Holmes and other toxic commentators

Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, February 16th, 2012 - 93 comments
Categories: accountability, Media - Tags: , , , , ,

Sad as I am to acknowledge it, there is a nasty streak in New Zealand culture. Angry, authoritarian, often racist, thoroughly unpleasant. One of its symptoms (and of course one of its causes) is the way we tolerate, indeed sometimes glorify, thoroughly toxic commentators and “media figures”.

Take Michael Laws with his multiple rants, and calls for listeners to take a shotgun to reporters (he’s now back on the air). Take Paul Henry, with his adolescent racist dribble (currently polluting the airwaves again until March, then off to Oz). Take Paul Homes, who should never have been taken seriously again after the “cheeky darkie” incident.

But Holmes is back too, and disgracing himself again with a thoroughly nasty and bigoted piece in The Herald after Waitangi Day:

Waitangi Day a complete waste

Waitangi Day produced its usual hatred, rudeness, and violence against a clearly elected Prime Minister from a group of hateful, hate-fuelled weirdos who seem to exist in a perfect world of benefit provision. This enables them to blissfully continue to believe that New Zealand is the centre of the world, no one has to have a job and the Treaty is all that matters.

I’m over Waitangi Day. It is repugnant. It’s a ghastly affair. As I lie in bed on Waitangi morning, I know that later that evening, the news will show us irrational Maori ghastliness with spitting, smugness, self-righteousness and the usual neurotic Maori politics, in which some bizarre new wrong we’ve never thought about will be lying on the table. …

Well, it’s a bullshit day, Waitangi. It’s a day of lies. It is loony Maori fringe self-denial day. It’s a day when everything is addressed, except the real stuff.

Never mind the child stats, never mind the national truancy stats, never mind the hopeless failure of Maori to educate their children and stop them bashing their babies. No, it’s all the Pakeha’s fault. It’s all about hating whitey. Believe me, that’s what it looked like the other day. …

On and on and on he goes, and if anything the piece gets worse and worse. The Herald soon disabled comments, but the reaction spread far and wide. Good to see, for example, Hone Harawira’s powerful piece in reply. If you haven’t read it already head on over and do so now.

So what to do about toxic commentators? For all that they are pumped up with their own egos, in reality these people are just pawns in the media market. They are used to generate “controversy”, and thus viewing numbers or hits, and thus (bottom line) more advertising revenue. If it wasn’t these individuals spouting their bile it would be others just like them. The real issue is that New Zealand, like the rest of the world, is poorly served by profit-driven media, and needs strong public broadcasting as counter-balance. The Nats, of course, are in the process of killing off public broadcasting. So you do the math – more toxic nonsense and a further steady deterioration of the quality of our media looms inexorably ahead…

93 comments on “Holmes and other toxic commentators ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. shorts 1
    16 February 2012 at 2:06 pm

    best thing to do – ignore them, every reaction and column inch they generate gives their masters revenue and thus continues the cycle

    • aerobubble 1.1
      16 February 2012 at 4:04 pm

      No. I was just watching National implode into incompetence. After just declaring China thinks Nz is racist, after botching the sale of Crafers to China, and pointing at Labour suggesting that the rule National misapplied was alos misapplied by Labour – exactly how many foreclosed farms did Labour sell to the milk producers of Europe or America?

      Its facile to call what our government is competence. If you enter into a contract and it fails you don’t blame the opposition for reading the rule like you have just been shown up as failing to meet, you act honestly and with integrity. No, but what National did was claim Labour would have applied the before and after rule for a bankrupt set of farmers, when materially Labour never applied the before and after rule on the Crafer Farms EVER. National created the before and after rule, and then call honourable members on the other sign of the house racist.

      Sorry but if someone is being racist to me, they invariably will muck up and mess me around, just like National have in its failure to give China a clear decision one way or other. Its truly shocking National actually believe labour correct use of the foriegn asset sales some how justifies National totally messing China around. Worse, National imply all asset sales to foriegners were anit-growth, because in their small minded incompetence they think everything Labour does is anti-growth.
      You know like kiwibank, like kiwisaver, like investing in NZ by saving instead of accelerating the over heated economy with tax cuts as was Nationals prescription.

