Finlayson QC

Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, December 14th, 2012 - 100 comments
Categories: corruption, politicans - Tags:

So Chris Finlayson, Attorney General, finally managed to get his Bill through last month re-allowing the antiquated title of Queen’s Counsel to be conferred on lawyers again.  The title is worth hundred of thousands in extra legal fees you can charge with your added prestige of having ‘taken silk’.

Yesterday he made his first appointment to the title.  It went to…

Chris Finlayson.

lprent: The press secretary for Chris Finlayson advises via e-mail:

…the Minister responsible for the Lawyers and Conveyancers Amendment Bill was the Justice Minister (although the Attorney did introduce the bill in 2009). The recommendation for the appointments to Queen’s Counsel of the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General were made by the PM under the prerogative powers preserved by the Act, not by the Attorney-General.

Bunji: that’ll teach me to trust Newstalk ZB…

100 comments on “Finlayson QC ”

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  1. Rich 1
    14 December 2012 at 11:34 am

    In NZ, everyone knows everyone and clients will have a good idea whether a lawyer’s going to be any good for their work, whether they’re Mr Lord Justice Dr Sir Christopher Finlayson QC, KPMG, VC, DSO and Bar, or plain Mr Finlayson.

    So to make the big dollars, he’ll have to go overseas, and I’m not sure how well an NZ QC would do at the UK bar (would he even qualify?).

  2. vto 2
    14 December 2012 at 11:41 am

    ha ha how pathetic.

    The other words which QC stands for are far more appropriate for Finlayson.

    • Lanthanide 2.1
      14 December 2012 at 12:19 pm

      What else does QC stand for?

    • Dave Kennedy (bsprout) 2.2
      14 December 2012 at 12:41 pm

      vto-i am appalled that you use this inference, even if intended as light hearted (it is not) and feel that such comments should be immediately censored. It reflects badly on this blog while it remains in public view and is apparently tolerated.

      • vto 2.2.1
        14 December 2012 at 12:47 pm

        Fair enough, it is certainly a heavy term. Funny thing is though that in use it in fact describes Finlayson and his actions in the political arena over time, and especially what he has done here. Not used or heard very many places these days so many people who don’t come across it may well take the wrong meaning from it. In its usual place it fits and in fact has little to do with abuse. More to describe someone’s actions and their relation to the relevant norms. Perhaps too much for here…

        • karol 2.2.1.1
          14 December 2012 at 12:51 pm

          Say what?  vto, as a lesbian I really can’t fathom your attempted excuse for using that term.  I also totally disagree with Finlayson’s abuse of power.  It has nothing to do with sexuality.

          And I do find the term used above to be offensive. 

          • vto 2.2.1.1.1
            14 December 2012 at 1:05 pm

            ok ok, point taken. Wrong side of the tracks. Will keep that shit to where it is known and its use accepted for what it is, along with all the other types of offensive shit that gets splattered at each and every thing and type and species. Nobody is immune in the badlands. But you know, I do not retract the fact that this alternative use of the letters describes Finlayson’s actions.

            Not a very merry christmas post was it – sorry for bringing down the tone

            And King Kong, do you know if South Park is real?

            • karol 2.2.1.1.1.1
              14 December 2012 at 1:11 pm

              Nice. 🙁

              • vto …
                14 December 2012 at 2:17 pm

                Yeah, sorry. But you know, been thinking through the lunchtime wandering, the brain bouncing along the road behind, and I got to thinking that whenever this term is used it is never / rarely actually used in a homophobic abuse sense. The queer aspect relates to the unusuality of whatever is the subject of scorn, and this is of course a genuine and ancient definition for ‘queer’. It never relates to anything sexual. That is my experience of it. So I think this aspect of it has been misconstrued on here.

                The other half of the saying is of course used in the usual, and often good, sense that that word is used i.e. “He’s a good c…”. More in that sense. But it is well accepted that the word is one of the more reviled in the queens english.

                So, to call Finlayson such in these circumstances does fit. His actions in granting himself a status are the actions of a q c. The fact of his personal circumstances are immaterial, although given the surrounding lay of the land it was perhaps unwise to follow the brain trail down this rabbit hole …….

                And a bouquet for Finlayson, this matter aside… He impresses when he is on target. He is sharp certainly. Knowledgeable. Follows the conventions and rule of law. Seems to rest his actions on a broad base understanding and respect for our centuries-old system (which cannot be said for his colleagues in government).

                • King Kong …
                  14 December 2012 at 2:47 pm

                  Thats hilarious. You are such a jizz stain.

