English still whining

Written By: - Date published: 12:51 pm, December 6th, 2017 - 58 comments
Categories: bill english, election 2017 - Tags: ,

Surprise surprise – Bill English is still whining that that 44.4% should really be counted as 50.1% –

Comments on that tweet are blunt – “He’s gutted he can’t round his way up to a majority. What a tosspot”. “Breaking: Opposition Leader Does Not Understand How MMP Works”. And the Nats are trying to rewrite history –

Ha hah. They also have a bridge they’d like to sell you.

These gems are from the post election conference at Parliament today, here’s more tweets from Newshub covering the event –

58 comments on “English still whining ”

  1. Bill English has presented his election review, saying “nearly 1/2 of NZers didn’t vote for what they got, and don’t like how they got there”.

    Yes, I’m quiet aware that many National and ACT voters don’t like democracy.

    Peter Dunne has issued a challenge to the new Parliament: “Seize the moment, change the constitution, and make the next head of state the president of the republic of NZ”

    Didn’t realise that Dunne wanted us to become a republic.

    Tend to agree with him as well. Still, it’s something that needs to be put to referendum and not just implemented from the top.

    Te Ururoa Flavell says he is still shattered from the election. And shattered with the results. “Despite all the gains we got for our people, we got owned”

    That probably has something to do with you working with National to make the majority of people worse off.

    • tc 1.1

      I thought Flavell was just stating facts;

      “Despite all the gains….” for elite iwi , “……we got owned” by national since 2008.

    • tracey 1.2

      I wonder who he has in mind for the first President 😉

      He seems to have lots of ideas now he is no longer in govt with power to do them.

      • Matthew Whitehead 1.2.1

        He built his whole career on never getting out on front of the issues. Of course he suddenly shows some residual courage as soon as he’s out of office.

    • Matthew Whitehead 1.3

      The Republic thing needs more than a referendum. It needs active participation and agreement from New Zealanders, and thorough debate on how. Nobody wants to turn it into the John Key Flag Options.

    • Ed 1.4

      When your party represents the interests of the 1%, of course you don’t like democracy.

  2. Tricledrown 2

    Crying in Beersies sindrone.
    Droning Drongo from Dipton.
    Who is going to replace this 2 time looser.
    He didn’t get MMP the first time he was leader and still doesn’t get it.
    Voting blocks .
    His comment after the election saying Winston is a Maverick was a dumb idea he could have been PM.
    He could have hung the leakers out to dry and been PM.
    But that would have been a hollow vicTory.
    Can we believe Joyce.
    Bennett Eagleston etc.
    Eagleston was the fall guy.
    Not enough to appease Winston.
    I suspect Paula Bennett was the leaker given her form.
    Younger with leadership asperations waiting for another election cycle with Bill English in charge was to much.

  3. Tricledrown 3

    Double Dipping
    Double dipped out.

  4. tracey 4

    Was English in the Bolger government which ruled with 35% of the vote?

  5. Lost whatever small respect I had for English when he ducked and weaved, lied re Todd Barclay case. No leadership skills what so ever. A wooden ventriloquist doll with no personal confidence unless told how to react. How this guy retains any amount of respect is beyond me – just a privileged person who somehow hung on due to blue seat in Southland – willing to support the great big lie. He’ll be gone soon absolutely no doubt. A journey man way beyond his capabilities with a nasty streak. Quite pathetic really.

    • How this guy retains any amount of respect

      He’s rich and, for many, that’s all that matters.

    • Loop 5.2

      blinglish is little different to key or any other national politician as far as honesty or integrity goes. I can’t remember a Labour government showing such churlish, poor form in or out of government. The opposition just sickens me. Long may they be in opposition!

  6. D'Esterre 6

    “Bill English is still whining…”

    Who’s that again?

  7. Sparky 7

    Neither of the big parties seem to understand how MMP works. The Nats seem to have a problem with the basic math and Lay-bore seems to think having an alliance means having a mandate to push deals like the CP-TPP even though its partners voters said a clear “no” to it and they need that support to stay in office.

