Was he (Mitchell) asked if the Iraq invasion was justified/legal?
His response is bound to be entertaining if any journalist ever summons the courage to ask.
Yes, can’t say I’m unhappy with the NZF number. And I also think at this stage the GP number isn’t something to be particularly worried about. Worth considering long term strategy though.
Greens have positioned themselves as a far left party targetting the beneficiary, anti-capitalism, SJW crowd which will be cast in stone with Marama Davidson becoming co-leader.
You can’t tell me those people are voting Labour?, the party of a thousand backflips, so again where are these Green supporters going to come from
Personally, I think the Green party is fucked, it used to be left wing cool and hip but Jacinda’s stolen that vibe and now that greens have nothing.
“I’m doing a calendar next month, apocalypse theme, lots of leather, bare buttocks and studs.
Should I put you down for a dozen or so?”
Thanks, but no thanks BM. I’m still wanting the use of my eyeballs for a few decades, and I’m thinking having to stab them with a ballpoint after seeing those images might be detrimental to that need.
‘Storms of My Grandchildren
The Truth about the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity’
In explaining the science of climate change, Hansen paints a devastating but all-too-realistic picture of what will happen in our children’s and grandchildren’s lifetimes if we follow the course we’re on.
The last time BM ‘spoke’ to me ………. he asked if I was German.. and then doubled up on the weird, by insinuating I had a thing for ‘tight pants’ …. strange and amusing I thought … or ‘vot iz dis scwheizenhund?’
Now he writes …”I’m doing a calendar next month, apocalypse theme, lots of leather, bare buttocks and studs.”
Come out of the closet BM …. lose the repression ..become that happy gay leather chappy.
“I think once the Greens select their new co-leader they’ll have everything in place to build their support.”
Yes, I think this is true. Also time, for people to see what they are actually doing in government. It’s not what people are used to. The Greens are playing the long game, and they’re building relationships, and they’re changing how politics is done.
Don’t think leftish Labour voters will ever allow that to happen Weka.
In any case, if TPPA 11 is signed in March, 3% or so will shift back to the Greens.
Urban liberal Labour supporters are ok with the Greens on 5 or 6%. That’s a problem. Because next election if it’s as tight as it is today, how many LW voters will vote Labour because they’re worried about their vote being wasted if the GP slips under 5%?
The 5-6% ballpark is too narrow for my taste, too. Labour need friends to govern, just like National do. A quick change in the polling period could leave grn on 4.9% and we’re screwed.
But way early days yet. Too early for obsessive poll watching at this stage. I’d expect a government increase after the second budget. That’s when the improvements will start being really evident.
Leftish Labour voters already let that happen at the last election when they voted Labour.
True, but if the Green Party was looking like there was a risk of it falling below the threshold come election time, there’d be plenty of Labour voters willing to vote strategically to prevent that from happening. Effectively, this poll puts the Labour/Green vote at 53%, let’s just take the compliment.
I don’t care about the exact level of Green support. I don’t prefer lower levels to higher levels at this stage. Which would I prefer if Labour and the Greens were about equal? To quote Rick Blaine, “ask me when you get there”.
But I do believe both the Greens and Labour are essential parts of my ideal government. I voted Green because I thought they might not get in, not because I want them at a specific voting range.
I really only stress about two thresholds: 5% and 50%. The rest is horse trading.
Right. So if at the next election the GP was polling like today, there will be people who *won’t vote for them for fear of wasting their vote. That’s a risk. Even if you don’t care about the ratios, having the Greens sitting just above the threshold is not safe for the left.
Well, it depends how far they think through it – getting Labour on 40% with no coalition partners is also a wasted vote.
So if the Greens are polling 4 to 7%, I would most likely vote Green regardless of whether I still prefer Labour.
If, on the other hand, Greens are on 9%, and NZ1 are on 4 to 7%, I’m nopt sure I’d be able to pull myself to vote for NZ1. But I suspect other Labour voters would tend towards that decision.
But I still think this is all augury – we’ll see what happens when the Greens are up and running with a full leadership team and some more policy achievements under their belts.
LG would be my preferred, but tbh I think Labour tacticians would prefer Labour being in the position to choose between NZ1 and Greens as a coalition partner, rather than needing both.
But the Greens and Labour do seem to dovetail nicely without too much in the way of opposing forces.
I think that’s true (about Labour), but that’s the problem. Because as long as Labour hedge their bets like that they support NZF. Had they gone a bit more left they would have picked up more NZF votes. It looks to me like the only way the left can grow a bigger govt is for Labour to take NZF and swing votes and for the Greens to regain their vote and pick up some Labour and non-vote. If that doesn’t happen, what’s going to happen when Peters is no longer around?
I think NZ1 are aiming for the regions. Not left wing votes.