      To get back to the thread, the problem with National is because some rich fellow makes a heap of money that those rich fellows are gurus we should all listen too, yes, National is the party of Hubbard that’s why they just blew 1.7?? billion of tax payer money because they blind believe they are smart because the got rich once in their past. Your only as good as you next win.

  2. Craig 2
    16 February 2012 at 2:07 pm

    What about a good old fashioned boycott? Or strengthening the Broadcasting Standards Authority to provide more substantive punishments of specific radio content, or amending broadcasting legislation to give it those powers? If it helps, the radio broadcast spectrum and market is highly fragmented, so hardly anyone’s listening to this drivel…

    • Gosman 2.1
      16 February 2012 at 4:07 pm

      You mean essentially punishing private media for publishing ideas hat you disagree with. Yes I know several countries where that idea would gain traction. Unfortunately most of them are authoritarian dictatorships but so long as the ‘people’ are getting the ‘correct’ message that is what counts..

      • thatguynz 2.1.1
        16 February 2012 at 6:44 pm

        Perhaps reporting the truth as opposed to ideological bias and outright lies might be a pretty good outcome….
         
        The truth isn’t left nor right, it simply is what it is and people can make of it what they will.
         
        Are you suggesting that we have this non-partisan type of media Gosman?
         

        • thatguynz 2.1.1.1
          16 February 2012 at 8:22 pm

          No response from the outspoken one?
           

        • Gosman 2.1.1.2
          16 February 2012 at 8:48 pm

          Ummmm…. the topic at hand is an opinion piece from Paul Holmes. As such it is only his opinion. Unless you are stating that somehow the media should ensure all opinions meet some unspecified standard of factual accuract. If that was the case then many of the opinions here wouldn’t pass muster.

          Regardless of this what factual inaccuracies do you have with the NZ media? I’m not stating they don’t make them but I am saying they don’t tend to be ideologically biased as far as I am aware. Perhaps you could give some examples or doesn’t your belief in the factual accuracy of the media extend to your own comments?

          • thatguynz 2.1.1.2.1
            16 February 2012 at 8:54 pm

            My comment and subsequent question were in response to your point above.  It was a pretty straight forward question – in fact a yes or no answer would suffice perfectly.
             
            I’ll ask again, Are you suggesting that we have this non-partisan type of media Gosman?

            • Gosman 2.1.1.2.1.1
              16 February 2012 at 9:25 pm

              I have no real opinion on the matter. What is your view and what is your point exactly?

              • mickysavage …
                16 February 2012 at 9:27 pm

                Gossie

                The Herald is part of the private enterprise system.  Surely we have the right to decline to buy it??  What happened to our freedom as a consumer?? 

              • thatguynz …
                16 February 2012 at 9:32 pm

                I find that difficult to believe given you seemingly have an opinion on everything else around here.  As I said, I wasn’t looking for a treatise on the matter – simply a yes or no.
                 
                I’ll just assume it’s a question that you’d prefer to not answer directly then.

                • Gosman …
                  16 February 2012 at 11:00 pm

                  I’m suggesting that as far as I am concerned there is nothing stopping the left from building their own media empire except their own excuse making inactivity. This site is a good start. Most of the posts are rubbish mind you but occasionally a couple stand out as good examples of journalism.

                  • thatguynz …
                    16 February 2012 at 11:07 pm

                    Putting aside the completely inflammatory personal assessment of the post quality here you’ve just spouted, you still haven’t answered the question.  Surely it’s not that hard.

                    • Gosman …
                      17 February 2012 at 8:33 am

                      What is your definition of non-partisan?

                    • Gosman …
                      17 February 2012 at 8:42 am

                      I suspect it would be broad enough that no country qualifies as having a non-partisan media.

                      Do you believe that Government should attempt to force the media to be non-partisan? I certainly don’t.

