David Farrar…..Busted.

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, April 7th, 2014 - 134 comments
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David Farrar has let slip that he has been privy to information which is only intended for select committee members.

Tim Watkins covers this over on pundit:

The most interesting part is in relation to a letter that Countdown sent to the commerce select committee….

“Third, I’m curious how you know about the contents of the letter. No-one on the select committee would release it to us or even confirm its contents; doing so would have broken privilege. So I can only assume that either an MP has leaked it to you at risk of a privileges committee hearing or that you’ve been briefed by Countdown on this. Isn’t that something you should declare openly?”

Yes Tim, it definitely is something that David Farrar should declare openly.

And John Key needs to front up to the media about National’s relationship with David Farrar because this stinks.

134 comments on “David Farrar…..Busted. ”

  1. captain hook 1

    I can smell the stench of days old sausage rolls on his breath.

    • srylands 1.1

      Really? I would wager he hasn’t been near a sausage roll for two years.

      • Tracey 1.1.1

        just cos he has lost weight e doesnt exclude him having the occassional sausage roll.

        he may have had a staple, afterall not everything that comes out of his mouth can be believed.

        • Disraeli Gladstone 1.1.1.1

          Nah. He seems genuinely fitter with all those walks and hikes. If he had just had a staple, he wouldn’t magically ran a marathon. Credit where credit is due, he’s done a pretty great job getting fit.

          More importantly, whoever photoshopped that photo on the front page. Well done. It took till the third glance that I noticed John Key on the left-hand side. I probably snorted a little too loudly.

          • Tracey 1.1.1.1.1

            doesnt mean he hasnt had a sausage roll.

            i give him no credit for his weight loss while he consciously manipulates and deceives the electorate.

            • srylands 1.1.1.1.1.1

              “i give him no credit for his weight loss ”

              Seriously? That sounds like an obsession. Who stole his fat then? The guy runs marathons and climbs mountains.

              • Tracey

                i am sure he doesnt give a shit whether i give him credit for losing weight or not. why you care so much about whether i give him credit for it or not is fascinating.

                so now he is a slim manipulator and deceiver of the electorate.

  2. Tracey 2

    how will granny cover it?

  3. Bill 3

    Looking at the photo used for this post, I was led to wonder…is there a growing data base of John Key’s desperate attempts to execute 3 way handshakes anywhere?

  4. Tom Gould 4

    Independent commentator Farrar, who moonlights as the Tory pollster and all-round arch-Tory insider, not that this influences his apolitical commentary, is simply playing the old bait and switch, which Key himself is famous for. Is the issue the content of the letter, or is the issue who knew and when? Pretty sure the Tories and their cronies want it to be the latter. The National Herald, and other bought and paid for media, will dutifully oblige, I’m sure.

    • Claris Moses 4.1

      I wonder what electoral status David Farrar has. Shouldn’t he be declared as a third party or his time and expenses as an electoral donation? Surely there must be some way that his lies and bluster should be accounted for under the Natzys electoral expenses as he is blatantly politicking for them

  5. JonoN 5

    As much as I agree with most of Mr Watkins’ post, it looks like he’s got it wrong on this point. David Farrar links to a TV3 story at http://www.3news.co.nz/MP-accuses-Countdown-of-legal-threats/tabid/1607/articleID/338890/Default.aspx which states:

    ‘Countdown says the company has been communicating with the select committee, but has not threatened it.
    “We have asked the select committee for a record of what was said at their recent meeting because it affects our business,” Countdown communications manager Kate Porter told NZ Newswire.
    “Anyone is able to do that.”‘

    It looks like Mr Farrar is simply accepting Countdown’s explanation regarding the contents of the letter.

    • wtl 5.1

      1) The article refers says that Countdown has been “in communication” with the select committee about a record of what was said at the meeting.

      2) According to Shane Jones, there is “a letter threatening legal action” from Countdown (but both Countdown and the select committee deny that such a letter exists).