I also suspect, with nothing but my own belly button for support, that Labour will pick up the swing votes, NZ1 the regional nat votes (especially if collins gets in), and the greens will pick up some Labour and some non-voters.
I predicted they’d end on about 5.7-6.0% after Specials. (as it turned out, they did a little better) … but was all a bit too close to the 5% hurdle for comfort … so I thought “What the Hell, toss a strategic party vote their way … you only live once”
It’s amazing how things have turned around in less than a year. And the way things are, I’m not even sure the next National PM is currently sitting in Parliament.
Interesting observation Ovid. In 2008 when Labour lost the election, the next Labour PM had just entered parliament for the first time but was yet to be officially anointed as a list MP.
OAB – there are alternative explanations which DPF may deploy. Place your bet:
The honeymoon is delayed and not genuine
The honeymoon is weaker than that obtained by the masterful John Key
The honeymoon is only because of the baby
The honeymoon is the end of the Greens
The honeymoon won’t last because a new National leader will get a bounce (actually I suspect this bounce is what happens on a gallows when the rope snaps tight, but I’ll let it go – not the rope I mean, would never let the rope go)
The honeymoon is attributable to sunspot activity causing temporary mental derangement
The honeymoon is a rogue poll and completely different from ‘internal polling’
The honeymoon is illegitimate like the election result (and the baby)
The honeymoon is just a shadow of a honeymoon cast on the wall of the cave and there is no way of knowing if there is truly an essence of the honeymoon anywhere
There can’t be a honeymoon because I am a sad, boring, droning git
I wouldn’t put to much emphasis on the low results for the coalition partners, the public is very happy with the new Govt, Labour being the largest party has received lions share of the poll, but – the coalition partners have contributed considerably to performance of the Govt as a whole and should be proud to be associated.
IMHO the poll should also contain a question on the coalition performance as a whole, and then compare with individual results.
That poll result is bound to have some influence on which way the Nat leadership goes.
If they go for Collins she may be gone by Christmas as Nat support drops below 35%.
Bradbury’s perspective.
Looks like you are both on the same page.
Why Mark Mitchell’s run at leadership is a scam & is this Tracy Watkin’s worst political column of all time?
…so a radical right wing mercenary with deep links to Judith Collin’s favourite attack dogs Slater & Lusk (who helped him win the Rodney candidacy) and who have a long term plan to use him to implement a radical right wing agenda has thrown his hat in the ring.
Why?
……….I believe the long term plan is for Mark to stand down from National in the year of the next election, suddenly become the Leader of the Conservative Party and Judith will allow him to run in Rodney unopposed thus bringing in a sub 5% vote using an electorate seat. He is running now to build profile, watch for him to run a very socially conservative platform to appeal to the Christian vote.
Er, you really hope that the next government is run by someone renowned for corrupt practice and dirty politics, alongside a right-wing authoritarian nationalist who made a mint running mercenaries for the occupation of Iraq? Oh, wait, it’s you – scratch that, no surprises there then.
But, lookee there, there’s a guy who was convicted of insider trading, another convicted of securities reporting violations, Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, some google and Apple people, Lawrence Lessig, some politicians, and then…. Donald Trump 45th president of the US, Donald Trump jr, Ivanka Trump.
heh.
But couldn’t find anything much about Mitchell at Threat Management Group.
Now there goes an utter ponce if I ever met one.
Quiteamusing to see the gNats evolution.
There’ll be a few rolling in theirs graves…Collins, but more so Bennett.
Ugly people in general. Does Chris Finlayson stick phat with them under some illusion they’re still principled and ethical people, or is he just trying on gNat veneer (beige Formica TM) that class distinction no longer matters?
Amusing and quite fucking pathetic really
The other thing Bomber highlights is how compromised Tracy Watkins is.
The puffery she writes about Mitchell is unbelievable.
Some of the most vomitous and nauseating ways she describes Mitchell.
‘a dark horse.’
‘Former police officer and hostage negotiator’
‘ in the mold of former prime minister Sir John Key’
‘a to-die-for back story’
‘He was stabbed in the line of duty’
‘a top international hostage negotiator’
‘media savvy’
‘ reminiscent of Key in his early days’
Who wrote this tripe?
Lusk, Slater, Williams or another far right extremist?
No mention of some of the work he did in the Middle East.
Maybe Watkins had never read this news.
“National MP Mark Mitchell, newly appointed as Defence Minister, was a mercenary fighter in Iraq during the bloodiest period of the US occupation. His appointment signals what a pro-war, pro-US empire government this National Party really is,” said Auckland Peace Action spokesperson Virginia Lambert.
“Mark Mitchell not only went freely and willingly to fight in an illegal war of aggression, but he made a profit out of it. It is disgusting.”
