so Hipkins scolds Marama for saying cis white mails cause or the violence, but it appears from this article he doesn’t condemn the violence towards women at the protest. Good to know he’s looking out for men.
btw I saw the video clip of the 70 year old woman being punched by a trans rights activist. Will find the link and post, but it is despicle
Actually he has condemned the reported violence at the rally. Not sure he's been made aware of the lady punched specifically. Is she laying charges as she should.
Nah. He minimised what happened by focusing on the soup. Nothing about how terrifying it was for the people who were surrounded by the mob and couldn't get away. His silence on that is a passive sanctioning, no matter what he says about throwing things or violence against people speaking generally.
Nah, he minimised nothing! He stated something along the lines of whether it was juice or bricks it is unacceptable. He hasn't supported any violence from any side.
the claim is that he didn't condemn violence against women at the event. Which is true. He didn't say anything about that. He talked about not throwing things, and condemned the souping, but he said nothing about the terrorising of KJK and others there to the point that 111 calls were made and then they had to flee and even then the mob didn't let them leave, they had to muscle their way out until they reached the police (and the police had to help them leave, they weren't able to just walk out).
That's violence, it was frightening, it could have seriously harmed people, and Hipkins didn't say anything about it.
Hipkins was in a position to ensure the likelihood of violence was reduced, by ensuring the police response was adequate. From multiple accounts it appears the police were instructed not only to not control the crowd, but also not to intervene despite multiple calls to 111 and direct requests to police on the periphery to come and assist women to leave the rotunda.
Sean Plunket had dedicated his morning show to women calling in, and many told the same story about the deliberate inaction that contributed to the crowd's escalated behaviour.
Molly, I listened to Sean this morning as well. Did you hear the interview with one of the organisers of KJK's visit? If I heard it correctly, she claimed that police told her (she has it recorded) that they (the police) chose to be low key because they were afraid of the media imagery if they had to arrest and/or physically restrain trans activists.
Thanks Molly. It bothers me that the police consider 'optics' any kind of reason to not protect members of the public going about their lawful business.
This'll be the third time I've linked to Sean Plunket today (which is a surprise), but I THINK Katrina is on the second of the three parter he posted this morning.
There's three hours of people ringing in on the show. About two of them are testimonies of women that attended or were involved with the organisation of the #LetWomenSpeak event.
I think Katrina was on Part two, but please don't ask me to look through the whole thing to find it. I just confirmed that what liberty belle recalled – was what I heard as well.
Your video link was very helpful generally. I was replying to Liberty Belle, who was making statements of fact and appeared to want to get that backed up by someone’s else’s recollection rather than providing a link so we can see the context, tone, and what was specifically said.
(I haven’t yet heard the bit from Katrina about the police being afraid about PR)
NZ women watching the livestream, as well as those on site.
Many saying the call operator was apparently being deliberately obtuse. When KJK left, the operator said to one – Oh, that's alright then. She said, No. What about the other women?
Hipkins was in a position to ensure the likelihood of violence was reduced, by ensuring the police response was adequate.
All he needed to do was pick up the phone and call the Police Commissioner, Andrew Costner, and leave clear instructions. Or to get Stuart Nash to do it for him … and then fire him …
Strike me down with a feather, Police brass were interviewed on the Platform by Sean ‘Ungrateful Hua’ Plunket and unequivocally stated that Hipkins had instructed them to be kind to the protestors!? I hope that Ginny Andersen will have a firm word with those soft cops and commission an independent enquiry – Debbie Francis and Maria Dew come highly recommended.
you are really tying yourself up in knots over this.
Anker said,
he doesn’t condemn the violence towards women at the protest.
If you can find a statement where he does, I will be pleased. Because he should. Haven't seen or heard that statement myself yet.
saying you support the large number of people who weren't violent is a way of avoiding condemning the violence that did happen. Of course he doesn't support violence generally, that's a given.
If the clip you hoped to post is the one that Molly posted then the lady was charging violently at the other person. I would welcome a complaint being laid and the court deciding.
Well I watched the video you posted. Sure looks like she was charging to me. I'm not saying a punch wasn't made, but maybe it was self defence and thats why I hope the lady lays charges and someone can get to the truth of the matter.
You saw a video of an elderly women getting punched twice. You also considered her movement forward as "charging".
One of these was explicit and unequivocal violence.
One was a possible interpretation, but not necessarily true.
"If the clip you hoped to post is the one that Molly posted then the lady was charging violently at the other person. I would welcome a complaint being laid and the court deciding."
"Well I watched the video you posted. Sure looks like she was charging to me. I'm not saying a punch wasn't made, but maybe it was self defence and thats why I hope the lady lays charges and someone can get to the truth of the matter."
Both of these comments highlights the possible interpretation, rather than the definite act of violence.
Now, I suggest you do what I have just done. Download the video, and playback slowly.
It seemed to me that the lady was attempting to retrieve something.
In her left hand she has a sign the same size, shape and colour as the one the man is holding. My initial impression, that she was endeavouring to retrieve something, is reinforced by the slow motion playback which shows her right hand moving towards the sign held as if to get it back.
If you bother listening to the testimonies of those there, many reported having their signs wrenched out of their grip, and ripped to shreds.
I'm not stating that this is unequivocally the case, but I'm thinking it is the most probable explanation of what you are seeing.
What I don't really understand is why you would expect an older woman to choose to violently charge that young person for no reason whatsoever, which is what is needed for your scenario to be at all feasible.
“Maybe it is self-defence” IS an excuse for violence. Now ask yourself, was it a justified excuse?
You appear to have been right about the sign belonging to the person punching.
So my interpretation is wrong about the lady trying to retrieve her sign. I have no idea about the scene recorded and why she was headed for him. I still would find it unusual for someone of that age to be the aggressor, but perhaps more details will come out.
And RBO, I realize that Hipkins may have mentioned the violence, by it wasn’t in the article.
I see a delegation in the UK is going to try and meet with our ambassador in London and ask him how come one of their citizens was left so unprotected by the police
Yes Marama was either knocked down or knocked by the bikes handlebars. I have heard differing accounts which is normal with news.
Yesterday on one of these threads I utterly condemned this action if it was deliberate and wished Marama a good recovery.
There is very little information about what happened, but I would be willing to bet it wasn't a gender critical women involved in the incident. I could be wrong of course.
The motorbike issue makes it worst that Marama who may have suffered a deliberate hit by the bike, failed to condemn the violence against women at the protest. Where do you stand on that violence Robert?
You have misrepresented certain politicians and what they have said or done quite a bit lately. When commenters (not me) pulled you up on it you have not acknowledged your mistake. I suspect it is not deliberate but you are not reading articles carefully enough. That's not a "mental health problem". That's carelessness.
