This National government and the several phases of Liberals in Australia have worked very hard on destroying the NZ-AUS relationship. I wouldn’t put it past the Nats to destroy it a little more in an attempt to stop Jacinda.
Listen to and look at this first class bitch from across the Tasman! Makes Paula Bennett seem like a pussy cat. Jacinda Ardern has called her out for making a false claim. She has called the Australian Ambassador into her office for an urgent meeting. A diplomatic incident in the making?
Jacinda has got to do more. She must stand up to Julie Bishop and demand an apology. Nothing less will suffice.
Have just watched TV1 news. Another resignation coming up? Or at best Hipkins loses his portfolios and is banished to the back benches for some time out?
Just send him to the back benches. He hasn’t been corrupt.
This whole thing in Aussie about MPs’ citizenship looks to me like gotcha politics, and a distraction from important issues. A beat up. And our media shouldn’t be using it to do more of the same.
Fuck should anyone apologise to the Australian government for anything related to their disgusting racist attitudes to citizenship and nationality/ethnicity. What are they going to do? Exile Kiwi born criminals or something?
It could be bad if Australia were being ruled by racist trash and racist trash in the National Party seized upon it to inflame popular opinion and foster hatred and division, but I don’t really think they need any help to do that.
Must be why the Libs lost 2 division orders in parliament this afternoon Aye, 69 to the left and 61 to the right, there’s a few Libs voting against Bishop and Turnbull, you don’t appear to know the facts, Bishops beat up is bullshit.
Yeah, it appears old Julie went off half cocked as did I and apologise for that (hipskins got some airtime on the ABC tonight), but I was very impressed with NZ Labour Party leader tonight she handled herself very well. I’m starting to wonder if old Mal will last to the end mth now if rightwing of the liberal party are starting to revolt.
…if rightwing of the liberal party are starting to revolt.
They are always revolting – in both senses of the word. The problem for the Liberals is that their factions (like those of the National party here) are really only united by the desire to hold power. The problem is that they don’t want the other liberal factions to hold it instead of themselves.
I think Mal’s day are numbered either way and depending on how this Section 44 drama plays out though the courts over the next few mths, we could either have a new government or it could a new elections and I’m really sure who’s called it would be if we end up back at the polls?
exkiwiforces
You are bringing some good discussion here.
I’ll pass on my learnings about taming links when they turn out to be massive. (I think there are hints in TS FAQs also.)
After you see the link is a monster on the page do this.
At the start of it you put Chosen term
So if you chose as your term Mal’s days numbered that is all you would see on the page but it would be highlighted showing that the link is in those words.
I agree. From what Jacinda said, he was asked to check it out for the relevant time period & had no other information as to context. Sounds like it was only a matter of time before it was made public anyway. That statement by Julie Bishop was well OTT.
Over on Newshub Gower went all out at Hipkins.
Clearly Julie Bishop’s intended target was Bill Shorten but you get the feeling she was happy to take a swipe at NZ Labour along the way.
I reckon Ardern did a pretty good job pushing back.
I reckon Ardern did a pretty good job pushing back.
Yes, and Corin Dann gave her full credit for it.
Loved to have been a fly on the wall at the meeting with the Aussie Ambassador. Although knowing Jacinda her bollocking of Julie Bishop would have been couched in tasteful language.
Just as well I never sought a parliamentary career. My bollocking would have reverberated for years afterwards. 🙁
“Just call me Julie!”
Ardern is keeping it classy. That will serve her well. I was talking to some Australians today about the whole business and they remarked at how impressive she was (for one so young, as they put it).
Yep. I know there are going to be a few times in Ardern’s time where I want her to drop the nice act and go for the jugular but I reckon I’m going to be disappointed.
She’ll be right mate. She’s got a bit more mongrel than the Aussie’s it seems. And a dash of diplomacy when needed. Its a breath of fresh air after all the insipid dishwater we’ve been served up for the last 9 years.
This is why you don’t want to piss off our Julie (or Bob Katter or Jackie Lambie) as she goes off like belt fed mortar and if this dickhead Hipkins has acted in a unethical (underarm way) way I hope Jacinda Ardern kick’s him where it bloody hurts.
As I said to my folks via email lastnight while its been piss funny over here with every pollie ducking for cover atm. (I don’t think the guys from yes minster couldn’t write a script for this and its a bloody shame John Clarke is no longer here as he would be having a field day) but, Today-
as Expats like me are copping a lot off flak ATM from this dickhead Hipkins and if he has acted in a unethical (underarm way) way, he better hope I don’t have to come home very soon or else he will get more than kick where it bloody hurts from me that’s for sure!
I usually have skin thicker than a snapping handbag (Salt water Crocodile) , it getting real nasty.
Nasty subversive Hipkins, monkeywrenching noble Australian racist laws like that. It’s not like pointed humour ever led to people thinking about stuff, eh.
Nah, what am I saying! Hipkins is more likely to be the patsy in some Dirty Politics scam.
Boohoo, cobber. You live and die by the place you chose to live. What gives you the right to even comment on NZ issues when you don’t live here, don’t pay taxes here, and contribute absolutely nothing!
I still pay my taxes from my investments, i’m still on the roll, I still visit from time to time to catch up with friends and see my parents. I work alongside Kiwis and expats.
Must be a green voter are we?
BTW, i’m probably more red than you are! Below is my great great grandfather
Firstly i was stirring the pot in regards to Julie, as hell would have to freeze before I even think of supporting those muppets.
Secondly I’m probably more of NZF voter than a Labour voter now as Labour hasn’t won me back yet.
Thirdly I left New Zealand under a National government back 98 like a lot people I know as we saw no future under the neo liberal bullshit that was National then and now as Labour back then was little unknown when you look at its pass record.
Finally I almost came back home after a hell year that was 2006 with work, apart from 3wks hunting and visiting in NZ as I spent nearly 9 to 10mths doing back to back operations. With a plan to enter parliament, but I was talked out of it (from either end of the ditch) and with the benefit of hindsight I should’ve had a cracking it after a chance meeting with a couple of people some yrs afterwards (Its funny who you bump into in my line of work overseas) as the plan I had might’ve work and some smart ass Tory may have lost their seat?
Boohoo, cobber. You live and die by the place you chose to live. What gives you the right to even comment on NZ issues when you don’t live here, don’t pay taxes here, and contribute absolutely nothing!
