The phone conversation between Bridges and Slater came after Slater obtained access to text messages held by Ross.
A spokesman said: “Mr Bridges contacted Mr Slater to make clear that he acted on appropriate medical advice throughout this process.”
The spokesman would not say how long the call was or if other matters were discussed, although said: “It was a brief conversation focused on Mr Ross’ health.”
The phone call was referred to by Slater in a lengthy blog post in which he accused the National Party of arranging publication of the claims by the four women who spoke out about Ross’ behaviour.
Slater wrote: “When I spoke to Simon Bridges on Monday he was continuing to deny a hit job.”
Bridges’ call to Slater came after the Whale Oil blogger wrote a blog post promising retribution on the National Party for what he sees as its role in Ross’ deteriorating mental health and subsequent fall from grace.
First the Exclusive Brethren, dodgy ‘Christians’, but now Seventh-Day?
Millionaire and Seventh Day Adventist church leader Paul Honnor is another to emerge as a link between Ross and Slater, and is also believed to have been involved in co-ordinating support for the now-independent MP.
Honnor has known Slater for more than a decade, supporting the blogger when his security business went into liquidation and providing occasional work since. Honnor was a director of Slater’s company Social Media Consultants Ltd for three years.
Honnor was also a figure of influence in the life of Ross who grew up without a father.
From link Scott GN at #1.
A lot of children grow up without having a father at home and do very well. Better than having an alcoholic father as is often the case in NZ.
I thought that Seventh Day Adventists were more dedicated to their Christianity than to acquiring money and closer to the biblical belief that being rich is a detriment to being a true Christian. Money being Mammon and an earthly obsession.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/being_wealthy 1 Timothy 6:6-10 ESV / 9 helpful votes
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
James 5:1-6 ESV
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. … \ESV English Standard Version (the info says it is more suitable as an evangelical text.)
The last words of Jami-Lee Ross before he disappeared.
There is serious rot in NZ politics, and the way the National Party undertakes it’s activity. There is a greater responsibility to continue exposing the National Party’s activity and the way the leadership conducts itself.
I have not submitted a resignation letter to the Speaker. I intended to do that today. I will instead stay on as an MP to continue speaking out about the internal operations of the National Party. I will no doubt continue being called a liar by Simon Bridges and the National Party. That’s a very good reason to keep telling the truth that I have witnessed first hand since 2011.
joe90and Chris T: as you say… that is precisely why we have not seen him or heard from him. Strange, that. Convenient for whom?
I hope these murky matters will be fully explained in the fullness of time, but in the meantime, it is unreasonable of you to expect nobody to harbour any suspicions at all.
He got help and left to go some where he doesn’t have half the countries media shoving microphones in his face demanding answers to questions which would probably drive him over the edge again.
The dude obviously just needs some space and support some where quiet
Very convenient for the National Party that these questions are not answered
The way the National Party leadership thinks about ethnic diversity
The level of influence over our largest political party from China.
Whether donations need to be publicly funded.
Why and how the National Party promoted JLR despite harassment and bullying allegations.
Is it appropriate for media to publish damning accusations from anonymous sources?
What else was going to be revealed inside National?
How safe are the safeguards when suddenly sanctioning a sitting Member of Parliament into mental health care when they are threatening to destabilise a Party.
“What else was going to be revealed inside National?”
Else?
He hasn’t revealed anything
“How safe are the safeguards when suddenly sanctioning a sitting Member of Parliament into mental health care when they are threatening to destabilise a Party.”
He rolled out on his own accord less than 48 hours later ffs
“joe90and Chris T: as you say… that is precisely why we have not seen him or heard from him”
Because he probably had a serious mental health crisis and needs some time to recuperate? Why some people here think their curiosity should be sated immediately is beyond me. Jesus man, give the guy some fucking room.
I said on here a couple of days before he went in he seemed to be starting to be a bit delusional as he claimed specific evidence that just wasn’t there, and questioned whether his doctor really said he was fine
Ed there is a simple explanation. JLR was beamed up by aliens, who are in the employ of the National Party. His memory of all events potentially damaging to the National Party has been erased. Normal transmission will resume shortly.
Correction : it is the Chinational party,… not the National party.
The National party as we know it ceased to exist when Key took power from 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016.
Please do get your facts straight.
As for the rest of your smarmy bullshit about ‘aliens’,… the only aliens we should be concerned with are the aliens that are buying their way into the Chinational party.
Yes, it does look as though that is the case. The naivety of some on here – their faith in the process, is surprising. I do think, though, in this particular case, that Ross will get his opportunity. To expose Key’s filth is very important. Key cannot be remembered as a hero of NZ politics.
Already we are seeing how his Dirty Politics legacy was ( and still is ) a blight on NZ politics. He is ,.. and in times in the future , will be remembered as the most corrupt politician we have ever had in the modern era.
And its OK that he has a knighthood,- its good to be able to identify the crooks among us so we can be wary of them.
With respect, “those issues” are NOT solely Parliament’s business.
Why do some oppose discussion about “those issues”, i.e. the issues raised in the three links Ed provided?
To be clear, there is not ONE SINGLE REFERENCE to JLR’s mental health status or treatment in any of the three linked articles. In fact, there’s no mention of JLR AT ALL.
I’m beginning to wonder if Ed’s “Don’t shoot the messenger” refrain might (sometimes) have a grain of truth.
[ I haven’t commented on the Chinese infiltrating our politicians paranoia… ]
And there you go.
And you wouldn’t either. Just like the National party wont.
But WHAT THEY WILL DO ,… is clamp down on someone who will, – and did – like JLR.
Never mind, having a Chinese ex tutor training Chinese nationals on surveillance under the auspices of the CCP’s military shouldn’t raise alarm bells should it ,… hell ! – lets just make him an MP in the National party , – and to hell with those Australians and their paranoia….
