Fairs fair : how to complain, how not to and why not

Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, May 16th, 2018 - 21 comments
Categories: admin, Dirty Politics, internet, The Standard - Tags: , ,

One of the loudmouth irrelevancies of the Labour past has been harassing Greg Presland recently on social media alleging issues with something that seems remarkably undefined written on this site. I know Phil Quin moderately well after observing his behaviour during the 90s when I was heavily involved in the Mt Albert electorate while he was working for Phil Goff.  Ambiguity and smearing do seem to me to be his modus operandi. But you can read his current story, and it does appear to me to be a work of fiction, here.

But it does point to a issue with what happens when people complain without following due process.

In a completely separate issue (at least I presume that it is despite the similarities of dirty politics methods), I am currently working through the process of bankrupting another ‘complainant’ who also failed to follow due process.

Rather than using a more usual procedure of complaint, Dermot Nottingham chose instead to pursue a private prosecution against me personally. Which he lost along with all of the appeals to date incurring at the current count, more than $47k in court ordered costs to me. This does seem to be his modus operandi. He currently appears to have at least another $130k in court ordered costs from other failed private prosecutions. Try the judicial decisions search page with the search of Nottingham and you will see what I mean with  consistent pattern of losses in court and appeals against costs.

Neither of these two fools used the procedure explained in our contact page, or the carefully explained more recent procedure in the HDCA page.

Over the last decade the first procedure has been used successfully by many people of all persuasions, political or otherwise, over the years to get rapid action on anything published on this site. One of us reads the complaint, usually me, elicits information to find out where the section is, why it is an issue and then takes the appropriate action.

Nine times out of ten it results in the material being wiped and the offending commenter or author being given sharp rap over the knuckles (and our moderating procedures reviewed again). The other times; it is carefully explained exactly why we thought that was fair comment or expressed opinion and usually with an explanation of the legal options.

That is because we are fair – almost obsessively so. We stomp on false facts where we see them, limit the expression of opinion if it isn’t backed by source or if it is not expressed as being opinion, and generally try to allow a robust debate about politics and society. That also means we don’t pander to bullies trying to bypass process. They usually run into me and I’m not tolerant of people trying to game things.

Neither Phil Quin nor Dermot Nottingham even bothered to try the clear route for complaint. Both appear to me to be, at least in part, seem to have deliberately tried to bypass those. The suspicion in both cases has to be that there are politically motivated reasons aimed at silencing fair commentary and opinion.

Dermot Nottingham has been closely associated with Cameron Slater of dirty politics fame for years. His legal advocacy seems to have been a major reason why Cameron has been steadily miring into a legal morass.

Phil Quin has been regular opinion writer on the subject of the Labour Party from for decades – from what can only be described by many Labour party activists as being from the Act wing.

Both appeared to be capable of selectively reading the site. But also appeared to lack the capability to find the Contact page. So in my view you have to look towards other motivations than their stated ones for their actual actions.

Certainly Phil Quin’s actions with his post lend themselves to that interpretation. He has appeared to have deliberately targeted a specific person with what looks to me at present like a completely unsubstantiated allegation against them.

Update: it is likely the posts he wants to complain about is this one by me, this one by weka, and this one by mickysavage on his disgraceful commentary about Golriz Ghahraman.

By the sounds of his continually evolving story, it isn’t even the person who wrote whatever he is objecting to. If there is any substance to whatever allegations he has been spewing around without providing detail, then I’d take a bet that they are in comments.

Then he has outright lied in a public post about the response from The Standard.

Greg Presland contacted me with a link to Phil Quin’s allegations in Facebook. I contacted Phil Quin via the same medium, told him who I was, gave him the contact page link and my email address and asked him to send me the link and details to whatever it was that he was talking about.

Yet somehow Phil appears to have ‘forgotten’ this exchange in his post. He seem to have forgotten blustering his way around (in the classic Quin pattern) about not wanting to know the ‘inner workings’ of The Standard in the facebook exchange.