And btw, "losing the plot" dose not mean a person has mental heath problems – not in my neck of the woods anyway. It is a saying denoting someone has got something wrong.
Creating dramatics for the sake of it which has been prevalent on both sides over this issue is no help to anyone.
It would only take an identity of the puncher for an assault charge (whatever provoked the women to move on him only required withdrawal or pushing her away).
The Ambassador should simply say London police do exactly the same thing at the monthly Hyde Park gatherings of LWS (allow counter-protestors to kettle the gatherings and shout them down).
Also at a weekend lesbian gathering in the UK (in a hall), they were only able to leave in small groups with police help.
And inform of the facts of the Auckland event.
1. KJK had tomato juice poured on her by someone born inter-sex (who has received death threats since).
2. Her security threw a women to the ground by the rotunda (it's on KJK own video feed).
3. No blow was struck to KJK, she was however in a security team bubble pushing through crowd to get out of the rotunda area to get to a pathway out from the park.
Sure, it's a risk to try and move through a crowd, and if the event is centred around your presence (and there is some verbal going on as well) it would be natural to have some fear.
I watched the link Weka had posted of Posies video and I agree with you that she probably was afraid. Maybe not for her life but genuinly afraid. I’m also a little surprised she was permitted to continue recording inside a Police Vehicle. Hardly being shut down. Freedom of Speech met Consequences that day.
Wasn't a quote. I use quote marks when I quote someone.
Rest assured, you didn't say the word "uppity".
I was extrapolating the possible interpretations of the word "Consequences" that followed your completely non-ironic use of the words "Freedom of Speech".
Generally my position on protest is that if you push the boundaries then you take the risk. Push back should be proportionate to the situation. Remember the naked woman at the parliament protests who had oiled her body so the police couldn't hold her so they grabbed her hair instead? She understood what the risks were and knew what she was doing.
Would that argument include counter-protesters kettling those gathered?
It's routine to allow kettling at UK events.
11min 20-30 seconds
But it's not her security team, a woman is pulled back, taken to the ground and held down (this is the last seen of it).
PS – the delegation “to our ambassador in London” seems to lack cogniscance that allowing kettling is standard practice in the UK and at Albert Park there was an effort to have a separation barrier.
If you say so. But nothing about it is untrue – the same things occur more often in the UK than here.
It's what you left out that is the minimising of violence against women.
Apart from Hyde Park yesterday, the situation in the UK has been different than Ak or Hobart, in that police have generally done their job and prevented harm being done. In Ak, the police chose to absent themselves and let things play out.
One of the consequences is that the ante is now upped. I will be completely unsurprised if we start seeing more assaults now.
It is a regular monthly event in London. The speakers there are known in the UK.
There are always people trying to drown out the speakers, but comments made by regulars say there seemed to be an elevated feeling of threat. That continued when they left as they were followed until they went directly to the police.
The event in Albert Park had been ramped up by media misinformation and intensified by comments from our politicians and talking heads.
Glinner posted a couple of videos of police leaving the scene.
A woman who requires security because of credible death threats, should be grateful for tomato juice you say? No concern about the visceral fear of having someone pour an unknown substance on your head, after receiving yet another death threat under your hotel room door? Or the risk of crushing?
Correction to 2. (not her security team) and it does not belong in the list – as it was not an action by the security team hired by a British passport holder during her visit to New Zealand.
My comment was in relation to the specific's of KJK.
Your lack of interest in the inter-sex person (who poured the tomato juice) claiming she was later assaulted is noted. Your lack of notice of the woman taken to the ground and held own (video cuts at that point) or the incident where a man head locks a woman … etc
One wonders if the WSPU were accused of being anti-man or anti-patriarchy for seeking their rights.
Winston Churchill of course noted his fear of the Commons public spaces being accessed by a woman back in 1919
Winston: “I find a woman's intrusion into the House of Commons as embarrassing as if she burst into my bathroom when I had nothing to defend myself with, not even a sponge.”
Nancy: “You are not handsome enough to have worries of that kind.”
I suspect he was fearful of debating with women as political equals.
"
Clearly the British anti-trans activist wasn’t closed down because she’s a woman. Her speech was halted by people power because she’s promoting hatred towards an at risk group who’re tired of suffering the type of abuse and stigmatisation that Parker and her fanatics are promoting.
Posie Parker knows this, but instead of letting that understanding govern her actions, she attempted to manipulate the narrative again by playing the victim card."
Yeah, because bloke's reckons on blogs are always right.
Did you see the statement from the Australian Jewish Association repudiating the lies told about the "Nazis" at the Australian protest.? The lies and smears that have been repeated all week.
Did you see the horrible anti-women placards and posters carried by the so called peaceful demonstrators. The ones with the threats of sexual violence?
Meaning what? One night, walking home by myself, I felt threatened by 2 men rapidly approaching me who I thought were chasing me. I ran to stay ahead of them. It turns out they were just running to cross the road ahead of traffic. Though I still stayed well ahead of them making my way home just in case.
Promoting extreme rhetoric onto her in order to have her written off in the media probably isn't lessening the threat they feel either. Its the kind of thing which results in a counter protester getting so worked up they feel the need to punch a 70 year old woman for approaching them.
I have felt threatened by ordinary people all through my life, not only threatened but beaten up and raped .They were able to do it because as a woman I'm smaller and vulnerable.
Yep I've felt threatened plenty of times in my life and it is never an enjoyable experience although I can look after myself so am sure for me it wasn't as scary as it would have been for your friends. Aggressive, threatening, violent behavior is never acceptable except in a small number of very distinct scenarios.
And one things for certain, Robert is definitely right!
No, no, no: three reckons do not make a yes, but I reckon Robert is right!
Tony Veitch: I said the above because the very few trans people I know have all said they had felt threatened by ordinary people at some stage in their lives.
"Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker … is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,"
"Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker, and is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker, and is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”," is a quote from Stuff.
Can you point to a quote she has made?
Besides does 'exclusionary radical' equate with 'violent'? Was she being violent or fomenting violence at this rally?
Robert she's not an anti trans activist, she's a women's rights activist.
How is she "promoting hatred" against an at risk group? Are you suggesting that letting women speak is promoting hatred? Please give an example.
Am assuming you've reported a hate incident to the police in regards to her "promoting hatred"? If not then I have to assume that is because you don't really believe what you are saying.
Any and all "abuse" both physical and verbal was coming from the TRA's as far as I can tell
“Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker … is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,”
I have not said that, Anker, nor do I believe that.
What is your response to this statement (I've posted it 3 times now 🙂
“Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker … is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,”
I haven't seen her use that slogan. It is one that is used against us. We do want to have the ability to exclude men who identify as female from our change rooms, sporting competitions etc.
I follow a community forum where it's common for outrageous claims to be made about politicians, suggesting that what they are not reported as saying means they believe something.
