Greg O’Connor selected for Ōhāriu

Written By: - Date published: 5:52 pm, February 12th, 2017 - 150 comments
Categories: election 2017, labour, peter dunne, Unions - Tags: ,

Newshub:

Greg O’Connor has been confirmed as a Labour’s candidate for Wellington’s Ōhāriu electorate.

The former Police Association president has previously stated he has a close connection to the Ōhāriu community, having lived, worked and played for sports teams in the area.

“Standing in that electorate is a natural fit,” he says.

He’ll be standing against United Future’s Peter Dunne.

The contest for the seat has been an unusual one, with the Greens mulling over a decision not to stand a candidate in a bid to oust Mr Dunne from the competition.

Mr Dunne got 13,569 votes at the last election, just ahead of Labour’s candidate, who got 12,859 – a majority of just 710 votes.

Greg O’Connor received a waiver from Labour’s New Zealand Council as he had not been a member for 12 months prior to his nomination.

150 comments on “Greg O’Connor selected for Ōhāriu ”

  1. Xanthe 1

    Well in that case i hope they lose! Sorry i cannot support another far right government

    • Vaughn 1.1

      While I too have reservations about some of what Greg O’Connor represents, I think your label of a ‘right wing’ government because of his inclusion, is way too harsh, Xanthe. While his views around permanently arming the police do not impress me, I always respected his tireless advocacy for the Police Association membership. In my view, that kind of connection to ‘his people’ augers well for a future Labour politician advocating for worker right’s more generally. Let’s see.

      • Sacha 1.1.1

        He was always a high-profile and successful union boss though he did represent some unpopular positions in that role.

        • Ed 1.1.1.1

          He represented the views of the Police Association. Most people understand that many people must represent their employer – that is their job. Yes it can get ridiculous – defending a cigarette company must seem that way to many, but there are many other reasons to not vote for Todd Barclay. Lawyers may put positions to a judge that they not strongly agree with, but are instructed by their clients. Politicians may have to support policies that they do not personally agree with – some National MPs must have been horrified at the shenanigans over medical marijuana for example, but they knew they needs to toe the line until election year.

          Greg O’Connor appears to have effectively represented the Police Association; and I am sure he can well represent the voters of Ohariu – and at the same time support a Labour government.

          To those that cannot support Greg O’Connor personally, remember to vote Labour for the Party Vote – unless you would rather have English, Bennett, etc running the government.

          • PMC 1.1.1.1.1

            So you’re saying that it’ll be another case of Labour MPs “supporting policies they may not agree with”? So that means we should then vote for these MPs? Is that how it all works? Wow. No wonder Labour’s so fucked. They expect people to vote for policies they don’t agree with.

            • Ed 1.1.1.1.1.1

              In a party that covers a broad spectrum of NZ Society, of course there will be some differences of opinion – about problems, priorities and solutions. Labour is very good at allowing discussions where a common approach can be agreed, which may be a compromise for some, but where they also know that they agree on broad objectives, and can support something being put before their priorities in the knowledge that they will be supported on other issues. Would you rather all decisions were made by “the leader” as in another party?

          • lprent 1.1.1.1.2

            Actually O’Conner doesn’t worry me. The local electorate will determine if he will represent them well.

            However I am slowly resigning myself to voting Greens for a second time in a row after the Labour list is announced.

            I am afraid that having a known foolish misogynist mouthpiece “high” on their list indicates a list that I cannot vote for. I owe to my young female relatives to not vote for one.

            A party that violates it’s own procedures to put one in there just becomes irrelevant to me. It is a moral line that I won’t trade off.

            I will of course vote for Arden for my electorate

            • Enough is Enough 1.1.1.1.2.1

              I agree with you Lprent.

              I really want to see Labour polling somewhere close to where National is. Not because that is necessarily what is needed to win the election, but because the buffoons in the media will only begin to report this as a government in waiting once that happens.

              However the actions of the past week have left me dumbfounded.

              I will be sticking with the Greens for this election.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1.2.2

              I am afraid that having a known foolish misogynist mouthpiece “high” on their list indicates a list that I cannot vote for. I owe to my young female relatives to not vote for one.

              Even having him on the bottom of the list would make it a list that I couldn’t vote for.

              Of, course, I was pretty much going vote Green any way.

      • adam 1.1.2

        Find your comment about him representing police well odd Vaughn, I really do. Do you know about the very poor wage increases they got over his tenure? Or the fact that the contract police sign – have ridiculous clauses around ‘targets’, and truly odd clauses on efficiency.

        So not sure you could argue he has been that good. I’d even go as far as saying he been a bit crap really. Mind you, as kiwis have such low expectations these days, I suppose you could say he did a good job, compared to those who have no union.

    • Richard Christie 1.2

      +100%.

      As a strategic voter I invariably vote to thwart and do as much damage as I can to the right wing, usually meaning National. Labour were always one of the important options to earn my vote in that regard – not anymore.

      • weka 1.2.1

        who will you vote for instead?

        • Richard Christie 1.2.1.1

          Leaves me the option of the Greens, Mana and minor socialist parties.
          I will be closely monitoring the Opportunity Party, Morgan’s advocacy of UBI leaves them an opportunity to avoid being categorised as irredeemably right.

          • weka 1.2.1.1.1

            What’s the strategy in party voting Mana?

            • Richard Christie 1.2.1.1.1.1

              What’s the strategy in party voting Mana?

              Context, it always depends on context.

              Voting Mana would have worked in Te Tai Tokerau recently and a win would likely have resulted in a left govt.- but Labour preferred to be the biggest fish on the opposition bench rather than part of a left wing government.

              • weka

                Are you able to vote in TTT electorate?

                • Richard Christie

                  No.

                  • weka

                    Then I don’t understand how you giving your party vote to Mana would help defeat National.

                    • Richard Christie

                      ffs, it’s an option to be considered, you requested options, it doesn’t mean all are of equal weight.

