Doofus of the week June 24, 2018

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:44 pm, June 24th, 2018 - 37 comments
Categories: David Farrar, dpf, International, Media, Simon Bridges, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, twitter, us politics, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

There was a stunning array of competition this week for that most coveted of titles.

There was DPF for this outstanding piece of hyperbole. Apparently trying to get National to acknowledge that climate change is a thing is the same as trying to get Labour to accept responsibility for what I am not quite sure. Talk about false equivalence.

And I'd like to see a Labour Party acknowledge the millions of deaths and poverty caused by socialism.

— David Farrar (@dpfdpf) June 23, 2018

There was Lindsay Perigo for this particularly nauseating tweet about Jacinda Ardern’s baby and for using “fry-quacker”, whatever that is, in a tweet twice.

As amply predicted, the nation's recent happy news is bringing out the worst sexists from under the fridge. https://t.co/dUnoyCnYFo

— Giovanni Tiso (@gtiso) June 22, 2018

There was perennial finalist Simon Bridges for his idiotic comments during a blokey interview on Radio Hauraki. Note to Simon being sexist, crass and unfunny in an interview only makes you look like a doofus. No wonder National MPs’ social media about this weekend’s Auckland Regional Conference of the National Party is so quiet. And when erstwhile cheerleaders in the media like Tova O’Brien are utterly scathing about what he said you know National has a problem.

And over in the States there was Mike Huckabee for letting a 13 year old redneck look after his twitter account. At least this is the only logical explanation I have for how this tweet occurred.

https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1010497564435730434

His daughter also made the list for gross hypocrisy in getting upset when a restaurant refused to serve her but defending a cake making business that refused to serve a gay couple.

https://twitter.com/aravosis/status/1010558037810188289

There was the Immigration system in the States for removing kids from their parents and not even keeping track of where the kids were going.

Remarkable reaction from an immigration judge: "He slammed his hand … 'I can’t understand this,' the judge said. 'If someone at the jail takes your wallet, they give you a receipt. They take your kids, and you get nothing? Not even a slip of paper?'"https://t.co/6lwrvwSSiG

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 23, 2018

But the winner this week is US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen who on Monday was claiming that the mass taking of kids from their parents was just business as usual and there was nothing they could do short of a law change, and a couple of days later stood behind Trump as he reversed the policy she said they had no power over. She even had the gall this week to go to a Mexican restaurant. And was chased out by Socialists.

I wonder if DPF would have asked them if they also acknowledged the millions who had died or were in poverty because of socialism …

37 comments on “Doofus of the week June 24, 2018 ”

Comments are now closed

Incognito 1

24 June 2018 at 1:38 pm

DPF’s insightful tweet reminded me of a recent exchange here on TS between a RWNJ and a regular commenter:

Unless you want to add the deaths from every aberration of socialism to the hundreds of millions actually killed by socialist and communist governments.

…

As a general rule Socialism and Communism are responsible for 100 million deaths.

https://thestandard.org.nz/is-capitalism-obsolete/#comments

A true believer with a genuinely-held opinion or cynically and deliberately spreading misleading information? Or both …
adam 2

24 June 2018 at 1:42 pm

So the national party has to acknowledge the millions of deaths and poverty caused by capitalism ah Farrar. How about the nazi’s I mean the real ones, the ones your national party founder would not work with labour to beat in WW2? Do national need to apologise for that Farra?
- WILD KATIPO 2.1
  
  24 June 2018 at 1:54 pm
  
  Go easy on Farrar ,… it is clear his marbles have finally spilled all over the floor.
  
  Key and his pony tailing departure has finally got to him.
  
  And all he sees now is the Bridges to nowhere.
  - dukeofurl 2.1.1
    
    24 June 2018 at 3:29 pm
    
    A bridge to nowhere is called a pier
    - Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1
      
      24 June 2018 at 5:11 pm
      
      A pier usually has a purpose or three – it even has a destination if you include getting on a boat.
      
      On the other hand a bridge to nowhere has no purpose or destination.
      - marty mars 2.1.1.1.1
        
        24 June 2018 at 5:17 pm
        
        I think you’ll find a bridge to nowhere has a destination nowhere.
        
        alwyn 2.1.1.1.1.1
        
        24 June 2018 at 5:50 pm
        
        “Bridge to Nowhere”.
        That certainly brings back memories. New Zealand’s most famous “Bridge to Nowhere” was of course the concrete edifice opened during the term of the First Labour Government in 1936. They stopped maintaining it in 1944 and the people who lived in the area and farmed there were forced off their land penniless.
        https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/manawatu-whanganui/places/whanganui-national-park/bridge-to-nowhere/
        Can’t really blame that one on National can you?
        
        McFlock …
        
        24 June 2018 at 6:14 pm
        
        They stopped maintaining it because three farmers remained in a failed bush conversion project.
        
        When it no longer warranted expenditure, expenditure was stopped. Would that the Nat’s followed that philosophy.
        
        Marcus Morris …
        
        24 June 2018 at 9:27 pm
        
        Thanks for the link Alwyn – a most interesting account – linking this story to the current thread is, to put it mildly, stretching the long bow to the absolute limit. In fact there is no link.
        
        Draco T Bastard …
        
        24 June 2018 at 10:07 pm
        
        Planning for the new bridge started when the timber bridge began to rot. In 1936 the new steel-reinforced concrete bridge was finally opened. It was an impressive sight at nearly 40 metres above the river within the steep ravine walls.
        
        Impressive. The 1st Labour government managed to design and build a massive bridge in the middle of nowhere in less than a year.
        
        The party in power that made it all happen was, as a matter of fact, one of the predecessors of the National Party – the conservative Reform Party.
        
        So, yes, we can blame National for that one.
        
        alwyn …
        
        25 June 2018 at 6:11 pm
        
        “The 1st Labour government managed to design and build a massive bridge in the middle of nowhere in less than a year”.
        You appear to think that such a feat is impossible. It isn’t really massive. It is only about 35 metres long. It was also, at that time on a road.
        Why would construction be Impossible?
        Prior to such things as the RMA, which would have involved spending a couple of years counting the number of each species of snail in the area it should have been quite easy.
        
        After all, only about 5 years later the Pentagon was built from scratch in only 16 months. With about 620,000 square metes of floor space it is still by far the largest office building in the world.
        
        The “impossibility” of building such a thing is only because of the delays that have been built into our construction timetables by the Greener members of Society.
        
        Draco T Bastard …
        
        25 June 2018 at 7:03 pm
        
        Why would construction be Impossible?
        
        Technically, I suppose it wasn’t:
        
        The completion of the bridge was delayed considerably due to floods, slips, and the consequent delay in the supply of materials.
        
        Best laid plans of mice and men and all that.
        
        And no matter which way you look at it – it was the fore-runner to National that caused the whole damn mess. Conservatives are like that.
        