                • Populuxe1 …
                  14 December 2012 at 2:56 pm

                  So basically if John Key uses the word “gay” out of context in a mildly pejorative way that was more buffoonery than anything, he’s a horrible homophobe, but if you use “queer” in a blatantly offensive way you expect to have it laughed off. Hmmm.

                • felixviper …
                  14 December 2012 at 8:19 pm

                  For what it’s worth (probably not much) I’ve not known the term to be usually used in a homophobic sense either. It’s a hoary old saying and my experience of it is just as vto says, to mean a strange bastard.

                  It’s not a particularly urban or urbane turn of phrase, and some of you sophisticated educated city dwellers might not be used to the kind of talk where words like “cunt” aren’t automatically assumed to be insulting.

                  So I do understand why people might find it offensive but I do also think it’s being taken the wrong way. vto has always seemed like a good cunt to me.

          • asp viper 2.2.1.1.2
            14 December 2012 at 1:51 pm

            I presume you might be doubly offended?

          • Colonial Weka 2.2.1.1.3
            14 December 2012 at 2:25 pm

            I’ve heard the term queer cunt used for a very long time and always assumed that queer was its old usage (as in odd). I would have to honestly say that it never occurred to me that it was being used homophobically given the places I heard it used. I know someone who uses the term queer to mean odd with no trace of homophobia (he’s quite old though), but that’s rare now. I think using the term queer cunt is inadvisable now because the main use of the word queer these days is for the not straight.

            • Populuxe1 2.2.1.1.3.1
              14 December 2012 at 3:00 pm

              Calling a GLBT person a “queer cunt” is offensive. End. Of. Story.

              • vto …
                14 December 2012 at 3:03 pm

                I aint never heard anybody do that pop

                • Populuxe1 …
                  14 December 2012 at 3:06 pm

                  Findlayson is gay. This is public information. So yes you did.

                  • vto …
                    14 December 2012 at 3:10 pm

                    Well yes I know that but it was used in the context described above.

                    But you concentrate a point – is abuse ladled out by the statement or by the receipt?

                    • Populuxe1 …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:21 pm

                      Give it up vto – unless you’ve lived in isolation in a cave for the last 70 years or so, you know perfectly well what “queer”‘s commonest usage is and how politically charged a term it is, even in the GLBT community. You should certainly know better than to use it as an insult, and it boggles the mind that you would use it of an openly gay man, especially in conjunction with a word deemed so offensive it’s one of the few you can’t use on  late night TV.

                      Just own that you did it deliberately, own that you fucked up and apologise properly. Maybe we’ll put it down to a similar lapse in judgement as Key’s “gay” brainfart. Stop trying to wriggle around the issue and you may come out of this with some dignity and respect intact. 

                    • vto …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:27 pm

                      Look pop, read each of my posts on this. They are all up and down around here. No point in repeating myself to answer your points there. You have the wrong end of it. And certainly I have trodden on some more modern toes.

                      Put it like this – If some other non-gay cock had been made a QC in circumstances like this I would have called him a q c for the exact same reasons. It fits the actions. It is an old term.

                      The issue arises with my last sentence in my last post just above yours. And it is genuine question – what defines offence? The intent of the maker of the statement? Or the receipt in which the statement is taken?

                    • Colonial Weka …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:39 pm

                      “And it is genuine question – what defines offence? The intent of the maker of the statement? Or the receipt in which the statement is taken?”
                       
                      Both those things, but also context (and lack of intent doesn’t equal absence of offense). Would you be surprised if someone called me a stupid cunt and I took that more personally (because I am a woman) than I might if I were a man? And do you understand that the reason I might be more upset is not only because I am a woman, but because women’s sexuality gets used against them all the time, esp that particuarly body part and word, often in incredibly damaging ways.
                       
                      Likewise, calling gay man a queer cunt has completely different implications than calling a straight man a queer cunt. You might not think or feel there is much difference, but that is beside the point.

                    • vto …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:44 pm

                      Yes weka, I do see that. Sometimes maybe a D9 isn’t the best machine for the job

                  • Sosoo …
                    14 December 2012 at 3:11 pm

                    It was a pun. How dense are you?

                • marty mars …
                  14 December 2012 at 3:11 pm

                  you did vto but I expect you’ll run around with your tail on fire for a while yet

              • Colonial Weka …
                14 December 2012 at 3:05 pm

                Agreed Populuxe. Context is everything.