                      Continuing down your presumed line of reasoning one should only vote for the candidates that are sure to win, all other votes being wasted.

                    • weka

                      You said,

                      “As a strategic voter I invariably vote to thwart and do as much damage as I can to the right wing, usually meaning National. Labour were always one of the important options to earn my vote in that regard – not anymore.”

                      To which I asked who would you vote for if not Labour. You’ve said Mana. I’m asking how a Mana party vote would in anyway be strategic in undermining National. I can think of a few ways, but they’re all long term. I can’t think of any that relate to this election.

                      It’s a reasonable question for someone saying they vote strategically. I’m asking what the strategy is.

                      “Continuing down your presumed line of reasoning one should only vote for the candidates that are sure to win, all other votes being wasted.”

                      I haven’t said that, please don’t make up shit about my views. I’m asking you to explain how you see things.

                    • xanthe

                      so you would argue that we are better off as a country because National was defeated in 1984?
                      “defeat national” is not of itself sufficient basis to vote at all. if what is offered as replacement is greg oconnor then many will have serious doubts

                    • Richard Christie

                      X,

                      “defeat national” is not of itself sufficient basis to vote at all.

                      Not what I wrote.

                      To clarify, when National (or any other party) represents neoliberal and/or socially reactionary policies it is indeed good enough reason, for me, to vote to prevent them gaining office, instead choosing the best left wing parties on offer.

                      so you would argue that we are better off as a country because National was defeated in 1984?

                      I have no idea how you arrive at that conclusion, given what I point out immediately above. The words you apparently missed in my initial point were “..usually meaning…”

                    • Richard Christie

                      Weka,
                      no offence meant.

                    • xanthe

                      ahhh richard i was responding to Weka not you!

                      the reply ordering falls down after six levels of nesting
                      sorry bout that 🙁

                    • weka

                      so you would argue that we are better off as a country because National was defeated in 1984?
                      “defeat national” is not of itself sufficient basis to vote at all. if what is offered as replacement is greg oconnor then many will have serious doubts

                      If you think that Labour = Greg O’Connor then I’m really not going to pay any attention to your politics at all. But well done on making invisible all the good people within Labour.

                      Seeing as how Richard won’t answer the question about what he would do instead of voting Labour, how about you have a go. If changing things for the better is your desire and you won’t vote Labour what will you do?

                    • xanthe

                      hi weka
                      I dont think labour==greg but i see his placement as a clear indication that they do not intend to fix (or even understand that there is) the very serious problem of systemic misconduct in the NZ police.

                      actually I feel that movement towards a police state is worse than movement to the “right” , as has been pointed out elswhere on TS some of the very worst police states have been socialist regimes

                      as for who will i vote for , Internet Party because they are the only party that recognises that government power must be moderated and transparent. as for the 5% .. well I dont agree with it and I expect in time for the IP to overcome that barrier.

                      my problem is with the idea that somehow defeating national should overrule all other considerations , I dont buy it and 1984 demonstrated that labour is quite capable of being worse than national. now some would argue that labour is different now but then why greg?

              • PMC

                Labour will never learn how to use MMP effectively. Personally, I think it’s because of union dinosaur complex.

          • DS 1.2.1.1.2

            Voting Green is fine. Voting for a party that will not get 5% is not strategic in the least.

          • marie 1.2.1.1.3

            Be careful Richard. I know someone who was an Opportunity Party member. He left when he realised that the Party’s strong inclination is to return National to power.

      • AB 1.2.2

        Has Greg O’Connor said anything publicly on economic policy, housing, unemployment, the environment etc? I haven’t heard his opinions on these things so don’t feel able to characterise him as right wing. All I’ve heard is a dogged and persistent union boss who is extremely good at avoiding ‘gotchas’ from intervivewers like Guyon Espiner. And who also has some opinions about arming the police that I think are wrong because more innocent people will die if the police are armed than if they are not. For me that’s not enough to write him off without hearing his opinions on lots of other things

        • Richard Christie 1.2.2.1

          O’Connor supported every police shooting before any investigations took place.

          Those reations cannot be excused by his position as Police Ass. spokesperson. It was gross and bigoted behaviour. It displays both arrogance and flawed reasoning ability. As Greywarshark [2.0] observes, perhaps a good fit, but not one that I’ll support.

          • Andrew Geddis 1.2.2.1.1

            Has O’Connor actually been wrong in regards any of that support (i.e. has he supported a police officer who has later been shown to have acted illegally/wrongly in a shooting)?

            Because I’m not sure how much of a criticism it is to say he’s vocally defended the members of his association for doing something that then is shown to have been justified.

            • Xanthe 1.2.2.1.1.1

              Oh no greg has never been wrong, the independant police authority has backed his prescient verdicts in every case. Every corrupt practise has been comprehensively whitewashed , a tireless supporter of poor practise and dangerous conditions, a relentless destroyer of public confidence, undermining the respect and co-operation on which every police person depends for their safety and job satisfaction. An excellent choice for labour

              • Richard Christie

                Spot on, the system protects itself first, unless to do so is utterly untenable.

                Every time I heard that vile arsehole O’Connor almost celebrating the shooting of someone else’s son, sibling or other family member before investigation into the circumstances, it made me sick.

                • AB

                  Well if he becomes an MP then we will see what he’s like once he’s freed of the obligation to back his members to the hilt. If you are right I will stand corrected. He did come across to me as an obfuscator who defended dubious police action, but I assumed that was just him doing his job. Not a good move maybe to pick a contentious figure in a must-win seat like Ohariu.

              • North

                Well that’s one way of looking at it X. Not the only way. Unless of course your way is the only way……

            • Richard Christie 1.2.2.1.1.2

              Has O’Connor actually been wrong in regards any of that support (i.e. has he supported a police officer who has later been shown to have acted illegally/wrongly in a shooting)?

