Does anyone else think it’s a coincidence that Granny Herald has tried to start a meaningless debate over the national flag – ’11 of 18 Order of NZ members support change!’ wow-wee – just as the wheels come off a flagship National policy?
I think the flag issue is one the Government and its allies are quite happy to have rolling, because it’s popular, irrelevant to the aims of their ideology, and distracts.
I’m not so sure it’s tightly orchestrated however.
But I will agree that the Herald did make a conscious decision to run the flag story over other more important and pressing issues in education, the financial sector, and the environment.
In this case it’s probably more bad media than championing the Government. Though I think Eddie’s point is certainly possible enough to deserve a hearing, and most certainly not “losing the plot” as Daveski suggests.
And fair play to the Herald – if they’re going to wait for things to improve for this lame-duck government before having a debate on the flag, then they’ll be waiting a very long time …
If it’s about Waitangi Day they could have run the stories on, um, Waitangi Day.
And if they were serious about generating a cause for changing the flag they would have done a poll. not called up 18 people, labeled them patriots, and used them as the basis for claiming support for change.
this is transparent distraction tactics. If they hadn’t done this the front page story would have been the growing anti-national standards campaign. Actually, knowing the Herald it would have been a big picture of a sea lion or something.
I don’t think you get it. No-one is ‘in on’ anything.
The Herald just doesn’t want to have to talk about the disaster of the government it got elected, so it’s trying to distract us with something that doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t require National and the Herald to get together and plan it.
You mean instead of bludging off human stupidity and prejudice the way that most journos do as they re-release press releases?
There are very few people here who ‘bludge off the state’. Most of those who do probably use trusts and other mechanisms to reduce their income levels to qualify for WFF. Is that who you’re referring to?
If you want to make factless assertions – just follow Scribes example. It’s easy and simple enough for him to understand it… He’s a scribe!
Bollocks. This is a legitimate seasonal story with genuine news value. It’s not as if they’ve just published a bunch of vox pop “I reckons” with no precedent.
You can complain all you like about how it’s meaningless symbolism, and how you’re a savvy transcultural iconoclast. But that don’t change the fact that symbolism — and identity — matters to the rest of us.
Geez you’re an odd one Lew. You claim to understand political rhetoric but you don’t seem to understand how political actors work.
The Herald is a political actor. It favours, indeed campaigns for, National governments. When a National government is in the sh#t is it going to want to cover that? No.
What they need is a nice meaningless poltiical story where Key will look good. So they call up 18 people and ask their opinions on the flag, slap together an image of all the union jack flags, and ‘hey presto’ national standards is bumped down the list and everyone is talking about something that doesn’t hurt the government that the Herald supports.
None of this requires conspiracy. None of it requires National and the Herald to plan together.
I’m not disputing that this sort of distraction is an effective propaganda technique, what I’m disputing is the assertion that this is the reason for the topic of national identity being given prominence in the three days leading up to our national holiday (such as it is).
The Herald is indeed a political actor, much as all media are. I’ve spent thousands of words here and elsewhere on how, outside of a few specific issues like the EFA, it’s no more overtly political than other leading media in the country, and furthermore how its political biases can easily be explained by means other than resort of a media-political conspiracy, which is exactly what is alleged here — not in this immediate case, but a long-term agenda of collusion.
The point I’m trying to make isn’t that it’s not convenient for the government for national standards to be eclipsed by something else — but that it’s fair enough for it to be so at this time of year, and given the national identity debates which have coloured our recent past (Foreshore and Seabed/Orewa/Nationhood revisited; the h debate; the tino rangatiratanga flag decision; the recent visit of Prince William, the recent drawing of Locke’s head of state bill; Ansell’s largely self-promotional campaign to change the flag).
I understand you lot want a news agenda which is relentlessly critical of the government, focuses strictly on basic material and dry policy concerns, and generally is very much like The Standard. I would recommend that you start your own paper, but you have one — and it’s very good, for that purpose and for people who care about those things. But others care about symbolism and identity, and these are important debates to have, never more important than now.
As Daveski says, national standards isn’t going anywhere. If it’s half the debacle the NZEI says it will be (and I’m confident of that) then it’ll be an albatross around this government’s neck for years to come. Waitangi comes but once a year.
Scribe, how am I supposed to stay in the left-wing club with endorsements from people like you?
What I get pissed off with mostly is people who think their own political views are objectively right. The reason I get pissed off with it is because such certitude is a barrier to progress because people think “we’re right, and the truth will out”, and don’t bother to actually examine why the “truth” isn’t outing in the way they think it should.
It’s something which afflicts people from all over the spectrum, but as far as I’m concerned the right and conservatives are welcome to keep deluding themselves — it’s the left and liberals I want to give a cold shower to, so they’ll (hopefully) realise that in order to win, you have to play — even if you are right, that isn’t enough.
The Herald is indeed a political actor, much as all media are. I’ve spent thousands of words here and elsewhere on how, outside of a few specific issues like the EFA, it’s no more overtly political than other leading media in the country, and furthermore how its political biases can easily be explained by means other than resort of a media-political conspiracy, which is exactly what is alleged here — not in this immediate case, but a long-term agenda of collusion.
The problem is that when it exercises its ability to push an issue, it causes immense damage not only to other people – but also to itself. I remember the NZH’s EFA stances which were blatantly political, aligned with their wish to keep high advertising during election campaigns, showed scant regard to the facts, and were fundamentally highly dishonest to its reading public.
Personally I’ll put the boot in every chance I get until I’ve worked off that level of annoyance. It will take some time. If the Herald goes under – then I won’t be shedding too many tears. Most of the activists on the ‘left’ feel the same way to one degree or another.
That’s fair enough — but you’re owning that you have an axe to grind, not claiming the moral high ground of truth and purity. I don’t have any problem with people criticising the media — it’s literally what I do for a living). But the point is that for almost any non-trivial political topic, you’ll find similar abuses by the established media. The Dom Post and their coverage of the Urewera Terra is one other apposite example.
It’s not even especially bad here in NZ, and this business today is particularly weak. It strains credulity to pick on marginal cases like this when there’s actual legitimate criticism to be had most of the time. It weakens the overall argument of media bias (which is a legitimate one, even if somewhat misguided), and builds into a widely-held impression of the (activist) left as terminal victims, conspiracy nuts, and oversensitive inveterate whingers.
I seldom if ever claim a moral ground on anything. I tend to leave that for the insane certainties of the truly faithful.
However I do have a tenacious memory and a strong urge towards making sure that no bad deed goes without retribution, regardless how long it takes.
Agreed the DomPost editorial staff were totally hysterical over the Oct 15 raids, and I definitely intend to rub their noses in it after August next year. But that was mere sensationalism.
The EFA hysteria by the NZH had a distinct aroma of both self-interested corruption and political grand-standing about it (actually the kind of aroma that I associate with McCully). It definitely merits more of my attention than the DomPost because the dickheads at the NZH will want to try it again. I don’t like ‘kingmakers’.
Personally I couldn’t give a damn about what flag we use. It is completely irrelevant.
I have a strong suspicion that I’m part of the majority in Nz about this. So to waste time having a ‘debate’ about it just bores the crap out of me. It is a cheap way of filling a front page for the herald with a topic that might interest their unrepresentative readership. It is useful as a diversion for both the Nats, and the Maori party.
But I grew up without the crass flag waving stupidity of 19th century nationalism, and I have no intention of getting involved in something so trivial now.
As the leading mouthpiece for the National party, the NZ Herald is aware of this. So I guess that Eddie us probably right. It is a good topic to wind up nutters and divert attention away from things of interest
At the risk of introducing facts to this debate (and therefore risking the wrath of the BOFH), if this is as you state, why does the Granny have on the front page as the leading national news story are less than cheerleading story on national standards.