A made up example, but fitting the pattern. The PM makes a speech somewhere about crime. There's media reporting on the event which does not mention anything about ram raids. All people know is what's in the press. Next day I read the PM is soft on ram raids, has said nothing about ram raids and doesn't care about them.
Or he is in the news over a couple of weeks and hasn't specifically addressed poverty, or he may have but the comments haven't been in the columns, over the radio waves on our tvs. That translates to "Hipkins is doing nothing about poverty. He doesn't care about it."(That's a specific one to Jacinda Ardern.)
The way around it? Maybe the PM and Ministers can have a little prologue before they any speech listing all the things they're for and against so the bases are covered. Then the debate will get to the order of mentioning topics in that list or the number of words used in the references. The cost of living being mentioned after health resources would mean he doesn't care about the cost of living and minimises its impact on families. This is the world we live in.
A made up example, but fitting the pattern. The PM makes a speech somewhere about crime. There's media reporting on the event which does not mention anything about ram raids. All people know is what's in the press. Next day I read the PM is soft on ram raids, has said nothing about ram raids and doesn't care about them.
I watched a re-run of today's post cabinet press conference this evening and Hipkins was bombarded with questions over the week-end's events. In reply to one journalist he made clear his abhorrence of violence and mentioned a couple of examples that occurred in Auckland. But those comments don't appear to have been reported in the media (thus far) so now he is facing charges of not caring about violence against women including from one or two commenters on this site.
The PM should have front footed it with the Auckland situation. I listened and it seemed he only mentioned it as a result of questions.
I thought that was poor. Front footing says
a) you are not ignoring it
b) it is top of mind
c) gives you the ability to guide or set the parameters
I got the impression had the questions not been asked he would not have made any comment. very poor. What he was condemning was garbled. He should have made a holding comment on Saturday afternoon. Saying resorting to violence is bad is or should be uncontroversial or do the trans community have a special pass.
All the while those of us watched as overseas NGOs swung into action drafting letters to their liaison minsters to send on to NZ, people were organising how to boycott NZ produce & women's groups were contacting women's groups here in NZ to offer support, prominent women in the UK made appraoches to the NZ govt. We could all see this in real time.
It came to Monday and we have no comment/condemnation from NZ Government.
I tune in most Mondays to the post cabinet press conference and there is a format which is always followed. The PM spends around 15 minutes on household matters such as recent activities involving himself and his ministers followed by a rundown of what is coming up over the next week or so. They rarely comment on anything else unless something earth shattering occurs that is relevant to government business. Ardern's shock resignation for example.
Then they open up for questions and that is when the nitty gritty is discussed. Hipkins would have known he would be closely questioned on the events of the week-end even though it had nothing to do with the government. He responded clearly, fairly and in tune with the facts and not with some of the fiction that has been espoused – on both sides to be fair.
Netanyahu is being told by his fascist right wing partners to kill off resistance to authoritarian government or they withdraw from the government (one built around legislation to prevent legal moves against him).
But sure indigenous people need to be careful about what they say to a white social media blog video journalist. Because MSM will hold them accountable? (sarcasm emoji insert).
She is definitely, 100% not suffering from shock in that video as anyone who knows what shock looks like will tell you.
In my opinion she is just a despicable, nasty, person who has now shown her true racist colors and who is now an enabler and apologist for abuse and physical violence carried out by men against woman.
I will never vote for The Greens while she (and a few others) are running the party.
Disgraceful.
PS – I don't think people will have yet realized (because many of them will be sitting in their bubble with their like minded friends celebrating) how much damage this weekend may have done to support for the Green Party and how much it may have turned or started to turn many ordinary people against the whole gender ideology and trans movements. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
Hipkins has not condemned the violence at the protest. ie said it was regrettable that women who gathered were not able to start their events, barricades were breached and people injured by others. Apologise to JKM & those injured.
He is still pussy footing. The thugs will be emboldened to use violence against any women's rights meetings.
I could write a statement for him tomorrow that would sheet home responsibility, apologise for the violence, say it is not the way we do things around here, promise to do better by referring issue to ???? HR Commissioner, Independent Police Conduct Authority and I guarantee he would come out looking caring about all sectors.
And I was not even a speech writer when i worked in Parlt but worked with ours on speeches for he portfolios.
But I feel there is not the political will.
Women are just not worth it to Hipkins and the wider Labour Party.
This leaves the IPCA and also the United Nations.
Reem Alsalem (Jordan) is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, since August 2021.
Yes, there is a problem if people cannot safely hold gatherings.
Thus he could say – "that after what happened at Albert Park there will be some review of arrangements for such events. And guidelines provided for councils, organisers and police."
Women are just not worth it to Hipkins and the wider Labour Party.
Really? The demographics of the supporters of left and right wing parties are what they are.
The HRC and the UN positions are not in line with the KJK narrative …
I think you have missed the point. I referred to the work that the Special Rapporteur in the UN working on violence against women:
As violence against women continues to impact the lives of women and girls everywhere, the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, as the first independent human rights mechanism on the elimination of violence against women, represented an important benchmark within the global women’s rights movement. Not only did it recognize violence against women as a human rights violation, but it also tasked the Special Rapporteur with ensuring that violence against women was integrated into the United Nations human rights framework and its mechanisms.
This does not have anything to do with trans rights per se. It's focus is on violence against women. My suggestion was nothing to do with KJM. My suggestion was that it be used to investigate the cause of the violence against women at Albert Park especially if there is no condemnation from the PM or investigation by NZ Police.
Again you have missed my point in this:
'Women are just not worth it to Hipkins and the wider Labour Party.'
I was not talking about demographics and voting numbers per se. I was talking about which policies are what we (as analysts or adivsors) used to call 'sexy' and which ones are not.
At the moment 'trans' anything are 'sexy' (maybe as a result of concessions sought by the Greens in the coalition agreement to No debate)
Women issues are not 'sexy', they are probably regarded as passe. Equal pay for jobs of equal value is difficult work, progressions are difficult, sexism & ageism & ableism, all likely to affect women are on the rise according to anecdote. The response of many is crudely 'look we gave you the vote a 100 years ago, what more do you want?"
When you have sexy policies that capture the political wing it is difficult for:
1 politicians, when they are whipped to make any headway if they do not go along with the said policy
and
2 politicians find it difficult to get traction for issues that are not considered sexy/appealing…..women's issues seems to be one of these. We have an invisible Minister working in a portfolio that is not seen as go ahead and you are unlikely to make your mark advocating for women. This is my perception not that I agree with it.
Hipkins has not condemned the violence at the protest
He had.
Hipkins said "violence shouldn't come into it" and no one should use it to convey their views.
"I don't believe people should throw things at a protest, whether what they're throwing is a soup or a brick," he told reporters during his post-Cabinet press conference.
