Fuck off, Bob Jones: and advertisers? Be warned

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, October 22nd, 2013 - 94 comments
Categories: activism, newspapers, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: ,

Bob Jones has produced another disgusting “opinion piece”, and the New Zealand Herald has once again been disgusting enough to publish it.

I completely understand that a lot of people don’t have the spoons for taking on yet another awful triggery misogynist piece of shit produced by an awful misogynist piece of shit.  On this occasion, I do.  Hence this post.

The URL of the article is:

http:// www.nzherald.co.nz/ opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11143714

A precis of the article for those who do not wish to feed the Herald’s amoral clickbait campaign:

  • This one time, Bob Jones was in Viet Nam, and he noticed that women can’t drive
  • Then he badgered Hutt City Council to not install traffic lights all over the place
  • Now there are roundabouts and women can’t use them and even women he knows agree with him
  • Anyway, he once bought a totally awesome penis substitute car and he drove totally awesomely but bitches complained ’cause they ain’t shit
  • So he laughed at the Police letter he received and told them (CONTENT NOTE: and here’s where I quote the awful violent bit)

I replied, first pointing out that passing is not illegal and adding that while normally I don’t condone police violence, this was an exception and they would be doing God’s work by going to the complainants’ homes, beating the crap out of them and burning their houses down.

  • Then he interpreted the automatic form letter he received in response as agreement.
  • Finally, he makes a hilarious joke about how Saudi Arabia shouldn’t let women drive because lol, bitches can’t drive.

Dovil has also provided a write-up, fed through a What Bob’s Really Thinking translator. Di W has challenged Bob to a parallel park-off.  Rachel Rayner has a nice little template for you to complain to the editor – before you complain to the Press Council.

And I’ve been tweeting companies whose ads appear on the article.  These include:

  • ASB Bank – no response
  • Jetstar – no response
  • iHeartRadio – who, to their credit, acknowledged the tweet, but stated they can’t control where their ads end up.  I say: demand a better contract.
  • Accor Hotels – no response
  • Nissan – no response – but so ironic
  • RealMe – the new government login service.  I can’t tell if this account is genuine so tweeted NZ Post instead.

Companies which don’t have Twitter accounts I can easily locate are:

  • Sovereign Insurance
  • State Insurance

… which is a pity, because I’d love to know if either of them would cover my house in the circumstances of the Police burning it down to punish me for driving too cautiously to suit Sir Bob.

The problem, once again, is less Bob Jones being a hateful piece of shit, and more that The Herald will obviously continue to publish schlock to match their page size as long as it generates pageviews and sells advertising.

I don’t expect this story to be the final nail in the coffin.  I don’t expect to change the world overnight.  But I know that pressuring advertisers can get results (admittedly, with a well-run social media campaign and a few tens-of-thousands of activists).  So I’m going to do what I can.

ETA

The hashtag is #boycottbobjones, and more advertisers are being tweeted:

94 comments on “Fuck off, Bob Jones: and advertisers? Be warned ”

  1. IrishBill 1

    He’s turned into Krusty the Clown. His next column is gonna be about how bad his mother in law is and the one after that he’s going to pull his eyes into slits and chant “me so solly, me so solly”.

    That said, he’s an old man – you’ve got to expect him to shit his pants in public occasionally.

    • QoT 1.1

      Yes … but I can also expect someone at the Herald to, at the very, very least, edit out the bits where he calls for assault and arson.

      • Lanthanide 1.1.1

        If you’re going to edit out the “best bits”, why would you even bother publishing the remains?

        • QoT 1.1.1.1

          Jones is quite capable of being a whiney, cantakerous old bastard without inciting violence. As every other awful column he’s written shows.

          • Brett Dale 1.1.1.1.1

            QOT:

            Well dont read, what he writes. why would you read every column he writes if they’re awful. I think he sucks, so i stop reading his pieces ages ago.

    • Enough is Enough 1.2

      Pretty close to the mark.

      Bob Jones writes for one reason. He doesn’t do it as a job or for money like all other contributors to the Herald, he does it to get a reaction from those he is poking.

      Unlike a Paul Holmes or Paul Henry, he intentionally goes out to offend. Those other boys just did it without thinking because they were inherently racist.

      I doubt he ventures into the Standard too often. I doubt he knows what the internet is. But if he did, he would think Mission accomplished.

      And Herald will pay him another handsome fee to right this shit again next week.

  2. Matthew 2

    Thanks QoT. Have sent a message to the editor asking them to pull down the opinion piece and issue an apology. Hopefully other Standardistas do the same.