With respect, eddie’s post is a crock and you should know better.
if Key re instituted knights and dames of the british empire he’s hardly likely to ditch the union jack, even if carly binding referendum said its what the people want.
It is a good topic to wind up nutters and divert attention away from things of interest
You really can be an arrogant prick sometimes Lynn. Just because you don’t care about an issue doesn’t mean you can diminish the right of others to care about it. Feel free to argue the merits of it being a front page news story, but don’t try and write people off as “nutters” because they have a different view.
It might come as small surprise to you that I consider being thought “out of touch” by the more parochial and paranoid members of The Standard commentariat is a good indication that I’m on the right track.
I don’t care as much about our readership numbers as about the quality of the discussion. If I wanted to expand my readership, I’d have tits on the front page every other day, gossip about Brangelina and moonbat conspiracy thories front and centre.
I love the the way that when someone doesn’t agree with your view you start tacky, childlike, personal digs at them. Little more playing the ball and not the man please. How does it matter what his website stats are for goodness sake!
Lew and I are mostly on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but i enjoy reading what he has to say as he does so in a well thought out, and concise manner, that more people should take note of. Very rarely does he start randomly frothing at the mouth about the ususal matière du jour.
I think that the flag issue, like politics, is something that people do get very emotional about. Having just got back from 5 years overseas there is a Kiwi camaraderie that is quite unlike anything i have seen from any other nation. We gather together around or flag like it is our sovereign territory on some foreign land.
To say that the NZ flag issue is meaningless just shows, in my opinion, just how out of touch YOU actually are. I personally think the flag should change to the silver fern, as that symbolises our identity much more than the union jack.
The Herald story is a pretty straightforward attempt run interference for the National government by muddying the waters over the flag ahead of any potential annoyance at seeing the Harawira’s heraldry floating over over government buildings on Waitangi day.
The letters to the editor in today’s herald are mostly really good. The writers are getting stuck into the nats about their education policies founded on rhetoric.
The print version does not seem to have the Hone flag corruption story. I would have thought this would have been worthy of the front page.
What’s the difference between education policies based on rhetoric (which I would otherwise dispute) and tax policies based on rhetoric (Labour stuffing up the tax system through ideology over common sense?).
As a broader comment – not aimed at micky at all – there still seems to be a blame culture as to why Labour lost the election ie it wasn’t Labour’s people or policies but someone else eg NZH. Until Labour excepts that the people voted them out and Nats in, they can’t stop the rot. Good for me, bad for you.
Bad for me, good for you, and this is exactly the problem: always someone to blame, always some cause to whine about how it’s not fair, always trying to convert people who make political decisions based on their gut with cerebral facts and figures. Honestly, it’s like they don’t even want to win.
Exactly. Rhetoric is whatever the opponent says because I’m right and you’re wrong. It just that we have polar opposite views so each believes the other is speaking in rhetoric.
“The letters to the editor in today’s herald are mostly really good. The writers are getting stuck into the nats about their education policies founded on rhetoric.”
Darn them and their right wing bias… oh wait. Darn them and their left wing bias.
“The print version does not seem to have the Hone flag corruption story. I would have thought this would have been worthy of the front page.
It may alarm some people to learn that the Herald has editorial discretion to run whatever story it likes, and that it is not a tool of National.
That it does not put on its front page an attack on the Nats doesn’t mean it’s in bed with National. It’s probably more to do with the general dumbing down of much of our news media. Flags are bright and colourful and are easier for many to understand than educational issues.
Scott, watch out — the people who don’t have a blog will criticise you for having a blog which gets fewer hits than The Standard if you carry on that way.
Yeah that I’d agree with. Because anyone who actually runs a blog knows how damn hard it is to write posts, moderate, maintain, upgrade, and generally keep the damn thing running. Just keeping yourself interested is always a major struggle. Thats why we run with lots of authors.
Having lots of hits? – the main thing you notice about that is how hard it is to keep the system going as the traffic increases. I was doing performance tests of the new skin for the standard this morning and thinking that when we make it public, I’d have to take a couple of days off work. There is no way that I can do more than guess the loadings from the available data.
It is a cheap way of filling a front page for the herald with a topic that might interest their unrepresentative readership.
It may not be a direct tool of National – that is just how it acts. It probably does represent its local readers who are a relatively small subset of Aucklanders and few outside. From the ones I know, they’re relatively old, frequently conservative, and generally interested in stories that make them feel good. Which usually means looking at the misfortunes and miseries of someone else rather than feel-good.
What they’re mainly interested in is not having any in-depth analysis (that is largely on the business pages), but they want a superficial understanding of current issues so they can talk about things at work / bowling club / pub / etc.
In short they are pretty much like John Key. Which is why the Herald usually looks like the cheer-squad for National.
This whole left-wing/right-wing bias thing, aimed most often at The Herald, is so boring. People can easily cherry-pick stories to support their argument.
One can easily make the case that The Herald won the 2005 election for Labour by virtue of its editorial choices — EB on the front, now-imprisoned Mr Field on page 5 (or thereabouts). In such a close election, that decision was possibly enough — along with a few vans and some fast food — to get Labour over the line.
One can make the case that the Herald helped National win the election in 2008, but it was essentially a landslide, so it didn’t really matter.
Well apart from the wiingnut myth of Mangere 2005, you’re essentially correct.
The Herald targets their front-pages audience, a lot of whom are swinging ‘anti’ voters. Just at present that means they support National at the front page – at least that is what the polls say.
The business and political pages have a more persistent bias towards business interests, and have done since I was a kid.
Bullshit. To date you’ve ‘proved’ absolutely nothing except that you woke up on the fatuous side of the bed today. Guess your partner took all of the brains allocated for the day huh?
Come on LP – you’re the grumpy one here – it’s in your JD.
If there was a conspiracy, the treatment of the unemployment stats shows this to be BS. Likewise, the home page (at the time of eddie’s post) still had the standards as its leading national news story.
The NZ Herald website largely uses an algorithm for determining what articles hold the upper positions. It is largely based on date/time and user feedback in the number of page views and clickthrus. There is limited editorial control – most of that is exercised at quite a junior level.
The NZ Herald print run has no such feedback mechanism. Positioning is everything to a newsprint run and the decisions are made by editors pretty much on their gut feel.
This information is provided to you to prevent you from looking like a complete dickhead in equating the print runs with the website.
With respect, are we not talking about different things LP?
The world does not revolve around the printed version of the NZH unless you’re suggesting (as some seem to imply) that the only newspaper in NZ is the Granny and it is the only source of news for voters.
I think it’s too late to prevent you from looking like a Jafa dickhead 🙂
BTW Where I live (but not work) there is no daily news but friendly police … just ask Rocky!
Yeah, but almost all of the NZH print run is sold in Auckland. That is what the article was referring to.
The website ‘frontpage’ changes hour-to-hour and even in minutes with limited editorial control. So it’d be kind of pointless writing a post about its editorial stance. When the print edition was doing those bloody stupid editorial EFA attacks in 2007/8 on the front pages, the website edition would slide them off within an hour or so of writing. It was a pretty good indicator about how important the viewers though that the issue was.
I read the NZH print edition solely to find out the current editorial positions on topics. I read the website to get news.
I don’t have a problem with the Herald running flag stories. If it’s an issue that matters to them, good on them.
But we’ve just had a visit from the future head of state, whose country’s flag (and its relevance) is the central issue here. If the Herald feels so strongly, it could have raised the matter then. That really would have made an impact …
… an impact on the nice, soft, glossy coverage of Wills and John Key, blokes at the barbie.