"Ultimately, the right to free speech does not extend to the right to physical violence, and so I would condemn that, regardless of who's engaging in that type of activity."
On the matter of the police response
Hipkins didn't go into detail on what he thought of the police response, saying this isn't something ministers should give direction on.
That shows the problem. Hipkins is in a totally no win situation. He needs you to write his statements for him, not just on this issue but on others I suppose. When that happens you can say he is saying the right things.
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This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When parliamentarians left Canberra on Thursday after the fortnight sitting, federal politics had the air of an uneasy waiting game. Waiting for the election date, although the campaign has been running for months. ...
The Health Committee has heard from both the Minister for Mental Health, and from members of the public offering their own lived experience of mental health treatment. ...
The regional imperialist powers, including Australia, New Zealand and France have maintained neo-colonial control over the Southwest Pacific for more than a century, keeping the fragile island nations in a state of dependency with conditions of poverty ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne Public transport in Queensland now costs just 50 cents. Yet in the first six months of the trial, it’s been revealed that thousands of commuters were ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Harris Rimmer, Professor, Griffith Law School, Griffith University Two federal politicians from opposing camps reached across the aisle this week to promote a valuable cause – the wellbeing of future Australian generations. Independent MP Sophie Scamps tabled the Wellbeing of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Younger, Lecturer in Southern Ocean Vertebrate Ecology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Australia’s Antarctic territory represents the largest sliver of the ice continent. For decades, Australian scientists have headed to one of our three bases – Mawson, ...
A Māori Purposes Bill is an omnibus bill that enables minor, technical, and non-controversial amendments to legislation relating to Māori affairs. This Māori Purposes Bill aims to modernise some legislation relating to Māori Affairs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Matt Byrne/STCSA Housework, a new play by Emily Steel, lifts the rock off politics to expose its crawling, ruthless, yet undeniably comic underside. The result is masterful, hilarious and deeply ...
After two years of major damage from storms, a key government unit has made an abrupt change to focus on cyber security over and above natural disasters. ...
Pacific Media Watch Papua New Guinea’s civic space has been rated as “obstructed” by the Civicus Monitor and the country has been criticised for pushing forward with a controversial media law in spite of strong opposition. Among concerns previously documented by the civil rights watchdog are harassment and threats against ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Younger, Lecturer in Southern Ocean Vertebrate Ecology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Australia’s Antarctic territory represents the largest sliver of the ice continent. For decades, Australian scientists have headed to one of our three bases – Mawson, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Dwyer, Research Director, Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney 24K-Productions Our cars sit unused most of the time. If you have an electric vehicle, you might leave it charging at home or work after driving it. But there’s another step ...
Everything you missed from day four of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard two hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.Parliament’s Room 3 was the same old, same old on Thursday morning for the fourth Treaty principles bill hearing – brown ...
By Melina Etches of the Cook Islands News A motion of no confidence has been filed against the Prime Minister and his Cabinet following the recent fiasco involving the now-abandoned Cook Islands passport proposal and the comprehensive strategic partnership the country will sign with China this week. Cook Islands United ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Dwyer, Research Director, Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney 24K-Productions Our cars sit unused most of the time. If you have an electric vehicle, you might leave it charging at home or work after driving it. But there’s another step ...
The December results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2024 (HYEFU 2024), published on 17 December 2024, and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ajay Narendra, Associate Professor of Insect Neuroethology, Macquarie University Pranav Joshi Jumping spiders – one of the largest spider families – get their name from the extraordinary jumps they make to hunt prey, to navigate and also to evade predators. Male ...
Both ministers have confirm they shared a phone call on Thursday morning, with the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement due to expire next month. ...
The final designs for the long-awaited Courtenay Place revamp have been released. Joel MacManus takes a closer look at the details. At an embargoed media briefing on Wednesday, Wellington mayor Tory Whanau and a team of council staff showed journalists a 3D-printed model of Courtenay Place. For about an hour, ...
The Economic Growth Minister is targeting increasing competition in the banking, grocery, and electricity sectors for the government to address this year. ...
Ecomatters Bike Hub has helped 30,000 Aucklanders start cycling. Shanti Mathias rides over to understand the impact of these community bike workshops.When An Na moved with her husband and two kids to Auckland in 2022, it took a while to start learning their way around. “We started taking our ...
Echo Chamber is The Spinoff’s dispatch from the press gallery, recapping sessions in the House. Columns are written by politics reporter Lyric Waiwiri-Smith and Wellington editor Joel MacManus. Labour leader Chris Hipkins is on the war path – the path being the overthrowing of Act leader David Seymour, and hopefully ...
Callaghan Innovation told 63 workers their roles were being made redundant, including 16 commercialisation roles, 14 scientists and engineers, 6 Māori Innovation roles, and others working in data, digital, product design, risk and audit, marketing, government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Sheedy, Professor – Risk governance, culture, remuneration, Macquarie University This week the corporate regulator is taking on executives and directors of Star Entertainment in the Federal Court, in a landmark case for Australian corporate governance. ASIC will allege that despite multiple ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Allen, Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Shutterstock It’s hard to remember a time the United States seemed as tense and divided as it does today. That should serve as a stark reminder of just how important it is to monitor ...
I’m a proud atheist who outgrew my religious upbringing. So why am I getting antsy about the rapture all of a sudden? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera,I’m a proud atheist and since I managed to move past the childhood trauma of my religious upbringing ...
Analysis: A couple of hours ago, Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown posted a Facebook picture from a visit to China’s National Deep Sea Centre in Qingdao, 700km north of Shanghai. The centre’s crewed submarine ‘Jiaolong’ has just been given a major upgrade and is set for sea trials in March. This is no ...
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/prime-minister-to-front-post-cabinet-as-new-child-poverty-measure-announced/YUYF7X6CGVDA5GQVVQG73VN2IY/
so Hipkins scolds Marama for saying cis white mails cause or the violence, but it appears from this article he doesn’t condemn the violence towards women at the protest. Good to know he’s looking out for men.
btw I saw the video clip of the 70 year old woman being punched by a trans rights activist. Will find the link and post, but it is despicle
Actually he has condemned the reported violence at the rally. Not sure he's been made aware of the lady punched specifically. Is she laying charges as she should.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/131615586/prime-minister-chris-hipkins-condemns-juice-
Nah. He minimised what happened by focusing on the soup. Nothing about how terrifying it was for the people who were surrounded by the mob and couldn't get away. His silence on that is a passive sanctioning, no matter what he says about throwing things or violence against people speaking generally.
Nah, he minimised nothing! He stated something along the lines of whether it was juice or bricks it is unacceptable. He hasn't supported any violence from any side.
the claim is that he didn't condemn violence against women at the event. Which is true. He didn't say anything about that. He talked about not throwing things, and condemned the souping, but he said nothing about the terrorising of KJK and others there to the point that 111 calls were made and then they had to flee and even then the mob didn't let them leave, they had to muscle their way out until they reached the police (and the police had to help them leave, they weren't able to just walk out).