Instead he seems to be proud of his continued attempts at bullying via social media and mainly upset that his chosen target has removed his ability to do so. If he wanted to prove that he was a irresponsible dimwit to me then he couldn’t have picked a more appropriate method.

This site is operated by The Standard Trust as explained in our about. The trustees are myself and Mike Smith. Ultimately decisions about censorship on this site devolve on to us. That is who you have to talk to if you want to complain about material on this site.

If people want to complain about specific content on The Standard, then at a minimum they need to follow the due process. Part of this is laid down by InternetNZ and the Domain Name Commission who control the .nz domain. Part is now covered by the Harmful Digital Communications Act and other legal procedures. But mostly it is run and implemented by us.

But all of which requires that if you really want to get material taken down or amended on this site, then follow the procedure and contact the site through the stated procedures. Trying other means will get you a sharp and probably expensive. in one form or another. response.

I am sure Phil will be happy about this response from The Standard. “Don’t be your normal dickhead self.”

FFS Phil – If you actually want fairness, then get off your lazy arse and follow the procedure. Send me the exact details of why you are objecting to as links and quoted material. State why you think that a fact stated was inaccurate or an opinion was excessive, And I will personally have a look at it.

But don’t waste my time stroking your ego. I neither have the time nor the inclination to pander to idiots. Basically if you can’t do the same basic simple operations that we need to locate issues and which orevious complainants like Ian Wishart, Cameron Slater, and many others who we disagree with have followed successfully. Then I can’t really see why I should waste my  time wiping your pathetic arse.

And please stop trying to be just another idiotic bully on the internet – it is just irritating. Especially since you appear to be incompetent at that as well.

Lynn Prentice – sysop

21 comments on “Fairs fair : how to complain, how not to and why not ”

  1. Chris T 1

    Not going to comment on this Quin bloke as I have never heard of him, but a quick google says it is probably this

    https://thestandard.org.nz/phil-quin-our-medias-goto-dogwhistling-aussie/

    • lprent 1.1

      Ah. That would explain why he didn’t want to engage with me. And why he has been completely coy about actually providing links to whatever he is complaining about.

      However that is also an opinion piece about a opinion piece commentary by him about someone else. It clearly states why I formed the opinion that I have based on his behaviour. And reading it, I really can’t see anything that I’d like to change.

      If you write opinion, especially that crock of crap that he wrote about Ghahraman, then you’d have to expect that analysis and opinion about what you’d written would follow.

      To stand and whine about the downstream consequences of people highlighting his opinions and opining on them would have to be the height of hypocrisy. After all I can’t see a trace of anything apart from bully behaviour in his article on Ghahraman. Why should he get concerned about someone using exactly the same right to opine upon him.

      If he cares to continue to want to complain, then I’d happily pass this over to Mike Smith to look at.

      • Chris T 1.1.1

        Fair call

        It also strikes me as a bit of a stretch that 4 different US clients didnt hire him because they all happen to find the same opinion piece.

        • lprent 1.1.1.1

          It does happen. I remember someone named in a post as being the current company officer with a particularly egregious company with very dubious labour practices. They had real issues getting employment afterwards. Our post came up top or high in all search results by employment agencies. (I’d have to look up the email for details now).

          This was raised with us by a family member using the contact page. Several of us at the time did some research. We found that they hadn’t been responsible for the poor decisions when they were made. They just managed to carry the can afterwards. So I wiped the persons name from the post and comments a couple of days after the complaint was made.

          But at least there was none of the kind of stupid games that Phil seems to be playing.

  2. Anne 2

    Wow, that’s interesting.

    So, some of the wee darlings are having hissy fits because a naughty author or commenter dared to criticise them. Don’t know about anyone else, but that’s grist to the mill for me.

    It became obvious a few years ago that the Dirty Political crowd decided to target Greg Presland and I expect they have been doing it on on and off ever since. Phil Quin is continuing the tradition.

    “Silly little boy”.

    • Rosemary McDonald 2.1

      “So, some of the wee darlings are having hissy fits because a naughty author or commenter dared to criticise them.”