It’s because there’s a conspiracy. That’s because the only people who vote read the NZH. However, the people who write the GOOD letters to the editor never read the Herald because they are pure and don’t want to be brainwashed.
There ya go eddie. I’ve written your next post for you 🙂
cut to the chase dudes.
of course granny will support anew flag.
then the desiginer will get royalties and granny can sell them.
doncha know that this is now new zeland inc. where everything is for sale including the truth.
go lprent.
but I must say it is a fruitless task arguing with idiots.
so just think of getting it all off your chest and dumping it on right wing sadsacks who haven’t got any money.
the fact of the matter is that the herald is a right wing corporatised money making machine for its owners and stockholders.
people who are not known to the the writers or the printers but who neverthless hold the whip hand over editorial content.
as it is privately owned then the owners can do what they like and they have chosen to employ a whole cadre of right wing apparatchiks who wil do anything to ensure that they remain employed and their owners wishes are pandered to and then to compound it all they call it a free press ancd charge the punters for it.
nice work if you can get it.
The paper wants to sell papers so they can make more money – that is it – putting colourful flags on it’s front page would sell a few more papers i suspect… anyway my flag is the tino rangatiratanga flag so i have no real interest in what design they come up with, if indeed they can even get the ball rolling, because eventually it will go, and there will be only one flag.
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We see regular stories from farmers and orchards complaining that no-one wants to work long hours in terrible conditions for poor pay in their shitty industry. And now, its fishers. But in the process, they neatly explain why:"It's a hard ...
New Zealand's largest city has just declared a climate emergency. And its not just a symbolic move:While the declaration is largely symbolic, it signals the start of a more urgent and focussed approach by councillors to curbing greenhouse gas emissions. ...
Inland Revenue is to gain greater oversight of land transfer information to ensure those buying and selling properties are complying with tax rules on property speculation. Cabinet has agreed to implement recommendation 99 of the Tax Working Group’s (TWG) final ...
The Government is taking action to expand and strengthen the protection for Māui and Hector’s dolphins with an updated plan to deal with threats to these native marine mammals. Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Minister of Fisheries Stuart Nash ...
Commercial fishing vessels at greatest risk of encountering the rare Māui dolphin will be required to operate with on-board cameras from 1 November, as the next step to strengthen our fisheries management system. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Fisheries Minister ...
A new record for the number of Police officers deployed to the regions in a single year has been created with the graduation today of Recruit Wing 326. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the graduation of 78 new constables means ...
The Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA) joins the growing chorus of those calling for an inquiry into the banks, particularly the Gang of Four big Australian-owned banks that completely dominate the sector (and do very nicely out ...
Public consultation on Medicinal Cannabis is not due until mid-to-late July, after multiple delays in the scheduling. Early OIA requests showed the initial date was planned for the 22nd April, putting the scheme 3 months behind, with 6 months to ...
Today is the beginning of a period known as Matariki, heralded by the sighting of seven stars in the Matariki cluster, which can usually be spotted during atapō (before dawn), north of the constellation Tautoro. ...
The power of Community Housing Aotearoa as a catalyst to drastically increase the supply of adequate, affordable housing for families living in poverty has been recognised by the Peter McKenzie Project of the J R McKenzie Trust. ...
A Palmerston North man has been sentenced after neglecting to provide appropriate and timely health interventions for his pony, which resulted in the pony suffering from chronic, active inflammation laminitis. ...
Today, the widower of Lecretia Seales, Matt Vickers, released a video in support of the End of Life Choice Bill, which is almost certainly up for debate and potentially a vote tomorrow. The Bill is due for its second reading. ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that, following a pursuit in Auckland, a man was dealt with inappropriately and unprofessionally by a Police officer during his arrest. ...
Yesterday's e-scooter death was the result of corrupt and reckless mismanagement by the government and the minister of transport should resign, says the car review website dogandlemon.com . ...
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes has today announced Dr Caralee McLiesh, PSM, to the position of Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Executive, the Treasury. ...
“Good on the Government for banning smoking in vehicles when there are children inside. We wholeheartedly support this move and we’re pleased Parliament’s dealing with this issue separately to vaping,” says Jonathan Devery, director of Alt New ...
A reduction in construction waste going to landfill is a step closer, following the release of a draft specification recognising good environmental practice in waste management and minimisation. The specification has been developed by the New Zealand ...
The PSA is calling on the Government to pave the way for Fair Pay Agreements, as new research shows they will both reduce inequality and provide a better balanced economy. ...
NZEI Te Riu Roa has welcomed a BERL-authored report released by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions this morning, which finds that New Zealand’s abandonment of sector bargaining in the 1990s is linked to a decline in wages. ...
The Council of Trade Unions has today released an independent report conducted by economic research company BERL into the validity of sector bargaining. And the findings are clear - there is no economic reason not to implement sector bargaining but ...
New parent advocacy group Whanau First is calling for the resignation of the Chair of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions Sir Anand Satyanand and its Executive Director ...
The bank deposit insurance scheme just announced by government is no more then a licence for banks to create even more money out of thin air than they already do and be less responsible about who they lend it to, ...
Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahumatullahi Wa Barakatuh. May the Peace and the Blessing of God be Upon you FIANZ, the voice of New Zealand’s Muslim community since 1979, is opposed to euthanasia and the End of Life Choice Bill. We give ...
New Zealand’s economy has stabilised, with solid growth supporting well-being through jobs and incomes. Ongoing implementation of the government’s new well-being approach to policymaking will offer further opportunities to create a more sustainable and ...
Disability Commissioner Paula Tesoriero outlayed her concerns about the End of Life Choice Bill to John Campbell on TVNZ’s Breakfast yesterday morning . "I'm concerned that the safeguards are woefully inadequate,” she said. “I'm deeply ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says it’s still a moot point as to whether Iran was responsible for planting mines on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. “The more intelligence we see, the more we'll be able to make ...
Members of FIRST Union who work in the banking sector felt vindicated by the FMA and Reserve Bank of New Zealand announcement that all banks had committed to remove sales incentives from frontline staff and their managers. ...
Officials believe a third of all rental homes won't be insulated in time for the deadline next week. However preliminary results from a NZ Property Investors’ Federation (NZPIF) survey show that the real number of properties which are unlikely to ...
The Reserve Bank has welcomed the release of in-principle decisions relating the Review of the Reserve Bank Act and is encouraging submissions in the consultation process. The Ministers’ in-principle decisions and second set of consultation papers ...
In a landmark case, members of FIRST Union who work at Mitre 10 Mega in Dunedin and Mitre 10 Mosgiel have achieved their first collective agreement which affords a living wage. ...
Senior male executives who commit corporate economic crimes are less likely to be dismissed or legally punished than middle management and junior staff according to new research. ...
An historic international agreement by unions, employers and governments was forged last week in Geneva at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) with a new international Convention passed to eliminate violence and harassment at work. The passing of this ...
State Services Minister Chris Hipkins must confirm that the State Services Commissioner is on track to announce the results of his investigation into Gabriel Makhlouf by this Thursday, 27 June, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers' Union ...
Barnardos is today welcoming the release of the report ‘Are We Listening? – Children’s Participation Rights in Government Policy’ from the Children’s Convention Monitoring Group. The report focusses on children and young people’s right to participate ...
The latest Kiwis Count Survey has shown that trust in the public sector continues to rise and is now at an all-time high, says State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes. ...
The gender diversity of New Zealanders will be better reflected in future statistics with new information collected in household surveys, Stats NZ said today. ...
Today climate action groups in Dunedin and Wellington will set up waiting rooms outside Kiwibank branches, to demonstrate that the climate can’t keep waiting for Kiwibank to release a fossil free policy that rules out investments or lending to ...