                      I do think that the media should be open for all views. Then you can have balance rather than non-partisanship.

                    • thatguynz …
                      17 February 2012 at 9:30 am

                      I would have thought that non-partisan was fairly unambiguous but for your benefit here is a dictionary definition..
                      1.  Objective
                      2.  Not supporting or controlled by a political party, special interest group, or the like.
                       
                      Perhaps “unbiased” or “apolitical” would be equally valid.  I wouldn’t have thought that “my” definition of non-partisan is particularly broad – looks pretty straight forward to me..
                       
                      “Do you believe that Government should attempt to force the media to be non-partisan?”
                      I have neither said nor intimated that so don’t put words in my mouth – I’m more than capable of doing that for myself.


                      “I suspect it would be broad enough that no country qualifies as having a non-partisan media.”
                      So by extrapolation, if this is your belief for the media in this country I have two questions.
                      1)  Why do you think this is?
                      2)  Which side of the “political spectrum” do you believe the media in NZ “favours”?

                    • Gosman …
                      17 February 2012 at 2:48 pm

                      How do you measure which side the media is biased towards?

                      I mean you first have to rate each media organisation in terms of some subjective measure of partianship and then total up averages.

                      How would you measure what qualifies as media as well? Only formal media or blogs like this?

                      This is why your whole idea is silly. It is a complete waste of time to worry about this. Just accept the fact that ALL countries have partianship media and then focus on ensureing all shades of political opinion can present their case via some media outlet.

                    • thatguynz …
                      17 February 2012 at 3:55 pm

                      “This is why your whole idea is silly. It is a complete waste of time to worry about this.”
                      You’re doing it again Gosman – putting words in my mouth.  If you re-read the comments thread above you’ll quite clearly see that other than making a utopian wish for truthful reporting, I haven’t stated an idea per se.  You seem to be reading something into my comments that isn’t there.  All I have done is to ask you some pretty straight-forward questions which I can only assume from your obfuscation you have little desire to answer directly…


                      Allow me to reiterate (with the clarification that you seem to be after):

                      1)  Why do you think the NZ main stream media (ie. tv, mainstream print and mainstream radio) present a slanted view of the news?
                      2)  Which side of the “political spectrum” do you believe the media in NZ “favours”?  (I didn’t ask for metrics to support your view – I asked which side “you believe” the NZ media favours)

                    • Gosman …
                      17 February 2012 at 4:28 pm

                      The reason media generally is non-partisan is because people are generally biased and it just so happens that journalists are people. You might like to put it down to money, (or you might not) I don’t. That to me smacks of a conspiracy theory. Not to state that money isn’t a factor just that it doesn’t influence editorial policy unduly in my mind.

                      I told you I think it is a completely silly idea to try and work out an average level of partianship. Why are you so concerned with this anyway?

                    • thatguynz …
                      17 February 2012 at 5:06 pm

                      Gos, you really seem to struggle to simply answer the question.

                      “You might like to put it down to money, (or you might not) I don’t.”
                      I don’t believe I’ve put it down to anything – I’ll say again, all I’ve done is asked you some questions.

                      “I told you I think it is a completely silly idea to try and work out an average level of partianship.”
                      Please re-read the question. I didn’t ask you to determine an “average level of partisanship”. I asked you what “you believe”. I would have thought that would make it clear I’m seeking your opinion – your “gut feel” if you will. If I wanted to understand an analytical breakdown and justification, rest assured I would have framed the question much differently.

                      “Why are you so concerned with this anyway?”
                      Very simple. In the (recent) past you have indicated that you come here to have your views challenged/reinforced. All I’m asking you to do is EXPLAIN what your view is on MSM impartiality in NZ. So far you have danced around the questions and to be blunt – avoided answering them except for in a tangential manner.

                      I have no particular issue whether our views are the same or dissimilar, I’m just trying to understand what yours actually are.

      • mik e 2.1.2
        16 February 2012 at 8:10 pm

        Groseman Your right wing govt in the UK is doing exactly that.
        Media barons have complete control now we have fairfax being told what to publish by its new majority minority holder.

