Duncan Garner and the great Christmas beatup

Written By: - Date published: 12:56 pm, November 30th, 2015 - 114 comments
Categories: journalism, the praiseworthy and the pitiful - Tags: , ,

Duncan Garner does good work sometimes, but is also capable of complete bollocks:

Duncan Garner: Let’s squash the PC race relations office and move on

I’d almost forgotten about the ludicrous decision to appoint a squash player as the country’s race relations commissioner – till Susan Devoy dropped another clanger.

And what a howler it was, throwing her (insignificant) weight behind Auckland Regional Migrants Services’ plan to ditch the word Christmas and refer instead to “happy holidays” and “season’s greetings”.

Apparently Devoy, the service’s patron, wants to save the majority of Kiwis (who are not Christian) from feeling excluded at this time of year. Good grief.
…
It’s time to ditch her role and the entire office she heads. …

Toby Manhire at The Spinoff does an excellent job at dissecting this nonsense:

On all that Susan-Devoy-Wants-to-Ban-Christmas Bullshit

Beat-ups about do-gooders wanting to “ban Christmas” have become a mainstay of the leadup to the festive season the world over. This year in New Zealand, the target is Susan Devoy, the Race Relations Commissioner, who caused outrage – outrage, I tell you! – by failing to condemn the Auckland Regional Migrant Services’ long-standing preference for the words “happy holidays” and “season’s greetings” over “Christmas”.
…
Duncan Garner was incandescent at this “trumped-up office pandering to political correctness”, this “crusade against Christmas“.
…
Garner was one of a number of fuming chimneys outraged – outraged, I tell you! – in print, on radio and online.
…
And yet what did Devoy actually, you know, say? She said nothing in the original report to discourage the use of “Christmas” and confirmed it was not banned at the Commission. She is quoted as saying: “New Zealanders don’t like being told what to do and we are mature enough to decide how to celebrate our special days in our own ways.” Which hardly seems all that controversial a thing to say in a secular country.
…
As if it wasn’t clear enough, Devoy explained in a piece published in the Herald two days before Garner’s column, “I have no plans to ban Christmas, not that I could, and it is not part of my job to tell anyone how to celebrate Christmas. I’ve never said we or anyone else should ban Christmas and I never would. What I did say is it’s up to everyday New Zealanders to decide how to observe Christmas. Kiwis hate being told what to do. I wouldn’t welcome anyone telling me what to do on December 25.” She concluded by saying – gasp! – “Merry Christmas and let there be peace on earth.”

I’m pretty sure Garner was just trolling for clicks, and knew exactly what he was doing, because there’s a certain amount of self-awareness in this tweet:

To which Scott Milne has the perfect reply:

114 comments on “Duncan Garner and the great Christmas beatup ”

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  1. Tracey 1
    30 November 2015 at 1:17 pm

    I was aghast when Devoy was appointed. Mostly because I had heard and seen her speak on a number of occasions at which she would behave inappropriately or criticize something for being too “PC”. However she is an example of what happens when people become educated on a topic they had lots of opinions about, but little actual knowledge. Well done her for moving from the place she was to the place she is today.

    Duncan’s turn. If he has the courage.

    • Daniel Cale 1.1
      30 November 2015 at 2:39 pm

      I would add, Tracey, that ‘becoming educated’ is simply a left win term for ‘agreeing with the group think’. Devoy hasn’t become educated, she’s become indoctrinated.

      • tracey 1.1.1
        30 November 2015 at 2:56 pm

        🙄

        Of course you would cos otherwise your comfy little place in the world would shift. As I wrote it I wondered how long before someone said brainwashed. And there you were. But tell me, which bit did she get “wrong”?

        • Daniel Cale 1.1.1.1
          1 December 2015 at 3:00 am

          Pretending that we should take into account the sensitivities of migrants. Pretending that we should apologise or be less than proud of our own culture and history.

          We should do neither. When I travel overseas I respect, in fact I celebrate, the foibles of the ‘local’ culture. That’s what makes them ‘comfy’ in their culture. We should be preserving what makes for ours.

          • Murray Simmonds 1.1.1.1.1
            1 December 2015 at 6:57 am

            Daniell Cale: ” . . . the foibles of the ‘local’ culture”.

            Just take a look in the mirror, Daniel to see the foibles of the local culture in action. You don’t need to travel overseas to see it. What a totally ignorant ethnocentric, self-satisfied statement! You wouldn’t be a national party voter by any chance would you?

            • Daniel Cale 1.1.1.1.1.1
              1 December 2015 at 4:24 pm

              ‘Foibles’ are eccentricities. We all have them. Most countries are doing a good job at preserving them. Regrettably the west seems to be pandering to those whose cultures are so repressive they leave to join ours. Spot the irony?

