Doofus of the week Easter 2018 edition
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12:24 pm, April 1st, 2018 - 55 comments
Categories: health -
Tags: jonathan coleman
For those with challenged constitutions I would urge taking precautions before reading this. Because the amount of nausea inducement is high.
The latest winner of the Doofus of the week award is given to Fairfax reporter for writing an article with a level of hagiography that even surpasses that displayed in John Roughan’s biography of John Key. Pravda would be proud of the level of obsequiousness displayed.
The subject of her writing was former Minister Jonathan Coleman. Her piece reads more like a second rate PR puff piece than a serious piece of journalism.
Kirk has some form. In 2016 she published an attack piece on cancer sufferers who had been lobbying Coleman for the funding of a caner drug which showed promise in treating the cancer they were suffering from. Kirk basically said they were being offered financial inducements to front a PR campaign by the drug company which owned the patent to the drug.
The article had a real Dirty Politics feel about it. The article also smeared Andrew Little and implied there was something untoward in his having dinner with Drug company executives. Unnamed sources clearly from within the Government leaking information to denigrate the credibility of people brave enough to go public as well as Labour. Stuff had to write a retraction of some of the allegations made against the cancer sufferers, essentially withdrawing the claim that they had been paid by the Drug Company to front the campaign.
Te Reo Putake eviscorates the article in this post. His conclusion was strong:
Kirk and her employer may have decided to attack Labour as a diversion from the more obvious hypocrisy of the National Party. In opposition, National bellowed long and hard about the need for Pharmac to fund Herceptin. In Government, they’re happy to watch women die.
Shame on you, Stacey Kirk. Shame on you, Fairfax.
We deserve a free, fearless media, with stories anchored to the verifiable truth.
What we’ve got is Stuff all
On to her latest article. Get ready with the barf bags.
It starts badly with the headline, “Jonathan Coleman, quiet achiever” and goes downhill from there.
Here are some of the more nauseous inducing passages:
The vitriol on social media has never really fazed Jonathan Coleman.
He understood it, he methodically sifted through that which was political and that which was genuine, and never lost sleep over the former.
Cigar in the face blowing Coleman never impressed me as someone who was the sensitive pragmatic sort.
“Coleman’s a this, that and the other, and a killer and all this sort of crap. I mean, you know seriously, reasonable people don’t think that,” says the former health minister of the more rabid sect of the Twitter commentariat.
Stacks of “thank you” emails to him from members of the public, following his shock resignation announcement, provides a weighty counter.
It is not clear if the emails are thanking him for his service or thanking him for going at last. And I guess he does not regard the chorus of people complaining about the underfunding and run down of the health system as being “reasonable”.
Up until six months before the election, Coleman says health was reasonably uncontroversial.
Not on planet reality. And hiding the bad news such as the $14 billion deficit in health infrastructure funding is as controversial and as expensive an action by any Minister I have ever witnessed.
He might be speaking politically; there have always been fires to dampen within health. Major financial blunders by Health Ministry officials, vocal campaigns for brand-name drugs, DHB deficits and staffing woes – the controversies never end.
No mention of the $14 billion infrastructure deficit. And it is interesting that the financial blunders are always someone else’s fault. So much for the idea that the Minister is ultimately responsible.
“But Labour eventually just turned all guns on it. And they campaigned hard on funding and of course they couldn’t make a dent in the economy. In health you can always find cases to illustrate the point that you’re trying to make.
The election result would suggest otherwise.
“When you’re dealing with people in desperate situations and, frankly, without the power to help them without fundamentally changing the model to favour some individuals over others. That is really difficult. You’re in charge of a big system – $17 billion, that’s bigger than the dairy industry. Ultimately, in the health system you are looking to deliver the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
“Over time, the test of that is in the big statistics.”
Here is one big statistic. $16 billion in unmet infrastructure costs. The symptoms are sewerage seeping out of hospital walls. And another. A $2.3 billion annual deficit when the ageing population and population growth are taken into account.
“But if we were going bad in health, I tell you what, we wouldn’t have polled 46 per cent on election night.”
Funny I thought the final result was the important one.
A chronic case of over-achieving, that can’t be done without a steely-cold focus.
I am feeling queazy …
He also worried about how people would feel about his leaving the electorate so soon. Costing the country $11 million in by election costs because you decide to go shortly after you have been elected should cause worry,
“I was concerned how people would view that I was leaving Parliament, I was concerned how people would feel in my electorate.”
