Firewalls up in smoke

Written By: - Date published: 6:35 pm, April 30th, 2012 - 34 comments
Categories: act, election 2011, election funding, Ethics, john banks, john key, national, privatisation, uk politics - Tags:

David Cameron’s defence of embattled Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been called a “firewall” that’s failing to hold. As the stench of corruption around the Murdoch empire grows by the day, Cameron needs Hunt to stay or else Cameron is the next to go. It is the same for John Key. As the stench of corruption around John Banks grows, he desperately needs him to stay or else all he loses legitimacy for asset sales and potentially his majority on the issue as well.

Hunt was a cheerleader for Murdoch while the Liberals Vince Cable was Culture Secretary and in charge of the decision to allow the Murdochs to acquire 100% of BSkyB with its massive cash flow. Cable was outed as an opponent of the Murdochs in a sting by the Telegraph journalists, so Cameron sacked him and installed Hunt. Supposedly in charge of a semi-judicial process, Hunt’s confidential adviser Adam Smith was secretly communicating with the Murdoch PR man behind the scenes. That was revealed in 193 pages of emails supplied to the Leveson enquiry by News International. Adam Smith was sacked and Hunt is hanging on. As one questioner said in the House of Commons: “When posh boys are in trouble, the servants get the sack”.

John Banks’ defence of the indefensible as to whether or not he knew Kim Dotcom was a donor to his campaign has turned from bluster to bluff. As he has realised that refusing to answer direct questions wasn’t working, he has resorted to selective denial: “I didn’t ring him to thank him for that donation.” A bit like Rupert, really – ” I have never asked a Prime Minister for anything.” – yeah right. And Key is taking Banks’ word that he acted strictly according to the law – this in spite of the fact that Banks clearly didn’t know what the law was about anonymous donation levels.

Hunt will have to wait a couple of months for the Leveson enquiry to put his case, and Banks will have to wait some time for the police to decide what to do. But the court of public opinion has already passed its verdict on both. There’s something rotten in right-wing governments on both sides of the world. The Tories are down to 29% against Labour’s 40%.

Oh and by the way, I think I will go down to the Electoral Commission tomorrow and have a look at Banks’ Epsom candidate return. It’s showing $30,500 in donations, and the rules are much stricter under the Electoral Act 1993 than under the Local Electoral Act 2001. Anonymous donations above $1500 are not allowed, donations have to be transmitted to the candidate, and contributors above $1500 to combined donations have to be identified. You never know, it could be even more interesting than the party donations.

34 comments on “Firewalls up in smoke ”

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  1. Carol 1
    30 April 2012 at 7:21 pm

    Ah. Now I can access this post.

    Banks seems now to be claiming he didn’t ring an anonymous donor to thank him for an anonymous donation – as reported on Campbell Live tonight. Is Banksie playing word games?

    And is the cronyism in capitalism unraveling here and in the UK?

    Banks should have realised that you should keep your cronies close and your dotcom “friends” even closer!

    • Molly Polly 1.1
      30 April 2012 at 7:26 pm

      Yes, yes, yes Carol! Brilliant piece from Campbell Live tonight. Mike you are right. Tomorrow should be interesting…

    • felix 1.2
      30 April 2012 at 8:59 pm

      “Is Banksie playing word games?”

      Yep, he’s answering a question that hasn’t been asked. Not making a very good show of it either.

      Interviewer: “Did you (x)?”

      Liar: “I would never (y). It doesn’t even make sense for me to (y). I wouldn’t even know how to (y) and I’m outraged that you would even accuse me of (y) at all.”

  2. tsmithfield 2
    30 April 2012 at 7:26 pm

    Yesterday I thought Banks was toast, because Dotcom had written two cheques. I was under the impression that Dotcom had personally handed the cheques to Banks in front of witnesses, which would have course left no doubt whatsoever about the donations.

    However, it has now emerged that a Dotcom employee deposited the cheques directly into an account on behalf of Banks. Given that those donations would show as anonymous, there has been a number of legal views coming out suggesting there is enough wiggle room for Banks, and that he will probably get off on a technicality.