“More than a million people are dead in Iraq because of the US’s war. Mark Mitchell was one of thousands who went to occupy and repress the local people on behalf of the US.”
Jenna Lynch has clearly been given her orders as well.
‘He has a trademark grin’
‘Mitchell is a straight shooter. It’s refreshing.’
‘Mark Mitchell let a little something slip during his National Party leadership bid announcement – the truth.’
Lynch and Watkins remind me that the media are just mindless repeaters. Puppets who dance to the tune of the owners and masters.
They remind me of this clip.
Political goals:
Growing the economy through increased exports; supporting critical infrastructure projects; strong support for police to allow them to fight gangs and organised crime. Believes his negotiation skills would be useful in areas like negotiating with unions, and his outsourcing experience would help in areas like privatising prisons.
Bradbury has his good days. That is a highly plausible strategy Ed @ 5.1. But first, it will depend on Judith Collins becoming the leader which might not happen this time but further down the track…?
Now we can watch and see if it pans out in practice.
The Nats need a support party, its as simple as that. It appears those parties that achieved some electoral success had leaders that defected from either the Nats or Labour.
The machinations inside National are deafening by their silence.
Shut up already, you’re predicting something that’s happened before and will happen again. I highly doubt there’s anyone (left or right) that posts on this site that doesn’t think there’ll be a crash. Ooh I know I predict National will regain power at some point.
No you’re not, you’re acting as if you and you alone have information about the future and if only people would just listen to you, well you’re not Cassandra you’re just boring
That’s the second time I’ve read that from you recently. If you post contentious claims on a general comments thread, why should people who disagree with you “scroll past” rather than expressing their disagreement? That’s why an open comments thread is there, for fuck’s sake. If you can’t defend your claims, don’t instruct people to ignore them, try not posting them in the first place.
5. Has anyone gone out of the way to disprove the claim, or has only supportive evidence been sought?
This is the confirmation bias, or the tendency to seek confirmatory evidence and to reject or ignore disconfirmatory evidence. The confirmation bias is powerful, pervasive and almost impossible for any of us to avoid. It is why the methods of science that emphasize checking and rechecking, verification and replication, and especially attempts to falsify a claim, are so critical.
Have you gone out of your way to find any contradictory opinions, Ed?
I’m on holiday doing the central otago rail trail so i figure i may as well work a few shifts while I’m here, i dont like posting from my phone but sometimes you just got to make do with what you’ve got, you know how it is
Oh that sounds pretty nice. Youre in the right place to get some of Key’s wine while youre at it too. I wouldn’t get the 2016 vintage though – bad year.
Lol….i see Toplis is already advocating ‘printing money’….perhaps he knows of a bank that may need bailing out?
“And additionally if things did go really wrong we’ve got a lot of fiscal flexibility because our government books are in pretty good order and we’ve got a lot of central bank flexibility ’cause we’ve still got some of the highest interest rates on the planet and we’ve never used quantitative easing.
“So I’m an optimist for New Zealand in a relative sense, notwithstanding that if things go nasty (globally), we’ll suffer some way or another,” he said.
or perhaps all we need to do is bluff our way through as suggested here…
“You have to look at (household indebtedness) people’s ability to service that debt and that is a function of how quickly the economy is growing, are wages going up? Is there actually economic activity that means people will be able to pay it off?
“The answer is yes. Globally this is the first time in a very long time we’ve had all the major economies actually growing,” Mr Stubbs said.”
Ah, nothing like a little confidence to keep the punters at the table….
Wayne Hope nails it.
I have been advocating for real action on the site for a while – not tinkering.
Wayne agrees with me.
This is a state of emergency. If only piecemeal measures are contemplated and if the structural underpinnings of wealth polarisation are not recognised, our county`s future is bleak . Slums on the edges of our major cities, prison riots, civil unrest and a secluded one per cent contributing to charities but secretly blaming the poor for their plight.
Where’s Wayne? (Mapp) You have been conspicuous by your absence..
We know you were Minister during the raid, and Mitchell took over from you as Minister of Defense.
So , Collins Lusk and Slater, are known to have been plotting to bring in more right wing National party members, sooooo…… they helped Mitchell gain Rodney . He’s very right, right!
Are they playing a long game, of long knives????
I think a plot by “interests” to have another right wing party or group is unfolding.
What happened to the Blue Dragons? Or am I imagining things line up???
Sorry to nit pick, look I can cut defence again like I did to Health Dr Colman who replace Mapp because he said the cuts won’t work (that part is true), then the pie thief/ where did all the pies go Brownliee aka pie guts, who was then replace by Mitchell IOU 20 billion or whatever nickname you can think of.
National are heading for polling worse than 2002. The rabble that are scrabbling and jostling for power will get nowhere. John Key’s clone is being assembled at the moment and a helicopter will deliver………maybe 2026 with a shot at PM in 2029.