    • The Nats seem to have a problem with the basic math

      The Nats know how it works and they don’t have a problem with basic maths. What they have problem with is that they didn’t win, This seems to be because they believe themselves to be winners and thus deserve to win and so everyone should simply vote for them because everyone is supposed to support winners, i.e, them.

  8. Tanz 8

    English is one hundred per cent right, and actually, this is not how MMP was sold to us.
    MMP was supposed to give small parties a voice, but not to actually let one of them choose the government. So NZ First voters, all seven percent, get their views represented, whilst National voters, who outpolled both Labour and the Greens, do not. Stuff MMP it is a farce.
    Labour would be just as unhappy if the shoe had been on the other foot and they as the highest polling party had been sidelined. But then when does Labour ever play fair.? At the end of the day though, numbers don’t lie.

    National won the popular vote over Labour and nothing can change that. Next election Winston Peters will not be there to save Labour. Roll on 2020, this election was just a waste of time con, and a slap in the face to a transparent, fair democracy. Not to mention a slap in the face to the majority voters, who voted National. That was not a vote for change, it was a vote for the status quo, or Labour would have outpolled the Nats. They did not. Half of NZ First voters wanted National also, hence NZ First is already well below seven percent and very near below the threshold, already. Yay. Sir Richard Prebble is right, MMP is a flawed farce. This will be the election that finally, finally gets MMP reformed, or even better, replaced, (eventually).

    • Ed 8.1

      You are a sore loser, Tanz.

      • In Vino 8.1.1

        Tanz – face it. National’s so-called popular vote was not that at all. It was well below 50%. Nobody else wanted to go with National, so that is where they stayed. Fair and square.
        The current coalition Govt is the majority, not the lonely under-50% National whingers. Eat it, digest it, then shut up.
        Want another immediate election, Tanz? Seen the latest polls? Do you think Billshit English would have half a chance of winning with Jacinda giving him daily lessons in how to speak, reason, and convince? NZ first could well become irrelevant, but not in a way you would like.

        • Tanz 8.1.1.1

          National’s internal polling is very robust, they are on track to outpoll Labour once again next time. NZ First will be gone, and possibly the Greens. So it will be no mates Labour.

          I knew Ardern wasn’t up to the job, there is no substance at all, she is all about slogans and soundbites. Clark runs circles around her as a PM, and so does Emglish. Anyway, the people endorsed English over Ardern, and they will again.
          This willl be a one term government, already its looking shaky.

          • Ed 8.1.1.1.1

            This is really quite sad, tanz.
            You lost.
            Being a bad loser is not a good look.
            Have a little more self-respect.

          • McFlock 8.1.1.1.2

            They might “outpoll” Labour.

            But that is irrelevant.

            The fact is, most voters rejected National and anyone likely to go into coalition with them.

          • tracey 8.1.1.1.3

            Yeah you never used terms like Helengrad or Alan Clark, you admired and respected Clark when she was PM.

            Your comment about slogans and hollow betrays you. For 9 years you extolled it from Key’s mouth.

      • Tanz 8.1.2

        So Ed, if it had happed the other way around, and even though say Labour outpolled National but were sidelined by a small seven per cent party, you’d be ok with that and just put it down to MMP? Somehow, I doubt it, and the biased MSM would be screaming from the rooftops also. we’d be hearing how its against our convention and against natural justice, from the editorials to the front pages etc, and especially from the very left biased tv and radio commentators. But since they have an outcome that suits them and their agendas, they are silent as stone. Democracy is not owned by the voters in NZ, it is owned by the media and Winston Peters. Not a sore loser, i just like fairness. If Labour had won the election, I wouldn’t care.The whole thing is a farce, read letters to the editor etc, there is much dissent out there re a coalition of losers govt.

        • Ed 8.1.2.1

          Thought this brief video might help you understand our system of government.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JamSJ_yguqc

        • Pete 8.1.2.2

          Tanz, In your opinion that wasn’t how MMP was sold to us. Lots of things in politics end up to not be how they were sold to us. Like elections and the part GST has played in them.