      3) Farrar specifically states that “the threatening letter merely asks for a transcript of the last hearing – which is a routine request”.

      In the article, there is no specific reference that the “communication” in (1) and the letter in (2) are the same. So Farrar is either making an assumption about this or has inside knowledge.

      • JonoN 5.1.1

        That’s fair enough, wtl. There may very well be a difference between “a letter threatening legal action” and Countdown having been “in communication with the select committee re. seeking a transcript of a previous committee meeting.

        My point is merely that Farrar appears to have assumed that the letter and the “communication” are one and the same. It’s not a strange assumption to have made (well, it’s the assumption that I immediately made when I read the TV3 article, so I’m therefore hoping it’s not a strange assumption…)

        I simply think it’s a bit of a stretch to assume that Farrar didn’t make an assumption.

        • felix 5.1.1.1

          Really JonoL? So how come Farrar doesn’t say anything like that at all? If he made an assumption, why didn’t he write it as an assumption?

          What he says is “The so called threatening letter merely asks for a transcript…”

          There’s no assumption in there. It’s a plain statement of what is in the letter according to Farrar, not a guess or an assumption or a deduction, just a statement of fact.

          Now maybe I’m a bit slow, but why should I disregard what Farrar actually said and instead assume that your assumption is correct?

    • joe90 5.2

      It looks like Mr Farrar is simply accepting Countdown’s explanation regarding the contents of the letter.

      If that’s true Jono why didn’t he declare his interest by saying that he’d been briefed by Countdown.

      • JonoN 5.2.1

        But if he’d simply assumed from the TV3 story that the letter and TV3s “communication” with the select committee were one and the same, there’s no reason why he’d have been briefed by Countdown.

        I tend to favour cock up over conspiracy, and this story simply strikes me as being about Farrar interpreting the TV3 story in a way favourable to Countdown. Sure, there’s nothing to say that Farrar wasn’t briefed by Countdown (although quite how he’s managed to get himself briefed, given that he seems to be in Katmandu or some such at the moment), but equally there’s nothing to suggest that he was briefed either.

  6. JonL 6

    The photo with that criminal Tony Blair tell’s is all we want to know about the creature….

    • srylands 6.1

      He always strikes me as sensible, articulate, and pleasant. It is these attributes that make him widely read and successful. Intelligence and politeness go a long way.

      • Will@Welly 6.1.1

        Life on Planet Key never ceases to amaze me. How you manage to continuously get you head up the same orifice on a daily basis is staggering. Still, where else you have to stick it, it must be a nice change, ah what!

      • Tracey 6.1.2

        its interesting that you have commented on several things about farrar on this thread except the central issue of the opening post.

      • mickysavage 6.1.3

        Srylands

        So getting back to the point of the post. Do you agree with Government MPs releasing to Farrar a letter that is confidential to a select committee?

        EDIT: What Tracey said.

        • srylands 6.1.3.1

          There is no evidence that they did, or that David Farrar has the letter. He doesn’t quote from the letter. I think David Geurin has identified the likely scenario:

          “The TV3 story says: “We have asked the select committee for a record of what was said at their recent meeting because it affects our business,” Countdown communications manager Kate Porter told NZ Newswire.

          David Farrar said: The so called threatening letter merely asks for a transcript of the last hearing – which is a routine request.”

          i.e – he is simply paraphrasing the news story!

          http://pundit.co.nz/content/open-letter-to-david-farrar-on-his-erroneous-kiwiblog-post-re-countdown

          When he gets back from Nepal you can ask Farrar. He might tell you to sod off. Or he might just point out the obvious – that he has never quoted from any letter, but simply recouinted what Countdown has said publicly about the letter.

          Anyway, the substantial story here is Countdown. I agree with Farrar’s original theme – the thing with Countdown has become (mostly) hysterical nonsense.

          • felix 6.1.3.1.1

            Nope. He doesn’t say “Countdown says the so-called threatening letter…”

            He just states what he says is in the letter, according to himself, written as himself.