OFC Slater and Lusk have an agenda , that’s what I’ve been saying !! L0L !!
We all know what that agenda is, – with Lusk it is to turn off the average voter so they stay home while the right wingers ( who vote more consistently ) vote for the right.
The other agenda is to install their people in positions of influence – aka Collins. And don’t say it isn’t effective because we all know Rodney Hide stood down after being threatened with embarrassing texts… enter Don Brash after that…
I really don’t know where you got that from at all L0L !
And you wouldn’t either. Just like the National party wont.
But WHAT THEY WILL DO ,… is clamp down on someone who will, – and did – like JLR.
Never mind, having a Chinese ex tutor training Chinese nationals on surveillance under the auspices of the CCP’s military shouldn’t raise alarm bells should it ,… hell ! – lets just make him an MP in the National party , – and to hell with those Australians and their paranoia….”
And Labour won’t
I haven’t bothered because for every Nat Chinese Liu there is a Labour Chinese Liu
And it becomes a very boring conversation of throwing names at each other
[ I haven’t bothered because for every Nat Chinese Liu there is a Labour Chinese Liu .And it becomes a very boring conversation of throwing names at each other… ]
OR , … it doesn’t.
Because in Labours case it was demonstrated that the $ 100,000 dollar donation AND the bottle of wine that was supposed to be its equivalence was a fabrication.
But that didn’t stop John Armstrong writing an appalling column demanding David Cunliffes resignation in the NZ Herald and furthering the lie, did it… to which even to this day he has not really apologized for his so-called ‘unbiased and dishonest media editorials ‘ ..
My reply was to Joe90@4.2.2.2.1.1, who mentioned JLR’s mental health a couple of times in his reply to Ed’s 3-link comment @4.2.2.2.1.
I got the impression that Joe90 was implying that Ed’s comment might impact of JLR’s health, and/or that the linked issues were suitable for discussion by Parliament only.
I’ve not kept track of all Ross’ interviews and statements but I believe he’s not made one legitimate reference to having mental health problems.
It’s the National Party and their hangers-on, some media, and even some commenters here who have pushed this line.
When it was announced he was to take leave from parliament he said he’d had a breakdown but that was part of a National Party announcement and obviously agreed to.
Other than that I don’t think he’s referenced his mental state at all. It’s others, including the many amateur psychologists we have on The Standard who have been trying to diagnose him from afar.
Is being critical of the National Party and fighting back against their wicked and underhand ways now proof of mental illness? They and their supporters would certainly like you to think so.
There was some sort of incident at his electorate office or home on the weekend (more than likely prompted by as yet unnamed National Party fixers) but just two nights in Middlemore suggests there was not much to it in terms of a mental health catastrophe, contrary to the bizarre claims from a number of people here saying that was a big deal. It sounds to me like a quick once over and a clean bill of health.
No, there has been not admission from Ross himself there are serious and long lasting problems. But his new enemies have been very active in telling the world he is a sick, sick man who needs ‘time out’
People can say anything to garner effect,… just look at yourself or the National party , – they are masters at making things up.
Anyhow, its a dead subject now because we see the Dirty Politics brigades involvement. And Slater and Lusk?,.. are you now going to try to suggest that they DON’T HAVE an agenda??
Same issue with your other comment sorry. No reply button.
“Was this associated with the announcement he was to take leave from parliament?”
There is something I am getting slightly confused over.
Your comments seem to imply he was lying about the mental breakdown, yet you seem adamant he is telling the truth about any accusations he makes against Bridges.
Do you mind making a choice about how honest he is?
Not lying. He’s certainly been under pressure in the last few weeks, particularly in the last week. I just think that first statement by Ross was scripted and all of them at that point agreed that was the best way forward.
Something then changed. It was when Bridges suggested Ross was the leaker. Perhaps that wasn’t agreed to by all the parties. Ross protested, and then that poisonous bitch Paula Bennett lifted the bedsheets.
I reckon Ross has just accepted the sea change and decided the best thin for the country is to out the practices of this National opposition. I think he’s ashamed of his behaviour not just toward women in his personal relationships but toward the people of New Zealand for the work he used to do for the National Party.
He really wants to get this out and I don’t think we should be preventing him from doing so.
Sure JLR had a time of depression , sure , we all get that.
No problems.
But what we are seeing is :
A ) A personal vendetta against Bridges by JLR ,…
B ) The kick back from National in suddenly producing 4 or more women who they say JLR abused them – a perfectly timed smearing operation
C ) The above response not tied in with historical grievances large enough to air publicly – until of course, JLR pulled the plug on National.
D ) A most peculiar ‘whisking’ away from the public arena of JLR,- which may have been either initiated by :
i ) National to muzzle further revelations that might embarrass them, – particularly with regards to the donations and the preference of Chinese over Indians on the Lists, OR , …
ii ) The above being used by Slater and Lusk as an opportune time to not only garner the ‘ pity vote ‘ for JLR and win people to their cause in having Bridges replaced by Collins.
Whether or not it had some grounds in the former we will not know because neither National or the Dirty Politics crowd are going to admit to anything. And in both groups they have shown amply that both are not above using underhanded strategy’s to further their cause.
Any mention of Jason Ede and people know EXACTLY what the point is here.
And YOU WILL recall that JLR was also on close terms with both Slater and Lusk.
What we are saying is that Mark Mitchell ( ex Police force) knew the most efficient way to have someone sectioned, would have instant access to Police colleagues, and certainly the motive to carry the action out.
No need to talk of roughing anyone up here.