      • Rosemary 2.1.3
        16 February 2012 at 8:39 pm

        Your bullshit should be fucking banned for a start.

      • mickysavage 2.1.4
        16 February 2012 at 8:57 pm

        You mean essentially punishing private media for publishing ideas hat you disagree with

        Why not?  It is my money.  I would much prefer to pay the money to the Standard.  The quality of analysis is much better …

      • bbfloyd 2.1.5
        16 February 2012 at 10:26 pm

        ideas???? what ideas???? are you seriously talking about paul holmes???? i own saucers with more depth than holmes …… are you really saying that you actually think paul holmes actually says things??? things that mean ANYTHING in the real world????

        you’re scaring me …..

        • Populuxe1 2.1.5.1
          17 February 2012 at 1:42 am

          I’d actually go so far as to question the sanity of anyone investing significance in whatever Holmsey farts out. He lost the plot yonks ago and is only trotted out now because he’ll generate a controversial reaction that will sell newspapers and grab attention. Mention him not and he’ll go away.

  3. dave brownz 3
    16 February 2012 at 2:10 pm

    Apropos of ‘authoritarian’ psychology in a capitalist New Zealand.
    http://redrave.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/roots-of-fascism.html

  4. Lanthanide 4
    16 February 2012 at 2:19 pm

    If you look at Hone’s reply, the first few comments that are supporting Holmes get 600+ thumbs up, vs 200-350 for the ones that support Hone.

    • Ianupnorth 4.1
      16 February 2012 at 2:25 pm

      I noticed that too; too many red necks in this country, Holmes is one of the few that gets air time, whilst others keep their hatred behind closed doors. The same individuals have a double standard, cheering maori and PI blokes when they win rugby games, labelling others as crims and bludgers.

      • Morrissey 4.1.1
        16 February 2012 at 4:29 pm

        “…too many red necks in this country”??!!??!!?

        Almost all of the worst bigots in the media are not “rednecks” at all. How much hard work in the sun is done by Michael Laws, Paul Holmes, Larry Williams, Leighton Smith, Bruce Russell or Kerre Woodham?

        You need to stop thoughtlessly using this anti-worker and anti-farmer epithet.

        • Tiger Mountain 4.1.1.1
          16 February 2012 at 4:56 pm

          Heh, I like to use “white trash” for the young often blond racists on FB. Not supporting resolving the post colonialist fall out and honouring Te Tiriti demeans such people. While there is raging inequality we will never all be “kiwis”.

  5. thatguynz 5
    16 February 2012 at 2:30 pm

    Cue james111 to defend Holmes in 3, 2, 1……

    • Te Reo Putake 5.1
      16 February 2012 at 2:39 pm

      Jim Jim’s on an enforced holiday from this site for being racist or homophobic or lying, I can’t remember which. Maybe it was all three?

  6. vto 6
    16 February 2012 at 3:20 pm

    There was no wisdom in Holmes shit. Not a tiny bit, not even a skerrick. Despite his age there is no consideration of others or any of those things we are told come with the years. No wisdom, no compassion, not even the door slightly ajar for an alternative view. There was nothing. Nothing but empty hatred and anger.

    What a poor man.

  7. Draco T Bastard 7
    16 February 2012 at 3:26 pm

    The real issue is that New Zealand, like the rest of the world, is poorly served by profit-driven media, and needs strong public broadcasting as counter-balance.

    Well, that but we also need need good regulation. Something that, quite simply, doesn’t tolerate such hate filled rants being published and if such does make it on air then the person needs to be fired and fined. Probably needs some sort of fine for the person who let it through as well.

    • Gosman 7.1
      16 February 2012 at 4:09 pm

      In other words censorship of ideas that you disagree with. You would make a good Minister of Truth in this brave new world you are dreaming up DTB.

      • Draco T Bastard 7.1.1
        16 February 2012 at 5:53 pm

        Communities really do need to mitigate the more outrageous BS so as to maintain civility. If we don’t then we end up with racist/religious/etc etc violence and that doesn’t help anybody.