That's violence, it was frightening, it could have seriously harmed people, and Hipkins didn't say anything about it.
In the article ….
"Hipkins said he supported the “significant number” of trans rights counter-protesters who did not use violence."
ergo: he doesn’t support any violence
How, as Anker stated, is he supporting Men more than Women.
Hipkins was in a position to ensure the likelihood of violence was reduced, by ensuring the police response was adequate. From multiple accounts it appears the police were instructed not only to not control the crowd, but also not to intervene despite multiple calls to 111 and direct requests to police on the periphery to come and assist women to leave the rotunda.
Sean Plunket had dedicated his morning show to women calling in, and many told the same story about the deliberate inaction that contributed to the crowd's escalated behaviour.
Molly, I listened to Sean this morning as well. Did you hear the interview with one of the organisers of KJK's visit? If I heard it correctly, she claimed that police told her (she has it recorded) that they (the police) chose to be low key because they were afraid of the media imagery if they had to arrest and/or physically restrain trans activists.
Yes, that was Katrina Biggs IIRC. She has a recording of them saying it was bad for optics.
Thanks Molly. It bothers me that the police consider 'optics' any kind of reason to not protect members of the public going about their lawful business.
please link.
This'll be the third time I've linked to Sean Plunket today (which is a surprise), but I THINK Katrina is on the second of the three parter he posted this morning.
https://youtu.be/id36-purKMI
Sorry Weka, I was 'fact checking' myself with Molly to make sure I heard it correctly.
If you provide a link we can all see what was said instead of relying on people’s memory.
Or relying on people’s ‘extrapolations’ …
exactly.
There's three hours of people ringing in on the show. About two of them are testimonies of women that attended or were involved with the organisation of the #LetWomenSpeak event.
I think Katrina was on Part two, but please don't ask me to look through the whole thing to find it. I just confirmed that what liberty belle recalled – was what I heard as well.
Your video link was very helpful generally. I was replying to Liberty Belle, who was making statements of fact and appeared to want to get that backed up by someone’s else’s recollection rather than providing a link so we can see the context, tone, and what was specifically said.
(I haven’t yet heard the bit from Katrina about the police being afraid about PR)
I think the You Tube comments said they had women from overseas ringing NZ Police to get action at Albert Park.
NZ women watching the livestream, as well as those on site.
Many saying the call operator was apparently being deliberately obtuse. When KJK left, the operator said to one – Oh, that's alright then. She said, No. What about the other women?
All he needed to do was pick up the phone and call the Police Commissioner, Andrew Costner, and leave clear instructions. Or to get Stuart Nash to do it for him … and then fire him …
From many of the first-hand testimonies – given on The Platform linked above – the police instructions appeared to be clear. Do nothing.
If true, it is worth an inquiry.
Strike me down with a feather, Police brass were interviewed on the Platform by Sean ‘Ungrateful Hua’ Plunket and unequivocally stated that Hipkins had instructed them to be kind to the protestors!? I hope that Ginny Andersen will have a firm word with those soft cops and commission an independent enquiry – Debbie Francis and Maria Dew come highly recommended.
you are really tying yourself up in knots over this.
Anker said,
If you can find a statement where he does, I will be pleased. Because he should. Haven't seen or heard that statement myself yet.
saying you support the large number of people who weren't violent is a way of avoiding condemning the violence that did happen. Of course he doesn't support violence generally, that's a given.
Try at 10:30.
https://youtu.be/cJxBaTsIEO4
Short of prostrating himself at your feet i suspect you will never be happy with his defence of non-violence.
Generalised comment. Not specific.
If the clip you hoped to post is the one that Molly posted then the lady was charging violently at the other person. I would welcome a complaint being laid and the court deciding.
"If the clip you hoped to post is the one that Molly posted then the lady was charging violently at the other person. "
How do you know that? There were multiple instances of women having their signs ripped from them.
Do you have a video that shows the full lead up to the incident?
(It didn't look like she was charging to me, but happy to view what further information you have.)
Well I watched the video you posted. Sure looks like she was charging to me. I'm not saying a punch wasn't made, but maybe it was self defence and thats why I hope the lady lays charges and someone can get to the truth of the matter.
So, no. I don't know what else to say, other than I thought you may have had something for a second other than an excuse for violence.
Once again you are putting words in my mouth. I am NOT making excuses for violence.
You saw a video of an elderly women getting punched twice. You also considered her movement forward as "charging".
One of these was explicit and unequivocal violence.
One was a possible interpretation, but not necessarily true.
"If the clip you hoped to post is the one that Molly posted then the lady was charging violently at the other person. I would welcome a complaint being laid and the court deciding."
"Well I watched the video you posted. Sure looks like she was charging to me. I'm not saying a punch wasn't made, but maybe it was self defence and thats why I hope the lady lays charges and someone can get to the truth of the matter."
Both of these comments highlights the possible interpretation, rather than the definite act of violence.
Now, I suggest you do what I have just done. Download the video, and playback slowly.
It seemed to me that the lady was attempting to retrieve something.
In her left hand she has a sign the same size, shape and colour as the one the man is holding. My initial impression, that she was endeavouring to retrieve something, is reinforced by the slow motion playback which shows her right hand moving towards the sign held as if to get it back.
If you bother listening to the testimonies of those there, many reported having their signs wrenched out of their grip, and ripped to shreds.
I'm not stating that this is unequivocally the case, but I'm thinking it is the most probable explanation of what you are seeing.
What I don't really understand is why you would expect an older woman to choose to violently charge that young person for no reason whatsoever, which is what is needed for your scenario to be at all feasible.
“Maybe it is self-defence” IS an excuse for violence. Now ask yourself, was it a justified excuse?
The woman was holding a poster herself – she may have been trying to retrieve a poster for someone she was with.
Second request for the eye-roll emoticon…
You appear to have been right about the sign belonging to the person punching.
So my interpretation is wrong about the lady trying to retrieve her sign. I have no idea about the scene recorded and why she was headed for him. I still would find it unusual for someone of that age to be the aggressor, but perhaps more details will come out.
https://twitter.com/MadDogCoin/status/1640628139922714624?s=20
Full incident on YouTube:
https://twitter.com/SimonRAnderson1/status/1640924419957874691?s=20
A 70+ year old lady "charging violently". Yea….nah.
https://www.todayfm.co.nz/home/opinion/2023/03/rachel-smalley-how-on-earth-did-the-greens-become-so-antiwomen.html
yes how did the Greens become so anti women?
And RBO, I realize that Hipkins may have mentioned the violence, by it wasn’t in the article.