This will be a hard watch for the close minded among you.
Abby Martin, one of the most fearless of our independent voices in journalism, investigates the North Korean crisis.
Be warned.
Don’t watch if you accept the mainstream media’s lines without question
“But there’s a catch: the nation’s 1.8 million cows are producing so much manure that there isn’t enough space to get rid of it safely.
As a result, farmers are dumping cow poo illegally, the country is breaking EU regulations on phosphates designed to prevent groundwater contamination, and the high levels of ammonia emissions are affecting air quality.
As a result, WWF is calling for a 40% cut in cow numbers over the next decade, and a return to a dairy sector that can deal with its own dung.”
“My dog-handling skills will be very handy if I get the job as Leader of the National Party,” says #4 contender, Mark Mitchell.
“”Get in behind” and “Fetch it” are for comic books and jokes but serious dogs need serious handling.”
He looks forward to putting the lap dog, poodle and rottweiler through the hoops but would not specify which breed typified which rival for the top job.
“That would be easier than ABC and in that particular order” he said.
Others might put their paws up, but his use of a short leash and judicious treats would deal with all but the barking mad. “All his colleagues were House-trained though they still chase after ducks,” he laughed.
He looked forward to the contest and the challenge. “Every dog has its day” but his dog-whistling and skills at negotiating at muzzle length should “collar” the prize, concluded the former police dog handler.
Much water to go under the bridge re this govt. Both NZ First and Greens being devoured/Greens near threshold too. So in an MMP environment, how does Labour govern without partners? FPP next election, in all but name. Winston as PM on three percent support…that’ll go down well. Counting chickens dangerous, many polls to go and possibly a Winston scandal or two. Plus fresh new National leader, bring it on!
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Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
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Can anyone name a more amoral and repulsive profession than being a mercenary?
Bluntly speaking that means being prepared to kill people for money.
What euphemisms can be used for a mercenary group?
A security consultancy.
Radio New Zealand’s euphemism
“a private security company in the Middle East.”
Foreign Exchange dealer is a fairly amoral profession, killing economies for money…
Good point
Said Global warming has a human fingerprint . Not much else in his interview on RNZ
Who?
Was he (Mitchell) asked if the Iraq invasion was justified/legal?
His response is bound to be entertaining if any journalist ever summons the courage to ask.
Big change in Colmar Brunton poll tonite …
Labour 48
National 43
Greens 5
NZ First 3
Ardern soaring as preferred PM to 41.
Good times …
Jeebus that hurts national
Well, it doesn’t hurt National per se. As an opposition party which has 3 terms it is a good result for them. What hurts is the no support
Would you be ok with the Greens out of parliament and Labour governing on its own?
Nope.
I expect things to settle back a bit. Greens have to be there they are the left wing and environmental conscience of the Parliament.
NZ FIrst on the other hand …
Yes, can’t say I’m unhappy with the NZF number. And I also think at this stage the GP number isn’t something to be particularly worried about. Worth considering long term strategy though.
I think once the Greens select their new co-leader they’ll have everything in place to build their support.
Build there support from where?
Greens have positioned themselves as a far left party targetting the beneficiary, anti-capitalism, SJW crowd which will be cast in stone with Marama Davidson becoming co-leader.
You can’t tell me those people are voting Labour?, the party of a thousand backflips, so again where are these Green supporters going to come from
Personally, I think the Green party is fucked, it used to be left wing cool and hip but Jacinda’s stolen that vibe and now that greens have nothing.
There are plenty of people interested in changing capitalism and doing a bit of social justice warrioring.
Where are they?
Are they voting Labour? or are they so insignificant they don’t even make the margin of error?
Why do you care? Oh that’s right, you don’t, and you want the Greens to fail. Let’s just understand your comment in that light.
Of course, I don’t care about the Greens they offer nothing to me politically
Completely wedded to Labour why would a National voter care if they lived or died?
Having said that though If the Greens developed the ability to go cross-party then obviously that attitude would probably change.
A liveable planet perhaps with a breathable atmosphere and drinkable water? You clearly didn’t think this one through, did you? Colour me surprised.
BM has Mad Max fantasies (I’m not joking).
I’m doing a calendar next month, apocalypse theme, lots of leather, bare buttocks and studs.
Should I put you down for a dozen or so?
“I’m doing a calendar next month, apocalypse theme, lots of leather, bare buttocks and studs.
Should I put you down for a dozen or so?”
Thanks, but no thanks BM. I’m still wanting the use of my eyeballs for a few decades, and I’m thinking having to stab them with a ballpoint after seeing those images might be detrimental to that need.
What abour your children and grandchildren?