Are you really saying you only want ‘contributing’, resident New Zealanders to have an opinion? Sounds a bit Trumpy.
The only person she has to be pissed off with is herself and the person who held dual citizenship. They should have done their bloody homework as at least one of them would have known that their father was a Kiwi and many countries, especially Commonwealth countries, have as law that if your father was of that country then you get to be a citizen even if you weren’t born their. I wouldn’t be surprised if Australia had the same bloody law.
Was it a proper parliamentary question? Probably not. just look up the relevant law in legislation.govt.nz.
Did Hipkins mention anybody by name? Nope.
It is something that both sides need to know. Politicians here to help NZ citizens and politicians there so that shit like this doesn’t happen.
What a bunch of pussies the reporters are. She talked on and on repeating herself and walked off with a smirk and a wiggle. They should have been interrupting her after the second sentence.
Should really just call Julie Bishop a greasy scumbag for trying to interfere in the upcoming New Zealand election, and encourage all the Aussie based kiwis to get out and vote if they want to see someone properly fight for New Zealanders in Australia.
Exactly!
Seems to be a distraction by Bishop and a hypocritical one at that, ironically the more rabid and extreme their accusations the more support will go to both Oz-Labor & NZ-Labour as across the ditch they have had enough of sanctimonious Turnbull & Co and over on this side of the ditch a lot of folk have had a gutsfull of how Oz-NZers rights are being eroded.
#Schadenfreude.
I wasn’t hoping for anything.
Just a bit surprised that TV1 went for the proper news story (thousands of people on a boil water notice in our 5th largest city – more of the brighter future?) rather than the big drama of the day.
ABC News is reporting that another Liberal MP, the Member for Gilmore, NSW may be a dual AUS/UK citizen. A by-election there could be far more problematic for Turnbull than Joyce’s seat, the margin was only 1500 at the last election.
Pretty fucking terrifying as the whole system relies on a having a rational president in charge.
There are no checks and balances every thing is set up for an instantaneous response so if Trump the unhinged decides for whatever reason he’s going to nuke that fucker there is nothing that can be done to stop him, missiles are going to fly.
The fate of the world rests in the hands of a 70-year man who’s a raging deluded narcissist and has what looks like the early onset of Alzheimer’s,
Fucks sake man, where have you been for the past nine months? Because I’ve been hoping that in that time that the security dudes with the guns in the war room have used that time to figure out whose side they’re on when it comes down to it, and I’m not talking about Republican vs Democrat.
Because I’ve been hoping that in that time that the security dudes with the guns in the war room have used that time to figure out whose side they’re on when it comes down to it, and I’m not talking about Republican vs Democrat.
Not sure if joking, but anyway it doesn’t work that like.
From the article
As mentioned earlier, the president is the sole decision-maker. But he must consult two people to make that decision.
He must talk with the Pentagon’s deputy director of operations in charge of the National Military Command Center, or “war room,” the heart of the Pentagon from where all US military operations are directed. The current deputy director is Lt. Gen. John Dolan. The president must also speak with the commander of US Strategic Command, currently Gen. John Hyten.
The length of the conversation depends on the president. It also doesn’t have to be held in the White House’s Situation Room; it can happen anywhere over a secured phone line.
He’s a shadow of himself. Usually on point in attempting to crush the voice of social conscience in NZ, BM is now used goods reduced to twittering about Trump.
The apparatus of the state used to intimidate/stifle dissenters.
The Department of Justice has requested information on visitors to a website used to organize protests against President Trump, the Los Angeles-based Dreamhost said in a blog post published on Monday.
Dreamhost, a web hosting provider, said that it has been working with the Department of Justice for several months on the request, which believes goes too far under the Constitution.
Can someone please catch me up on the Aussie thing?
You can’t be an MP if you have dual citizenship? A couple of Green MPs had to stand down recently? This week Chris Hipkins asks in the NZ parliament about NZers with Australian citizenship, and this prompts journos to be asking about other MPs? I don’t get it, wouldn’t everyone be looking at this already after the Green MPs had to resign? Or am I missing something there?
To answer your first question weka. You must be an Australian citizen to stand for both seats of parliament. Section 44 goes all the way to Federation of Commonwealth States of Australia 1901 and its becoming a bit of horses ass of a law ATM.
A lot of people where I work (and probably most of Australia) thought this was piss funny until that Hipkins put his two bobs worth in and now its got real nasty.
It’s more the other stuff I’m not following. Was Hipkins shitstirring? And why weren’t the Australian media all over all the politicians before that, including Barnaby Joyce?
Two Greens senators have resigned. One government minister has had to step down from his portfolio. There are serious questions being raised over a One Nation senator and another government MP, and a reported 20 more hurriedly checking their paperwork. Section 44 of the Australian constitution is smashing through the federal parliament like a wrecking ball, as parliamentarians sweat over their citizenship and whether they — knowingly or not — hold some foreign citizenship status.
But why can’t you be an MP if you’re a dual citizen? The section of the constitution in question, 44(i), states:
Any person who: is under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign power… shall be incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a senator or a member of the House of Representatives.
By some outdated law in Australia you can’t be a Member of the Federal Parliament and a dual citizen of some other country.
For a nation of immigrants, go figure. Maybe they should only let their first peoples sit in the parliament in Canberra.
Up until recently nobody really paid much attention to this arcane bit of electoral law it seems. Anyway it turns out that none less than the Deputy PM has succumbed on account of being a dreadful NZer.
This leaves Mr Turnbull in a parlous state since he managed to lose a few seats at the last election and doesn’t have any MPs to spare. The prospect of another election which the Coalition would almost certainly lose was enough to send Julie-baby into a fit today.
Her main target was the Labor leader Bill Shorten but it seems she was happy to do our government here a favour and throw a hand grenade into our election by implicating NZ Labour in the devious plot to reveal Barnaby Joyce’s dreadful lineage.
Ta. I commented above, about not understanding why after the original Green senators the media hadn’t looked at all politicians’ citizenship. And wtf was Hipkins doing?
They seem to have been quite lax in Australia with regard to this law. It’s rather bitten them all on the bum.
Hipkins was shit-stirring, terrible of him really, but that’s what Opposition MPs do, isn’t it?
Oz Labour started this current shit fight when there were questions about Bob Day in the Senate and since then a been a gift that keeps on giving.
Yes we are lax/ causal about Section 44 and I don’t think Oz Labour thought it would get so out hand as it has and I said Carolyn it may end up biting Labour in the ass after all with 7 of it members now maybe in question as well.