I see a delegation in the UK is going to try and meet with our ambassador in London and ask him how come one of their citizens was left so unprotected by the police
Was Marama knocked to the ground by a motorcyclist?
Found this: [unlinked quote deleted]
I've deleted your unquoted link. Feel free to put it up again with link.
Probably a white cis man on the bike hell he probably did it on purpose. !!!!
Yes Marama was either knocked down or knocked by the bikes handlebars. I have heard differing accounts which is normal with news.
Yesterday on one of these threads I utterly condemned this action if it was deliberate and wished Marama a good recovery.
There is very little information about what happened, but I would be willing to bet it wasn't a gender critical women involved in the incident. I could be wrong of course.
The motorbike issue makes it worst that Marama who may have suffered a deliberate hit by the bike, failed to condemn the violence against women at the protest. Where do you stand on that violence Robert?
2.2.1.3
So you are prepared to misrepresent him with "from this article he doesn’t condemn the violence towards women at the protest."
despite your comment
"Hipkins may have mentioned the violence, by it wasn’t in the article."
Do you know if the lady is pressing charges. Do you agree she should?
By far the huge majority there were peaceful as they were, the following day.
Sadly Anker has lost the plot.
don't do that. It's starting to look like a pattern from you.
Anne please don't cast aspersions on my mental health. Cheers,
You have misrepresented certain politicians and what they have said or done quite a bit lately. When commenters (not me) pulled you up on it you have not acknowledged your mistake. I suspect it is not deliberate but you are not reading articles carefully enough. That's not a "mental health problem". That's carelessness.
And btw, "losing the plot" dose not mean a person has mental heath problems – not in my neck of the woods anyway. It is a saying denoting someone has got something wrong.
Creating dramatics for the sake of it which has been prevalent on both sides over this issue is no help to anyone.
"Creating dramatics for the sake of it which has been prevalent on both sides over this issue is no help to anyone."
But Anne, it has NOT been prevalent on both sides. So, your assumptive assertion is in itself a problem.
Feel free to give me any examples of what you claim Anne. I am usually pretty open to admitting if I have made a mistake
https://twitter.com/Sorelle_Arduino/status/1639988067900481536?s=20
Testimony from those present:
https://youtu.be/JMVGYCyZ1sk?t=378
It would only take an identity of the puncher for an assault charge (whatever provoked the women to move on him only required withdrawal or pushing her away).
Eye-roll emoticon requested.
Factual statements do not require emoticons.
The factual statement I wanted to make is best replaced with an emoticon.
Like this:
Wait a month (and if no charges have been laid) ask police
Do you know who threw the punch, and if not, what efforts were made to find out?
Thank God for workarounds!
Take your pick:
The Ambassador should simply say London police do exactly the same thing at the monthly Hyde Park gatherings of LWS (allow counter-protestors to kettle the gatherings and shout them down).
Also at a weekend lesbian gathering in the UK (in a hall), they were only able to leave in small groups with police help.
And inform of the facts of the Auckland event.
1. KJK had tomato juice poured on her by someone born inter-sex (who has received death threats since).
2. Her security threw a women to the ground by the rotunda (it's on KJK own video feed).
3. No blow was struck to KJK, she was however in a security team bubble pushing through crowd to get out of the rotunda area to get to a pathway out from the park.
way to minimise violence against women.
If you say so. But nothing about it is untrue – the same things occur more often in the UK than here.
I’d ask why no one has a problem with what her security team did – you saw it yourself and said nothing.
Just look at the video of KJK leaving the event. She said she feared for her life. I think it is reasonable to think she did
Sure, it's a risk to try and move through a crowd, and if the event is centred around your presence (and there is some verbal going on as well) it would be natural to have some fear.
I watched the link Weka had posted of Posies video and I agree with you that she probably was afraid. Maybe not for her life but genuinly afraid. I’m also a little surprised she was permitted to continue recording inside a Police Vehicle. Hardly being shut down. Freedom of Speech met Consequences that day.
"Freedom of Speech met Consequences that day."
So in other words, even though she didn't get to say anything – and neither did the other women – they should have known to not even try.
Well at least they know for next time.
They deserved this for being uppity.
I won't put words in your mouth, don't put them in mine. Link to where I have suggested any woman is "uppity"
Wasn't a quote. I use quote marks when I quote someone.
Rest assured, you didn't say the word "uppity".
I was extrapolating the possible interpretations of the word "Consequences" that followed your completely non-ironic use of the words "Freedom of Speech".
give me a time stamp and I'll take a look.
Generally my position on protest is that if you push the boundaries then you take the risk. Push back should be proportionate to the situation. Remember the naked woman at the parliament protests who had oiled her body so the police couldn't hold her so they grabbed her hair instead? She understood what the risks were and knew what she was doing.
Would that argument include counter-protesters kettling those gathered?
It's routine to allow kettling at UK events.
11min 20-30 seconds
But it's not her security team, a woman is pulled back, taken to the ground and held down (this is the last seen of it).
PS – the delegation “to our ambassador in London” seems to lack cogniscance that allowing kettling is standard practice in the UK and at Albert Park there was an effort to have a separation barrier.
It's what you left out that is the minimising of violence against women.
Apart from Hyde Park yesterday, the situation in the UK has been different than Ak or Hobart, in that police have generally done their job and prevented harm being done. In Ak, the police chose to absent themselves and let things play out.
One of the consequences is that the ante is now upped. I will be completely unsurprised if we start seeing more assaults now.
Have the police made a statement about Saturday? It's been over 48 hours.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/posie-parker-juice-thrower-protester-eli-rubashkyn-gets-death-threats-and-offers-of-legal-support/BC5XO2747RHT3G6L4BGZJDPWCU/
It's what happens at Hyde Park each month. Kettling is allowed.
What did I leave out?
In the age of cell phones and videos that only happens if police ignore evidence presented (or people turn up with masks/balaclavas).
UK women I have been speaking to and listening to say that the the event at Hyde Park yesterday is different from before. eg,
https://twitter.com/Ashworth101/status/1640250941709377536
I saw video of the police walking away while the others (the LWS group surrounded by the counter-protestors) were still there.
That it was a lot smaller scale and none of the speakers had KJK's notoriety may have reduced tension.
please link.
15min 10-20seconds
It is a regular monthly event in London. The speakers there are known in the UK.
There are always people trying to drown out the speakers, but comments made by regulars say there seemed to be an elevated feeling of threat. That continued when they left as they were followed until they went directly to the police.
The event in Albert Park had been ramped up by media misinformation and intensified by comments from our politicians and talking heads.
Glinner posted a couple of videos of police leaving the scene.
https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1639978049436282882?s=20
Correction, the security team was not involved, it was done by civilian others (motives unclear).