          • DoublePlusGood 1.1.1.1.2
            1 December 2015 at 7:48 am

            The part of our culture and history that is vacuous appeals to our culture and history thinly disguising prejudice and bigotry is a part I can do without.

            • Daniel Cale 1.1.1.1.2.1
              1 December 2015 at 4:23 pm

              Vacuous? Christmas? It’s a fun celebration, part of our culture for centuries.

              • DoublePlusGood …
                2 December 2015 at 10:55 am

                The appeals to tradition (including the tradition of Christmas) being a mask for prejudice and bigotry is what I described as vacuous, not Christmas.
                Which you would have worked out if you had actually read the sentence carefully.

                • Daniel Cale …
                  2 December 2015 at 1:04 pm

                  That’s NOT what you wrote at all. Your comment was in the context of a discussion about Christmas. The celebration of Christmas is neither prejudiced or bigoted, any more so that celebrating eid, hannukah, diwali, guy fawkes etc etc. Perhaps you are another looking for offence, prejudice and bigotry in every comment you disagree with.

                  • DoublePlusGood …
                    2 December 2015 at 2:11 pm

                    Seriously just read my damn comment carefully before coming to some incorrect conclusion about what I wrote.

  2. Muttonbird 2
    30 November 2015 at 1:18 pm

    Duncan Garner does good work sometimes

    – ANTHONY R0BINS

    Really?

    Garner is increasingly a tabloid scribbler and thinker as far as I’m concerned. He’s just what Manhire says, a manufacturer of outrage.

  3. Tc 3
    30 November 2015 at 1:19 pm

    Garner shows yet again hes a shit stirring shock jock with ratings to boost.

    A proper journo with objective integrity would not perform a lazy dogwhistle like this but here we are with talkback trash being passed off as news.

  4. Tracey 4
    30 November 2015 at 1:22 pm

    r0b – she wrote a reply to Duncan in yesterday’s SST. Am trying to find the link.

    here it is

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/74532649/duncan-garner-were-mad-for-peace-not-pc-gone-mad

    “Duncan – and others whose opinions are amplified across our television, radio and newspapers – must do better in showing responsible leadership in the national debate about race relations. They are opinion leaders and their opinions are powerful: dismissing anything they don’t like as PC gone mad is dumbing down a very important conversation New Zealanders need to have.”

    Hear Hear!

    • Muttonbird 4.2
      30 November 2015 at 1:33 pm

      The key point she made is Garner = dumbing down, which is indicative of the way journalism is headed in this country. It’s a shame because the opposite should be true.

      • Tracey 4.2.1
        30 November 2015 at 1:43 pm

        ALL people who brandish “PC…” as a substitute for an argument are dumbing down the discussion, and it has been goingon for years. Garner is a follower it his regard not a trend setter but in his position, as Devoy points out, it is a misuse of the power he has been given.

        • Sacha 4.2.1.1
          30 November 2015 at 2:42 pm

          ‘Down with respect for other people’ #grrr

          • tracey 4.2.1.1.1
            30 November 2015 at 2:44 pm

            I agree. When people do the PC thing to me, I ask them to repharse and instead of PC use – respect for others _…

            • Anno1701 4.2.1.1.1.1
              1 December 2015 at 2:29 pm

              “Political correctness” doesn’t exist. The only place you will ever hear the term used is in the right wing media. It’s never the basis for decision making, it never appears in law. Nothing.

              “Political correctness” is a right-wing buzzword for social skills they would like to be able to get by without having, And of course some people just get sad because society will disapprove when they say shitty things in public

  5. Daniel Cale 5
    30 November 2015 at 2:36 pm

    Christmas is a part of the history and culture of NZ. If migrants are offended by it (which, btw I doubt very much), then they need to get a life. Devoy is a huge disappointment, having become a slave to the notion that everyones culture has value except ours. Well done Duncan.

    • tracey 5.1
      30 November 2015 at 2:47 pm

      ““New Zealanders don’t like being told what to do and we are mature enough to decide how to celebrate our special days in our own ways.”

      ““I have no plans to ban Christmas, not that I could, and it is not part of my job to tell anyone how to celebrate Christmas. I’ve never said we or anyone else should ban Christmas and I never would. What I did say is it’s up to everyday New Zealanders to decide how to observe Christmas. Kiwis hate being told what to do. I wouldn’t welcome anyone telling me what to do on December 25.” She concluded by saying – gasp! – “Merry Christmas and let there be peace on earth.”

      Reading is a skill Daniel. If you have a reading difficulty I am sorry and apologise but it seems to me that the part of the reading skill-set that you lack, is reading beyond the bit that you mirrors your small minded world view back to you and reading to the end. Oh and clicking the links and reading them. So less a problem with making out words and phrases but actually bothering to read them at all..

