How is homophobia still a thing?

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, March 8th, 2016 - 62 comments
Categories: uncategorized - Tags:

Labour gay pride parade-31

St Matthew-in-the-City is a liberal Anglican church in the middle of Auckland city.  Its theology is to encourage liberal thinking and progressive theological exploration.  It states that its hospitality is to welcome all people, no exceptions, to the table.  Its justice statement says that the church wishes to engage in just and radical action for the dignity of all and the sustainability of the Earth.

Who could possibly be upset by this?  I will repeat this question, who could possibly be upset by this?

Well it appears that there are at least two homophobic Neanderthals in Auckland.  From Radio New Zealand:

A central Auckland church known for being supportive of LGBTI rights had to call police after men with a loudspeaker shouted homophobic abuse at worshippers, it says.

Yesterday’s 10am service at St Matthew-in-the-City was halfway through when the men, who the church said warned they would be back next Sunday, turned up wearing black shirts and dark sunglasses.

About 100 people were inside, and Reverend Helen Jacobi, who was taking the service, said the men intimidated church members who should be able to worship freely.

“A couple of our people went outside to engage with them and ask them to stop. They wouldn’t, and so they called the police,” she said.

The men also said the church would crumble and worshippers would be punished, which was “pretty horrible kind of stuff”, Ms Jacobi said.

Ms Jacobi tweeted her outrage: “Worship @StMatthewsNZ this morning disrupted by hateful homophobic ‘protesters’ with microphones. Shame on them!” she wrote.

The men were moved to the footpath by the police, but stayed for the rest of the service and tried to engage again with worshippers as they left, she said.

These two individuals apparently plan to return next Sunday.  Perhaps Aucklanders with a more tolerant view of life could also attend to express their support for some of God’s creatures who have less traditional views of their sexual identity.

And if you want biblical support for what St Matthew in the City is trying to achieve then there is this statement from the last supper:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Update:  A very reliable source has provided me with these photos of the individuals involved.

Homophobe 1 Homophobe 2

And this video.

62 comments on “How is homophobia still a thing? ”

  1. weka 1

    Black shirts, sunglasses, bigotry and religion in Auckland, who does that remind us of?

  2. Heather Grimwood 2

    Have memories of a raucus intruder being carried bodily from this church 25/30 years ago …could well have been on related issues….he didn’t return.

  3. Gabby 3

    Sounds like a mental health issue.

    • mickysavage 3.1

      Two of them?

      • Grindlebottom 3.1.1

        Nope. Sounds like fundamentalist Bible believers.

        The more tolerant Christians either don’t know about, don’t care about, or don’t accept the OT and NT anti-homosexual verses, or they do accept them, but they see no reason to make a fuss about it because they’ll be going to heaven and that’s the main thing.

        • International Rescue 3.1.1.1

          I think you’ll find most Bible believers are able to differentiate between a behaviour and an individual.

    • Lanthanide 4.1

      Nah. NZ is a pretty unreligious country, but we still have a lot of homophobia.

      Some people are just idiots.

      • BM 4.1.1

        Lots of religious schools in NZ

        Still around half the population has Christian beliefs.

        http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-culture-identity/religion.aspx

        • McFlock 4.1.1.1

          The story is about homophobes picketing a church.

          Many of the same people who follow the a small section of the Bible regarding homosexuality ignore equally unequivocal and adjacent passages against eating shrimp.

          I’m not one to follow magic books myself, but I suspect there’s a cause:excuse distinction at play here.

        • weka 4.1.1.2

          “Still around half the population has Christian beliefs.”

          But that doesn’t equate to homophobia. Plenty of people with Christian beliefs don’t care.

          Religious homophobia appears to be a fundamentalist thing (where people are socialised into the hatred and it’s tied to the sanctity of marriage, and the special place that reproductive humans have in God’s plan), or a personal discomfit thing. The personal discomfit thing is shared by non-religious people too.

    • Liam 4.2

      Wow! What a disgusting website you linked to for the Quran!