And the bonus for the Dirty Politics brigade is that it could be used in various ways to further their mission to ‘remove politicians ‘ ,… as Lusk so euphemistically calls it…
In this case Bridges ,.. to install Collins.
Its pretty black and white if one wants to approach it logically for motives.
[ The police can’t sanction people. Only a mental health team and medical professionals ]
Stop hedging and beating around the bush. Police have to deal with the mentally ill all the time. And would have ready access to ‘mental health teams and medical professionals’ when needed.
Its a small leap from a Chinational party aligned officer/ex officer to contact via the Police Force those same ‘professionals’- who may also be Chinationally aligned.
[ So now your suggesting the admitting staff and the mental health team who assessed JLR are all in on it too ]
Ultimately , it only takes the head of operations- not the whole team of ‘admitting staff’ and the bottle maker and the cook to do the job,
Don’t play the naive game nor the incredulous one either.
We are dealing with a very mall group here that , if needs be can make arbitrary decisions that the public will never know about via the privacy acts.
And that is where corruption lies. In the hidden spaces. The same spaces that JLR sought to expose. And to which he did. And that threatened more than just Simon Bridges.
Do you really think the Dirty Politics brigade wouldn’t have anticipated Chinationals next move???
You could be right, – but on the strength of the damning evidence JLR did supply about Chinationals racist attitudes and buying places on the List MP’s… we would have to give JLR the benefit of the doubt…
But that doesn’t stop Lusk and Slater angling it to their advantage no matter which way the cards fell.
And their goal is to get rid of Bridges and install Collins.
There are two parties to take into consideration who are involved here, – not just one.
The Chinational party , and the Dirty Politics brigade.
“There was some sort of incident at his electorate office or home on the weekend” Well he was taken from his electorate office, according to his friend who spoke to the media. If it was Mitchell, as Slater & others seem to think due to having been delegated to mind him, then the question is why.
Use of another purported breakdown is the obvious reason. There’s also another possibility. That hinges on who owns or has leased his electorate office. If it is the National Party, Ross lost the right to use it as soon as he resigned from National – unless he has a contract that allows usage on the basis of being an MP. So that would give Mitchell a valid reason to get Ross removed. If Ross resisted, Mitchell could have called the cops to force him out, and suggested they take him in for sectioning…
[ Yep, those issues and JLR’s long term mental health status are Parliament’s business. His political future is his party’s business. JLR’s current mental health status and whereabouts are his, and his family’s business, not your’s, mine or Bradbury’s… ]
Soooo,… by that logic we could say that a mentally ill person who broke into a house at 3 am and killed the occupants and who was let go by the mental health services to commit such an act doesn’t deserve any public interest…
OK, … that’s an extreme ( but all too common occurrence after Shipley disbanded the mental health institutions ) example but what you are implying is that those who hold public office as elected officials are not to be held up to public interest, public scrutiny and knowing who did what , which officials were involved and why – and also their political allegiances ,and finally …HOW did they achieve it .
Seems like a recipe for allowing any old piece of shitty corruption to slip through the floorboards, eh mate.
Interesting Ed, thanks. Who facilitated JLR’s involuntary admission to hospital? His statements are damning and (true or not) highly damaging to the National party, and in particular to the leader of the opposition.
JLR probably hasn’t disappeared, but he has disappeared from general public view (good for him).
JLR probably isn’t silent, but he hasn’t personally made any further public statements (good for him).
“It dawned on me, ‘I know this script, I helped write this script.’ At that point, I felt bad for what I did to Todd. But that’s the modus operandi of the National Party – when people become a liability you push them out the door.”
IMO it’s important to keep recent statements by the former 7th-ranked National party MP in the public eye, so as to encourage open discussion about their validity [as Chris T@4.2.2.1 hopes, JLR’s statements could be the result of delusional thinking; Chris T might know something about that!], meaning and significance. Know Your Opposition!
It dawned on me, ‘I know this script, I helped write this script.’ At that point, I felt bad for what I did to Todd. But that’s the modus operandi of the National Party – when people become a liability you push them out the door.
That is a telling quote.
A decent detective would start there.
Jimmy Dore is compulsive viewing.
As a commentator puts it.
This is a consequence of having a Capitalistic-consumerist-materialist world view. And a toxic ideology of Infinite growth on a finite planet without the necessary moral constraints.
‘The facts are stark and undeniable: It’s five minutes to midnight on climate change. Politicians who drag their feet are out of excuses, writes @martinwolf_ economics editor of @FinancialTimes’
It is five minutes to midnight on climate change. We will have to alter our trajectory very quickly if we wish to have a good chance of limiting the global average temperature rise to less than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. That was a goal of the Paris agreement of 2015. Achieving it means drastic reductions in emissions from now. This is very unlikely to happen. That is no longer because it is technically impossible. It is because it is politically painful. We are instead set on running an irreversible bet on our ability to manage the consequences of a far bigger rise even than 2C. Our progeny will see this as a crime.
Yep ed. Imo white supremacists love colonisation because it covers up for their inadequacies past and present. Like many indigenous peoples I’ve come to the conclusion that most of the problems we have today are because of greedy self centred colonizers. They have fucked this world big time and ironically themselves too. Dumbarses.
You think the Maoris were the only ones subjected to colonization?
And don’t go bothering to blame it all on the English or white guilt either , mate. That’s not going to wash . It was common to all cultures to subjugate weaker ones.
Got any sympathy for the Tibetans in regards China as well , bud?
Or do you support the ChiNational party’s stance of doing deals with the CCP ?
And as far as the Maoris go ,- many tribes benefited by the material gains of Europeans – so they sided with them. A classic case is those Maori tribes who sided with the British to avenge age old tribal rivalry’s. There were those who eagerly fought against the Waikato Maoris for example ,- leading British troops right to their opponents back door.