I assumed
1. not born in nZ
2. Not Samoan
3. One parent a NZ Citizen when born
4. That parent was a citizen by birth
Result:
You are a New Zealand citizen by descent
This isn’t exactly rocket science. Any moron can look this up – and evidently Julie Bishop is more of a moron than I’d realised.
The real problem isn’t that his father was born in NZ. It is the strange law that the aussies have about the way that they treat anyone in parliament who is a child of an immigrant. I’d point out that the large number of cousins in Aussie who would all be over the age of 50 now and who have lived there their entire life would also be unable to enter parliament. How fucked up is that?
Matt Caravan had to step aside as the minister for northern Australia as his mother put him down as Italian citizen at the age of 28 and she forgot to tell until after the 2 greens from senate step down. In fact the poor bloke wasn’t born there and hasn’t been for a holiday.
That why its so piss funny about the whole thing until today
Not to take away from your point Lynne. or the thread…
But just to add that the large number of cousins in Aussie who would all be over the age of 50 now and who have lived there their entire life would also be ineligible for citizenship. and/or those benefits… How fucked up is that?
“How fucked up is that”.
The only fucked up thing about this is your statement.
It is completely wrong.
If they have lived there all there life and are over 50, as you claim, then provided they haven’t got a serious criminal; record they can apply for citizenship tomorrow, and they’ll get it.
Why don’t you look at what the actual law is, and in particular what it means if they were in Australia on 26 February 2001. Then you can discuss the matter. What you have said here is total rubbish.
They tend to be aussie citizens because they were all there prior to 2001. So they collected aussie passports and atrocious accents.
But I doubt that any of them have renounced the kiwi citizenship either.
For that matter a couple of my grandparents generation from various wings of the family were entitled to aussie citizenship as their parents hopped over this side of the tasman early last century.
I think I have one 2nd cousin who moved there a few years ago to do a doctorate and seems to be pretty settled in Melbourne. I must ask her what she is planning to do.
I’m not certain whether it was actually correct but I remember reading an article a year or so ago which claimed that anyone from New Zealand who had even passed through an Australian airport prior to the 2001 date could avoid all the problems.
The only visa then available to New Zealand citizens was the permanent resident one. That was what you got when you entered Australia, even it was only for a couple of hours.
The article argued that since you had had a permanent resident visa you could simply ask that it be reactivated, and that they would have to do it. Then you could start down the path to citizenship.
So, if anyone passed through Australia on the way to Europe in the 1980’s, and now want to raise the IQ on both sides of the Tasman by moving across the ditch that is the way to do it. The 2001 law doesn’t apply to you.
I don’t remember where I read this, or whether it was true but a lawyer might to able to confirm or deny it.
ok, so the whole trying to have a go a NZLP is just some stupid flailing around shit when they weren’t doing their job properly, it’s nothing to do with NZ at all.
I think the fourth estate have been caught up in the Same Sex Marriage thing and the silly politics by Labour and the followers of the Mad Monk over SSM. But there has been some rumours about who was next to be caught up with Section 44 and now know who.
Haven’t been following Oz pol tbh, but I would have thought that after the two Green senators stepped down that there would have been a general call to parliamentarians to sort out their status. Was everyone hoping it would just go away?
Yes, you would’ve thought after the two greens senators that these smug arrogant clowns in the upper and lower houses in Oz would’ve done a family background check? Hell even some idiot try to trip old Henchie under section 44, he like an old school member of the fourth estate knew he had to renounce his NZ citizenship before standing for the upper house in the last federal election.
Even some MSM got their kinkers in a twist over fat boy missiles and starting jumping and down with “we must get a ABM system to protect Australia from North Korea”
By some outdated law in Australia you can’t be a Member of the Federal Parliament and a dual citizen of some other country.
I wouldn’t call that an outdated law.
IMO, nobody should be able to hold dual citizenship as it raises too much conflict of interest – see Thiel. He’s in the US working in their Administration and against the best interests of NZ by default. That makes him a traitor BTW.
Answered my 1st political poll in my 66 years tonight. I didn’t hear which organization was running it. Things are getting interesting.
Julie Bishop reminded me of a dominatrix dressed all in black and she looked and sounded like she was out to give someone a good beating. Hope she doesn’t go home and kick the cat.
Someone’s pretending that right wing political parties don’t collaborate and share resources the world over. (cf: Lord Mr. Ashcroft, Putin, Trump, Pinochet, Key etc etc.)
Either that or it’s only a problem when the left does it. And/or (my pick) Hipkins is a patsy.
My partner tells me that Barnaby Joyce’s father went to Australia in 1947 and at that time we, Australians and New Zealanders were British subjects. It was only in 1948 we two countries attained our own individual nationalities – New Zealanders and Australian subjects. So why are we even in this row, surely this should be a stoush between the UK and Australia. Just my thoughts for the evening. Why hasn’t this been brought up.
Since shonky, recently honoured by OZ as a thank you, happily stood by whilst Abbott and Turnbull removed kiwis rights and didn’t reciprocate by doing same here.
Had they have done that the Oz media
It’s not just here national have been screwing kiwis over by their action or inaction. Key allowed kiwis to, in some cases, be treated like Oz treat the boat people.
I am sick of our country being used as Aussies bum boy.
Handled right this could be an opportunity for Jacinda to shine.
It’s ok though for the Australian right to publicly back our government by encouraging kiwis living in Aussie to vote for the National party in our 2014 general election !!!
Fleewees living in Australia shouldn’t be entitled to vote in NZ elections, imo.
If you leave the country to ‘further your career’ or some other bullshit then you should also relinquish your rights to vote on matters important to New Zealand.
Have a crack when you decide to come home and contribute…
OPINION: … ” Despite longstanding agreements which are supposed to give us special rights, New Zealanders seeking a better life in Australia have not been made to feel welcome.
They’re not allowed to access unemployment benefits, university subsidies or disaster relief. And even though last year Aussie agreed to give us a special path to citizenship, this year they betrayed that agreement.
So tell me again about this so-called special relationship?
Besides that, the Aussie government is now rounding up Kiwis with criminal records and sending them back to New Zealand, even those ones who have lived in Australia since they were babies.
Along the way, some get stuck in detention centres, essentially being put back in jail for crimes they’ve already paid for.