            • srylands 6.1.3.1.1.1

              OK well email Farrar and ask him what he meant and did he have the letter. You can speculate here all day and not get an answer. I have given you my reading. It is a non story. But maybe you are right and it is a vast right wing conspiracy.

              • felix

                Yeah, to suggest that David Farrar works with the National Party is just crazy talk.

                🙄

        • Tracey 6.1.3.2

          he had to wait until a defence was posted at kiwiblog before he could come back here and give us “his” opinion.

          • srylands 6.1.3.2.1

            There was no defence posted at Kiwiblog.

            When you sober up from your latest binge, email Farrar and ask him. I predict you will find it is a non issue.

            • Tracey 6.1.3.2.1.1

              you posted it here first????????

            • Tracey 6.1.3.2.1.2

              theres that politeness you have become known for.

              do you still stand by your assessment of farrar despite

              jokes at expense of greaving family (twice)
              dressing as a paedophile at a party?

              • srylands

                Yes I stand by my assessment of Farrar. Top bloke.

                • fender

                  Fuckwit calls fellow fuckwit “top bloke”, TINA

                  • srylands

                    Right, I’ll let him know you said that fender. Charming.

                    • fender

                      Please do. I especially hope you tell him to knock on my door so I can discover whether or not there’s borer in the baseball bat.

                    • McFlock

                      I think Farrar already knows he’s a fuckwit.

                    • Tracey

                      mcflock

                      do you get the sense this post bringing farrar into disrepute has struck quite the nerve with slylands… he seems very close to farrar. seems to be taking it almost perso9.

                    • McFlock

                      auSSpylands probably believes the penguin is a celebrity (rather than just a paid shill), so has been sucking up to him. Bit of a toryboy crush, you might say.

                      Farrar would know what the NZ rate of GST is, and probably crowed about it extensively when his emplo- sorry when the Prime minister announced it.

                      In contrast, auSSpylands failed dismally at knowing such basics of the NZ economy. Although all that says is that he might be an australian resident (as he’s previously claimed) or just a treasury economist.

            • Tracey 6.1.3.2.1.3

              you once said intelligence and politeness go a long way. i see you werent talking from personal experience

      • Tracey 6.1.4

        caput tuum in anu est.

      • amirite 6.1.5

        sorrylands – Especially when he made a joke about the two Dunedin children killed by their father. That was immensely charming.

        • srylands 6.1.5.1

          It is “srylands”. Was that the Bain joke? OK maybe it was too soon. OK 99.99% of the time he is reasonable and intelligent. How is that?

          • Ross 6.1.5.1.1

            No, it cannot be about Bain because the father was shot and killed, with evidence suggesting it was the sole survivor who committed the deed.

            • McFlock 6.1.5.1.1.1

              SSpylands might not know about the two kids killed by their dad in Dunedin late last year.

              Probably didn’t make the news in Australia, where he lives.

              • srylands

                It is “srylands”

                • McFlock

                  Limited denotation and connotation utility in that monicker. Subtle changes make it much more descriptive of the cultist in question.

              • srylands

                Are you trying to be a smartarse? We have been through the Australia NZ thing before. Yes I know about the 2 kids. The Farrar joke after the 2 kids were kileld was if I recall correctly.

                ““Just out of interest, does anyone know where the Bain honeymoon was?

                • Tracey

                  but no comment about the quality of a chap who twice makes tasteless jokes at the expense of bereaved folks.

                  still slater thinks exposing a victim of sexual abuse is cool if hes doing it.

                  birds of a feather

                  • felix

                    Slater is even worse.

                    Farrar may pretend to be a pedo for a laugh, but as far as I know he hasn’t made or published any child pornography.

                    • ShawnLH

                      Why was this comment by felix allowed past moderation?

                      That is well and truly a sick accusation to make, and it should not have been allowed.