              • Richard McGrath …
                14 December 2012 at 7:28 pm

                So a GLBT can never be an odd and silly person?

                • McFliper …
                  14 December 2012 at 7:46 pm

                  Indeed they can.
                     
                  But one should be clear that it’s what one means, or one might be mistaken for a passive-aggressive moron who throws bigoted abuse and hides behind alternative definitions when called on it. And “silly or odd” seems to do the job quite adequately.

        • King Kong 2.2.1.2
          14 December 2012 at 12:54 pm

          Dude, there is no way you can invoke the ground breaking case of the Southpark City Council vs Harley Davidson Riders of America where it was found that the word “fag” had evolved from being a derogatory term for a gay to an insult for noisy, attention seeking, motocycle riding douchebags.

          There is no way in the world that being called a queer c**t is anything other than a homophobic insult.

          • Kevin Welsh 2.2.1.2.1
            14 December 2012 at 1:18 pm

            There is no way in the world that being called a queer c**t is anything other than a homophobic insult.

            Bollocks.

            • karol 2.2.1.2.1.1
              14 December 2012 at 1:24 pm

              Really? If lesbian and gay people tell you they find it offensive, you say they are wrong?

              And I find it extremely offensive.   

              • asp viper …
                14 December 2012 at 1:54 pm

                I find it more stupid than offensive but hey…………..

              • Colonial Weka …
                14 December 2012 at 2:29 pm

                Karol, as I said above, I’ve known that term to be used without reference to queerness in its modern sense. The people I am thinking of probably didn’t even know that queer meant gay when I was younger, it simply meant odd. I can also understand why you would find it extremely offensive. It’s one of those transitions of language I think.

                • karol …
                  14 December 2012 at 2:38 pm

                  When I was a child we used to use the term “queer” as a kind of term of friendly abuse.  We didn’t really understand why our parents didn’t like it.  

                  By the time I was a teenager, coming to terms with my sexuality, it was a pretty widely used homophobic term for homosexuals.  Since then the term has been reclaimed and used positively by LGBTI people.

                  Online etymology dictionaries date the use of the term to refer to homosexual as beginning around the 1920s or 30s.

                  But using the “c” word with it, and applying it to a known gay man, I don’t know how it could be seen as anything but homophobic.

                  The “c” word is one I rarely hear in my daily life, and the people I am closest to never used it as a swear word.  I tend to associate it as being used in fairly masculine contexts.

                   

                  • Soap …
                    14 December 2012 at 2:52 pm

                    The original poster was making a mildly witty pun. as I read it, it was intended to get at CF in respect of being odd, not gay – the gay use being required to make the pun work.

                  • Colonial Weka …
                    14 December 2012 at 3:14 pm

                    You are right Karol, and my apologies, I was talking about the historic use of the phrase, not how it got brought up in this thread.
                     
                    I’m still fairly sure that the word queer was being used to mean odd when I was younger, but we may have grown up in different places and times. It wasn’t a word used in the main part of my life in either sense of it. Nor was cunt used. In my middle class background cunt would be the most offensive thing you could call someone. In latter years I’ve had to acclimatise myself to hearing it used regularly without the heavy association to it. Now I listen to see if it is being used as a weapon of misogyny or just another swear word. Mostly it’s the latter.
                     
                     

                    • Populuxe1 …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:33 pm

                      I mean, seriously, do you think it acceptable to refer to shoddy workmanship as a “Maori job”? People used to say that too.

                    • Colonial Weka …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:56 pm

                      Were you talking to me? You’ll have to explain the comparison, because I don’t get it what you are comparing to.

                    • Populuxe1 …
                      14 December 2012 at 4:23 pm

                      Sorry, no – I was agreeing with you. I meant “you” rhetorically.

                    • karol …
                      14 December 2012 at 5:18 pm

                      Actually two words in combination can be more offensive than either word used alone or combined with other words.  I don’t object to everyday uses of the term “queer” as obviously meaning odd.  Nor do I usually object to the “c” word, though it’s not one I use as a term of abuse.

                      But the words in combination these days, and applied to a gay man do take on a homophobic meaning.

                      Similarly, the words “black” and “bastard” in many sentences are not offensive. But calling a black person a “black bstrd” is considered by many people, especially when I lived in London, to be very offensive.

                    • Lanthanide …
                      14 December 2012 at 6:18 pm

                      I commented on here that Key was a cunt for saying a shirt was “gay” and offered the (obviously strained) explanation that he meant “weird”. IMO that was justified.

