Herald loses perspective

Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, June 18th, 2014 - 74 comments
Categories: david cunliffe, newspapers - Tags: ,

So apparently forgetting about signing a form letter for a constituent 11 years ago is a resignable offence now.

It seemed odd when the donation story came out – even if Liu (probably) donated to Labour, cash for access (as we’ve been seeing with the Cabinet Club and Maurice Williamson) involves not just cash, but access.

It seemed even weirder when Labour didn’t seem to have any record of a donation.  And then, yes – we have a photo of Rick Barker with his partner and a bottle of wine!  That’s right, his partner definitely bought a bottle of wine at one of the dozens of Labour wine auction fundraisers each year.

Last I heard our political parties relied on donations, rather than it being a crime to accept one.

And even if it seems likely he did give a bigger donation in 2007, Labour could hardly know that National would let him buy access 6 years down the track.

But now we have what National had planned all along (as they surely knew all about the letter all along, having Liu’s immigration files in their grasp).

It’s a long bow, and far more political trap than anything actually at fault.

A form letter for a constituent – one that doesn’t even advocate for the constituent, and repeatedly misspells his name.

It shows that Liu met an electoral assistant, explained his problem with the speed of the bureaucracy, and agrees to help him press for a date for a decision.  It’s given to the MP in a pile to sign (he evidently doesn’t read it to point out the inconsistent name spelling), and the constituent is helped.

Democracy in action.

Resignable?  Well as Danyl points out, he did fall into the trap.

But really?  Is this what it’s come to?  Who can orchestrate the biggest ‘gotcha’?  It’s always going to be the government, with their hugely superior resources.

And even then Key’s failure to remember everything from TranzRail shares to calling Ian Fletcher weren’t ‘resignable’.

What about policies and who will help New Zealanders?

Incidentally John Key memory lapses:

John Key:

  • Forgot how many Tranz Rail shares he owned.

  • Unsure if and when he was briefed by GCSB on Kim Dotcom.

  • Forgot how he voted on drinking age.

  • Could not recall whether he was for or against the 1981 Springbok Tour.

  • Could not remember who was aboard mystery CIA jet parked at Wellington airport.

  • Forgot he phoned future director of GCSB urging him to apply for the job.

And the Herald’s respone to those?  To suggestion resignation?  No: get a psychologist to explain them:

“Just because you forget something doesn’t mean it’s malevolent.”

She said memory was like a plough that you had to use deeper and deeper to unearth all memories.

“Sometimes you have to have several passes through,” she said. “All he is doing is not remembering at the time he’s trying to remember, then he does fairly quickly – so I wouldn’t call that any kind of lying or conniving.”

“Now you will see people phrase things as, ‘that is how I remember it’, or ‘to the best of my recollection’, which places an out on the table. People can be wrong about the most amazing things – people can be wrong in spectacular ways,” she said.

74 comments on “Herald loses perspective ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. One Anonymous Bloke 1
    18 June 2014 at 3:42 pm

    Open season on Cabinet Club attendees sounds like a proportional response.

  2. Dave_1924 2
    18 June 2014 at 3:43 pm

    Why point at National BUNJI?

    This is an inside job. First rule – who benefits!!

    National have been very content with David Cunliffe as leader as Labours poll returns get worse and worse.

    Look inside for your organiser of this little stitch up…..

    • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1
      18 June 2014 at 3:47 pm

      That’s certainly one of the lines all the little wingnuts are pushing.

    • the pigman 2.2
      18 June 2014 at 3:54 pm

      How the fuck do the likes of Trevor Mallard, Clayton Cosgrove and Chris Hipkins gain from Labour polling below 30 on election day and maybe never above again?

      The “labour in disarray” story has already been tested and the RW know its an achilles heel for the Left and sure-fire media story (look at how it worked over Shearer’s term).

      It’s National and the RW that benefit from a divided left.. just look (if you can bear it) at their crowing.

      Think about it if you’re Chris Hipkins and want to organise a coup in the party. Don’t you think you’d need to rely on an actual smoking gun rather than a piece of innocuous nothingness like the letter?

      So as much as left Labour might dislike the ABCs, I’m pleased to say it doesn’t stand to reason that they’d do it.

