Dirty Politics Watch I

Written By: - Date published: 6:10 pm, September 9th, 2014 - 72 comments
Categories: David Farrar, election 2014, spin - Tags: , , , , ,

Dirty Politics, chapter 9:

Dirty Politics chapter 9

Kiwiblog today:

Kiwiblog graphs

It’s like deja vu all over again.

72 comments on “Dirty Politics Watch I ”

  1. Anne 1

    David Farrar is as guilty as sin when it comes to Dirty Politics.

    His whining and moaning over the supposed hacking of his computer following the launch of the book “Dirty Politics” was nothing but a cover-up job to try and claim victim status and distract from his involvement in the rotten game.

    Anyone who has ever been the victim of a dirty smear campaign – more often than not involving unlawful conduct similar to Slater’s – will know that the perpetrator (or perpetrators) always use this tactic to cover for their own behaviour. The sad part is they invariably get away with it because the ‘powers that be’ (read establishment) let them get away with it. You have to ask yourself… why?

    • Tracey 1.1

      Why wouldnt he and slater continue with impugnity the liar in chief with assistance from parts of the media has got thecountry to look the other way…

      They feel enough people havent read it to not notice they are continuing the strategy

      Also Anne, by now Farrar and certainly Slater are totaly convinced that the lies they made up are now truth.

      That is my experience of liars… They are convincing in part because they convince themselves the lies are true

      • Anne 1.1.1

        Absolutely Tracey. It’s actually a kind of mental disorder. They somehow manage to believe their own lies and that means they come across to other people as genuine and plausible.

  2. Rodel 2

    To people who won’t read the book ‘Dirty Politics’ I insert quick questions,

    “Whaddaya think of Slater’s ‘knife the bitch’ comment about Helen Clark and Judith Collin’s reply? Oh You don’t know about that?

    Whadda you think about Slater wanting to write a book about Politicians rooting? Oh didn’t you read that?

    ‘Whadda think about Slater calling Christchurch people useless pricks and scum?’ Oh didn’t you read that?

    Whadda ya think about John Key and Slater’s cuddly photo? Oh haven’t you looked at that ?

    Probably OK with wavering voters, doesn’t do much to committed Tories but makes me feel good.

    • AmaKiwi 2.1

      A cloud of shame has descended over National MPs and supporters.

      I watched 2 cabinet ministers at election debates this past week. Both slouched in their chairs. Beaten animals looking for a place to hide. Both denied they had read Dirty Politics, a lie to protect themselves from having to answer questions about it.

      This is our election to win. We have our honor. We have the leaders. We have policies for the future.

    • BM 2.2

      Who the fuck cares about Cameron Slater.

      Honestly, he’s not really that important.

      • McFlock 2.2.1

        Not any more.

        He was once important enough to know classified information and get record turnaround on OIA requests. And he was in frequent contact with the PM, after all

      • miravox 2.2.2

        So says bm, whose political opinions always come with a link to whaleoil. But then again,maybe he knows that Slater is a useful fool and agrees with Hager’s assertion that the real dirt comes from the Beehive.

      • Kaplan 2.2.3

        John Key used to care enough to speak to him ‘regularly’, until dirty politics was released, then regularly became ‘maybe four times a year’.

      • North 2.2.4

        You care the fuck about His Grossness BM. It screams.

      • Molly 2.2.5

        The deliberate use of him by members of our parliament, our PM and our media is important.

      • Tracey 2.2.6

        john key and ms collins have found him VERY useful, if not important.

    • infused 2.3

      Couldn’t care less about him.

      • Lanthanide 2.3.1

        Neither. But his relationship with National party movers and shakers, that is more interesting.

      • North 2.3.2

        You having a Tui’s moment as well Confused ?…….wahahahahaha !

      • framu 2.3.3

        what about the state using him as a proxie to run their dirt? – do you care about that?

      • D'Esterre 2.3.4

        @ infused: “Couldn’t care less about him.”

        I’m guessing that you haven’t read Hager’s book.

        It really doesn’t matter a good goddam what you think of Slater. The book shows the damage he and his mates have done: it’s corruption. Nobody can airily dismiss that, as you seem to want to do, without it being implicit that you see nothing wrong with what he’s been involved in.