Almost 1000 of them have now been sent back here and surprise, surprise – 20 percent of them have reoffended. Remember Australia is not working with the New Zealand government on this. They make a decision and then we pay for it.
Now when Aussies arrive in New Zealand they get the full Anzac treatment, right? Permanent residency, within a few years they get access to student loans, and to benefits. Becoming a citizen costs less than 500 bucks.
Kiwis arriving in Australia get none of that. When our politicians raise it in meetings we’re ignored and the 600,000 Kiwis living in Australia can’t do anything about it, because despite paying full taxes, they’re not allowed to vote.
Forget the trans-Tasman friendship in 2017 – Australia is basically a bully.
So Julie Bishop, when you say you’ll find it hard to work with New Zealand, what exactly do you mean? How much worse could it possibly get? ”…
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The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
What Chris Penk has granted holocaust-denier and equal-opportunity-bigot Candace Owens is not “freedom of speech”. It’s not even really freedom of movement, though that technically is the right she has been granted. What he has given her is permission to perform. Freedom of SpeechIn New Zealand, the right to freedom ...
All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...
The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...
Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes.Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...
Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...
By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England Bunker.Image courtesy of Michael Leunig, CC BY-NC-SA Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the ...
The House - On Parliament's last day of the year, there was the rare occurrence of a personal (conscience) vote on selling booze over the Easter weekend. While it didn't have the numbers to pass, it was a chance to get a rare glimpse of the fact ...
A new poem by Holly Fletcher. bejeweled log i was dreaming about wasps / wee darlings that followed me / ducking under objects / that i was fated to pickup / my fingers seeking / and meeting with tiny proboscis’s / but instead / i wake up / roll sideways ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne Versta/Shutterstock Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world. While we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney Michael von Aichberger/Shutterstock Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one. Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning ...
If something big is going to happen in Ferndale, it’s going to happen at Christmas. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If there’s one episode of Shortland Street you should watch each year, it’s the annual Christmas cliffhanger. The final episode of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University US President-elect Donald Trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he’s yet to reveal key appointees to America’s powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. ...
Announcing the top 10 books of the the year at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $37) The phenomenal Irish writer is the unsurprising chart topper for 2024 with her fourth novel that, much like her first ...
The government has confirmed its plan to break up Te Pūkenga / New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology and re-establish independent polytechnics. ...
My bet Chris Hopkins doesn’t get in to a Labour cabinet.
Forcing Ardern to defend you against the Australian government means he’s spent all his political capital in one shot.
She gets to look strong once again on ground which National has looked weak for some time now.
Excellent as he’s not the leftie you’re looking for.
Anyone else think Barnaby’s namesake, Steven Joyce is behind this?
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/jacinda-ardern-hits-back-at-australia-s-false-claims-and-threats.html
This National government and the several phases of Liberals in Australia have worked very hard on destroying the NZ-AUS relationship. I wouldn’t put it past the Nats to destroy it a little more in an attempt to stop Jacinda.
Gower just outright lied on that when he said that Ardern fully backed Hipkins when she said that his actions were unacceptable.
That’s not backing him.
Dirty Politics goes international – the Nats had to ramp it up somehow…
What (cordial, co-operative, respectful) relationship?
Listen to and look at this first class bitch from across the Tasman! Makes Paula Bennett seem like a pussy cat. Jacinda Ardern has called her out for making a false claim. She has called the Australian Ambassador into her office for an urgent meeting. A diplomatic incident in the making?
Jacinda has got to do more. She must stand up to Julie Bishop and demand an apology. Nothing less will suffice.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_cid=1&gallery_id=180294
Edit: Just seen Ad above. It’s not the first time Hipkins has spoken out of turn.
Or Ardern could just shout-out to every kiwi voter in Aussie:
Let’s stick it to them.
Have just watched TV1 news. Another resignation coming up? Or at best Hipkins loses his portfolios and is banished to the back benches for some time out?
Just send him to the back benches. He hasn’t been corrupt.
This whole thing in Aussie about MPs’ citizenship looks to me like gotcha politics, and a distraction from important issues. A beat up. And our media shouldn’t be using it to do more of the same.
Just do nothing.
Fuck should anyone apologise to the Australian government for anything related to their disgusting racist attitudes to citizenship and nationality/ethnicity. What are they going to do? Exile Kiwi born criminals or something?
Shall we grovel to the Tea Party too?
Spineless Labour “pragmatists” know the answer.
Totally agree with doing nothing – how can it possibly be bad to advise Australia of NZ law that may be relevant to Australian electoral law?
+111
It could be bad if Australia were being ruled by racist trash and racist trash in the National Party seized upon it to inflame popular opinion and foster hatred and division, but I don’t really think they need any help to do that.
Paddy Gower has it covered.
Oz Labour kicked all this off by going after Bob Day in the senate and now its gone off a nuke, aka “the gift that keeps on giving.”
It may come back to haunt Oz Labour with up to 7 members now likely to have their citizenship brought in to questioning by the High Court.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-15/barnaby-joyce-australia-new-zealand-united-at-last/8808448
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-15/politics-live-august-15/8806750
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-15/bill-shorten-accused-colluding-nz-mps-barnaby-joyce-citizenship/8807610
Must be why the Libs lost 2 division orders in parliament this afternoon Aye, 69 to the left and 61 to the right, there’s a few Libs voting against Bishop and Turnbull, you don’t appear to know the facts, Bishops beat up is bullshit.
Yeah, it appears old Julie went off half cocked as did I and apologise for that (hipskins got some airtime on the ABC tonight), but I was very impressed with NZ Labour Party leader tonight she handled herself very well. I’m starting to wonder if old Mal will last to the end mth now if rightwing of the liberal party are starting to revolt.
They are always revolting – in both senses of the word. The problem for the Liberals is that their factions (like those of the National party here) are really only united by the desire to hold power. The problem is that they don’t want the other liberal factions to hold it instead of themselves.
I think Mal’s day are numbered either way and depending on how this Section 44 drama plays out though the courts over the next few mths, we could either have a new government or it could a new elections and I’m really sure who’s called it would be if we end up back at the polls?