      Homophobia, just like any type of hate, isn’t solely cos of a religious belief or institution. Most anti-social phobias are formed thru secular means; Fear of the other isn’t a religious based phenomenon.

    • millsy 4.3

      “Get rid of Religion, you’d get rid of 99% of Homophobia”

      I agree with you on that. You would probably get rid of patriarchal attitude towards women and improve our attitude toward sex as well.

      • International Rescue 4.3.1

        But we’d still have slavery. Oh and get rid of the sallies, World Vision….yeah good idea.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 4.3.1.1

          How would getting rid of religion (yeah good luck with that: next you’ll figure out how to exterminate rats) affect humanist values?

          Answer: it wouldn’t. Humanist values are at least as old as religion.

          The presence of slavery is because we have right wingers.

  4. grumpystilskin 5

    Maybe someone should investigate and see if the perps have ever eaten shellfish (Leviticus 11:12) or pork (Deuteronomy 14:8). Were they wearing clothes made of 2 fabrics (Deuteronomy 22:11). None of that is allowed either according to the “good book”.
    I can’t stand fools who pick and chose what to follow in the bible, either it is the true word of god or not. Make up your mind and live your life accordingly.

    • Visubversa 5.1

      They are not shouting outside McDonalds about cheeseburgers and bacon burgers. They are not picketing the fashion shows about mixed fabrics. They don’t shout about eternal damnation outside the fish shop to people buying shrimp or crayfish. These perverts and haters only get their jollies from abusing GLBT people. The book is just the excuse.

  5. grumpystilskin 6

    don’t know how to embed a YT video so listen to this, Bob Marley’s first recorded song: Judge not.

    https://youtu.be/xHkt3iatFcs

  6. AsleepWhileWalking 7

    What an odd pair.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1

      Snappy duds though. I do love a man in uniform. Oh to be in Wellington 😈

  7. alwyn 8

    These idiots sound just as silly as the people protesting at a Tennis tournament in Auckland about 6 years ago.
    Both have the attitude that everyone must do precisely what they say.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3212353/John-Minto-arrested-at-tennis-protest
    Maybe on the third day they turn up they will be arrested too.

    • McFlock 8.1

      nice diversion attempt.

      Tactics might be similar, but campainging for human rights is a wee bit different to campaigning against them.

  8. The Real Matthew 9

    I don’t know what the purpose of this post is but I’m grateful to live in a society where people can freely express their opinions.

    Personally I don’t agree with what they are saying but if they want to express an opinion counter to societies narrative then good luck to them. Provided they didn’t interfere with people carrying on their lawful business I don’t have a problem with it.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1

      As an alternative, you might ponder the connections between hate speech and violence, and reconsider the notion that no harm is being done.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.1.1

          Totes valid, that comment. Positively marinating in validity.

      • International Rescue 9.1.2

        There is no hate speech here. And there is no violence. But keep up the attempt at suppressing freedom of speech.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.2.1

          Right, so testifying that homosexuality is an abomination under the heavens totes has nothing to do with gay-bashing. Keep telling yourself that.

          With freedom, comes responsibility: you know, that thing wingnuts pay lip service to. The market has no immediate answer to National Party values; if it did, regulations would be redundant.

          • International Rescue 9.1.2.1.1

            Testifying that Israel is the devil is jew bashing, but we allow it. It’s called freedom of speech. People bash Christianity, white male privilege…you name it. Why should homosexuality be exempt?

            • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.2.1.1.1

              So which is your position? That it’s hate speech but that’s ok because it’s not the only example, or that it isn’t hate speech and that’s ok because freedom?

              • International Rescue

                Having an opinion that homosexuality is morally wrong is not hate speech. Having an opinion that Israel is an evil nation is not hate speech. The inconsistency of the left on this, however, is an example of intellectual bankruptcy.

                • One Anonymous Bloke

                  🙄

                  Speaking of inconsistency, watch those goalposts move!

                  It’s hilarious to see someone so inept, that they accuse “the Left” of behaviour they themselves are guilty of, in the same comment. The very stuff of intellectual bankruptcy.

