Daily Review 28/03/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:21 pm, March 28th, 2018 - 87 comments
Categories: Daily review - Tags:

Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

87 comments on “Daily Review 28/03/2018 ”

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  1. chris73 1
    28 March 2018 at 6:24 pm

    Cheer up Lefties, it can’t get any worse for Labour

    Or can it…. 🙂

    • Stuart Munro 1.1
      28 March 2018 at 6:35 pm

      What because Griffin lost his rag and essentially declared himself unwilling to work with the coalition? If he’d meant to keep his sinecure he wouldn’t have made it into a drama. With or without Curran, Griffin is gone. The wails of grief will not reach heaven.

      • Carolyn_Nth 1.1.1
        28 March 2018 at 6:44 pm

        Yes. As the story unfolds, Curran actually looks increasingly to have acted within the rules. Her handling of it was clumsy and landed Hirschfeld in it, unfortunately. But then Curran is no match for the Nats’ underhand political plays.

        And Griffin is increasingly looking like a dodgy manipulator who doesn’t want to follow the government’s plans for a repurposing of RNZ.

        Griffin in his role should not be playing politics. He should work within the framework put in place by the government.

        For 9 long years RNZ had to work on a shoestring, because the Nats want to give more power to the corroborates owning and running commercial media, while public service media has been undermined.

        Now it’s all change and Griffin and Thompson will just have to suck it up or resign.

        And there’s been some dodgy collusion between Griffin and Melissa Lee – that is unacceptable for a chairman of a state broadcaster.

        • weka 1.1.1.1
          28 March 2018 at 7:08 pm

          I posted a Newsroom opinion piece below on the politics of the RNZ revamp. Do you see Thompson as being RW? Jennings appears to be saying that Thompson is supportive of RNZ although nervous about the move to TV broadcasting.

          • veutoviper 1.1.1.1.1
            29 March 2018 at 10:01 am

            Thompson is currently in the position of having to play the line expected of him by the Board, and in particular the Chair, Griffin. He may well have been walking a tightrope himself and had to suppress his own real views.

            As I reported yesterday on OM at 9.3.1.2.1.3, Griffin’s two year reappointment by Amy Adams in 2016 runs out on 30 April, just four weeks away. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/appointments-radio-new-zealand-board

            I was 99% sure that Griffin would not be rolled over again (he’s done 8 years as RNZ Chair) because of the change of government; now my bet is 100% that he is gone. Griffin has always played politics; he know no other way and does know all the tricks in the book. He’s now in his mid 70s, semi-retired, and knows he is unlikely to get any appointments under this government. He’s got nothing to lose re ‘feeding’ Lee etc at this stage.

            In fact, having seen how he operates, my bet is that he may have been the one who ‘fed’ her right back on 7 December – the day that Curran met the Board of RNZ and two days after the Curran/Herschfeld meeting on 5 December. December 7 was also the same day that Lee filed her first written question No 19129 (2017) to Curran re her meeting with Herschfeld. The next day (8 Dec) Lee filed 24 more Written Questions on various matters relating to RNZ directly or indirectly via ‘fishing’ questions as I reported in my comment at 13.3 in OM 27 March: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27-03-2018/#comment-1466525

            IMHO Lee did not pull those questions out of thin air.

            And re your 1.1.1.2.1 below, I really don’t think CH would want the Chair job. Obviously under Griffin it has essentially been a part time job, but also it is a “governance” strategic/overview position, not a hands-on management/operational position. CH appears to someone who is an ‘in there doing it’ type of person.

        • Johnr 1.1.1.2
          28 March 2018 at 7:14 pm

          Was Curran meeting Hirschfeld to sound her out about Hirschfeld replacing Griffin.

          Works for me.

      • chris73 1.1.2
        28 March 2018 at 6:52 pm

        Well I was thinking more along the lines of:
        Shane Jones blatantly ignoring Jacinda,
        Sexual assaults at Labour affiliated camps,
        Ron Mark treating the air force as his own personal taxi service,
        the Greens giving their share of questions to National (powerful symbolism), NZFirst attempting to bribe/blackmail/threaten Mark Mitchell (not sure of the correct terminology),
        Claire Curran being well Claire Curran

        But hey on the bright side

        https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/102577041/ed-sheeran-pops-over-to-prime-minister-jacinda-arderns-for-a-cuppa-and-scones

        • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1
          28 March 2018 at 7:37 pm

          Shane Jones blatantly ignoring Jacinda

          And? He’s not in her party and she doesn’t have control over him.