Here’s a piece from Sydney Morning Herald
http://trc.taboola.com/msn-australia/log/3/click?pi=%2Fen-au%2Fnews%2Faustralia%2Frocked-by-day-of-citizenship-drama-turnbull-government-ponders-nuclear-option-of-referring-labor-mps-to-high-court%2Far-aaq9aij&ri=01935f5e12e479317ba9baf8344fc5de&sd=v2_f042290e3451d93a5ca0c3f2f9fcb33e_c0865fc2-87e1-495e-b098-0927368c54ec-tuct8bf048_1502844084_1502844084_CNawjgYQqbw-GKK188PeKyABKAMwEA&ui=c0865fc2-87e1-495e-b098-0927368c54ec-tuct8bf048&it=text&ii=8514024353658063621&pt=text&li=rbox-t2m&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msn.com%2Fen-au%2Fnews%2Faustralia%2Fbarnaby-joyces-future-hangs-in-the-balance-as-turnbull-government-teeters%2Far-AAq2REe%3Focid%3Dspartandhp&vi=1502844082850&r=82&ppb=CLsH&cpb=Eg4yNjgtNzUtUkVMRUFTRRjoESAAKhloay50YWJvb2xhc3luZGljYXRpb24uY29tMgh3YXRlcjY2Mg
I hope this works
exkiwiforces
You are bringing some good discussion here.
I’ll pass on my learnings about taming links when they turn out to be massive. (I think there are hints in TS FAQs also.)
After you see the link is a monster on the page do this.
At the start of it you put Chosen term
So if you chose as your term Mal’s days numbered that is all you would see on the page but it would be highlighted showing that the link is in those words.
Those instructions just vanished that I gave. So sorry I had good intentions but they have to be explained in some other way.
Bloody well hope so! especially when things were going great for Labour ATM and long come this DICKHEAD.
Hipkins has done absolutely nothing wrong in my opinion. Just good politicking.
I agree. From what Jacinda said, he was asked to check it out for the relevant time period & had no other information as to context. Sounds like it was only a matter of time before it was made public anyway. That statement by Julie Bishop was well OTT.
Agreed. Besides an Australian reporter was onto the story two days before Hipkins asked the questions.
Post coming up tomorrow.
+1
Looking forward too it and hopefully I’ll get a chance to during a break or during breakfast.
Over on Newshub Gower went all out at Hipkins.
Clearly Julie Bishop’s intended target was Bill Shorten but you get the feeling she was happy to take a swipe at NZ Labour along the way.
I reckon Ardern did a pretty good job pushing back.
I reckon Ardern did a pretty good job pushing back.
Yes, and Corin Dann gave her full credit for it.
Loved to have been a fly on the wall at the meeting with the Aussie Ambassador. Although knowing Jacinda her bollocking of Julie Bishop would have been couched in tasteful language.
Just as well I never sought a parliamentary career. My bollocking would have reverberated for years afterwards. 🙁
“Just call me Julie!”
Ardern is keeping it classy. That will serve her well. I was talking to some Australians today about the whole business and they remarked at how impressive she was (for one so young, as they put it).
Yep. I know there are going to be a few times in Ardern’s time where I want her to drop the nice act and go for the jugular but I reckon I’m going to be disappointed.
She’s almost too good for us.
She’ll be right mate. She’s got a bit more mongrel than the Aussie’s it seems. And a dash of diplomacy when needed. Its a breath of fresh air after all the insipid dishwater we’ve been served up for the last 9 years.
Hipkins is a tard. He’s the one person I can really not stand in Labour. He’s from my area, so I know him well.
I doubt you know him at all.
Here’s the real story:
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2017/08/ardern-stands-up-for-kiwis.html
This is why you don’t want to piss off our Julie (or Bob Katter or Jackie Lambie) as she goes off like belt fed mortar and if this dickhead Hipkins has acted in a unethical (underarm way) way I hope Jacinda Ardern kick’s him where it bloody hurts.
As I said to my folks via email lastnight while its been piss funny over here with every pollie ducking for cover atm. (I don’t think the guys from yes minster couldn’t write a script for this and its a bloody shame John Clarke is no longer here as he would be having a field day) but, Today-
as Expats like me are copping a lot off flak ATM from this dickhead Hipkins and if he has acted in a unethical (underarm way) way, he better hope I don’t have to come home very soon or else he will get more than kick where it bloody hurts from me that’s for sure!
I usually have skin thicker than a snapping handbag (Salt water Crocodile) , it getting real nasty.
Can’t they sic the GCSB onto him or something?
Nasty subversive Hipkins, monkeywrenching noble Australian racist laws like that. It’s not like pointed humour ever led to people thinking about stuff, eh.
Nah, what am I saying! Hipkins is more likely to be the patsy in some Dirty Politics scam.
Boohoo, cobber. You live and die by the place you chose to live. What gives you the right to even comment on NZ issues when you don’t live here, don’t pay taxes here, and contribute absolutely nothing!
I still pay my taxes from my investments, i’m still on the roll, I still visit from time to time to catch up with friends and see my parents. I work alongside Kiwis and expats.
Must be a green voter are we?
BTW, i’m probably more red than you are! Below is my great great grandfather
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/sherman_frank_henry_13E.html
So why are you defending Julie Bishop?
Word of advice: don’t go for the Greens on this forum the way you have gone for Labour. It won’t end well for you.
You’re a typical fleewee. Hope you enjoy being Australian.
Firstly i was stirring the pot in regards to Julie, as hell would have to freeze before I even think of supporting those muppets.
Secondly I’m probably more of NZF voter than a Labour voter now as Labour hasn’t won me back yet.
Thirdly I left New Zealand under a National government back 98 like a lot people I know as we saw no future under the neo liberal bullshit that was National then and now as Labour back then was little unknown when you look at its pass record.
Finally I almost came back home after a hell year that was 2006 with work, apart from 3wks hunting and visiting in NZ as I spent nearly 9 to 10mths doing back to back operations. With a plan to enter parliament, but I was talked out of it (from either end of the ditch) and with the benefit of hindsight I should’ve had a cracking it after a chance meeting with a couple of people some yrs afterwards (Its funny who you bump into in my line of work overseas) as the plan I had might’ve work and some smart ass Tory may have lost their seat?
Are you really saying you only want ‘contributing’, resident New Zealanders to have an opinion? Sounds a bit Trumpy.
The only person she has to be pissed off with is herself and the person who held dual citizenship. They should have done their bloody homework as at least one of them would have known that their father was a Kiwi and many countries, especially Commonwealth countries, have as law that if your father was of that country then you get to be a citizen even if you weren’t born their. I wouldn’t be surprised if Australia had the same bloody law.