              Are you suggesting any sort of answer to this question justifies his practise of prejudging this sort of matter?

              If yes, it’s a funny sort of attitude to the processes of natural justice that you’ve been taught or are teaching.

              .

            • PMC 1.2.2.1.1.3

              I’m surprised by that wholly illogical remark coming from you, Andrew.

            • Psycho Milt 1.2.2.1.1.4

              Because I’m not sure how much of a criticism it is to say he’s vocally defended the members of his association for doing something that then is shown to have been justified.

              It’s a lame and pointless criticism, but that’s of little importance to people whose argument amounts to giving vent to a burning sense of injustice.

            • Keith 1.2.2.1.1.5

              He’s a cop, that is all that matters to some and cops are bad.

              Of course when they get off their arses and do the thankless job a police officer has to do maybe then they can judge with such extreme prejudice!

            • lprent 1.2.2.1.1.6

              Yeah Andrew, that is the point. Like a lawyer, unionists are also advocates for their members. Like it or not, police members tend to be interested in protecting theiron job and their safety in the job. As far as O’Conner is concerned that means he represents their interests.

              For all that I have disagreed with some of that, I haven’t seen either him or the police association knowingly doing anything that I would consider is over the bounds.

              The points that others have made about individual police lying, the toothless IPCA, and the Strange governance of the police hierarchy with it’s perverse incentives – I agree with. And I have discussed them a lot over the years.

              But to conflate them with the PA or O’Conner is rather daft.

              • Richard Christie

                Yeah Andrew, that is the point.

                It’s not the point at all.

                In the immediate aftermath of a police shooting the ethical response on behalf of the Police Ass should be to

                1. State any loss of life is regrettable, and extend condolences to the families involved, both the police and victim’s families.
                2. Urge restraint from jumping to any conclusions until proper investigations have taken place.
                3. Say the officer/s involved have the full support of the Police Association until inquiries are concluded.

                That’s all that is required, if adding that police have a thankless job blah blah etc, then fine, add that also.

                It’s not acceptable before inquiries are concluded to tell the victim’s family and the world that the victim asked for it.

                It undermines the integrity of any investigation (in these cases made with considerable police input) if one of the parties representatives blatantly prejudges the issue.

              • xanthe

                “The points that others have made about individual police lying, the toothless IPCA, and the Strange governance of the police hierarchy with it’s perverse incentives – I agree with. And I have discussed them a lot over the years.

                But to conflate them with the PA or O’Conner is rather daft.”

                But surely the whole point is that O’Connor was in a position to and obligated to speak out against all that for his PA members and he did not, rather he worked with and chear-led the IPCA. I have observed Greg for a number of years now and my view is that he has not worked for the PA at all rather he has been an organ of “the Strange governance of the police hierarchy with it’s perverse incentives”
                What do you call a union rep who is actually working for the bosses?

                • lprent

                  O’Connor was in a position to and obligated to speak out against all that for his PA members…

                  Why? His job was to represent the union and its members. It wasn’t to talk on matters that were public policy except those related to the benefit of the union and the union members. This is no different to any other job – what you talk about in public on your job is what your employer’s views are.

                  What you appear to be talking about is to be some kind of whistleblower. However demanding that people should be whistleblowers by you showing both a high level of naivety, and a comntempt for the judgement of someone who was a damn sight closer to his job than you probably are.

                  What do you call a union rep who is actually working for the bosses?

                  😈 If it was a employer union, which is what you are alleging, then I have never heard ANY evidence of it from police personnel. The ones I have discussed it with over the decades tend to view it as being more like a kind of a insurance system and a way of kicking back stupid ideas into the hierarchy. Sure they don’t need it most of the time. But I haven’t heard any of the police I have run across off-duty significantly complain about it.

                  I suspect that you have some daft idea that a union should be at loggerheads with management all of the time. That usually isn’t the case, at least not for any union that wants to last a long time. The only time that really happens a lot is when the employers want to be that way so that they can grab profits without spreading benefits (for instance the management morons at Talleys), or when an industry is dying. That isn’t the case with police.

          • marie 1.2.2.1.2

            I totally agree Richard. O’Connor as Police Minister would want every police officer to be carrying a gun. There would be protest against this policy which, of course, would be mostly from the left although I believe the policy would be unpopular across much of NZ. Is this what the Labour caucus will want…..massive protest against their policy by their own members?

            • Ethica 1.2.2.1.2.1

              Marie, I’m not so sure he so keen on arming the police. Certainly not as a private citizen or even an MP. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/89338825/greg-oconnor-not-in-favour-of-general-arming-of-police-officers

              • marie

                Unfortunately, I think the apparent softening of his position re arming the police was just to enhance his prospects of obtaining the Labour nomination for Ohariu. I’m not fooled by this. His true position will be as quoted in the article. At the police association’s conference in October, 2014, O’Connor said “I believe the time has come to arm every frontline officer” and according to the article in the same month he was quoted in the NBR as saying “It is time to overcome our squeamishness and arm police.”

        • Xanthe 1.2.2.2

          The important fact to remember is that greg started his career as an undercover police informant. He lies for a living. When he speaks his only consideration is what effect his words will have. Questioning him about his opinions will yield nothing truthful or valuable

          • mac1 1.2.2.2.1

            Xanthe, how distorted is that view? When you or I can say that we have never lied, then we can avow such a view. Somebody, a few years ago, spoke in similar vein to a group of men about to stone a woman to death for adultery…..

    • DoublePlusGood 1.3

      He’s not far right, he’s authoritarian left.

    • Keith 1.4

      “Sorry i cannot support another far right government” Utter bollocks of course but in any case you will be hugely by pseudo voting National.

    • weka 1.5

      Xanthe, “Well in that case i hope they lose! Sorry i cannot support another far right government”

      Let me get this right. You hope that Labour lose the election because you cannot support another far right govt. If Labour lose the election we will have a fourth term far right govt, so please explain how your statement makes sense?

