Hooton – please apologise

Written By: - Date published: 1:46 pm, September 23rd, 2013 - 220 comments
Categories: accountability, business, david cunliffe, democracy under attack, labour, radio, spin - Tags:

I don’t usually comment on Matthew Hooton’s statements and commentaries.  His behaviour on RNZ this morning, shouting down both Kathryn Ryan and Mike Williams offended my ideas about free speech, democracy and fairness.  Hooton accused Cunliffe of lying, and no-one was given space to reply.

So I am adding my thoughts and the results of my (and others) google searches on the topic, in the interests of democratic debate.

Hooton’s claims beginng at about 9.42 of this podcast.

http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20130923-1106-politics_with_matthew_hooton_and_mike_williams-048.mp3

First Hooton talked about Andrea Vance’s claims about David Cunliffe’s CV:

David Cunliffe doesn’t quite tell the truth and Andre Vance …

Then, Hooton states,

He makes claims which simply don’t seem to stack up about his own career.

Then a bit later the main claim:

Except that whenever I do know something about the topic where he made his claims, I know that what he says is untrue. For example he told the Dominion that he had helped in the formation of Fonterra. Well as it happened I spent about 2 and a half years working on that particular project. There were negotiations in secret between Kiwi dairies and New Zealand Dairy group and the Dairy Board. All through 2000.  And then we announced the Fonterra proposal in late 2001. And then there was the big parliamentary process and the farmers voted on it in 2001 and then the company was finally formed.

Anyway, according to David Cunliffe he helped with the formation of Fonterra when he was at the Boston Consultancy Group. Well that is obviously a lie because he  was selected as the Labour, no it was a lie.  The Labour Party.  He was selected as a Labour Party candidate in 1998. He became an MP in 1999. He Fonterra proposal wasn’t even talked about.

This is what Cunliffe stated in the House in 2012 (h/t amirite):

And I was also a management consultant tasked with advising on the formation of Fonterra from Kiwi Cooperative Dairies and the New Zealand Dairy Group.

I have long taken an interest in this most crucial industry for the New Zealand economy and am proud to have been part of the Government that set up Fonterra in the first place.

And Cunliffe quoted in the Dominion Post 21 Sept 2013,

“I got to work in a dozen different industry sectors, helped with the split up of ECNZ [the Electricity Corporation], helped with the formation of Fonterra, …

Hooton’s claim rest on the claim that there was no work on the setting up of Fonterra before 1998/9.

Actually Cunliffe’s CV on wikipedia says he was with BCG 1995-1999.

An article on Scoop dated June 2001, says that the BCG had been working with the NZ Dairy industry on proposal advocating a merger of companies (h/t miravox):

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has worked with the industry for over ten years including jointly preparing the so-called McKinsey Report on Industry Structure, which recommended a single, integrated organisation as the best way to maximise the value for farmer shareholders. In addition, BCG has worked extensively with the marketing arm of the industry, both in the New Zealand Milk and NZMP businesses.

McKinsey report 1998/9

Further information on this BCG work that led up to the mergers of companies like NZ Dairy Company that resulted in the advent of Fonterra:

The key elements of success and failure in New Zealand Dairy, 2008.

In 1994, four dairy companies commissioned an Industry Efficiency Improvement Study (IEIS) carried out by the Boston Consulting Group. This study identified that if  the then 15 co-operative merged in four, an efficiency gain of between NZ$190 million and NZ$253 million per annum (Graham, 1996) could be achieved. That would translate to an increase of nearly 12 per cent over the base payout to farmers which at that time was of NZ$ 2.90 per kilo of milk solids. In response to this opportunity a working team of NZDB and Dairy Company CEOs was formed to formulate how to capture the benefits identified by the IEIS. This became the Business Development Project (BDP) (Graham, 1998).

Management Science in the New Zealand Dairy Industry:

4.1 Mergers and Centralisation of Processing

In 1994, several dairy companies commissioned an Industry Efficiency Improvement Study (IEIS) carried out by the Boston Consulting Group. This resulted in the setting up of an industry committee to look at ways of capturing the efficiencies identified by the report, which called for a rationalisation of the then-15 co-operatives to only four co-op dairy companies. As a result, the committee initiated the Business Development Project (BDP).

So Mr Hooton, tell me where Cunliffe has lied about this?

 

 

220 comments on “Hooton – please apologise ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Cemetery Jones 1
    23 September 2013 at 2:02 pm

    Hooton is getting desperate, more and more every week. The seriousness of Cunliffe’s challenge is flipping Hooton more and more over the edge, making him on the one hand more predictable, but on the other hand also more dangerously crazy, and liable to say and do stupid things (well, more stupid than normal, anyway).

    Keep the popcorn handy, foks. The hilarity is only beginning. By November ’14, expect to see him flipping out Breitbart style on a kerbside near you.

  2. amirite 2
    23 September 2013 at 2:04 pm

    He keeps repeating his lies on Twitter. The man has come straight out of Goebbels’ school of propaganda.

  3. Colonial Viper 3
    23 September 2013 at 2:05 pm

    Looks like Hooten has no idea about the future, so the best he can do is throw up distractions based on the past.

    Tell us Matthew, what have you found out about John Key’s previous career activities?

  4. Ant 4
    23 September 2013 at 2:07 pm

    Hit and run.

  5. Sanctuary 5
    23 September 2013 at 2:11 pm

    Hooton has exposed Radio NZ to significant legal risk. He won’t care – he’d probably sneer that the taxpayer can afford it – but the managers of RNZ might. In addition, he showed himself as completely without self control and incapable of following the STRONG directions of the host of the show he was on.

    Surely we will see:

    a) A correction and apology on the nine-to-noon politics section next week and

    b) Hooton spending some time off air to cool off and consider if he wishes to continue with the politics spot on Mondays. If he does, he’s going to have to follows the rules laid down by RNZ.

    • Colonial Viper 5.1
      23 September 2013 at 2:14 pm

      Let’s see what the National leaning RNZ Board make of Hooten’s screw up. I think they will be less than pleased that he has put significant liability and risk on their shoulders.

    • Sosoo 5.2
      23 September 2013 at 2:18 pm

      I think that Hooton should be forced to spend a week wearing a sandwich board that reads “I am a prat”.

    • miravox 5.3
      23 September 2013 at 2:18 pm

      “A correction and apology on the nine-to-noon politics section”

      Yeah, but he’s done what he wanted to do – it’s been said so ‘it must be true’. The general public often doesn’t have time to wait for long-delayed apologies.

  6. Sosoo 6
    23 September 2013 at 2:13 pm

    This is epically funny. Such self immolation is always a decent spectacle.

    Twitterwards ho!

  7. Linz 7
    23 September 2013 at 2:17 pm

    David Cunliffe should sue the little son-of-a-bitch to within an inch of his life.

    • lprent 7.1
      23 September 2013 at 2:22 pm

      It is very unlikely to succeed. Read Margaret Pope’s discussion of the effect of the Lange vs Atkinson decision when applied to public interest as a starting point.

      • Sosoo 7.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 2:31 pm

        I’m not sure that it will apply in this case.

        What is at stake here is not a matter of political opinion or a normative issue (e.g. whether Lange was a slacker as PM) or even a matter on which speculation is as good as we can do (e.g. Lange’s motives in his personal life).

        Whether or not Cunliffe worked on the Fonterra matter for BCG is a publicly verifiable fact. It is not an evaluative matter, nor is it a speculative matter.

        e.g. “John Key lied about working for Merrill Lynch” is different from “John Key lied about his motives for the asset sales”.

        Labour needs to go after this dick and make it poisonous for the press to employ him.

        • lprent 7.1.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 2:43 pm

          The argument would be of if examining a politicians previous history and having an *opinion* on what it meant was in the public interest. Obviously it is.

          The fact that Matthew failed to delve more deeply into the past than his own fallible recollections isn’t really at issue. That just makes Matthew look like a fool.

          The eventual outcome of any proceeding would be a simple apology by Matthew in 6 months to a year. By which time his deliberate strawman will have fulfilled his purpose.

          It is far better doing what karol just did – use some easily obtained facts in the public to undermine his argument right now, and highlight how shallow his recollection was.

        • Matthew Hooton 7.1.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 2:43 pm

          Exactly. And it is a publicly verifiable fact that he can’t possibly have worked on the Fonterra matter. Unless he was moonlighting for the private sector while an MP.

          • Sosoo 7.1.1.2.1
            23 September 2013 at 2:54 pm

            Except that “helping with the formation of Fonterra” is vague enough to include pretty much anything that was done that resulted in the eventual creation of the company – including consultation that laid the groundwork.

            After all, the first person who thought up the idea “helped with the formation of Fonterra”.

            You’re just being silly.

          • ghostwhowalksnz 7.1.1.2.2
            23 September 2013 at 3:02 pm

            “In 1994, four dairy companies commissioned an Industry Efficiency Improvement Study (IEIS) carried out by the Boston Consulting Group.”

            AS Fonterra was formed in 2001. That would mean your timeline of (end of )1999 start point would have been impossible.
            A lot of preliminary work went into this before they even had the final structure in place

            Just because of your involvement in the communications side of things, after all the heavy lifting had been done, was only since 2000 , doesnt mean others werent working on major policy questions before this.