                • Populuxe1 …
                  14 December 2012 at 3:31 pm

                  Well gosh, look out of the cave mouth and notice it’s the twenty-first century. Women have the vote and Maori are allowed into pubs. Things change. Deal with it.

              • Soap …
                14 December 2012 at 2:40 pm

                Not all do. These sorts of arguments go nowhere.

              • Sweetd …
                14 December 2012 at 2:51 pm

                While I agree in this instance that the term queer c##t is offensive as I took it at the literal meaning not knowing of others in use in legal circles, I take offence at the attitude that just cause you are lesbian or gay you ‘own’ the word and thus define whether it is offensive or not.

                Just like the word Gay, there are other meanings to the word as Key demostrated, and sure as night follows day, someone will take offence.

                • karol …
                  14 December 2012 at 3:02 pm

                  Of course.  And homophobia doesn’t really exist.  Those of us who have been on the receiving end of it should just accept that some het people don’t feel offended by homophobia.  Nothing to see here: ie when many people feel comfortable using words in a way many LGBT find offensive…. they’re just being silly.

                  And the “n” word really just means black.  So why should an African American take offence if an Caucasian person used it as a term of abuse against another African American man?

                  • Sosoo …
                    14 December 2012 at 3:10 pm

                    You’re deliberately misunderstanding what the poster said in order to further your own agenda.

                    • karol …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:22 pm

                      Oh.  My agenda?  And what is that?

                      PS: Disagreeing with someone, is not the same as “deliberately misunderstanding them”.

                    • Populuxe1 …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:23 pm

                      Um, no. Karol was trying to explain why it’s so fucking offensive and shouldn’t used so casually – especially here. Go pedal your own agenda elsewhere thanks.

                    • Colonial Weka …
                      14 December 2012 at 3:27 pm

                      It’s pretty clear that vto made a joke about Finlayson, a gay man, being a queer cunt, and that he was playing on the word queer. Irrespective of the fact that queer cunt may have historical use that isn’t homophobic, you can’t call a gay man a queer cunt not expect that to be unoffensive.
                       
                      As for who owns words, ‘queer’ was a pejorative and abusive word (and still is), and the queer communities reclaimed it. So yeah those communities have some claim over the word that others don’t. In the same way that as a woman I will challenge someone who use the term cunt as a way of putting women down.

              • Populuxe1 …
                14 December 2012 at 3:01 pm

                I’m a “queer cunt” and I find it offensive.

            • King Kong 2.2.1.2.1.2
              14 December 2012 at 1:25 pm

              I applaud your concise, insightful and well reasoned rebuttal

            • JonL 2.2.1.2.1.3
              14 December 2012 at 3:25 pm

              “Bollocks”

              Quite agree – I’ve heard the expression used for 60 yrs and it does not have homophobic overtones – but – people will put interpretations to it according to their own perceptions, so……what do you do…….?
              Not use it I guess!
              Language bullies abound all over…….

              • King Kong …
                14 December 2012 at 3:36 pm

                My father, on occasion, would use the phrase “nigger in the woodpile” which I dare say was completely socially acceptable untill not that long ago (relatively). He doesn’t use it anymore.

                Damn those language bullies.

              • Populuxe1 …
                14 December 2012 at 3:38 pm

                It might not have had “homophobic overtones” back before the asteroid hit and killed all the dinosaurs (except you and the tuatara, apparently) but it clearly does now. 

                Just in case you were wondering, it is also now offensive to use expressions like “Nigger in the woodpile” as well. Keep up, there’s a chap.

                • vto …
                  14 December 2012 at 3:40 pm

                  What about “honky”? You know, like “fucking honky”.

                  • Populuxe1 …
                    14 December 2012 at 3:50 pm

                    Well now you’re just being pathetic, vto – but personally I find being called a honky offensive. 
                    Do you like it you red-necked slave-owning share-cropping pasty-arsed land-stealing, Maori-raping fucking honky? Now let that roll around your mind for a bit before putting it into context.

                  • Neoleftie …
                    14 December 2012 at 7:38 pm

                    Jeeves weeped do we need adiscourse on flithy language , are we children….

            • QoT 2.2.1.2.1.4
              15 December 2012 at 1:29 am

              LOL, it’s funny because female genitals are gross, lol!

              • karol …
                15 December 2012 at 7:40 am

                Hence the reason it’s a word I don’t use as an insult.  OTOH, it’s a strange thing that English uses words for male genitalia as well to insult people.  Strange to use such words to refer to people.