Making New Zealand a major point of connection between China and South America will take a step forward tomorrow at a trilateral conference in Auckland. ...
A report released today, from the Children’s Convention Monitoring Group*, is a sharp reminder that what children and young people say makes a difference, and that it’s time we paid more attention to their views, says Children’s Commissioner ...
Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa, the country’s alliance for groups and organisations supporting children’s rights, says that a new report published today on child participation shows some important progress has been achieved since 2016, but more must be done ...
Green politicians are betraying disabled people by pretending their upcoming block vote for the End of Life Choice Bill complies with their disability policy. ...
The New Zealand Maori Council has asked the Prime Minister to establish a Royal Commission to investigate PHARMAC and successive Governments failure to provide adequate funding. Executive Director of the Council, Matthew Tukaki, has also said that an urgent investigation ...
The government’s firearm buy back scheme is not just bullying and unfair, it uses the New Zealand police to force its draconian law on law abiding New Zealanders, who are already feeling cheated and manipulated by this process. ...
The euthanasia debate is progressing, with the End of Life Choice Bill expected to have its second reading in Parliament on Wednesday. A similar bill was passed in Canada in 2016 - and it's estimated about 8000 people have had ...
Simon Shepherd: On the other side of the debate is Dave Mullan, a former Methodist preacher who has been living with prostate cancer for 18 years. Medication to stop the spread is no longer working. So he wants the right ...
Anti-euthanasia advocates are planning to go to Parliament this week for the second reading of the End of Life Choice Bill. One will be Vicki Walsh, who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer almost eight years ago and has so ...
As a part of the UNANZ National Conference 2019, our national office has partnered up with regional offices, especially those from Tauranga, Whanganui, Canterbury, Northern, Waikato and Wellington to bring to the public the Secondary School Speech ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The attitudes of Australians towards China have soured dramatically in the past year, according to the Lowy Institute’s annual poll released on Wednesday. Only 32% ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison will warn of the danger of any further escalation in US-China tensions and declare Australia won’t let its relations with China be dominated ...
By RNZ Pacific French Polynesia’s former president, Gaston Flosse, and 12 others have been ordered to jointly repay millions of francs they misspent on so-called phantom jobs. In 2013, the group was found to have funded a vast network ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Wood, Associate Professor, Discipline of Childhood and Adolescent Health, University of Sydney This year, we’ve seen a resurgence of measles around the globe. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recorded more than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Thompson, Coordinator of Studies: Systematic Theology, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity For many Christians, Israel Folau has become the talisman in the fight for religious freedom. This week, some Australian ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland Martyn Iles, managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, dodged the question this week when asked by Lisa ...
Art history tells us a lot about the present moment through its interpretation of the past. In historicising the work of bygone artists, it reveals changing attitudes and contemporary concerns, writes Emma Ng.This year Wellington is host to three exhibitions ...
Marian Keyes is a stone-cold legend: terrifically funny and emotionally intelligent, and never afraid of the dark. She deserves all the prizes. In lieu of that, here’s a heartfelt piece by Scarlett Cayford, who grew up steeped in Keyes’ stories ...
Consumers are being warned that some exotic mushrooms being sold in supermarkets and high-end restaurants as 'New Zealand grown' are being actually imported from China, a local grower says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jade Sheen, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, Deakin University Curious Kids is a series for children. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au You ...
In the same week as Steve Brooks placed an unorthodox election ad for National his fringe lending business has called for looser restrictions on its activities.The businessman behind a bizarre unauthorised ad for the National Party runs a payday lending ...
By Rosalie Nongebatu in Suva Three journalism students from The University of the South Pacific in Suva have been selected to participate in a week-long environmental reporting project in the Solomon Islands. After a stringent selection process, students Rosalie ...
With the Prime Minister's first Cabinet reshuffle to be announced this week, the fate of Housing and Transport Minister Phil Twyford has caused the most speculation. ...
Muzza’s Pies is a beloved Mt Albert institution, responsible for curing a million hangovers. Alex Casey pays tribute to the shop that got her through her teenage years.We were all perched on the bench outside Muzza’s Pies, a motley group ...
Tongan journalist, publisher and broadcaster Kalafi Moala talks to Pacific Media Watch project’s Sri Krishnamurthi. Video: Sri Krishnamurthi/Blessen TomBy Sri Krishnamurthi After 30 years as chief editor and publisher of Tonga’s flagship Taimi ‘o Tonga newspaper, the iconic ...
In a surprise announcement, the shadow finance minister Amy Adams will leave parliament in 2020, and has stepped down from her frontbench roles with immediate effect. Alex Braae asks what happens now It could have all been so different for Amy ...
Arthur Grimes looks at how putting the former government and current Government's approaches together would achieve significant improvements in areas in dire need of improvement. ...
A new book about the depiction of religion in New Zealand editorial cartoons reveals some disturbing truths.Last week the NZ Cartoon Archive at Wellington’s Alexander Turnbull Library published Mike Grimshaw’s Bishops, Boozers, Brethren & Burkas, which looks at religion in ...
Dance down memory lane with us to a time when the Māori showbands ruled supreme. After World War II, Māori concert parties became a huge attraction in Aotearoa, like the kapa haka groups we know and love today. Action songs and ...
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ about the news of the moment. Today, we look at the UberEats busy area fee that has just launched in Auckland.The what?You know how you often pay more for a ...
Over 2.8 million New Zealanders are signed up for Kiwisaver, but not many are aware of where that money is going. Weaponry, fossil fuels and gambling services are all being invested in from some of the most popular funds, and ...
The government's proposals to make the banking system safer for customers might not be enough for New Zealanders struggling to save for their retirement, the opposition says. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended Housing Minister Phil Twyford over KiwiBuild, saying one individual shouldn't be blamed for difficulties in an ambitious policy. ...
The service would have paid families between $500 to $5000 a year, allowing them to buy the respite support which suited them best, but the Ministry of Health baulked at the cost. ...
A global report has praised New Zealand for its wellbeing approach to policy, but has named inequality, housing unaffordability and migration policy as major risks to our economic success. ...
Tara Ward power-ranks our nation’s most valuable, revenue-generating resource: Our big-ass rural monuments.Big Monuments are taking over the nation. No town is safe, no highway untouched by their enormous limbs and massive beaks and enormous carroty girths. We’re obsessed with ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s contentBanks Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): A proper banking and insurance ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended Phil Twyford over KiwiBuild, saying one individual shouldn't be blamed for difficulties in an ambitious policy. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donell Holloway, Senior research fellow, Edith Cowan University I recently purchased a bedroom bundle (mattress, bed base, pillows and sheets) from a well known Australian startup for my son, who has flown ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Reilly, Director of the Public Law and Policy Research Unit, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide With all the hyperbole about the medevac law, it is easy to lose sight of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Allen Cheng, Professor in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Monash University Influenza is a moving target for vaccines. Each year, up to four different strains circulate, and they are constantly evolving to escape our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Curnock, Social Scientist, CSIRO Media coverage of mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef may have been a major tipping point for public concerns around climate change, according to research ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University This essay is part of a series of articles on the future of education. Technological developments are expected to majorly, and rapidly, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Assistant professor, University of Canberra Facebook’s proposed new digital currency, if even modestly successful, will hand over much of the control of monetary policy from central banks to Facebook and ...
Granny sez: look over here! 