            Theres a touch of ‘H fee’ desperation about your silly claims

            • lprent 7.1.1.2.2.1
              23 September 2013 at 3:18 pm

              That is what I remember.

              It was quite big news around the business community at the time because having a number of coops wanting to conglomerate was so different to everything else at the time that it was reported on extensively. But the concept had been floated around for even longer than that.

              By the look of it Matthew is hanging his hat on the period when some marketing or PR maniac picked a silly name for the company formed out of the work from the previous decade.

              • felix …
                23 September 2013 at 4:05 pm

                “By the look of it Matthew is hanging his hat on the period when some marketing or PR maniac picked a silly name for the company formed out of the work from the previous decade.”

                Yep, and doesn’t that just sum up Matthew’s depth of understanding in general.

            • newsense 7.1.1.2.2.2
              23 September 2013 at 6:15 pm

              exactly what I thought. good to see.

              If I remember Clark dissmissed Key as the least substantial leader she’d faced
              Key said that Cunliffe was his 4th Labour leader

              Key said In a Labour Government I lead
              Cunliffe said The chairman of caucus (3 times I believe!)

              And now an H-fee…quite early in the game too…

          • Hayden 7.1.1.2.3
            23 September 2013 at 3:13 pm

            Exactly. And it is a publicly verifiable fact that he can’t possibly have worked on the Fonterra matter. Unless he was moonlighting for the private sector while an MP.

            Well then, he’d have to be pretty stupid to publicly claim it then, wouldn’t he? Unbelievably stupid, almost.

    • Pete 7.2
      23 September 2013 at 2:48 pm

      As Lynn notes, this wouldn’t succeed. There is the BSA though. Another option is to ignore it altogether. As Hooton gets more and more shrill, he starts sounding like a Birther or a Truther and marginalises himself.

  8. King Kong 8
    23 September 2013 at 2:17 pm

    [deleted]

    [lprent: diversion trolling for which KK already picked up a ban from. Please don’t feed the monkey. ]

    • Sanctuary 8.1
      23 September 2013 at 2:24 pm

      Hit and run, move onto the new smears before the last smear can be refuted…. Filthy stuff straight from the dirtiest playbooks.

      I would delete and ban you for this post, if I could.

      • Greywarbler 8.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 2:51 pm

        King Kong
        What an amusing twerp you are. You keep to your standard of low blows with the excuse I suppose that it’s all tongue in cheek. I have a feeling that you’re a bit on the old side and unlikely to have much ability to learn and change. Never mind the Standard does nurse along some RWs like you who have nothing in their heads no vision for the better and aren’t on their barebones on the street so can fill their time sitting tapping with no more brain than a pigeon looking for crumbs.

    • karol 8.2
      23 September 2013 at 2:24 pm

      Yes. Already been dealt with. Not news, Cunliffe has done loads of stuff for the community. Righties desperate and missing theIr target.

    • Bunji 8.3
      23 September 2013 at 2:50 pm

      He volunteered for St Matthew’s in the City to do work at the Auckland City Mission, instead of volunteering for Auckland City Mission directly, and his CV wasn’t overtly clear on this point.

      Oh noes!

      Mon Dieu!

      He’ll be signing paintings for charity next.

      [lprent: I’ve already dumped king kong into a ban for trying that particular diversion. I have an itchy finger so people raising that should really do it in OpenMike as this post isn’t about that. ]

    • Jenny Kirk 8.4
      23 September 2013 at 2:52 pm

      King Kong – Cunliffe delivered food parcels for St-Mathews-In-The-City, a church closely connected to the Auckland City Mission and the food parcels were delivered on behalf of the city mission.
      And he was a budget advisor for the Wellington City Inner Mission. You rightwing trolls need to get your facts right.

      • TightyRighty 8.4.1
        24 September 2013 at 10:10 am

        Wellington City Mission don’t remember him? Probably forgot after he blew the budget like every other aspiring labour leader

  9. CeeH 9
    23 September 2013 at 2:17 pm

    I came on here to find out about the cabinet reshuffle and found this gem instead! I saw this article on David having to rewrite his CV and thought there must be an explanation. The truth is like gold you have to dig deep for it. Thanks Karol and all ‘The Standards’ support writers?

  10. amirite 10
    23 September 2013 at 2:22 pm

    Maybe Hooters should check BLiP’s list of Key’s lies, just for comparison:
    http://thestandard.org.nz/liar/#comment-685886

  11. Matthew Hooton 11
    23 September 2013 at 2:27 pm

    “Hooton’s claim rest on the claim that there was no work on the setting up of Fonterra before 1998/9.”

    That’s exactly right. The Shipley government (which I worked for) was trying to do a government-led restructuring of the dairy industry. This failed. It was only when Helen Clark became prime minister in late 1999 that Fonterra-type negotiations began. It is totally false to say he “helped with the formation of Fonterra”.

    • Sosoo 11.1
      23 September 2013 at 2:33 pm

      You’ve been owned. Further attempts to extricate yourself will lead to increased hilarity.

      [lprent: Using the owned/pwned stupidity here is likely to earn you a ban. I don’t like the stupid flamewars that result. You have been warned and should now take time to read the policy to find out what happens when people ignore warnings. ]

    • dv 11.2
      23 September 2013 at 2:37 pm

      Matthew That pin head seems very small to dance on.

    • Jenny Kirk 11.3
      23 September 2013 at 2:44 pm

      If someone does some research on a project, Hooten, which is then put on the backburner for whatever reason, and that project is later picked up and re-started, then that person can legitimately claim they worked on the foundation of that project.

      Hooten et al will dig around and pick up any little tidbit they can find to smear Cunliffe with. Thanks Karol for being alert to this, and for so immediately getting onto to quashing it. Everyone who supports the Cunliffe-led Labour is going to have to be ultra-alert to these tactics from now on.
      Anne yesterday eluded to similar tactics used by ACT supporters re Judith T. Most of those people are still around, and desperately searching for nasties to trip Cunliffe up with. Labour has, at last, got its winning team together and the Nats and ACT will be desperate to stop them – the next 14 months be sheer hell from that point of view.

      • Rogue Trooper 11.3.1
        23 September 2013 at 2:59 pm

        The Television News took, amongst others, the angle that (despite her comprehensive community sector C.V) Poto Williams had only lived in the electorate for eight months.

      • Greywarbler 11.3.2
        23 September 2013 at 3:00 pm

        JennyK
        ” yesterday eluded to similar tactics ” alluded (mentioned) you meant I think rather than eluded (escaped, dodged).

      • Anne 11.3.3
        23 September 2013 at 3:00 pm

        Hi Jenny K.
        I posted a couple more tid bits on the Judth Tizard post to further whet your appetite. You may not have seen it because the search function is unreliable at the moment.

        • lprent 11.3.3.1
          23 September 2013 at 3:08 pm

          It is? – I’ll look at later

          • Greywarbler 11.3.3.1.1
            23 September 2013 at 3:44 pm

            Also lprent I couldn’t access Archives going through the months but am not sure about my settings etc at moment –
            having trouble bringing up a full edit window.

            • lprent 11.3.3.1.1.1
              23 September 2013 at 3:48 pm

              Odd.

              Ok the archive one is there. I’ll fix that this evening. It looks like something to do with the way that the categories are permalinked.

              The “full edit window” – re-editing? If so then that was a problem with a minifier mangling the javascript.

              • McFlock …
                23 September 2013 at 4:44 pm

                I find the search worked okay in firefox (only tried it once though), but produces randomly dated comments when using chrome, if that’s any help

        • Jenny Kirk 11.3.3.2
          23 September 2013 at 4:32 pm

          Thanks Anne (@ 11.3.3). Yep – I picked up on those tidbits. I’d forgotten (more like, tucked ’em away in my subconscious, that was awful stuff happening – lots of people burnt).

    • Colonial Viper 11.4
      23 September 2013 at 2:45 pm

      That’s exactly right. The Shipley government (which I worked for) was trying to do a government-led restructuring of the dairy industry. This failed. It was only when Helen Clark became prime minister in late 1999 that Fonterra-type negotiations began.

      Are you saying that none of the concepts and models developed pre-1999 were directly used in the final formation of Fonterra?

      • ghostwhowalksnz 11.4.1
        23 September 2013 at 3:05 pm

        The Shipley government failed in a lot of things in their mad 2 years.

        Not surprised nothing happened- presumably in the legislative sense, as Shipley was predominately trying to avoid having parliament to sit at any costs.

        Alamein Kopu didnt like turning up up to Parliament

      • Matthew Hooton 11.4.2
        23 September 2013 at 3:21 pm

        Yep, I am. All the models pre change of govt where either two company or govt-led models. Fonterra was, as Helen Clark put it at the launch of the company, “industry-led, govt-facilitated”. That’s why it worked. Everything changed when Labour took office in 1999.

        • miravox 11.4.2.1
          23 September 2013 at 3:30 pm

          I dunno Matthew.
          These peeps seem to think it was all part of one process, starting from the 2 company model:

          During the late 1990s, industry leaders began to formulate a plan that, upon fruition, would secure New Zealand’s place among the leading dairy exporters across the globe.