A woman who requires security because of credible death threats, should be grateful for tomato juice you say? No concern about the visceral fear of having someone pour an unknown substance on your head, after receiving yet another death threat under your hotel room door? Or the risk of crushing?
https://youtu.be/uxTXEy5OFBk
State, police, media and other idiots promoted, sanctioned and now excuse thuggery.
Handwave away the stench if you want, at some point it'll need to be corrected.
Correction to 2. (not her security team) and it does not belong in the list – as it was not an action by the security team hired by a British passport holder during her visit to New Zealand.
My comment was in relation to the specific's of KJK.
Your lack of interest in the inter-sex person (who poured the tomato juice) claiming she was later assaulted is noted. Your lack of notice of the woman taken to the ground and held own (video cuts at that point) or the incident where a man head locks a woman … etc
One wonders if the WSPU were accused of being anti-man or anti-patriarchy for seeking their rights.
Winston Churchill of course noted his fear of the Commons public spaces being accessed by a woman back in 1919
I suspect he was fearful of debating with women as political equals.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/20_winston_churchill_biog_final.pdf
Chilling, and brilliantly written article. Thanks for posting.
"
Clearly the British anti-trans activist wasn’t closed down because she’s a woman. Her speech was halted by people power because she’s promoting hatred towards an at risk group who’re tired of suffering the type of abuse and stigmatisation that Parker and her fanatics are promoting.
Posie Parker knows this, but instead of letting that understanding govern her actions, she attempted to manipulate the narrative again by playing the victim card."
https://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2023/03/posie-parker-arsehole-of-week.html
Yeah, because bloke's reckons on blogs are always right.
Did you see the statement from the Australian Jewish Association repudiating the lies told about the "Nazis" at the Australian protest.? The lies and smears that have been repeated all week.
Did you see the horrible anti-women placards and posters carried by the so called peaceful demonstrators. The ones with the threats of sexual violence?
Do you need a reminder?
Is this bit "she's promoting hatred towards an at risk group who’re tired of suffering the type of abuse and stigmatisation" true, do you think?
No.
No
Can you provide a link that proves us wrong?
No.
The people promoting hatred on Saturday were the transactivists, aided and abetted by four senior Green Party people, who were "utterly fervent in their opposition to women at the weekend, calling on the public to rise up against the Let Women Speak group, and then applauding the abuse and intimidation that rained down on them."
No, no, no: three reckons do not make a yes, but I reckon Robert is right!
Let's make it four then. No, promoting women's rights and creating an event to Let women speak in public is not promoting hatred
I said the above because the very few trans people I know have all said they had felt threatened by ordinary people at some stage in their lives.
Meaning what? One night, walking home by myself, I felt threatened by 2 men rapidly approaching me who I thought were chasing me. I ran to stay ahead of them. It turns out they were just running to cross the road ahead of traffic. Though I still stayed well ahead of them making my way home just in case.
Promoting extreme rhetoric onto her in order to have her written off in the media probably isn't lessening the threat they feel either. Its the kind of thing which results in a counter protester getting so worked up they feel the need to punch a 70 year old woman for approaching them.
I have felt threatened by ordinary people all through my life, not only threatened but beaten up and raped .They were able to do it because as a woman I'm smaller and vulnerable.
Yep I've felt threatened plenty of times in my life and it is never an enjoyable experience although I can look after myself so am sure for me it wasn't as scary as it would have been for your friends. Aggressive, threatening, violent behavior is never acceptable except in a small number of very distinct scenarios.
And one things for certain, Robert is definitely right!
How do these three sentences link up?
"Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker … is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,"
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/28-03-2023/how-nz-fringe-groups-latched-on-to-the-posie-parker-controversy
"Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker, and is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker, and is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”," is a quote from Stuff.
Can you point to a quote she has made?
Besides does 'exclusionary radical' equate with 'violent'? Was she being violent or fomenting violence at this rally?
Robert she's not an anti trans activist, she's a women's rights activist.
How is she "promoting hatred" against an at risk group? Are you suggesting that letting women speak is promoting hatred? Please give an example.
Am assuming you've reported a hate incident to the police in regards to her "promoting hatred"? If not then I have to assume that is because you don't really believe what you are saying.
Any and all "abuse" both physical and verbal was coming from the TRA's as far as I can tell
She is? She isn't? See above. And below 🙂
“Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker … is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,”
“https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/28-03-2023/how-nz-fringe-groups-latched-on-to-the-posie-parker-controversy”
Deciding to own the slur thrown at you by trans activists doesn't make you anti trans
Just look at the video of KJK leaving the event. She said she feared for her life. I think it is reasonable to think she did.
"People power"……ffs. Ferel, hateful mob, mostly men stop free speech.
It is outrageous to say a women who was attacked that way is accused of playing the victim card. Shame on you
I have not said that, Anker, nor do I believe that.
What is your response to this statement (I've posted it 3 times now 🙂
“Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who self-identifies as Posie Parker … is conducting a tour beneath the slogan “2023 is the year of the TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist]”,”
“https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/28-03-2023/how-nz-fringe-groups-latched-on-to-the-posie-parker-controversy”
I know you are relying elsewhere for your information.
However, many accused of being TERFs are familiar with this version of the acronym:
TERF – Tired of Explaining Reality to Fuckwits.
I know it's the first one to come to mind when I have the term thrown my way.
If I have misquoted you Robert, I apologise.
I haven't seen her use that slogan. It is one that is used against us. We do want to have the ability to exclude men who identify as female from our change rooms, sporting competitions etc.
I follow a community forum where it's common for outrageous claims to be made about politicians, suggesting that what they are not reported as saying means they believe something.
A made up example, but fitting the pattern. The PM makes a speech somewhere about crime. There's media reporting on the event which does not mention anything about ram raids. All people know is what's in the press. Next day I read the PM is soft on ram raids, has said nothing about ram raids and doesn't care about them.
Or he is in the news over a couple of weeks and hasn't specifically addressed poverty, or he may have but the comments haven't been in the columns, over the radio waves on our tvs. That translates to "Hipkins is doing nothing about poverty. He doesn't care about it."(That's a specific one to Jacinda Ardern.)
The way around it? Maybe the PM and Ministers can have a little prologue before they any speech listing all the things they're for and against so the bases are covered. Then the debate will get to the order of mentioning topics in that list or the number of words used in the references. The cost of living being mentioned after health resources would mean he doesn't care about the cost of living and minimises its impact on families. This is the world we live in.
I watched a re-run of today's post cabinet press conference this evening and Hipkins was bombarded with questions over the week-end's events. In reply to one journalist he made clear his abhorrence of violence and mentioned a couple of examples that occurred in Auckland. But those comments don't appear to have been reported in the media (thus far) so now he is facing charges of not caring about violence against women including from one or two commenters on this site.
The PM should have front footed it with the Auckland situation. I listened and it seemed he only mentioned it as a result of questions.