  3. Tat Loo 3

    QoT. This is also who you may want to hit up with a very clear statement of why this shit is below a premier paper like the NZ Herald.

    http://investorcentre.apn.com.au/phoenix.zhtml?c=144006&p=irol-govboard

  4. Lindsey J Rea 4

    The problem is that it is not below the New Zealand Herald! There is no “below” there.

  5. Debbie 5

    Well said QoT, I was horrified to read this article online earlier.

    Like you say the issue isn’t just that BJ (unfortunate initials: with an attitude like his, I can’t imagine he’s had one recently? or maybe that’s the problem?) is a cantankerous and misogynist dinosaur, it’s that the Herald keep giving him column space. I guess they don’t understand that the multiple comments aren’t indicative of popularity; at least not when all the comments are united in disgust.

  6. Morrissey 6

    Anybody who has read his tiresomely unfunny “satire” Degrees for Everyone would know that Bob Jones does not have a funny bone in his body.

    Little brother got all the literary talent in that family.

  7. Blue 7

    I understand the desire to get outraged about Bob Jones’ output. But that’s exactly what the Herald wants. More clicks, more comments, more letters to the editor, more people looking at them and talking about them. That’s why they employ Jones in the first place. It’s not because he has anything worthwhile to say.

    He’s a one trick pony doing his wind-up routine and hoping someone will bite back. The Herald (and more importantly their advertisers) are hoping so too. If you’re tweeting them, it means you saw their ad and you saw it on Bob’s page. They’re more likely rubbing their hands with glee than considering pulling their sponsorship.

    Remember who is saying it before you ascribe any importance to it, and trust that other people will do the same. Bob Jones’ mind is a very shallow pool and those who look in it see their own reflections.

    • QoT 7.1

      No, Blue. I utterly reject your entire comment, as I reject the idea of “ignore the trolls until they go away”. This post basically sums up my thinking:

      Yes, silence is a reaction, which is the third problem with the feeding metaphor. Not only is it behavior, but it is highly rewarding behavior to trolls. The important thing to remember about trolls is their purpose. It isn’t to get attention for themselves per se. It is to control the conversation.

      I’m not some wide-eyed innocent clutching my pearls over the death of good noble journalism. Of course it’s all part of the Herald’s plan. But we do not make it untenable for them to continue to publish this shit by ignoring it.

      • Sosoo 7.1.1

        Since Jones is playing you like a Stradivarius, he seems to have won already.

        The column was clearly ridiculous and you making such a meal out of it just multiplies Jones’ fun. Please keep it up.

        • QoT 7.1.1.1

          Sosoo: it might help to actually read the comment you’re replying to.

          I am quite aware that Bob Jones’ publication relies on stirring up outrage. The point is, it relies on stirring up just enough outrage that the Herald can brush it off without facing serious consequences. Stir up enough resistance to his bullshit? Different story.

      • Ennui 7.1.2

        it’s all part of the Herald’s plan which implies that they have a “plan” per se. I would like to give them credit with this BUT…….

    • Pete 7.2

      You may recall the Chief of the Australian Army giving a statement this year about sexual harassment in the ADF. One thing he said stuck with me: “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept”. I’m not going to walk past this because, frankly, Bob Jones doesn’t meet my standards.

  8. Ad 8

    Would QoT consider an NZHerald response in full sardonic display, with no “fucks”?
    Step into it!

  9. Lindsey J Rea 9

    They had a vacancy in the “crusty old fool” section after they pensioned off Garth George when lots of people complained about him publishing a letter calling for violence against an MP. Lots of complaints may get rid of Jones.

  10. Don't worry. Be happy. 10

    Sunset industry printing boring old fart’s rants. So damn dull, so predictable, so God knows haven’t we heard all this from this jumped up little twit back in the ’80s?

  11. toad 11

    I guess when the Herald decided they finally had to let Garth George go they needed someone similarly misogynist to fill the gap.

  12. tricledrown 12

    A dose of paraQot would finish off the pugilistic dinosaur.
    No wonder his daughter ended up the way she is!

  13. Tanz 13

    Yes, the sensible and honest Garth George, whom the Herald let go, was so much better at writing excellent opinion pieces.

  14. aotearoean 14

    The Jones report got the respect it deserved I used mine as dunny paper!!!

  15. emergency mike 15

    Just had a read of it. Wow. I know QoT’s already done an excellent summary, but I want to do one too.