        • Tricledrown 8.1.2.3

          So Tanz National relied on Winston in 1996 then double crossed Winston, again in 2007 National targeted Winston before the election.
          Key said he wouldn’t go into Coalition with Peters 2 elections in a row then changed his mind and still didn’t go with Winston.
          So National ran out of partners not thinking the Maori Party would collapse and Labour shut Dunne out.
          Stephen Joyce​ is who you should be nlaming Tanz he lost the Northland byelelection and didn’t have a plan B infact he destroyed plan B maybe thinking Labour didn’t stand a chance.
          Lame blame gaming Tanz
          Stop crying in your Beersies Tanz.
          Maybe it’s Nationals plan to loose this election and continue to attack Winston.

        • McFlock 8.1.2.4

          As I recall, I was pretty pissed at Winston in 1996. But I was pissed at Winston. I never tried to pretend the process was illegitimate or abused, or that anyone had a right to be preferred coalition partner.

          I was pissed because he gave the impression he’d do one thing, and did the opposite.

          That’s different to complaining that you won your leg of the relay, so you should get the trophy even though two or three of your mates didn’t finish their legs of the race, but the team with three or four people cooperating together all completed their bit of the job.

          Or maybe it’s a bit like the US guy at the Vietnam peace talks who stated that the yanks won every battle they fought against the Vietnamese. The response he got was “That may be true, but it is also irrelevant”.

          So slow clap to national for being the highest polling party. Full credit to the coalition for realising that democracy now requires people to cooperate.

          • Draco T Bastard 8.1.2.4.1

            As I recall, I was pretty pissed at Winston in 1996. But I was pissed at Winston.

            Most of the country were pissed at Winston in 1996 after he went with National.

            But nobody complained about the electoral system.

        • tracey 8.1.2.5

          Go back and do some research. There have been times when what you suggest happened. Do your research and tell us how outraged the media were on Labour’s behalf. But you wont. Evidence will undermine your supposition.

          NZF did not determine this Government. Labour and National did.

          Now, stop treating it like a game and give Democracy the respect you bemoaned is lacking.

        • Loop 8.1.2.6

          I feel betrayed by the voters of new zealand for the previous 3 terms under national. As you correctly state Tanz, the media are part of deciding the government and in this superficial world we live in “pretty” wins. john key was “pretty”, charismatic unethical, immoral, law breaker(as are a lot of the politicians in national) and deceitful, but all that counted to the voters was that oohh, ahhh loverly smile. AAAnd, I think you’ll find MSM still has a bias towards blinglish. every descision labour looks at making, MSM look to blinglish for a comment or opinion, like it really counts. not.

    • greg 8.2

      well tuff tanz

    • Incognito 8.3

      What you’re trying to say, I think, is that MMP was supposed to give small parties a voice, but not to actually let one of them choose the government because that would be the ‘prerogative’ of the highest polling party (AKA winner of popular vote or the party with a plurality). In other words, you want FPP.

      Contrary to popular belief elections and MMP are not about the parties but about the voters, the people who elect their representatives in a democracy. Under MMP the common situation is that a minority of votes will be represented by the Opposition. It doesn’t matter whether the Opposition is comprised of one big, a few medium, many minor parties or some mixture thereof.

      So many people are so party-centric that it almost becomes a fixation; too much tribalism and partisan politics are the result.

    • English is one hundred per cent right,

      No, he’s lying.

      and actually, this is not how MMP was sold to us.

      Actually, this is exactly how it was sold to us and what I voted for.

      MMP was supposed to give small parties a voice, but not to actually let one of them choose the government.

      No, that would be you Making Shit Up because reality isn’t conforming to your delusional biases.

      So NZ First voters, all seven percent, get their views represented, whilst National voters, who outpolled both Labour and the Greens, do not.

      Their views are represented in parliament. And I certainly don’t recall you complaining that Labour’s, NZ1st’s and the Greens’ views weren’t represented in the last government.