          The plan called for the combination of the country’s two largest dairy co-operatives, New Zealand Dairy Group (NZDG) and Kiwi Co-operative Dairies, and the New Zealand Dairy Board. The merger would create New Zealand’s largest company and one of the top ten dairy concerns in the world with assets of $5.8 billion. In order for the deal to go through, the New Zealand government needed to pass laws that allowed competition in its domestic market in order to quell anti-trust fears. The Commerce Commission would also have to approve the merger, 75 percent of the co-operative farmers would have to vote in favor of the deal, and NZDG and Kiwi would have to formulate an acceptable merger agreement.

          The proposed deal, which was expected to increase industry earnings by NZ $300 million per year, was applauded by farmers whose incomes were tumbling due to falling prices for commodity dairy products. While the benefits of the arrangement appeared to be cut and dry, the deal nearly collapsed several times due to the inability of NZDG and Kiwi to settle on the terms of the merger agreement. The ensuing negotiations proved to be hostile at times, and several leading executives, including Doug Leeder, the chairman of NZDG, resigned during the talks.
          An agreement was finally reached between the companies, and shareholders voted on the deal on June 18, 2001.

          Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 58. St. James Press, 2004.

          Looks as if one of the chairmen had to resign before it could complete in 2001.

    • newsense 11.5
      23 September 2013 at 6:21 pm

      So to summarise Matt: Cunliffe may have done work on the dairy industry for BCG which did consultancy on this issue pre-1999 which may have been about moving towards a stronger NZ dairy entity in the world market or at least trying to get the best out of our strength in dairy, but in no way had anyone thought of the name Fonterra at that time.

      • lprent 11.5.1
        24 September 2013 at 6:52 am

        Typical mindless RWNJ obsessed with names rather than work. But they do tend to be parasites interested in brands rather than being interested in how to be productive.

    • Tim 11.6
      24 September 2013 at 2:04 pm

      Matthew: You’re pushing shit uphill. Why not just concede you were out of order (big time), and that occasionally you’re prone to throwing little hissy fits!.
      RNZ yet hasn’t shown its guts, and I’m wondering whether the hard word is being put on Colin Peacock and Co for the upcoming Sunday Media watch.
      You’ve come damn close to blowing it – should have happened a long time ago given Rinny is just such a work-life balanced regular gal – but you even embarrassed her ffs!
      Take some of your own past advice. – You got it wrong – best policy: front up and apologise – although I imagine that goes way beyond your capabilities that are too often hampered by your own ego and extremely small penis.
      But then what would I know – after all ….. “You’re considerably richer than me”; “In the know”; “well-connected”; equipped with Divine Right; and not unlike that ‘only gay in the village’ – the only one that could have possibly got it all off the ground.

      Please pass on my deepest sympathy to your wife too!

  12. veutoviper 12
    23 September 2013 at 2:29 pm

    I want to record my thanks to Karol for yet another excellent post, well researched and up in a very short time.

    I have already commented on OM on my disgust at Hooten’s performance this morning. I also agree with Sanctuary at 5 above that Hooten may well have exposed RNZ to legal risk – and that they should be considering whether they should continue with Hooten as a political commentator.

    However, I hope that Cunliffe and his office see Karol’s post here and perhaps use it as the base* for a press release such as this one which I found on Scoop on Cunliffe’s community activities – but released in the ‘dead’ time of Sat afternoon.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1309/S00396.htm

    * with some suitable ‘recognition’ of Karol’s work (as agreed with Karol)!

  13. chris 13
    23 September 2013 at 2:33 pm

    Who exactly is that creepy little man Hooton… never heard of him before I started reading this blog.

    He appears to suffer from little willy syndrome.

  14. Rogue Trooper 14
    23 September 2013 at 2:33 pm

    “I feel like getting married, or committing suicide or subscribing to L’Illustration . Something desperate, you know…”
    -Albert Camus.
    Abe suggested, “when you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on it”.

    Such a little child
    To send to be a priestling…
    Icy Poverty.
    -Shiki- Haiku

  15. Matthew Hooton 15
    23 September 2013 at 2:34 pm

    There is no legal risk for RNZ because what I said is true.

    • lprent 15.1
      23 September 2013 at 2:35 pm

      Have you read karol’s post? Or is that rather too much truth to absorb?

      It cut a rather large hole in your self-referential timeline.

      • Rogue Trooper 15.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 2:39 pm

        Chux Multiwipe between rear cheeks.

      • King Kong 15.1.2
        23 September 2013 at 2:50 pm

        Exactly. Karol, who had no involvement in the process at the time or no intimate knowledge of David Cunliffes career, has found some stuff on Google.

        This makes her alot more credible than you Matthew.

        • lprent 15.1.2.1
          23 September 2013 at 2:53 pm

          It does. The credibility of Matthew’s statement lies in his time line. karol just blew that timeline out of the water by showing that BCG was involved in the dairy sector long long before Matthew was involved.

          • Blue 15.1.2.1.1
            23 September 2013 at 3:33 pm

            Isn’t the point that BCG was involved, it doesn’t inherently mean Cunliffe was involved in any way. I was involved in a company that developed software, it doesn’t mean I wrote it. If Hootens is wrong then, yes, all Cunliffe has to do is prove he himself is correct then sue him.

            [lprent: Let me reprise my response to alwyn for essentially the same strawman argument.

            I’m sure that you can explain the reasons for your demand in the next 5 minutes. If you don’t then you get a 4 week holiday for trolling.

            Sorry – times up. You didn’t read it? Who cares we presume that your lack of observation presumes guilt. Afterall that is what you just applied as the required standard. An arbitrary ‘crime’, a arbitrary time to resolve it, and presumably an arbitrary punishment.

            It is just a old style strawman argument of the type that Hooten, Farrar, et al like raising when they’re being fuckwits. But don’t bring that crap on to this site.

            And don’t be a complete fuckwit and don’t whine about it….. I just applied the exact same standard to you as you’re applying to DC.

            And I’d add if you don’t like it, then you can sue… In the meantime you can share the same ban. ]

    • ianmac 15.2
      23 September 2013 at 2:39 pm

      If you call someone a liar you had better be prepared to substantiate that lie. If not then your credibility takes a very serious hit if not cause a defamation case/slander.
      If you are so sure Matthew, then write your accusation here on this site. I don’t expect that you are not that brave though.

      • Matthew Hooton 15.2.1
        23 September 2013 at 2:47 pm

        No prob. David Cunliffe lied when he said he “helped with the formation of Fonterra”.

        • Sosoo 15.2.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 2:49 pm

          Only if you interpret that in the restrictive sense that you want to for the sake of convenience. But why would any sensible person want to do that?

          Try again.

        • Bunji 15.2.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 2:56 pm

          So the McKinsey report – worked on also by BCG, and presumably by Cunliffe, as the dates tie in nicely with his claims – and the work that went into it, had no influence whatsover on the structure and formation of Fonterra?

        • lprent 15.2.1.3
          23 September 2013 at 2:57 pm

          “helped with the formation of Fonterra”.

          Perhaps you should go back to the pages of the NBR and re-read the articles about forming a large dairy company to compete internationally that started in at least the early 90’s. I remember those quite clearly. It was quite a thing around the business pages long before 2000.

          Still I suppose that if you want to be a nitpicking idiot, then that a name “Fonterra” created much later when such a company was created by some silly marketing people (I still think it sounds like a company making truetype fonts) will probably let you off the hook.

          But to me it just sounds like you’re trying to paste cowshit over a strawman.

          • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 15.2.1.3.1
            23 September 2013 at 3:01 pm

            I thought you and Hoots were mates, Lynn.

            • Rogue Trooper 15.2.1.3.1.1
              23 September 2013 at 3:04 pm

              possibly in the same way ‘we’ are.

              • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                23 September 2013 at 3:12 pm

                No Rogue Trooper. Ours is a very special bond, indeed.

                • Rogue Trooper …
                  23 September 2013 at 3:19 pm

                  that’s the advantages of local knowledge ; as my old lady used to say, “it’ll all come out in the wash… except for those bloody grass stains…expletives etc “. Timing is everything to being. (Heidegger Day tomorrow) 😀

            • lprent 15.2.1.3.1.2
              23 September 2013 at 3:06 pm

              No. I don’t think that we’ve never met. I’ve sent a few emails to him and I think even talked to him once on voice when he was trying to do something with Mike. Not that much different than hundreds of others here.

              But he does have my cowshit detector running with this one…

        • Puddleglum 15.2.1.4
          23 September 2013 at 3:22 pm

          Hi Matthew,

          I presume, then, that you agree fully that John Key lied when he said, back in 2008, in relation to exactly how many shares he and his family owned in Tranzrail:

          “Fifty thousand at the maximum point. Sometimes 25,000 sometimes 50,000,”?

          If not, why not?

    • Te Reo Putake 15.3
      23 September 2013 at 2:39 pm

      Karol’s question: “So Mr Hooton, tell me where Cunliffe has lied about this?”

      Your answer, Matthew?

        • Jenny Kirk 15.3.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 2:57 pm

          That naked ambition headline comes from comments from Claire Robinson who said something this morning about King,Goff and Mallard being the “soul of the Labour Party” Her credibility is nil. She don’t know nuthin’ and Hooten thinks to quote her ! He needs his mind read.

        • Sanctuary 15.3.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 3:03 pm

          So let me get this straight. Asked for proof, you quote a journalists second hand report? So your second position will be that any mistake is the the journalists fault? A loud mouth and a blame shifting coward, eh?