      • Ross 5.1.1
        30 November 2015 at 2:57 pm

        She said the Trust’s language was about inclusion, not exclusion. So I presume she suggested to them that they include the word Christmas! 🙂

        Alas, that isn’t what her press release says.

      • Daniel Cale 5.1.2
        1 December 2015 at 3:04 am

        You underestimate me. I read her statement very carefully, and it is spoken with a forked tongue. In her capacity as Patron of Auckland Migrant Services she is proposing ceasing to use the term “Christmas’. This isn’t not using the term, it is ceasing to use the term. This is a betrayal of our culture, of our history. That’s why there has been an outcry, not because of Duncan Garner.

        • tracey 5.1.2.1
          1 December 2015 at 5:51 am

          WASPMs forever aye Daniel, you must hate the PM wanting to change the flag and throw aay all that WASPM hisotry of yours?

          • Daniel Cale 5.1.2.1.1
            1 December 2015 at 4:30 pm

            “WASP’s”??? Are you seriously trying to make this a racial issue now? This is about NZ’s history and culture. What’s wrong with preserving Christmas? The Chinese came and accepted it. The Phillipino’s. The Vietnamese. The Cambodians. For goodness sake the event celebrates the birth of a middle eastern man in the west bank who grew up in what is now called the ‘Arab capital of Israel’!

            • Draco T Bastard 5.1.2.1.1.1
              1 December 2015 at 8:00 pm

              This is about NZ’s history and culture.

              Culture lives, breaths and changes as it does so. To try to keep it the same is to kill it.

              What’s wrong with preserving Christmas?

              Because it’s all a load of BS.

              • Daniel Cale …
                2 December 2015 at 1:07 pm

                “Culture lives, breaths and changes as it does so. To try to keep it the same is to kill it.”

                Nonsense. Culture (and you will note I also mentioned history) can change, but it can also be preserved.

                “Because it’s all a load of BS.”

                To you, perhaps. So don’t celebrate it. Turn yourself into scrooge for a day, but leave the rest of us alone.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  2 December 2015 at 1:23 pm

                  Culture (and you will note I also mentioned history) can change, but it can also be preserved.

                  No, it really can’t. You may want to believe otherwise but that’s all it is – your belief and not associated in any way with reality.

                  So don’t celebrate it. Turn yourself into scrooge for a day, but leave the rest of us alone.

                  I don’t do Xmas but I do go out and see family and you really should note that those who do celebrate Xmas in NZ now make up less than 50% of the population so you’re massively exaggerating when you say “the rest of us”.

    • Muttonbird 5.2
      30 November 2015 at 3:02 pm

      Daniel Cale is the dumbed down bit of New Zealand which Garner appeals to.

      • Grindlebottom 5.2.1
        30 November 2015 at 3:14 pm

        Not on this point he’s not. It’s a valid viewpoint that ARMS shouldn’t be discouraging references to Christmas and Easter.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.1.1
          30 November 2015 at 3:25 pm

          Possibly, and that isn’t poor Daniel’s position: he’s whinging about something Susan Devoy didn’t say.

          • tracey 5.2.1.1.1
            30 November 2015 at 4:19 pm

            This ^^^^^

          • Daniel Cale 5.2.1.1.2
            1 December 2015 at 3:04 am

            No, I’m not. I’m supporting what Duncan Garner wrote.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.1.1.2.1
              1 December 2015 at 6:08 am

              By whinging about something Susan Devoy didn’t say. Whinging and whinging and whinging.

              • Daniel Cale …
                1 December 2015 at 6:59 pm

                No, I’m responding to precisely what Devoy DID say, and has affirmed in her statement released since the comments.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  2 December 2015 at 6:38 am

                  a slave to the notion that everyones culture has value except ours

                  1. Your “culture”: racist wingnut prejudice, has no value. In fact it has negative value.

                  2. European culture respects and defends human rights. You have no claim over it.

                  3. Devoy didn’t say that, I did.

                  • Daniel Cale …
                    2 December 2015 at 1:10 pm

                    1. You have no idea what my culture is.
                    2. Yes, and in that it is actually fairly unique. Try going to an Islamic theocracy and feigning offence at Ramadan.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      2 December 2015 at 1:13 pm

                      1. You have no idea what my culture is.

                      -Daniel CaleNeither do you but the looks of it. NZ is all White Christmas to you.

        • Pascals bookie 5.2.1.2
          30 November 2015 at 8:11 pm

          How are they “discouraging references to Christmas and Easter”?

          they are just choosing not to reference them for their own do, and Garner, Yardley , DPF and various other assorted bods have gotten all Fox News ‘War on Christmea’ about it.