                  Did I mention their opinion? Nope.

                  We need better wingnuts.

                  • International Rescue

                    No movement from this quarter. But I’d be happy to clarify anything you don’t understand.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      Then why are you blithering about the state of someone’s mind in a debate about the effects of their speech? Please try and keep up.

                    • International Rescue

                      Must have been too cerebral for you. Try this…there is a difference between having a view that murder is wrong and hating murderers. That simpler for you?

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      There is a difference between holding an opinion and voicing it.

                      There’s a very big clue in the phrase ‘hate speech‘: your red herring is a red herring. I couldn’t care less what homophobes think; your attempt to pretend that’s the subject of discussion is beyond flaccid.

                      Clutch at another straw if I were you. It’s your only hope 😆

                    • International Rescue

                      “There is a difference between holding an opinion and voicing it.”

                      Only in an intolerant, closed, bigoted society.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      The difference being that it’s only when I say you’re an idiot that it becomes a problem.

                    • International Rescue

                      No, it doesn’t. You can say anything you like, as long as you aren’t telling people to harm me. That’s freedom of speech. Saying homosexuality is weird is not hate speech. It is an opinion, freely expressed. Just like saying you’re an idiot.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      Meanwhile, on Earth, in practical terms, it’s fighting talk, inflammatory. Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines, for example. Donald Trump, for another.

                      In the immediate context, it leads directly to violence against LGTB Kiwis.

                    • International Rescue

                      Can you provide a single example of where criticism of homosexuality has led to violence against LGTB kiwi’s? Just sounds like special treatment to me.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      “Criticism” 🙄

                      Sure.

                      A gay teenager was called “disgusting” before he was beaten unconscious in central Auckland…

                      Oh look, here’s another:

                      the trio seemed to “take a bit of offence to it” and left hurling abuse and homophobic slurs as they went.
                      Upon their departure they threw cans of alcohol at two patrons at the door – that’s when Mr Mawhinney stepped in and that’s when the violence escalated.

                      Do you deliberately block the multitude of news reports such as these from your memory, or is your reflexive (and rather pathetic) litany of denial a sign of tacit approval? I think you approve.

                    • International Rescue

                      Those aren’t criticism of homosexuality by one person leading to actions of another. They are the actions of angry bigots, or of violent people looking for an outlet. Your claim was about criticism of homosexuality by one leading to violence by another. Now provide some evidence, or you are simply calling for special treatment of gays over others.

                    • International Rescue

                      And here’s where your special treatment takes us:

                      http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/american-dispatch/50336-christian-preachers-brutally-beaten-at-gay-pride-festival.

                      It empowers a victim mentality that then turns violent. Gays don’t need your special treatment, they do fine without it.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      So you think the various assailants in these reports created their personal homophobia out of whole cloth 🙄

                      Nah, you can’t be that ignorant, after all, you linked to a story providing a direct example of how verbal taunts can lead to violence: a crowd was abusing the vile god-botherers just before they were attacked.

                      I note that you are so crap at debating you have to keep inventing strawmen: no calls for special treatment from this quarter. Is your incompetence a manifestation of stupidity or are you just dishonest?

      • International Rescue 9.1.3

        Minto was targeting a single individual, a tennis player representing herself, not her nation. It was a reprehensible personal attack on a person right to earn an income.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.3.1

          I was uncomfortable with Minto’s strategy too. On the other hand, should we behave like nannies, and shield Israeli citizens from the disgust their government manufactures?

          • McFlock 9.1.3.1.1

            similar argument against protesting the Springbok tour, though.

            Not necessarily identical, but prominent sportspeople do evoke a distracting national pride.

            • alwyn 9.1.3.1.1.1

              “similar argument”.
              Not really. The Springbok team were representing their country.
              The tennis player was only representing herself. Protest against a national team representing their country is valid. Against an individual,l who happens to be from a country you don’t happen to like isn’t.
              Can I demonstrate outside a house harbouring Syrian refugees in New Zealand and keep them awake all night with a loud-hailer because I think Bashar al-Assad is a murderous bastard? No way.