        Vote the Key government out, and put the other parties on notice that we won’t tolerate behaviour of that sort in our politicians.

  3. AmaKiwi 3

    I am waving signs at intersections during rush hour. The response is excellent in my part of Auckland. One exception. If on election day white males were banned from driving, we would win in a landslide. On the other hand, if National promised free Viagra, they would win.

  4. dave 4

    only a change of government and a royal commission will get to the truth and hold the so called elites responsible donkey is donkey deep and will block any attempt to get justice where justice has been corrupted the people are justified to act.

  5. dale 5

    I’ve read much worse comments here Rodel. We all say shit like that about politicians that piss us off. Amakiwi, thats very
    racist. What if I said hope no brown blokes allowed out on election day. Or is it ok to be racist on this blog. Maybe thats why the blogs you speak are the most read in the land because they have excellent information flow.

    • karol 5.1

      I’ve read much worse comments here Rodel.

      oh really? Because the moderators tend to delete comments advocating physical violence to others, whether the people intend to carry out such things or not.

      And I doubt very much that anyone here would advocate writing about politicians’ sex lives – at least not right wingers anyway.

      And no lefties would talk about Christchurch people the way Slater did.

      Your comment is just a variation on the “the left do it, too” type defense of Slater’s dirty dealings.

    • lurgee 5.2

      I struggle to see how saying “if on election day white males were banned from driving, we would win in a landslide” is racist. It’s simply a fact (kinda, depending on appeal across other groups and what constitutes a landslide and so on) that National are generally considered to gain a larger share of the white male vote than other parties do. This was outlined in The Hollow Men, by National politicians.

      I think you’re just looking for a reason to pretend to be offended. Go away, silly child.

      I am white and male, FWIW.

      • mike 5.2.1

        Of course its not racist when white males are on the recieving end just like its not theft when emails are stolen for a good cause….

        • Puddleglum 5.2.1.1

          I don’t think you understood lurgee’s point.

          On “the receiving end” of what? An explanation of why National might win?

          • mike 5.2.1.1.1

            I understand his point because funnily enough I was out the other the day waving signs and I tell ya – If we could ban those brown women from driving on election day the nats would govern alone!

            • lurgee 5.2.1.1.1.1

              Possibly true and not racist to say so.

              The question for Labour is, how does it broaden its appeal to white males? Too much focus is given to trying to squeeze yet more votes out of women and minorities.

              The question for National is, ho does it broaden its appeal to brown and female voters?

              • D'Esterre

                @ lurgee: “The question for National is, ho does it broaden its appeal to brown and female voters?”

                Well, corruption isn’t going to do it, I imagine. And I’m guessing that those white males aren’t attracted by it either – if they know about it, that is.

        • framu 5.2.1.2

          mike – has anyone said its not theft?

          or have people said that is was theft, but as it was exposing state corruption against its own citizens then the public interest outweighed the criminal aspect?

          that tiny bit of fact sort of makes your little whinge seem a tad silly and uninformed no?

        • D'Esterre 5.2.1.3

          @ mike: “… its not theft when emails are stolen for a good cause….”

          Ahem…. Pentagon papers, Watergate….. Wikileaks, even…

    • joe90 5.3

      I’ve read much worse comments here Rodel.

      Put up or shut up.

    • AmaKiwi 5.4

      @ dale.

      Racist? No. It’s my firsthand observation from the street corners and it’s supported by all the opinion polls. They show Labour is polling very poorly amongst men, especially men of European descent.

      I did NOT say or imply it would be acceptable to deny anyone the right to vote.

      On the other hand, I will say that if people with no sense of humour would stop trying to pick fights here, it would be a more interesting site.

      • Colonial Viper 5.4.1

        They show Labour is polling very poorly amongst men, especially men of European descent.

        Yep. Currently the suggestion is that a full 60% more women support Labour than men. If Labour achieved gender equality in it’s support base and as many men supported Labour as women, Labour would instantly gain 4% to 5% in the polls.