You need to read this book, bm
‘Storms of My Grandchildren
The Truth about the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity’
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/storms-of-my-grandchildren-9781608195022/
Ed wrote. “What abour your children and grandchildren?
You need to read this book, bm”
I thought for a minute, Ed, you were concerned that BM’s descendants might see the calendar!
Climate change horror can be handled, but not in leather.
The last time BM ‘spoke’ to me ………. he asked if I was German.. and then doubled up on the weird, by insinuating I had a thing for ‘tight pants’ …. strange and amusing I thought … or ‘vot iz dis scwheizenhund?’
Now he writes …”I’m doing a calendar next month, apocalypse theme, lots of leather, bare buttocks and studs.”
Come out of the closet BM …. lose the repression ..become that happy gay leather chappy.
“I think once the Greens select their new co-leader they’ll have everything in place to build their support.”
Yes, I think this is true. Also time, for people to see what they are actually doing in government. It’s not what people are used to. The Greens are playing the long game, and they’re building relationships, and they’re changing how politics is done.
“And I also think at this stage the GP number isn’t something to be particularly worried about.”
Ha.
I imagine NZ First will start peeling votes off national, once this leadership battle gets messy
Don’t think leftish Labour voters will ever allow that to happen Weka.
In any case, if TPPA 11 is signed in March, 3% or so will shift back to the Greens.
Aye.
Leftish Labour voters already let that happen at the last election when they voted Labour.
But not below 5%, and I genuinely think urban liberal Labour supporters would vote Green if it was necessary.
Urban liberal Labour supporters are ok with the Greens on 5 or 6%. That’s a problem. Because next election if it’s as tight as it is today, how many LW voters will vote Labour because they’re worried about their vote being wasted if the GP slips under 5%?
The 5-6% ballpark is too narrow for my taste, too. Labour need friends to govern, just like National do. A quick change in the polling period could leave grn on 4.9% and we’re screwed.
But way early days yet. Too early for obsessive poll watching at this stage. I’d expect a government increase after the second budget. That’s when the improvements will start being really evident.
Leftish Labour voters already let that happen at the last election when they voted Labour.
True, but if the Green Party was looking like there was a risk of it falling below the threshold come election time, there’d be plenty of Labour voters willing to vote strategically to prevent that from happening. Effectively, this poll puts the Labour/Green vote at 53%, let’s just take the compliment.
That’s the exact reason I voted Green last time, for the first time.
Right. Which suggests to me that Labour voters want the Greens at the sweet spot of 6 or 7%. But not higher.
I don’t care about the exact level of Green support. I don’t prefer lower levels to higher levels at this stage. Which would I prefer if Labour and the Greens were about equal? To quote Rick Blaine, “ask me when you get there”.
But I do believe both the Greens and Labour are essential parts of my ideal government. I voted Green because I thought they might not get in, not because I want them at a specific voting range.
I really only stress about two thresholds: 5% and 50%. The rest is horse trading.
Right. So if at the next election the GP was polling like today, there will be people who *won’t vote for them for fear of wasting their vote. That’s a risk. Even if you don’t care about the ratios, having the Greens sitting just above the threshold is not safe for the left.
Well, it depends how far they think through it – getting Labour on 40% with no coalition partners is also a wasted vote.
So if the Greens are polling 4 to 7%, I would most likely vote Green regardless of whether I still prefer Labour.
If, on the other hand, Greens are on 9%, and NZ1 are on 4 to 7%, I’m nopt sure I’d be able to pull myself to vote for NZ1. But I suspect other Labour voters would tend towards that decision.
But I still think this is all augury – we’ll see what happens when the Greens are up and running with a full leadership team and some more policy achievements under their belts.
Why would you vote NZF?
The only reason I could think of would be as a third coalition partner..
Unless a better option comes along.
A labgrn coalition with them is still better than the nats in government.
I’m assuming the strategy will be aiming for L/G.
LG would be my preferred, but tbh I think Labour tacticians would prefer Labour being in the position to choose between NZ1 and Greens as a coalition partner, rather than needing both.
But the Greens and Labour do seem to dovetail nicely without too much in the way of opposing forces.
I think that’s true (about Labour), but that’s the problem. Because as long as Labour hedge their bets like that they support NZF. Had they gone a bit more left they would have picked up more NZF votes. It looks to me like the only way the left can grow a bigger govt is for Labour to take NZF and swing votes and for the Greens to regain their vote and pick up some Labour and non-vote. If that doesn’t happen, what’s going to happen when Peters is no longer around?
I think NZ1 are aiming for the regions. Not left wing votes.
I also suspect, with nothing but my own belly button for support, that Labour will pick up the swing votes, NZ1 the regional nat votes (especially if collins gets in), and the greens will pick up some Labour and some non-voters.
Same here.