        • Bill 15.3.1.3
          23 September 2013 at 3:04 pm

          Jeeuz! When desperate, regurgitate an entire newspaper piece that contains a battery of negative nonsense. Of course, not that it could ever look like Andrea Vance deliberately misdirected or couched the quote between her own mistaken assumptions in that ‘oh so objective’ piece of writing?

          What you have based your apparent bullshit on is the couching of, or context given to, a quote by a journalist – not the actual content of the quote by Cunliffe.

          How’s the ice looking from down below?

        • ghostwhowalksnz 15.3.1.4
          23 September 2013 at 3:06 pm

          Didnt Key have the same quote from an early age !

        • Richard 15.3.1.5
          23 September 2013 at 3:16 pm

          Matthew came across as a childish fool. Radio NZ needs better than this. Go to Radio Live Matthew. Can’t believe Bomber Bradbury got dumped from Jim Mora’s show when we have to listen to Matthew’s pathetic behaviour on a weekly basis.

          • Rodel 15.3.1.5.1
            24 September 2013 at 9:22 pm

            Who listens to ‘F*** we’re good’? (See The Hollow Men) Not me anymore.

          • Anne 15.3.1.5.2
            24 September 2013 at 10:06 pm

            Can’t believe Bomber Bradbury got dumped from Jim Mora’s show…

            I heard the particular show and I don’t think it was so much what he said that was found offensive but the way he said it. His style is okay on his own programmes but when it comes to genteel RNZ it was way over the top. I like Bomber and enjoy his ramblings etc. but he should have toned himself down for that programme.

        • Cemetery Jones 15.3.1.6
          23 September 2013 at 3:19 pm

          So you read that entire article – no doubt looking for something you could turn around – and the best smear you could come up with was this twaddle? You’d have been better off not even linking it and pretending you never checked back in here. Haha!

        • Sable 15.3.1.7
          23 September 2013 at 4:28 pm

          Does anyone take “Stuff(ed)” seriously. Yet another blatantly right wing blog. You’ll be quoting whale oil next….

  16. amirite 16
    23 September 2013 at 2:41 pm

    Hooton appears to think that with constant repetition, a lie becomes the truth.
    It ain’t so, bro.

  18. Anne 18
    23 September 2013 at 2:49 pm

    Would someone like to post BLiP’s latest list of John Key lies (you know the real lies) for the boy Matthew?

    I can’t locate it because the search function is suffering a bout of senility.

  19. tricledrown 19
    23 September 2013 at 2:54 pm

    Hollow man hollow threats .
    Hooton is this countries machiavelli you couldn’t pin anything on him like his leader He is an expert liar!

    • Rogue Trooper 19.1
      23 September 2013 at 3:02 pm

      Machiavelli? that is a long shoe-lace to tie.

    • bad12 19.2
      23 September 2013 at 3:23 pm

      Hooten isn’t an expert liar, everything the evil baby lookalike says can easily be proven to be either out-right lies or political spin in 5 minutes of looking,

      Karol has put up a good post here proving beyond doubt that David Cunliffe worked for the Boston consulting company in the years it was working as a consultant to the dairy industry directly advising on the merging of the dairy industry,

      The problem suffered here is while that dribble of excrement having escaped once again from the sewer to create a stench upon a national stage has to be rebutted in doing so we simply give ‘its’ twisted ego the oxygen boost it craves,

      Hooten is as much in the ‘bizz’ for the notoriety and ‘fame’ as He is the money and i would suggest at this late stage the former two of His needs far out-weigh the latter,

      i approach the Hooten’s of this world soly from a perspective of openly abusing them, in Hooten’s case his ego is so totally self centered that he believes that He has the respect of ‘the left’ and it is this perception of ‘respect’ which has made Hooten ‘a figure’ within the political discourse,

      It could be said to be counter-productive to the promotion of ‘the left’s’ ideals and aims to not approach Hooten on an intellectual basis but of course as soon as we do we then give Him that aura of respect which is un-earned,

      Hooten is simply ‘a thug’ with a rich command of the English language and a streak of Rat-cunning a kilometer wide running up the yellow of His spine, spitting at, jeering, and abusing Him is the most efficacious means of countering His influence as doing so damages his self image of notoriety and fame…

      • Rogue Trooper 19.2.1
        23 September 2013 at 3:26 pm

        ahhh, “respect of the left”? or too much caffeine today bad12

        • bad12 19.2.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 3:45 pm

          Nope Rogue, don’t become locked inside of a bubble and think that the Standard is ‘the left’, Hooten does His stuff out there in the big wide world as well as online,

          Mike Williams is the perfect example of someone from ‘the left’, (ok debatable), who treats Hooten as something other than a paid shill of the Tories as much agreeing with Hooten as He does argue every point from the left’s perspective,

          That’s Hooten’s best weapon, gaining agreement, and as was shown today it leaves those who treat Hooten with the slightest iota of respect speechless when He goes tropical…

          • Rogue Trooper 19.2.1.1.1
            23 September 2013 at 4:12 pm

            Nope, my networks are in the real world too, and other forums, yet, thanks for the directions.
            🙂

      • Populuxe1 19.2.2
        24 September 2013 at 5:11 pm

        The “evil baby” is Farrar

  20. tricledrown 20
    23 September 2013 at 3:09 pm

    When somebody starts a lie ie MH you can tell when they shift away from the topic ie stuff article that they are cornered!
    Hooton you have painted yourself into a corner on this one.
    The exclusive bretheren may come to your rescue though!

  21. North 21
    23 September 2013 at 3:21 pm

    Hysterical Hooton ! The worst performance yet from the effete, shouty, entitled schoolboy.

    Thank you Hooton. In one fell swoop – “Yes, we in the National Party ARE shitting ourselves about Cunliffe and the poll which refelected a majority belief that the PM doesn’t tell the truth. Wild projection is the only answer.”

    Christ if this was melt-down (health warning) I’d hate to be Hooton in April/May next year – when Kim Dotcom’s excellent counsel Paul Davison QC lays out the proof perfect that ShonKey knew about KDC long before……….but repeatedly misled Parliament by saying otherwise.

    Betcha Hooton the effete, shouty, entitled schoolboy immediately repaired cursing to the nearest private room and punched himself in the head several times for that display of madness. Certainly were I the bill payer I’d be a spot hoha.

  22. felix 22
    23 September 2013 at 3:38 pm

    What’s really funny/sad/pathetic about this is that Matthew’s entire claim to being any sort of authority on political matters is that he used to work for the govt back in the 90s. (Of course, he does have more recent relevant experience but he doesn’t like to talk about it in public because it has a bit of a “Hollow” ring to it.)

    Regular observers will know this. He brings it up every week. Any time he wants to sound like he knows stuff, his go-to line is “well, when I was working for Jenny Shipley…” or similar and tell some largely irrelevant anecdote.

    He does it so often it has become a point of mockery among those who work alongside him.

    Now it turns out that even that slim veneer of knowledgeability is not to be trusted.

  23. finbar 23
    23 September 2013 at 3:54 pm

    Cunliffe is on after four, with Duncan Garner.Without doubt Hooton!s slur, will one of the topics,as will his very positive new line up.

  24. emergency mike 24
    23 September 2013 at 4:17 pm

    Matthew Hooten calls x a liar.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zXDo4dL7SU

  25. tracey 25
    23 September 2013 at 4:23 pm

    As honesty is so important to shooten could he explain all of mr keys lies since 2007 and publically state how appalled he is by them and him.

  26. Sable 26
    23 September 2013 at 4:25 pm

    Seems the real “hoot” is the foolishness of this man’s comments. Rave on, no one’s convinced…..

  27. karol 27
    23 September 2013 at 4:30 pm

    Shame on you Andrea Vance, running with Hotton’s smear.

    You’re not at News of the World now, Ms Vance!

  28. irascible 28
    23 September 2013 at 4:31 pm

    The Crosby-Textor National-ACT personality attack is known as the “Bellman Distraction” after the character in Lewis Carrol’s The Hunting of the Snark. The Bellman was convinced that having stated something palpably wrong was proven correct after stating it three times.

    “Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice:
    That alone should encourage the crew.
    Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
    What i tell you three times is true.”

    This is obviously the Matthew Hooton, Cameron Woodlouse (Whale) and the John Key line on all statements to be made as they attempt to undermine David Cunliffe and any one supporting him.

    One should remind Hooton et alia that the Snark turned out to be a more lethal creature than the Bellman desired… much to his regret.

  29. amirite 29
    23 September 2013 at 4:34 pm

    Hooters has gone a stpe further and claims that Cunliffe lied about being in the PSA, about his Forest and Bird membership, about voluntary work etc etc….someone please give him an anti-rabies injection.

  30. Kevin Welsh 30
    23 September 2013 at 4:55 pm

    All this whole episode does is prove that the Right are shitting bricks. End of story.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 30.1
      23 September 2013 at 4:58 pm

      +1 @Kevin Welsh

      • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 30.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 5:38 pm

        @ Kevin Walsh
        …in fact your comment was so excellent I thought I’d cut and paste it in response to an idiot further down the thread. Bit of a cheat but, really, why think up a new comment for these maniacs when there is a perfectly good one to cut and paste. 🙂

  31. BLiP 31
    23 September 2013 at 4:57 pm

    ‘

    As requested . . .