        Interesting to note that the price of materials wasn’t recorded.
        
        The “impossibility” of building such a thing is only because of the delays that have been built into our construction timetables by the Greener members of Society.
        
        And that would be you lying yet again.
        
        Tricledrown …
        
        25 June 2018 at 8:25 pm
        
        Alwynger your bridge to no where.
        Construction began on January the 20th 1935.
        Labour elected December 1935.
        Alwynger you should read your own links before commenting.
        Alwynger you lied about the construction.
        Alwynger you lied about the reason funding for the bridge stopped.
        Then you have made up another lot of lies to try and cover your unoriginal lies.
        Go back to Toilet roll school
        
        Tricledrown …
        
        24 June 2018 at 10:57 pm
        
        Alwynger the bridge was under construction before Labour won the election.
        A bridge to far Alwynger.
        You don’t even read your own posts.
        The reason they stopped maintaining the bridge because people abandoned the 1919 settlement.
        Alwynger you can’t even tell a good lie!
        
        Tricledrown …
        
        25 June 2018 at 7:50 pm
        
        Alwynger your bridge to no where.
        Reform and United party is to blame effectively the National party formed because they got routed in the December 1935 election 10 months after construction began.
        Must of been a road of National significance alwynger.
        The govt stopped funding it after floods and slips made it uneconomic for just 3
        Farmers.
- Incognito 2.2
  
  24 June 2018 at 3:04 pm
  
  Such outrageous comments are often aimed to get a visceral and/or emotional reaction and to distract from the issue at hand. More often than not they ‘admirably’ achieve this aim as long ‘discussion threads’ show and little progress is made with the real issue.
  
  Those comments can be packaged as false equivalences, whataboutisms, dead cats, personal accusation or attacks (ad hominems), finger pointing blame games, etc.
Ankerrawshark 3

24 June 2018 at 1:57 pm

So many to chose from Mickey. Maybe we could have a National and international doofus
Blazer 4

24 June 2018 at 3:16 pm

For Farrar

https://www.reddit.com/r/LateStageCapitalism/comments/8tbl1g/no_no_thats_normal/
- dukeofurl 4.1
  
  24 June 2018 at 3:31 pm
  
  What about Imperialism and Colonialism, along with WW1 when is national accepting responsibility for THAT
marty mars 5

24 June 2018 at 3:41 pm

Most of those choices are repulsive – maybe doofus needs to be a bit stronger – dogshit of the week maybe.
- One Anonymous Bloke 5.1
  
  24 June 2018 at 4:30 pm
  
  +1
McFlock 6

24 June 2018 at 6:06 pm

I thought the ICE guy who said ‘comparisons to Nazis were unfair because the people putting kids in cages away from their families were only following the law’ was a real contender. Can’t remember the exact words but he went full Nuremberg
- One Anonymous Bloke 6.1
  
  24 June 2018 at 6:16 pm
  
  I think it’s an insult to the brave men and women of the border patrol and ICE to call law enforcement officers Nazis. They are simply enforcing laws enacted by Congress.
  
  Thomas Homan.
  
  So brave they are.
- Incognito 6.2
  
  24 June 2018 at 6:43 pm
  
  Befehl ist Befehl
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_orders
- NZJester 6.3
  
  24 June 2018 at 8:28 pm
  
  The even more abhorrent thing to is what some of the so-called carers are doing with the kids. One company contracted by one of the states to look after them has been drugging the kids in their custody including antipsychotic drugs. They have been investigated in the past including for unexplained deaths in their care but are still allowed to bid for further contracts to house more kids.
  
  People are making money off these kids misery and that is disgusting.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX1ay76cbAw
  - One Anonymous Bloke 6.3.1
    
    24 June 2018 at 9:03 pm
    
    Wait until they start getting put up for adoption. Betsy Davos and the good folk at Bethany Christian Services can tell you all about it.
    - WILD KATIPO 6.3.1.1
      
      24 June 2018 at 9:18 pm
      
      Bethany ( Salvation Army ) was closed down several years ago because of Nationals funding cuts. I should know , – my sister was the manager there. Appeared on TV twice I think it was discussing it, traveled to Wellington a number of times for meetings over it with some politicians. National ones I presume.
      
      Enough said.
      - One Anonymous Bloke 6.3.1.1.1
        
        24 June 2018 at 9:26 pm
        
        Bethany Christian Services, Michigan USA, with financial ties to Betsy Davos, is holding dozens of kidnap victims, AKA Trump’s human shield.
        
        WILD KATIPO 6.3.1.1.1.1
        
        25 June 2018 at 12:18 am
        
        Ahh I see, all good , didn’t realize.
        
        🙂
    - Tricledrown 6.3.1.2
      
      25 June 2018 at 5:19 pm
      
      Devos’s husband spent years in jail for running a ponzi scheme
      - One Anonymous Bloke 6.3.1.2.1
        
        25 June 2018 at 5:34 pm
        
        His Wikipedia entry doesn’t mention it. Are you thinking of Amway?
Chris 7

24 June 2018 at 9:21 pm

Surely Perigo wins this hands down. At least jointly with Farrar.
- Wensleydale 7.1
  
  25 June 2018 at 2:54 pm
  
  I remember, as a child, watching Lindsay Perigo read the news, back before he became completely unhinged. Now he seems to just regurgitate what the voices in his head scream at him. Poor man.
  
  Incidentally, what’s a ‘fry-quacker’?
soddenleaf 8

25 June 2018 at 11:00 am

Gay cake. Obviously when you ask an artist cake maker to make a specialized cake that contradicts their whole self. It’s not the same as going for a bulk Mexican restaurant where chef and customer are separated.
- ropata 8.1
  
  25 June 2018 at 12:05 pm
  
  +1 yep freedom of speech and freedom of association. the cake maker and the restauranteur were borh perfectly within their rights to refuse anyone service for any reason. They are not slaves
  - soddenleaf 8.1.1
    
    25 June 2018 at 12:21 pm
    
    Jewish guy goes into a Palestinian eatery on the anniversary on the Israeli war, now obviously he’d have to been known or be obviously Jewish, so the owner rightly bars them for the day.
    
    A cake maker is asked to make a cake for two weddings, not told one is a gay, and other is a lesbian just switch the figureens around, no artist import so no problem.
    
    A govt official seeks out a photo op in a Mexican eatery,due to current customers getting angry, restaurant asked them to leave.
    
    not same,both correct, one is artist rights, others are nuisance.
rhinocrates 9

25 June 2018 at 6:23 pm

“fry-quacker”

Making a guess, based on “Don’t need more upward-inflected quack! quack! quack!” it’s a reference to vocal fry, which is an upturn in tone at the end of a phrase or sentence, as we do when we’re asking a question. Linguists have noticed it becoming increasingly common amongst younger people.