                      [lprent: They aren’t accusations, they are statements of known fact.

                      Back in 2008 Cameron Slater photoshopped (amongst others) a young teenage labour activist’s head on to a homosexual porn image.

                      More recently there was a actual photo of David Farrar at a fancy dress party dressed up in the signature clothes of a convicted UK TV pedophile. Haven’t seen that myself but it was widely discussed on the blogs at the time.

                      I could dig out both images, but I’m sure that given these hints that you can google them yourself. If not then ask and someone is sure to have them archived.

                      However the reason that the comment wasn’t moderated was because felix was stating facts rather than asserting something that wasn’t true. ]

                • McFlock

                  translation: “now I’ve had time to google up the relevant events across the ditch in NZ, I will pretend that’s what I meant all along”.

                  Nice work, SSpylands.

                • Huginn

                  srylands

                  You call that a joke? It’s a terrible thing to say – what was he thinking? and what are you thinking repeating it and describing someone who can say such a thing as ‘a top bloke’?

                  • srylands

                    It may have been a poor taste joke. Get over it. The guy contributes significantly to public policy debate in New Zealand. His writing is lucid, logical, and he is widely read. He is a major employer and contributes millions in tax revenue. Just what New Zealand needs.

                    Why do you have a problem with him? I can get how WOBH gets up your nose. But why Kiwiblog for gods sake? Is it because he was a fatty? I can kind of understand that – but he is a changed man. Have you considered that? Have you read his travel blogs? Seriously – find a better target. You will get nowhere with Farrar and just wind yourself into twisted and bitter while Farrar climbs mountains and hangs in Nevada and runs the NYC marathon.

                    Time for you to move on.

                    • felix

                      Lucid and logical?

                      You should talk to JonoL upthread. He reckons Farrar can’t tell the difference between writing “This is” and writing “This might be”.

                    • Tracey

                      he seems to have made some errors in his piece berating tv3…

            • felix 6.1.5.1.1.2

              Yep you must forgive our friend srylands, he doesn’t know much about NZ stuff.

              He thinks the GST rate here is 10%.

              He once said the mudflats of the Kaipara Harbour would be the perfect site for a nuclear reactor – silly fool had looked at googlemaps and taken a guess, and didn’t realise that the blue bit represented about 3 inches of water.

              In this instace he probably just googled “dunedin murder father children”.

              I don’t think he’s ever set foot in NZ.

          • felix 6.1.5.1.2

            “OK 99.99% of the time he is reasonable and intelligent.”

            The time he dressed as a pedophile for a fancy dress party, was that part of the 99.99%?

            What is it about Farrar and children?

          • wtl 6.1.5.1.3

            99.99% of the time he is reasonable and intelligent. How is that?

            I never understand all this love for Farrar. Sure, you might support his politics and points of view, but why bother defending the fella when he does stupid shit?

      • Murray Olsen 6.1.6

        He always strikes me as creepy, mercenary, sleazy, cowardly, and perverted. It is these attributes that make him widely read by the right and successful at encouraging the most vile hatreds. Limited pseudo-intelligence, contacts, forelock tugging and a prehensile tongue go a long way in NAct circles.

        Fixed it for you, SSlands. And I call you SSlands because, with your blithering on about politeness, you remind me of a story I read years ago. An RAF pilot was shot down over France and captured by the Waffen SS. He was first interrogated by an aristocratic intelligence officer, von Sumzink und Utha, who displayed impeccable manners, but warned him that he would be turned over to the Luftwaffe, where he could not expect tea and crumpets, because they just didn’t come from the right stock. So fuck your smarmy fake politeness.

      • repateet 6.1.7

        People used to talk about the ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing.’

        Maybe a contest could be organised for a trendy, modern, new media friendly equivalent expression to encapsulate the special quality that people like David Farrar and John Key carry.

        ‘The suited mustelidae’ has a certain ring about it.

  7. felix 7

    Reads like a Jason Ede post to me, innit.