          But what are they actually arguing? That people ‘have’ to say ‘Christmas’? Even if they don’t want to becausd eotherwise they might offend talkback people or whoever?

          What the hell sort of PC gone mad is that?

          • tracey 5.2.1.2.1
            1 December 2015 at 5:52 am

            The kind the Right Support.

            • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1.2.1.1
              1 December 2015 at 7:56 pm

              +1

              The right-wing are all into telling everyone else how to live their lives.

          • Daniel Cale 5.2.1.2.2
            1 December 2015 at 7:00 pm

            “How are they “discouraging references to Christmas and Easter”?”

            By removing those references from the event. Isn’t that obvious?

            • Pascals bookie 5.2.1.2.2.1
              1 December 2015 at 7:44 pm

              So if I don’t do something, am I discouraging you from doing it?

              I mean, would a ‘fesitivus dinner’ discourage a ‘christmas dinner’, or are they just different people doing what they want?

              You seem to be saying that everyone must name events at this time of year as Christmas events, even if they’d rather not, lest they discourage other people from having named Christmas events. Even though no one is saying you can’t have a named Christmas event if that’s what you want to do.

              Is that really what you are saying? Because if so, then it’s you who is telling people what they can and can’t do. That’s obvious isn’t it?

              • Daniel Cale …
                2 December 2015 at 1:11 pm

                “So if I don’t do something, am I discouraging you from doing it?”

                If you did do it, then told people to stop doing it, then yes.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 5.3
      30 November 2015 at 3:23 pm

      No, Daniel, in fact, the bogeyman that so terrifies you doesn’t actually exist.

      As Tracey says, if you possessed reading skills you’d know that. Do you get paid to make right wingers look illiterate?

      • McFlock 5.3.1
        30 November 2015 at 4:31 pm

        butbutbut CHRISTMAS IS UNDER ATTTAAACCKK!!!!!!!!!!

      • Daniel Cale 5.3.2
        1 December 2015 at 3:06 am

        There is no bogeyman. Just a race relations conciliator who has decided to remove reference to a part of our history and culture. Like someone proposing we stop referencing ANZAC day because it might offend the Turks. Or VE day for the sake of the Germans.

        • tracey 5.3.2.1
          1 December 2015 at 5:53 am

          And you have not understood Ms Devoy’s own words, choosing Mr Garner’s spin on them, which was my point above. Someoen seeking to remove Christmas from the vocab wouldn’t sign off wishing people a Merry Christmas. .

          To aid you further

          http://thestandard.org.nz/duncan-garner-and-the-great-christmas-beatup/#comment-1102870

          • Daniel Cale 5.3.2.1.1
            1 December 2015 at 7:03 pm

            “Someoen seeking to remove Christmas from the vocab wouldn’t sign off wishing people a Merry Christmas. .”

            Don’t be absurd. Devoy is stung by the reaction and is back-peddling. Besides, I never claimed Devoy is seeking to “remove Christmas form the vocab”. She’s just removing it from this particularly celebration to pander to some invented offence that may be taken by immigrants who I’d bet probably wouldn’t take any offence.

            • tracey 5.3.2.1.1.1
              2 December 2015 at 6:57 am

              Given your disdain expressed for immigrants earlier, what makes you think you are in any position to “bet” what they would or what not take offence to? Look at how offended and affronted you are at having your christian festival threatened (even when it is not)?

              • Daniel Cale …
                2 December 2015 at 1:14 pm

                I have not expressed any disdain for immigrants, in fact I value them greatly. What I despise is this white liberal guilt people like Devoy have been sucked in to. Te migrants I know have come to NZ for a better life, INCLUDING our history and culture and the freedoms we have to exercise our beliefs and celebrate our traditions. Do you not see we rob them of that experience each time we pander to weak minded people like Devoy.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 5.3.2.1.1.2
              2 December 2015 at 7:21 am

              She’s just removing it from this particularly celebration.

              Stop lying: you don’t get to celebrate liar culture Daniel.

              The lunch you refer to has always been called a festive lunch.

              Arms works hard to include peoples from all faiths to work together in peace and diversity,

              Arms uses language that will encompass and include everyone; it is not designed to exclude anyone.

              New Zealanders don’t like being told what to do and we are mature enough to decide how to celebrate our special days in our own ways.

              What part of the word “always” are you illiterate about, Daniel?

              • tracey …
                2 December 2015 at 7:25 am

                Well Duncan triggered his zenophobia, and no matte rhow much he has proven to be wrong, he just can’t bring himself to back down in the face of being made to look foolish by Garner.