49 publications for this week. The last paper in this week's list features Skeptical Science volunteer and highly cited researcher Stephan Lewandowsky along with Skeptical Science founder John Cook as first and second authors respectively, working with regular collaborator Gilles Gignac. ...10 hours ago
PICTURED: Judith Collins and her chief benefactor (inset) When Simon Bridges resolved to wrestle the infrastructure portfolio from perennial rival Judith Collins this week, he had to utilize a mechanism not usually exercised in the halls of Parliament. Removing a ...7 hours ago
PICTURED: Folau’s updated list of hell-bound sinners. Following a difficult week for Israel Folau, under fire and alleged financial pressure due to his public condemnation of homosexuals, the former rugby union star has revised the list that landed him in ...8 hours ago
The Stuff story on the renewable energy target quotes National climate change spokesperson Todd Muller as opposing cuts to electricity sector emissions:National's climate change spokesman Todd Muller said the report exposed the "economic lunacy" of being fixated on greenhouse emissions ...16 hours ago
Few tears will be shed in the regions at the departure of Christopher Luxon as CEO of Air New Zealand. Under his watch, the supposedly “national” airline lost sight of its national responsibilities and abandoned regional centres such as Whakatane ...17 hours ago
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by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Colombia has now made it into the modern world, but not that of a strong and diversified economy, of democratic rights, nor the rule of law. No, that is not the modern world that Colombia has ...1 day ago
Grant Illingworth QC is concerned that if David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill is enacted, we somehow would be breaching the social contract on which our entire system of law rests.read more ...2 days ago
This article is about what can happen if a drug substitution programme is suddenly cancelled. In 1978, the Dunedin Hospital Board followed a New Zealand-wide trend and began an opiate substitution programme for local addicts using the synthetic narcotic, methadone. The ...3 days ago
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jun 16 through Sat, June 22, 2019 Editor's Pick A Degree of Concern: Why Global Temperatures Matter Credit: NASA-JPL/Caltech Part ...3 days ago
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And now this:
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James Robb looks at the systemic issues surrounding the state taking children from their families. A shocking documentary video released last week by Newsroom reporter Melanie Reid, shows the attempts by social workers employed by Oranga Tamariki, the New Zealand state’s child welfare agency, ...5 days ago
The inquiry into whether the SAS acted illegally during a nighttime raid on a suspected insurgent’s hideout in Afghanistan in 2010 (code named Operation Burnham), which resulted in six civilian deaths and serious wounds to 15 others, is slowly coming ...6 days ago
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Another major oil company has given up exploring in New Zealand: Chevron and Norwegian oil giant Equinor have opted to abandon their joint exploration efforts off the east coast of the North Island. The two firms have applied to surrender ...7 days ago
NZ has dethroned GDP as a measure of success, but will Ardern’s government be transformational? When you’re in politics, words are a high-stakes game. Voters and journalists hold you to them and there is a risk in using ...7 days ago
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The world’s oceans are deeply affected by climate change – and vice versa. But until recent years, ocean advocates throughout California had long tackled issues like over-fishing ...1 week ago
There’s so much one could say about Key’s assessment of Hisco right now…
Suffice to say it was definitely the following: A) Perfectly reflective of the ... 1 week ago
. . This morning, a little after 4am, Sharlene lost her brave fight against cancer. Rest in peace, Sharlene. You were always one of my brightest stars… . . Advertisements ...1 week ago
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A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jun 9 through Sat, June 15, 2019 Editor's Pick Costa Rica Doubled Its Forest Cover In Just 30 Years! Costa ...1 week ago
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Director-General of OPCW Fernando Arias Gonzales admits Douma engineers report was legit and he was part of the FFM – but attempts to justify suppression of the report. France 24 reports that the head of the Organisation for the ...2 weeks ago
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Daisy Dunne The record-breaking 2018 summer heatwave in Japan in which more than 1,000 people died “could not have happened without human-induced global warming”, a study finds. And the extreme heat felt in ...2 weeks ago
Jonathan Bamber, Professor of Physical Geography, University of Bristol and Michael Oppenheimer, Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs, Princeton University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Antarctica is further from ...2 weeks ago
Inland Revenue is to gain greater oversight of land transfer information to ensure those buying and selling properties are complying with tax rules on property speculation. Cabinet has agreed to implement recommendation 99 of the Tax Working Group’s (TWG) final ...1 week ago
The Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA) joins the growing chorus of those calling for an inquiry into the banks, particularly the Gang of Four big Australian-owned banks that completely dominate the sector (and do very nicely out ...12 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The attitudes of Australians towards China have soured dramatically in the past year, according to the Lowy Institute’s annual poll released on Wednesday. Only 32% ...3 hours ago
Research backs a move towards organised sector bargaining, saying NZ has 'nothing to fear'. ...3 hours ago
A bill that would prohibit smoking in cars with children inside has passed its first reading in Parliament. ...6 hours ago
By RNZ Pacific French Polynesia’s former president, Gaston Flosse, and 12 others have been ordered to jointly repay millions of francs they misspent on so-called phantom jobs. In 2013, the group was found to have funded a vast network ...7 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Wood, Associate Professor, Discipline of Childhood and Adolescent Health, University of Sydney This year, we’ve seen a resurgence of measles around the globe. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recorded more than ...8 hours ago
Future budgets will see the existing spending, as well as new spending, subjected to a wellbeing analysis, Robertson says at OECD report launch. ...10 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland Martyn Iles, managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, dodged the question this week when asked by Lisa ...11 hours ago
Parliament is too small, and committees too poorly resourced, to properly hold the Government to account, review says. ...11 hours ago
Art history tells us a lot about the present moment through its interpretation of the past. In historicising the work of bygone artists, it reveals changing attitudes and contemporary concerns, writes Emma Ng.This year Wellington is host to three exhibitions ...12 hours ago
Marian Keyes is a stone-cold legend: terrifically funny and emotionally intelligent, and never afraid of the dark. She deserves all the prizes. In lieu of that, here’s a heartfelt piece by Scarlett Cayford, who grew up steeped in Keyes’ stories ...12 hours ago
Consumers are being warned that some exotic mushrooms being sold in supermarkets and high-end restaurants as 'New Zealand grown' are being actually imported from China, a local grower says. ...13 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jade Sheen, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, Deakin University Curious Kids is a series for children. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au You ...13 hours ago
In the same week as Steve Brooks placed an unorthodox election ad for National his fringe lending business has called for looser restrictions on its activities.The businessman behind a bizarre unauthorised ad for the National Party runs a payday lending ...14 hours ago
By Rosalie Nongebatu in Suva Three journalism students from The University of the South Pacific in Suva have been selected to participate in a week-long environmental reporting project in the Solomon Islands. After a stringent selection process, students Rosalie ...15 hours ago
Muzza’s Pies is a beloved Mt Albert institution, responsible for curing a million hangovers. Alex Casey pays tribute to the shop that got her through her teenage years.We were all perched on the bench outside Muzza’s Pies, a motley group ...15 hours ago
The beleaguered Gabriel Makhlouf will be replaced by Australian economist and bureaucrat Dr Caralee McLiesh. ...16 hours ago
Tongan journalist, publisher and broadcaster Kalafi Moala talks to Pacific Media Watch project’s Sri Krishnamurthi. Video: Sri Krishnamurthi/Blessen Tom By Sri Krishnamurthi After 30 years as chief editor and publisher of Tonga’s flagship Taimi ‘o Tonga newspaper, the iconic ...16 hours ago
In a surprise announcement, the shadow finance minister Amy Adams will leave parliament in 2020, and has stepped down from her frontbench roles with immediate effect. Alex Braae asks what happens now It could have all been so different for Amy ...16 hours ago
Arthur Grimes looks at how putting the former government and current Government's approaches together would achieve significant improvements in areas in dire need of improvement. ...16 hours ago