      Stuff MMP it is a farce.

      Why? Because it didn’t deliver what you wanted?

      That’s democracy – even our highly restricted system of it.

      National won the popular vote

      No they didn’t. That would be you Making Shit Up again. Labour, Greens and NZ1st have the popular vote.

      this election was just a waste of time con, and a slap in the face to a transparent, fair democracy.

      No, this election was a reasonably fair election – despite National rorting the system.

      Not to mention a slap in the face to the majority voters, who voted National.

      THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS DID NOT VOTE NATIONAL.

      And no matter how many times you tell yourself that lie it won’t change the fact that National LOST.

      Half of NZ First voters wanted National also

      And that would be another lie.

      All indications that I’ve seen over the last few years is that a majority of NZ1st voters preferred Labour.

      Sir Richard Prebble is right, MMP is a flawed farce.

      Richard Prebble, like John Key, is lying scum. Just like you in fact.

    • tracey 8.5

      When Bolger won with 35% no one on the Right squealed. You actually have outlined beautifully your misu derstanding MMP. To make your argument you needed false assumptions such as

      Winston decided

      Er no, Labour and National decided.

    • tracey 8.6

      One party getting more votes than another is not the point and even under FPP was not the point.

      Who gets 61 seats is the point.

      It really is that simple.

      Labour has a longer history than National of getting higher vote count but not getting Treasury benches so your argument

      What if labour had 44.6% is addressed by history

    • Lucy 8.7

      Hilary won the popular vote in the US and she didn’t win, Labour in the UK won the popular vote and they didn’t win. Under democracy in its many forms most have a way of ensuring that the most popular do not win the most seats. Its only a problem when born to rule parties lose the stack!

      • solkta 8.7.1

        I think the US electoral system has a problem. They do not have one person one vote but rather votes allocated to states regardless of population. The individual does not actually have a constitutional right to vote for the president.

    • Loop 8.8

      That whining sounds very bill english. are you an alter ego?

    • Paul Campbell 8.9

      Tanz: It’s like rugby, MMP elections in NZ are a game of two halves, if you win the first half but come to the end of the second half with fewer points than the other team, you have lost the game.

      Complaining that because you won the first half the whole game should have been awarded to you is just plain sour grapes, but saying that the rules of the game require it is telling porkies too

    • NZJester 8.10

      The Majority of voters get their views represented. The majority of New Zealand voters voted against National. The small parties National used to hang on to power in the last couple of elections where just National puppets with no real say, just being used as a way for National to introduce its less popular policies while claiming the policies belonged to someone else. The Maori party who helped prop them up paid the price for helping betray most of the people who voted for them.

    • Thinkerrr 8.11

      Better buy a pair of brown trousers before 2020, Tanz…

    • AB 8.12

      MMP is behaving entirely as expected and desired – it’s delivering GOVERNMENTS that have the support of over 50% of those who voted. (Disregarding the wasted vote for parties that didn’t get into parliament).
      Its purpose was to end the anti-democratic FPP absurdity of parties becoming governments with huge majorities and near-dictatorial powers on much less than 50% of the vote.
      Undoubtedly we will see another attack on MMP from the right.

  9. NewsFlash 9

    Tanz

    ” Not to mention a slap in the face to the majority voters, who voted National.”

    You obviously are suffering from the same National party funded education that dildo Joyce had cos neither of you don’t appear to be particularly good at MATHS, for your benefit, 44.6% is not a majority and the 55.4% who did vote for change just happens to be a majority.

    Democracy, dictionary definition, for your benefit.

    “a government by the people; especially: rule of the majority”

    The only statement you have provided that is correct is this one

    ” English is one hundred per cent right”

    Yeah, right winged, 100%

  10. greg 10

    they still cant cope with the fall from power the born to rule nacts just cant understand why 55.4 percent of us booted them out of office. they be-leaved the cooLade key feed them on the rock star economy well to bad

  11. Ed 11

    This thread could be titled Tanz and Bill English still whining…….