          Sexual assaults at Labour affiliated camps

          A well handled situation it seems. Labour did everything right on it.

          But, then, there was John Key’s ongoing sexual assault of a waitress that got… nothing.

          Ron Mark treating the air force as his own personal taxi service

          You mean like John Key?

          Claire Curran being well Claire Curran

          Have to agree with that – she doesn’t appear to have ministerial capability.

          • James 1.1.2.1.1
            28 March 2018 at 9:20 pm

            “Sexual assaults at Labour affiliated camps

            A well handled situation it seems. Labour did everything right on it.”

            Even you couldn’t believe that.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1.1.1
              28 March 2018 at 10:37 pm

              I’ve read the expert stuff – Labour did everything right.

              You don’t like it because it’s Labour doing everything right.

              • James …
                29 March 2018 at 10:16 am

                It’s not worth going over again – but I think you are on your own with this view after reading a lot of comments on this.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  29 March 2018 at 10:52 am

                  Being right is more important than hanging with the crowd.

                • reason …
                  29 March 2018 at 10:54 am

                  So your still being two faced over this James ….. you intrepid defender of Rugby players who sexually assault

                  • james …
                    29 March 2018 at 11:50 am

                    No not at all.

                    So reason – as opposed to trying to deflect and start a flame war – Do you agree with DTB that Labour did everything right?

                    “We understand we failed in our duty of care during the event…and in support we’ve offered since then,” Haworth said.”

                    ^ That is doing everything right according to DTB.

                    • reason …
                      29 March 2018 at 11:28 pm

                      I’ll answer your question James …. when you answer mine and Tracys …. which were made well over a week ago just as you were being banned for being an arse.

                      Its very discourteous and arrogant to ask questions without having the decency to address ones made to you ….

                      So you first.

                      In the meantime I recommend this comedian who makes more appropriate comments about sexual assaults than those who seek to defend it ….

                      David Cameron …. the masculine version of theresa May, gets a good mention over the pigs head rumor that Lord Ashcroft started
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foXsL-4a8dg
                      5 minute mark approx

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      1 April 2018 at 12:28 am

                      “We understand we failed in our duty of care during the event…and in support we’ve offered since then,” Haworth said.”

                      Which was really stupid of Labour. They’re buying in to National’s rhetoric which is a lie.

                      Labour did everything right. Shit happened. They learn a few lessons and move on.

                      It is impossible to plan for every possible eventuality.

                      And demanding that people do so is demanding the impossible.

          • Monty 1.1.2.1.2
            28 March 2018 at 9:53 pm

            The Shane Jones. I believe he was speaking as a minister with his regional hat on. I would have thought the MP Adern would have some influence in that regard.

          • The Pink Postman 1.1.2.1.3
            31 March 2018 at 4:03 pm

            perhaps it need to be stated That the fellow that misbehaved himself at the Youth camp was not a Labour Party member .Was he a Nat mischief maker?

      • ScottGN 1.1.3
        28 March 2018 at 7:01 pm

        The Radio NZ carry on is small beer, beltway stuff. No one really cares about the ins-and-outs of Curran and Hirshfeld meeting in a Wellington caff, though both of them should have known better.
        Ardern and Peters frankly weird response to the Russia spy/poisoning though has the capacity to really undermine her premiership. She needs to finetune that sort of stuff pretty smartly.

        • chris73 1.1.3.1
          28 March 2018 at 7:03 pm

          On its own it is but when you add up everything thats gone wrong in the first 6 months its eventually going to catch up with you

          • ScottGN 1.1.3.1.1
            28 March 2018 at 7:20 pm

            Actually I think less has gone wrong in the first 6 months than you would have liked. And a lot has gone right.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.3.1.2
            28 March 2018 at 7:38 pm

            Almost nothing has gone wrong. What we have is the RWNJs trying really hard to make it look like things have gone wrong.

        • Carolyn_Nth 1.1.3.2
          28 March 2018 at 7:22 pm

          The Russian Spy thing is also an exaggerated beat up. My guess is that May has used the Skripal poisoning as an excuse to stir up popular sentiment against Russia. It was all done too hastily without all the evidence being in.