    John Key’s Lies

    I promise to always be honest

    we are not going to sack public servants, the attrition rate will reduce costs

    there’s no way one in five New Zealanders will lose their jobs

    we are not going to cut working for families

    I firmly believe in climate change and always have

    We seek a 50% reduction in New Zealand’s carbon-equivalent net emissions, as compared to 1990 levels, by 2050. 50 by 50. We will write the target into law.

    National Ltd™ will provide a consistent incentive for both biofuel and biodiesel by exempting them from excise tax or road user charges

    I didn’t know about The Bretheren election tactics

    If they came to us now with that proposal [re trans-Tasman Therapeutic Goods regime], we will sign it

    I can’t remember my position on the 1981 Springbok Tour

    Tranzrail shares

    I did not mislead the House (1)

    Lord Ashcroft

    National Ltd™ would not have sent troops into Iraq

    Standard & Poors credit downgrade

    the double-down grade doesn’t really matter and its only about private sector debt

    I did not mislead the House (2)

    I didn’t say I want wages to drop

    I can’t remember why I voted against increasing the minimum wage

    lifting the minimum wage to $15 an hour will increase unemployment

    the real rate of inflation is 3.3 percent.

    the tourism sector has not lost 7,000 jobs

    no I have never heard of Whitechapel

    I won’t raise GST

    people who are on the average wage and have a child are $48 a week better off after the rise in GST

    the purchase of farmland, by overseas buyers will be limited to ten farms per purchase

    the Pike River Mine was consented to under a Labour Government

    no promises were made to get the remains of the miners out of the Pike River mine

    I did not provide a view on the safety of the Pike River coalmine

    I did not mislead the House (3)

    capping, not cutting the public service

    raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour will cost 6000 jobs

    north of $50 a week

    privatisation won’t significantly help the economy

    wave goodbye to higher taxes, not your loved ones

    I never offered Brash a diplomatic job in London

    Tariana Turia is “totally fine” with the Tuhoe Treaty Claim deal

    Kiwisaver

    National Ltd™ is not going to radically reorganise the structure of the public sector

    tax cuts won’t require additional borrowing

    New Zealand does not have a debt problem

    New Zealand troops in Afghanistan will only be involved in training, not fighting

    the wage gap between New Zealand and Australia has closed under my National Ltd™ government

    It took 9 years for Labour to make a complete and utter mess of the economy

    National Ltd™ has changed the Overseas Investment Act to include 19 different criteria

    the price of goods and services has risen by 6 percent since the last election, while the after-tax average wage has actually gone up by 16 percent

    no, although its a week ago and here I am being interviewed on television about them, I havn’t seen Gerry Brownlee’s comments regarding demolitions in Christchurch and which caused such outrage, but I can talk all about them

    our SAS soldiers were not involved in the Kabul Hotel gunfight

    the use of the Vela brother’s helicopter was required so I could attend meetings relating to national/international security concerns

    the DPS makes the decision about accompanying the Prime Minister or not, I had no choice but to take them on holiday to Hawaii

    I did not mislead the House (4)

    oh, maybe our SAS soldiers were in the Kabul hotel gun fight but they weren’t wounded by friendly fire

    New Zealand has lost $12 billion from GDP due to the Christchurch earthquake . . . oh, it might actually be around $15 billion from GDP due to the Christchurch earthquake . . . Blinglish said what?

    10,000 houses will have to be demolished in Christchurch due to the earthquake

    14,000 new apprentices will start training over the next five years, over and above the number previously forecast

    our amendments to the ETS ensure we will continue to do our fair share internationally

    we are committed to honouring our Kyoto Protocol obligations

    any changes to the ETS will be fiscally neutral

    New Zealand has grown for eight of the last nine quarters”

    National Ltd™ will tender out the government banking contract

    we will be back in surplus by 2014-15

    Nicky Hager’s book “Other People’s Wars” is a work of fiction

    unemployment is starting to fall

    we have created 60,000 jobs

    we have created 45,000 jobs

    the 2011 Budget will create in the order of 170,000 jobs

    I don’t know if I own a vineyard

    no, I did not mislead the House (5)

    the Isreali spy killed in the Christchurch quake had “only one” passport

    the Police will not need to make savings by losing jobs

    I voted to keep the drinking age at 20

    New Zealand is 100% Pure

    I’ve been prime minister for four years, and it’s really 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year

    baseball in New Zealand is attracting more government support

    the decision to buy brand new BMWs was made by the Department of Internal Affairs without reference either to their minister or to me

    I didn’t have a clue that Ministerial Services, which I am in charge of, was going to buy brand new BMWs

    even though two of my ministers knew all about it, I didn’t have a clue that brand new BMWs were being bought.

    even though my Chief of Staff met with officials to discuss purchase of the the brand new BMWs, I didn’t have a clue

    even though I personally signed papers discussing the matter, I still didn’t have a clue

    Labour forced us into buying the brand new BMWs, its their fault

    ummm, look, sorry about that BMW thing , it was because I was so upset

    I did not describe David Beckam as thick as batshit

    I did not mislead the House (6)

    the public demanded that we change the labour laws for The Hobbit

    “The Hobbit” created 3000 new jobs

    we have delivered 800 extra doctors in the public service

    I did not mislead the House (7)

    I wasn’t working at Elders when the sham foreign exchange deals took place

    I was starting School Certificate exams in 1978

    I don’t know who arrived on the CIA jet to visit the spies I am responsible for

    reducing barriers to property developers will increase the availability of affordable housing

    Labour left the economy in poor shape

    forecasts show unemployment will fall

    we have closed the wage gap with Australia by $27

    Ngati Porou and Whanau Apanui are not opposed to mining

    I have not had any meetings with Media Works

    our [NZ’s] terms of trade remain high

    the TPP is an example of democracy

    National Ltd™ will use the proceeds of state asset sales to invest in other public assets, like schools and hospitals

    New Zealand troops will be out of Afghanistan by April 2013

    overseas investment in New Zealand adds to what New Zealanders can invest on their own

    overseas investment in New Zealand creates jobs, boosts incomes, and helps the economy grow

    National Ltd™ will build 2000 houses over the next two years

    there are only 4 New Zealand SAS soldiers in Bamiyan and all working in the area of logistics and planning only

    selling state assets will give cash equity to those companies

    the Sky City deal will provide 1000 construction jobs and 800 casino jobs

    all five bidders for the convention centre were treated equally

    my office has had no correspondence, no discussions, no involvement with the Sky City deal

    I did not mislead the House (8)

    I can’t remember what was discussed at my meeting with the SkyCity Chief Executive on 14 May 2009

    I have no record of the 12 November 2009 email from Treasury advising that the SkyCity deal was dodgy and needed to be referred to the Auditor General

    there was nothing improper about the Sky City deal

    SkyCity will only get “a few more” pokie machines at the margins

    any changes to gambling regulations will be subject to a full public submission process

    Sky City has approached TVNZ about the purchase/use of government-owned land

    I did not mislead the House (9)

    this government has been very transparent about all its dealings with SkyCity

    I did not mislead the House (10)

    the Auditor General has fully vindicated National over the Sky City deal

    I did not mislead the House (11)

    the Deputy Auditor General supports the view that there was nothing inappropriate about the Sky City deal

    I did not mislead the House (12)

    I did not breach the confidentiality of the Auditor General’s Report into the Sky City deal

    the Labour Government did exactly the same sort of deal back in 2001

    there’s a 50/50 chance the Hobbit is going off shore unless we do something

    David Shearer has signed up for the purchase of shares in Mighty River

    Solid Energy asked the government for a $1 billion capital investment

    fracking has been going safely on in Taranaki for the past 30 years without any issues

    no frontline positions will be lost at DOC

    Iain Rennie came to me and recommended Fletcher for the GCSB job

    I told Cabinet that I knew Ian Fletcher

    I forgot that after I scrapped the shortlist for GCSB job I phoned a life-long friend to tell him to apply for the position

    I told Iain Rennie I would contact Fletcher

    I haven’t seen Ian Fletcher in a long time.

    I did not mislead the House (13)

    I have no reason to doubt at this stage that Peter Dunne did not leak the GCSB report

    I called directory service to get Ian Fletcher’s number

    the new legislation narrows the scope of the GCSB

    the GCSB has been prevented from carrying out its functions because of the law governing its functions

    because the opposition is opposed the GCSB law ammendments, parliamentary urgency is required

    the increasing number of cyber intrusions which I can’t detail or discuss prove that the GCSB laws need to be extended to protect prive enterprise

    it was always the intent of the GCSB Act to be able to spy on New Zealanders on behalf of the SIS and police

    National Ltd™ is not explanding the activities of the GCSB with this new law

    cyber terrorists have attempted to gain access to information about weapons of mass destruction held on New Zealand computers

    the law which says the GCSB cannot spy on New Zealanders is not clear

    it totally incorrect that the Government effectively through GCSB will be able to wholesale spy on New Zealanders

    we self identified that there was a problem with the GCSB spying on Kim Dotcom

    the illegal spying on Kim Dotcom was an isolated incident

    The advice I have had in 4 years as a Minister is that in no way ever has there been an indication of unlawful spying

    first I heard I heard about Kim Dotcom was on 19 January 2012

    first I heard about the illegal spying on Kim Dotcom was in September

    I did not mislead the House (14)

    I won’t be discussing Kim Dotcom during my Hollywood visit.