I predicted they’d end on about 5.7-6.0% after Specials. (as it turned out, they did a little better) … but was all a bit too close to the 5% hurdle for comfort … so I thought “What the Hell, toss a strategic party vote their way … you only live once”
or they’d vote Labour out of fear of their vote being wasted. Willing to bet this happened last year.
Yes
It’s good to see Nats on the slide… and a slight drop in NZF.
Sad to see the Greens drop as they are the only government/support party to stand firm on opposing the TPPA_byAnyOtherName.
kiwis, wake up! The TPP is a biggie and will impact negatively on a lot of Kiwis – especially the least well off Kiwis.
It’s amazing how things have turned around in less than a year. And the way things are, I’m not even sure the next National PM is currently sitting in Parliament.
Interesting observation Ovid. In 2008 when Labour lost the election, the next Labour PM had just entered parliament for the first time but was yet to be officially anointed as a list MP.
– And was the youngest MP at the time.
+1, nice one Ovid.
He may not even be spawned yet.
But David Farrar said the honeymoon was over! I’m shocked!
OAB – there are alternative explanations which DPF may deploy. Place your bet:
The honeymoon is delayed and not genuine
The honeymoon is weaker than that obtained by the masterful John Key
The honeymoon is only because of the baby
The honeymoon is the end of the Greens
The honeymoon won’t last because a new National leader will get a bounce (actually I suspect this bounce is what happens on a gallows when the rope snaps tight, but I’ll let it go – not the rope I mean, would never let the rope go)
The honeymoon is attributable to sunspot activity causing temporary mental derangement
The honeymoon is a rogue poll and completely different from ‘internal polling’
The honeymoon is illegitimate like the election result (and the baby)
The honeymoon is just a shadow of a honeymoon cast on the wall of the cave and there is no way of knowing if there is truly an essence of the honeymoon anywhere
There can’t be a honeymoon because I am a sad, boring, droning git
One thing Labour must not do, and that is to commit the error of National in 2017 and try to rule alone. No time for hubris- there never is.
48% is great for Labour and recognition for wise, inclusive and humble leadership and action.
I wouldn’t put to much emphasis on the low results for the coalition partners, the public is very happy with the new Govt, Labour being the largest party has received lions share of the poll, but – the coalition partners have contributed considerably to performance of the Govt as a whole and should be proud to be associated.
IMHO the poll should also contain a question on the coalition performance as a whole, and then compare with individual results.
I dont really like that 5 for the Greens. I feel it could readily have been 10-15 (of course I would prefer to see 25-35)
A.
That poll result is bound to have some influence on which way the Nat leadership goes.
If they go for Collins she may be gone by Christmas as Nat support drops below 35%.
Fun times ahead alright 🙂
Oh, and its possible that Mr Mitchell could be the leader of a new right party, not Collins. Aha, the plot thickens……………………
Bradbury’s perspective.
Looks like you are both on the same page.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/02/19/why-mark-mitchells-run-at-leadership-is-a-scam-is-this-tracy-watkins-worst-political-column-of-all-time/
I really hope this comes to pass…unless he’s a fundie in which case I hope it doesn’t
Er, you really hope that the next government is run by someone renowned for corrupt practice and dirty politics, alongside a right-wing authoritarian nationalist who made a mint running mercenaries for the occupation of Iraq? Oh, wait, it’s you – scratch that, no surprises there then.
Alleged
Oh yeah, that’s the endorsement every party looks for in a possible Prime Minster: “Those allegations were never proven!”
Heh, made me think of father ted.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-bnh162vqk4
I have been looking to see what I could find on Mark Mitchell’s
mercenaryPrivate Security Contract company (as described in Mitchell’s wikipedia page)Apparently it was called the Threat Management Group, and was a subsidiary of Agility Logistics.
Can’t find that much about them in Mitchell’s time. But they have a website.
Agility Logistics has a wikipedia page
The CEO IS Tarek Sultan, who, like Mitchell went to The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania – a business school.
Mitchell doesn’t appear on the list of notable alumni of the Wharton School – there’s a load of people I’ve never heard of.
But, lookee there, there’s a guy who was convicted of insider trading, another convicted of securities reporting violations, Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, some google and Apple people, Lawrence Lessig, some politicians, and then…. Donald Trump 45th president of the US, Donald Trump jr, Ivanka Trump.
heh.
But couldn’t find anything much about Mitchell at Threat Management Group.
Good research.
You’ll never get a job with the msm.
Is Mark Mitchell the grandson of Frank Gill ?
apparently so…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/4810730/In-the-line-of-duty
Now there goes an utter ponce if I ever met one.
Quiteamusing to see the gNats evolution.
There’ll be a few rolling in theirs graves…Collins, but more so Bennett.