This is apparently a personal idiom, reflecting an obsession. I’ve certainly never heard it previously. At this point, imagine me twirling a finger around an ear and whistling.

As for the penguin, he’s demonstrating some ostrich-like behaviour. Hasn’t heard of the Belgian Congo or the Opium Wars has he? And that’s just a couple of corners of the 19th century.

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JERRY COYNE writes – If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Good news on the GDP front is accompanied by news of a $5m govt boost for Supercars (but what about ...
Buzz from the Beehive First, we were treated to the news (from Finance Minister Grant Robertson) that the economy has turned a corner and New Zealand never was in recession. This was triggered by statistics which showed the economy expanded 0.9 per cent in the June quarter, twice as much as ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

The Scafetta Saga
It has taken 17 months to get a comment published pointing out the obvious errors in the Scafetta (2022) paper in GRL. Back in March 2022, Nicola Scafetta published a short paper in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) purporting to show through ‘advanced’ means that ‘all models with ECS > ...
Real ClimateBy Gavin
5 days ago

Friday's Chorus: Penny wise and pound foolish
TL;DR: In the middle of a climate emergency and in a city prone to earthquakes, Victoria University of Wellington announced yesterday it would stop teaching geophysics, geographic information science and physical geography to save $22 million a year and repay debt. Climate change damage in Aotearoa this year is already ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

CHRIS TROTTER: Calling the big dog’s bluff
For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step
Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now being asked: how low can you go?It seems such an unlikely question because this doesn't feel like the kind ...
PunditBy Tim Watkin
5 days ago

A Womance, and a Nomance.
After the trench warfare of Tuesday night, when the two major parties went head to head, last night was the turn of the minor parties. Hosts Newshub termed it “the Powerbrokers' Debate”.Based on the latest polls the four parties taking part - ACT, the Greens, New Zealand First, and Te ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
5 days ago

When The Internet Rushes To Your Defense
Hi,You can’t make this stuff up.People involved with Sound of Freedom, the QAnon-infused movie about anti-child trafficker Tim Ballard, are dropping like flies. I won’t ruin your day by describing it here, but Vice reports that footage has emerged of executive producer Paul Hutchinson being inappropriate with a 16-year-old trafficking ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
5 days ago

Doubts about Robertson’s good news day
The trading banks yesterday concluded that though GDP figures released yesterday show the economy is not in recession, it may well soon be. Nevertheless, the fact that GDP has gone up 0.8 per cent in the latest quarter and that StatsNZ revised the previous quarter’s figure to show a ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
5 days ago

The Votes That Media Dare Not Speak Its Name
.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..A recent political opinion poll (20 September) on TV1 presented what could only be called bleak news for the Left Bloc:National: 37%, down two points equating to 46 seatsLabour: 27%, down one point (34 ...
Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
6 days ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #38 2023
Open access notables At our roots Skeptical Science is about cognition of the results of climate science research in the minds of the entire human population. Ideally we'd be perfectly communicating understanding of Earth's climate, and perfectly understood. We can only approximate that, but hopefully converging closer to perfection. With ...
Skeptical Science
6 days ago

Failing To Hold Back The Flood: The Edgy Politics of the Twenty-First Century.
Coming Over The Top: Rory Stewart's memoir, Politics On The Edge, lays bare the dangerous inadequacies of the Western World's current political model.VERY FEW NEW ZEALANDERS will have heard of Rory Stewart. Those with a keen eye for the absurdities of politics may recognise the name as that of the ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

Pick this Chris, you get the Greens. Pick the other one you get Seymour.
A bit of a narrative has been building that these two guys, your Chris and your Chris, are not so very different.It's true to a point. The bread and butter timidity has been dispiriting to watch, if you have a progressive disposition. It does leave the two of them relatively ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

RICHARD PREBBLE: Who won the Leaders’ debate?
Richard Prebble writes – There was a knockout winner of the Leaders’ debate. Check for yourself. Recall how they looked. If you cannot remember or missed it, the debate is on TVNZ’s website. Turn off the sound and ask: “Which one looks like a Prime Minister?” ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Thursday's Chorus: GDP up an extra 33c per person per week
Just like National when it was in government, Labour bought nominal GDP growth and momentum by pulling as hard as it could on the population lever. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Stats NZ has reported better-than-expected GDP growth in the June quarter, thanks largely to record-high net migration of ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

Climate Change: National’s policy for failure
We already know that the National Party are de facto climate change deniers who want to reverse virtually all climate change policy. So how do they think they'll cut emissions? According to their climate change spokesperson, polluting corporations will do it out of the goodness of their hearts: The ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

NZ’s big dairy company reports a massive profit jump – but the lobby group Greenpeace doesn’...
Dairy farmers, or at least those who are also shareholders in the Fonterra dairy co-operative would have received a second dose of good news this week, when the dairy giant reported a massive profit jump. This followed news of a better sale at the Fonterra GDT auction this week. Net ...
Point of OrderBy tutere44
6 days ago

Big issues out of the mouths of giant babes
A longtime New Zealand broadcaster and commentator is taking a theatrical turn in advance of the General Election to draw different kinds of attention to the issues New Zealanders will be voting on in October.In a pre-election event that invites audiences to consider New Zealand politics through a theatrical lens ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

That new hospital which Labour is promising – is it the same one which Sepuloni mentioned in May ...
Our busy ministers – desperately busy trying to whip up voters’ support as their poll support sags, among other things – have added just one item of news to the government’s official website over the past 24 hours or so. It’s the news that the Government has accepted the Environment ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Queenstown was keeping rates low
On Monday, we learned that Queenstown, one of the country's largest tourist destinations, suddenly had to boil its water to avoid cryptosporidium. Now, it looks like it will last for months. Why? The usual reason: they'd been keeping rates low: Queenstown could face months of having to boil water ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Gordon Campbell on chaotic coalitions, drinking water and useless debates
This week’s ONE News-Verian poll had the National/ACT coalition teetering on the edge of being able to govern alone while – just as precariously – having its legislative agenda vulnerable to a potential veto by Winston Peters in the House. So close, but so perilous. During the run-up to election ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
6 days ago

An ill wind
National Leader Christopher Luxon likes to bag the way the Resource Management Act worked. Though it has been repealed and replaced by the Labour government, Luxon plans, before Christmas, to repeal the new legislation and, for the foreseeable future, revert to the old Act that he has consistently criticised. ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
6 days ago

Further Adventures with Martin the Chess Bot
Earlier this month, I had a bit of fun with Chess.com’s worst AI, the one and only Martin Bot: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/09/02/nine-queens-against-martin-chess-hilarity/ Well, in the past few days, I’ve achieved a trio of notable personal firsts against Martin. I thought I would record them in the morbid interests of ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
7 days ago