        • Gosman 7.1.1.1
          16 February 2012 at 6:26 pm

          The trouble is DTB who determines what qualifies as outrageous BS – You?

          I have been denounced as an extremist by numerous people on this site. I can see a pretty good case being made that people expressing my views should be ‘regulated’.

          • Draco T Bastard 7.1.1.1.1
            16 February 2012 at 7:16 pm

            The community usually via government. Thing is, we already have similar laws in place but they just don’t seem to apply to the media. Why is that?

            • Gosman 7.1.1.1.1.1
              16 February 2012 at 8:22 pm

              Government is currently controlled by by a right leaning political party so that would suggest the community you speak of is actually more right leaning than you are.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                17 February 2012 at 12:31 am

                What’s that got to do with hate speech? Or are you saying that right-leaning people are supportive of it?

                • Gosman …
                  17 February 2012 at 3:16 pm

                  The trouble is DTB Hate speech is in the eye of the beholder. You have tried to argue that it is in the eye of the community though. I merely pointed out that you might be surprised what speech is regarded as hate by your wider community.

          • RedLogix 7.1.1.1.2
            16 February 2012 at 7:17 pm

            Relax Gosman. Your ideas aren’t ‘extremist’ at all Gosman; they’re far too narrow, monetary, materialistic… and turgidly boring to be worth censoring.

          • mik e 7.1.1.1.3
            16 February 2012 at 8:12 pm

            Groseman instead we get right wing propaganda from Media monopolies

            • Gosman 7.1.1.1.3.1
              16 February 2012 at 8:18 pm

              That is the price of freedom of speech. You are obviousl;y entitled to band together with like minded lefties and form a left wing media organisation. Good luck with that.

              I am curious why people on the left don’t do it though. Instead they bitch about how it is so unfair that the media is controlled by the right. I’m pretty sure there are lefties with enough capital to put together a hald decent alternative. I mean Warren Buffet is a lefty isn’t he?

              • Colonial Viper …
                16 February 2012 at 8:30 pm

                That is the price of freedom of speech. You are obviousl;y entitled to band together with like minded lefties and form a left wing media organisation. Good luck with that.

                Sure. Where can we get $25M in seed funding from.

              • McFlock …
                16 February 2012 at 8:36 pm

                “I am curious why people on the left don’t do it though. Instead they bitch about how it is so unfair that the media is controlled by the right. I’m pretty sure there are lefties with enough capital to put together a hald decent alternative. I mean Warren Buffet is a lefty isn’t he?”
                    
                Because “the left” can’t rely on $40mil loans on a whim of the government, we make do with the web.
                  
                Buffett is only a “lefty” compared to you. He’s a “righty” who has a modicum of decency and is honest about the shape of the world.

                • Gosman …
                  16 February 2012 at 9:28 pm

                  Hit him up for the capital if you think he has a modicum of decency. Are you implying he doesn’t want to support a more balanced media?

                  • McFlock …
                    16 February 2012 at 9:31 pm

                    I’m not sure media balance in NZ is near the top of his priority list, no.

                    • Gosman …
                      16 February 2012 at 9:34 pm

                      Find someone else then or combine your collective wealth. Are you stating that the only way you can ensure balance in the media is either spending Taxpayers money on your supposedly balanced media or by regulation? How sad that the left can’t attract people who have capital to invest.

                    • McFlock …
                      16 February 2012 at 10:46 pm

                      If the GINI gets too far out of whack, that’s exactly what I’m saying.
                            
                      A balanced media is a bit like insurance – 99% of the time you don’t really need it, but you never know when that 1% will be. So for poorer people, that expense goes by the wayside in favour of luxuries like “eating”.
                       