      • Keith 1.5.1

        Yes the logic is quite mystifying!

        • Michael 1.5.1.1

          The rationale is that a vote for Labour that includes O’Connor equals a vote for “far right government”. While I don’t think I’d describe such a government as “far right”, it certainly wouldn’t be progressive, or at all likely to pursue social justice, and would probably be impossible to distinguish from the current government. If that’s what Xanthe means, I concur.

          • weka 1.5.1.1.1

            So do you think that Labour will rewrite its policy this year to be unprogressive now that they have O’Connor on board? Sorry, that’s not making much sense either.

            • Michael 1.5.1.1.1.1

              That’s not what I said. Labour abandoned social progress and social justice as goals during its 1984-1990 terms and never bothered to reinstate them afterwards, apart from paying lip service. That’s why people don’t see any difference between Labour and National these days. I think it also goes a long way towards explaining why Labour lost the last three elections (arguably, it lost in 2005, but I won’t argue that) and looks highly likely to lose the next one.

              • weka

                You said that a Labour govt that included O’Connor wouldn’t be a progressive govt. I’m just trying to see how that might work. If it’s not by them rewriting all their progressive policy, how would it happen?

                *do you want me to name some?

                Or are you saying Labour already isn’t progressive at all, in which case what does that have to do with the inclusion of O’Connor?

                Honestly, I’m just trying to point out the inconsistencies in people’s arguments here. There are good reasons to object to O’Connor, but making out that including him will mean that Labour is no longer progressive just doesn’t make any sense.

                (Xanthe’s original comment was a nonsense).

                • Michael

                  Not including O’Connor in their line-up would not, by itself, render Labour progressive but including him, as it has done, is a clear indication that it is not progressive. You are being obtuse here, in attempting to characterise my argument as presenting a binary conclusion (progressive v non-progressive) when, of course, something as complex as a political platform cannot be reduced so simplistically. However, it is possible to reach a deductive conclusion on Labour’s political complexion by examining the evidence, in this case, Andrew Little’s exultative statements about O’Connor’s candidacy.

              • That’s not what I said. Labour abandoned social progress and social justice as goals during its 1984-1990 terms and never bothered to reinstate them afterwards…

                So, if Labour hasn’t been a progressive party since 1984, how will Greg O’Connor make it no longer a progressive party? If your description of Labour and implied description of him are accurate, he seems an appropriate choice for their candidate.

                • Michael

                  Labour likes to represent itself as progressive when its actions, such as picking O’Connor, clearly indicate otherwise. Labour campaigns on the idea that it is different fron National when, again, its actions demonstrate otherwise. I want to see a real Labour Party campaign for office again, not a National-lite one.

          • Keith 1.5.1.1.2

            So the alternative is we put a person in government who knows nothing of the police and somehow think that this will produce a positive outcome?

            The police spokesman I have seen for all parties don’t know what the hell they are doing. Jacinda was at one point and its not criticism of her but she was completely out of her depth. And I think Nash is better but again it is not a subject he appears familiar with. And don’t get me going about Crusher or whoever the idiot minister is at the moment!

            This is not far right, or even right wing, its common sense to police our communities properly.

            • Michael 1.5.1.1.2.1

              Assuming O’Connor becomes Labour’s next Minister of Police requires (a) suspension of reality and (b) accepting that only a former Police Officer can ever hold the portfolio. By that logic, Jonathan Coleman must be doing a fine job as Health Minister, while Labour, having no medical practitioners within its ranks, can never hope to supplant him? Lawnorder is a catch cry for lazy populist politicians who aren’t willing to do the hard yards in what is a complex and multi-faceted area of public policy. FWICS, O’Connor hasn’t got the smarts for the job, while his public statements are frequently abhorrent.

              • Chris

                If Labour’s put O’Connor where he is because they think he’ll nab them the populist vote on law ‘n’ order, then that’s a pretty good indication that Labour under Little has learned nothing from the past, and that we can expect more of the same across the board. No attempt to mark out a left-wing caring position on anything, more competition with the nats for the “middle ground” (whatever the fuck that means) and at times even voting with the nats on policies they see as popular, regardless of what Norman Kirk would think. Just giving the people more of what they think the people want. Sad, very sad indeed.

                If Labour flukes entry into government it’ll be because of Key’s exit, the arrival of Mr 2002 English and his clown deputy, and absolutely nothing to do with what Little and Labour have done.

                • Chris

                  For example, until we’re proved wrong, which we haven’t been over the last eight elections, Labour’s been absolutely silent of social welfare and benefits. I’ve often said here there’s absolutely no evidence that that will change in 2017. Well, putting O’Connor in to grab the popular vote on law ‘n’ order is wholly consistent with that.

            • Chris 1.5.1.1.2.2

              I don’t think you can take too much from that. Nash is in the wrong party for a start. He thinks the sun shines out of Collins’ arse.

              • Michael

                Nash is reported as a client of Dirty Politics operative Stephen Lusk. I think that tells us where his priorities lie and they certainly are not with the values his grandfather (or great-great-great-grandfather, or whatever) stood for.

  2. greywarshark 2

    A good fit I should think.

  3. Anne 3

    Good luck to you Greg O’Conner. May you beat the hell out of the hairy one.

  4. opium 4

    What on earth were they thinking?Labour are very much national light.What a truly awful man he is.

    • Anne 4.1

      What a truly awful man he is.

      Why?

      • Xanthe 4.1.1

        Anne what planet have you been on for the last two decades

        • Anne 4.1.1.1

          Oh you’re so smart Xanthe. That snide snippet has been around since God made little apples. :mrgreen:

      • opium 4.1.2

        He was a one man,one eyed, police cheerleading squad.It was his job but he did make my skin crawl everytime I saw him on tv.