The Inflation Reduction Act is reducing U.S. reliance on China
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. Over a year later, its climate provisions remain a hot topic. The law’s proponents argue that it’s created a boom in domestic manufacturing jobs within the United States while paving ...
Skeptical Science
7 days ago

Relief for dairy farmers – and the NZ economy – as prices rise again at latest GDT auction
New Zealand’s dairy farmers will be relieved that prices rose for the second time this month at the latest Fonterra GDT auction. The encouraging feature of the sale was the activity of Chinese buyers who drove up prices. As a result, the GDT price index rose 4.6%, helped by a 4.6% lift ...
Point of OrderBy tutere44
7 days ago

Democracy McNuggets
Here is a review of last night’s Democracy McNuggets debate, delivered in the style of last night's Democracy McNuggets debate.McNugget #1This format was very advantageous for the man who speaks in lazy SLAM DUNK.To hark back a few editions: The lazy SLAM DUNK doesn’t bother to make its case. It simply offers ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
7 days ago

A Forced Pause.
Unfortunately I will need to take a bit of time off from this blog. After months of misdiagnoses and a change in GPs, my precious son is in Starship Hospital about to have major surgery. He already has had one … Continue reading → ...
KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
7 days ago

Better-than-expected BoP figures give Robertson something to bray about – but revisions helped, a...
Buzz from the Beehive Source: ANZ The latest balance of payments statistics – providing a broad measure of what the country earns and spends internationally – gave grist to Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s publicity mill today. The current account deficit narrowed to 7.5 per cent of ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
7 days ago

Dirty dairy corrupts our democracy
The planning process under the RMA is meant to be one of public consultation: the council prepares a plan, and we all get to have a say on it. But it turns out that in Otago, the dirty dairying industry has been trying to rewrite the new land and water ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

Calling The Big Dog’s Bluff.
Can This Be Possible? For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
Bowalley Road
7 days ago

Climate Change: “Offsets” aren’t
Since we began worrying about climate change, the market fundamentalists have pushed the idea of "offsets" rather than actual emissions reductions. There's just one atmosphere after all, so in theory it doesn't matter where the reductions are made, so you can just pay someone on the other side of the ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

GRAHAM ADAMS: Is Ardern a liability for Labour?
Ministers are pretending the former PM has simply vanished. Graham Adams writes – Late last week, Tova O’Brien asked Grant Robertson on her Stuff podcast if Jacinda Ardern should be “rolled out” to “galvanise the base” to help save Labour’s faltering campaign. Robertson laughed. ”I’m sure for ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

Wednesday’s Chorus: Biggest insurer starts targeted climate retreat
Owners of property deemed at risk from climate change related floods and rising sea levels will increasingly find their access to affordable insurance shut off. Some may become ‘prisoners’ in their uninsurable and therefore unbankable homes. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: IAG, which insures more than 60% of homes ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
1 week ago

Release: National out of ideas on law and order, copies Labour’s policies and costings
After years of criticising the Government on law and order, National have embarrassed themselves by conceding they have no new ideas and instead copied Labour’s Police policy announced three weeks ago, Labour Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen says. ...
Labour Blog
52 mins ago

Release: Labour releases balanced, costed and credible fiscal plan
Labour’s fiscal plan will continue its focus on carefully managing the books while protecting critical public services like health and education and investing to deliver high wage jobs and a low carbon economy. ...
Labour Blog
5 hours ago

Green Party will end child poverty
The Green Party will double the Best Start payment and make it available for every child under three years of age - and it will be paid for with a fair tax system. ...
Greens
1 day ago

Release: Labour pledges billion-dollar medicines boost
Labour will fund more medicines for more New Zealanders by investing over $1 billion of new funding into Pharmac if re-elected, Chris Hipkins announced today. ...
Labour Blog
1 day ago

National's welfare policy is cruel
The National Party’s job seeker policy announced today is heartless. ...
Greens
1 day ago

Release: Labour releases New Zealand’s first climate manifesto
New Zealand faces a stark choice this election – vote for Labour to continue to confront the climate emergency with eyes wide open or bury your head in the sand alongside Christopher Luxon. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Green voice crucial for climate action
The Green Party is today welcoming Labour’s climate manifesto, but is clear that much more will need to be done to tackle the climate crisis. ...
Greens
2 days ago

Speech: Chris Hipkins – Wellington Rally, 24 September
...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

People need a government that will build many more homes
Labour’s plan to build more homes is a welcome step forward, but it lacks ambition. ...
Greens
3 days ago

Release: Supercharging public housing
Labour is supercharging its plan to solve the public housing shortfall created by National, promising another 6,000 homes on top of what has already been committed says Labour Housing spokesperson Dr Megan Woods. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: New Super Visa for migrants’ parents and rights for Dawn Raid victims
Labour will back migrant working families by introducing a 10-year multiple-entry parents’ and grandparents’ Super Visa, and make good on the Dawn Raids apology by providing a one-off visa for overstayers who have been in the country ten years or more, Labour’s Immigration Spokesperson Andrew Little says. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Only the Greens will deliver a fair amnesty for overstayers
The Green Party is today welcoming Labour coming to the table to ensure an amnesty for overstayers, but only the Greens will ensure immigration settings actually reflect the reality of people who have been failed by our immigration system. ...
Greens
4 days ago

Climate future of communities on the line this election
Green Party co leader James Shaw attended a South Dunedin Future street meeting today to discuss local responses to climate change. ...
Greens
4 days ago

Green Party calls for stronger action by Auckland Council to protect urban trees and native forest
The Green Party is calling on Auckland Council to do more to protect urban trees and housing developer Aedifice Property Group to restore and replant the native forest it cleared, and protect all the remaining trees on Ngahere Road in Pukekohe after a significant number of native trees were cut ...
Greens
5 days ago

Release: Ram Raids drop to two-year low
Latest Police data shows monthly ram raids have hit a two-year low, laying waste to Christopher Luxon’s false claim that there are two ram raids a day says Labour’s Police Spokesperson Ginny Andersen. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Every party needs to step up on school lunches
Labour has finally said it would continue free school lunches - and the Green Party is calling on every party to step up. ...
Greens
5 days ago

Release: School lunches on the line this election
Free and healthy school lunches will be here to stay if Labour is re-elected, guaranteeing food for our kids who need it most and significant cost saving for parents. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Release: Labour commits to a new hospital for the people of Hawke’s Bay
The next Labour Government will build a new hospital in Hawke’s Bay, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall announced. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Govt changes fall short of what’s needed for migrant protection
The Green Party will keep up the fight to support exploited migrant workers, including pushing to end single employer visas, after the government picked up Green recommendations to improve immigration settings. ...
Greens
7 days ago