Ugly people in general. Does Chris Finlayson stick phat with them under some illusion they’re still principled and ethical people, or is he just trying on gNat veneer (beige Formica TM) that class distinction no longer matters?
Amusing and quite fucking pathetic really
Sorry, are you saying Frank Gill was an utter ponce?
You must excuse oncewastim, he was momentarily struck with his own cleverness and became uncharacteristically incoherent.
The other thing Bomber highlights is how compromised Tracy Watkins is.
The puffery she writes about Mitchell is unbelievable.
Some of the most vomitous and nauseating ways she describes Mitchell.
‘a dark horse.’
‘Former police officer and hostage negotiator’
‘ in the mold of former prime minister Sir John Key’
‘a to-die-for back story’
‘He was stabbed in the line of duty’
‘a top international hostage negotiator’
‘media savvy’
‘ reminiscent of Key in his early days’
Who wrote this tripe?
Lusk, Slater, Williams or another far right extremist?
No mention of some of the work he did in the Middle East.
Maybe Watkins had never read this news.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1704/S00291/new-defence-minister-a-mercenary-in-us-wars.htm
I wonder what Slater or Lusk have on Watkins.
Jenna Lynch has clearly been given her orders as well.
‘He has a trademark grin’
‘Mitchell is a straight shooter. It’s refreshing.’
‘Mark Mitchell let a little something slip during his National Party leadership bid announcement – the truth.’
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/02/jenna-lynch-mark-mitchell-s-slip-of-the-truth-refreshing.html
Lynch and Watkins remind me that the media are just mindless repeaters. Puppets who dance to the tune of the owners and masters.
They remind me of this clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dguiAWrUGMM
Mitchell from 2011
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/4810730/In-the-line-of-duty
Yep, it’s sickening watching his on-going rehabilitation.
Did you read Watkins’ article?
Who is she scared of?
I skim-read it. I don’t affect to have any knowledge of her emotions at all.
Bradbury has his good days. That is a highly plausible strategy Ed @ 5.1. But first, it will depend on Judith Collins becoming the leader which might not happen this time but further down the track…?
Now we can watch and see if it pans out in practice.
The Nats need a support party, its as simple as that. It appears those parties that achieved some electoral success had leaders that defected from either the Nats or Labour.
The machinations inside National are deafening by their silence.
Good old revolutionary songs from the 90’s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HdzTvH8mvw&ab_channel=BahtMan
I keep warning people about an oncoming crash
.
Australian economist John Adams agrees with me,
He is warning the recent turmoil on global markets is just a sign of things to come, and a massive crisis is on the cards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agc4nK2XksQ
Shut up already, you’re predicting something that’s happened before and will happen again. I highly doubt there’s anyone (left or right) that posts on this site that doesn’t think there’ll be a crash. Ooh I know I predict National will regain power at some point.
I am merely commenting on statements made by a respected Australian economist.
Sorry you don’t like his message.
No you’re not, you’re acting as if you and you alone have information about the future and if only people would just listen to you, well you’re not Cassandra you’re just boring
Then scroll past.
That’s the second time I’ve read that from you recently. If you post contentious claims on a general comments thread, why should people who disagree with you “scroll past” rather than expressing their disagreement? That’s why an open comments thread is there, for fuck’s sake. If you can’t defend your claims, don’t instruct people to ignore them, try not posting them in the first place.
I have defended my claims.
I don’t see why I have to respond to pr’s insults, though.
You’d think he would be chatting with his biking friends….
“The respected* economist agrees with me”.
That’s not a defence, it’s an invitation.
*terms and conditions may vary
There are a lot of key independent economists saying that the same thing.
And?
Baloney detection kit, Shermer version:
Have you gone out of your way to find any contradictory opinions, Ed?
Yes, just like you gave some examples of the “many countries” who have nationalised their banks and the techniques they used to do it.
Oh wait, that’s right, you didn’t do that did you?
This is a change, I didn’t think you worked nights.
I’m on holiday doing the central otago rail trail so i figure i may as well work a few shifts while I’m here, i dont like posting from my phone but sometimes you just got to make do with what you’ve got, you know how it is
This is how you spend a holiday.
Trolling on a left wing site.
Very, very sad……..
It’s how I pay for the holiday Ed, slight but important difference
You must like Mitchell.
You’re both mercenaries.
Oh that sounds pretty nice. Youre in the right place to get some of Key’s wine while youre at it too. I wouldn’t get the 2016 vintage though – bad year.
Do you believe in the rapture, Ed?
Do you?
I don’t believe in an almighty creator Ed, so no.
What about yourself Ed, do you believe in the rapture?
No.
Why do you ask?
You seem to be very end times focused.
Haha
Nice Ed, well handled.
+1
Lol….i see Toplis is already advocating ‘printing money’….perhaps he knows of a bank that may need bailing out?