      • Dave_1924 2.2.1
        18 June 2014 at 4:01 pm

        Really?

        National have already well established the Labour in disarray narrative. No need to go any further in my view. But if you say its the Nats… well they have kicked off a firestorm haven’t they.

        • Tracey 2.2.1.1
          18 June 2014 at 4:30 pm

          answer the question. how do the dark artists benefit by remaining in opposition dave?

          • Dave_1924 2.2.1.1.1
            18 June 2014 at 4:49 pm

            Actually Tracey – they may save a couple of list MP’s because the polls under Cunliffe are going one way at the moment for Labour and that is South…. A bounce back under new leaders might actually work…

            But if it is National then they have found something through ferreting around like all political parties back offices do – and the question then becomes why in hell didn’t Cunliffes team know about this so he could front foot it?

            If its National they have only been able to play this card, get traction from it because Labour have been banging the corruption drum all year..

            If DC wants to PM his team needs to do a damn sight better job then leaving him in front of media pack baying for blood, with no verified facts at his finger tips to bat them away….

            And in reply to “what do ABC gain” @ 2.2.2 well not a lot except satisfaction at delivering utu to a man they didn’t want as their leader in the first place….

      • ianmac 2.2.2
        18 June 2014 at 4:03 pm

        Always this ABC nonsense without a skerrick of truth. A murky effort by anti-labour fellows to sow distrust and suspicion.
        Rubbish!

      • Tracey 2.2.3
        18 June 2014 at 4:15 pm

        they dont. there is a concern troll pretending national are pure… of course bradbury doesnt help with his ill thought out one handed typing

    • Tracey 2.3
      18 June 2014 at 3:55 pm

      bs. nats are spooked by craig.. and want to ensure they rule alone. this is classic dirty tricks and john armstrong is genuflecting so much his back may snap.

  3. Blue 3
    18 June 2014 at 3:44 pm

    There’s a reason the Herald was chosen for this task. So right wing they’re practically the National Party Newsletter anyway, and with no journalistic standards to speak of.

    It’s become such a farce.

  4. James 4
    18 June 2014 at 3:45 pm

    Last I heard our political parties relied on donations, rather than it being a crime to accept one.

    Actually I think the crime is not declaring it. Which it seems Labour didnt.

    • Bunji 4.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:17 pm

      It would depend what size the donation was James, whether it needed declaring.
      Presuming the donation existed – the Herald have 2 unidentified people’s word on what happened 7 years ago, but no paper trail.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1.1
        18 June 2014 at 5:56 pm

        Have they followed up on the $50,000 auction of one of John Keys ties, that too was in 2007.

        No name listed on Nationals donation list for that amount either

    • Tracey 4.2
      18 June 2014 at 4:25 pm

      then theres saying you played golf with a guy who won you for charity. turns out it was 50k to the national party and the 18 holes over at least 2 hours was with the owner of the milk company the minister of justice lied about meeting with. anyway back to cunliffe

  5. the pigman 5
    18 June 2014 at 3:48 pm

    Hilarious that Bomber has immediately bought into the “Labour in disarray” narrative and tried to pin this on the “ABCs”.

    How fucking naive can he get?

    • Tracey 5.1
      18 June 2014 at 3:57 pm

      he is being self serving and feeds the rwnj meme without seeing how much it helps the nats get re elected.

      fascinating to see the right and the herald suddenly think that integrity is important in a leader….

      • weka 5.1.1
        18 June 2014 at 4:56 pm

        “he is being self serving and feeds the rwnj meme without seeing how much it helps the nats get re elected.”

        Either that, or he’s ok with losing this election so long as Labour go down and Mana go up.

    • David H 5.2
      19 June 2014 at 8:02 am

      And that’s why I keep away from TDB now a days. Bomber has lost it completely, or even worse he ‘believes his own press’

  6. Craig Glen Eden 6
    18 June 2014 at 3:58 pm

    I actually think this is the National Party at work here rather than the ABCers. National have a big problem and they probably know now that none of their potential coalition Partners have much chance of being much help. Key has problems insde of National because none of his MPs look like standing aside for Colin Craig so they have decided lets try and discredit the major party on the other side.Its Cunliffe’s time to turn this attack into his own on National.