    – Women drivers are too slow, I seen it.
    – They drive in the wrong lane too much.
    – I got complaints about my driving, but I told them, changing lanes is legal fools.
    – How sweet would it be if we just banned them like the Saudi’s. Just sayin’.
    – That’s my ‘pinion see ya next time.

    • Chooky 15.1

      Bob Jones is of that generation of older men who think it is funny( and possibly sexy) to be sexist and bait women…I try not to take any notice of him or take him too seriously….suggest QoT offers her journalist services to the said Auckland Herald for the same fee….maybe she could alternate with Jones ?…that way she would really show him up and offer a bit of frisson?

      …..actually he isnt a good driver himself and has had several run-ins with traffic cops….I think once he punched on in Wellington and was up on assault charges

      • emergency mike 15.1.1

        As others have pointed out, it’s not Jones’s ho ho ho ‘opinions’ that’s the issue here, it’s that The Herald stooped to giving it daylight.

        Women have fought long and hard to relegate major newspapers presenting this kind of ‘men are superior’ piece to history. Yet here it is. Bob Jones can fuck off chuckling to his mansion, I could care less. But this is low and appalling behaviour from The Herald that needs to be shamed, not ignored.

        • Chooky 15.1.1.1

          @ emergency mike

          …didnt read it….here ….couldnt be bothered ……dont read the Herald…dont read the Press much….if I did and complained every time i saw sexism or right wing bias or mistruths I would be complaining all the time….havent got the time…..

          Bob Jones is Bob Jones….and occasionally he has interesting and controversial stuff to say …eg he would employ a BA Classics over a B.Com/Business….he cant be bothered reading his successful writer brother’s writing but put him through university….he is annoying …rumour has he didn’t treat one of his wives very well and certainly not traffic cops ….but in the whole scheme of things imo ….he is just a stirrer…(and does have his good points as Rhino has pointed out below)

          1.)…more to the point QoT should pressure the Herald to have her own opinion piece ( she wants paid recognition for her writing)…..as an alternative to Jones /or alternate with Jones….when you get two diametrically opposed columnists going …it makes their views more interesting…otherwise it is more ho hum….boring , boring…woman drivers ha ha……wipe your bum with it

          2.)…next point….when it comes to Sexism….go for the truly big sinners…the Catholic Church….and Catholic hypocrisy…….but most people dont !….or couldnt care less…or are imbued with it ….or are too scared…

          ….at least with Bob Jones, what you see is what you get …no hypocrisy!…….

          PS ….arent there a lot of Catholics in the Labour Party?….it is their party isnt it….I had better be careful and run for the Green hills

          • Anne 15.1.1.1.1

            ….arent there a lot of Catholics in the Labour Party?….it is their party isnt it….I had better be careful and run for the Green hills

            Goodness Chooky, those days have long since gone. Labour’s a ‘broad church’ now. Has been since the 1970s.

            Btw, pretty much agree about Bob Jones though. He’s a stirrer par excellence. He knows he’s going to upset all sorts of people with his opinion pieces. That’s why he writes them. A sort of ultra perverse humorist. He couldn’t care less who he hurts/ angers in the process. With his kind of money he can afford to be that way. Most of us don’t have the luxury.

            • Chooky 15.1.1.1.1.1

              Anne….”ultra perverse humorists” don’t have to have money to be that way( cf.Republic of Ireland) ….I know plenty of them without money ….and they also have an appreciative audience, also without money… after all life and people are pretty ridiculous

              ….just that people like Bob Jones gets more of an airing because he seeks it out…the publicity …likes boxing, physical and verbal…..and he is rich enough to sue, counter sue or fight off court cases

              …I think he would relish a match with QoT……maybe the Herald can organise one? ( QoT paid very well of course!)…better than asking the Herald to ban him….it could be QoT’s debut into paid feminist journalism!…sort of like a mud wrestling match

          • emergency mike 15.1.1.1.2

            Thanks for your considered reply Chooky.

  16. DTH 16

    I happened to start reading this opinion piece in my lunch break today. I didn’t finish it before I scrunched up the entire section and rammed it into the bin. I was completely disgusted by it and even contemplated complaining to the New Zealand Herald but thought I would just never purchase or read it ever again. So, thank you for the avenues to complain properly.
    I can’t believe they give any column width to this misogynist fool.
    Disgusting.

    • Sosoo 16.1

      It’s an intentionally absurd article with an obviously ridiculous and offensive premise, bolstered with obvious shaggy dog stories and which contradicts itself in several places. Only an illiterate would take it seriously.