Clean Power Payment the smartest way forward to reduce emissions and bills
Green Party co leader James Shaw visited a home in Auckland today that has been upgraded with a wide range of energy improvements, similar to those that would be supported through the Green Party’s Clean Power Payment. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Foreign Minister's Action – A Contempt For “Caretaker Government” Convention
The Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s presence in New York today at the United Nations General Assembly is a contempt of New Zealand’s “caretaker government” convention. Despite the long-standing caretaker convention, Minister Mahuta is today at the UN to sign a highly contentious “Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement”, delivering a ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Back To Black Responsibly
The Pre-Election Fiscal Update Changes Everything Within an hour of this speech there is going to be a debate between the political parties that the media, under MMP, still think are the only parties that matter in this campaign. Both of those parties are riddled with inexperience, as evidenced by ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Stop the cuts before they start – Labour launches new TV ad
National and ACT's tax plans don't add up, and that means deep cuts to the public services New Zealanders rely on, says Labour Campaign Chair Megan Woods. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Free school lunches paid for with a wealth tax
The Green Party will expand free school lunches and pay for it with a fair tax system. ...
Greens
1 week ago

The Pacific Reset & the Blue Continent
Thank you for your invitation to speak with you this afternoon about New Zealand Foreign Policy. After offering one or two general thoughts about the nature of foreign policy, the focus today will be the Pacific Reset and why its goals remain even more important today as when they were ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Release: Huge hole in National’s climate budget
National’s plan to cut policies that are reducing New Zealand’s climate emissions will result in a huge gap in the country’s emissions budgets and could see Kiwis paying significantly more at the petrol pump as a result of Christopher Luxon hiking the ETS price. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Greens would push Labour much further on solar power
Labour’s plan to support rooftop solar is a step in the right direction, but falls short of what could be achieved through the Green Party’s Clean Power Payment. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Doubling rooftop solar to reduce bills & emissions
Labour will double the number of houses with rooftop solar in New Zealand, lowering household power bills, reducing emissions and boosting renewable electricity generation. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Labour will advance women’s health, careers, and legal protections
A re-elected Labour Government will continue its proud tradition of advancing women’s health, employment, and legal rights Spokesperson for Women Jan Tinetti said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Green Party confirms plan for five weeks annual leave
Speaking at the E Tū Election Launch in Auckland today, Green Party co leader Marama Davidson outlined the Green Party’s manifesto commitment to ensure everyone has five weeks of annual leave. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour to keep lifting worker wages and rights
A re-elected Labour Government will protect hard-fought workers’ rights and keep the momentum on wage growth to lift incomes for all New Zealanders, leader Chris Hipkins announced today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

New Zealand First Party List 2023
New Zealand First is proud to announce the Party List for the upcoming 2023 General Election. We have had a great number of applicants and potential candidates moving through the selection process over the past few months. Our final selection for our list proves we have a wide range ...
NZ First Press Release
2 weeks ago

A National/ACT Government would make life miserable for those already worst off
Only a party vote for the Greens will end poverty. ACT’S welfare policy announced today is as cruel as it gets. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Willis’ resignation call means only one thing – $2 billion more cuts
Massive cuts to public service are on the cards as Nicola Willis has promised to resign if she doesn’t deliver tax cuts but is refusing to make the same commitment if she doesn’t raise enough income from her bungled foreign buyer’s tax. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: A faster justice system focused on victims
Labour will help more victims of crime achieve justice faster by introducing a formal class-action regime, modernising consent laws and increasing the use of technology to speed up hearings. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Gaping hole confirmed in National’s tax plan
A whopping $2.1 billion dollar hole has been confirmed in National’s tax scheme in a new report released today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Labour pledges biggest ever increase to training Doctors
Labour will deliver the largest ever increase to the number of doctors trained each year, adding an additional 335 doctors a year to our health workforce from 2027, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins has announced. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

PREFU Exposes Political Promises
Today’s PREFU has some alarming statistics showing an economy deteriorating and the cost of unaffordable government expenditure, mainly in the 2022 and 2023 budgets. Despite this alarming economic and fiscal picture, political parties are making unaffordable promises, talking about a surplus by 2027, or four years time, all of which ...
NZ First Press Release
2 weeks ago

State of books makes clear case for wealth tax
The case for a wealth tax has never been stronger. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour pledges free cervical screening
If re-elected Labour will make cervical screening services free to all women and people with a cervix aged 25 – 69 years, delivering better cancer care for over 1.4 million New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Immigration settings updates
Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

COVID-19 funding returned to Government
The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Appointment of District Court Judge
Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today. Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today. “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

More support for victims of migrant exploitation
Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

New Zealand provides support to Morocco
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Government invests in Greymouth’s future
The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience
$12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...
Ko tēnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tō tātou reo rangatira. Ko te wā tuku reo Māori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tēnā me tēnā o tātou, ka tū ā te Rātū te 14 o Mahuru, ā te 12 o ngā hāora i te ahiahi. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

New Wildlife Act to better protect native species
The 70-year-old Wildlife Act will be replaced with modern, fit-for-purpose legislation to better protect native species and improve biodiversity, Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime has announced. “New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” Willow-Jean Prime said. “More than 4,000 of our native species are currently ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

Further safety initiatives for Auckland City Centre
Central and Local Government are today announcing a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement Police scaling up their presence in the area. “Police have an important role to play in preventing and responding to crime, but there is more ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

Govt confirms additional support for Enabling Good Lives
The Government has confirmed $73.7 million over the next four years and a further $40.5m in outyears to continue to transform the disability support system, Minister for Disability Issues Priyanca Radhakrishnan has announced. “The Enabling Good Lives (EGL) approach is a framework which guides positive change for disabled people, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

New Zealand gets AAA credit rating from S&P
Standard and Poor’s is the latest independent credit rating agency to endorse the Government’s economic management in the face of a deteriorating global economy. S&P affirmed New Zealand’s long term local currency rating at AAA and foreign currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook. It follows Fitch affirming New ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

Appointment of Environment Court Judge
Christchurch barrister Kelvin Reid has been appointed as a Judge of the Environment Court and the District Court, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Mr Reid has extensive experience in Resource Management Act issues, including water quality throughout the South Island. He was appointed to the Technical Advisory Group advising the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

NZ’s biggest ever emissions reduction project hits milestone
New Zealand is on track to have greener steel as soon as 2026 with New Zealand Steel’s electric arc furnace project reaching a major milestone today. The Government announced a conditional partnership with New Zealand Steel in May to deliver the country’s largest emissions reduction project to date. Half of ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 weeks ago

The book Raf Manji wishes he never read
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: TOP leader Raf Manji. The book I wish I’d written The Mandibles: A Family 2029-2047 by Lionel Shriver. It covers much of what I’ve been thinking ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
60 mins ago

Labour’s Fiscal Plan Doubles Down On More Spending, High Taxes And Runaway Debt
Responding to the Labour Party’s Fiscal Plan, Taxpayers’ Union Head of Campaigns, Callum Purves, said: “Labour’s current economic plan of overtaxing hard-working New Zealanders just to waste money on middle-managers, consultants and vanity projects ...
Scoop politics
2 hours ago