    What should be more of a worry to the PM, though, is the appalling memory that Banks seems to have. Not being able to remember events such as helicopter rides with Dotcom etc, suggests Banks must be on the verge of Alzheimer’s, and thus can’t be trusted as a minister because he might not remember other important details in government. Perhaps the left might have more luck pushing this angle.

    • freedom 2.1
      30 April 2012 at 8:34 pm

      this whole ‘the cheques will show up as anonymous in his account’ business seems a bit weird as whenever a cheque has been deposited in my bank account it plainly shows who the drawer was.

      what i don’t trust any of these guys with is not fiddling with the phone records to make the evidence that the thank you call ever existed dissappear in a puff of backscratching

      and only the naive think this cannot or would not or has not already been done

    • felix 2.2
      30 April 2012 at 8:54 pm

      “Given that those donations would show as anonymous”

      That’s not a given at all. Just another one of your “if we pretend (x) for a moment then my made up story might make sense if you squint hard enough” arguments.

      • Pete George 2.2.1
        30 April 2012 at 9:15 pm

        It’s easy for deposited cheques to appear unidentified, when you make teller deposits you tell them if you want any reference recorded.

        So it’s feasible for anonymous donations to be deposited. But if Banks had access to the account transactions and/or balance, had just talked to someone about splitting 50k into two 25k cheques and suggesting they are deposited anonymously, and then 2x25k deposits appear soon after then it wouldn’t be difficult to guess.

        It would also be possible for him the say thanks to Dotcom in a general or round about way, like “thanks for your help, by the way, Team Banks was also very grateful to have just received two very good donations”.

        Lesson 1 – the actual politician should not handle the bank account or see anything specific about any donations.

        Lesson 2 – don’t try and be clever with your election returns.

        Less 3 – don’t try and act dumb when asked about things that can easily be checked.

        That could be reqorded as be sensible, honest and be open.

        It’s possible Banks can weedle his way out of this legally, but the political damage is probably terminal for him and Act will have difficulty recovering from yet another fiasco.

    • Lanthanide 2.3
      30 April 2012 at 9:06 pm

      If the phone logs show Banks called Dotcom when Dotcom says he did, that’s pretty much enough right there. Doesn’t matter who he gave the cheques to.

      • Carol 2.3.1
        30 April 2012 at 9:10 pm

        As I recall, Banks said the phone call was to thank Dotcom for the fireworks.

      • tsmithfield 2.3.2
        30 April 2012 at 9:20 pm

        I guess that depends on how the whole saga ties in with when Dotcom agreed to fund the fireworks. According to the news tonight, the display took place over six months after the 50k donation for the mayoralty. But Dotcom might have agreed to fund it well prior to then. So, Banks might be able to say that the phone call was in respect of the fireworks display, even if the timing of the call was just after the donations.

        What would then be needed would be a recording of the actual conversation. If Dotcom had that, it would probably already be in the public domain and Banks would be gone.

        If Banks can show a number of 25k donations made without references on the bank statement, and if the call can be logically tied to the fireworks display, then he may well get away with it.

        The way Banks has handled this though, has been really shoddy. He could easily have front-footed this. For instance:

        Yes, I had a discussion with Dotcom about money. Yes, agreed to fund $50000, and I asked for it to be in two $25k amounts. I saw the checks written out, but I never saw them deposited.

        When I came to sign the return, the treasurer alerted me to five $25k amounts that had been given without reference. Since there was no reference to them, and couldn’t be tied to specific donors they were shown as anonymous donations, although I suspected several of them may have been from Dotcom, who could well have deposited the cheques I had seen.

        This explanation would probably align with the technical legal position on donations, and avoided all the nonsense about not remembering shit.

        • felix 2.3.2.1
          30 April 2012 at 9:36 pm

          “The way Banks has handled this though, has been really shoddy.”

          Yep, over and above any legal technicalities it’s his behaviour that’s sealed his fate for sure. I think Parker put it pretty well as ‘You can’t say you’ve got nothing to hide and then refuse to answer questions’.