But he says the overwhelming response has been positive.
I feel positive he is going too. I am not sure this is a good thing for him.
There is no mention of the controversies, (did I mention the $14 billion infrastructure deficit), the failure to allow for population growth, the appearance of third world diseases of poverty in pockets of New Zealand. Just this superficial, uncritical, once over treatment of one of National’s more contentions Ministers. And it is not as if she has been told about the multitude of problems the Health Ministry is facing.
Stacey Kirk for your obsequious, servile, ingratiating, sycophantic, and fawning treatment of one of the country’s most important issues you are doofus of the week.
55 comments on “Doofus of the week Easter 2018 edition ”
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National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...2 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...2 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...4 days ago
- Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill
The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...5 days ago
- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...7 days ago
- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon
As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation
The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...1 week ago
- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...1 week ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
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Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...1 hour ago - Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...2 hours ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...18 hours ago
- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...19 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...19 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...19 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...20 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...21 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...22 hours ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...22 hours ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...23 hours ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...1 day ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...1 day ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...1 day ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...2 days ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...2 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...3 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...3 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...3 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...4 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...5 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...7 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
- RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy – here’s what you need to know
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne IoanaB/Shutterstock The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its ...2 hours ago - Yes, you still need to use sunscreen, despite what you’ve heard on TikTok
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Lee, PhD Candidate, Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Karolina Grabowska/Pexels Summer is nearly here. But rather than getting out the sunscreen, some TikTokers are urging followers to chuck it out and go sunscreen-free. They claim it’s healthier ...2 hours ago
- Humans are killing off the old and wise animals that hold nature together. Here’s what must change
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keller Kopf, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Charles Darwin University Laxmikant Ameenagad, Shutterstock In humans and other animals, ageing is generally associated with a decline in biological function. But scientists are now discovering older animals perform vital roles in populations and ecosystems. ...2 hours ago
- A man scouring Google Earth found a mysterious scar in the Australian outback – and now scientists...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Author provided/Google Earth Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched ...2 hours ago
- Design as a movement: how First Nations people take ownership of their cultural stories through fash...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Once located 250 metres to the east of the Art Gallery of South Australia, the grand beaux-arts style Jubilee Exhibition Building was constructed to house the ...2 hours ago
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The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says a third medical school and more students in Auckland and Otago are both needed. ...3 hours ago - Cricket balls can concuss and even kill batters – at all levels, helmet use must be taken seriousl...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Greenhow, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Bond University Linda George/Shutterstock The ten-year anniversary of the death of much-loved Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes falls on November 27. The 25-year-old’s life was tragically cut short in 2014 when a bouncer ...3 hours ago
- Hold the roosters, no economic dawn yet
Treasury likely to downgrade economic forecast while Chris Bishop says the government won’t be ‘a slave to a surplus’, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Recession will be deeper and last longer — Treasury At a recent Spinoff ...3 hours ago - Knowing superstitions aren’t real doesn’t stop us behaving superstitiously – why?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has three white rabbits painted on his helicopter, a nod to his “massively superstitious” habit of repeating “white rabbits” three times at ...4 hours ago
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The coalition has "absolutely no intention of listening to the evidence that comes out of their experiment", Labour MP says. ...5 hours ago
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Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago - Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate
Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
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The Government’s economic adviser is sending a message it doesn’t want to hear – superannuation is increasingly unaffordable The post Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- Victims of sex offending welcome shift on name suppression laws
A man abused by a former political figure is "immensely relieved" at a government proposal to end secrecy around sex offenders' identities. ...6 hours ago
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There is plenty yet to play out, but the next election is at this rate shaping up as trio versus trio, writes Toby Manhire. A subplot of this week’s historic hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been the sight of the three opposition parties presenting a unified front. Te Pāti Māori ...6 hours ago