        • mac1 4.1.2.1

          Opium, terrible stuff follows from the one-eyed, police-cheering squad-leader, Greg O’Connor in 2016.

          “{“The Association believes that it is a very bad precedent to use police officers as strike-breakers,” Police Association President Greg O’Connor said today.

          Mr O’Connor was commenting on a proposal by the government to use police officers to perform the roles of striking aviation security staff at airports.”

          Sensible, principled, correct is what I’d say.

          • PMC 4.1.2.1.1

            “Sensible, principled, correct is what I’d say.”

            More like pure chance that the view of the police union happened to align with the views of the other unions, I’d say.

            • mac1 4.1.2.1.1.1

              Despite your cynicism, PMC, the arguments put forward by this union leader on this issue were sensible, correct and principled. Why is it, when people are against something or someone, that the blackest picture must be painted, and no shade of grey allowed? A reasonable person, without this visceral hatred of police (see how it’s so easily done to paint that kind of picture?), would dismiss such extreme views readily.

              • PMC

                I agree that the police union’s stance in the example you gave was “sensible, principled and correct”. All I’m saying is that was an exception to the general rule, and probably would’ve had anything to do with most unions’ opinions on scab labour, for example. Just look at O’Çonnor’s views on arming police.

              • gsays

                hi mac1,
                “Why is it, when people are against something or someone, that the blackest picture must be painted, and no shade of grey allowed? ”

                that’s the internet summed up right there.

                • mac1

                  Hi gsays. probably summed up humanity in general, except that when someone comes at me in person with some shit, I can challenge them there and then, and not let them get away before they get a good discussion.

                  On the internet, though, it seems if you are tested with a challenge, you cut and run, don’t respond and don’t have the same responsibility to front up.

                  Shame as a modifier of human behaviour is easily avoided, thereby.

    • Leftie 4.2

      Labour are thinking strategically. What better candidate is there, that can have a crack at prying away that conservative seat off Dunne, than O’Connor?

  5. millsy 5

    I would imagine Greg O Connor relating the experiences of the cops on the beat having to deal with the consequences of the 25 year managed decline of living standards of the bottom 40% of the population would be a good weapon in dealing with poverty and homelesseness in this country.

  6. Tamati Tautuhi 6

    Hopefully NZF will stand a strong candidate in Ohariu?

  7. Ethica 7

    He said recently he does not support arming the police. That might have been the position of the Police Association but not his own and he doesn’t work for them anymore. It would be useful if The Standard could have a bit of a Q and A with Greg O’Connor so people could ask where he really stands on some of the issues like legalised marijuana, arming police, the environment, social justice etc.

    • lprent 7.1

      Actually that sounds like a good idea…

    • keepcalmcarryon 7.2

      I would be very interested in hearing where he is at as a labour candidate, as well.
      I have to say although he was representing his Police Association members, to me he came across as very myopic and not willing to compromise – whether discussing various police incidents, arming police or banging the drum on more firearms control. Not always a healthy approach to take.
      But yes, a strategic choice in a seat that might be winnable for laour, lets hope.

  8. Poission 8

    Law and order do not seem to be on the public radar as an important issue.

    http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7088-roy-morgan-new-zealand-most-important-problems-november-2016-201612141151

    Why is it becoming an issue ?

    • Tricledrown 8.1

      Law and order is always an election issue.
      National has been asleep at the wheel.

      • Tamati Tautuhi 8.1.1

        National are onto law and order now it is an Election year.

        • mac1 8.1.1.1

          Grey Power has strong policy on law and order. It will, in an election year, ensure that this issue is examined as members are concerned with crime statistics, response rates and availability of local police.

          For example, yesterday an older man told me he had had two “hooded men” visit his earthquake-damaged property, presumably to loot and vandalise. Local police responded quickly and caught an offender. The other had a warrant out for his arrest.

          The victim was given an option by police- to have the offenders trespassed for two years, or to have them prosecuted. The second option he rejected because he said they’d be convicted and slapped with the proverbial wet bus ticket.

          That issue is one of law and order- even though policing in this case was swift and effective, the issue of deterrence, and equitable sanctions, still remained for him.

  9. aom 9

    Another bad week coming up for Andrew Little? Sadly, O’Connor isn’t in the same league or the electorate fit of Virginnia Anderson or previously, Charles Chauval. Both took it to Dunne despite the National/UF deals, assisted by the syphoning effect of the Green vote. Even if the the Greens are a no-show this year, Labour are dog tucker, unless National decide to ditch Dunne and try running themselves. Realistically, that won’t happen.

    • North 9.1

      Yes yes dog tucker ! Only a dog could know that at this point.

    • Ethica 9.2

      Unfortunately, neither Charles nor Ginny won. Greg O’Connor will appeal to enough National and Peter Dunne voters to win the seat this time. He already has a high public profile. It is a wealthy but diverse electorate and parts of it are very conservative.

  10. Nick 10

    I don’t blame O’Connor for being selected. I just hope Labour knows what it is doing by choosing him….. That’s the real issue.

  11. adam 11

    Seems a good fit for the liberal party, that N.Z labour party now is.

  12. DS 12

    He’d probably do better in provincial New Zealand than Ohariu, but I’ve got no problems with the guy. Remember that if he was just after power and promotion of authoritarianism, the Nats would guarantee him that, no questions asked. Not only has he chosen Labour, but he’s tasked with a marginal seat.

    For those of you complaining, the alternative is Peter Dunne. Who, as you may recall, is a Tory lapdog. O’Connor will not be a Tory lapdog.

    • weka 12.1

      those are good points.

      I am curious about why they chose to put him up against Dunne though. Is it because he is likely to appeal to the Ōhāriu swing voters? The thing about Ōhāriu is that if the Greens don’t stand, Labour has a chance of taking the seat, unless National don’t stand or tell their voters to vote Dunne, or National voters choose to anyway. O’Connor might break that stalemate and pick up votes across the board.