Just like the Scots did to each other.
And BTW – my clan is Clann Gunn – the ‘MacGregor’s ‘ of the North . And they held their land for century’s by the sword until the Highland Clearances, mate..
Interesting the dumbarses that think all progress is euro. Lol of course that is what you’d expect and a good cover to continue their attempted domination of others. Sad that they even get a platform for their noise. But I suppose when you try to bully people you need a place to do that.
Progress these days is global. All cultures, all races.
Right now I look around the space I am in, people from China, Poland, Panama, Colombia, Trinidad, Australia, Canada, Chile, Korea, Sth Africa … just this one small operations room.
I know what you think and it is that thinking I oppose. You may dress up your views with long winded and pretty words but we both know the truth and have done for the 10 years we’ve opposed each other’s views on this subject.
“The European colonial expansion built the foundations of the modern world.”
That’s what you said.
To me that smacks of pillow smoothing. You claim heritage to all the progess but it is a made up narrative. It is accumulated human knowledge not based on dubious ethnicity.
You have broken the agreement twice and gone back on your word. Indigenous peoples are used to that so thanks for the repeated lesson.
Anyway on reflection. I can’t be bothered red. You think what you like and I will too. I’ll comment if I feel the need as will you. I’ll try not to get personal but our history has made it personal for me. I know you’re just who you are. I don’t think you’re a demon. I am sorry for all the deliberately hurtful things i have said to you. We’re gonna be dead soon enough. Peace.
Those who push the line white people = evil oppressors, brown people = angelic victims might stop to note that the fig leaf of political purity from which you think to hide … has rather wilted.
And they should stop typing on this white supremacist colonising internet thing they so despise.
Oh dear to all those who thought all the Dirty Politics wee darlings were not involved…
Slater and Lusk at it again.
[ Bridges’ call to Slater came after the Whale Oil blogger wrote a blog post promising retribution on the National Party for what he sees as its role in Ross’ deteriorating mental health and subsequent fall from grace … ]
In Bridges’ case he really needs to put a finger in the dyke. It’s too late to save himself, but if JLR keeps spilling the beans the whole party’s prospects will go out with the tide.
It says a lot about the intellectual heft of the party that took a donor to explain that to the folk in the middle of the fight. None of the fools and crooks in parliament were up to it, and neither was Goodfellow.
But donors don’t get wealthy by losing their rag, and they don’t stay wealthy by letting their political vehicles disappear in a shitfight between a few of their muppets.
Particularly if they are backed by a powerful govt like the CCP,..who give their blessing to their ex pats to act as moles in country’s of interest in the 5 eye group.
Something that the weak , craven ChiNational party would never admit to.
Yup. And in the meantime we have the Coalition – and in fact they’ve been working their tails off – probably harder than any NZ government in my lifetime. But we need thirty years of that, at least, for things to come right.
That painting up the top really is excellent work! The smiles on each Republican seem so genuine you’d think it was a photo. I presume the one with his back to us is Abe Lincoln, but I don’t recognise the one above Nixon – anyone know who it is?
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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. ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
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 ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
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. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
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 ...
Herald is reporting that Bridges has called Cameron Slater to defend his actions in dealing with Jami-Lee Ross.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12148042
Oh Simon! That’s a tool that will turn in your hand.
Oh dear…
You can’t get much lower on the food chain than Slater, but it’s good to see Bridges knows his place.
Looks like the civil war hasn’t ended yet.
Fantastic.
millionaire and 7th day Adventist Church leader Paul Honnor is likely to be an intermediate in all this, as mentioned in Herald story.
First the Exclusive Brethren, dodgy ‘Christians’, but now Seventh-Day?
Millionaire and Seventh Day Adventist church leader Paul Honnor is another to emerge as a link between Ross and Slater, and is also believed to have been involved in co-ordinating support for the now-independent MP.
Honnor has known Slater for more than a decade, supporting the blogger when his security business went into liquidation and providing occasional work since. Honnor was a director of Slater’s company Social Media Consultants Ltd for three years.
Honnor was also a figure of influence in the life of Ross who grew up without a father.
From link Scott GN at #1.
A lot of children grow up without having a father at home and do very well. Better than having an alcoholic father as is often the case in NZ.
I thought that Seventh Day Adventists were more dedicated to their Christianity than to acquiring money and closer to the biblical belief that being rich is a detriment to being a true Christian. Money being Mammon and an earthly obsession.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/being_wealthy
1 Timothy 6:6-10 ESV / 9 helpful votes
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
James 5:1-6 ESV
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. … \ESV English Standard Version (the info says it is more suitable as an evangelical text.)
WTF is Bridges thinking???
He’s not thinking…he’s hoping,…against hope
The last words of Jami-Lee Ross before he disappeared.
Then silence…..
He didn’t disappear, he was admitted to a treatment facility.
Not silence
He was admitted to a mental institution
joe90and Chris T: as you say… that is precisely why we have not seen him or heard from him. Strange, that. Convenient for whom?
I hope these murky matters will be fully explained in the fullness of time, but in the meantime, it is unreasonable of you to expect nobody to harbour any suspicions at all.
Convenient for him I would think
He got help and left to go some where he doesn’t have half the countries media shoving microphones in his face demanding answers to questions which would probably drive him over the edge again.
The dude obviously just needs some space and support some where quiet
Very convenient for the National Party that these questions are not answered
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/10/24/waatea-news-column-national-party-meltdown-the-questions-that-need-asking/
“What else was going to be revealed inside National?”
Else?
He hasn’t revealed anything
“How safe are the safeguards when suddenly sanctioning a sitting Member of Parliament into mental health care when they are threatening to destabilise a Party.”