                25 Dec 2015 is the day of the Celebration of Christmas. The whole month of December is not a Christian Christma sFestival. It has become a focus as retailers realised they could make bucks. I note you are not outraged at your religious day being hijacked for money making purposes (money changers tables and all that Daniel).

              • Daniel Cale …
                2 December 2015 at 1:16 pm

                Thanks OAB. You’re quote precisely supports my point. Unless you are harbouring under the illusion that wishing someone happy Christmas is somehow “designed to exclude” someone. LOL.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  2 December 2015 at 2:19 pm

                  No, you witless illiterate fuck-knuckle: it is perfectly clear whose policy this is and it isn’t Devoy’s, as you claimed, you lying racist sack of shit.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.3.2.2
          1 December 2015 at 6:05 am

          Answer the question: do you take money to make wingnuts look illiterate?

    • North 5.4
      30 November 2015 at 7:01 pm

      You’re really determined to proceed like fool in the face of the very best of evidence aren’t you Daniel Cale ? Devoy’s own, exact, words. But NO ! Devoy said something completely different. YES ! She did ! She Did !

      Now that is weird.

      • tracey 5.4.1
        1 December 2015 at 5:55 am

        And Duncan Garner said she said something completely different, and I support him and even when I see that she didnt say what Duncans said she said, cos I told Tracey I read it very carefully, I still support Duncan cos he was attacking something I don’t like and so on and so forth and heretowtih what Duncan said.

      • Daniel Cale 5.4.2
        1 December 2015 at 7:07 pm

        Because you seem to just be repeating comments made elsewhere, I will say this one more time. Devoy has recomended and defended the removal of references to Christmas from an event run by an organisation of whom she is the patron. This has been done on the basis that those references may make migrants feel uncomfortable. My objection is simple. If we are to remove references that make migrants uncomfortable, then we risk fundamentally changing the society migrants so desperately want to join. When will you realise the irony of that?

        • lprent 5.4.2.1
          1 December 2015 at 9:55 pm

          Oh FFS. Most of the population are quite secular, including me.

          Christmas sucks these days. All it means is that we wind up getting hot and bothered doing some shopping and then have some time with some bits of our extended families. Oh and work shuts down for enough days to have some time off without using too much holiday days. It is more of drag than a tradition. The sooner it gets knocked on the head the better.

          I have no idea what “tradition” is involved in that. Basically you read like a religious nutter trying to impose some ideas on me. Are you a Morman missionary?

        • tracey 5.4.2.2
          2 December 2015 at 7:03 am

          “The Auckland Regional Migrants Services Trust prefers non-religious, secular language when inviting communities to attend some of their events because they don’t want non-Christians to think they aren’t included in the invitation. Their choice of language is about inclusion not exclusion.” Susan Devoy

          “My objection is simple. If we are to remove references that make migrants uncomfortable, then we risk fundamentally changing the society migrants so desperately want to join. When will you realise the irony of that?” Daniel Cale

          IT IS A MIGRANT SERVICE! Their role is to assist MIGRANTS. Ergo they need to make sure that they encourage people to attend their events to assure their assimilation into society in such a way as to make people like you feel comfortable having migrants amidst your WASPM sensibilities. It is Duncan Garner and YOU who has extrapolated that very specific statement to mean Christmas must begone from every part of NZ.

          some invented offence that may be taken by immigrants who I’d bet probably wouldn’t take any offence. Daniel Cale

          Yeah a woman involved in providing services to migrants knows less about what might discouraged migrants from attending an event than, say, a guy who has no understanding of migrant needs and apears to think that if they come here they must just instantly adopt everything he holds dear or fuck off.

          • Daniel Cale 5.4.2.2.1
            2 December 2015 at 1:21 pm

            “IT IS A MIGRANT SERVICE! Their role is to assist MIGRANTS. ”

            Precisely! Which is why we should not be changing the language of an event we have celebrated for centuries. It isn’t the migrants asking for this, it is pasty white liberals.

            “and apears to think that if they come here they must just instantly adopt everything he holds dear or fuck off.”

            When did I say that? I’m not asking migrants to adapt, just to respect our traditions, in the same way I respect other cultures traditions.

    • Paul Campbell 5.5
      1 December 2015 at 8:10 am

      With christians now a minority within NZ, requiring everyone to celebrate christian holidays seems such a quaint old fashioned idea.

      In our house we celebrate xmas, the capitalist holiday of buying stuff for other people, we’ve tied a $20 to the top of the tree since the kids were little

      • Grindlebottom 5.5.1
        1 December 2015 at 4:40 pm

        we’ve tied a $20 to the top of the tree since the kids were little

        Safety hazard?