          There’s various elements of uncertainty about what has been stated publicly.

          I think NZ should not jump on the bandwagon at this point. Ardern expressing certainty about the origin of the Skripal attack seems like appeasing allies, while not getting sucked into reprisals.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.3.2.1
            28 March 2018 at 9:25 pm

            Ardern says there no plausible alternative explanation other than the attempted murders were committed by the Kremlin. Sorry to burst your bubble.

            https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-27-03-2018/#comment-1467226

            • Carolyn_Nth 1.1.3.2.1.1
              28 March 2018 at 9:44 pm

              Yeah. Well, she’s just repeating the UK government line. And I was aware of Ardern’s statement on that when I made my comment @ 7.22pm.

              So, why not just wait and see when all the evidence is in and fully published?

              There are questions to be asked – though I think this article is stretching it a bit (or more than a bit) to make it 30 questions.

              But the UK and US governments have a track record of stretching evidence to fit their foreign adventure plans.

              But some of those questions are worth asking.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.3.2.1.2
              28 March 2018 at 10:39 pm

              ‘Plausible’ explanations aren’t evidence.

              Ardern saying that reduces my respect for her – and it wasn’t that great anyway.

            • mikesh 1.1.3.2.1.3
              29 March 2018 at 9:41 am

              Jacinda claims to have been briefed by the SIS. The SIS have no doubt been briefed by MI6. But MI6, whatever their actual beliefs, would not wish to be seen to be contradicting their PM, so how much is Jacinda’s reason for supporting Britain (TINA) really worth?

              Can it really be true that no other country possesses the chemistry smarts that the Russians possess?

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                29 March 2018 at 12:14 pm

                Can it really be true that no other country possesses the chemistry smarts that the Russians possess?

                Has anyone made that claim? No. Funny how all the Kremlin’s “arguments” are strawmen.

                • mikesh …
                  29 March 2018 at 1:52 pm

                  Once again you miss the point. You really are a hopeless case.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    29 March 2018 at 2:15 pm

                    Once again you’ve produced a comment with no substantive material, other than a personal attack. Did your father enjoy the movie you made with him and your pet goat?

        • Anne 1.1.3.3
          28 March 2018 at 9:29 pm

          Ardern’s announcement yesterday that MFAT had advised her there were no ‘non declared’ Russian spies in NZ took me by surprise. Spies, be they of the western or eastern variety, are the province of the NZSIS.

          She corrected it today but it suggested a lack of knowledge on her part.

          Btw, why has this government not looked into the circumstances surrounding the National MP, Jian Yang who was discovered to have had close ties to the Chinese military intelligence?

          • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.3.3.1
            29 March 2018 at 5:19 am

            Because that’s a job for the SIS, not the government.

          • veutoviper 1.1.3.3.2
            29 March 2018 at 11:43 am

            Who said they aren’t? Or rather that the new government has not asked the NZ SIS to do further investigations?

            It is not something that would be splashed all over the media while it is under investigation.

          • veutoviper 1.1.3.3.3
            29 March 2018 at 1:58 pm

            Sorry Anne, I meant to include in my comment at 1.1.3.3.2 this link to an article by Matt Nippert in the Herald in Dec 2017 where Winston Peters was calling for an investigation into Jian Yang. Considering Peters’ position in the new govt, it would not surprise me if there was an investigation in progress.

            http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11963295

        • Tamati Tautuhi 1.1.3.4
          28 March 2018 at 10:03 pm

          So ex Chinese spies working for the National Government is okay ?

          We have to find the Russian spies b4 we can expell them duh ?

        • Tamati Tautuhi 1.1.3.5
          28 March 2018 at 10:13 pm

          We have to find the spies b4 we can expell them ?

        • reason 1.1.3.6
          28 March 2018 at 10:19 pm

          Scott Watson did the poisoning Scott ….

    • weka 1.2
      28 March 2018 at 6:50 pm

      Cheer up chris, only 12+ years to go 🙂

    • Ffloyd 1.3
      29 March 2018 at 4:20 pm

      Feel better? I’m so glad.

  2. One Anonymous Bloke 2
    28 March 2018 at 6:53 pm

    The final terms of reference for the government’s inquiry into the electricity sector goes further than draft proposals to include examining whether power companies can make “excessive profits” and “whether the costs of providing electricity services are or should be socialised or spread evenly across different classes of consumers”.