    • Ant 6.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:20 pm

      Yeah ABCs (or the herald) don’t have the resources for this dig.

    • Anne 6.2
      18 June 2014 at 7:25 pm

      I actually think this is the National Party at work here rather than the ABCers.

      Of course it is. Is this supposed to be Slater’s H bomb?

  7. Tracey 7
    18 June 2014 at 3:58 pm

    can you point to your proof it was a corm letter

    • Bunji 7.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:14 pm

      form letter?

      I don’t meant that in the literal pre-printed letter, just in the write dozens of these each month sort of letter. Standard fare.

  8. ianmac 8
    18 June 2014 at 3:59 pm

    And this as headline from :
    Jared Savage is the New Zealand Herald’s investigations editor.

    “David Cunliffe wrote letter supporting Liu’s residency bid.”
    This factually incorrect. And as incorrect as John Armstrong’s column.
    Have emailed Jared Savage.

    • Tracey 8.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:27 pm

      never thought I would write this but

      I have emailed armstrong

    • freedom 8.2
      18 June 2014 at 4:41 pm

      No questioning of Liu is what bugs me most. None. Where’s the confirmation of the information Jared? Journalism 101. Verify the source’s information. Not exactly difficult to do in this case either.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 8.3
      18 June 2014 at 6:00 pm

      Technically he signed the letter and its on his letterhead.

      But then again John Banks strung out his court case for 9 months on ‘not remembering’ a document he signed too. There was an itsy bitsy difference in that was a offence of up to two years for not taking any notice of what it was

  9. john 9
    18 June 2014 at 4:00 pm

    It would be no big deal that Cunliffe helped Liu, or that he forgot about it.

    Except he’s been highly critical of National for helping Liu.

    It would be no big deal that Liu donated to Labour.

    Except that Cunliffe has been highly critical of National for the same thing.

    It would be no big deal that Cunliffe is wealthy.

    Excepts he’s been highly critical of others for being wealthy.

    Then of course he was highly critical of anonymous donations.

    WHILE running his own secret trust to hide donations.

    His problem is his criticisms simply don’t have any credibility anymore.

    • James 9.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:03 pm

      Dont forget John – Hates overseas people buying houses – then helps overseas people buy houses.

      Any he wonders why people think he’s slimy.

    • Craig Glen Eden 9.2
      18 June 2014 at 4:14 pm

      Really thats the best you can come up with John.Cunliffe said he didnt advocate for Liu which his letter show’s he didnt. Cunliffe is crfitical of the current practice of cash for access when has National or anyone proved Liu got special treatment from Labour like what he got from National.Cunliffe attacked Key not over where he lived but the fact that he dosnt care sbout others less fortunate.Cunliffe has never been ashamed of his money he just thinks everyone should have a chance to do well not just Nationals mates.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.3
      18 June 2014 at 4:15 pm

      John, you’re plagiarising other people’s lines again.

      A trust that is declared isn’t secret, by definition, you fucking idiot.

      Criticising people for pulling up the ladder is not criticism of wealth, fool.

      Asking questions for a constituent is not the same as trying to get a donor off charges, you partisan hack.

    • Tracey 9.4
      18 June 2014 at 4:21 pm

      so to summarise you are saying because nat cabinet and pm have no principles is of no import how they behave?

      no wonder some say we are only a year or 2 from gfc number 2 with dupes like you turning a blind eye

    • phillip ure 9.5
      18 June 2014 at 5:18 pm

      um..!..john..have you ever seen the blip-list..?

    • Lloyd 9.6
      18 June 2014 at 11:09 pm

      I am not sure that your criticisms have credibility any more John

      • john 9.6.1
        18 June 2014 at 11:19 pm

        Whether you think my criticisms have credibility is irrelevant.

        What matters is much of NZ can see Cunliffe make complaint after complaint while secretly doing the very things he’s complaining about, then continually getting caught.

  10. fdx 10
    18 June 2014 at 4:11 pm

    John Armstrong is a wheezing old hack overdue for his appointment at the glue factory.

  11. swordfish 11
    18 June 2014 at 4:18 pm

    Did somebody say “Tranz Rail” ?