  8. c Tracey 8

    if you read watkins response to farrar and kiwoblog, farrar got more than a few things wrong in his post in defence of countdown.

    maybe while in nepal farrar will find his soul.

    [Hey Tracey your name needs amending – MS]

  9. captain hook 9

    lets face it. fatboy is a f*cking moran who runs up and down mountains, stops speeding bullets with his teeth and is slimy piece of crud whose only reel frend in the wurld is whaleboil. waddaguy!

    • lurgee 9.1

      lets face it. fatboy is a f*cking moran who runs up and down mountains, stops speeding bullets with his teeth and is slimy piece of crud whose only reel frend in the wurld is whaleboil. waddaguy!

      Weird how someone makes a comment about Paula Bennett’s appearance, and everyone comes over all chivilrous; but no-one on the left – apart from me – fins a comment like that puerile and disgusting.

      Can we please be consistently rude, or polite, regardless of gender?

      • srylands 9.1.1

        I’m all for making fun of fat people. Especially fat people with huge carbon footprints. But in this case it is inaccurate. He aint fat. Far from it.

        • lurgee 9.1.1.1

          I find it a bit strange that The Heroic Forces of the Left rounded on someone – one of their (alleged) own – the other day, in defence of Paula Bennett’s appearance. Yet when it doesn’t involve some bird getting fun poked at her over her appearance, they don’t seem to care. Bit of a weird double standard.

          Fat woman, fat bloke, don’t see the difference. Its abhorrent in either case, or it doesn’t matter in either case, but people need to decide and be consistent.

          Sometimes, I despise my fellow travellers, a bit. They come across as a nasty bunch of yahoos – like the Whaleoil vermin, only not as forthright and bold in their foulness.

          • Tracey 9.1.1.1.1

            my focus on this thread was Farrar’s comments, watkins reply and slylands appalling defence of some indefensible things. Along the way Slylands “stop being so riude” reverts to his name calling and suggesting I am drunk.

            I’m aware Farrar lost weight, I said that in my first response, so to me calling him a “fatboy” is so erroneous it doesn’t require comment.

            I have also scolded people for referring to Brownlee’s weight on here.

  10. srylands 10

    I think you mean moron. I understand he has many friends and he isnt fat.

    Putting aside the communist vitriol this is a non issue . If the author thinks it is a real issue he should put it to David and ask for a response. He might get further if he skips the usual rudeness and bile.

    • Tracey 10.1

      have you read what watkins wrote? its to farrar and kiwiblog readers.

      do you realise how stupid you look lecturing people about politeness while callng people names

      • srylands 10.1.1

        Yes I have read it. It is poorly written.

        You won’t get anything out of Farrar for 3 weeks. When he comes off the mountain, Watkins can ask him to respond. In the interim, it is all speculation.

        OK, point taken. I am polite to 99% of people I deal with because most of them are rational.

        • Tracey 10.1.1.1

          so when you agree with someone they are intelligent and polite, articulate and just darn loveable. When you disagree they write poorly.

          I hope you are not in the audit game, in any form, with such established prejudices based on your political ideology (or self interest)

    • amirite 10.2

      lol @ communist vitriol. So what should we call you guys then? Bloody Nazis, I guess.

    • Te Reo Putake 10.3

      “I think you mean moron.”

      Nice acceptance of the epiphet, moran.

  11. Ecosse_Maidy 11

    I can’t help but wonder what Blair was thinking in that photograph ……..”I don’t care if this a New Zealand welcome…Get your Hands off my cock!”

    • Tracey 11.1

      I thought that photo said way more about Blair than Key or Farrar.

      We already know key will shake the hand of anyone he thinks is a celebrity… while laughing at the funeral of the greatest leader/man of the 20th century

  12. srylands 12

    David Farrar can respond to the open letter if he wishes, but here is my 2 cents on the key parts:

    But viewers were left in no doubt about the ASA complaints and their outcomes. There was no “key fact missing” from The Nation or the video at the top of the story you link to. Did you bother to watch that?