He rolled out on his own accord less than 48 hours later ffs
He has revealed $100,000 donations and a preference by National leadership for Chinese to be put on the List after they donate money over Indians.
Now,… why would that be , I wonder?…
I think even you know the answer.
Here’s a nice word to throw in at party’s.
Geopolitics.
That is clear Evidence.
“joe90and Chris T: as you say… that is precisely why we have not seen him or heard from him”
Because he probably had a serious mental health crisis and needs some time to recuperate? Why some people here think their curiosity should be sated immediately is beyond me. Jesus man, give the guy some fucking room.
I hope you are right, and I have not been harping on…
But note that you yourself used the word ‘probably’. My comment stands.
Then no more words…..
And no exposure of the ‘serious rot’ in the National Party.
Nothing in his tapes proved there was any
I said on here a couple of days before he went in he seemed to be starting to be a bit delusional as he claimed specific evidence that just wasn’t there, and questioned whether his doctor really said he was fine
Then.
Silence.
Ed there is a simple explanation. JLR was beamed up by aliens, who are in the employ of the National Party. His memory of all events potentially damaging to the National Party has been erased. Normal transmission will resume shortly.
Correction : it is the Chinational party,… not the National party.
The National party as we know it ceased to exist when Key took power from 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016.
Please do get your facts straight.
As for the rest of your smarmy bullshit about ‘aliens’,… the only aliens we should be concerned with are the aliens that are buying their way into the Chinational party.
Eh , bud.
Oh dear, clearly sarcasm is lost on you. Obviously you are a blind follower of the latest conspiracy theory. Never mind, Key really did eat babies.
Ross will expose within the national party what ever he believes needs exposing. If it doesn’t stack up then so be it. Simple.
Or he will be prevented from exposing the ‘rot’.
‘Important’ people have been threatened.
They don’t like that.
Yes, it does look as though that is the case. The naivety of some on here – their faith in the process, is surprising. I do think, though, in this particular case, that Ross will get his opportunity. To expose Key’s filth is very important. Key cannot be remembered as a hero of NZ politics.
And he wont.
Already we are seeing how his Dirty Politics legacy was ( and still is ) a blight on NZ politics. He is ,.. and in times in the future , will be remembered as the most corrupt politician we have ever had in the modern era.
And its OK that he has a knighthood,- its good to be able to identify the crooks among us so we can be wary of them.
Halve the dose, Eddie. Cut the damn pill in half.
“Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action”
Donghua Liu
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11247424
Jian Yang
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/09/13/46657/national-mp-trained-by-chinese-spies
Anne-Marie Brady
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12127928
Yep, those issues and JLR’s long term mental health status are Parliament’s business. His political future is his party’s business.
JLR’s current mental health status and whereabouts are his, and his family’s business, not your’s, mine or Bradbury’s.
^ What he said
Again – just give the guy some breathing room and stop demanding answers. If he wants to talk he’ll talk
With respect, “those issues” are NOT solely Parliament’s business.
Why do some oppose discussion about “those issues”, i.e. the issues raised in the three links Ed provided?
To be clear, there is not ONE SINGLE REFERENCE to JLR’s mental health status or treatment in any of the three linked articles. In fact, there’s no mention of JLR AT ALL.
I’m beginning to wonder if Ed’s “Don’t shoot the messenger” refrain might (sometimes) have a grain of truth.
Aren’t we allowed to discuss the creeping influence of the Chinese state on our country’s decision making?
Don’t ask me – apparently posting links and discussing this topic might (somehow) impact on JLR’s recovery. Go figure.
I was meaning to ask John Selway.
Of course not , Ed!
It might raise too many embarrassing questions.
So back to your beer and reality TV, thank you very much.
@Ed
“That was a diversion, Wild Kapito.”
To you, I have no doubt it was
I just can’t be bothered bringing up every Labour issue to counter yours.
Mainly because I am not naive enough to think both sides are not as bad as each other
Bollocks,… naive you are not, duplicitous you are.
Like all far right wing young Chinationals, … if in danger of losing the argument,… deny , deny , deny.
Obviously. They are not.
Labour had a someone who was bullying staff. It was bought out into the open. If proven that person will be gone.
National. Hide, hide, deny.
Don’t see that culture of bullying, dishonesty, entitlement, arrogance, lies, and winning at all costs, in the other parties.
Though it suits National to have people believe that. So only those who are happy with that culture. Vote!
Who is muzzling discussion?
People like you?… or perhaps trying to ridicule those that do pose pertinent questions…
I’m just pointing out there is no evidence in his evidence, when people keep saying how the bloke has shown corrupt activity in his ex party.
If you think that is muzzling, we have seriously different definitions of the word
I haven’t commented on the Chinese infiltrating our politicians paranoia
Sorry
There is no reply button on your other post
“And Slater and Lusk?,.. are you now going to try to suggest that they DON’T HAVE an agenda??”
Of course not
They are both arseholes
[ I haven’t commented on the Chinese infiltrating our politicians paranoia… ]
And there you go.
And you wouldn’t either. Just like the National party wont.
But WHAT THEY WILL DO ,… is clamp down on someone who will, – and did – like JLR.
Never mind, having a Chinese ex tutor training Chinese nationals on surveillance under the auspices of the CCP’s military shouldn’t raise alarm bells should it ,… hell ! – lets just make him an MP in the National party , – and to hell with those Australians and their paranoia….
OFC Slater and Lusk have an agenda , that’s what I’ve been saying !! L0L !!
We all know what that agenda is, – with Lusk it is to turn off the average voter so they stay home while the right wingers ( who vote more consistently ) vote for the right.
The other agenda is to install their people in positions of influence – aka Collins. And don’t say it isn’t effective because we all know Rodney Hide stood down after being threatened with embarrassing texts… enter Don Brash after that…
I really don’t know where you got that from at all L0L !