        • freedom 2.3.2.2
          30 April 2012 at 10:26 pm

          ” couldn’t be tied to specific donors ” they are $25,000 cheques for fuck’s sake not lima beans

          • tsmithfield 2.3.2.2.1
            30 April 2012 at 10:41 pm

            True. But there were five donors, and only two of them would have been from Dotcom. It is a theoretical possibility that some other party might have stepped up with two lots of $25k that Banks didn’t know about, and Dotcom decided to tear his cheques up. Unlikely, but possible. On that basis Banks could make a case for declaring the donations on an anonymous basis.

            Its not just me saying this. Watch the news. Various legal experts are saying the rules are loose enough to drive a truck through.

            • freedom 2.3.2.2.1.1
              30 April 2012 at 10:52 pm

              to quote Big George from DeadMan
              “I don’t give a shit who saw what, and who did what, or who did who. ”
              rules do not change the fact a deposited cheque is as good as a fingerprint. The identity of every donor who deposited a cheque is known. In fact with basic transaction processing, bank security, ATM cameras and every other piece of tech at the disposal of these clowns any and every donation can be identified. Yes the lawyers can find a way around the rules and probably will but can we please stop this horseshit that the cheques are anonymous.

            • felix 2.3.2.2.1.2
              30 April 2012 at 11:04 pm

              Fact is, in NZ politics there is no such thing as an anonymous 25000 donation.

              And everybody knows it.

  3. ghostwhowalksnz 3
    30 April 2012 at 7:30 pm

    While you are looking at Banks Dotcom’s Epsom candidate return note he hasnt filled out the his address as required by law.
    Its left “Blank”

    As well there is a donation from a named candidate who is isnt correctly listed his address, it only has “Auckland.”
    Every body else has a street address.

    Raise this with the electoral office so its sent back to Banks/Blank to be filled out correctly as described in S209 of the Electoral Act

    http://www.elections.org.nz/files/2011CR-BanksJ.pdf

  4. Anne 4
    30 April 2012 at 7:58 pm

    The consensus of opinion between Mike Williams and Matthew Hooton on Radio NZ’s Monday morning political spot:

    The fallout from this affair will be lengthy but terminal for John Banks.

  5. tc 5
    30 April 2012 at 8:10 pm

    Lol this is what happens when you resurrect dinosaurs, you get a reminder as to why they were extinct in the first place.

    Banks has a lot more to give on the dodgy front, the longer shonkey leaves it the more the cancer will invade his brand….lmao.

  6. jaymam 6
    30 April 2012 at 8:42 pm

    I wonder if Banks’ Epsom expenditure return includes the hirage of this huge mobile billboard for four months, since it was being towed around by someone who said that he was a National supporter:
    http://i50.tinypic.com/2mnrnsk.jpg

  7. mike 7
    30 April 2012 at 8:54 pm

    Again Key in trouble giving us his political flank undressed on a plate and I wanted to see our leader, Mister Shearer, have his moment on prime time. I caught my breath as he stared at the ground and conceded a by election in Epson even before it was called. I had wanted to hear him say we would vigourously contest any by election in Epson, if it happened, on the sale of state assets… the sale of our countries farms…. the sale of our workforce… to overseas corporates, and… the political integrity of this current government. Politics 101?
    Key must feel blessed with this opposition leader. I support Mister Shearer, however there is much to lose and we no longer have the time to watch and wait I’m sorry.

    • tc 7.1
      30 April 2012 at 9:42 pm

      Yup the Nats just love dave ‘guns on the inside ‘ shearer….the gift that keeps on giving by doing nothing.

      Politics is a contact sport and the last person the Nats wanted was someone who understood that….well done duck man and pagani you got your man and kept you’re undeserved positions….NZ will be the loser unless the leader situation is rectified sharpish. I’d settle for DC getting finance back from the ineffectual and nerdy Parker.

  8. xtasy 8
    30 April 2012 at 9:38 pm

    Go, go, go Dotcom, sink the rotten ship of the NZ government. Stench all over, stench, methane fumes out of every cavity of their bodies, decay, rot and more! So I read that someone alleges that while Dotcom was in remand prison in Mt Eden, he tried to make contact with dear old “Banksie”. “Banksie” suddenly wanted nothing to do with him, denied all knowledge of previous encounters and so forth. So Dotcom must be a bit angry now. “Banksie” was according to video and audio footage almost all over him, when some hints of a large donation for his mayoral campaign were discussed. His eyes got bigger, according to Dotcom, after he showed willingness to contribute 50 k. And it is on record now, that dear old “Banksie” (who now also favours the SkyCity Casino) was suggesting that it get split into two, so it would be possible to declare as “anonymous”.