    I didn’t see the programme – at face value this is fair enough criticism if correct.

    Second, you seem to miss the crucial point of the Lotto allegations made by Labour MP Shane Jones. You wrote:

    “Then the next bash was shock horror they sell Lotto tickets: … That’s just pathetic. I’ve been buying lotto tickets at New World for over a decade. Why is it fine at one group of supermarkets, but not another? This is just smearing Countdown.”

    Countdown sells Lotto tickets at the tills.

    This is smearing countdown. How hard is it to buy lotto tickets? You can buy them online for gods sake.

    Jones is right when he makes the distinction between what Countdown does compared to other supermarkets;

    No he is wrong.

    You may say large Jackpots are fine and fun, as is selling Lotto at the till. But the Mad Butcher said sales of food – food – at his stores falls by 8-9 percent on Jackpot weeks and by up to 15 percent on Jackpot days.

    So? Some folk are just dumb.

    Other retailers tell of similar trends and budgeting agencies tell of an increased demand for foodbank parcles in the days after a Jackpot weekend.

    See above about stupid people.

    Desperate people make bad choices, it seems. Is that purely their responsibility or are Lotto and Countdown also culpable.

    It is purely their responsibility.

    Third, I’m curious how you know about the contents of the letter.

    Did he have the letter? Or is he simply reciting what Countdown said publicly. I suspect it is the latter. Only Farrar knows. So wast of time speculating. But no evidence is provided here for anything improper.

    Fourth, you have every right to support Countdown in the hours it wants to sell alcohol. But that’s not the point of Yule’s criticism – or that of two others mayors The Nation spoke to. The purpose of the bill National passed last year was that local communities should have the final word on what hours alcohol can be sold in their community. Judith Collin could explain that to you. Countdown, as is their legal right, is challenging that. Fair enough. But the mayors’ complaint is that Progressive has been particularly aggressive in its approach – more so than any other appellant.

    I would like them to be highly aggressive. Stopping supermarkets selling wine after 9PM is nuts. (I have no interest in this as I don’t drink alcohol, but it is still nuts.)

    Finally, you “acknowledge that Countdown’s alleged behaviour towards suppliers appears to have been bad”, but you don’t mention that the most significant part of Morton’s claims were over treatment of suppliers and the fact he has become the first person to confirm he has taken part in a complaint to the Commerce Commission on just that issue.

    No view – hopefully the CC will shed some light.

    So in summary, a long winded whine about nothing much at all.
    1. Countdown is being smeared irrationally
    2. The lotto thing is bloody nuts.
    3. The alcohol sales hours thing is bloody nuts.
    4. The Farrar thing is probably bloody nuts, but he can answer that if he wants.

    Regards,

    Tim Watkin

    • felix 12.1

      Can someone please delete that garbled mangled pile of shit so srylands can try again?

      • srylands 12.1.1

        I suggest you quit with the rudeness and read it.

        • felix 12.1.1.1

          How the fuck is anyone supposed to read that? There’s no way of knowing which parts are yours, which parts are Farrar’s and which parts are Watkins’.

          Write it again and do it properly this time. It’s not difficult.

    • lurgee 12.2

      Ah, the much feared Dadaist-surrealist-Escher style of posting. Look at it one way, and it is gobbledigook. Look at it another, and is gookdigobble! Either way, unanswerable, because incomprehensible.

      Still, a masterpiece of something or other.

  13. captain hook 13

    to quote his bobness, sorrylands is tangled up in poo.

  14. Clemgeopin 14

    That handshake in the picture is not too clear. I won’t be surprised if it is another Key’s signature three-way-handshake. But where is the troty?

  15. Rob 15

    It’s a bit sad that an Aussie troll feels the need to chuck in his two cents to political debate in little old Aotearoa… and even pretend he’s one of us.