Is Brady paranoid?
“And there you go.
And you wouldn’t either. Just like the National party wont.
But WHAT THEY WILL DO ,… is clamp down on someone who will, – and did – like JLR.
Never mind, having a Chinese ex tutor training Chinese nationals on surveillance under the auspices of the CCP’s military shouldn’t raise alarm bells should it ,… hell ! – lets just make him an MP in the National party , – and to hell with those Australians and their paranoia….”
And Labour won’t
I haven’t bothered because for every Nat Chinese Liu there is a Labour Chinese Liu
And it becomes a very boring conversation of throwing names at each other
@ Chris T
[ I haven’t bothered because for every Nat Chinese Liu there is a Labour Chinese Liu .And it becomes a very boring conversation of throwing names at each other… ]
OR , … it doesn’t.
Because in Labours case it was demonstrated that the $ 100,000 dollar donation AND the bottle of wine that was supposed to be its equivalence was a fabrication.
But that didn’t stop John Armstrong writing an appalling column demanding David Cunliffes resignation in the NZ Herald and furthering the lie, did it… to which even to this day he has not really apologized for his so-called ‘unbiased and dishonest media editorials ‘ ..
That was a diversion, Wild Kapito.
Yes Ed,… but the childlike retort of ‘they do it- why cant we’? deserves to be put in perspective. Esp when the Chinational party is concerned.
My reply was to Joe90@4.2.2.2.1.1, who mentioned JLR’s mental health a couple of times in his reply to Ed’s 3-link comment @4.2.2.2.1.
I got the impression that Joe90 was implying that Ed’s comment might impact of JLR’s health, and/or that the linked issues were suitable for discussion by Parliament only.
I could be wrong – if so then I apologise.
There is evidence.
I’ve not kept track of all Ross’ interviews and statements but I believe he’s not made one legitimate reference to having mental health problems.
It’s the National Party and their hangers-on, some media, and even some commenters here who have pushed this line.
When it was announced he was to take leave from parliament he said he’d had a breakdown but that was part of a National Party announcement and obviously agreed to.
Other than that I don’t think he’s referenced his mental state at all. It’s others, including the many amateur psychologists we have on The Standard who have been trying to diagnose him from afar.
Is being critical of the National Party and fighting back against their wicked and underhand ways now proof of mental illness? They and their supporters would certainly like you to think so.
There was some sort of incident at his electorate office or home on the weekend (more than likely prompted by as yet unnamed National Party fixers) but just two nights in Middlemore suggests there was not much to it in terms of a mental health catastrophe, contrary to the bizarre claims from a number of people here saying that was a big deal. It sounds to me like a quick once over and a clean bill of health.
No, there has been not admission from Ross himself there are serious and long lasting problems. But his new enemies have been very active in telling the world he is a sick, sick man who needs ‘time out’
How convenient…
“I’ve not kept track of all Ross’ interviews and statements but I believe he’s not made one legitimate reference to having mental health problems.”
So him saying he had a mental breakdown on National TV was a figment of the countries imagination?
People can say anything to garner effect,… just look at yourself or the National party , – they are masters at making things up.
Anyhow, its a dead subject now because we see the Dirty Politics brigades involvement. And Slater and Lusk?,.. are you now going to try to suggest that they DON’T HAVE an agenda??
Give us all a break.
Was this associated with the announcement he was to take leave from parliament?
Same issue with your other comment sorry. No reply button.
“Was this associated with the announcement he was to take leave from parliament?”
There is something I am getting slightly confused over.
Your comments seem to imply he was lying about the mental breakdown, yet you seem adamant he is telling the truth about any accusations he makes against Bridges.
Do you mind making a choice about how honest he is?
Not lying. He’s certainly been under pressure in the last few weeks, particularly in the last week. I just think that first statement by Ross was scripted and all of them at that point agreed that was the best way forward.
Something then changed. It was when Bridges suggested Ross was the leaker. Perhaps that wasn’t agreed to by all the parties. Ross protested, and then that poisonous bitch Paula Bennett lifted the bedsheets.
I reckon Ross has just accepted the sea change and decided the best thin for the country is to out the practices of this National opposition. I think he’s ashamed of his behaviour not just toward women in his personal relationships but toward the people of New Zealand for the work he used to do for the National Party.
He really wants to get this out and I don’t think we should be preventing him from doing so.
Sure JLR had a time of depression , sure , we all get that.
No problems.
But what we are seeing is :
A ) A personal vendetta against Bridges by JLR ,…
B ) The kick back from National in suddenly producing 4 or more women who they say JLR abused them – a perfectly timed smearing operation
C ) The above response not tied in with historical grievances large enough to air publicly – until of course, JLR pulled the plug on National.
D ) A most peculiar ‘whisking’ away from the public arena of JLR,- which may have been either initiated by :
i ) National to muzzle further revelations that might embarrass them, – particularly with regards to the donations and the preference of Chinese over Indians on the Lists, OR , …
ii ) The above being used by Slater and Lusk as an opportune time to not only garner the ‘ pity vote ‘ for JLR and win people to their cause in having Bridges replaced by Collins.
Whether or not it had some grounds in the former we will not know because neither National or the Dirty Politics crowd are going to admit to anything. And in both groups they have shown amply that both are not above using underhanded strategy’s to further their cause.
Any mention of Jason Ede and people know EXACTLY what the point is here.
And YOU WILL recall that JLR was also on close terms with both Slater and Lusk.
Remember Key and English were threatened.
Yep, Ed. That’s when they sent Mitchell to his offices, where he was forced to sleep, to rough him up.
Uh, it’s more likely he was here because his wife booted him out.