“And additionally if things did go really wrong we’ve got a lot of fiscal flexibility because our government books are in pretty good order and we’ve got a lot of central bank flexibility ’cause we’ve still got some of the highest interest rates on the planet and we’ve never used quantitative easing.
“So I’m an optimist for New Zealand in a relative sense, notwithstanding that if things go nasty (globally), we’ll suffer some way or another,” he said.
or perhaps all we need to do is bluff our way through as suggested here…
“You have to look at (household indebtedness) people’s ability to service that debt and that is a function of how quickly the economy is growing, are wages going up? Is there actually economic activity that means people will be able to pay it off?
“The answer is yes. Globally this is the first time in a very long time we’ve had all the major economies actually growing,” Mr Stubbs said.”
Ah, nothing like a little confidence to keep the punters at the table….
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/350776/is-the-global-economy-facing-a-financial-armageddon
Wayne Hope nails it.
I have been advocating for real action on the site for a while – not tinkering.
Wayne agrees with me.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/02/19/must-read-this-is-a-state-of-emergency-new-zealand-at-the-turning-point/
Where’s Wayne? (Mapp) You have been conspicuous by your absence..
We know you were Minister during the raid, and Mitchell took over from you as Minister of Defense.
So , Collins Lusk and Slater, are known to have been plotting to bring in more right wing National party members, sooooo…… they helped Mitchell gain Rodney . He’s very right, right!
Are they playing a long game, of long knives????
I think a plot by “interests” to have another right wing party or group is unfolding.
What happened to the Blue Dragons? Or am I imagining things line up???
Some very good questions there.
Pity we don’t have a media that will investigate them.
Tracy Watkins appears owned by the extreme right wing.
Wayne picked up a ban a little while ago. Weka got sick of his rhetorical games. A month, iirc.
He’ll be back before you can say “Tory sophist” 😈
And here’s me thinking Dame Edna had adopted him as her poor unfortunate Kiwi Duffer
Sorry to nit pick, look I can cut defence again like I did to Health Dr Colman who replace Mapp because he said the cuts won’t work (that part is true), then the pie thief/ where did all the pies go Brownliee aka pie guts, who was then replace by Mitchell IOU 20 billion or whatever nickname you can think of.
National are heading for polling worse than 2002. The rabble that are scrabbling and jostling for power will get nowhere. John Key’s clone is being assembled at the moment and a helicopter will deliver………maybe 2026 with a shot at PM in 2029.
This will be a hard watch for the close minded among you.
Abby Martin, one of the most fearless of our independent voices in journalism, investigates the North Korean crisis.
Be warned.
Don’t watch if you accept the mainstream media’s lines without question
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=QDJlNQlRbIA
Did anyone else’s avatar change or is it just me?
Testing, using my “not logged in” one. No, it hasn’t changed.
ok, that’s weird then.
Feeling a bit drained? 🙂
Oh damn, I was quite enjoying the subtle.
“But there’s a catch: the nation’s 1.8 million cows are producing so much manure that there isn’t enough space to get rid of it safely.
As a result, farmers are dumping cow poo illegally, the country is breaking EU regulations on phosphates designed to prevent groundwater contamination, and the high levels of ammonia emissions are affecting air quality.
As a result, WWF is calling for a 40% cut in cow numbers over the next decade, and a return to a dairy sector that can deal with its own dung.”
Sound familiar?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/feb/16/dutch-cow-poo-overload-causes-an-environmental-stink
Yes.
Here’s our version.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/country/350631/animal-effluent-warning-for-popular-swimming-rivers
“My dog-handling skills will be very handy if I get the job as Leader of the National Party,” says #4 contender, Mark Mitchell.
“”Get in behind” and “Fetch it” are for comic books and jokes but serious dogs need serious handling.”
He looks forward to putting the lap dog, poodle and rottweiler through the hoops but would not specify which breed typified which rival for the top job.
“That would be easier than ABC and in that particular order” he said.
Others might put their paws up, but his use of a short leash and judicious treats would deal with all but the barking mad. “All his colleagues were House-trained though they still chase after ducks,” he laughed.
He looked forward to the contest and the challenge. “Every dog has its day” but his dog-whistling and skills at negotiating at muzzle length should “collar” the prize, concluded the former police dog handler.
Much water to go under the bridge re this govt. Both NZ First and Greens being devoured/Greens near threshold too. So in an MMP environment, how does Labour govern without partners? FPP next election, in all but name. Winston as PM on three percent support…that’ll go down well. Counting chickens dangerous, many polls to go and possibly a Winston scandal or two. Plus fresh new National leader, bring it on!
They’re on 48% and climbing. Too easy.
In what alternate universe could anyone in the National party possibly be described as ‘fresh’?