      Where’s Rosie?!?

      • Psycho Milt 12.1.1

        I am curious about why they chose to put him up against Dunne though.

        Seems like he considers himself a local to that electorate. Also, Ohariu’s not exactly a hotbed of left-wing radicalism, as evidenced by it repeatedly electing Peter Dunne for the last few centuries (it feels like), so the fact that OÇonnor doesn’t appeal to the left-wing activists on this thread won’t be keeping them awake at night.

  13. RedBaronCV 13

    Is the Green vote likely to turn out for O’Connor if they don’t stand a candidate?
    Given how strong the Greens were at the last election across a good part of Wellington will they be able to vote for this guy?

      • mac1 13.1.1

        That article referred to by you, Xanthe, was written in 2010, and unattributed except to say it was a a Green Party view.

        1. I wonder what Greens say now?
        2. What weight should we give unattributed views, (including this one of mine)?
        3. Reading the article, argument is not given to support the view to O’Connor that police thuggery was justified. Nor did he make apologies for it. The original press article cited in the Green Party article also does not support that view.

        What he did do was make a plea for some understanding of the situations, the decisions we ask our police to make, the time frames and pressures they make them under etc.

        He acted as a union man, supporting his members as best he could. But, he did not condone their behaviour.

        I believe he acted more like a lawyer in court, putting forward factors in mitigation after the verdict has been correctly found. Someone has to act in that capacity.

        It is after all the role of advocates and union officials.

    • weka 13.2

      As a Green voter and strategic voter, I would if it looked like there was a chance of him winning. But if National for instance didn’t stand a candidate I probably wouldn’t.

  14. Cinny 14

    This is a smart move by Labour to put O’Connor up against Dunne.

    All the best Greg,

    • Leftie 14.1

      Agree with you Cinny. It’s a strategic move. Can’t think of a better candidate to have a go at removing that conservative seat from Dunne.

  15. tc 15

    If it changes the govt then great however with the identity politics approach now that labour seem to be going for it cuts both ways.

    O’Connor, Jackson and others have been chosen over folks with arguably more old school labour values that have been plugging away under ineffective leadership since Clark.

    If an actual left party was available to vote for this year I reckon Labour would be doing no such thing as this is a gamble IMO, good luck with that dinosaurs.

  16. saveNZ 16

    Hope Greens don’t stand. Do we want another 3 years of Natz?

    Not a fan of O’Conner – but someone needs to appeal to the voters that see some merit in Dunne. (How?).

    Dangerous move by Labour to be stretching the broad church in the Nat Lite direction.

    Last election Labour was too Nat Lite with more taxes. Kinda lost the middle voter there. I think people like representatives in the middle, not a party made up of candidates with different ideologies especially as traditionally this mades a big mish mash of inconsistant policy.

    Hope Labour don’t do too much of this high risk strategy (although ok in this instance to get out Dunne) because I doubt voters like the idea the party is just made up of a smorgasbord of careerist political faces who have completely different ideologies and views just to (hopefully) appeal to identity politics voters.

  17. xanthe 17

    “I doubt voters like the idea the party is just made up of a smorgasbord of careerist political faces who have completely different ideologies and views just to (hopefully) appeal to identity politics voters.”

    at last someone who speaks for the 22% that dont vote!

    • saveNZ 17.1

      exactly – Bomber’s going on about Labour getting 3.5% of the votes by adding Willy Jackson (representing urban Maori apparently??? although why not go Hone Hawawira who actually got the most party votes and is a real leftie not a corporate media hound) and Greg O’Connor (representing Nat Lite probably) – but also think about the 22% who didn’t vote.

      Last election there was no middle position apart from the fake Natz middle position that fooled a lot of people.

      I hope Labour will still form the next government but they need to be super careful because they got rid of Goff and Shearer to (probably) add Jackson and O’Conner.

      Are they changing, or allowing political strategists to add notoriety to neoliberal candidates that are more Natz than Labour and then tack on a few taxes to the middle to pay for it all?

      The end point being a sort of Nat Lite with taxes as a compromise with the different view points that was so popular last election (sarc).

      • lprent 17.1.1

        Bomber is a political idiot.

        The problem is that adding Willie Jackson is likely to lose them a pile of votes as well. Mine for a starter.

        I really don’t like mindless misogynist jokers. I class them as just defining what a mindless dickhead is.

        I can’t see anything that makes me think that Willie Jackson is not one. Being mates with John Tamihere reduces my confidence even further as he definitely is one.

        A political party that puts one “high” on the list loses my vote on the grounds that they clearly lack a sense of morals.

        I suspect that many (if not most) women will think the same. That makes him a political risk because many people who listen to the tape or transcript of that roastbusters interview repeatably will find that their skin will crawl as Willie and John grill a woman on the basis that ‘they were asking for it’.

        • weka 17.1.1.1

          It will be interesting to see to what extent that comes up during the election campaign. And who brings it up.

        • Brutus Iscariot 17.1.1.2

          Actually, losing votes on the Progressive Left shouldn’t bother Labour. They’re only going to the Greens who are essentially permanent coalition partners, something that has been recently formalised. It’s the soft Nat/NZF centre they need to poach to get the bloc over 50%. I admit it can be that approach, or the “missing million” approach – the issue is, neither of those groups are going to get excited over *the politics whose name must not be mentioned*. The former group due to an innate social conservatism (at the very least incrementalism), and the latter group due to the existence of more pressing concerns than what’s going on at the BGO, or the length of gender reassignment waiting lists.

          Bomber isn’t the political idiot – it may be you if you don’t realise that lost votes on Labour’s left don’t matter in a strategic sense.

          • weka 17.1.1.2.1

            They matter if they go to Mana or TOP or NZF. Too many lefties won’t Green so if they don’t vote Labour their vote is wasted.