I thought that was poor. Front footing says
a) you are not ignoring it
b) it is top of mind
c) gives you the ability to guide or set the parameters
I got the impression had the questions not been asked he would not have made any comment. very poor. What he was condemning was garbled. He should have made a holding comment on Saturday afternoon. Saying resorting to violence is bad is or should be uncontroversial or do the trans community have a special pass.
All the while those of us watched as overseas NGOs swung into action drafting letters to their liaison minsters to send on to NZ, people were organising how to boycott NZ produce & women's groups were contacting women's groups here in NZ to offer support, prominent women in the UK made appraoches to the NZ govt. We could all see this in real time.
It came to Monday and we have no comment/condemnation from NZ Government.
28 March 2023 at 10:51 am
That's unfair Shanreagh.
I tune in most Mondays to the post cabinet press conference and there is a format which is always followed. The PM spends around 15 minutes on household matters such as recent activities involving himself and his ministers followed by a rundown of what is coming up over the next week or so. They rarely comment on anything else unless something earth shattering occurs that is relevant to government business. Ardern's shock resignation for example.
Then they open up for questions and that is when the nitty gritty is discussed. Hipkins would have known he would be closely questioned on the events of the week-end even though it had nothing to do with the government. He responded clearly, fairly and in tune with the facts and not with some of the fiction that has been espoused – on both sides to be fair.
The Herald’s latest:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/pm-chris-hipkins-act-party-leader-david-seymour-dsicuss-green-party-co-leader-marama-davidsons-white-cis-men-comments-with-mike-hosking/3T4NYNHU6FE6NJLEWACRFN26VQ/
This is how a democracy dies.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/mass-israel-protests-after-prime-minister-netanyahu-fires-defence-minister/XRW3NOBSF5CIVNHPHHXCTOHFFI/
One wonders how DPF and CS will spin this one.
This is a democracy's last stand scenario.
Netanyahu is being told by his fascist right wing partners to kill off resistance to authoritarian government or they withdraw from the government (one built around legislation to prevent legal moves against him).
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-middle-east-65085001
Oy vey.
A National Guard under command of Jewish Power boss Itamar ben Gvir.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-735580
Talk about ignoring the white elephant on the pathway.
MD was being interviewed by the wife of Mr white mans Zealandia Alps.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/03/prime-minister-chris-hipkins-says-marama-davidson-s-white-cis-men-comments-weren-t-appropriate.html
Oh, that explains it. Marama Davidson is only responsible for her own words when replying to certain people. Otherwise, it's all their fault.
(Using /sarc, but it’s just not the same.)
What MD said was with sacrasm
.
But sure indigenous people need to be careful about what they say to a white social media blog video journalist. Because MSM will hold them accountable? (sarcasm emoji insert).
In your own linked article, Marama Davidson doesn't claim sarcasm:
"Davidson now says she made that comment while in a state of shock".
Nice of you to do it for her. I'll just post the video and let people make up their own minds.
https://twitter.com/LouiseChadwic/status/1639450559043506181?s=20
She is definitely, 100% not suffering from shock in that video as anyone who knows what shock looks like will tell you.
In my opinion she is just a despicable, nasty, person who has now shown her true racist colors and who is now an enabler and apologist for abuse and physical violence carried out by men against woman.
I will never vote for The Greens while she (and a few others) are running the party.
Disgraceful.
PS – I don't think people will have yet realized (because many of them will be sitting in their bubble with their like minded friends celebrating) how much damage this weekend may have done to support for the Green Party and how much it may have turned or started to turn many ordinary people against the whole gender ideology and trans movements. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
This is an incredible response.
Hipkins has not condemned the violence at the protest. ie said it was regrettable that women who gathered were not able to start their events, barricades were breached and people injured by others. Apologise to JKM & those injured.
He is still pussy footing. The thugs will be emboldened to use violence against any women's rights meetings.
I could write a statement for him tomorrow that would sheet home responsibility, apologise for the violence, say it is not the way we do things around here, promise to do better by referring issue to ???? HR Commissioner, Independent Police Conduct Authority and I guarantee he would come out looking caring about all sectors.
And I was not even a speech writer when i worked in Parlt but worked with ours on speeches for he portfolios.
But I feel there is not the political will.
Women are just not worth it to Hipkins and the wider Labour Party.
This leaves the IPCA and also the United Nations.
Reem Alsalem (Jordan) is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, since August 2021.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-violence-against-women#:~:text=Reem%20Alsalem%20(Jordan)%20is%20the,and%20consequences%2C%20since%20August%202021.
Yes, there is a problem if people cannot safely hold gatherings.
Thus he could say – "that after what happened at Albert Park there will be some review of arrangements for such events. And guidelines provided for councils, organisers and police."
Really? The demographics of the supporters of left and right wing parties are what they are.
The HRC and the UN positions are not in line with the KJK narrative …
https://www.ohchr.org/en/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity/about-lgbti-people-and-human-rights
Focus should be on safety
Events
Refuges
Prisons
Women’s only places/gatherings
Young people (best health support practice)
Sports
(as per self ID risk).
I think you have missed the point. I referred to the work that the Special Rapporteur in the UN working on violence against women:
This does not have anything to do with trans rights per se. It's focus is on violence against women. My suggestion was nothing to do with KJM. My suggestion was that it be used to investigate the cause of the violence against women at Albert Park especially if there is no condemnation from the PM or investigation by NZ Police.
Again you have missed my point in this:
'Women are just not worth it to Hipkins and the wider Labour Party.'
I was not talking about demographics and voting numbers per se. I was talking about which policies are what we (as analysts or adivsors) used to call 'sexy' and which ones are not.
At the moment 'trans' anything are 'sexy' (maybe as a result of concessions sought by the Greens in the coalition agreement to No debate)
Women issues are not 'sexy', they are probably regarded as passe. Equal pay for jobs of equal value is difficult work, progressions are difficult, sexism & ageism & ableism, all likely to affect women are on the rise according to anecdote. The response of many is crudely 'look we gave you the vote a 100 years ago, what more do you want?"
When you have sexy policies that capture the political wing it is difficult for:
1 politicians, when they are whipped to make any headway if they do not go along with the said policy
and
2 politicians find it difficult to get traction for issues that are not considered sexy/appealing…..women's issues seems to be one of these. We have an invisible Minister working in a portfolio that is not seen as go ahead and you are unlikely to make your mark advocating for women. This is my perception not that I agree with it.
He had.
On the matter of the police response
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/03/chris-hipkins-condemns-physical-violence-at-protest-after-posie-parker-doused-in-red-juice.html
That shows the problem. Hipkins is in a totally no win situation. He needs you to write his statements for him, not just on this issue but on others I suppose. When that happens you can say he is saying the right things.