Was it a proper parliamentary question? Probably not. just look up the relevant law in legislation.govt.nz.
Did Hipkins mention anybody by name? Nope.
It is something that both sides need to know. Politicians here to help NZ citizens and politicians there so that shit like this doesn’t happen.
It was the British law of the time, so Australia, NZ and Canada all had it.
Her response was strong. Bad time to waste energy on something irrelevant.
What a bunch of pussies the reporters are. She talked on and on repeating herself and walked off with a smirk and a wiggle. They should have been interrupting her after the second sentence.
Julie Bishop?….isnt she the foreign minister in the government of John Key’s bestie?….say it aint so…..bro.
Should really just call Julie Bishop a greasy scumbag for trying to interfere in the upcoming New Zealand election, and encourage all the Aussie based kiwis to get out and vote if they want to see someone properly fight for New Zealanders in Australia.
Dirty Politics Series 4 Episode 3
Episode 1 Take out Andrew Little
Episode 2 Take out Metiria and end the discussion of poverty as an election issue
Exactly!
Seems to be a distraction by Bishop and a hypocritical one at that, ironically the more rabid and extreme their accusations the more support will go to both Oz-Labor & NZ-Labour as across the ditch they have had enough of sanctimonious Turnbull & Co and over on this side of the ditch a lot of folk have had a gutsfull of how Oz-NZers rights are being eroded.
#Schadenfreude.
just on news hub No Wage Growth predicted for the next 4 Years , hows that for a bright future
Excellent ! just a bit more poverty and asset sales and we’ ll be sweet and on target !
I must say I found it quite interesting that TV1 news lead with the boil water notice in Dunedin rather than the trans-Tasman dramas.
Were you hoping for Dirty Politics Series 4 Episode 3?
I wasn’t hoping for anything.
Just a bit surprised that TV1 went for the proper news story (thousands of people on a boil water notice in our 5th largest city – more of the brighter future?) rather than the big drama of the day.
Well one’s a storm in a teacup about Kiwi Barney and Julee Tanty Queen, and the other is about an actual health threat.
Hard work being in charge a political party, it’s asshats to the left of me fuckwits to the right, here I am getting covered in clown shit.
Dicks!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DHPu0emXYAESf7o.jpg
(nsfw)
ABC News is reporting that another Liberal MP, the Member for Gilmore, NSW may be a dual AUS/UK citizen. A by-election there could be far more problematic for Turnbull than Joyce’s seat, the margin was only 1500 at the last election.
Out of curiosity I decided to google
Can trump start a nuclear war
And came access this article
https://www.vox.com/world/2017/8/11/16126770/trump-north-korea-nuclear-launch-code-steps
Pretty fucking terrifying as the whole system relies on a having a rational president in charge.
There are no checks and balances every thing is set up for an instantaneous response so if Trump the unhinged decides for whatever reason he’s going to nuke that fucker there is nothing that can be done to stop him, missiles are going to fly.
The fate of the world rests in the hands of a 70-year man who’s a raging deluded narcissist and has what looks like the early onset of Alzheimer’s,
Prepare for the worst.
He just wants to be loved and is surrounded by deep state factions plotting his demise and/or destruction of his legacy.
We gonna be fine.
Fucks sake man, where have you been for the past nine months? Because I’ve been hoping that in that time that the security dudes with the guns in the war room have used that time to figure out whose side they’re on when it comes down to it, and I’m not talking about Republican vs Democrat.
Because I’ve been hoping that in that time that the security dudes with the guns in the war room have used that time to figure out whose side they’re on when it comes down to it, and I’m not talking about Republican vs Democrat.
Not sure if joking, but anyway it doesn’t work that like.
From the article
As mentioned earlier, the president is the sole decision-maker. But he must consult two people to make that decision.
He must talk with the Pentagon’s deputy director of operations in charge of the National Military Command Center, or “war room,” the heart of the Pentagon from where all US military operations are directed. The current deputy director is Lt. Gen. John Dolan. The president must also speak with the commander of US Strategic Command, currently Gen. John Hyten.
The length of the conversation depends on the president. It also doesn’t have to be held in the White House’s Situation Room; it can happen anywhere over a secured phone line.
Fearmonger ignores step one in own link, indulges derivative Mad Max fantasy anyway.
Is transparent and two-dimensional. Sad.
Wait, what?
When did he get a second dimension?
BM, Odd how you considered it Timely to shift topic/thread!!…
Perhaps you might want to consider keeping your curiosity to yourself!! Or somewhere else!
https://thestandard.org.nz/brownlee-as-foreign-minister-as-successful-as-youd-expect/
He’s a shadow of himself. Usually on point in attempting to crush the voice of social conscience in NZ, BM is now used goods reduced to twittering about Trump.
The indomitable Penny Wong has waded in.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/penny-wongs-chief-of-staff-sparked-nz-labours-questioning-of-barnaby-joyce-20170815-gxwqli.html
So it was Fairfax journalists asking Peter Dunne and NOT Chris Hipkins who kicked it off.
The apparatus of the state used to intimidate/stifle dissenters.
The Department of Justice has requested information on visitors to a website used to organize protests against President Trump, the Los Angeles-based Dreamhost said in a blog post published on Monday.
Dreamhost, a web hosting provider, said that it has been working with the Department of Justice for several months on the request, which believes goes too far under the Constitution.
http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/346544-dreamhost-claims-doj-requesting-info-on-visitors-to-anti-trump-website
Can someone please catch me up on the Aussie thing?
You can’t be an MP if you have dual citizenship? A couple of Green MPs had to stand down recently? This week Chris Hipkins asks in the NZ parliament about NZers with Australian citizenship, and this prompts journos to be asking about other MPs? I don’t get it, wouldn’t everyone be looking at this already after the Green MPs had to resign? Or am I missing something there?
To answer your first question weka. You must be an Australian citizen to stand for both seats of parliament. Section 44 goes all the way to Federation of Commonwealth States of Australia 1901 and its becoming a bit of horses ass of a law ATM.
A lot of people where I work (and probably most of Australia) thought this was piss funny until that Hipkins put his two bobs worth in and now its got real nasty.
It’s more the other stuff I’m not following. Was Hipkins shitstirring? And why weren’t the Australian media all over all the politicians before that, including Barnaby Joyce?
Because barnaby is on the murdoch err I mean turdbull side.
Unlike bovver boy joyce this side whos rat cunning, barnabys a rather dull implement.
