reinfections can’t be ignored, writes Freya Sawbridge. On August 15, mandates ceased for masks in healthcare settings along with isolation for positive cases. That marked the end of the final two pandemic restrictions. Anyone wanting to ...
The SpinoffBy Freya Sawbridge
10 hours ago

West Papua’s human rights issues under spotlight for Jubi film launch
Jubi News in Jayapura Director Latifah Anum Siregar of the Democracy Alliance for Papua (ALDP) has emphasised the importance of raising awareness about human rights violations in Papua during a discussion at the launch of five Jubi Documentary films. The event took place at the St. Nicholaus Ambassador of Peace ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
10 hours ago

New Zealand First Policy Announcement: Parliamentary Conscience Votes
· New Zealand First will put an end to the use of conscience votes in parliament and return democracy to the people. · New Zealand First has always believed that important decisions that change the social fabric of our country forever should not ...
Scoop politics
11 hours ago

Holes in baby dinosaur bones show how football-sized hatchlings grew to 3-tonne teens
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger S. Seymour, Professor Emeritus of Physiology, University of Adelaide Shutterstock Despite their public image as torpid, lumbering creatures, many dinosaurs were evidently warm-blooded, highly active animals, capable of prolonged and strenuous aerobic exercise. In new research, my colleagues ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
11 hours ago

Israel Adesanya is still fighting past demons
Mike Minogue watched the new documentary on Israel Adesanya and recognised how hard it is to leave bullies behind. It would have been an entirely satisfactory piece of work. Imagine a documentary that unfolds with behind the scenes footage of the once unknown subject’s journey from utter obscurity, all the ...
The SpinoffBy Mike Minogue
12 hours ago

Corporate Welfare For Wood Processing Leaves Taxpayers’ Union Stumped
The Taxpayers’ Union is questioning the Government’s decision to provide corporate welfare to the wood processing sector, both in the form of direct hand-outs and the Government playing bank manager by providing loans when this could easily be left ...
Scoop politics
12 hours ago

Humpback whales hold lore for Traditional Custodians. But laws don’t protect species for their cul...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Pascoe, Research fellow, The University of Melbourne Back to Country, CC BY-NC-ND For saltwater people of Australia’s east and west coasts, humpback whales hold important lore in the form of stories. For the Yuin people of the east ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
12 hours ago

Wellington Town Hall repairs could cost as much as $330m
The cost of repairing Wellington’s Town Hall has blown out again, with projections now forecast at $250-$330 million, up from a previous estimated completion cost of $182m. The Town Hall has been closed since it was damaged in the 2013 Seddon earthquake. The first cost estimates for repairs were $43 ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
12 hours ago

Lowlights from a media debate where half the parties didn’t even show up
In 2020 the pandemic briefly made the media central to our politics. A debate three years on shows how much that has changed. If you want to know just how far media has fallen as an area of interest for our political class, here are some realities to consider. Act’s ...
The SpinoffBy Duncan Greive
13 hours ago

Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Ten reasons Labour’s support has halved
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. The Labour Government was elected with 50 per cent of the vote three years ago, but current opinion polls show their vote could halve in this year’s election, which would be one of the biggest plunges in political history. ...
Evening ReportBy Bryce Edwards
13 hours ago

Luxon maintains he can’t reschedule debate, offers alternatives for Hipkins
National’s Christopher Luxon has defended his decision not to move his schedule around in order to attend a leaders’ debate in Christchurch. With Chris Hipkins testing positive for Covid-19, tonight’s Press debate can’t go ahead. Hipkins had made himself available after he leaves isolation, but Luxon said his schedule was ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
13 hours ago

The debate over the debate
It’s Tuesday, October 3 and welcome along to The Spinoff’s election live updates. We’re now just 11 days out from polling day. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund. Get in touch with me on [email protected] Learn more about the political parties and what they stand for at Policy.nz The agenda The ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
14 hours ago

National promises post-natal hospital stays, diabetes monitors, mental health training boost
National is promising longer after-birth hospital stays for mothers, free glucose monitors for children with type-1 diabetes and more psychiatrist and psychologist training places. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

Government pledges $5.4m to build runway and hangar facilities at Kaitorete
The government is pledging $5.4m to help build runway and hangar facilities at Kaitorete on Banks Peninsula to support the aerospace industry. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

How to accept loss (political edition)
Sure, it’s not over yet, but it’s time for Labour supporters to face facts: October 14 is not looking promising. Haimona Gray has some tips for how to prepare for the very real possibility of a big gut-punch loss at the polls. The year was 1999. The place was, technically, ...
The SpinoffBy Haimona Gray
14 hours ago