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- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November
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The post Daily crossword, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
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Opinion: The immediate horror of nuclear weapon explosions – the blinding flash, crushing blast wave, and radioactive inferno – is well documented.But what nuclear-armed nations either don’t grasp or won’t admit, is far more chilling: how their weapons could devastate even countries thousands of kilometres from any mushroom clouds.The collapse ...6 hours ago
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FICTION1 Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)Sample dialogue, all from one chapter:“That can’t be,” replied Taona doubtfully.“You were right. The pā is unnervingly quiet,” Taona murmured.“The Hākuwai,” Motukia breathed. “Our grandfathers told us they rarely saw the Hākuwai in daylight,” Motukia muttered.“Their fight would have been futile ...6 hours ago
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After about two and a half years of planning and waiting, New Zealand’s last elephant has moved to her new home at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.Burma and her “human herd”, that is, her keepers, arrived last week, and she’s settling in well, according to Auckland Zoo’s Andrew Coers.“Something ...6 hours ago
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not meet the Treaty Principles Bill hikoi crowd, sees “nothing” of merit in the Act-proposed law but the Parliament his Government dominates will spend six months debating a “divisive” measure.That’s because he has accepted there needs to be “aeration” of people’s views on the Treaty, ...6 hours ago
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A framework for global carbon trading under the Paris Agreement is finally nearing completion at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan after years of halting talks.Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is one of two ministers tasked by the COP29 hosts with landing a long-sought deal on Article 6 of the climate accord, ...6 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim ...11 hours ago
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62% of respondents support the extension of the OIA to cover MPs’ spending, compared to just 13% opposed and 24% were unsure. ...13 hours ago - The House: Meanwhile, a week of passing law
The political week has been packed with worthy distractions, but all week Parliament has focused on passing new laws. Here are the highlights. ...14 hours ago
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Analysis - The diversity of voices during the hīkoi was noticeable - from tangata moana to young immigrants to elderly Pākehā from the South Island. ...15 hours ago
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When the bill to restore NZ citizenship to some Samoans passed this week, Parliament's galleries were full to the brim with members of the community. ...15 hours ago
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Women’s Rights Party Co-leader Jill Ovens says the Ministry has put New Zealand children at risk by continuing to allow “off-label” prescribing of puberty blockers at far higher rates than other similar countries. ...16 hours ago
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That is despite two papers from police that raised the matter with him. ...17 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Bill Shorten has declared himself “a proud moderate” in a valedictory speech declaring parliament has the responsibility to ensure the extremes of left and right do not set the terms of political debate. Shorten, ...17 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer Studio Romantic/Shutterstock We all know how important it is to save enough money for retirement – but what about spending it wisely when we get there? Even for those who have built up a suitable ...17 hours ago
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The government has always vowed to reinstate live exports by sea, which was banned by the previous Labour government. ...17 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Freeman, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Bond University ERIK Miheyeu/Shutterstock Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down, a bit like an internal air conditioner. When our core temperature rises (because it’s hot outside, or you’re exercising), sweat glands all ...18 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University Australia’s drug regulator has issued a safety warning over the medicine Phenergan and related products containing the antihistamine drug promethazine. The Therapeutic Goods Administration said the over-the-counter products should not be given to children ...18 hours ago
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The site will be off line for some hours.
Pffft. The smug little snowflake blocked me very quickly without us ever interacting.
Can the Nats please employ Ms Kirk and make an honest PR hack out of her.
…and TOADY
Coleman has gone, and that’s what matters.
@Ken” Coleman has gone, and that’s what matters.” No it is not what matters, that MF gets to walk away scott free, he needs to answer for his despicable and reckless actions when in charge of this countries heath system…this man is directly responsible for the premature deaths of fellows citizens.
That is BAU for the National Party.
+111
We need a law that holds politicians responsible for harm that they cause so that they can’t walk away from it scott-free.
Such a law would likely be selectively enforced on only left-wing politicians, though. =/
1.) If the charges are correct then it shouldn’t matter if the MP is right-wing or left-wing. Malicious attempts to abuse the law should have their own penalties.
2.) The Left are going to have to stop fearing bringing down the hammer when it’s needed.
Then all the “ayes” are equally responsible. Any fool can put forward stupid destructive corrupt polices. A majority of MPs still has to agree with them.
That being so, the likelihood of enacting such consequences is vanishingly small.
For a policy passed in parliament – yes.
But not so for a minister who is responsible for their department and doesn’t have to pass everything that they do through parliament.
True.
You should add her article on stuff today as well for a back to back doofus.
Somethings up with the stuff moderation as well. Every comment I’ve tried to post critical of national doesn’t get through.
I noticed that too with Stuff Hooch. Even when I put a ‘like’ on a comment in the comments section for some reason there is a problem.
More than a year ago Staff asked me to write up articles for them. I said I would get back to them but never did.
In Stacey Kirks’ article I do wonder as to how much the NZ National Party paid her to make her write such a ridiculous article???!!!!
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see who she texts….
“Wouldn’t it be interesting to see who she texts….”