          • Jackal 7.1.1.1.4
            16 February 2012 at 8:41 pm

            It’s not really so much a who decides what is censored, but a what. From Wikipedia – Hate Speech:

            New Zealand prohibits hate speech under the Human Rights Act 1993. Section 61 (Racial Disharmony) makes it unlawful to publish or distribute “threatening, abusive, or insulting…matter or words likely to excite hostility against or bring into contempt any group of persons…on the ground of the colour, race, or ethnic or national or ethnic origins of that group of persons.” Section 131 (Inciting Racial Disharmony) lists offences for which “racial disharmony” creates liability.

            The problem is that the government has effectively hamstrung the entities that are meant to ensure these laws are applied.

            • Gosman 7.1.1.1.4.1
              16 February 2012 at 9:30 pm

              How have they effectively hamstrung these entities? What changes have the National led government introduced that weren’t there under the last Labour led government?

  8. Hami Shearlie 8
    16 February 2012 at 3:41 pm

    Remember when Holmes was trying to up his salary with TVNZ? Remember when he threatened to take his “considerable talents” to Australia?? If only we’d bought his one-way ticket for him. Coulda Woulda Shoulda!!!

    • tc 8.1
      16 February 2012 at 4:12 pm

      Holmes would be lucky to get a job in rural radio in OZ, the bar’s far too high for his low brow approach and as for TV forget it.

      • Morrissey 8.1.1
        16 February 2012 at 4:32 pm

        “lucky to get a job in rural radio in OZ, the bar’s far too high…”

        Obviously you have never listened to commercial radio in Australia.

        • tc 8.1.1.1
          16 February 2012 at 9:33 pm

          Yup and even worked in it, he’d get a gig in the rural but not the main centres, as has been pinted out, despite what you may think the media in Oz has a reasonable level of intellect due to the standard set by the ABC ……. A public broadcaster , funny that.

          • Morrissey 8.1.1.1.1
            17 February 2012 at 8:40 am

            Yup and even worked in it,

            Perhaps you should have listened to it a bit more critically.

            he’d get a gig in the rural but not the main centres,
            Oh really? Holmes is not up to the lofty standards of Alan Jones, John Laws, or Jason Morrison?

            despite what you may think the media in Oz has a reasonable level of intellect

            Australian media has “a reasonable standard of intellect”? Really? Have you read the Melbourne Age or the Australian recently? Have you listened to an on-air rant by Jones, Laws or Morrison?

            After you’ve done that, come back and tell us with a straight face that the Australian mainstream media are distinguished by “a reasonable standard of intellect”.

            due to the standard set by the ABC

            How exactly do the producers at, say, 2UE or Channel 7 reflect the standard set by the ABC?

      • Te Reo Putake 8.1.2
        16 February 2012 at 4:34 pm

        Ha! Been there, done that, as I recall. Some time in the late seventies/early eighties Holmes got fired from RNZ for making crank calls to the pope and ended up in Townsville or Darwin or somewhere equally godforsaken, before snagging a job with ZB a couple of years later.

  9. Leverett 9
    16 February 2012 at 4:15 pm

    This article is doubleplusgood. Too many NZers bellyfeel crimethink and should upsub or go to joycamps.

    [lprent: I had to look at this comment several times. Akismet flagged it in automoderation. But it is an actual person rather than the fractured bot that both I and akismet initially thought.

    It has trolled here on the odd occasion and has managed to string coherent sentences together in between it’s obsessions about marxists, keynesians (ie marxists), and who appears to exclusively read right wing nutjobs….

    Looks like it is trying out yet another identity as a crazed druggie. ]

    • Leverett 9.1
      16 February 2012 at 4:26 pm

      Sorry, it’s a reference to censorship.

      [lprent: I mostly try to censor the software robots for making this place uninhabitable for humans. Does that count? Am I a constraint of their freedom to chew my bandwidth? Do I care…. well not really.

      We will ‘censor’ humans as well, mostly when they start reading like robots and droning out of a phrase dictionary. Something you have avoided…

      Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. And 1984 is a book about the human bots, so I guess it is appropriate you got caught in the bot trap.. ]

      • Frank 9.1.1
        17 February 2012 at 10:11 am

        Funny thing, Leverett. Rightwingers point the “orwellian” finger at left-wingers…

        And yet it’s National that has implemented the Police & Video surveillance legislation; accessed personal information to destroy critics; given access to private MoJ info to credit agencies; and is now considering outsourcing government services to Google.