      And yet, here you all are, wanting to fire off letters to the editor or so consumed with rage that you can’t even manage that.

      Tee hee.

      • Tat Loo 16.1.1

        So, you are saying that Bob Jones and the NZ Herald are outsmarting us by simply yanking our chain. Fascinating, if it were true – but how is one to know?

      • AsleepWhileWalking 16.1.2

        “Only an illiterate would take it seriously”
        The Herald took it seriously enough to take up the space publishing it.

      • QoT 16.1.3

        an intentionally absurd article

        I’ve read a lot of Bob Jones’ articles, including the wonderful blame-the-victim-for-being-raped ones. I question this statement.

  17. risildowgtn 17

    The sooner he kicks it the better
    Old demented fool

  18. donatello 18

    I went to the effort of pasting the url and fixing it into a new window,
    Read the headline and a sentence and stopped.

    Why bother reading this crap? The man is a tired old fool with opinions that are ignorant but probably representative of other old men idiots. Who cares, no one important is going to read this article and go “He makes some valid points!”. This article diminishes his relevance, his intelligence.

    Don’t bother wasting your keystrokes on this old fool. Honestly, you don’t need to read every word printed in the herald. No one else does!

    • jaymam 18.1

      If NZ had MMP in 1984, Bob Jones’s NZ Party would have had around 12 MPs. With the demise of ACT, Jones could set up another right wing party (not that I think he will, he’s now too old*). Even Labour pinched some of his ideas in 1984.

      * deliberate slur to enrage Bob, who of course is reading this!

    • QoT 18.2

      Why bother reading this crap?

      Because it’s presented as a reasonable, mainstream opinion in our nation’s alleged “paper of record”. What they choose to publish is increasingly irrelevant … yet still very important.

  19. viv k 19

    The Otago Daily Times have recently started publishing Jones’ bullshit column. Editorial manager is Phil Somerville philip.somerville@odt.co.nz.

  20. Rhinocrates 20

    You know, I can’t even bring myself to look at it. Sorry, QoT, but I already know too much about Jones and his attitudes towards women. He really loves women… in a way, on certain terms, within limits… so in his mind he’s not a misogynist. I really love children and cats too, but I wouldn’t think of letting them vote.

    I suppose it needs to be pointed out that “love” and infantilisation aren’t exclusive and the combination of the two in phoney “respect” is just how misogyny works.

  21. the pigman 21

    ” I really love children and cats too, but I wouldn’t think of letting them vote.”

    Aww, that's a little bit unkind, isn't it? But I guess you're right, though, cats should be exclusively retained for their skills as financial advisors: http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/jan/13/investments-stock-picking/print

  22. amirite 22

    An irrelevant old fart receiving way too much unwarranted attention.
    We put our old, incapacitated dogs down to end their misery.
    Someone please end Bob’s.

  23. King Kong 23

    Women are terrible drivers but top rate at getting hysterical about some unimportant, tongue in cheek opinion pieces.

    Of course I could be wrong and the police have already undertaken a plan to start torching slow driving women in their homes.

    [QoT: Downplaying the seriousness of an article which advocates beating women – however “tongue in cheek” – gets your comments on my posts deleted in future.]

    • Sable 23.1

      Wasn’t it a woman who had to give birth to you? I’m sure she’d be delighted by your comments.

    • karol 23.2

      And yet, overseas stats show:

      Reckless Driving [male to female ratio] 3.41 to 1

      An MSN article:

      Who Are Better Drivers: Men or Women?
      MSN sheds some light on which sex is the better motorist — one of the most hotly debated arguments since ‘Which came first, the chicken or the egg?’
      […]

      Many auto insurance industry experts would agree with the theory that men, especially young men, tend to drive more aggressively than women and display their aggression in a direct manner, rather than indirectly. Furthermore, as a rule of thumb, male drivers are more likely than women to break the law, and the male of the species tends to be more of a risk-taker.

      Even so, it’s hard to say women are better drivers, although they are statistically safer. Women have just as many accidents as men; however, they tend to be minor fender-benders. Men, on the other hand, tend to do the job properly when they crash, and as a result cost their insurance companies a lot more money.

      So, even though it’s a blow to our male egos, we’ll have to give this round to women. Sorry fellas.

      NZ stats on high risk drivers:

      * Most high-risk drivers are male (84%) and young, with 54% under 30 years old.