Theres a 9 month gap in Stacey Kirk s publicly available Linkedin profile, from when she left a sales role at Thales, French Defence and technology company in Wellington and she started a 1 year journalism course the next year . That was 2009, a time national was new in government. Just the sort of gig a politics graduate would like- working for for a political party in parliament or ‘research’
Well researched!
The comments part of the site was probably overloaded. Everyone climbing in giving the piece, and Coleman, shit. Getting absolutely hammered in the comments.
People will absorb only so much reeking horseshit before they call time on the embarrassing charade and broadside those involved. Stacey Kirk doesn’t do journalism. She does damage control and historical revisionism. It’s like me claiming to be a scientist if all I did was wear a lab coat and front advertisements for shampoo.
Comments challenging the “opinion” never get through, either. So much for free speech and so much for democracy. Add to this the ridiculous practice of giving reporters the opportunity to express their “opinions” in the first place is pretty telling. How many hack reporters would give that opportunity up? “Wow, I’ve finally made it!” There’s a bunch of them. Kirk’s one. Hamish Rutherford’s pretty dire. Many others. Pathetic.
Two brilliant dissections of the media micky.
The best solution for when they fail to put the spotlight on important issues is to put the spotlight on them.
Investigate the media.
Kirk has form.
Winston Peters has no time for her.
We “Perhaps you should begin your next article by explaining that. That you got it all wrong. Please don’t ask me to explain your gross misrepresentation of the political situation in this country for the last two years.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98117407/stacey-kirk-what-its-like-to-be-on-the-receiving-end-of-a-winston-peters-tonguelashing
More of Kirk’s stellar work.
As Frank Mckasay puts it
“Kirk’s piece could easily have emanated from the Ninth Floor of the Beehive – not the Dominion Post Building in downtown Wellington..”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/97367387/stacey-kirk-honour-above-the-environment-greens-hold-a-deck-of-aces-theyre-refusing-to-play
Kirk’s piece could easily have emanated from the Ninth Floor of the Beehive – not the Dominion Post Building in downtown Wellington.
Yes this final paragraph shows her ‘transference’ to speaking for Bill English
” National is serious when it says it would be happy to talk to the Greens. But it’s also serious when it says it knows it has to make big environmental moves regardless.”
There was pretty good competition in the DomPost yesterday. I couldn’t decide which was the worst display of hagiography between the one you list or the one in their little magazine.
On balance I decided it really was the one by Ms Hooton.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/inspire-me/102696690/48-hours-with-jacinda-warm-earnest-accessible–is-our-pm-too-good-to-be-true
Anyone proposing to read it should be warned.
“For those with challenged constitutions I would urge taking precautions before reading this. Because the amount of nausea inducement is high.”
Sickening. Should come with a public health warning. And yet the media are so biased against her you know!
One swallow doesn’t make a summer.
Thats the Lifestyle section alwyn.
Its their version of the Womens weekly. Didnt the title give you a clue -At Home with ….
No comparison with the political section.
Funnily no mention of Colemans disastrous ‘reforms’ when he was Defence minister.
He was doing much the same with health, background cuts so as to no scare the horses
Another police shooting .what ever happened to the issue \of tazers that were issue to police to reduce shooting to kill?
Why can’t the police aim for the legs ? No risk then of the alleged machete attacker chasing anyone. In this instance maybe not enough time to get out a tazer.
Stacey Kirk is a perfect example of one who is identified as being “The Mouthpiece of the New Zealand National Party”, How much did the NZ National Party pay her to write up the latest feeble article?
Quite often I look at articles written by so-called professional journalists exuding all the so-called perfection that is the NZ National Party and its MPs then I wonder who has told them to say such drivel?
For example MIke Hosking regularly writes up articles in the other “Mouthpiece of the NZ National Party” aka the tabloid NZ Herald. His rantings and ravings sound very much like something that John Key would say(or write).
John Key, whilst he was prime minister of New Zealand, would often appear on the telly eg on the AM show or Breakfast. Key would have an answer for every question or item but I am sure ‘his having an answer’ reflected his arrogance.
MIke Hosking suffers from the same disease as John Key i.e he(Hosking)knows everything and has an answer for everything.
And so looking at Stacey Kirk, Mike Hosking and all the other sycophantic, and fawning ‘journos’ of the pro-National Party League I can now figure out why their voices were not heard condemning National when they(National)were in government.
And so their lack of a voice condemning National reeks alot like the state-run and controlled media of Nazi Germany of the past.
“How much did the NZ National Party pay her to write up the latest feeble article?”