A new book about the depiction of religion in New Zealand editorial cartoons reveals some disturbing truths.Last week the NZ Cartoon Archive at Wellington’s Alexander Turnbull Library published Mike Grimshaw’s Bishops, Boozers, Brethren & Burkas, which looks at religion in ...16 hours ago
Senior National MP Amy Adams will retire from politics in 2020, leaving the safe Selwyn seat up for grabs. ...16 hours ago
Civil Defence is on the way out, and the National Emergency Management Agency is on the way in. ...16 hours ago
Dance down memory lane with us to a time when the Māori showbands ruled supreme. After World War II, Māori concert parties became a huge attraction in Aotearoa, like the kapa haka groups we know and love today. Action songs and ...17 hours ago
Milk production for the New Zealand dairy season just ended was up by more than 2.4 percent on the season prior. ...18 hours ago
Over 2.8 million New Zealanders are signed up for Kiwisaver, but not many are aware of where that money is going. Weaponry, fossil fuels and gambling services are all being invested in from some of the most popular funds, and ...19 hours ago
The government's proposals to make the banking system safer for customers might not be enough for New Zealanders struggling to save for their retirement, the opposition says. ...19 hours ago
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended Housing Minister Phil Twyford over KiwiBuild, saying one individual shouldn't be blamed for difficulties in an ambitious policy. ...19 hours ago
A global report has praised New Zealand for its wellbeing approach to policy, but has named inequality, housing unaffordability and migration policy as major risks to our economic success. ...19 hours ago
Tara Ward power-ranks our nation’s most valuable, revenue-generating resource: Our big-ass rural monuments.Big Monuments are taking over the nation. No town is safe, no highway untouched by their enormous limbs and massive beaks and enormous carroty girths. We’re obsessed with ...19 hours ago
The Government has announced where its $1 billion of KiwiRail funding will be spent, but more is needed to replace Cook Strait ferries. ...20 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donell Holloway, Senior research fellow, Edith Cowan University I recently purchased a bedroom bundle (mattress, bed base, pillows and sheets) from a well known Australian startup for my son, who has flown ...21 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Allen Cheng, Professor in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Monash University Influenza is a moving target for vaccines. Each year, up to four different strains circulate, and they are constantly evolving to escape our ...21 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Duffy, Lecturer in Applied Geoscience, University of Melbourne The magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck at a depth of about 200km beneath the Banda Sea on Monday prompted office buildings to be ...21 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Curnock, Social Scientist, CSIRO Media coverage of mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef may have been a major tipping point for public concerns around climate change, according to research ...21 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University This essay is part of a series of articles on the future of education. Technological developments are expected to majorly, and rapidly, ...21 hours ago
Does anyone think eddie’s losing the plot?
If the days before our national holiday is NOT the time to consider our national identity, when is?
I think the flag issue is one the Government and its allies are quite happy to have rolling, because it’s popular, irrelevant to the aims of their ideology, and distracts.
I’m not so sure it’s tightly orchestrated however.
But I will agree that the Herald did make a conscious decision to run the flag story over other more important and pressing issues in education, the financial sector, and the environment.
In this case it’s probably more bad media than championing the Government. Though I think Eddie’s point is certainly possible enough to deserve a hearing, and most certainly not “losing the plot” as Daveski suggests.
And fair play to the Herald – if they’re going to wait for things to improve for this lame-duck government before having a debate on the flag, then they’ll be waiting a very long time …
I would of thought that this was more to do with Waitangi Day,
“I would of thought that this was more to do with Waitangi Day,”
See, here is the difference between yourself and Eddie… you actually thought about it.
If it’s about Waitangi Day they could have run the stories on, um, Waitangi Day.
And if they were serious about generating a cause for changing the flag they would have done a poll. not called up 18 people, labeled them patriots, and used them as the basis for claiming support for change.
this is transparent distraction tactics. If they hadn’t done this the front page story would have been the growing anti-national standards campaign. Actually, knowing the Herald it would have been a big picture of a sea lion or something.
Keep digging, eddie. The National standards will still be topical next week, Waitangi Day will be another year away.
I’m just fcuked off that it’s on a Saturday and ANZAC day is too! If Key wants my vote he needs to mondayize and fast!
antispam: mistaken. Sorry Eddie but you are definitely mistaken with this conspiracy theory
It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s a widely practiced political tactic.
I just looked at teh Dominion and they don’t have nat standards on the front page either. Are they in on it too?
I don’t think you get it. No-one is ‘in on’ anything.
The Herald just doesn’t want to have to talk about the disaster of the government it got elected, so it’s trying to distract us with something that doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t require National and the Herald to get together and plan it.
You people don’t have a clue about newspapers. Stick to what you know about — bludging off the state.
You mean instead of bludging off human stupidity and prejudice the way that most journos do as they re-release press releases?
There are very few people here who ‘bludge off the state’. Most of those who do probably use trusts and other mechanisms to reduce their income levels to qualify for WFF. Is that who you’re referring to?
If you want to make factless assertions – just follow Scribes example. It’s easy and simple enough for him to understand it… He’s a scribe!
And guess whos behind the flag change – Ansell.
He knows publicity in his sleep. Make that publicity for the right wing noise machine
Expect more of these tired old going nowhere issues to be running next year.
Mostly to fill space to keep things like ….. Super City off the front page.
Bollocks. This is a legitimate seasonal story with genuine news value. It’s not as if they’ve just published a bunch of vox pop “I reckons” with no precedent.
You can complain all you like about how it’s meaningless symbolism, and how you’re a savvy transcultural iconoclast. But that don’t change the fact that symbolism — and identity — matters to the rest of us.
L
‘Look over here’ says Granny
‘Where, where’ says Lew
That’s right, Eddie, disagreement with you means I’m clearly part of the conspiracy.
L
who said anything about a conspiracy?
Geez you’re an odd one Lew. You claim to understand political rhetoric but you don’t seem to understand how political actors work.
The Herald is a political actor. It favours, indeed campaigns for, National governments. When a National government is in the sh#t is it going to want to cover that? No.
What they need is a nice meaningless poltiical story where Key will look good. So they call up 18 people and ask their opinions on the flag, slap together an image of all the union jack flags, and ‘hey presto’ national standards is bumped down the list and everyone is talking about something that doesn’t hurt the government that the Herald supports.
None of this requires conspiracy. None of it requires National and the Herald to plan together.
I’m not disputing that this sort of distraction is an effective propaganda technique, what I’m disputing is the assertion that this is the reason for the topic of national identity being given prominence in the three days leading up to our national holiday (such as it is).
The Herald is indeed a political actor, much as all media are. I’ve spent thousands of words here and elsewhere on how, outside of a few specific issues like the EFA, it’s no more overtly political than other leading media in the country, and furthermore how its political biases can easily be explained by means other than resort of a media-political conspiracy, which is exactly what is alleged here — not in this immediate case, but a long-term agenda of collusion.
The point I’m trying to make isn’t that it’s not convenient for the government for national standards to be eclipsed by something else — but that it’s fair enough for it to be so at this time of year, and given the national identity debates which have coloured our recent past (Foreshore and Seabed/Orewa/Nationhood revisited; the h debate; the tino rangatiratanga flag decision; the recent visit of Prince William, the recent drawing of Locke’s head of state bill; Ansell’s largely self-promotional campaign to change the flag).
I understand you lot want a news agenda which is relentlessly critical of the government, focuses strictly on basic material and dry policy concerns, and generally is very much like The Standard. I would recommend that you start your own paper, but you have one — and it’s very good, for that purpose and for people who care about those things. But others care about symbolism and identity, and these are important debates to have, never more important than now.