    Newsroom.

    That’s more than I expected from this government. The inquiry members are yet to be announced…

  3. weka 3
    28 March 2018 at 7:03 pm

    This story got posted in twitter about an Aussie guy who nearly got shot by the police in the US for getting out of his car, walking towards the police and reaching for his wallet after he had been pulled over (tweet is a decent warning about how to behave in the US).

    https://twitter.com/MohapatraHemant/status/978135844870529024

    I’m curious how many people in NZ get out of the car and walk towards the police when pulled over?

    • chris73 3.1
      28 March 2018 at 7:07 pm

      I’ve been pulled over twice and stayed in my car both times because walking towards someone is generally considered threatening (I’m guessing from the polices point of view)

      Much better to stay in the car and follow the polices instructions

      • weka 3.1.1
        28 March 2018 at 7:10 pm

        I stay in the car too, not sure why. Sometimes a safety thing, mostly probably laziness. Might be about changing the power dynamic though.

    • James 3.2
      28 March 2018 at 9:22 pm

      I used to work on the states a lot.

      I often preferred to take a day and drive than flying on the wee commuter fights.

      Was warned about this several times by people I work with. Sadly the risk is real.

  4. weka 4
    28 March 2018 at 7:05 pm

    Opinion piece from Mark Jennings at Newsroom,

    There are some things about the Carol Hirschfeld RNZ saga that just don’t add up.

    Why would a highly respected, experienced broadcasting executive like Hirschfeld repeatedly lie to her boss?

    Especially given that she had enjoyed a highly successful partnership with that boss?

    Hirschfeld and RNZ CEO Paul Thompson are widely credited with pulling off a remarkable revival of RNZ in the face of a funding freeze and a somewhat staid culture.

    Thompson’s digital and strategic skills married with Hirschfeld’s style and TV experience seemed to be the perfect combination.

    He suggests that the meeting was a relationship building one, and that Hirschfeld’s lying about its planning was around the politics of Cullen’s plans for RNZ to do public television. Still doesn’t make sense of Hirschfeld lying to Thompson though.

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/03/27/100637/coffee-meeting-leaves-rnz-in-a-mess#

    • Graeme 4.1
      28 March 2018 at 7:32 pm

      Maybe a management / board directive that only the CEO and Chair were to meet with the Minister or MPs. We haven’t heard much about the culture within RNZ, but I’m wondering what went on too.

  5. weka 5
    28 March 2018 at 7:10 pm

    That’s a great photo. One of my favourites from the other day.

    • Carolyn_Nth 5.1
      28 March 2018 at 7:17 pm

      This bit suggests that Thompson doesn’t want to go with Currran’s full plan, and is more in step with Griffin:

      Since the policy announcement both Thompson and RNZ’s chairman, Richard Griffin, have played down expectations of what RNZ+ will be – suggesting it is an extension of what they are already doing rather than something new.

      It’s possible that anything that Hirschfeld said to Thompson about Curran’s planned changes would be relayed directly to Griffin.

      • weka 5.1.1
        28 March 2018 at 7:20 pm

        True, but we don’t know what the meeting content was, and the lie was about whether the meeting was planned or not. Why lie about that?

        • Carolyn_Nth 5.1.1.1
          28 March 2018 at 7:24 pm

          Yep. It’s the lie that’s the problem. It may have been their way of trying to hold off the manipulations of Griffin. But, if so, it backfired and was not the best way to go about dealing with Griffin’s resistance.

          • weka 5.1.1.1.1
            28 March 2018 at 7:29 pm

            if it had been formally planned then CH would have had to inform her boss?

            If your theory is correct then that’s even more damning of CH. I get it, but it was still a daft move. I had been thinking she had just told a stupid lie at the start and then needed to keep telling it, but if it was part of an intentional strategy that’s way worse.

            • Carolyn_Nth 5.1.1.1.1.1
              28 March 2018 at 7:37 pm

              There’s always stuff going on behind the scenes that we don’t see.

              My impression is that there’s been a lot of right wing maneuvering behind the scenes to undermine public service media. I think that’s why Hirschfeld and Mihingarangi Forbes left Maori TV, and also probably why Forbes and Campbell left TV3. Their experience was probably of some pretty dodgy dealings.