Election 2023: Some young Asian voters want to see more engagement from political parties
Asians are the fastest-growing ethnic group in Aotearoa, but some young Asian voters say their voices are not being heard in this election. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

Weet-Bix will be back at The Warehouse, confirms Sanitarium
The stand-off between Weet-Bix manufacturers Sanitarium and The Warehouse has ended, with confirmation today the breakfast cereal will be back in store. Last week, The Warehouse went to the Commerce Commission after being told Weet-Bix would be pulled from its stores nationwide over the weekend. The retailer claimed it was ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
15 hours ago

Election 2023: Experts call out Winston Peters over climate change claims
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been spreading misleading climate information at public meetings. ...
Radio NZ – political
15 hours ago

Taxpayers’ Union Responds To Te Pūkenga's Unsuccessful Ad Campaign
Despite facing consistent financial challenges and relying on taxpayer bailouts - most recently to the tune of $220 million in May's budget - The Waikato Times has revealed a staggering $15.6 million spent on ads, PR, and publications, which includes ...
Scoop politics
15 hours ago

Morning Report hosts climate debate with Labour, National, and Greens
Labour's Megan Woods, National's Simon Watts and the Greens' James Shaw took part in a live climate debate on Morning Report. ...
Radio NZ – political
16 hours ago

Bottom Trawling Ban Can’t Avoid Fishing Areas, Says Greenpeace
Greenpeace has welcomed Labour’s support for banning bottom trawling on seamounts but warns the ‘devil is in the detail’, reminding political leaders that meaningful ocean protection means urgently banning the method from where it does the most harm. ...
Scoop politics
16 hours ago

Costco Living Wage Settlement Sets New Standard For Grocery Pay
Nearly 200 FIRST Union members who work at Costco in Auckland are "setting a new standard" for the supermarket and grocery industry after ratifying the store’s first Collective Agreement, which includes starting rates above the living ...
Scoop politics
16 hours ago

The cost of being: A junior consultant in Wellington
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 22-year-old consultant with a $30,000 student loan shares where his money goes. Gender: Male Age: 22 Ethnicity: Pākehā Work situation: Junior analyst for a multinational consulting firm. I get a yearly salary of $65,000. This is my first ...
The SpinoffBy The Cost of Being
16 hours ago

How AI Is Changing Democracy: Nudging, Microtargeting, And Epistemic Bubbles
Today, Maxim Institute releases our latest discussion paper, “ How AI is changing democracy: nudging, microtargeting, and epistemic bubbles. ” According to the authors, “AI brings many benefits to society that may come to affect nearly every area of ...
Scoop politics
16 hours ago

The Bulletin: Luxon describes referendum on Treaty principles as ‘divisive’
As recently as last week, Act leader David Seymour reaffirmed his party’s position on a referendum on co-governance, proposing “that the next government pass legislation defining the Principles of the Treaty, in particularly their effect on democratic institutions. Then ask the people to vote on it becoming law.” Christopher Luxon appeared ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
16 hours ago

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Luxon 'putting up roadblocks' to leaders' debate
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins has accused Christopher Luxon off "putting up roadblocks to every alternative" after Luxon said he was unavailable for a rescheduled Press Leaders' debate. ...
Radio NZ – political
16 hours ago

What has the Nobel Prize in Physics ever done for me?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karen Livesey, Senior Lecturer of Physics, University of Newcastle Shutterstock Each October, physics is in the news with the awarding of the Nobel Prize. The work acknowledged through this most prestigious award often seems far removed from our everyday lives, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Fire authorities are better prepared for this summer. The question now is – are you?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graham Dwyer, Course Director, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of Technology, Swinburne University of Technology Shutterstock Last year, campers had to evacuate because of floods. This year, they’re evacuating because of fire. Over Victoria’s long weekend, campers and residents ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Australia is leaving thousands of international graduates in visa limbo, and it’s about to get wor...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Economic Policy, Grattan Institute Many international students come to Australia with the hope of staying permanently. But our latest report, Graduates in limbo: International student visa pathways after graduation, shows that the rights Australia grants international students to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Election 2023 updates: All the latest developments on 3 October
Tuesday was meant to be debate day for Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon, but Covid has intervened. Follow RNZ's live blog for more updates. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

Covid-stricken Chris Hipkins still really wants to debate Chris Luxon
Covid-stricken Chris Hipkins has told RNZ he’s “on the mend” and is looking forward to being back on the campaign trail in a few days time. It’s expected Hipkins will leave his self-imposed isolation on Friday after first testing positive for the virus on Sunday. “If you look at what ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
17 hours ago