      • marty mars 2.2.2
        14 December 2012 at 12:48 pm

        It reflects badly on vto not the blog IMO Dave but i agree the inference is totally uncalled for and quite yucky.

  3. Sweetd 3
    14 December 2012 at 11:42 am

    So, when Labour dropped Queens Council in favour of Senior Council did lawyers lose hundreds and thousands of dollars in extra legal fees?

  4. Tom Gould 4
    14 December 2012 at 11:45 am

    It’s a Tory thing. Muldoon knighted himself. It’s what they do.

    • Colonic Wiper 4.1
      14 December 2012 at 11:59 am

      Really , Cullen is quite keen on the idea as well from what I recall.

      • Tom Gould 4.1.1
        14 December 2012 at 12:54 pm

        Cullen didn’t knight himself. Muldoon was PM when he ‘left the cabinet room’ while the decision was made, just like Findlayson I guess with the QC thing. Cullen was a private citizen when knighted, and it was by the opposing party cabinet.

        • KhandallaMan-an Absolutely Fabulous QC & Viper 4.1.1.1
          14 December 2012 at 1:45 pm

          Michael Cullen disappointed many many admirers when he accepted the silly gong.  Whenever I see a reference to him I can’t help saying: you silly silly man.
          IMO, the title sh*t grates with where Labour came from and what Labour should be about.

    • The Pink Postman 4.2
      14 December 2012 at 4:14 pm

      quite correct TomG .What ever pleasure do they get from,some past Pommy title. My grandmother who was a stickler for good manners always said that the most important title was lady and gentleman in its true meaning. This government will hand out many titles to its mates .How long will Key wait because nothing is more certain than Sir John Key . which shows just what a farce the whole thing is.

  5. King Kong 5
    14 December 2012 at 12:31 pm

    If Finlayson was in it for the dough then I doubt he would have left Bell Gully, where he was earning at least 4 times what he does now, to become an MP.

    • Ed 5.1
      14 December 2012 at 12:43 pm

      So he became Attorney-General to give himself the title of Q.C.?

      • fender Viper 5.1.1
        14 December 2012 at 1:14 pm

        The whole NActUF Govt is QC

        Quantitatively Corrupt………IMO

      • Arkonaut 5.1.2
        14 December 2012 at 6:45 pm

        Um no Ed. If you remember it was his imminent departure from the legal profession into politics that was then non-lawyer Attorney-General Michael Cullen’s excuse, against official advice, to deny him a QC eight years ago.

    • tc 5.2
      14 December 2012 at 2:05 pm

      It’s about the power KK, and the ability to build up so much credit with mates in the ‘favour/you owe me’ bank.

      The money will always be there for the boys club members they crave the pleasure only ruling the serfs gives.

  6. Cato 6
    14 December 2012 at 2:51 pm

    I am sure this is what happened. Christopher Finlayson, in his pre-political days as an accomplished barrister with 9 appearances before the Judicial Branch of the Privy Council, sat down with his financial planner in 2004.

    Financial planner: “Gee Chris, you’re doing pretty well for yourself. Here’s what you want to do to take it to the next level. Next year, leave your chambers and abandon private practice to become a backbench list MP. Then work your way up to Attorney-General, arrange to have the law changed to restore the status of Queens Counsel. This will only work if you can get the government to restore honours generally, however, so you might need to bring back knighthoods as well.

    What you need to do then is get the Law Society and the Bar Society to recommend that the status be conferred upon you and then the last thing you need to fix up is for the CJ of the Supreme Court to approve the appointment.

    You can then quit your political career and return to private practice. You can then charge $950/hr instead of $750/hr and at that point, you should be set.”

    Get a grip.

  7. NoseViper (The Nose knows) 7
    14 December 2012 at 3:17 pm

    Obviously if you’re prominent you have to be eminent or vice versa.

  8. aerobubble 8
    14 December 2012 at 3:58 pm

    Key didn’t need to beat up the union movement to get the Hobbit film, he just wanted to blame someone for spending tax payer money. Globally movie goers have less money, are worried about prospects, and look to their unions as a social security. So it was unfathomable that Key would undermine the brand saleability of the Hobbit.

    Now Key’s government is attacking a highly respectable Judge in order to not pay compensation, and really do you think high caliber lawyers will be lining up to get named a QC. It reminds
    me of the SCOTUS when they declared for Bush against Gore, and Bush had nobody to replace for the next four years. Who would step down with the obvious conflict of interest observation.

    Because the law isn’t just the letter but the appearance as well. It would be funny if he is also the last QC.