        • Tracey 5.4.1.1

          Not if gaining that white male support lost you a portion of the women.

          It is ok for men and women to look for different things in leaders.

      • framu 5.4.2

        fights that have been started and quashed many times before i might add

    • Bastables 5.5

      @dale It might be difficult with ones natural inclination to defend ones own privilege, but this video might be useful for understanding why reverse racism is bullshit.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_mRaIHb-M

      It might also explain (with modifications) why reverse sexism is also bullshit.

    • Tracey 5.6

      It is possible you think you have read much worse because one thing that is becoming very clear from our usual right wing apologists (especially the ones for Slater) is that reading comprehension is quite the weakness.

  6. Gosman 6

    Ummm… what exactly is his ‘crime’ meant to be here?

    • As I understand it, the implication is that Farrar has been making use of the National Party Research Unit and posting it as his own work again (or the National Party Research Unit has been making use of Farrar, again).

      Not a crime, but, if correct, a post by Farrar that misleads his readers about the providence of its content. A potential fact that might influence how it is read and interpreted.

      • karol 6.1.1

        Hmmm… and didn’t DPF just apply to be registered with the Online Media Standards Authority?

        The standards don’t actually directly refer to misrepresenting where/how the information was obtained, or to passing off other people’s work as your own. The nearest I can find is:

        Contributors and participants should be informed of the nature of their participation in the material to be published;

        Publishers should not obtain information or gather pictures through misrepresentation or deception.

        • Gosman 6.1.1.1

          He has publically stated how he personally constructed these figures and there was no mention of the National party research unit. I could understand if it was Cameron Slater making these claims how you could suggest he may be lied but not even Nick Hager suggests David Farrar lies in such a blatant manner.

          • framu 6.1.1.1.1

            “He has publically stated how he personally constructed these figures and there was no mention of the National party research unit”

            which has been shown to be a lie in the past – did you miss the point of the post?

    • infused 6.2

      White male apparently.

    • Lanthanide 6.3

      A pure example of two-track politics as advanced by Hager.

      Instead of the National Party themselves posting these 11 graphs (or National giving this to the MSM themselves) to show the differences between National and Labour, they outsource it to their blogs so as to maintain distance and plausible deniability.

      Pretty obvious I should have thought.

      • nadis 6.3.1

        I don’t get the problem? Some benign (but obviously cherry picked) partisan data gets published. I cant see why the source matters, if it in fact is not Farrar.

        Now I’d get the point if it were an allegation of wifebeating or corruption etc, but some economic charts? How does it matter whether the source is David Farrar, a top secret black ops team, or my grandma?

        I think for dirty tricks, you actually have to be doing something dirty. Otherwise the bleating just comes across as tinfoil hat conspiracy theory. And yes I have read Dirty Politics.

        • Hanswurst 6.3.1.1

          In my experience of academia, the source of information is a highly important component of assessing how useful that information might be. I would say that it is extremely poor form not to be truthful in citing one’s sources, and the importance of doing so increases when the target audience isn’t seasoned academics who are trained to be sceptical and to cross-check facts.

        • Tracey 6.3.1.2

          It matters if the taxpayer was paying the salary of the person providing the information (such as Ede when he was in the PM’s office). Secondly it matters because Farrar and Slater post things stating it is their work when in fact it is from someone else. That is called misleading and deceptive.

          Please enlighten us with your definition of dirty? It obviously doesn’t include “underhand”.

        • framu 6.3.1.3

          “if it in fact is not Farrar.”

          well for one hes claiming its his work – so weve got plagarism as a starter and an atempt to hide the real source of the message as a close second

          thats a central part of how the whole damn dirty tricks machine works – as outlined in the book which you have read

          Isnt pretending that youve knocked a few graphs together when theyve actually come from the nat research unit dishonest? – Why you could even call it a dirty trick couldnt you?

        • lurgee 6.3.1.4

          I don’t get the problem? Some benign (but obviously cherry picked) partisan data gets published. I cant see why the source matters, if it in fact is not Farrar.

          It’s called honesty. An alien concept for the National Party and its promoters since 2004, I believe.