Māori Health Should Not Be A Political Football : Hāpai Te Hauora & E Tipu E Rea Whānau Servi...
It has been just over a year since Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, came into effect and yet as we lead into the election a running theme from some parts of the political sphere is to ask the question "Why hasn't the Māori Health ...
Scoop politics
2 hours ago

Fiscal plans fly as overseas voting opens
Everything the Labour Party has promised it can pay for with some left over, it says, but National has dubbed the notion a fantasy The Labour Party has released its fiscal plan showing how its election promises and the ongoing cost pressures in the public sector would fit within Budget allowances. Finance spokesperson ...
Newsroom
2 hours ago

Ruapehu has had a great ski season – but we need to reimagine the future of NZ’s iconic volcano
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Gender, University of Waikato As a former competitive snowboarder and instructor, and later a researcher of snow sports, I’ve been lucky to enjoy ski resorts around the world. But nothing compares to Mount Ruapehu ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

Election 2023: What you need to know before voting
Explainer - On 2 October, early voting will begin for the general election that will decide who will govern the country for the next three years. So let's take a look at the nuts and bolts of casting a vote. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

Hackers offer stolen Auckland Transport data for sale on dark web
Customer and financial data 'not compromised', city's transport agency believes Auckland Transport confirms hackers have made good on their threat to offer up the transport agency’s stolen data on the dark web. Roger Jones, the executive general manager for business technology, and his team were monitoring the threat overnight, after a group ...
Newsroom
2 hours ago

Election 2023: National announces plan for 300 more frontline police to tackle inner-city crime
Citing an escalation in crime in CBD areas, National has announced it would increase the number of frontline police officers focused on inner-city crime, if elected. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

Politics Of Benefit Sanctions Cruel And Dishonest
Benefit advocate and Welfare Expert Advisory Group member Kay Brereton is calling for some basic facts and empathy from political parties looking to fish for votes with beneficiary bashing. Brereton says the call to put sanctions on people on benefits ...
Scoop politics
3 hours ago

Hipkins Completely Misunderstands His Own Party’s GST Costings
Chris Hipkins’ claim this morning that Labour’s costings for removal of GST off fruit and veg account for behavioural changes are completely untrue. Responding to Mr Hipkins’ attacks on the Union, spokesman Jordan Williams said: “We couldn’t ...
Scoop politics
3 hours ago

Demise of CSU news journalism course was ‘greatly exaggerated’
A Charles Sturt University journalism academic says the evolving communication course at his institution in Australia continues to feed the ranks of the irrepressible “Mitchell Mafia’”. Jock Cheetham, senior lecturer in news and media in the Charles Sturt School of Information and Communication Studies in Bathurst, said recent “news” ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
3 hours ago

Overseas voting opens, campaign encourages Kiwis in Australia to vote
About 78,000 enrolled voters have an overseas address, the Electoral Commission says. ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

New poll: Labour maintains lead in Te Tai Tonga, albeit a shrinking one
Te Tai Tonga, the largest of the 71 electorates, and encompassing the entire South Island, Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, all the islands in the Southern Ocean, as well as a large part of Wellington City, has been held by incumbent Labour MP Rino Tirikatene for 12 years. And according ...
The SpinoffBy Charlotte Muru-Lanning
3 hours ago

Election 2023: National announces 300 more frontline police to tackle inner-city crime
Citing an escalation in crime in CBD areas, National has announced it would increase the number of frontline police officers focused on inner-city crime, if elected. ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

Shop the fit: Winston Peters
This week in our campaign style series, Winston Peters is the king of snot-less pocket squares and bringing things back from the depths of his wardrobe. Not many encyclopaedic entries include politicians’ personal style, choosing instead things like biography, policies, speeches and ideological alignments. But in Te Ara, the official ...
The SpinoffBy Gabi Lardies
3 hours ago

The Vested Interests Shaping National Party Policies
As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts ...
Scoop politics
3 hours ago

Younger Voters And Aucklanders Most Likely To Consider Voting Women’s Rights Party This Election
Nearly half of voters aged 18-39 [49%] said, in a Curia Poll, they would consider giving the Women’s Rights Party their party vote in the upcoming Election. In a poll conducted by Curia Market Research commissioned by the Women’s Rights ...
Scoop politics
3 hours ago

Cold weather doesn’t stop regional democracy
It’s a cold and blustery day here in the central Hawke’s Bay and I’ve just pulled into a local cafe for a coffee and some food (I now understand why being on the road like our political leaders encourages you to eat a very pastry-heavy diet). I’m here to spend ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
3 hours ago

Media Led Into Incorrectly Crediting Firearm Registry
Media have once again been led into incorrect reporting on the firearm registry, this time repeating claims that the new firearms registry enabled identification of a firearm on-seller, even though the data had been collected separately by Police ...
Scoop politics
3 hours ago

Labour’s fiscal plan doubles down on its ‘trust us with your money’ aesthetic
No surprises in today’s final fiscal announcement – but clear evidence Labour believes its request that National ‘show it the money’ is working. Prime minister Chris Hipkins and finance minister Grant Robertson delivered Labour’s fiscal plan – its vision for how it will raise money, and what it will spend ...
The SpinoffBy Duncan Greive
4 hours ago

NZ govt ‘welcomes’ US diplomatic relations with Cook Islands, Niue
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The New Zealand government has given its full blessing to Cook Islands and Niue establishing diplomatic relations with the United States. At the US-Pacific summit on Monday (Washington time), President Joe Biden said he recognised the two island nations as sovereign and independent states, ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
4 hours ago

NZ govt ‘welcomes’ US diplomatic relations with Cook Islands, Niue
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The New Zealand government has given its full blessing to Cook Islands and Niue establishing diplomatic relations with the United States. At the US-Pacific summit on Monday (Washington time), President Joe Biden said he recognised the two island nations as sovereign and independent states, ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
4 hours ago

New Report Shows National Emissions Reduction Policies Could Impact Auckland Economy Harder Than Res...
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland could experience a six per cent reduction in GDP compared to the rest of Aotearoa New Zealand in 2050, according to a new climate report. Mitigating climate change in New Zealand: impacts on Auckland’s economy describes how the ...
Scoop politics
4 hours ago

The everyday technologies essential for accessibility
It’s easy to take for granted, but technology exists to help us. The Spinoff spoke to four people with disabilities about the tech they consider essential. We often think of technology as irking us – Duolingo scolds, Instagram pesters and TikTok steals time. But, if I did throw my phone ...
The SpinoffBy Gabi Lardies
4 hours ago