    • karol 8.1
      14 December 2012 at 4:02 pm

      In the mean time, what does Finlayson’s QC status, enable him to do on behalf of the Key government?

      • ColonialPete 8.1.1
        14 December 2012 at 4:48 pm

        It’s pointless. It serves as a honour amongst barristers and as recognition of a senior and learned position in the profession. He can wear silk and lace at court rather than just the regular gown.

        • rosy viper 8.1.1.1
          14 December 2012 at 10:36 pm

          hmmm I wonder if that means he’s intending to take up the silk sometime soon? Is he going to do a Simon Power and ditch the Nacts?

    • Cato 8.2
      14 December 2012 at 4:03 pm

      Just to clarify: your prediction is that the Hobbit will suffer at the global box office because global movie goers will, out of sympathy with the NZ branch of Actors Equity, really frown upon the deal the Prime Minister made with Warner Brothers to have them made here?

      • King Kong 8.2.1
        14 December 2012 at 4:26 pm

        I know that alot of people refused to watch “Retun of the Jedi” because the midgets playing the ewoks didn’t get their own individual dressing rooms.

      • aerobubble 8.2.2
        16 December 2012 at 12:32 pm

        No, I’m saying Key’s own branding needs to be anti-union took precedence over the needs of the Hobbit movie brand.

        Anyway, just for the record, what you are saying is that thousands of workers in the movie industry have foregone union protections to keep work in NZ, and Key is muscling in and
        stealing off with their decision, and turning it into advertizing for his brand.

        Sorry, but I don’t buy this crap, first off I don’t buy that the Hobbit would not have been made here had the unions won, Key would have gotten out the cheque book. The tax payers paid.

        So I thank tax payers, I thank workers who gave up union affiliation, but Key is just gormless to think union bashing in the height of a ongoing global depression is considered and right.

        The reasons we don’t have the deprivation of the first Great depression is because of welfare,
        because of all the progress in innovation over the intervening period, otherwise it would be
        far worse consider how systemic and implicit are the debt to people, to nations, to the planet, are.

  9. The Al1en 9
    14 December 2012 at 5:17 pm

    Kin ‘el, some of you crack me up.

    Funniest thing of all is no-one’s objecting to Finlayson being called a c*nt.

    • terryg viper 9.1
      14 December 2012 at 6:48 pm

      I spotted that too Al1en, although Colonial Weka obliquely objected to it.

      And I’m explicitly objecting to it. Irrespective of converting it to a homophobic slur with the pejorative “queer”, cunt is about as sexist & misogynistic as it gets. and before anyone craps on about “nowadays its just an insult” it is, first and foremost, a crude term for vagina (having its roots in proto-germanic). the reason its an insult? misogyny, pure and simple.

      tsk tsk tsk VTO.

      • Populuxe1 9.1.1
        16 December 2012 at 3:51 pm

        Actually the roots of the c-world lie with a Hindu fertility goddess Cunda. Finlayson isn’t a cunt because a cunt is a wonderful, useful organ that brings life into the world and enjoyment for many.

  10. ak 10
    14 December 2012 at 8:34 pm

    Gotta admit but, he’s at least a weird cu….nundrum. Catholic in a party that relentlessly smashes the poor and vulnerable; openly gay qu… ixotic champion of treaty settlements after applauding the deliberate Brash racism that is the founding bedrock of modern National; voted against gay marriage. QC. Indeedy, deedy do.

  11. the pigman 11
    14 December 2012 at 8:48 pm

    This may stem from a misapprehension, but it was my understanding that one of the selling points of the SC title when it was introduced was that it was going to be able to be conferred on lawyers in the public sector, partners in law firms and not just barristers sole. Until then, as I recall, it was only barristers sole that could be conferred with the QC title.

    Did they not roll back that change? Does Finlayson not feel it a little taboo that he is conferring this status while still Attorney-General? Seems like a bad look to me.

  12. Populuxe1 12
    15 December 2012 at 3:28 pm

    I see vto hasn’t “manned” up yet

  13. SPC 13
    16 December 2012 at 12:27 am

    Has Tamihere beeen invited to offer his perpective on the re-instatement of the title QC?

  14. Dv 14
    16 December 2012 at 12:39 pm

    DEAR HARRY
    Thank for the offer.
    We would like to borrow 5 billion to get us through Xmas.

    Yours in anticipation

    J Key

    [lprent: 🙂 Spam creeping through damnit. ]

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    You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    43 mins ago
  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    24 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

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

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

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

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

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

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

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

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

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

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

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

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

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

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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