  12. Bearded Git 12

    Its 44.4% not 44.6%

  13. cleangreen 13

    National have been already ‘brainwashed’ and are now “talking heads” only parroting what the they have been programed to say.

    We are fighting a new kind of political system more akin to andoids taking over the world now sadly.

    We must learn to treat the ‘new Opposition Party’ only as a bunch of foriegn objects sent to disrupt civil order, and therefore must be dealt with orderly, as the old ‘National’ Government did to us freedom fighters for democracy.

  14. Cinny 14

    The pamphlet that nick smith sent out to nelson and tasman voters, claiming nats won the election, turns out it has a little survey thing to fill in and post off.

    If you’ve still got your pamphlet, then write on the survey the truth.. national lost the election.. then free post it away.

  15. Mickey Boyle 15

    While I dont agree with you on most of your comment Tanz, I do agree with you in your premise that this will be a one term government. Hopefully Jacinda and James can implement some comprehensive policy in this term, I dont have alot of faith in this however, but it is still early days.

  16. Thinkerrr 16

    Don’t knock Blinglish’s thinking too much. He’s helping the new government.

    If he had come out of the election with the opinion that he no longer had the numbers or friendly smaller parties to form a government, he would have goe through his shadow spokespeople’s roles with a fine tooth comb, weeding out the spent forces and bringing in some fresh, young talent, hungry for a chance at government in 2020. Life would be a bit harder for the new government.

    Instead, he feels robbed. He feels he actually won the election, but it was stolen from him.

    And for that reason, he believes his tired pack of old faces still have the charisma to pull poular opinion, so he hasn’t made many (any?) changes to the old lineup.

    At some point, the strategists will work that out, roll the Dipton Dynamo and the new person will sack the old guard and replace it with fresh horses. Until then, the government should make the best of the opportunity, rest a bit, build a cohesive team of the three parties in government, because this time won’t last forever.

    Also, use the time to get the news out that neoliberalism failed, not a) hasn’t been given enough time, or b) not been fully implemented. Failed. And, yes, there always was an alternative, we just weren’t allowed to speak about it or give it a name.

    Currently, National has two vulnerabilities. One is temporary, being the trotting out of the old guard that they believe is still popular. The other is permanent and that is that they have adoptec neoliberalism to the core of their being, and neolibralism has failed. Don’t waste the chance to deal to them on these factors.

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    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    3 days ago
  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    4 days ago
  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    4 days ago
  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    4 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – 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 interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    5 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    6 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    7 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    1 week ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    1 week ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    1 week ago

  • Youth justice programme expands to break cycle of offending
    The successful ‘Circuit Breaker’ fast track programme designed to stop repeat youth offending was launched in two new locations today by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis. The programme, first piloted in West and South Auckland in December last year, is aimed at children aged 10-13 who commit serious offending or continue ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Major milestone with 20,000 employers using Apprenticeship Boost
    The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost initiative has now supported 20,000 employers to help keep on and train up apprentices, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni announced in Christchurch today. Almost 62,000 apprentices have been supported to start and keep training for a trade since the initiative was introduced in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Government supporting wood processing jobs and more diverse industry
    The Government is supporting non-pine tree sawmilling and backing further job creation in sawmills in Rotorua and Whangarei, Forestry Minister Peeni Henare said.   “The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan identified the need to add more diversity to our productions forests, wood products and markets,” Peeni Henare said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Government backing Canterbury’s future in aerospace industry
    The Government is helping Canterbury’s aerospace industry take off with further infrastructure support for the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, Infrastructure Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “Today I can confirm we will provide a $5.4 million grant to the Tāwhaki Joint Venture to fund a sealed runway and hangar ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Updated forestry regulations increase council controls and require large slash removal
    Local councils will have more power to decide where new commercial forests – including carbon forests – are located, to reduce impacts on communities and the environment, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “New national standards give councils greater control over commercial forestry, including clear rules on harvesting practices and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days 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 week 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
    1 week 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
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