              • McFlock

                Look at the national pride we have in our successful athletes, national team or not. Hillary was part of the British expedition. Fucksake the America’s cup is a corporate ego gig and thousands were buying red socks.

                But if you protest Syrian refugees all night, the only people to celebrate would be the Syrian regime. See the difference?

          • International Rescue 9.1.3.1.2

            I’m sure any Israeli citizen knows it’s shortcomings, just as any citizen of the Palestinian territories knows what a murderous regime Hamas is.

    • Draco T Bastard 9.2

      They can express their opinion but they also get to deal with us expressing our opinion of their stupidity.

  9. Stuart Munro 10

    I’d be interested to know what their angle is. Generic anti-gay is one thing, but specific issues that promote protest can be something else.

  10. Richard@Down South 11

    I’m not a Christian, but Jesus was pretty clear in his instructions on how to live:

    James 4:11-12 ESV

    “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

  11. The Fairy Godmother 12

    AS a Christian I would suggest that the gay bashing pair along with other fundamentalists are simply idiots. The Bible is made up of a whole lot of books by a whole lot of different authors. They are writing in many different times from different perspectives. Hey I think that its a bit like the Standard you know a whole lot of authors, different perspectives. What fundamentalists do is pick out a verse or two and use it to prove their point often ignoring the main point of the book it is from. They always claim that God backs their opinion. An analogy here would be taking a sentence from an article in the standard, quoting it out of context and stating it is Lprents’ opinion. Pretty dodgy I would think.

  12. James 13

    They are entitled to their views. They are entitled to protest.

    However I believe they should be ridiculed for these views and that is our entitlement to do so.

  13. Tanz 14

    Throw out the Bible and its values and you get absolute chaos, mess and backwardness. Once NZ was one of the most richest and best places to live, well above Singapore, for example. Post war we are way down the list. Wow, chucking out our Christian-Judeo values and embracing Godless, secular ones was such a good idea…….not. Once we had it all, now we are in a shattered, feeble state.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 14.1

      🙄

      Bearing false witness much?

    • McFlock 14.2

      I agree entirely, we need to get back to biblical values:

      Once, we fed the hungry without question. Now we treat them as bludgers.
      Once, we healed the sick. Now we put them on waiting lists.
      Once, we believed a rich man could not enter heaven any more than a camel could pass through the eye of a needle. Now we believe that only the rich can live on Planet Key.
      Once, we waited for the person without sin to cast the first stone. Now we throw stones at the homeless (or at least spray them with water in the middle of winter).

      The sooner we get back to loving one another, the sooner we’ll get back to the best standard of living in the world.

    • millsy 14.3

      Yeah, stringing up gays with piano wire would really fix this country, that’s for sure.

    • Descendant Of Sssmith 14.4

      Yet the people currently dismantling what we have are mainly religious or aligned (National Party) with religious groups.

      Have you not noticed the alignment between the religious right and the National Party. Have you not noticed how things are worse under National not better.

      Post War when you perceive it as great was built on secular values of socialism.

      Prior to DPB that many women were stuck in violent marriages, the law that allowed them to be raped by their husbands was based on religious dogma, many didn’t leave their horrible violent husbands cause the church forbade it, many lost their children to unknown families because the child was born out of wedlock – often both mother and child suffered as a result.

      The failure of religious groups to pay tax yet their willingness to take tax payers money knows few bounds, the abuse by ministers on those under their protection.

      That being said it’s not really the failure or influence of religion that’s caused most of today’s issues.

      It’s the re-assertion of laissez-faire / neo-liberal economics from an elite that like rust never sleeps.

      It does however seem slightly weird that you make your downfall of society assertions in this post. I can’t believe that anyone would think that acceptance of homosexuality has caused our problems.

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    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    24 hours ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    1 day ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    1 day ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    3 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    3 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    4 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    5 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

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

    5 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    6 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    6 days ago
  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    6 days ago
  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    46 mins ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
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