That’s a serious claim against a journalist. Can you substantiate that Kirk was paid by National, or in any way induced by them to write the article?
I should point out that I didn’t like Coleman as Minister of Health, and I think that electorate MPs shouldn’t jump early in a term and force a by-election.
You call that journalism???
Yes she wouldnt be paid by National.
But it doesnt make any effort to be a ‘review’ of his time, its full of his facts and figures, which just happened to make it into the story, including this
“But that tends to belie the quiet idealism and/or thoughtfulness that also comes with anyone who takes the time to keep a daily personal diary. ”
really ? Those werent Colemans own words either!
Previous articles , like when the Greens wouldnt consider National for a coalition.
“. National is serious when it says it would be happy to talk to the Greens.But it’s also serious when it says it knows it has to make big environmental moves regardless.”
Was that Bill English talking up his chances, NO. Its was Stacey Kirk talking up her dream of national back in government.
The question has to be , has Stacey Kirk worked for national in 2009 when it was new in government, her bio has a blank for most of that year.
It read ad if written by a PR firm, or may have significant chunks ripped straight from something sent to here.
The level of bias is what’s relevant. The suggestion of payment may be more of an expression of bias than necessarily based in fact.
The strategy is give unthinking malleable fame-seeking empty vessel reporters the opportunity to have their “opinions” published which makes them feel like celebrities and once they’ve had a taste of that little else is needed because they’re totally hooked so keep spitting out the same mindless shit time and time again. Easy-peasy.
When I first looked at that picture of Ms Kirk I thought the glittery thing behind her right ear was a bow. Oh yeah I thought. That sums her up nicely. All tinsel, no substance.
It’s not a bow (or maybe it is) but the sentiment is still appropriate.
And I thought it was weird to have a picture of Ms Kirk’s thirteen year old daughter. Guess if it’s really the writer it explains the immaturity.
She’s all ribbon, no pony tail.
That’s all political and not ‘genuine’.
He’s National where it’s always someone else’s fault. The party for personal responsibility never takes any.
I assume that it’s that way after he’s he methodically sifted through that which was political and that which was genuine, and never lost sleep over the former.
well he certainly came across a methodical sifter
1000% LOL
Did anyone mention the growing deficit of general practitioners? Or the amazing and verifiable fact that a helluva lot of Kiwis cajn’t access the ‘medical system’ either in or out of hours?
This health system only covers some citizens. Many are excluded due to cost, unavailability, distance to travel, or being told ‘there’s nothing we can (afford) do for you. Go home and wait for the cardboard coffin. If we can find one, we’ll send a respite nurse every week or so,’
And the ‘quiet achiever’ is pleased with his performance… His new employer is probably doomed, however.
If Coleman was still our Health Minister, we still wouldn’t have a site or final commitment on our new hospital here in Dunedin, and he’s be using a PPP so that a private company would build and own the building, profiting from leasing it to the DHB.
Other DHBs would still be under pressure to hide problems and report “surpluses” and those that didn’t would have commissioners sent in (as we had, here in the South).
He will be remembered as a dreadful Health Minister. This is lazy journalism from Stacy Kirk. There’s no balancing view, just the unalloyed smugness of JC himself. Ugh!
We still don’t have a site or final commitment on a new hospital in Dunedin. The latest from ODT:
While securing a site or sites is important that hasn’t been decided (or if it has not publicly announced).
And importantly, there is no indication of timeframe. National kept delaying things, it’s yet to be seen what Labour will do. This sort of talk (last Tuesday) is a concern:
I hope we do get a positive announcement but I wouldn’t bank on it.
The budget for the rebuild has already been approved. It was part of the election package. I’m quietly confident.
national/Coleman promised a ‘business case’ for a New Hospital in Dunedin before the election 3 years ago. They didnt get that either. ( But of course what they wanted was a PPP with fewer beds to make ‘business sense, but the sacked board wouldnt have it)
Very poor standard of journalism from Kirk and Stuff!
Pity no journalist or media network enforces the fact former electorate MP Jonathan Coleman walked away only six months after a general election, costing the country a heap of money for a by-election in Northcote! In Coleman’s case, the arrogant prick is treating it as a joke!
In such a situation (other than circumstances beyond the member’s control), IMO there needs to be a law which forces an electorate MP to come up with at least half of the cost of a by-election, if he/she fails to complete the first term of office after a general election. That as well as forfeiting any entitlements post resignation, such as life time perks etc.