  6. Ross 6
    30 November 2015 at 2:48 pm

    What Devoy did say was “The Auckland Regional Migrants Services Trust prefers non-religious, secular language when inviting communities to attend some of their events because they don’t want non-Christians to think they aren’t included in the invitation. Their choice of language is about inclusion not exclusion.”

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1511/S00386/an-open-letter-to-new-zealanders-christmas-is-still-on.htm

    So will the Auckland Regional Migrants Services Trust be talking about Christmas or not? There’s nothing in the above, or in the link, to say that the Trust are embracing Christmas, which indicates the word might be off limits.

    What Devoy could have said to the Trust is that use of the word Christmas need not be avoided.

    • Hanswurst 6.1
      30 November 2015 at 7:41 pm

      Christmas is part of the holiday season, therefore “happy holidays” and “season’s greetings” include good wishes for anybody celebrating Christmas. Therefore you are wrong.

  7. Grindlebottom 7
    30 November 2015 at 3:03 pm

    I was curious whether the Auckland Regional Migrant Service avoided the use of other religions’ Anniversary or Feast Day names as well. Google brought up this item from Dr Mary Dawson, CEO of the ARMS Trust:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11550676

    For any cultural or religious celebration, whether Christmas, Diwali, Eid or Matariki, our multicultural staff use appropriate greetings and celebrate, for example, by bringing Diwali sweets to share, or handing out chocolate eggs at Easter.

    They kind of imply that they have an all-embracing policy, though why refer to “Diwali sweets”, but then “chocolate eggs” when the normal term is Easter eggs? I have a sneaking suspicion “Christmas” and “Easter” are more determinedly discouraged at ARMS than references to “Diwali”, “Eid”, “Matariki” etc.

    I can’t help wondering whose idea it was at ARMS to drop references to Christmas and Easter. I’d bet the refugees themselves didn’t have a problem with it; they have to eventually settle into a community where even secular atheists like myself normally use these terms and follow the customary practices of holidays, gift-giving and Christian good wishes such as Merry or Happy Christmas. I have no problem with Ramadan/Eid or Diwali, or Matariki: why should ARMS assume observers of these religious festivals might have a problem with Xmas?

    Garner’s mucked up though. He’d have been best to let this one go and not blow it up.

    • Ross 7.1
      30 November 2015 at 3:12 pm

      Our multicultural staff use “appropriate” greetings? That implies that Merry Christmas might not be appropriate for some. How does ARMS know if saying Merry Christmas to a migrant is appropriate ?

      • Daniel Cale 7.1.1
        1 December 2015 at 3:09 am

        It shouldn’t matter. We should not be determining what parts of our history and culture we maintain because of the sensibilities of immigrants. No other culture does.

        • tracey 7.1.1.1
          1 December 2015 at 5:56 am

          Thank God the Maori didn’t think that way aye Daniel, to your ancestors and mine, who were (cough) immigrants.

          • Daniel Cale 7.1.1.1.1
            1 December 2015 at 7:09 pm

            They DID think that way Tracey. They killed and ate our ancestors. But they were also very smart, and adopted some of the new customs, while preserving their own. Bizzarely you have made my point.

        • Rawsharkosaurus 7.1.1.2
          1 December 2015 at 7:30 am

          It is ironic that you are expressing that sentiment in an immigrant language, English, and not an indigenous language of this country.

    • North 7.2
      30 November 2015 at 7:57 pm

      Persuasive argument there GBottom. Enjoyed the last bit. “Garner’s mucked up though……..”. Certainly deserves to.

      Daniel Cale and mate Garner are the only buggers screaming about this thing.

      This is not a drama. Specially not I’m sure to the people it touchs. That’s why he’s gonna look a dick. S’pose it could be whipped up into one though. Drama I mean.

      No……that’d require the attendance of a man who would do that. Drama I mean. The Good Garner wouldn’t do that. Drama I mean.

  8. Ross 8
    30 November 2015 at 3:05 pm

    This is the same Susan Devoy that said Labour were racist to use Chinese sounding names to assess house buying behaviour in Auckland, and she also complained about some cartoons a year ago. She said they offended her (though she admitted they weren’t racist). I don’t care whether she is offended or not. Taking offence isn’t in her job description.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/70854977/labour-says-devoy-out-of-line-for-calling-it-racist-over-chinese-buyers

  9. Muttonbird 9
    30 November 2015 at 3:47 pm

    Look at all the right wingers desperately trying to take offence at something which isn’t there, gleefully taking the rancid bait which Garner dropped.