Peter Dunne says he was asked by Fairfax journalists about it. See Scott GT posting above – Penny Wong link. Its a political beat up to blame Hipkins.
Here it is:
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2017/08/ardern-stands-up-for-kiwis.html
ta, good read.
You can’t be a federal representative.
Two Greens senators have resigned. One government minister has had to step down from his portfolio. There are serious questions being raised over a One Nation senator and another government MP, and a reported 20 more hurriedly checking their paperwork. Section 44 of the Australian constitution is smashing through the federal parliament like a wrecking ball, as parliamentarians sweat over their citizenship and whether they — knowingly or not — hold some foreign citizenship status.
But why can’t you be an MP if you’re a dual citizen? The section of the constitution in question, 44(i), states:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/07/28/why-cant-you-be-an-mp-if-youre-a-dual-citizen_a_23053409/
edit:
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Publications_Archive/archive/Section44
By some outdated law in Australia you can’t be a Member of the Federal Parliament and a dual citizen of some other country.
For a nation of immigrants, go figure. Maybe they should only let their first peoples sit in the parliament in Canberra.
Up until recently nobody really paid much attention to this arcane bit of electoral law it seems. Anyway it turns out that none less than the Deputy PM has succumbed on account of being a dreadful NZer.
This leaves Mr Turnbull in a parlous state since he managed to lose a few seats at the last election and doesn’t have any MPs to spare. The prospect of another election which the Coalition would almost certainly lose was enough to send Julie-baby into a fit today.
Her main target was the Labor leader Bill Shorten but it seems she was happy to do our government here a favour and throw a hand grenade into our election by implicating NZ Labour in the devious plot to reveal Barnaby Joyce’s dreadful lineage.
Ta. I commented above, about not understanding why after the original Green senators the media hadn’t looked at all politicians’ citizenship. And wtf was Hipkins doing?
They seem to have been quite lax in Australia with regard to this law. It’s rather bitten them all on the bum.
Hipkins was shit-stirring, terrible of him really, but that’s what Opposition MPs do, isn’t it?
Scott,
Oz Labour started this current shit fight when there were questions about Bob Day in the Senate and since then a been a gift that keeps on giving.
Yes we are lax/ causal about Section 44 and I don’t think Oz Labour thought it would get so out hand as it has and I said Carolyn it may end up biting Labour in the ass after all with 7 of it members now maybe in question as well.
He probably got asked what the citizenship status of a kid born to a kiwi parents offshore was. It took me 2 minutes from here
https://www.govt.nz/browse/nz-passports-and-citizenship/getting-nz-citizenship/check-if-you-are-a-citizen/check-if-you-are-a-citizen-2/#1-0
I assumed
1. not born in nZ
2. Not Samoan
3. One parent a NZ Citizen when born
4. That parent was a citizen by birth
Result:
You are a New Zealand citizen by descent
This isn’t exactly rocket science. Any moron can look this up – and evidently Julie Bishop is more of a moron than I’d realised.
Here is the full stand up plus questions with Jacinda Ardern late this afternoon. She handled it like the absolute professional she is.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/95816738/has-australias-foreign-minister-accidentally-declared-war-on-new-zealand
Scroll down to second video.
I think it’s fair to say no NZ politician ever lost any votes by standing up to their counterparts in Australia.
Yep. Watch Jesse Mulligan on “The Project” tonight.
https://www.facebook.com/TheProjectNZ/
Note the clapping and whooping from the audience at the end.
I hope Exaussieforces watches that.
Not on Facebook sorry and won’t anytime soon
Actual link
He probably got asked what the citizenship status of a kid born to a kiwi parents offshore was. It took me 2 minutes from here
https://www.govt.nz/browse/nz-passports-and-citizenship/getting-nz-citizenship/check-if-you-are-a-citizen/check-if-you-are-a-citizen-2/#1-0
I assumed
1. not born in nZ
2. Not Samoan
3. One parent a NZ Citizen when born
4. That parent was a citizen by birth
Result:
You are a New Zealand citizen by descent
This isn’t exactly rocket science. Any moron can look this up – and evidently Julie Bishop is more of a moron than I’d realised.
The real problem isn’t that his father was born in NZ. It is the strange law that the aussies have about the way that they treat anyone in parliament who is a child of an immigrant. I’d point out that the large number of cousins in Aussie who would all be over the age of 50 now and who have lived there their entire life would also be unable to enter parliament. How fucked up is that?
Matt Caravan had to step aside as the minister for northern Australia as his mother put him down as Italian citizen at the age of 28 and she forgot to tell until after the 2 greens from senate step down. In fact the poor bloke wasn’t born there and hasn’t been for a holiday.
That why its so piss funny about the whole thing until today
Not to take away from your point Lynne. or the thread…
But just to add that the large number of cousins in Aussie who would all be over the age of 50 now and who have lived there their entire life would also be ineligible for citizenship. and/or those benefits… How fucked up is that?
“How fucked up is that”.
The only fucked up thing about this is your statement.
It is completely wrong.
If they have lived there all there life and are over 50, as you claim, then provided they haven’t got a serious criminal; record they can apply for citizenship tomorrow, and they’ll get it.
Why don’t you look at what the actual law is, and in particular what it means if they were in Australia on 26 February 2001. Then you can discuss the matter. What you have said here is total rubbish.
They tend to be aussie citizens because they were all there prior to 2001. So they collected aussie passports and atrocious accents.
But I doubt that any of them have renounced the kiwi citizenship either.
For that matter a couple of my grandparents generation from various wings of the family were entitled to aussie citizenship as their parents hopped over this side of the tasman early last century.
I think I have one 2nd cousin who moved there a few years ago to do a doctorate and seems to be pretty settled in Melbourne. I must ask her what she is planning to do.
I’m not certain whether it was actually correct but I remember reading an article a year or so ago which claimed that anyone from New Zealand who had even passed through an Australian airport prior to the 2001 date could avoid all the problems.
The only visa then available to New Zealand citizens was the permanent resident one. That was what you got when you entered Australia, even it was only for a couple of hours.
The article argued that since you had had a permanent resident visa you could simply ask that it be reactivated, and that they would have to do it. Then you could start down the path to citizenship.
So, if anyone passed through Australia on the way to Europe in the 1980’s, and now want to raise the IQ on both sides of the Tasman by moving across the ditch that is the way to do it. The 2001 law doesn’t apply to you.