      Hah! After flicking through the links to remind myself of the minutiae of that particular little artificially generated shit-storm the word that keeps popping into my mind is “snowflake”.

      Now I’m having to self flagellate, as this is a term most often used over where Farrar’s Ferals play.

      What was obvious at the time was that They had dug deep and mined the foetid depths to try and find something, anything on someone, anyone, to undermine the new Government.

      Golriz was low hanging fruit.

      Sadly, it seems They were in part successful because this talented MP has been so far underutilised.

      • lprent 2.1.1

        Yeah. There are three posts by different authors about different aspects of the smear at the time.

        But mine targeted Phil Quin

        But I’d also say that Gloriz is a first term MP. Traditionally not usually given a lot to do because just learning the ropes at parliament as an MP (even for people who have previously been around parliament) usually takes up much of their time.

        • Anne 2.1.1.1

          All MPs will tell you that entering parliament is a very steep learning curve. There are masses of regulations and traditions which take time to get their heads around. Add to that… preparations required for select committee hearings and House debates must be quite daunting for newbies, I’m not surprised most are not burdened with any other responsibilities for at least a year.

  3. greywarshark 3

    I’ve been reading about vexatious litigation and the slow attempts the justice system has been making to reduce the harrassment from it when it is being brought by malicious or paranoid people who have the funds to do it.

    The government I fear, is more interested in stopping conservation groups from using the Courts to try and prevent some destruction by predatory corporates or through conniving assistance by local Councils.

    Here are some links about vexatious litigation.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11726085
    Courts to get powers to block vexatious legal action
    10 Oct 2016

    Radionz
    New Zealand
    4:05 pm on 3 May 2014
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/243253/blogger-declared-vexatious-litigant
    Businessman and blogger Vincent Siemer has been declared a vexatious litigant and will no longer be able to file court cases relating to a long running legal dispute.
    Lawyers for the Crown asked the High Court to stop Mr Siemer from filing new cases after years of litigation including law suits against several individual judges, the Attorney-General, the Law Society and the Judicial Conduct Commissioner.

    Already this year the Supreme Court has ruled on four cases brought by Mr Siemer after ruling against him on 13 cases last year.

    In a ruling, Justice Ronald Young and Justice Brown said that they had decided not to impose a complete ban on Mr Siemer filing law suits.
    But he would be banned from further suits against judges, lawyers and the parties involved in his original dispute over a receivership.
    The judges said that Mr Siemer simply refused to accept the finality of rulings against him and persistently instituted vexatious proceedings as a result.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6880351/Attempt-to-shut-down-vexatious-litigant 2012
    In the High Court at Palmerston North yesterday, Justice Patrick Keane and Justice Peter Woodhouse heard Reid had taken 77 legal cases before various courts since the mid-1980s.

    https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/lawtalk/lawtalk-archives/issue-842/proceedings-ban-follows-vexatious-litigation 2014

    http://www.mondaq.com/NewZealand/x/185386/court+procedure/The+Law+Commission+on+vexatious+litigants+in+New+Zealand 2012

    http://r126.publications.lawcom.govt.nz/Chapter+16+-+Vexatious+actions/Querulous+litigants 2011

    https://nz.vlex.com/vid/commission-vexatious-litigants-in-zealand-385534768 No date

    • AsleepWhileWalking 3.1

      The legal system equivalent of a stalker

    • lprent 3.2

      The problem with the vexatious litigant legislation is that is just for civil law.

      Private prosecutions are criminal law.

      They are also an important safeguard against the state. It is not the only entity capable of bringing prosecutions. Organizations like the SPCA can as well. But so can private citizens.

      However to bring a prosecution the most that is required is a primary facie case that a judge considers may have legs. That doesn’t require much the way of proof. It just requires that there may have been an obvious breach of a particular law.

      The problem is with self representing prosecutors with limited legal capabilities and absolutely no duty to the court. They have no particular need ti actually check their assumptions. They can also soak up a lot of legal time with status hearings avoiding the inevitable

      In my particular case, that meant that Dermot prosecuted the wrong entity in my co-defendent. APN did not own the NZ Herald when their articles was written.