  10. Morrissey 10
    30 November 2015 at 4:11 pm

    A decade or so ago that dunderhead Bill O’Reilly was saying the same things as that dunderhead Duncan Garner. David Letterman took the opportunity to tell O’Reilly that he thought most of what he (O’Reilly) says is “crap”….

    http://mediamatters.org/research/2006/01/04/in-letterman-appearance-oreilly-repeated-false/134554

  11. millsy 11
    30 November 2015 at 6:13 pm

    Christmas has so much parts of it burrowed from all sorts of faiths and religions anyway. It is completely bastardised.

    I am not offended when someone says “Happy Holidays” or ‘Merry Christmas’. Some of just like like to have fun and enjoy the season.

  12. Daniel Cale 12
    1 December 2015 at 3:13 am

    There is an element of this debate that is being overlooked, and that is why we even need a Race Relations Conciliator. Or a Human Rights Commission. Or a Ministry of Womens Affairs. Or…well you get the idea. These are all just organisations of privilege. And as I pay for a portion of all of the above, and yet am not represented by a single one, I say destroy them all and save some money. I know, get rid of the lot and donate the savings to the Sallies.

    • tracey 12.1
      1 December 2015 at 5:58 am

      It’s because of people like you Daniel that we need them. You couldn’t have displayed the need for them more.

      I note you chose a Christian organisation to give all our money to.

      • Daniel Cale 12.1.1
        1 December 2015 at 7:14 pm

        I’m not the one to have invoked a racial connection, you are. But I’d be happy for the funds to go to another charity if you don’t think the sallies are worthy. Except Greenpeace, Amnesty Intl and a few other fellow travellers.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 12.2
      1 December 2015 at 7:08 am

      Destroy you first. Capice?

    • DoublePlusGood 12.3
      1 December 2015 at 8:49 am

      You mean the hateful, homophobic Salvation Army? No thanks. It is because of the behaviour of groups like them and other bigots that we need these government organisations and quangos.

  13. Vaughan Little 13
    1 December 2015 at 8:02 am

    I don’t get liberal sensitivities in a major way.

    it’s so easy to piss people off and I never see it coming. people throw the term “white male” around like it’s a term of abuse that’s gonna put,me back in my place. I copped some pretty nasty comments on facebook once; was a key decider for me to stop posting comments there. stuff about “go back to the 50s and beat up your wife” from memory. also dissing of Christians, all of which I see permutations of above.

    anyone know any good guides to understanding liberal dudgeon? I’ve done some poking around and the guy it all seems to go back to, far as I can tell, is Foucault. not that he was very angry, but he tended to see everything as a power struggle. ergo, “white” dudes can only oppress. I hear the name of Stuart Hall too but haven’t looked into him.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 13.1
      1 December 2015 at 8:33 am

      The only people I see getting pissed off here are wingnut trolls, bleating about something that doesn’t exist. The relentless whining about “political correctness” (shorthand for “I am too lazy and stupid to address the issue”) renders any “liberal” complaint inaudible.

      Why are wingnut trolls so thin-skinned that any criticism of their behaviour is met with such a querulous chorous?

    • tracey 13.2
      1 December 2015 at 8:58 am

      I typed a response and deleted it.

      Second try

      Some people who you didnt know, and didnt ever have to meet wrote some nasty stuff on a Facebook page about you. Sorry to hear it. No one likes to be bilittled or abused for being how they were born.

      Now, imagine how what you felt feels when it is in your company, your workplace, your social life and prevents you directly or insidioulsy from achieving the things you want in life. When it is done to your face or prevents you getting a job or a promition or a flat for your family…

      • Daniel Cale 13.2.1
        1 December 2015 at 7:23 pm

        Happens to almost everyone, Tracey. Most of us build a bridge…

        • DoublePlusGood 13.2.1.1
          2 December 2015 at 11:47 am

          Many of us don’t get to build a bridge. And when we try bridge-building, people like you pull the bridge down.

          • Daniel Cale 13.2.1.1.1
            2 December 2015 at 1:22 pm

            There is never any reason not to build a bridge, other than self indulgence.

            • DoublePlusGood 13.2.1.1.1.1
              2 December 2015 at 2:12 pm

              So racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and other prejudice doesn’t exist then?

            • One Anonymous Bloke 13.2.1.1.1.2
              2 December 2015 at 6:07 pm

              It’s a one-way bridge. Or I am reminded of Kosovo, where residents of a town “kept to their side” of the bridge. And shot anyone who made it to the middle.

              Slow clap. Imagine it. Danny decides he likes people who are like Danny. He rejects the other. He contracts a sexually transmitted disease: limited exposure to outgroups. Slow clap.

    • Daniel Cale 13.3
      1 December 2015 at 7:22 pm

      You’re right, of course. But chin up. Being a white, heterosexual male is fantastic! We might not have the new privilege that comes from being brown, gay and female, but let’s celebrate diversity! Unless of course that diversity includes white, hetero males.