    The Human Rights Commission couldn’t get its submission on the GCSB legislation in on time.

    it would cost too much to for the police and SIS to carry out the spying on New Zealanders that this new legislation will permit

    critics of the GCSB legislation, including the Law Society, the Human Rights Commission, and the Privacy Commission, are all uninformed

    no, I did not mislead the House (15)

    I do not know how Mr Henry is conducting the Enquiry

    no, I did not mislead the House (16)

    the Henry Enquiry had permission to view Ministers’ emails

    no, I did not mislead the House (??)

    we do not spy on journalists

    the passing of phone records to the Henry Enquiry was an error on the part of a contractor

    I wasn’t aware that my own Chief of Staff was instructing Parliamentary Services to hand over information concerning journalist Andrea Vance

    National Ltd™ has never tried to impinge on the role of the media

    I had nothing to do with information on a journalist being handed over to the inquiry into the leaking of the GCSB report

    the terms of the enquiry made it clear to everyone that it was only the phone records of parliamentary staff and ministers that were to be provided

    I have the utmost respect for the media and the role it plays in New Zealand’s democracy

    the Henry Enquiry did not access a journalist’s building-access records

    the Henry Enquiry did not ask for phone and email records

    no, I did not mislead the House (17)

    the Greens are opposed to the GCSB and the SIS even existing

    the GCSB needs to spy on New Zealanders because there are al-Qaeda terrorists in New Zealand

    John Minto is in the Green Party

    the GCSB needs to spy on New Zealanders because of the terrorist threat, even though official reports released over my signature say there is no risk and the SIS has the matter in hand

    the GCSB Bill does not give the GCSB the power to look at the content of communications as part of its cyber-security functions

    no, I did not mislead the House (18)

    no, I did not say we would follow the US and Australia into a war against North Korea

    New Zealand has an arrangement to have asylum seekers processed in Australian detention camps

    I did not mislead the house (19)

    I paid for that lunch and I’ve got the credit card bill to prove it

    I am honest and upfront

    the only way net new jobs can be created is by private investors putting their money into businesses in New Zealand

    an increase in the number of people looking for work indicates that confidence is returning to the economy

    the 10 percent of taxpayers in New Zealand who are the top earners pay 76 percent of all net personal tax.

    I did not mislead the House (20)

    the substantial wage growth under Labour was eroded by inflation

    National Ltd™’s 2010 tax changes were fiscally neutral

    I did not mislead the House (21)

    the bulk of New Zealanders earn between $45,000 and $75,000 a year

    Pike River Coal did not put profits and its production ahead of the safety and lives of those 29 workers.

    Radio Live had sought advice from the Electoral Commission about my show just before the election

    it is because of National Ltd™’s policies that the price of fresh fruit and vegetables has dropped.

    the length-of-the-country cycleway will create 4000 jobs.

    police training for next year has not been cancelled

    National Ltd™ has only cut back-office jobs in the health service

    The Crown’s dividend stream from the Meridians, the Mighty Rivers of the world is large and there is no motivation to sell assets; actually we’re about creating assets not selling assets.”

    National believes employment law should treat all parties fairly. It should . . . Protect employees and employers.

    I am not trying to tackle such issues in a “fearful” way ahead of the next election

    Wellington City is dying.

    National Ltd™ has been working on a number of things with New Zealand First on a number of things one of which has a financial component but I can’t talk about it

    the best way to get growth in the economy is to reduce public debt

    New Zealand mum and dad investors will be our number one priority in the allocation of Mighty River shares

    we won’t let “cowboy” oil exploration companies operate here in New Zealand

    the Green Party is racist by not allowing Chinese residents in New Zealand to buy a house

    the Labour Party is promising a four-bedroom house in Auckland for $300,000

    the food in schools programme is in the 2013 budget

    the meat exports are being held up in China because of technical issues and in relation to the Chinese looking to trace counterfeit meat

    its notoriously difficult to win three elections in a row

    I am deeply concerned about every child in New Zealand who is in poverty

    there is no manufacturing crisis in New Zealand

    the government’s exposure to MediaWorks’ going into receivership is reasonably limited

    the money from the sale of state assets will not be used to prop up Solid Energy

    I don’t see a place for a Winston Peters-led New Zealand First in a government that I lead. It’s not a matter of political convenience, it’s a matter of political principle.

    The vast majority of the buildings in Christchurch came through the earthquakes in good shape

    the commemoration of New Zealand’s involvement in the Korean War will not be used to bolster trade talks

    third generation Chinese New Zealanders will be required to present their passport before buying a house under the Labour government

    the Labour housing policy is an attempt by David Shearer to save his leadership

    the Labour housing policy is in breach of free trade agreements

    only 2% of the proceeds of the sale of Mighty River will be spent on the sales process

    David Cunliffe is lying to you

    Labour wants to nationalise the super market industry

    The government will engage in no further negotiations with Rio Tinto

    . . . as always, link testing, squabbles, refutation, and/or additions always welcome. Some of the link might not appear. For some reason, linking back to The Standard doesn’t seem work too well.

  32. North 32
    23 September 2013 at 4:59 pm

    From the Vance article on Stuff timed/updated round 2.00 pm………http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9199149/Lobbyist-Cunliffe-claim-untrue

    Shouty going off –

    “David Cunliffe had nothing to do with the foundation of Fonterra.”

    Cunliffe responding by tweet –

    “Bollocks.”

    Shouty retreating –

    “Hooton conceded the firm [BCG] was involved in the early stages: “It is true that Boston Consulting had a supporting role.” He claims it is “deeply implausible” Cunliffe was involved.”

    Far cry from liar. Seems like Shouty deliberately sought to exclude that period of time in his denunciation.

    Patient Shouty is not a well man . Cunnliparanoiasis. Generally chronic but tending to acute in his case.

    Excellent !

    • karol 32.1
      23 September 2013 at 5:16 pm

      Yes. Signs of desperation. how can RNZ people continue to justify having someone in a slot that’s meant to be a debate between opposing sides, when he shouts down any attempt to respond to his smears?

      Apart from being wrong, it was Hooton’s despicable shouty behaviour than really got my goat.

    • Tracey 32.2
      24 September 2013 at 12:44 pm

      Shooten Up can play personality politics and the Nats can pretend they dont.

      It’s amazing what you can buy today. Shooten Ups for sale to the highest bidder, self respect for sale.

      Perhaps he had his retirement fund on Robertson for leader at ipredict?

  33. amirite 33
    23 September 2013 at 5:24 pm

    I guess the test will be if any of the major MSM picks up and runs with this “story”. Being that they are in the pocket of big business, it wouldn’t surprise me.

  34. chris73 34
    23 September 2013 at 5:27 pm

    So Cunliffe was either economical with the truth (again) or embellished his CV (again) and the MSM dutifully reported it (again)

    Not a good rep to have in the lead up to an election

    [lprent: It looks like Hooten was being economical with his definitions.

    It appears that he thinks that Fonterra was created from his efforts alone, or at least only in the period that he was involved. The reality is that it took nearly a decade for the idea of a large dairy company to go from concept to fruition and a large number of people were involved. Hooten was merely at the tail end of that process when they came up with that silly name.

    The hubris of this arrogant lie by Hooten is the issue. It is a pity that we cannot vote that cowshit artist out eh? ]

    • karol 34.1
      23 September 2013 at 5:30 pm

      So Cunliffe Hooton was either economical with the truth (again) or embellished his CV accusations and spin (again) and the MSM dutifully reported it (again)

      Not a good rep to have in the lead up to an election

      FIFY

      • emergency mike 34.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 5:43 pm

        Though to be fair karol, it’s exactly the sort of rep that a sleazy spin merchant covets. It was so lamely transparent the way he tried oh so hard to squeeze the words lie, lies, lying, lied, liar in there as many times as possible.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 34.2
      23 September 2013 at 5:34 pm

      All this whole episode does is prove that the Right are shitting bricks. End of story. ~ (Thanks Kevin)

    • gobsmacked 34.3
      23 September 2013 at 5:35 pm

      The “rep” is all in your imaginary world.

      Why do you eat baby kittens for breakfast? Why, Chris, why?

    • emergency mike 34.4
      23 September 2013 at 5:50 pm

      “So Cunliffe was either economical with the truth (again) or embellished his CV (again) and…”

      So you’re saying either Cunliffe bent the truth or Cunliffe bent the truth… that’s some convincing logic. Or maybe: OR Matthew Hooten, known BS artist for NAct, is just being his usual BS self.

      See that’s the problem with being a known BS artist, even when you believe you’re telling the truth, who’s going to believe you?

      “But… but…. but…” Poor Hooten, the hollowman who cried wolf.

      • chris73 34.4.1
        23 September 2013 at 6:07 pm

        Naah in this case its what the voting public believes though I don’t think its that bad I mean everyone embellishes their CV and people expect politicians to tell porkies

        Cunliffe’ll want to be careful that his stretching the truth doesn’t reach critical mass though

        [lprent: You mean Hooten don’t you? ]

        • emergency mike 34.4.1.1
          23 September 2013 at 6:24 pm

          “Cunliffe’ll want to be careful that his stretching the truth doesn’t reach critical mass though”

          OR Hooten needs to be careful that his accusations don’t get him a lawsuit.