      * The majority of people killed in high-risk driver crashes are the high-risk drivers themselves (59% of deaths) or passengers with high-risk drivers (29%). On average, each year 15 other road users are killed by high-risk drivers. Five of those deaths are on urban roads.

  24. Sable 24

    The Tory bird cage liner living up to its usual insipid standards of journalistic integrity. Personally I really don’t care what Jones or others write, its been a long time since I read their drivel and as for taking them seriously….

    Did read an interesting piece in Time magazine, another conservative rag I normally avoid but I was in the doctors office and as usual a little bored. It was titled Road Warriors and was about women drivers in Saudi. Many are starting to take up driving which of course is against the law. I guess the reality is people find a way around prejudice and bigotry in spite of what others many write, say or demand.

  25. Rosie 25

    Well done on not ignoring the jerk. Well done to you QOT and to those who are making complaints to the Herald itself and to the advertisers.

    Blue and Sosoo say he’s just a wind up and best to be ignored. This approach however means Bob Jones wins.Yes, he’s a sexist old bastard who loves winding folks up, but left unchallenged, he can claim centre stage. Non response to his sexism equates to society accepting his behaviour. Non response to others of his ilk means we give up the fight. That this should be printed in 2013 in NZ is disturbing and just goes to show why we have to continue to respond to arseholey behaviour. His ‘column’ carries the same sort of attitude that men (although not all men) had towards NZ suffragettes of the 19th century. No changes there. He thinks he’s funny but he’s not.

    Secondly, this bit is interesting:

    “My weaving in and out of the women resulted in complaints to the police, who wrote to me”.

    How does he know women wrote complaints about his behaviour? If the complainants had used the Community Road Watch Programme complaint forms, their identity is anonymous. Annnd if those the are forms that were used, it’s good to know they are still around. I used them a lot in my driving jobs in the 2000’s to report risky aggressive driving behaviour. Guess what? All my complaints were about men. I didn’t want them to be, I just didn’t experience risky behaviour with women drivers ( interestingly, see karols comment above). What I did get was a lot of jerks in SUV’s and Commodore HSV’s being tards. Sounds like Jones’ kind of behaviour…………

    Good that he received a complaint from the Police and good that in turn folks aren’t ignoring him. You don’t want to be like Shonkey and just shrug your shoulders and say “I’m comfortable with that”

    • karol 25.1

      Jones attitude, apart from the violence expressed towards women, shows a shocking disregard for the safety of others: riskier, and overly fast driving, not only puts the driver at risk but endangers others. I’d rather have slower and more cautious drivers around me. The faster and riskier the driving, the more damage caused when there is an accident.

      It’s the selfish, risky drivers that make driving an unpleasant and scary experience for others.

      What is the need to get everywhere so fast? – usually just a minute or two ahead of others.

      My preferred options these days are walking and public transport – often not as fast as even slow driving, but a more pleasant experience.

      • Rosie 25.1.1

        “What is the need to get everywhere so fast? – usually just a minute or two ahead of others”

        Oh, I know! They just don’t connect to the risk they cause to themselves and others. I don’t get opportunities to do open road driving much these days and like you, use public transport. When I am out and about in the car though I often find I have to pull over and let speeders past in the 50km area in the neighbourhood. (and I am driving at 50km myself so am not holding them up) only to find that I am up beside them at the lights a few seconds later.

        Maybe instead of using an expletive in my mind for these drivers I should use a term like “What a Jones!”

      • King Kong 25.1.2

        How can you possibly enjoy public transport as an experience unless you enjoy an uncomfortable proximity to the great unwashed.
        Took a bus in Wellington for two stops a couple of years ago and had to bath in Dettol immediately afterwards.

  26. BM 26

    I’m looking forward to his next column.

    Giving women the vote -One of the greatest mistakes of all time.

    Should be a good read.

  27. Rogue Trooper 27

    on female truck drivers (now that technology, electric over pneumatic gear shifts for example, has made operation less physical);
    -women take less risks
    -easier on gear
    -more diligent

    -source Road Transport Forum
    (when I saw the Jones headline, I failed to indicate an interest in reading the content).

  28. Virginia Linton 28

    It’s impossible to take ‘Sir Bob’ seriously. Read his dreadful novel Ogg (I rest my case). It must jar that brother Lloyd got the great writing gene, leaving Bob with just enough talent to churn out his ‘columns’ and … Ogg.

  29. Crunchtime 29

    NZ Herald is now a tabloid in more than one sense of the word.