        If Labour had tried any of these policies, rightwingers would be running rampant in the streets.

        But if Dear Leader does it – no probs.

    • Te Reo Putake 9.2
      16 February 2012 at 4:41 pm

      I think Leverett is channelling Orwell, LP. Doubleplusgood is ‘NewSpeak’ from the novel 1984.
       
      Just as an aside, I listened to Bowie’s Diamond Dogs again the other day and it really is a brilliant album, drawing on Orwell and Huxley’s visions of a consumerist future where no one can effectively challenge authority and the masses are reduced to drones, only capable of thankless work and mindless consumerism. Thank God that future never eventuated, eh!

  10. Tom Gould 10
    16 February 2012 at 4:16 pm

    I know ‘Holmesy’ has been sick lately, but can that alone explain his pertpetual grump with everything and every one, except his BFF Keysy and his other BFF Tories?

  11. Craig 11
    16 February 2012 at 4:54 pm

    Oh dear. I’m being accused of being Orwellian, am I? Very well, let me remind you that three-minute hate sessions of Emmanuel Goldstein as scapegoat were part and parcel of morning calisthenics in Airstrip One. Scapegoating is a peculiarly populist practise, especially when engaged in by doctrinaire social conservative drones like Leighton Smith, Paul Henry ad nauseum.

    Incidentally, could I also point out that Radio Live was recently donged by the Electoral Comission for acting as a propaganda outlet for our beloved Prime Minister during the general election? Now who’s spreading propaganda. Doubleplusgood is in the eye of the beholder, methinks.

    • Gosman 11.1
      16 February 2012 at 9:38 pm

      Your point being what exactly? That because abusesof he system in your mind exist that justifies increased regulation of the media?

  12. Eduardo Kawak 12
    16 February 2012 at 5:50 pm

    Paul Holmes is a crazy old man and shouldn’t even be taken seriously. His column is lunacy. He’s always been a racist anyway.

    • mik e 12.1
      16 February 2012 at 8:15 pm

      ever since he separated from Hinemoa and abandoned his child

      • Gosman 12.1.1
        16 February 2012 at 9:35 pm

        What a pathetic post.

        • felix 12.1.1.1
          17 February 2012 at 1:56 am

          Oh come on Gos. Holmes has always been a bit wooden and often seems to be thick as two planks, but it’s still not nice to call him a post.

          • Gosman 12.1.1.1.1
            17 February 2012 at 6:29 am

            And if I wanted an example of the techniques I picked up from you felix which you criticise me for using you have provided it here.

            Do you think mik e’s comment is acceptable?

            • McFlock 12.1.1.1.1.1
              17 February 2012 at 6:02 pm

              Mik E’s comment is more acceptable than what Holmes regularly puts forth.

              And Mik doesn’t have tha gall to accept money for it.

  13. hoom 13
    17 February 2012 at 1:31 am

    These guys are a complete disgrace, an utter embarrassment to how history will look back on this period.

    Its not OK for such blatant racist crap to be regularly put out in the main media.
    Fuck these assholes.

    History shows there are very many legitimate complaints & the complaints will continue until we actually both properly settle historic grievances and stop creating new ones.

  14. Reagan Cline 14
    17 February 2012 at 5:53 pm

    They’re all made-up comedians bless them. Have a giggle and get back to it.

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    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    8 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    15 hours ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    16 hours ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    16 hours ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    16 hours ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    16 hours ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    16 hours ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    16 hours ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    16 hours ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    17 hours ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    19 hours ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    19 hours ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    19 hours ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    19 hours ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    19 hours ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    20 hours ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    23 hours ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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    20 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
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    22 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
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    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
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    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
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    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
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    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
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    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
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    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
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    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
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    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
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    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
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    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
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    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
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    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
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    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
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    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
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    7 days ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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