            • Brutus Iscariot 17.1.1.2.1.1

              There’s always a small number “wasted” on either side. I’d be worried (if i was Labour) if i saw Mana polling at 2.5-3% with no electorate seats – that would be evidence of them turning off a decent number of people (ceterus paribus) with no commensurate benefit to the bloc. No idea what to make of TOP – it’s an unusual beast. I tend to think they’ll amount to nothing as they lack a natural constituency, and amongst their policy prescription there seems to always be one that will turn any individual off, regardless what they think of some of their innovative/good policies.

              Edit: also doubtful anyone worried about WJ or O’Connor being *within* Labour is going to jump ship to NZF.

              • saveNZ

                Personally think an important part of the missing million who used to vote Labour, were traditional NZ homeowners who would traditionally vote but didn’t like what Labour was offering – work longer and harder for their pension and put on more property taxes so we can keep going with social services and neoliberalism and the general direction we are going.

                I was at a talk and someone was saying they grew up in a 2 bedroom house with no electricity and running water with 13 siblings. For many people it can be hard to reconcile how far we have come in 70 years with the expectations of what constitutes poverty nowadays and the expectations that some people have. Remember we have a population top heavy.

                Like housing, poverty is an overused political word that has almost become meaningless because every single group from ACT to Mana talk about it as a deep issue they want to solve. It’s like climate change deniers slowing down the process of change or corporations litigating to keep the status quo by appearing to have a solution to the problem too.

                Just got a glossy leaflet from the Natz saying all the stuff they are doing to solve housing. At a glance it looked like quite a lot. I don’t believe them but many might.

                There’s also the changing demographics which help National.

                Labour need to regain some moral high ground to get their supporters back, I’m not sure having Willy Jackson is going to do that.

                You can tamper with works and messaging, but I think Kiwis are sensing that values, fairness, corruption and the NZ identity as well as a decent fiscal position and social and environmental values are slipping away and that is certainly something Labour could capitalise on.

          • lprent 17.1.1.2.2

            I am aware of that votes to the Greens aren’t that much of a problem for Labour in the short term. Unfortunately they are for Labour in the medium to long term. It is the fastest way for them to drive their party to irrelevance.

            If you look at what active members that the Labour party has, you’d realize that they are mainly competent progressives of some nature or another. So are most of the potential candidates. That is why the kickback is so damn strong when stupid things like this, Shearer and his bloody sickness beneficiary on the roof, or the attempted demonization of Cunliffe happen.

            If the Labour party wants to be degenerate into machine politics oblivion, then doing stupid things like announcing Willie Jackson will be getting a high position on the list, thereby effectively bypassing all of the party procedures, is a damn good way to do it. Offhand, I can’t think of anything stupider that would discourage younger active members to get engaged or to drive older members away.

            Bomber is politically stupid because he appears to think that a disintegrating Labour party will give rise to a more left leaning, more revolutionary party (where presumably he’d have bigger part to play – yes I think that his ego is that deluded).

            The problem is that rather than deal with incompetents like Bomber, Mana, Internet party, and the like; I suspect that most of the people exiting from Labour are more likely to just get on with their lives and not provide a nucleus of any other left party. The legacy ethical and structural framework of the Labour party is a valuable resource for the left as a whole. I suspect that once it is gone then there will be nothing to replace it.

            • Brutus Iscariot 17.1.1.2.2.1

              “If you look at what active members that the Labour party has, you’d realize that they are mainly competent progressives of some nature or another. ”

              Therein may lie the problem – those who’ve done the “hard yards” through Young Labour etc can afford the time and energy to play politics, but aren’t the same people who are economically struggling and need Labour in government. Hence the divergence in perspective and clash of “IP” and “class warfare”.

              As for the demonisation of Cunliffe, i’m not sure whether that was based on his policy platform. Coming from a non-left voter, i always saw him as the best (as in, potentially inspirational and competent) leader that Labour has had over the current cycle.

            • Brutus Iscariot 17.1.1.2.2.2

              If you had a clean sheet of paper you might have the following structure for the new era of politics we seem to be entering into:

              NZF or Labour* – economic justice focused, nationalist, dirigiste
              Progressives – effectively the “social justice” components of the Greens and Labour.
              Green – pure environmentally focused to provide a handbrake on the uppermost party.

              The right would look pretty similar to what it does now:

              National – neoliberal, internationalist
              Act – juiced up version of above
              Conservatives – (in a social sense) no real market for them as an organised party – the poorer will be represented by the leftist party above, the richer will reside as a rump within National.

              *Either with Labour ceasing to exist and being splintered amongst the other three, or with NZF ceasing to exist, Labour taking its policy ground and shedding its SJ wing to the Progressives.

              In today’s world and with the right policy mix, that’s an arrangement with more success of capturing the benches.

              • saveNZ

                Brutus Iscariot, You sound like a Labour political adviser that lost them the last election.

                This is what I feel the mood is….

                National – been in power too long – out of touch Neoliberals – but is there anyone better?
                Labour – Lost their way but coming back – hopefully not to tax everyone more with complicated policy that no one can understand .
                Green – Feeling less “Green” and talking social policy too much which is what all the other parties do, so who’s saving the forests?
                NZF – have some good ideas and but what about when Winston goes?
                TOP – can’t see them making 5%
                The Maori Party – dying unless they can cling to Mana. (Hence Jackson taking an opportunity to secure his future with Labour).
                ACT – dead but clinging to National for corporate hand outs.
                NZ Future – dead but clinging to National for corporate hand outs.
                Mana – bit of a wild card.

              • weka

                You can’t take social justice out of the Green movement for a very good reason. Social justice and the environment are utterly entwined. Go back and look at where those movements come from and you will see SJ was built in. Trying to separate them out now would be like amputating half your body.

                • Brutus Iscariot

                  I’m aware of the history – but political alignments can shift and break. None of this could/would/should happen by fiat tomorrow…but events can make a mockery of history and prediction.