And you’re saying Mitchell went and roughed him up? Where do you get this shit from?
Robin Westenra has an interesting theory on his site.
@ JohnSelway
What we are saying is that Mark Mitchell ( ex Police force) knew the most efficient way to have someone sectioned, would have instant access to Police colleagues, and certainly the motive to carry the action out.
No need to talk of roughing anyone up here.
And the bonus for the Dirty Politics brigade is that it could be used in various ways to further their mission to ‘remove politicians ‘ ,… as Lusk so euphemistically calls it…
In this case Bridges ,.. to install Collins.
Its pretty black and white if one wants to approach it logically for motives.
The police can’t sanction people. Only a mental health team and medical professionals
@JohnSelway …
24 October 2018 at 10:55 pm
[ The police can’t sanction people. Only a mental health team and medical professionals ]
Stop hedging and beating around the bush. Police have to deal with the mentally ill all the time. And would have ready access to ‘mental health teams and medical professionals’ when needed.
Its a small leap from a Chinational party aligned officer/ex officer to contact via the Police Force those same ‘professionals’- who may also be Chinationally aligned.
So now your suggesting the admitting staff and the mental health team who assessed JLR are all in on it too
JohnSelway …
24 October 2018 at 11:08 pm
[ So now your suggesting the admitting staff and the mental health team who assessed JLR are all in on it too ]
Ultimately , it only takes the head of operations- not the whole team of ‘admitting staff’ and the bottle maker and the cook to do the job,
Don’t play the naive game nor the incredulous one either.
We are dealing with a very mall group here that , if needs be can make arbitrary decisions that the public will never know about via the privacy acts.
And that is where corruption lies. In the hidden spaces. The same spaces that JLR sought to expose. And to which he did. And that threatened more than just Simon Bridges.
Do you really think the Dirty Politics brigade wouldn’t have anticipated Chinationals next move???
You could be right, – but on the strength of the damning evidence JLR did supply about Chinationals racist attitudes and buying places on the List MP’s… we would have to give JLR the benefit of the doubt…
But that doesn’t stop Lusk and Slater angling it to their advantage no matter which way the cards fell.
And their goal is to get rid of Bridges and install Collins.
There are two parties to take into consideration who are involved here, – not just one.
The Chinational party , and the Dirty Politics brigade.
So convenient.
“There was some sort of incident at his electorate office or home on the weekend” Well he was taken from his electorate office, according to his friend who spoke to the media. If it was Mitchell, as Slater & others seem to think due to having been delegated to mind him, then the question is why.
Use of another purported breakdown is the obvious reason. There’s also another possibility. That hinges on who owns or has leased his electorate office. If it is the National Party, Ross lost the right to use it as soon as he resigned from National – unless he has a contract that allows usage on the basis of being an MP. So that would give Mitchell a valid reason to get Ross removed. If Ross resisted, Mitchell could have called the cops to force him out, and suggested they take him in for sectioning…
“His Party’s business” He resigned from National remember.
Are you saying they are like “Hotel California”??
@ Joe90
joe90 4.2.2.2.1.1
24 October 2018 at 8:45 pm
[ Yep, those issues and JLR’s long term mental health status are Parliament’s business. His political future is his party’s business. JLR’s current mental health status and whereabouts are his, and his family’s business, not your’s, mine or Bradbury’s… ]
Soooo,… by that logic we could say that a mentally ill person who broke into a house at 3 am and killed the occupants and who was let go by the mental health services to commit such an act doesn’t deserve any public interest…
OK, … that’s an extreme ( but all too common occurrence after Shipley disbanded the mental health institutions ) example but what you are implying is that those who hold public office as elected officials are not to be held up to public interest, public scrutiny and knowing who did what , which officials were involved and why – and also their political allegiances ,and finally …HOW did they achieve it .
Seems like a recipe for allowing any old piece of shitty corruption to slip through the floorboards, eh mate.
Whose side are you on , boy?
Announcing that Ed has a (mental health) condition which requires medication….
While guarding the discussion surrounding JLR and mental health conditions…
That’s Joe90.
A class act.
Quite, a low blow from JoeImmaturity28.
Who are you again?
@Joe90
Settle down and take your own advice, sonny.
For petes sakes.
Interesting Ed, thanks. Who facilitated JLR’s involuntary admission to hospital? His statements are damning and (true or not) highly damaging to the National party, and in particular to the leader of the opposition.
JLR probably hasn’t disappeared, but he has disappeared from general public view (good for him).
JLR probably isn’t silent, but he hasn’t personally made any further public statements (good for him).
IMO it’s important to keep recent statements by the former 7th-ranked National party MP in the public eye, so as to encourage open discussion about their validity [as Chris T@4.2.2.1 hopes, JLR’s statements could be the result of delusional thinking; Chris T might know something about that!], meaning and significance. Know Your Opposition!
https://medium.com/@TuskVentures/opposition-research-and-start-ups-know-your-opposition-know-yourself-know-everything-193e2175aee5
That is a telling quote.
A decent detective would start there.
Jimmy Dore is compulsive viewing.
As a commentator puts it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLFX-OcbTLI
More valuable reading.
‘The facts are stark and undeniable: It’s five minutes to midnight on climate change. Politicians who drag their feet are out of excuses, writes @martinwolf_ economics editor of @FinancialTimes’
https://www.ft.com/content/b1c35f36-d5fd-11e8-ab8e-6be0dcf18713
This probably is quite good stuff Ed, but you might want to be a little wary of the writer.
“Five minutes to midnight” was a recurring theme of Hitler’s speeches, according to Alistair Cooke, who attended a few in his role as a reporter.