    Well, but the law is so ambiguous again, so a loophole may save his neck. I suggest Dotcom go all the way now, disclose ALL evidence, declare by way of an affidavit what his and his staff’s record of events are, and then see what weasle way there may be left for Banks.

    We may have a byelection, it will likely get another Nat in, but at least it may lead to some legislation to be delayed and further scrutinised. That in itself would be good. Go Dotcom, dig the grave for “Banksie”!

    • North 8.1
      30 April 2012 at 11:50 pm

      It would be odd for the likes of Dotcom not to maintain a very detailed, possibly digital, log of all his dealings with powerful and connected people. Ego, insurance, moments like now, who knows ?

      Sir Botox, after performing like a mad thing on Radio Live about Dotcom being a married man, and demanding that he and Kim are not an item – comes up with a denial of the “thank you” call. Ahem.

      Let’s hope Old Kimbo has several safely hidden copies of the digital record of every damned thing that happened in 2010 including the “thanks”. If it exists something might well be in Key’s hands before Dotcom says another word.

      In a lighter vein – Piss off Sir Botox……..Rise Ye Sir Kim !

      • fender 8.1.1
        1 May 2012 at 12:19 am

        “Rise ye Sir Kim”
        +1

        This guy has done well and I hope he gets his cloud back and he can store Banks inside it.

  9. BLiP 9
    30 April 2012 at 11:09 pm

    Is someone who doesn’t know who gave him $25,000 also a person suitable for public office? John Key thinks so. But then, John Key doesn’t know how many shares he owns in the companies likely to benefit from his Prime Ministerial activities. What a pair.

  10. Kiwi Pete 10
    1 May 2012 at 12:36 am

    What I find impossible to believe is that John Banks can not remember flying out to the Kim.com mansion for lunch by helicopter. Give. Me. A. Break.
    If his mind is really that far gone he shouldn’t be in politics but in an old peoples home. Listening to him whitter on Campbell Live made me feel sorry for the people of Epsom that this is who they have to represent them.

    • fender 10.1
      1 May 2012 at 12:41 am

      +1

      I think the folk of Epsom should show how pissed they should be by not voting Nat or Act in future.

  11. Penny Bright 11
    1 May 2012 at 3:50 am

    Maybe ‘shonky’ John Key is scared that if he isn’t seen to back ‘dodgy’ John Banks to the very end – ‘Banksie’ might do a ‘Kim Dotcom’ on him?

    (After all his years in politics – both central and local – ‘Banksie’ will presumably know where LOTS of ‘bodies are buried’ – as it were? )

    We can all see what a man of great integrity is John Banks, current Minister of Regulatory Reform, and current Leader of the ACT Party?

    (Not to mention having a memory like an elephant ……. NOT)

    I actually feel sorry for a number of those young ACT on Campus folk.

    Surely it was bad enough that their latest ACT Leader was a ‘social conservative’ – let alone a yet-to-be charged /convicted ‘white collar’ criminal,/ electoral fraudster?

    How soon is ‘shonky’ John Key going to pull the plug on ‘dodgy’ John Key – before both of them go down the electoral gurgler?

    …….

    Penny Bright
    ‘Anti-corruption campaigner’

  12. bbfloyd 12
    1 May 2012 at 9:53 am

    i may be a bit off beam here, but this sounds very similar to what banks’ campaign manager was forced to fall on his sword over after being beaten by dick hubbard back in 04….

    of course. banks being an old tory, he isn’t about to change his approach to doing business… which, as we should know, is what he is in politics for in the first place… just like the vast majority of tory politicians since the inception of party politics….

    what is different is that he hasn’t placed the usual sacrificial pawns in the way of any blowback this time….. are the tories getting too used to the protection they have been getting from the media?

    it’s starting to look that way…

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  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    4 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week  Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • The End Of The World.
    Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Climate Town: The Brainwashing Of America's Children
    Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Has There Been External Structural Change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase. Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • Another Labour bully
    Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Climate Change: Ignoring our biggest problem
    Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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