              However, it sounds like the pre-meeting texts shows that Curran initiated the meeting. A better minister would have been more aware of what she would be leading CH into, and would have managed the whole situation better.

              Drawing a public sector employee into discussions that lead to self-destructive behaviour does nothing to help implement the changes Curran is after.

              • ianmac …
                28 March 2018 at 8:03 pm

                The Cabinet Manual tells what is expected of Cabinet Ministers. Claire Curran has done nothing wrong according to the Cabinet Manual. Its a beat-up like the Russian spy story.
                Australia with over 20millon people could find only 2. NZ with 4 million nil. And the members of the Five Nations agree and accept that.

                • Roflcopter …
                  28 March 2018 at 8:37 pm

                  Except this part of the Cabinet Manual….

                  3.81
                  If an employee wishes to communicate privately with a Minister about a matter concerning the agency by which he or she is employed, the Minister should ensure that the employee has first raised the matter with the agency’s chief executive.

              • weka …
                28 March 2018 at 8:10 pm

                god, what a mess. A whole lot of behind the scenes stuff does make the most sense.

  6. Jilly Bee 6
    28 March 2018 at 8:02 pm

    I’ve have been wondering to myself for the best part of the day about Jacinda Ardern’s comment about the general lack of Russian spies in Aotearoa presently. I would presume she is going on advice from – well, whom, exactly. If this advice has been proffered by the GSCB via the Five Eyes network are they bumbling nincompoops or deliberately undermining her.

    • ianmac 6.1
      28 March 2018 at 8:07 pm

      2 in big Australia. Nil so far in NZ. She gets her information from the NZ SIS whose job it is to Know. She cannot just deport someone/anyone who looks Russian can she?

      And although it was a Russian missile that brought down the airliner, they are still trying to find out who fired it. An international Tribunal is still deciding.

    • Keepcalmcarryon 6.2
      28 March 2018 at 8:16 pm

      On the other hand if we want to deport some Chinese spies, don’t go to the embassy, go to the National party office.

    • Brigid 6.3
      29 March 2018 at 10:58 am

      She’s getting advice from the spies that are not here. 🙂

      If there are any here anyway they’d be damned bored, albeit highly amused.

    • veutoviper 6.4
      29 March 2018 at 11:56 am

      “Jacinda Ardern’s comment about the general lack of Russian spies in Aotearoa presently.”

      She did not really say that but her wording was a bit off. The action taken to expel Russian “spies” by other countries is in relation to only one small category of intelligence operatives – namely what are known as “undeclared intelligence staff”.

      Andrew Geddis on Stuff and on the Pundit Blog has done the best job I have ever seen of explaining this category of intelligence operatives I have ever seen.

      Here is the link and an excerpt

      https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/my-spy-boy-told-your-spy-boy-im-gonna-set-you-flag-on-fi-yo

      And so the action that obviously was agreed behind the scenes was to kick out the “undeclared intelligence agents” that each country has identified as working out of its various Russian diplomatic posts. Exactly what is meant by an “undeclared intelligence agent” is then very important, as it is the key to why NZ acted (or, didn’t act) as it did.

      An undeclared intelligence agent is not an ordinary diplomat who gathers gossip, monitors news media and attends cocktail functions in order to report to their government at home what is happening in NZ. All diplomats do this – our embassy staff overseas just as much as Russian embassy staff here. So “collecting information for your government” does not make someone an undeclared intelligence agent.

      Instead, an undeclared intelligence agent is a member of a country’s secret service who pretends to be a diplomat in order to actually undertake covert operations in the country to which they are posted. They are really spies who are pretending to be diplomats so as to get the benefits of diplomatic immunity should they get caught spying.

      Because these two things are not the same, they are not viewed the same in diplomatic interactions. A country kicking out a diplomat because they actually are an undeclared intelligence agent is a lesser deal than is kicking out a diplomat proper, because the “diplomat’s” country knows that they’ve basically been rumbled misusing their diplomatic privileges.

      So, that’s the level of response that the UK’s various friends collectively decided was warranted – not kicking out “real” diplomats (which is a major step) but kicking out spies-in-diplomats-clothing (which is a lesser step). Which then is a problem for New Zealand.