Weird but true: The year’s most emotional TV played out on Celebrity Treasure Island
The inspired casting of Tāme Iti on a fundamentally silly reality TV show paid off in an impossibly resonant scene last night. The scene is unimaginably pretty. Somewhere outside Wānaka, on an island far from any road, two men wander along the lakeside. The pair are bathed in sun despite ...
The SpinoffBy Duncan Greive
5 hours ago

Candidates Front Up On Social Issues
...
Scoop politics
5 hours ago

Leaflet Campaign Ranks Party Climate Policies — National And NZ First Bad, ACT Worst
Climate change campaigners will be delivering 40,000 leaflets around the country to alert voters about which parties are best and worst on climate change policies. See attached leaflet. "You wouldn't know it from a lot of political posturing ...
Scoop politics
5 hours ago

Newsletter: September 27 2023 – Items of interest and importance today
New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. NZ Politics Daily: 27 September 2023 ELECTION Gordon Campbell: On whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence and bashing beneficiaries, again Jessica Mutch ...
Evening ReportBy Bryce Edwards
5 hours ago

Election 2023: Labour's fiscal plan looks to reduce government spending, maintain income tax se...
Labour has released its fiscal plan stating now is not the time for additional taxes and acknowledged the next few Budgets would be tight. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

New IEA Report A Warning That National Must Abandon Offshore Oil Drilling Policy – Greenpeace
Following the release of the International Energy Agency (IEA) ‘Net Zero Roadmap Update' yesterday, Greenpeace Aotearoa says that the National Party is out of touch with its promise to reverse the 2018 ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration. ...
Scoop politics
5 hours ago

Labour releases fiscal plan promising further savings and return to surplus in 2027
Labour has released its fiscal plan, a 12-page document laying out its spending plans over the next three years in response to the PREFU released earlier this month. It is forecasting a return to budget surplus in 26/27, and net debt to peak at 22.8% in the 24/25 fiscal year. ...
The SpinoffBy Duncan Greive
5 hours ago

Labour releases fiscal plan promising further savings and return to surplus in 2027
Labour has released its fiscal plan, a 12-page document laying out its spending plans over the next three years in response to the PREFU released earlier this month. It is forecasting a return to budget surplus in 26/27, and net debt to peak at 22.8% in the 24/25 fiscal year. ...
The SpinoffBy Duncan Greive
5 hours ago

Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence, September Quarter 2023
The Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index (ECI) fell by 7.4 points to 98.3 in the September quarter. This is the first time since March 2021 that households have held a negative view about conditions in the labour market, and the lowest reading ...
Scoop politics
5 hours ago

Mount Albert candidates listen to renting horror stories at event
At an event in Grey Lynn last night hosted by advocacy group Renters United, candidates for the Mount Albert electorate discussed housing issues with renters. Instead of a standard debate format, the event rotated candidates between tables of renters, giving attendees the chance to talk about some of their concerns ...
The SpinoffBy Shanti Mathias
5 hours ago

Mount Albert candidates listen to renting horror stories at event
At an event in Grey Lynn last night hosted by advocacy group Renters United, candidates for the Mount Albert electorate discussed housing issues with renters. Instead of a standard debate format, the event rotated candidates between tables of renters, giving attendees the chance to talk about some of their concerns ...
The SpinoffBy Shanti Mathias
5 hours ago

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Labas, Lecturer in Management, Federation University Australia Food waste is a global problem with approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted each year throughout the food lifecycle – from the farm to food manufacturers and households. Across the food supply chain, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

7 ways to look after yourself and your community before and after the Voice referendum
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacob Prehn, Associate Dean Indigenous College of Arts, Law, and Education; Senior Lecturer – Indigenous Fellow, Social Work, University of Tasmania GettyImages The lead-up to the Voice referendum is already affecting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Why the Voice could be a bulwark against Trumpism gaining a stronger foothold in Australia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Wolpe, Non-resident Senior Fellow, United States Study Centre, University of Sydney As former Labor minister Barry Jones has wisely noted, the Voice referendum feels like 2016 all over again. The shock from the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom in ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

What do we know about long COVID in kids? And what do I do if I think my child has it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shidan Tosif, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne While COVID in children has generally been milder than in adults, there are concerns long COVID may be a major consequence for children and young people arising from the pandemic. Long COVID, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Playful whales can use seaweed as a hat – or exfoliant. This “kelping” behaviour is more commo...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Griffith University WA Western Whale Watch Australia, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a whale, there’s often not too much to see out in deeper water. Perhaps that’s why so many whales get playful with ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Meet the experts in selling science
For New Zealand scientists trying to solve big-picture problems, turning them into commercial businesses is often an afterthought. Vanessa Young from the MacDiarmid Institute talks to some of the people guiding scientists through this journey. For many of us, trying to understand the hi-tech world of startups is challenging at ...
The SpinoffBy Vanessa Young
6 hours ago

Meet the experts in selling science
For New Zealand scientists trying to solve big-picture problems, turning them into commercial businesses is often an afterthought. Vanessa Young from the MacDiarmid Institute talks to some of the people guiding scientists through this journey. For many of us, trying to understand the hi-tech world of startups is challenging at ...
The SpinoffBy Vanessa Young
6 hours ago

On the campaign trail with Carmel Sepuloni
The deputy PM on boosting the Pasifika vote turnout, her go-to cafe order and why she doesn’t want to be prime minister. Nestled among Titirangi’s native bush and towering trees, down a short steep driveway, with Labour Party hoardings spotting the yard, is the home of deputy prime minister and ...
The SpinoffBy Sela Jane Hopgood
6 hours ago

The candidate prepared to cross the floor against their own party
The voters aren't coming to them, so Maungakiekie's candidates are going to the voters. ‘They want to hear me say that if I become the local MP, I will lie on the proposed railway tracks. And I will!’ ...
Newsroom
6 hours ago

The Bulletin: Does more advance voting impact results?
Overseas voting in the October election starts today, ahead of local voting booths opening on Monday. In today’s Bulletin, the rise and rise of advance voting. In 2020, Claire Robinson concluded that advance voting probably benefits the traditional major parties and that the so-called minor parties benefit from late strategic voting. “Since ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
6 hours ago

Luxon and Hipkins ready for next showdown
It’s Tuesday, September 27 and welcome back to The Spinoff’s election live updates. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, on deck from Palmerston North, with support from our news team around the country. Get in touch with me on [email protected] Learn more about the political parties and where they stand at Policy.nz ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
7 hours ago

National, NZ First propose tougher beneficiary sanctions, trade tax barbs
In the same week National leader admitted he would work with New Zealand First, both parties have launched new policies aimed at reducing the number of people on benefits. Both take a hardline approach, though are significantly differ. While National’s proposal would introduce a tiered, traffic light framework at which ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
7 hours ago

The golden girl returns
Tayla Bruce has gone from a teenager fan with an NZ fern in her hair to world champion in bowls. Angela Walker tells her remarkable story “A true full circle moment,” is how Tayla Bruce described the surprise celebration that was put on for her at her bowls club in Christchurch. When ...
Newsroom
7 hours ago