          Besides, Cunliffe’s got a long way to go on the ‘stretching the truth’ front to get to John Key critical mass levels no?

        • chris73 34.4.1.2
          23 September 2013 at 6:34 pm

          To quote Dr House

          “Everybody lies”

          • McFlock 34.4.1.2.1
            23 September 2013 at 10:53 pm

            Methinks hoots’ main sin is in the frequency, degree, and insulting level of transparency, rather than simply the practise.

    • Tracey 34.5
      24 September 2013 at 12:47 pm

      Funny how it never occurred to you that Shooten Up was making shit up

  35. gobsmacked 35
    23 September 2013 at 5:29 pm

    This is a classic move in the “game” of politics that Hooton admits he loves. It’s the old “Pawn Attacks King”.

    The pawn (Matthew) is expendable, and can’t be destroyed anyway (because unlike the target of his attacks, he can’t get voted out). The Nats don’t need Key or Joyce or anyone in Parliament to do the dirty work. That’s what Hooton, Slater, Farrar & co are for. See “Plausible Deniability”.

    Cunliffe – and his supporters – must resist getting sucked into the game i.e. using the King to attack the Pawn. That’s what the Right want. Hooton’s smear will be given legs by some in the media (not all, not even most). Already Duncan Garner and Bill Ralston have used the old “sue if not true” line …. a tired old tactic.

    But this is only the beginning, and the closer Labour get to power then the more the dirt will fly. They can’t react to every smear, because there wouldn’t be enough courts in the land to sue every time they do this.

    Ultimately the voters are far more interested in what Cunliffe/Labour have to offer their real lives, and so that must remain the focus … see Hooton’s diversion for what it is, coz there’s going to be a lot more of it.

    (Edit – Karol’s post is excellent. Rebut with facts.)

    • karol 35.1
      23 September 2013 at 6:34 pm

      Thanks, gobsmacked.

      The whole treatment of politics as a “game” has become way to prominent in contemporary politics for my liking. And the right particularly do that. They seem uninterested in whether it means the exclusion of so many struggling Kiwis. It’s what turns a lot of people off politics, and makes them feel no-one is representing their issues.

      I have also noticed that many NAct MPs use the same strategy that Hooton used today: talking or shouting over the opposition so that only their own narrative/lines get heard. This particularity happens a lot during TV and radio debates around election time. And the hosts/chairs and MSM journos don’t ever really seem to call the NActs on it.

      It’s not the behaviour of people who support democracy and democratic debate.

    • Saarbo 35.2
      23 September 2013 at 6:37 pm

      Yes, but we would expect RNZ to have higher standards and not allow itself to facilitate Right Wing spin. Katherine Ryan tried to shut Matthew Hooten down but he refused, so I hope they take action. Hooten lacks the professionalism required for the 9 to Noon spot…

  36. karol 36
    23 September 2013 at 6:28 pm

    A little quiz for a bit of distraction. Who said this in October 2011, about the left’s a(alleged) focus on hating John Key.

    I think National can expect a long period in office as long as all you storm-troopers of the left remain so bizarrely obsessed with this guy.

  37. vto 37
    23 September 2013 at 6:35 pm

    Matthew Hooton, what a bloody clown.

    You should all stop letting yourself get distracted by the court jester, which is all he is, as you well know.

    • chris73 37.1
      23 September 2013 at 6:55 pm

      Yes its obvious hes setting the agenda, also kind of overshadowing the announcement of the new line up as well…

      • felix 37.1.1
        23 September 2013 at 9:11 pm

        lolz nah not even.

        Storm in a bedpan. Of interest to a couple of thousand people, all of whom – yourself included – already know exactly what Hooton is.

  38. Pascal's bookie 38
    23 September 2013 at 6:54 pm

    Hooton’s story, as far as I can make out, is that yes, Cunliffe might have been in on the BCG’s work in the 90′s which recommended a single seller, but the National govt of the time was fucking useless so it all fell over. Then Cunliffe was elected to parliament and the single seller model, which was completely different from anything BCG even thought of, got through under the new government.

  39. GregJ 39
    23 September 2013 at 7:23 pm

    Little Hoot
    (with apologies to Hardie Gramatky and children everywhere)

    Little Hoot was just a nutjob
    Just a happy little rightwing nutjob
    And he comes from a line of nutjobs filthy & vile
    And it seems that Little Hoot
    always craved to give a toot
    As he tried to produce spin in Crosby’s style

    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?
    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?
    When there’s shit to be flung
    He won’t leave Whale alone in dung
    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?

    Now Little Hoot yearned to be the Right’s star
    which just won’t happen writing solely at NBR
    So he decided then and there
    as he aspires to Farrar’s chair
    That he’d try to be best spinner of trash he could be
    Now when National Radio needs rightwing rant
    Or other media blinkered cant
    Little Hoot pops up like some RWNJ savant

    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?
    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?
    When there’s bull to be spun
    He hungers to be National’s number one
    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?

    Now he’s threshing all around
    Since Cunliffe’s come to town
    In political seas he’s being tossed and tossed and tossed
    And his heart is filled with fear
    For he knows the end is near
    And as the polls begin to turn Little Hoot sees all will be lost

    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?
    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?
    When there’s smears to be had
    He’s like Textor’s little lad
    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?

    What a shame
    What a shame
    The Public’s sussed your little game
    Won’t you ever grow up Little Hoot?

  40. gobsmacked 40
    23 September 2013 at 7:25 pm

    Well, it seems Hooton’s move was badly over-played and so it’s failed.

    A review of media outlets, through Google, Twitter and good old TV/radio tells us that … virtually nobody gives a damn.

    Coverage of Cunliffe/Labour today – 90% reshuffle, 10% Hooton and Key. So, largely positive.

    But if Cunliffe had taken the bait, then the coverage would have been 90% “Cunliffe says “I am not a liar”. Negative.

    Good judgement. Good result.

    Of course Hooton will respond by pushing this even more, but he’s already gone nuclear much too soon, so only self-destruction remains. Silly boy.

    • Anne 40.1
      23 September 2013 at 7:36 pm

      And every time he pushes the ‘Cunliffe is a liar’ button we’ll just publish BLiP’s latest list.

  41. amirite 41
    23 September 2013 at 7:36 pm

    After not much pondering, I have come to the conclusion that Hooton is an attention whore.

    • felix 41.1
      23 September 2013 at 7:46 pm

      Whoring is a relatively honest profession, especially when compared to the type of work Matthew of Exeltium gets up to.

  42. Tracey 42
    23 September 2013 at 7:52 pm

    chris everyone doesnt lie in their cv. or as you so hootenesquely put it, embellish.

    karol et al, complaint to broadcasting authority?

    Shooten up doesnt care about the truth and where are all the nats decrying the personal attacks. if Shooten up had a problem with the PMs litany of lies he would have some credibility.

    Cunliffe either worked any precursor to fonterra or he didnt, but doesnt Shooten up have some obligation to do some, or any research first, if he actually cared about the truth?

  43. Tracey 43
    23 September 2013 at 7:54 pm

    if i were cunliffe its mckinsey i would be distancing myself from.

  44. MrSmith 44
    23 September 2013 at 8:12 pm

    Hooton re-righting history again.

    Fonterra was his idea now, forming a monopoly run along socialist lines then shouting from the rooftop, ‘look at me aren’t I smart’ he just cracks me up.

  45. One Anonymous Knucklehead 45
    23 September 2013 at 9:45 pm

    Hollow Hooten and his feeble smears, what a waste of perfectly good oxygen. On publicly funded radio no less.

    We need better wingnuts.

  46. Intrinsicvalue 46
    23 September 2013 at 11:23 pm

    [deleted]

    [lprent: you are currently banned. See http://thestandard.org.nz/hooton-please-apologise/#comment-700738 ]

  47. Intrinsicvalue 47
    23 September 2013 at 11:26 pm

    [deleted]

    [lprent: You are still banned – doubling up for an extra two weeks.

    It is also off the topic of this post and diversion trolling. Add a week for each. I guess you still haven’t read the policy.

    I don’t expect to see back before the 24th of October. Otherwise I double the whole lot up again and add extra on top, ]

    • Colonial Viper 47.1
      24 September 2013 at 12:09 am

      Geee you Righties must be shitting your daks to be reaching like this. Remind me again what Key did with his Tranzrail shares, and whether or not he manipulated the NZ dollar as a forex trader and hurt the country?

  48. Wayne (a different one) 48
    24 September 2013 at 3:22 pm

    Silent ‘T’ is a liar – he can’t help himself, he’s been caught out before. How you can defend this “tosspot” beggars belief, but there you are! I can only think therefore, the contributors thus far are either gullible, blind & deaf or as dumb as a sack of hammers. I can’t wait for the next sitting of Parliament the Nats will be rubbing their hands with glee and, all lining up to have a crack at him.

    [lprent: Or it could be that you are simply a gullible dickhead. The rest of your mindless comments would tend to support that. But I’d suggest that you read the policy closely before attacking authors. This is your warning. ]

    • Tracey 48.1
      24 September 2013 at 3:42 pm

      Hi Wayne ( the other one)

      Which hand is your callous on?