      Because it appears that we don’t have any Russian undeclared intelligence agents on hand to kick out. This claim has, I know, been met with ridicule by many. I mean, it’s Russia! We all know they spy all the time on everyone!! And New Zealand is so very, very important that they must spy on us, too!!! Please? We need the validation … .

      Except – maybe there just aren’t any down here at the bottom of the world. And even if there is some undeclared intelligence agent kicking about in the Russian embassy, our SIS doesn’t know who it is. Nor do our overseas intelligence partners, apparently, because we asked them and they couldn’t finger anyone either.

      I hope that helps but I also suggest that you read the whole article to put the above into context.

  7. joe90 7
    28 March 2018 at 8:23 pm

    Apparently the man directly responsible for the post invasion insurgency, the ongoing violence and the deaths of perhaps 100K or more Iraqis is much more at peace now.

    .
    Gradually, Bremer appears to have come to terms with the vitriol. “He still answers hate mail,” Francie told me. “People will say, ‘Do you consider yourself a war criminal?’ Or ‘Why don’t you go commit harakiri?’ Nice things like that. But I think he’s much more at peace now. We both are.”

    Still, it’s quite a comedown for a man who, back in the summer of 2003, was being talked up for a top cabinet post himself. At a high point of his CPA tenure, Bremer received a note from Colin Powell joking that he was probably measuring the drapes in the Secretary of State’s office. The viceroy’s reply: “‘When I get out of here — if I ever get out of here — I’m going to Vermont and I’m going to show you a Rip Van Winkle act like you’ve never seen,” he vowed. “I’m going to sleep for years.”

    https://taskandpurpose.com/paul-bremer-iraq-war-ski-instructor/

    https://taskandpurpose.com/paul-bremer-iraq-war-ski-instructor/

  8. Keepcalmcarryon 8
    28 March 2018 at 9:31 pm

    Adern risks being a one term prime minister according to Hooton.
    Ominously possible but not for the reasons he is stating. This is death by a thousand cuts from every single branch of commercial media which is arrayed against the government. Relentless antigovernment propaganda.
    This has to be aggressively countered.
    If National can fund friendly media, shut down their detractors and stack boards then it’s time to get cracking.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12022002

  9. One Two 9
    28 March 2018 at 9:58 pm

    That photo is hyperbole…

    Managed hyperbole…

  10. Tamati Tautuhi 10
    28 March 2018 at 10:10 pm

    There is obviously a clash of cultures at RNZ, an intelligent attractive indigenous woman vs an aged white man, ex National Party PR man, who is past his best b4 date ?

    • Anne 10.1
      28 March 2018 at 10:47 pm

      In broad terms that imo is exactly what is happening and it explains why she felt she couldn’t tell him the truth.

      Veutoviper on open Mike (I think) had past dealings with Griffin and she described him – among other things – as a misogynist.

    • bwaghorn 10.2
      29 March 2018 at 6:23 am

      so brown woman breaks the rules and it’s a white mans fault , got any proof, or was she trying to climb the ladder behind his back ?

      • mpledger 10.2.1
        29 March 2018 at 1:57 pm

        It would be interesting to know what CH thought the meeting was going to be about. She might have initially thought the meeting was about things besides RNZ – the minister wanted a run down on the media sector based on her experience or maybe she thought the minister was head hunting her for a job. She might not have thought she needed to get permission if those were the topics and it was only during/after the meeting that she found that she had been dropped into it. The only safe way was to lie because telling the truth would have got her fired sooner.

  11. Tamati Tautuhi 11
    29 March 2018 at 1:37 am

    I am just guessing but I would politely say “she has probably just had a guts full of working in a toxic environment with not particularly nice people” ?

    Hopefully the worms will come out of the woodwork ?

    MSM in NZ and Worldwide are a disgrace to journalism and accurate reporting, and that is a fact ?

    • Anne 11.1
      29 March 2018 at 9:19 am

      MSM in NZ and Worldwide are a disgrace to journalism and accurate reporting, and that is a fact.

      Hear, hear.

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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    3 days ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
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    3 days ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
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    3 days ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
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    3 days ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
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    3 days ago

  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
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    3 days ago

  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
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    3 days ago

  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
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    4 days ago

  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
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    6 days ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
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    6 days ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
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    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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    7 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
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    1 week ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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    1 week ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
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    1 week ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
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    1 week ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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