As Daveski says, national standards isn’t going anywhere. If it’s half the debacle the NZEI says it will be (and I’m confident of that) then it’ll be an albatross around this government’s neck for years to come. Waitangi comes but once a year.
L
I have found Lew’s analysis of media coverage etc to almost always be spot on. Nothing has changed here.
You must get frustrated reading the rants of morons who don’t know anything about the media, Lew.
Scribe, how am I supposed to stay in the left-wing club with endorsements from people like you?
What I get pissed off with mostly is people who think their own political views are objectively right. The reason I get pissed off with it is because such certitude is a barrier to progress because people think “we’re right, and the truth will out”, and don’t bother to actually examine why the “truth” isn’t outing in the way they think it should.
It’s something which afflicts people from all over the spectrum, but as far as I’m concerned the right and conservatives are welcome to keep deluding themselves — it’s the left and liberals I want to give a cold shower to, so they’ll (hopefully) realise that in order to win, you have to play — even if you are right, that isn’t enough.
L
The Herald is indeed a political actor, much as all media are. I’ve spent thousands of words here and elsewhere on how, outside of a few specific issues like the EFA, it’s no more overtly political than other leading media in the country, and furthermore how its political biases can easily be explained by means other than resort of a media-political conspiracy, which is exactly what is alleged here — not in this immediate case, but a long-term agenda of collusion.
The problem is that when it exercises its ability to push an issue, it causes immense damage not only to other people – but also to itself. I remember the NZH’s EFA stances which were blatantly political, aligned with their wish to keep high advertising during election campaigns, showed scant regard to the facts, and were fundamentally highly dishonest to its reading public.
Personally I’ll put the boot in every chance I get until I’ve worked off that level of annoyance. It will take some time. If the Herald goes under – then I won’t be shedding too many tears. Most of the activists on the ‘left’ feel the same way to one degree or another.
That’s fair enough — but you’re owning that you have an axe to grind, not claiming the moral high ground of truth and purity. I don’t have any problem with people criticising the media — it’s literally what I do for a living). But the point is that for almost any non-trivial political topic, you’ll find similar abuses by the established media. The Dom Post and their coverage of the Urewera Terra is one other apposite example.
It’s not even especially bad here in NZ, and this business today is particularly weak. It strains credulity to pick on marginal cases like this when there’s actual legitimate criticism to be had most of the time. It weakens the overall argument of media bias (which is a legitimate one, even if somewhat misguided), and builds into a widely-held impression of the (activist) left as terminal victims, conspiracy nuts, and oversensitive inveterate whingers.
L
I seldom if ever claim a moral ground on anything. I tend to leave that for the insane certainties of the truly faithful.
However I do have a tenacious memory and a strong urge towards making sure that no bad deed goes without retribution, regardless how long it takes.
Agreed the DomPost editorial staff were totally hysterical over the Oct 15 raids, and I definitely intend to rub their noses in it after August next year. But that was mere sensationalism.
The EFA hysteria by the NZH had a distinct aroma of both self-interested corruption and political grand-standing about it (actually the kind of aroma that I associate with McCully). It definitely merits more of my attention than the DomPost because the dickheads at the NZH will want to try it again. I don’t like ‘kingmakers’.
please say the password and show your identity card at the gate next time Lew, we wont let you in again without your identity card.
Personally I couldn’t give a damn about what flag we use. It is completely irrelevant.
I have a strong suspicion that I’m part of the majority in Nz about this. So to waste time having a ‘debate’ about it just bores the crap out of me. It is a cheap way of filling a front page for the herald with a topic that might interest their unrepresentative readership. It is useful as a diversion for both the Nats, and the Maori party.
But I grew up without the crass flag waving stupidity of 19th century nationalism, and I have no intention of getting involved in something so trivial now.
As the leading mouthpiece for the National party, the NZ Herald is aware of this. So I guess that Eddie us probably right. It is a good topic to wind up nutters and divert attention away from things of interest
At the risk of introducing facts to this debate (and therefore risking the wrath of the BOFH), if this is as you state, why does the Granny have on the front page as the leading national news story are less than cheerleading story on national standards.
With respect, eddie’s post is a crock and you should know better.
hmmm…serious debate eh ?…leading nowhere.
if Key re instituted knights and dames of the british empire he’s hardly likely to ditch the union jack, even if carly binding referendum said its what the people want.
It is a good topic to wind up nutters and divert attention away from things of interest
You really can be an arrogant prick sometimes Lynn. Just because you don’t care about an issue doesn’t mean you can diminish the right of others to care about it. Feel free to argue the merits of it being a front page news story, but don’t try and write people off as “nutters” because they have a different view.
I don’t think we need any more proof how out of touch Lew and Kiwipolitico is with what people actually want.
It might come as small surprise to you that I consider being thought “out of touch” by the more parochial and paranoid members of The Standard commentariat is a good indication that I’m on the right track.
L
I would think your readership stats were a better indication.
I don’t care as much about our readership numbers as about the quality of the discussion. If I wanted to expand my readership, I’d have tits on the front page every other day, gossip about Brangelina and moonbat conspiracy thories front and centre.
L
yeah. It’s pretty fortunate that you don’t care about readership. Would be tough on you if you did.
I love the the way that when someone doesn’t agree with your view you start tacky, childlike, personal digs at them. Little more playing the ball and not the man please. How does it matter what his website stats are for goodness sake!
Lew and I are mostly on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but i enjoy reading what he has to say as he does so in a well thought out, and concise manner, that more people should take note of. Very rarely does he start randomly frothing at the mouth about the ususal matière du jour.
I think that the flag issue, like politics, is something that people do get very emotional about. Having just got back from 5 years overseas there is a Kiwi camaraderie that is quite unlike anything i have seen from any other nation. We gather together around or flag like it is our sovereign territory on some foreign land.
To say that the NZ flag issue is meaningless just shows, in my opinion, just how out of touch YOU actually are. I personally think the flag should change to the silver fern, as that symbolises our identity much more than the union jack.
Basically it is nice to have a flag. But who gives a flying f* what the flag actually is. If it wasn’t a flag then it’d probably be a blowup football.
It isn’t the symbol that counts – it is what it symbolises that does.
Andrew, I don’t think anyone would seriously call me “concise”, but thanks anyhow.
L
good point … fairy nuff :o)
Would they be your tits?
antispam: unsuitable. indeed.
I hear Trav is available for guest posts 😀
No I didn’t notice. Because I don’t read it.
Along with whale oil, kiwiblog and fox news.
Go cry into your chardonnay Lew.
Catchpa: Amount
Oh yeah, that’s the sort of quality I’m talking about.
L
The Herald story is a pretty straightforward attempt run interference for the National government by muddying the waters over the flag ahead of any potential annoyance at seeing the Harawira’s heraldry floating over over government buildings on Waitangi day.
“A Herald survey of 18 of the 22 members of the Order of New Zealand”
god what a rag.
The Order of NZ is limited to 20 living ordinary members. They have additional and honorary members too, but it still doesn’t add up to 22.
There are 17 ordinary members, 6 additional members, 1 honorary member – 24. http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/onz.html
Speaking of which, I bet Clark was the one who didn’t comment. Not possible in her position.
The letters to the editor in today’s herald are mostly really good. The writers are getting stuck into the nats about their education policies founded on rhetoric.
The print version does not seem to have the Hone flag corruption story. I would have thought this would have been worthy of the front page.
Diversion anyone?
What’s the difference between education policies based on rhetoric (which I would otherwise dispute) and tax policies based on rhetoric (Labour stuffing up the tax system through ideology over common sense?).
As a broader comment – not aimed at micky at all – there still seems to be a blame culture as to why Labour lost the election ie it wasn’t Labour’s people or policies but someone else eg NZH. Until Labour excepts that the people voted them out and Nats in, they can’t stop the rot. Good for me, bad for you.