I don’t remember where I read this, or whether it was true but a lawyer might to able to confirm or deny it.
ok, so the whole trying to have a go a NZLP is just some stupid flailing around shit when they weren’t doing their job properly, it’s nothing to do with NZ at all.
That’s about it. It looks to me that it’s the Australian Liberal party trying to evade their own personal responsibility.
lol.
And Hipkin’s provided them with a perfect scapegoat. We’ll blame it on the Kiwi Labour Party.
No one likes the Aussie Liberals (apart from Exaussieforces) and their anti-marriage equality and anti-Kiwi buzz.
Labour looks strong on this while National have rolled on their side to have their tummy rubbed again as they have done for the last three terms.
I think the fourth estate have been caught up in the Same Sex Marriage thing and the silly politics by Labour and the followers of the Mad Monk over SSM. But there has been some rumours about who was next to be caught up with Section 44 and now know who.
Haven’t been following Oz pol tbh, but I would have thought that after the two Green senators stepped down that there would have been a general call to parliamentarians to sort out their status. Was everyone hoping it would just go away?
Yes, you would’ve thought after the two greens senators that these smug arrogant clowns in the upper and lower houses in Oz would’ve done a family background check? Hell even some idiot try to trip old Henchie under section 44, he like an old school member of the fourth estate knew he had to renounce his NZ citizenship before standing for the upper house in the last federal election.
Even some MSM got their kinkers in a twist over fat boy missiles and starting jumping and down with “we must get a ABM system to protect Australia from North Korea”
I wouldn’t call that an outdated law.
IMO, nobody should be able to hold dual citizenship as it raises too much conflict of interest – see Thiel. He’s in the US working in their Administration and against the best interests of NZ by default. That makes him a traitor BTW.
+1. What’s the net he’s taken out of NZ to this point? $9million or so?
Wasn’t it ~$30 million?
Not sure. Bill English does love corporate welfare so we can expect more NZ govt revenue to go to Thiel in the future.
Answered my 1st political poll in my 66 years tonight. I didn’t hear which organization was running it. Things are getting interesting.
Julie Bishop reminded me of a dominatrix dressed all in black and she looked and sounded like she was out to give someone a good beating. Hope she doesn’t go home and kick the cat.
Heh
nothing to do with much but a good watch about the events in Charlottesville USofA. HBO made this free to watch, and i can only urge you to watch it.
Love this image.
http://www.theroot.com/interview-how-corey-long-fought-white-supremacy-with-f-1797831277/amp
Brilliant – made me chortle that one.
Re: Hipkins.
Someone’s pretending that right wing political parties don’t collaborate and share resources the world over. (cf:
LordMr. Ashcroft, Putin, Trump, Pinochet, Key etc etc.)Either that or it’s only a problem when the left does it. And/or (my pick) Hipkins is a patsy.
It’s only a problem when the Left do it especially if it shines a bad light on the Right-wing.
My partner tells me that Barnaby Joyce’s father went to Australia in 1947 and at that time we, Australians and New Zealanders were British subjects. It was only in 1948 we two countries attained our own individual nationalities – New Zealanders and Australian subjects. So why are we even in this row, surely this should be a stoush between the UK and Australia. Just my thoughts for the evening. Why hasn’t this been brought up.
That’s correct. Canada was first from 1/1/1947, and we all agreed to follow at the Commonwealth Heads Of Government meeting in February 1947.
The main issue is that citizenship by descent was automatically passed on to all children of NZ citizen fathers, which is how Joyce was caught out.
The shit that went down today is the white-heat of an election campaign. Anybody still think Jacinda ain’t up to it?
Yep it appears as if she has the x-factor. Good – ì think she’ll do her best – she is authentic – she is significant. Awesome for her and us.
When it is “dirty” to be a New Zealander in Australia. Sad!
Since shonky, recently honoured by OZ as a thank you, happily stood by whilst Abbott and Turnbull removed kiwis rights and didn’t reciprocate by doing same here.
Had they have done that the Oz media
It’s not just here national have been screwing kiwis over by their action or inaction. Key allowed kiwis to, in some cases, be treated like Oz treat the boat people.
Quite sickening really.
+1
We owe the Australians nothing.
Sorry timed out, the Oz media would’ve screamed about it and Turnbull/Abbott would’ve been pressured into backing down.
Remember Oz still have independent media, for now.
I am sick of our country being used as Aussies bum boy.
Handled right this could be an opportunity for Jacinda to shine.
It’s ok though for the Australian right to publicly back our government by encouraging kiwis living in Aussie to vote for the National party in our 2014 general election !!!
Fleewees living in Australia shouldn’t be entitled to vote in NZ elections, imo.
If you leave the country to ‘further your career’ or some other bullshit then you should also relinquish your rights to vote on matters important to New Zealand.
Have a crack when you decide to come home and contribute…
Jesse Mulligan: Australia is treating New Zealand like dirt | Newshub
http://www.newshub.co.nz/…/jesse-mulligan-australia-is-treating-new-zealand-like-dirt.html
Jesse Mulligan nails it.
OPINION: … ” Despite longstanding agreements which are supposed to give us special rights, New Zealanders seeking a better life in Australia have not been made to feel welcome.
They’re not allowed to access unemployment benefits, university subsidies or disaster relief. And even though last year Aussie agreed to give us a special path to citizenship, this year they betrayed that agreement.
So tell me again about this so-called special relationship?
Besides that, the Aussie government is now rounding up Kiwis with criminal records and sending them back to New Zealand, even those ones who have lived in Australia since they were babies.
Along the way, some get stuck in detention centres, essentially being put back in jail for crimes they’ve already paid for.
Almost 1000 of them have now been sent back here and surprise, surprise – 20 percent of them have reoffended. Remember Australia is not working with the New Zealand government on this. They make a decision and then we pay for it.
Now when Aussies arrive in New Zealand they get the full Anzac treatment, right? Permanent residency, within a few years they get access to student loans, and to benefits. Becoming a citizen costs less than 500 bucks.
Kiwis arriving in Australia get none of that. When our politicians raise it in meetings we’re ignored and the 600,000 Kiwis living in Australia can’t do anything about it, because despite paying full taxes, they’re not allowed to vote.
Forget the trans-Tasman friendship in 2017 – Australia is basically a bully.
So Julie Bishop, when you say you’ll find it hard to work with New Zealand, what exactly do you mean? How much worse could it possibly get? ”…
Newshub.