The rise and rise of advance voting
Overseas voting opens today and advance voting starts on Monday. How influential could offshore voting be, and why are we still waiting for fiscal plans, asks Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Just ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
7 hours ago

NZ’s Green Party is ‘filling the void on the left’ as voters grow frustrated with Labour’s c...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Kurian, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, University of Waikato The Green Party has run a strong campaign. With a 14.2% share in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll, up by 1.9 percentage points since the previous poll, that is more ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Election 2023 updates: All the latest developments on 27 September
Overseas voting for this year's general election starts today, with people having up until Election Day to cast their ballots. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Māori leaders' debate ricochets from one hot button to next
Aaron Smale tuned in to TVNZ’s Kaupapa Māori Debate which heard from Māori from each of the main parties. He didn't find a lot to get excited about. Comment: It was a shambles but it was also telling. None of the political parties seem to have any coherent vision about where ...
Newsroom
9 hours ago

Revolutionize Ocean Conservation: End Bottom Trawling And Dredging
Independent Whangarei Candidate Fiona Green thinks bottom trawling and dredging should be phased out because they have significant negative impacts on marine ecosystems. "Bottom trawling involves dragging a large net along the seafloor to catch fish ...
Scoop politics
9 hours ago

Welfare experts group members criticise National's beneficiary policy
Members of the 2019 Welfare Expert Advisory Group have rejected National's claim their report backs up the party's harsher sanctions for some jobseekers. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

Will The Next Government Do Enough For Breast Cancer?
Ahead of the election, Breast Cancer Foundation NZ has laid down a challenge to political parties to tackle breast cancer – the leading killer of New Zealand women under 65. The charity surveyed the seven biggest parties, asking them to adopt the ...
Scoop politics
10 hours ago

The power and potential of the overseas vote in Election 2023
Overseas voting in the general election opens today. Could those in Australia decide the winner? One million New Zealanders currently live overseas, representing 20% of New Zealand’s resident population and eligible voters. Almost 70% of our offshore citizens reside in Australia, which could mean up to half a million votes ...
The SpinoffBy Tracey Lee
10 hours ago

The hottest seat in the country? Why Wellington Central is a race unlike any other
In the heart of a politically charged city, a high-stakes election battle is unfolding between three highly impressive candidates with significant political potential, all almost perfectly tied in the polls. With the Beehive at its centre, the symbolic importance of Wellington Central is obvious: it’s the home of the government, ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
10 hours ago

A big Labour collapse would make McAnulty vulnerable in Wairarapa
Voters skew conservative and older, but MP's local and national profile make the seat a tough nut to crack for National ...
Newsroom
10 hours ago

Daily crossword, Wednesday 27 September
...
Newsroom
10 hours ago

Shock claim: people reading NZ fiction
An annual report on the state of New Zealand fiction as something that people actually want to buy About 18 months ago, I wrote a piece for Newsroom that, along with plugging our inaugural Allen & Unwin Fiction prize, lamented the sorry state of New Zealand fiction sales at ...
Newsroom
10 hours ago

How the Greens have supercharged their campaign
The Green Party is on track for its best electoral result ...
Newsroom
10 hours ago

The no-brainer of removing extra tax on women and ethnic minorities
The Greens have policies on reducing pay gaps, but Act thinks employers and employees should determine contracts ...
Newsroom
10 hours ago

Making our drinking water safe
The more we know, the more it costs when it comes to delivering water. With new discoveries about bugs come new technologies to deal with them, and it often adds up to more than councils can afford. In the 1950s, supplying drinking water was simple: find your cleanest ...
Newsroom
10 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 27 September
Loading...(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...
Newsroom
11 hours ago

NZ election 2023: Exposing National leader Christopher Luxon’s Māori health falsehood in debate
ANALYSIS: By Ella Stewart, RNZ News longform journalist, Te Ao Māori National Party leader Christopher Luxon made claims about health outcomes that were clearly false. Why was he left unchallenged? In the TVNZ leaders’ debate last night, Luxon and Labour’s Chris Hipkins had a testy exchange over Māori healthcare. Hipkins ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
15 hours ago

NZ election 2023: Exposing National leader Christopher Luxon’s Māori health falsehood in debate
ANALYSIS: By Ella Stewart, RNZ News longform journalist, Te Ao Māori National Party leader Christopher Luxon made claims about health outcomes that were clearly false. Why was he left unchallenged? In the TVNZ leaders’ debate last night, Luxon and Labour’s Chris Hipkins had a testy exchange over Māori healthcare. Hipkins ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
15 hours ago

Bid to protect Pacific indigenous knowledge in the global digital space
A recent webinar hosted by the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) brought together minds from across the region to delve into the intricate issues of the digital economy and data value. The webinar’s focus was clear — shed light on who was shaping the rules of the digital landscape ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
16 hours ago

Dan Andrews leaves office as a titan of Victorian politics – who drove conservatives to distractio...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Professor of Politics, Monash University Daniel Andrews, who has announced he will step down after nearly nine years as premier, leaves office as a titan of Victorian politics. An activist premier, a gifted political communicator and a hard man of ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Newsletter: September 26 2023 – Items of interest and importance today
New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. NZ Politics Daily: 26 September 2023 NEWSHUB-REID RESEARCH POLL Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research poll: NZ First in powerful position as ACT support crumbles, ...
Evening ReportBy Bryce Edwards
17 hours ago

Election 2023 updates: All the latest developments on 26 September
Tonight's political debate focused on the top priorities for Māori voters - check out RNZ's updates from the kaupapa Māori debate. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

Keith Rankin Chart Analysis – Economic Growth per Capita: New Zealand in Context
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. The principal measure of economic success in the mainstream narrative is economic growth. The pointy heads associated with that narrative will correctly point out that its economic growth per capita that matters, and which serves as a crude ...
Evening ReportBy Keith Rankin
17 hours ago

Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of ...
Evening ReportBy Bryce Edwards
17 hours ago

National says traffic light policy for beneficiaries driven by 'love'
National says its new benefit sanctions policy would target the kind of person who shows up to a job interview in their pyjamas, not struggling young families. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

NEW POLL: Voters torn in Auckland Central electorate
A new Taxpayers’ Union – Curia poll in the Auckland Central Electorate has voters undecided between Greens incumbent Chlöe Swarbrick (polling at 26% of voters) and National candidate Mahesh Muralidhar (polling at 24%) - a statistical tie when accounting ...
Scoop politics
19 hours ago

The Albanese government blew its shot at setting a historic new unemployment target
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the federal government’s employment white paper is “ambitious”. I’m not convinced. A clearly ambitious statement would have specified a target for unemployment, ideally one ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
20 hours ago

Doofus of the week June 24, 2018

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