      I haven’t ever “owned” The Standard and didn’t write the post in question.

      This was all knowable when Dermot Nottungham started the case. He didn’t ask nor even apparently even try to find out. Like Phil Quin, when I reached out to point this out, it got ignored in a flurry of pointless and inaccurate allegations.

      Yet he recklessly proceeded to start and continue the case.

      So I intend to make sure Dermot Nottingham never proceeds with a case like this again and to make sure taht any other fool is fully informed before they proceed with similar stupidities.

      • greywarshark 3.2.1

        I thought that there had to be proved first that there was a case to answer before all the hooha.

        The matter just confirms for me the advantage of having a pseudonym. There are too many loonies around that feel entitled to let out whatever arises from their bowels.

        • lprent 3.2.1.1

          Not really. The expectation is that the police / crown prosecutor / lawyers will have already have done that. They are all to one degree or another officers of the court. And the penalties for misleading the court tend towards the draconian professionally.

          With a private prosecutor doing it without legal assistance, all they have to do is to present something that looks like it may be a case. There are no obvious early penalties and no real long term ones as well apart from paying costs after they screw up or get made bankrupt.

          In the latter case, they can effectively get disbarred from court actions for 3 years without their official assignee signing off on it.

          • greywarshark 3.2.1.1.1

            Sounds damned unsatisfactory to me. The illusory attachment to some theoretical idea of the openness of the law, so scrappily followed, just poisons and clogs up the system. There are people who play with the system and everyone just keeps going through the motions because nobody gets to the root of the problem and changes it so it works in a way we can respect.

            I have a friend who is after a dodgy character who is so slithery its a wonder he can keep standing. She has found other people are after him too but he is all the time setting up new things with his gains from his misuse of business law. Tracked down he just walks the other way, pleads ignorance, is unwell, can’t be served, and people are put to great expense time and stress trying to get the man dealt with. They are law abiding but the law seems to lean towards him not them.

  4. AsleepWhileWalking 4

    Did the rounds a few years back harassing users of ACC Forum.org.

    VERY well known. I received a PM warning me not to engage in anyway due to unstable and in OPs opinion vindictive nature.

  5. adam 5

    I found Quin so very drool, his writing is boring, his website is such a drag, that dishwater, even dirty dishwater – is way more interesting.

    Don’t waste your time lprent. It was obvious reading his peace, he one of those individuals who reveals in the role of the victim. You can’t get a straight answer, nor a result from people like that in my experience.

    I think Greg Presland did the right thing blocking him. On that front, virtual *hug* Greg, remember you don’t have to suffer bullies, especially really dull ones.

    As you will note Quin, mine is all my own opinion. Nothing here is more that that. Face facts buddy – some people don’t like you, or they way you operate. I am but one of those people.

  6. Muttonbird 6

    Quin is such a whiney little prick. Perhaps he should have thought twice before lying about Ghahraman for his own gain.

  7. mauī 7

    I feel slightly sick and I think I need a shower. Why does this always happen when this name pops up. Really fucking weird.

  8. SPC 8

    This appears to be little more than a complaint about one sentence “This latest little effort of Phil Quin on a female green MP shows all of the usual signs of that 1990s bubble misogynist training.”

    https://thestandard.org.nz/phil-quin-our-medias-goto-dogwhistling-aussie/

    He probably wants you to simply remove the word (misogynist) from the sentence.

    … as you say, if someone wants such a thing done, they need to go through the “standard” process for doing this … .

    • fender 8.1

      …and this bit:

      “The bit that Andrew Geddis seems to miss is, in my opinion, that she is a conservationist woman in a position of power with a philosophy of fixing things. Personally I couldn’t imagine anything that is more threatening to misogynist egomaniac who thrives on chaos.”

  9. Philg 9

    I am more interested in finding out why our MSM gives Mr Quin any coverage at all. Is it because he’s not a lefty, in fact, a righty?

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    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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