Bad for me, good for you, and this is exactly the problem: always someone to blame, always some cause to whine about how it’s not fair, always trying to convert people who make political decisions based on their gut with cerebral facts and figures. Honestly, it’s like they don’t even want to win.
L
I take it this is what you mean by rhetoric: “Labour stuffing up the tax system through ideology over common sense”
Exactly. Rhetoric is whatever the opponent says because I’m right and you’re wrong. It just that we have polar opposite views so each believes the other is speaking in rhetoric.
“The letters to the editor in today’s herald are mostly really good. The writers are getting stuck into the nats about their education policies founded on rhetoric.”
Darn them and their right wing bias… oh wait. Darn them and their left wing bias.
“The print version does not seem to have the Hone flag corruption story. I would have thought this would have been worthy of the front page.
Diversion anyone?”
Darn them and their left wing bias! Oh wait….
See how silly this game is Micky?
It may alarm some people to learn that the Herald has editorial discretion to run whatever story it likes, and that it is not a tool of National.
That it does not put on its front page an attack on the Nats doesn’t mean it’s in bed with National. It’s probably more to do with the general dumbing down of much of our news media. Flags are bright and colourful and are easier for many to understand than educational issues.
Scott, watch out — the people who don’t have a blog will criticise you for having a blog which gets fewer hits than The Standard if you carry on that way.
L
Yeah that I’d agree with. Because anyone who actually runs a blog knows how damn hard it is to write posts, moderate, maintain, upgrade, and generally keep the damn thing running. Just keeping yourself interested is always a major struggle. Thats why we run with lots of authors.
Having lots of hits? – the main thing you notice about that is how hard it is to keep the system going as the traffic increases. I was doing performance tests of the new skin for the standard this morning and thinking that when we make it public, I’d have to take a couple of days off work. There is no way that I can do more than guess the loadings from the available data.
Yes, but I’m confident my new series entitled “Which Politician has the Biggest Tits” will see an increase in numbers.
No contest. But how are you going to get Brownlee to take off his shirt?
The shirt stays on. I’m trying to increase readership…
😈 Ohhhhhhh……
That was pretty much what I said…
It is a cheap way of filling a front page for the herald with a topic that might interest their unrepresentative readership.
It may not be a direct tool of National – that is just how it acts. It probably does represent its local readers who are a relatively small subset of Aucklanders and few outside. From the ones I know, they’re relatively old, frequently conservative, and generally interested in stories that make them feel good. Which usually means looking at the misfortunes and miseries of someone else rather than feel-good.
What they’re mainly interested in is not having any in-depth analysis (that is largely on the business pages), but they want a superficial understanding of current issues so they can talk about things at work / bowling club / pub / etc.
In short they are pretty much like John Key. Which is why the Herald usually looks like the cheer-squad for National.
This whole left-wing/right-wing bias thing, aimed most often at The Herald, is so boring. People can easily cherry-pick stories to support their argument.
One can easily make the case that The Herald won the 2005 election for Labour by virtue of its editorial choices — EB on the front, now-imprisoned Mr Field on page 5 (or thereabouts). In such a close election, that decision was possibly enough — along with a few vans and some fast food — to get Labour over the line.
One can make the case that the Herald helped National win the election in 2008, but it was essentially a landslide, so it didn’t really matter.
Well apart from the wiingnut myth of Mangere 2005, you’re essentially correct.
The Herald targets their front-pages audience, a lot of whom are swinging ‘anti’ voters. Just at present that means they support National at the front page – at least that is what the polls say.
The business and political pages have a more persistent bias towards business interests, and have done since I was a kid.
eddie now has more egg on his face than a fox in a hen house.
Unemployement stats are out and bad for the govt and lead the on line news.
epic fail eddie.
Bullshit. To date you’ve ‘proved’ absolutely nothing except that you woke up on the fatuous side of the bed today. Guess your partner took all of the brains allocated for the day huh?
Come on LP – you’re the grumpy one here – it’s in your JD.
If there was a conspiracy, the treatment of the unemployment stats shows this to be BS. Likewise, the home page (at the time of eddie’s post) still had the standards as its leading national news story.
How is any of that bullshit?
The NZ Herald website largely uses an algorithm for determining what articles hold the upper positions. It is largely based on date/time and user feedback in the number of page views and clickthrus. There is limited editorial control – most of that is exercised at quite a junior level.
The NZ Herald print run has no such feedback mechanism. Positioning is everything to a newsprint run and the decisions are made by editors pretty much on their gut feel.
This information is provided to you to prevent you from looking like a complete dickhead in equating the print runs with the website.
With respect, are we not talking about different things LP?
The world does not revolve around the printed version of the NZH unless you’re suggesting (as some seem to imply) that the only newspaper in NZ is the Granny and it is the only source of news for voters.
I think it’s too late to prevent you from looking like a Jafa dickhead 🙂
BTW Where I live (but not work) there is no daily news but friendly police … just ask Rocky!
Yeah, but almost all of the NZH print run is sold in Auckland. That is what the article was referring to.
The website ‘frontpage’ changes hour-to-hour and even in minutes with limited editorial control. So it’d be kind of pointless writing a post about its editorial stance. When the print edition was doing those bloody stupid editorial EFA attacks in 2007/8 on the front pages, the website edition would slide them off within an hour or so of writing. It was a pretty good indicator about how important the viewers though that the issue was.
I read the NZH print edition solely to find out the current editorial positions on topics. I read the website to get news.
I don’t have a problem with the Herald running flag stories. If it’s an issue that matters to them, good on them.
But we’ve just had a visit from the future head of state, whose country’s flag (and its relevance) is the central issue here. If the Herald feels so strongly, it could have raised the matter then. That really would have made an impact …
… an impact on the nice, soft, glossy coverage of Wills and John Key, blokes at the barbie.
Hmmm. I wonder why they didn’t.
Because fluffy celebrity stories sell.
It’s because there’s a conspiracy. That’s because the only people who vote read the NZH. However, the people who write the GOOD letters to the editor never read the Herald because they are pure and don’t want to be brainwashed.
There ya go eddie. I’ve written your next post for you 🙂
cut to the chase dudes.
of course granny will support anew flag.
then the desiginer will get royalties and granny can sell them.
doncha know that this is now new zeland inc. where everything is for sale including the truth.
go lprent.
but I must say it is a fruitless task arguing with idiots.
so just think of getting it all off your chest and dumping it on right wing sadsacks who haven’t got any money.
The scoffing at the shallow msm kind of falls over when everyone (including the people behind 62 standard comments) does indeed ‘Look over here!’
Sweet, sweet irony.
Maybe the standard should just not post on trivial matters where the intention is to decry news space being colonised by trivial matters?
You’re never sure exactly where the comments will arrive. Depends on the mood. But it is a pretty short post – just the comments were long.
the fact of the matter is that the herald is a right wing corporatised money making machine for its owners and stockholders.
people who are not known to the the writers or the printers but who neverthless hold the whip hand over editorial content.
as it is privately owned then the owners can do what they like and they have chosen to employ a whole cadre of right wing apparatchiks who wil do anything to ensure that they remain employed and their owners wishes are pandered to and then to compound it all they call it a free press ancd charge the punters for it.
nice work if you can get it.
The paper wants to sell papers so they can make more money – that is it – putting colourful flags on it’s front page would sell a few more papers i suspect… anyway my flag is the tino rangatiratanga flag so i have no real interest in what design they come up with, if indeed they can even get the ball rolling, because eventually it will go, and there will be only one flag.
‘sufferings’