The next Natz MP who I think will walk will be the other useless article, Gerry Brownlee. Like Coleman, another extremely arrogant NON achiever in Parliament!
That thing about Coleman not thinking he’s a killer really sums up that he has no idea what he was actually doing.
Every government minister is a killer. In all governments. Pretty much every minister sooner or later makes a decision that will involve people dying as a result (however indirect that might be) no matter what choice is made. Health, Defense, Transport, and Social Welfare are all as direct as it gets.
Politics isn’t a fucking game. It’s not just a job. It has real consequences for real people, and some of those people will die. Some of the time the minister’s job is to choose the least number of deaths in a complex environment. It’s about as real as the Trolley Problem gets.
I wonder if there’s a closed circuit going on with some journalists who haven’t done much to hide their political affiliations.
That is, Kirk and a few others might be struggling to get access to government people because they are rightly wary of her anti-Labour agenda. This means the only stories she can get now are those from within her extensive National Party contacts, like the one on Coleman.
She still has to file stories to get paid so she’s left with only one source of information. This becomes self-fulfilling as she daren’t upset the only people who will now speak with her!
You mention a $14 billion structural deficit, which may or may not be true. If it is there is literally a zero chance that will be fixed by the current government, not with their current fiscal plans.
$14 billion (asumming it is capital) requires an additional $1.4 billion per year. And that is not counting additional staff, inflated pay demands, new medicines etc.
So all very well to criticise Dr Coleman, but the hard fact is that Labour will do no better.
You could spend 50 % more on health (the US actually does) and still not solve all the problems. Admittedly the US system invents most of the world’s drugs, and has gold plated hospitals, but an awful lot of people miss out.
In NZ we might get less than in the US but at least we all get it. I have recently been a patient in North Shore Hospital ICU. They (doctors and nurses) were fantastic. Hard to see how they could be better.
Our system is a lot better than many people think.
Thanks Wayne
You mention a $14 billion structural deficit, which may or may not be true. If it is there is literally a zero chance that will be fixed by the current government, not with their current fiscal plans.
Agreed. The last Government should have told us about this problem. Rather than saying everything was hunky dory and they were doing really well.
$14 billion (asumming it is capital) requires an additional $1.4 billion per year. And that is not counting additional staff, inflated pay demands, new medicines etc.
So all very well to criticise Dr Coleman, but the hard fact is that Labour will do no better.
More like $800 million a year but what do I know.
You could spend 50 % more on health (the US actually does) and still not solve all the problems. Admittedly the US system invents most of the world’s drugs, and has gold plated hospitals, but an awful lot of people miss out.
Yep the US spends too much on lawyers. They should have a more socialised health system. It is cheaper.
In NZ we might get less than in the US but at least we all get it. I have recently been a patient in North Shore Hospital ICU. They (doctors and nurses) were fantastic. Hard to see how they could be better.
Our system is a lot better than many people think.
Agreed the system is great. But it is going backward. We need to make sure this does not get worse.
What do you mean by “true”? Do you mean accurate, correct, or something else?
You probably know that a $14 billion structural deficit at this stage is likely to be an (conservative) estimate only.
The issue is that it was hidden from plain sight, like an iceberg, and at least some (…) issues were known to the previous Government but swept under the carpet.
I read somewhere that the current Government had a 10-year budget for Health and it has already stated that it would take more than one term to fix all the issues (that we know of).
NZ healthcare is o.k. But not as good as it should be and not as good as you might think it is. For example: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/350693/australia-ahead-of-nz-in-cancer-survival-rates
If you were a patient in ICU you would have received the best available care. The workforce (doctors, nurses, admin) are highly professional and dedicated people. This doesn’t mean that the system is not under tremendous pressure! And should I mention waiting lists?
I agree that it is not as simple as throwing more money at it; the money should be used wisely. But if shit seeps through walls and mold grows inside walls that needs to be fixed pronto, don’t you think?
I’m glad to hear you got good care, Wayne. The frontline people in our health system are wonderful. They deserve better from all those who manage and govern and shape the system.
The US system is a bureaucratic cluster fuck. Our system is not ok just because it compares well to theirs.
Yeah well a friend of ours suicidal daughter got told to go watch a DVD by the local mental health team last year when she rung them worried about herself – she took an overdose instead but is fortunately still alive thanks to her flatmates coming home.
Mental health is definitely not in good shape.
Writes for the Sunday Star Times, am I right, love to hear more reviews of her future articles on here, thank you.