    Time to take a wee stroll down Memory Lane…here… http://tvnz.co.nz/content/2097819/425825/article.html

    Here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaEXa202Q6M

    And take a moment to have a wee laugh at John’s body language 0.26 – 0.39 when caught out here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeJSFVWKnsE

    • Tracey 11.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:22 pm

      apparently thats ok because apparently cos john and co dont say they have principles.

  12. Draco T Bastard 12
    18 June 2014 at 4:24 pm

    Labour needs to use this to point out the double standards present in the MSM. After all of John Key’s lies not one of them has called for his resignation.

    • Ant 12.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:26 pm

      I think Key brushes it off better, Cunliffe looks like he takes it too seriously so it makes it seem like a bigger deal.

      If Cunliffe says he is relaxed about stuff he needs to look relaxed.

      • Tracey 12.1.1
        18 June 2014 at 4:29 pm

        do you mean key lies better?

        • Colonial Viper 12.1.1.1
          18 June 2014 at 5:13 pm

          Basically, and the MSM prefer to swallow like goldfish when Key does it

      • Matthew Whitehead 12.1.2
        18 June 2014 at 10:07 pm

        Oh, so Key is so entitled that ethics don’t bother him, so it’s okay for the MSM to ignore his faults? If he ignores or brushes it off, it should get worse for him. His reputation for slipperyness is really unearned- it’s far more a matter of how the media treats Key than any innate quality he has.

    • Tracey 12.2
      18 June 2014 at 4:28 pm

      I would like to see the greens launch it.

      • Draco T Bastard 12.2.1
        18 June 2014 at 4:33 pm

        The left in general. Look at the attacks on KDC, Hone Harawira and now Laila Harré.

        • Tracey 12.2.1.1
          18 June 2014 at 4:42 pm

          agree. jeanette fitzsimmons could pop up and make some comments.

          • Colonial Viper 12.2.1.1.1
            18 June 2014 at 5:14 pm

            Jim Anderton putting his 2c in would also send the right signals to the Left throughout the nation

  13. Skinny 13
    18 June 2014 at 4:37 pm

    It is a stretch trying to hang Cunliffe to any shady donations, especially dating so far back. Of course National call in a favour from their print media propaganda mates the NZH.

    This is all about National countering the public’s total disgust at the Cabinet Club cartel.

    • Tracey 13.1
      18 June 2014 at 4:45 pm

      remember when bennett was asked in the house about cabinet club meetings. she answered. when asked weeks later on camera she denied any knowledge of cabinet club meetings. this woman oversees the vetting of beneficiaries for dishonesty. apparently that is a non story…

    • Anne 13.2
      18 June 2014 at 4:51 pm

      And I doubt it is a coincidence it’s happening why Key is in the USA pretending to be a statesman. Very convenient time to have Cunliffe smeared as the liar.

      • Colonial Viper 13.2.1
        18 June 2014 at 5:11 pm

        NATs are really good at playing this game

        • Skinny 13.2.1.1
          18 June 2014 at 8:26 pm

          I had a little chuckle seeing John Key next to Helen. He looked like a submissive light weight compared to her.

          Such a loyalist to Labour, Helen comes out in true heavy weight style to bolster Labour’s election campaign by firing up to stamp her authority. Worth 3% to 5 % if she gains traction.

      • Chooky 13.2.2
        18 June 2014 at 5:37 pm

        we always knew the NACTs would be lighting brush fires like crazy all over the place

        …best ignore it as a form request at a low level amongst tens of thousands of others

        … dealt with by office assistants and signed pro forma…easily forgettable !

        ….Labour needs to dismiss it and get some really good policy on the table to attract the voters ( eg. bring down the age of retirement …and secure retirement savings ….student interest on loans abolished)

      • Anne 13.2.3
        18 June 2014 at 7:28 pm

        oh shit… should be”it’s happening while Key…” @13.2

  14. dimebag russell 14
    18 June 2014 at 5:07 pm

    the herald has always been a crummy little rag and now its going tawdry. for all its big city pretensions it has the brain of a small town gossiping tattler.