    And Bob Jones… As cantankerous an old bastard as he is, I never expected such a violently misogynistic crywank as that article from him.

  30. lolitasbrother 30

    [QoT: excusing calls to beat women and burn down their homes, however “humorously” you choose to interpret them, gets your comment deleted. I’m sure the development of Western wit will not suffer as a result.]

  31. mikesh 31

    Wow. Did he just suggest our boys (and girls) in blue engage in assault and battery, and burn down people’s houses. Oh, dearie me, how awful.

  32. Well, he’s certainly got a point about the incompetents who seem to operate on the principle that there’s always someone to give way to at a roundabout if you just wait long enough, and the sociopaths who don’t keep left unless passing. And if you have to pass people on the inside because they consider it beneath them to do their doddering in the left-hand lane, and they *555 you, a fervent wish to have the cops give them a hiding is entirely understandable. Thing is, around half of these antisocial elements are male as far as I’ve noticed – and in the case of the right-lane hoggers, more than half. I guess Bob wrote a grumpy-cunt piece about these types, then decided it wasn’t sufficiently outrageous and decided to bung in some gratuitous sexism to boost the click-rate. He’s a prick like that.

    PS: all Bob’s pet-hate drivers pale into insignificance compared to the pricks who don’t know what an indicator is, and I suspect there’s a strong reason Bob doesn’t hate those cunts.

  33. lolita bother 33

    I see Idiot leads with his filthy language, and thats fine, he’s an anointed socialist , but not ok for people like me to simply mention Jones article reflects his sense of humour. I used to think Trotter was oh so precious but this column is unreal

  34. Mike S 34

    On the only positive note, he did use GNP instead of GDP

  35. Lisa Simpson had it right.

    “Just Dont Look”

    If ten thousand activists are going to his page to see what he wrote, then
    publications will continue to publicize him. If no one reads what he writes,
    then he will go away.

  36. lolita bother 36

    he’s gotta point [Brett above ] I went straight over and read everything Jones,

  37. Karyn 37

    Housework done and beds were made
    It looked to be a brilliant day
    What better thought to take a drive?
    My chaffaur he wasn’t at my side
    Now some for the flassy cars they go
    With leather seats and stereo
    But I”m your less audacious driver…
    and I had gone for the morris minor
    There she sat in the drive.
    Her chrome it shone and near made me cry.
    She’s not a beemer or a jag and really had only one snag
    She didn’t like to start from cold and I had to push her down the road..
    A running jump…into the seat ..was all done so very neat
    A bump a clunk and we were off
    heading for the motorway
    some distance off
    With tartan rug on the back seat and handbrake off we were complete
    Down on ramp at an alarming pace..
    To find our place in the race.
    Then some bastard made me start he wouldn.t let me in nor pass
    He raced ahead and then he slowed and I had no place to go
    Really no manners did he have That bloke was such an awful chav
    We ended up with wheels locked crunch of metal fire and smoke
    Teeth a grinding I went to slow but he had other ideas I know
    Off he went at hell bent pace
    With me his trailer locked in place
    We headed for the narrow bend it looked to be the bitter end
    What would me epitaph now read?
    Flames shot out inside the motor
    Killed by some bastard in a Toyota!

  38. Ecosse 38

    Bloody great poem!
    It sums up all that Bob “The Digger” Jones is!
    When you think about it, Bob Jones hasnt got a dogs show!
    If he were to run for office, it would all turn to custard!
    Good On You Karyn, great obersvational piece!
    Which is more than we can say for that steaming pile of bollocks that is,
    The Ego called Bob Jones!
    btw were Bob Jones & Rupert Murdoch separted at birth?
    Is there something we all need to know?
    Far too many similarities!

  39. Karyn 39

    Whats the difference between a steaming pile of poo and Bob Jones?

    A steaming pile of poo has more of an ethical compass and morals.

  40. Ecosse 40

    Whats the difference between Rupert Murdoch and Bob Jones?
    Bob Jones hasnt got round to selling his nationality yet, how lax!

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    Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
    5 hours ago
  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    5 hours ago
  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
    Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
    5 hours ago
  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    5 hours ago
  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
    Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
    5 hours ago
  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
    The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
    5 hours ago
  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    5 hours ago
  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    11 hours ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    13 hours ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    14 hours ago
  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    15 hours ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    17 hours ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    18 hours ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    18 hours ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    21 hours ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    22 hours ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    24 hours ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    1 day ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    2 days ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    2 days ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    2 days ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    2 days ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    2 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    4 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    4 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
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    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
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    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
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