      • Muttonbird 13.3.1
        1 December 2015 at 7:27 pm

        Your comment makes you seem rather insecure and intolerant which ironically is the sort of behaviour you pretend to argue against.

      • DoublePlusGood 13.3.2
        2 December 2015 at 12:14 pm

        Please feel free to tell us all the ways someone who is brown, gay and female is privileged in our society…

        • Daniel Cale 13.3.2.1
          2 December 2015 at 1:32 pm

          You need to be told? At the risk of being told off for some kind of ‘ism’ or ‘phobia’, I’ll name just one: The Independent Maori Statutory Board. Unelected. Unaccountable. Unnecessary. Great work, but only if you’re Maori.

          • DoublePlusGood 13.3.2.1.1
            2 December 2015 at 2:24 pm

            You mean the board appointed to represent the interests of Māori, who are structurally discriminated against, yet have traditional claims under the Treaty of Waitangi to significant parts of Auckland?
            Seems to me like that’s the sort of group that absolutely needs representation, for both legal and social development reasons. I do think that it could be elected with votes from people registered with an iwi or urban Māori authority who live in the region. The board would then be at least democratically accountable.
            If I were you I would be much more concerned about the unelected, unaccountable Council Controlled Organisations that run the finances of Auckland, like ATEED, than a Māori advisory board.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 13.3.2.1.2
            2 December 2015 at 5:58 pm

            Daniel, I doubt you are arguing in good faith, and if you are, you’ll have no choice but to note the outcomes for various groups within New Zealand.

            If despite the odds you are arguing in good faith, your recognition (which is obvious to all but you) that you feel superior and privileged is what marks you as a blithering idiot.

            If you aren’t providing evidence in support of Hodson & Busseri’s dubious conclusions, you’re defending bias with mendacity. Slow clap.

  14. Vaughan Little 14
    2 December 2015 at 4:39 am

    these dismal little chats we have…

    the secular state can never guarantee freedom of religion. what it does is pushes the agenda of freedom from religion. Of Course a senior government spokeswoman supports “neutral” language. this is just another step in the attempted long eradication of Christianity from the public life of the nation. some commenters above have taken a far more admirable position than devoy’s essentially dishonest one: get rid of Christmas altogether as a public holiday. fits with my mood, perhaps a bit stingy, that if liberals hate us so much, why the hell should they be able to enjoy our holidays and customs? why should our churches be open for their weddings? why should their bloodthirsty nations be strengthened by institutions of public education and public healthcare that were the product of the church’s response to Christ’s message anyway.

    and if we took it all back underground again, would that have any effect on the future of liberalism, that late cheap toxic rip off of the Christian message?

    neutral language – go the whole way and remove the word democracy from public discourse since so many migrants come from countries (and got pretty rich in them) where democracy was anathema. ban anything about Islam on tv since lots so contentious a topic these days. quietly drop the word “india” from the newspapers as a sign of support for neutrality over jammu and kashmir. remove the British flag because of the maoris, remove the maoris because of the racists.

    what case can be made for neutrality that is not hateful?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 14.1
      2 December 2015 at 7:39 am

      The “Christian” message is itself “ripped off”. Pretending ownership of it doesn’t seem very Christian to me. Bearing false witness much?

  15. vaughan little 15
    2 December 2015 at 11:45 am

    “The “Christian” message is itself “ripped off”. Pretending ownership of it doesn’t seem very Christian to me. Bearing false witness much?”

    it aint a rip off if you acknowledge your sources and show your working.

    it’s inane comments like yours which confirm my belief that christians need to start responding in an organized, thoughtful way with the kulturkampf against us, rather than just grimacingly going along with it.

    -suppression of the use of christian words in the public domain
    -suppression of biblical knowledge the schools, even though the bible is history’s most important book
    -miseducation around christianity – that it’s somehow more violent that liberalism (!!) or anti science (!!!)

    today i’m going to teach a bunch of poor kids for way lower pay than i could get if my goal was to maxamise my earning potential. then on friday i’m off to make sure some other kids wash whose parents are too poor to raise them. of course it’s not just me, there are other christians going with me. christianity IS good news for the poor. THAT’S what you want to suppress.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1
      2 December 2015 at 5:43 pm

      Are you talking about Lord Krisna’s virgin birth or Lao Tzu’s humanist values? By the way, the “ripped off” accusation is yours: I don’t see it that way. Witch-doctors co-opt humanist values to render their mumbo-pocus more palatable.

      Please note that I’m not denying that mumbo-pocus can be a force for good: it’s just when its exponents start claiming the moral high ground that I feel obliged to cut your ankles off.

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  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

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    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
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  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
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  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
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  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

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  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

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    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

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    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
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  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
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    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

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  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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