                  Obviously futile to predict a course of events, but should the present de-globalisation trend continue, we could see the economic/nationalist centre gaining ground at the expense of both the liberal left (social) and right (economic). How that fits into the current party mix is even more obscure. NZF as a “Muldoonist” movement is held back by a lack of talent. How about this though:

                  1) NZF withers post-Winston, effectively being absorbed by Labour. Labour “pulls together” as a sense of national crisis is felt around the economy and the growing international drive towards protectionism and the rollback of globalisation, which have been a shock to NZ. Labour’s existing neoliberal wing shrinks internally, supplanted by the more dirigiste ideas popularised by NZ First. Labour regains its old “broad church” mantle.

                  2) NZ First continues to grow “market share” and through shrewd candidate recruitment, begins to gain additional credibility with both traditional Labour voters and disaffected Nats as economic conditions worsen. Labour faces an identity crisis as caucus splits over how to respond to the changing economic landscape. Large swathes of MP’s defect to NZ First, making it the largest party in the 2021 Parliament, with Stuart Nash becoming Prime Minister.

                  • weka

                    What does that have to do with the Greens dropping social justice in favour of environmental only policies?

                    • Brutus Iscariot

                      Nothing – except to say that things that people say could never happen (Trump winning, Labour shattering) can happen. TBH i think the Greens have a lot more stable position on the political spectrum than most other parties – it’s hard to fathom how that breach would ever occur in practice.

                    • weka

                      That’s how I see it too. The kaupapa and the values can’t be separated out from the party. If you tried to take out the values the party would implode. I think that there are inbuilt structures to prevent something like the Douglas/Prebble takeover of Labour too.

                      If Labour shattered and the Greens became the largest LW party, that would be an interesting process. Any party that gains that much power is by definition going to be more mainstream.

                • xanthe

                  “can’t take social justice out of the Green movement”

                  but can we take identity politics out of social justice?

                  • weka

                    Given the mindfuck you are doing around those terms, I seriously doubt it.

                  • Carolyn_nth

                    Your tautology is showing.

                    You say “identity politics”

                    I say “social justice”

                    • xanthe

                      “You say “identity politics”
                      I say “social justice””

                      and therein lies the problem

                      so for both you weka and carolyn_nth here is what I mean when I use those terms
                      Social Justice == the elimination of discrimination
                      Identity politics == targeted discrimination for political purpose

                      quite a difference dont you think?

                    • weka

                      However you define them you cannot easily undo the monkey wrenching of the politics of people who are marginalised that you have been engaging in. Yes, we can try and define terms, but in the conversations I have had with you you have consistently argued against the rights of people in favour of your economic ideology. That will need redressing too if you want your differentiations to be taken seriously. ‘Identity politics’ is a weapon that some lefties are using against people. It’s mean, nasty, and marginalising in and of itself.

                    • xanthe

                      weka,
                      Have you nothing to actually contribute?
                      All I see is a personal attack based on a policy of wilfull misinterpretation and misrepresentation!
                      How about actually taking an honest look at how the left was derailed?
                      Or is that too scary?

                    • Carolyn_nth

                      What weka said @ 7.12 pm – and much better than I could put it.

                      On O’Connor, so far I am agnostic. Haven’t yet seen enough of him in the political arena.

                    • Carolyn_nth

                      xanthe, I havce been taking an honet look at how some on the left are trying to split off social justice issues from the mainstream of poltics.

                      Been reading and thinking about it for many years now, and watching the behaviour of some on the left.

                      From where I’m sitting

                      How about actually taking an honest look at how the left was derailed?
                      Or is that too scary?

                      back atcha.

                      Edit – and to break this deadlock, I’d actually like to see some egs of your alleged difference between social justice and identity politics.

                    • xanthe

                      As for my definition of
                      Identity politics == targeted discrimination for political purpose ,
                      and
                      Social Justice == the elimination of discrimination

                      I am not trying to prove that mine is the only true meaning, simply telling you what it means to me.

                      Now you know what I mean I ask again
                      Can we take “identity politics” out of “social justice”?

                      without games or personal attacks

                    • weka,
                      Have you nothing to actually contribute?

                      Did you mean “nothing to contribute beyond that clear and eloquent description of where I’m wrong that you made in your comment at 7:12?” Otherwise I’m not seeing it.

                    • Xanthe

                      Oh well if none of you can engage in meaningful dialogue i will say goodnight

                    • weka

                      “Now you know what I mean I ask again
                      Can we take “identity politics” out of “social justice”?”

                      As long as you use the term ‘identity politics’ as a weapon against people, then no.

                    • weka

                      “Edit – and to break this deadlock, I’d actually like to see some egs of your alleged difference between social justice and identity politics.”

                      That would certainly help. In fact it’s hard to see how to have a conversation without examples. An attempt to discuss conceptually seems fraught with potential for misunderstanding and I’m suspicious of the fact that Xanthe is unwilling to give detail despite pushing for the conversation. Are we supposed to just agree to the concept of social justice without IP without first knowing what those things mean?

                  • Carolyn_nth

                    Xanthe:

                    Now you know what I mean I ask again
                    Can we take “identity politics” out of “social justice”?

                    without games or personal attacks

                    Well, I guess you think that makes sense to you. But it makes no sense to me. Without any egs to hang it on, I have no idea what you mean – your definition makes no sense to me.

                    And that’s not playing games. Just telling how I see it.

                • saveNZ

                  Weka – Greens get a lot more votes than the socialist party so I think that is where their stronger voter base is.

                  Social issues might be important – but with Sue Bradford gone who is the number one women I rate highly in politics on that issue because she is practical and understands poverty on a very deep level, not on some sort of policy paper level that is useless to those who are actually in poverty (reports, committee meetings, speeches and sympathy don’t feed and shelter people) and so many high profile Greenies leaving the party – Greens seem very light now on environmental leaders.

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  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

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