  15. Clemgeopin 15
    18 June 2014 at 5:39 pm

    The National dirty tricks brigade is active in its gutter. They forget that the great Labour party, its policies, principles, values and vision can not be silenced by these muck raking evil anti Labour propagandists. From the reports so far, Cunliffe has not lied. He did not influence the immigration. A letter written eleven years ago as an MP on behalf of a new immigrant to inquire how long the immigration decision may take is not a corrupt action. To expect an MP to remember all the letters he or she has signed 11 years ago when a reporter somewhere suddenly springs a question out of the blue and to characterise a lack of immediate recollection of such a letter as being corrupt is plain wrong. I still retain my full confidence in Mr Cunliffe and the Labour party. Voters should be caucious and alert not to be victims of the evil spin and tricks of the National party dirty tricks machine, nor be fooled by the affable cunning and feigned innocent persona of tricky Key.

  16. chris73 16
    18 June 2014 at 5:46 pm

    How about not giving them any ammunition in the first place?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10173411/David-Cunliffes-catastrophes

    • BM 16.1
      18 June 2014 at 5:52 pm

      LOL

      Who ever said that any press is good press obviously had never read that article

      I voted Herne Bay doer-upper btw.

      • chris73 16.1.1
        18 June 2014 at 5:59 pm

        So did I

        how anyone can claim that Cunliffes highly intelligent when you just have to look at what hes brought on himself…

  17. Adrian 17
    18 June 2014 at 6:05 pm

    I was told a few years ago by a relative of a senior NZH staff member that the paper gave the Nats free advertising in the last week of the 2008 election because they were the “underdog”. Very hard to prove without the money that has obviously been spent on this smear, but if true it is a criminal offence. Even if it was only a bigger discount than Labour got, somebody would go to jail.
    Time the Herald died .

    • ghostwhowalksnz 17.1
      18 June 2014 at 6:13 pm

      Its a discounted service so has to be put as a ‘donation’.

      More likely they gave a discount as a volume buyer, but the boot was on the other foot when Len Brown got free rooms as a frequent guest.

  18. ghostwhowalksnz 18
    18 June 2014 at 6:09 pm

    What Im interested in if Seven Sharp does its usual fluff pieces on what ever today or will Hoskin
    push them into a full blown outrage.
    This story broke after his radio show finished, but like the Oil Orca hes got a voice pipe to the PMs office so could have been aware something was coming

  19. Adrian 19
    18 June 2014 at 6:33 pm

    No Ghost, I believe the charges have to be the same for all parties. It’s a fairnest thing, a strange concept for Herald and the Nats of course. But I was assured it was pretty secret i.e, no charge.

  20. Chooky 20
    18 June 2014 at 7:38 pm

    Malcom X

    “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/06/18/comparing-key-to-cunliffe-and-john-armstrongs-demand-that-david-resigns/

  21. Rodel 21
    18 June 2014 at 8:35 pm

    Just read Armstrong’s article, heard Duncan Garner on radio, watched Hoskings briefly on TV1, manage to avoid Henry most nights and listened to dumb questions on Campbell live tonight and Campbell pretending to conduct an interview and preening himself (I think it’s called celebrity journalism) when he was acting like a clown and shouting at Cunliffe. I remember Helen Clark walking out on him in disgust.

    The left has an uphill battle to counter the propaganda of New Zealand’s radio, newspapers and television who are simply PR agents for National.

    Professionally they all are on the same level as Slater and Bradbury.

    Thank goodness teachers, surgeons, nurses and pilots and hey even lawyers, don’t have the same vocational values as these apologies for journalists.

  22. appleboy 22
    18 June 2014 at 9:22 pm

    This is all bullshit. Key forgets major events left right and centre, Cunliffe forgets an 11 year old letter that says nothing wrong. Fucking media are a bunch of twats. Listening to Andrea Vance and reading John Armstrong made me puke today.

    Are the media that fucking biased or are they just whipping up junk stories because that’s what modern journos are ‘supposed’ to do.

  23. Davethebroken 23
    20 June 2014 at 1:32 pm

    The letter isn’t a big deal – normal in fact. Not remembering it is also normal. Having a team of staff and not knowing about it is bad management. On the back of the attacks Labour have mounted against Nats, it just seems to reek of hypocrisy. If it was his first gaff, then no one would care but a picture is starting to appear and it’s not good for David Cuncliffe

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    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    2 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    3 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    4 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
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