    Spraylands, do yourself a favour and increase the IQs of both our fair countries by finding some Aussie political news to comment on.

    I understand you have a massive boner for the penguin and, yes he does come across as rational most of the time, but I’m sure you have your fair share of hard core Tories dressed as moderate Tories to satisfy your need to spray mindless bullshit to anyone who will listen.

    • Tracey 15.1

      There’s an old strategy in policy and lobbying. You have someone quite extreme, damnding the world and chaining themselves tot he boardroom table (or in Slater’s case exposing identities of sexual assault victims for his own end ) and then you have someone from the middle, seeking change but not seeming as radical.

      Farrar and Slater play this role. Farrar seems sane and compassionate and reasoned because of who he is being compared with…

  16. Tracey 16

    Slylands spent the day defending Farrar. Curious and curiouser, given he doesn’t care enough about politics to get emotional about it.

  17. MaxFletcher 17

    Out of curiousity, there is lot of talk about Farrar dressing as a pedophile for a fancy dress party. When was this? I was aware he dressed as David Bain once but that is all. Anyone got a link?

    • Murray Olsen 17.1

      Here’s one reference to it:
      //twitter.com/CrAaronHawkins/status/345107451881848834

  18. srylands 18

    Farrar denies being briefed by Countdown. Problem solved.

    http://tinyurl.com/mkbje7v

    • felix 18.1

      Yep, he got his info directly from National.

    • freedom 18.2

      this bit?
      “@mdnharris @Tim_Watkin No I wasn’t. Just a smear attack by Tim on me. Had zero dealings with them.”

      If it wasn’t Countdown, then where did he get his intimate knowledge of the letter?

      “David Farrar said : The so called threatening letter merely asks for a transcript of the last hearing – which is a routine request.”

      • Tracey 18.2.1

        I suspect farrar wrote it that way to appear he had more knowledge than anyone else… deliberately misleading.

        the alternative is he is a poor writer. slylands ought to vehemently oppose the later explanation.

    • Tracey 18.3

      gosh you thought it would take 3 weeks to get an answer. I guess this was more important than you suggested. how many emails texts and tweets did you send him yesterday.

  19. srylands 19

    As I thought. Farrar’s detailed rebuttal shows this original post was a load of bollocks.

    http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2014/04/responding_to_tim_watkin.html

    • bad12 19.1

      The only load of shit round here SSLands is you, now piss off back to the sewer where you belong…

    • McFlock 19.2

      linkwhoring for him now? there’s a surprise…

      Not even a summary of the main points to actually show that the post is “bollocks”. 🙄

      • srylands 19.2.1

        No. You can presumably read his brief and cogent post as quickly as me. Why do you want a summary?

        • McFlock 19.2.1.1

          Because I don’t want to give him clickstats.
          Because every time I do check a link from a tory or nutbar, it’s invariably been a waste of my time and almost never lived up to the hype of the linkwhore.
          Because I wouldn’t put it past him to graze as much data as possible from anyone who visits his site, including the use of flash cookies.

          Because you initially described it as a detailed rebuttal, but now you’re calling it brief and cogent. While it’s theoretically possible that both descriptions are true, the fact that you’re spinning like crazy to boost farrar’s site visits disinclines me further to bother with your bullshit. You stupid cow.

    • Puckish Rogue 19.3

      You think the posters on here care about things like this, they only care about smears and half-truths

  20. RRM 20

    Farrar says he got his information directly from the story that is on the TV3 website…?

    I guess telling lies, and smearing people you disagree with (saying they are in the pay of your enemies) is easier and more fun than running with facts though.

    The trouble with Labour people is their utter tribal loyalty makes them incapable of reading the facts of any even remotely complex issue and independently forming a conclusion. Oh no. If you’re not for us, then you’re for THEM and you’re THE ENEMY. And the enemy is INFINITELY malign and cunning.

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  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    48 mins ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    53 mins ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    2 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    8 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
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    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    9 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    11 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
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    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
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  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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