To those on this site who seem to think that the Us, Europe and the West are on the side of the angels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtBKDMN2U4s
The European colonial expansion built the foundations of the modern world. We weren’t angels, we were people both good and bad.
Indeed. Human beings, not angels.
Yep ed. Imo white supremacists love colonisation because it covers up for their inadequacies past and present. Like many indigenous peoples I’ve come to the conclusion that most of the problems we have today are because of greedy self centred colonizers. They have fucked this world big time and ironically themselves too. Dumbarses.
We’re all colonisers one way or t’other marty.
Rubbish.
Oh really ?
The Genocide – Moriori Genocide
https://moriorigenocides.weebly.com/the-genocide.html
The Highland Clearances – Historic UK
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Highland-Clearances/
The Highland Clearances – The Scotsman
https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/the-highland-clearances-1-465248
Last exit from the Kalahari: the slow genocide of the Bushmen/San …
https://www.opendemocracy.net/ecology-summits/article_267.jsp
You think the Maoris were the only ones subjected to colonization?
And don’t go bothering to blame it all on the English or white guilt either , mate. That’s not going to wash . It was common to all cultures to subjugate weaker ones.
Got any sympathy for the Tibetans in regards China as well , bud?
Or do you support the ChiNational party’s stance of doing deals with the CCP ?
And as far as the Maoris go ,- many tribes benefited by the material gains of Europeans – so they sided with them. A classic case is those Maori tribes who sided with the British to avenge age old tribal rivalry’s. There were those who eagerly fought against the Waikato Maoris for example ,- leading British troops right to their opponents back door.
Just like the Scots did to each other.
And BTW – my clan is Clann Gunn – the ‘MacGregor’s ‘ of the North . And they held their land for century’s by the sword until the Highland Clearances, mate..
Liberalism and revisionism .
Yuck.
Try actually reading you might understand the point. Or watch ed’s video.
But the white supremists will push back
Interesting the dumbarses that think all progress is euro. Lol of course that is what you’d expect and a good cover to continue their attempted domination of others. Sad that they even get a platform for their noise. But I suppose when you try to bully people you need a place to do that.
Progress these days is global. All cultures, all races.
Right now I look around the space I am in, people from China, Poland, Panama, Colombia, Trinidad, Australia, Canada, Chile, Korea, Sth Africa … just this one small operations room.
Look outwards man.
I know what you think and it is that thinking I oppose. You may dress up your views with long winded and pretty words but we both know the truth and have done for the 10 years we’ve opposed each other’s views on this subject.
“The European colonial expansion built the foundations of the modern world.”
That’s what you said.
To me that smacks of pillow smoothing. You claim heritage to all the progess but it is a made up narrative. It is accumulated human knowledge not based on dubious ethnicity.
You have broken the agreement twice and gone back on your word. Indigenous peoples are used to that so thanks for the repeated lesson.
Anyway on reflection. I can’t be bothered red. You think what you like and I will too. I’ll comment if I feel the need as will you. I’ll try not to get personal but our history has made it personal for me. I know you’re just who you are. I don’t think you’re a demon. I am sorry for all the deliberately hurtful things i have said to you. We’re gonna be dead soon enough. Peace.
Those who push the line white people = evil oppressors, brown people = angelic victims might stop to note that the fig leaf of political purity from which you think to hide … has rather wilted.
And they should stop typing on this white supremacist colonising internet thing they so despise.
Idi Amin – the Amazin’ Man song – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFeJJAQPiK4
National’s leader Simon Bridges rings Dirty Politics … – NZ Herald
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12148042
Oh dear to all those who thought all the Dirty Politics wee darlings were not involved…
Slater and Lusk at it again.
[ Bridges’ call to Slater came after the Whale Oil blogger wrote a blog post promising retribution on the National Party for what he sees as its role in Ross’ deteriorating mental health and subsequent fall from grace … ]
So you think JLR’s issues are just bullshit cooked up by Slater and Lusk?
What are you actually implying?
Probably the opposite to what you have been trying to imply…
Pretty scary that yet another National Party leader is now in phone contact with Cameron Slater. Why on earth do they do it?
Lots of reasons.
But time for a music break.
AC/DC – Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (from Live at River Plate …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whQQpwwvSh4
In Bridges’ case he really needs to put a finger in the dyke. It’s too late to save himself, but if JLR keeps spilling the beans the whole party’s prospects will go out with the tide.
It says a lot about the intellectual heft of the party that took a donor to explain that to the folk in the middle of the fight. None of the fools and crooks in parliament were up to it, and neither was Goodfellow.
But donors don’t get wealthy by losing their rag, and they don’t stay wealthy by letting their political vehicles disappear in a shitfight between a few of their muppets.
Particularly if they are backed by a powerful govt like the CCP,..who give their blessing to their ex pats to act as moles in country’s of interest in the 5 eye group.
Something that the weak , craven ChiNational party would never admit to.
Yup. And in the meantime we have the Coalition – and in fact they’ve been working their tails off – probably harder than any NZ government in my lifetime. But we need thirty years of that, at least, for things to come right.
Whaleoil says watch eleven o’clock. whatever that means.
The end of history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yaY4Fw-ovM
Do you one better… just WHAT does lurk out there in the woods ???
Bigfoot Chases Car in Colorado (ThinkerThunker) – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynqGk26f1ds
That painting up the top really is excellent work! The smiles on each Republican seem so genuine you’d think it was a photo. I presume the one with his back to us is Abe Lincoln, but I don’t recognise the one above Nixon – anyone know who it is?
Dude with the walrus moustache and beige vest? Teddy Roosevelt.
Is that Pootee lurking in the background behind him?
Here’s the story: http://time.com/5198306/andy-thomas-donald-trump-presidents-painting/
Theodore Roosevelt
Cool, thanks guys…