    • karol 48.2
      24 September 2013 at 3:48 pm

      Silent T(revor) is just keeping his head down, and has nothing to do with this discussion.

      I watched Question Time today – didn’t see Silent T(rev) and no-one mentioned him. Robust questioning from opposition MPs though lead by Cunliffe – renewed vigour in holding the government to account.

      And even right leaning Pundits like Garner & F O’sullivan have tweeted that they reckon Hooton went to far & think Cunliffe was more credible. Hooton’s credibility took a hit yesterday.

      Wayne (ado), please keep up -not doing your credibility much good, being so behind & off target.

    • thatguynz 48.3
      24 September 2013 at 3:50 pm

      You talk about defending a “tosspot” yet seemingly support John Key? Blinkers perhaps or just outright fucktardism?

    • Intrinsicvalue 48.4
      24 September 2013 at 7:41 pm

      Isn’t it odd that your comments are deemed unacceptable to the moderators, yet far worse ones are permitted because they support the politics of this blog. Free speech rules on the left. Not.

      [lprent: I believe I have already told you to read the policy. Evidently that is something that you are too much of a stupid idiot to do. Otherwise you’d know that there is a darwin award for doing personal attacks on authors.

      You will note the absence of such attacks from the ‘left’. For demonstration of pig ignorant stupidity, we have to rely on arrogant shitheads like yourself who do not read the site rules. ]

    • QoT 48.5
      24 September 2013 at 8:53 pm

      LOL VAGINA, amirite? Tee hee naughty bits.

  49. tricledrown 49
    24 September 2013 at 5:29 pm

    Bomber bradbury gets bannedfor tellingthe truth!
    By RNZ Hooten gets away with a lie and doesn’t get any sanction.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 49.1
      24 September 2013 at 6:53 pm

      +1 Tricledrown

    • felix 49.2
      24 September 2013 at 9:12 pm

      I thought he was kicked off the panel for being a bit of a wally.

      Your point still stands though either way.

    • Te Reo Putake 49.3
      24 September 2013 at 9:28 pm

      I got a prompt and reasonable reply to an email I sent to Radio NZ. In it, I’m told that Hooten’s repeated allegations were unacceptable and this has been made clear to him.

      So not sacked, but very much on the naughty step.

      • vto 49.3.1
        24 September 2013 at 9:42 pm

        what a clown

        • felix 49.3.1.1
          24 September 2013 at 9:58 pm

          Yep the guy is a spanner.

          He put himself right on the line yesterday. He was supposed to divert the media away from the Labour reshuffle but he failed to put the work in because he’s a lazy bastard who tries to get everything done on the piss at the last minute with no effort and still charge top dollar.

          His last desperate shot was to go “full retard”. He ended up putting himself in legal jeopardy, as well as risking one of his jobs, and yet he still utterly failed to make even the tiniest dent in Labour’s good news story.

          Didn’t anyone tell him why you never go full retard?

          • McFlock 49.3.1.1.1
            24 September 2013 at 10:01 pm

            lol
            got to admit having a soft spot for that movie 🙂

          • vto 49.3.1.1.2
            24 September 2013 at 10:20 pm

            Why would a clown put himself on the line like that? It’s just a quick jab is what it is.

            • McFlock 49.3.1.1.2.1
              24 September 2013 at 10:31 pm

              going with the clown motif, the best option is to throw the pie into the straight guy’s face. But if you can’t, take a prat fall into the pie stand. Even if the straight guy doesn’t get hit by the cream, people will still remember him standing next to the table when it fell over.

              Unless you make such a spectacular pratfall that all people remember is you being a prat, and can’t remember who was standing beside you.

      • Tracey 49.3.2
        25 September 2013 at 5:09 am

        then he will consider he succeeeded and pick up his cheque

        • felix 49.3.2.1
          25 September 2013 at 5:44 am

          He may well think that, but ultimately he made himself the story instead of his target and that’s a monumental fail.

          His egomaniacal defensiveness suggests that in his rotting black heart he knows he fucked up.

  50. Natsway 50
    25 September 2013 at 3:45 pm

    As they say “explaining is losing” and boy is he doing a lot of explaining at the moment. This story could blow silent “T”s credibility completely out of the water. Fresh evidence coming to light would suggest “T” has lied and is still lying. Another “Road Show” coming up to select yet another leader?

    [lprent: Read the policy. You look like a particularly stupid kind of a troll. Canned phrases and no intelligence. Have a week off the site to read the word because I think that you will probably need it when you don’t have Slaters hands up your arse typing for you.. ]

    • gobsmacked 50.1
      25 September 2013 at 3:57 pm

      Helpful hint to “natsway” … you look slightly less stupid if you don’t come on here immediately after W.Oil has blogged and Judith Collins has tweeted, telling you exactly what to do. So try and make it look as if you have your own brain.

      More desperation, more dirt, we’re laughing. Keep it up, please.

      • Tracey 50.1.1
        25 September 2013 at 4:08 pm

        the silent t business is right up there with the smearing of Clark. Nats show true misogynist colours. Everything boils down to genitalia if this truly reflects middle new zealand then its a sad and puerile middle nz.

      • karol 50.1.2
        25 September 2013 at 4:53 pm

        interesting, gs.

        So does that put hooton & Vance in the WO & Collins camp?

    • karol 50.2
      25 September 2013 at 4:10 pm

      Your misogynist use of sly references to vaginas as some kind of dirty thing, isn’t funny and does no credit to your politics, Natsway – but I guess that’s the Natz way.

      The problem for the Natz is that Hooton’s attempted smear is becoming the story and the joke, rather than the smear itself.

      So keep up your dodgy ways and keep stressing all you own goals.

    • karol 50.3
      25 September 2013 at 4:17 pm

      As they say “explaining is losing” and boy is he doing a lot of explaining at the moment.

      hahhahhah – citation needed of all Cunliffe’s explanations on this CV issue? Mostly I see a lot of jokes, one or two brief facts that quickly derail these clumsy smear attempts – and if you look up thread you’ll see it’s Hooton that’s put in the position of trying to explain his clumsy smear attempt,…. and losing.

      You NActs certainly are on the back foot these days.

      • Tracey 50.3.1
        25 September 2013 at 4:23 pm

        yup all that boyish giggling about being able to say cun* without actually saying it. Collins Tolley and any other woman they have in their strategy meetings must cringe…

        Oh how they laughed when it was first coined.

  51. Delia 51
    25 September 2013 at 5:03 pm

    Yes, Natsway, it is always some dirty smear, some little tit bit for the future with the National party. At least David Cunliffe does not use smears politically. They talked about Mike W going to Sydney well you lot in your – d e s p e r a t i o n – are running rings around anything he ever did.

  52. Te Reo Putake 52
    27 September 2013 at 11:34 pm

    All a bit too little, too late, I’m afraid. The damage is already done.

  53. Colonial Viper 53
    27 September 2013 at 11:51 pm

    Link please, shit head.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • The Angry Majority.
    The People's Champion vs The People's Prosecutor: It is the news media’s job to elicit information from politicians – not to prosecute them. Peters’ promise to sort out TVNZ should be believed. If he finds himself in a position to carry out his threat, then it will only be because ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 hour ago

  • Verrall is chuffed by govt’s latest push into pay equity while Woods enthuses about an $11m spend ...
    Buzz from the Beehive The headline on a ministerial press statement curiously expresses the government’s position when it declares:   Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers. Is it not enough to declare just one commitment? Or is the government’s commitment to pay equity being declared sector by ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 hours ago

  • A very worthy coalition partner for Seymour and Luxon
    There have been 53 New Zealand Parliaments so far. The 39th of them was elected in 1978. It was a parliament of 92 MPs, most of them men. The New Zealand Music Awards that year named John Rowles Male Vocalist of the Year and — after a short twelve months ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 hours ago

  • Labour still protecting the status quo
    Aotearoa has a cost of living crisis. And one of the major drivers of this crisis is the supermarket duopoly, who gouge every dollar they can out of us. Last year, the Commerce Commission found that the duopoly was in fact anti-competititve, giving the government social licence to fix the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 hours ago

  • Gordon Campbell on National’s myths about the desolated state of the economy
    Familiarity breeds consent. If you repeat the line “six years of economic mis-management” about 10,000 times, it sounds like the received wisdom, whatever the evidence to the contrary. Yes, the global pandemic and the global surge in inflation that came in its wake occurred here as well – but if ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 hours ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Hapless Hipkins and his racism
    Michael Bassett writes – Without so much as batting an eyelid, Chris Hipkins told an audience on Saturday that there had been “more racism” in this election campaign than ever before. And he blamed it on the opposition parties, National, Act and New Zealand First. In those ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: The ‘recession’ has been called off, but some households are still struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates. Brian Easton writes – Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 hours ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Richie Poulton's lament
    “You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    10 hours ago

  • North-western downgrades
    This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    11 hours ago

  • Has Webworm Found New Zealand’s Weirdest School?
    Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    12 hours ago

  • Another mother of a budget
    A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    14 hours ago

  • A crucial week starts as early voting opens in the NZ Elections … it’s been a ride so far. Are y...
    Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    21 hours ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago

  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – 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 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago

  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 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 FeildingBy David Slack
    4 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 FeildingBy David Slack
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    7 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
    7 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
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    6 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
    1 week 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-10-02T05:41:11+00:00