          Farrar claims he’s done’s the research and created the graphs himself, when the likelihood is he was given the information. He could easily be honest and say, “Someone pointed out this information which I think you’ll find is really interesting”.

          Instead he prefers to be self-aggrandising and deceptive. Probably.

          I don’t like being lied to. Do you?

        • D'Esterre 6.3.1.5

          @ nadis: “. And yes I have read Dirty Politics.”

          Perhaps Tracey has a point about reading comprehension. I suggest you go read it again. Pay attention to the endnotes as you read.

    • McFlock 6.4

      It’s sweet that you’re trying to understand the hu-mon concept of ‘ethics’.

  7. dale 7

    You must be new to this blog joe90. So don’t be so surprised when someone points out the hypocrisy.

  8. dale 8

    Lurgee, calling me thinned skinned. Im just pointing out another example of your hypocrisy. This is so easy. Please carry on.

    • Hanswurst 8.1

      If it’s so easy, how come you’re failing to come up with either an argument or evidence?

    • Tracey 8.2

      You keep posting. Being oblivious to your own foolishness doesn’t make you less a fool, Sir.

    • framu 8.3

      pointing out what dale? if its sooo easy how about engaging in the replies instead of dismissing them

      is it not a fact that older white males favour national over labour according to polling data

      yes or no?

      so – then is it racist or ageist to talk about this group and what effect their abscence would have on an election result?

      Fucks sake you little whinger – every one under the sun can talk abut sth auckland and the brown vote – but mention older white males and shit gets real all of a sudden aye

  9. North 9

    What you on about Dale ? Joe90 is 90. Been here for years, egg.

    You hurting darling ? I think so.

  10. ianmac 10

    I read that Nicky said at a book launch very recently, that he had left out the names of journalists who were complicit in the Dirty Tricks by National and Slater campaign. He knows who they are and some are in the Parliamentary Gallery. He left their names out because he expects that they will reform their work ethics.

    Therefore there would be no more “exposures” from the remaining emails.

    • karol 11.1

      It depends if there was anything very damaging in the unpublished emails.

      If there is, Rawshark might return?

      Also, what is needed now is not more emails, but more corroborating evidence to support all the wrong doings implicated in the emails that have been published so far.

    • disturbed 11.2

      I heard at 5.30pm last night on Prime news that last May many thousands of sites were hacked under a yahoo hack.

      NZ Police files, and others in NZ including the Government, Jason Ede and others such as Slater’s account were taken then.

      So if TS or you have not heard of this please find that news item as no other MSM has covered this story that should also be all over the MSM as of now.

    • karol 11.3

      David, it’s only the “personal” emails referred to in that article. It doesn’t say that there is a gag on publishing any further emails that are in the public interest. See micky’s post just up.

  11. disturbed 12

    BM, 2.2 you said Slater is not important????

    Yes he is the principal witness in this Watergate like affair?

    He interfaced with our Government agencies such as SIS and others .

    How will we know who else if he is not investigated thoroughly?

    Talk about a cover up Nixon tried this I was there in US at the time working, so they had to censure the people who initiated that plot to destroy the opposition Party as Slater did in this case.

    Until we get full access through Slater, Ede PM and others we wont get to the truth, so is that what you want?

    This is what we now face and you don’t want this right?
    But Dotcom is unsure how the public will react, especially following the fallout – or lack of fallout – from Dirty Politics.

    “When I read Nicky Hager’s book, I thought, ‘It’s over for John Key’. I didn’t think the New Zealand public would put up with something like that, and I’m really surprised how little impact the book had.

    We have been marched over by the worst propaganda since pre-war Germany using virtually the same tactics here.

    Stripping out the investigative journalism stables so they could use only brainwashing by the tabloid MSM was always part f their Nazi like agenda.

    Now it is coming true, so why should we be surprised?

    NZ is now on display to the world as a shinning example of another hollowed out country by a process used by a hollowed out Government and media combined to take away our fragile Freedoms and Democracy.

    The Government & MSM are surely our enemies conspiring against all this and our miserable future we see ahead.

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    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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    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
    6 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 ...
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
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    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

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours 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
    10 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
    12 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
    12 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
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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