Live updates: Morning Report hosts climate debate with Labour, National, and Greens
Labour's Megan Woods, National's Simon Watts and the Greens' James Shaw are taking part in a live climate debate on Morning Report. Follow live updates with RNZ's blog here. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

Reports of violence and intimidation on the campaign trail grow
Sir Peter Gluckman has described New Zealand as a “potentially more fractured society”, and it’s becoming clear access to politicians is now compromised as reports of violence and intimidation grow, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
17 hours ago

Labour's promise to help new supermarkets enter NZ market not favoured by smaller retailer
Labour says it will do more to help new players enter the grocery market, but one of the mid-size existing players thinks the idea is too expensive and unlikely to succeed. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

Promises to get tough on youth crime might win votes – but the evidence shows it hasn’t worked f...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda Mussell, Lecturer, Political Science and International Relations, University of Canterbury The promise to “get tough on youth crime” is a New Zealand election perennial. This year, parties on both the left and right have pledged to crack down on young offenders ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Election 2023: National candidates describe threats on campaign trail
National Party volunteers have stopped campaigning in Auckland's Manurewa because they have allegedly been chased down the street and threatened with abuse, according to candidate Siva Kilari. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

Ministers agree loan to private investors to save Ruapehu ski field
There's concern at a Cabinet decision, in the shadow of election, to increase its lending to $50m and set up ski field for private ownership Two businessmen have welcomed a Government green light for them to take over Turoa ski field. Speaking from Singapore in a gap between business meetings, ...
Newsroom
18 hours ago

Achievement Still Plummeting Under Labour
New achievement data shows Labour’s shameful legacy in education with around half of Year 10 students falling basic reading, writing and maths tests, National’s Education spokesperson Erica Stanford says. “The 2023 NCEA Literacy and Numeracy ...
Scoop politics
19 hours ago

Election campaigning has never been this dangerous
Reports of physical and verbal threats against those running for office could lead to fewer opportunities for the public to interact directly with MPs, reports Stewart Sowman-Lund. It’s long been an accepted tenet of New Zealand’s political system that candidates and MPs, particularly during election campaigns, are easily accessible to ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
20 hours ago

The ‘two-horse race’ for deep red Dunedin
The electorate formerly known as Dunedin North has almost always voted Labour, and last election the Greens outperformed National. But no matter who represents it, contentious questions about the university and hospital will remain. On a dripping grey Friday several hundred students walked past blossoming trees and the muddy brown ...
The SpinoffBy Shanti Mathias
20 hours ago

It's a hard road finding the perfect block of Crown land for new supermarkets
Where would these blocks of ideally-placed Crown land be found? ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

China: Don't use human rights to 'contain' countries
China critiques universal human rights in favour of regional variations, suggesting New Zealand is wrong to be critical of human rights concerns in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and China more generally Opinion: Earlier this year, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) published a forward-looking strategic foreign policy assessment. ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

Where's the action on MMP?
This year’s election marks the 30th anniversary of the referendum to change to the MMP voting system. Michael Swanson analyses the impact it has had and urges the next government to act on the 2023 Independent Electoral Review and make changes for the better. Comment: In 1993, New Zealand chose ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

Our community is moving naturally towards te ao Māori, despite attacks
NZ's language and culture is shifting organically, without need for rules and regulation ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

Decades of damage: Ocean bears brunt of Tairāwhiti erosion
It’s been known for over a century that the East Coast was vulnerable to erosion. But over that time decisions have been made that have continued to make it worse and now it’s at a catastrophic turning point that could decide the future of the region. Aaron Smale continues a ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

Polls apart: NZ and Germany interpret MMP quite differently
With 16 federal states there is roughly one MMP election somewhere in Germany every three months ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

Daily crossword, Tuesday 3 October
...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

Cookies: adjusting to the cookie-less world
They’ve shaped online marketing for 20 years, but global concerns over privacy mean third-party cookies are due to be phased out next year. For those who have built their businesses on this low-cost, high-reach technology, it’s a revolution. Join Peter Bale for the third part of our six-episode podcast Digital tomorrow: ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

'It is the underbelly, not the norm'
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer hasn't seen divisiveness over race in her campaign ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

The floods of Mataura
An author and climate change activist asks, 'Will we act to save ourselves, like the people of Mataura acted?' Mataura was built on the principle that the Mataura River knew its place. It flowed into the north end of town, that long straggle of houses that began somewhere around Cardigan ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

The Voice of confusion
On our election day, Australians are also going to the polls. But their referendum, which has been more divisive and controversial than any election campaign, will be more significant than just a change of government. The fate of 3 percent of Australia's population is in the hands of 25 million as ...
Newsroom
20 hours ago

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