Hypocrites

Written By: - Date published: 7:37 am, November 22nd, 2019 - 57 comments
Categories: election funding, elections, electoral systems, national, nz first, same old national, Simon Bridges, uncategorized - Tags: ,

So to recap.

There is a major party accused of running a Foundation that means it can hide the identity of donors and present a misleading picture to the public.  And during the last election it funnelled most of its payments for electorate campaigns through this foundation.

And it’s leader received a donation from an individual but for whatever reason filed a return that hid the identity of the donor.

And so suspicious is this party’s activity in relation to the receipt of donations it is being investigated by a Government agency.

Ladies and gentlemen I am not talking about New Zealand First, I am talking about the National Party.

Here is the website for its foundation.

Its attempts to hide the source of donations has gone on for a while.

I noted previously how during the 2014 election campaign the total amount of donations declared by National candidates was $1.262 million and over 80% of this was funded from National Head Office.

In 2017 things were similar.

https://twitter.com/reedfleming/status/1197344986322178048

Of course the Foundation is not there to hide the identity of all donors.  When the situation demands National is prepared to change the way donations are treated so that the existence of the donation and the identity of the donor are hidden, at least for a while.

And I wondered how the Foundation handled the receipt of seven identical $14,000 donations with a $2,000 donation on top that magically added up to $100,000 the apparent going price for a list MP’s position.

So National’s faux outrage concerning NZ First’s foundation is pretty hypocritical.

Its own practice means that the vast majority of donations to electorate campaigns are from their pet foundation and suddenly the threshold for disclosing the donor’s identity becomes $15,000 not $1,500

By all means let us have a discussion about the current disclosure regime and what should be done to change it. The discussion could start with National admitting that it has been bending the rules. To the breaking point.

57 comments on “Hypocrites ”

  1. Sanctuary 1

    NZ First's hubris will do them down on this. Who on God's good earth thought it would be a good idea to give that self-important wind bag Nick Smith a chance to play the vulnerable martyr and breath new life into the story for the media hyenas who clearly have it in for NZ First?

    • greywarshark 1.1

      Nick mith was howling at the moon on Radionz this morning apparently in all sincerity of outrage and disturbed about loss of probity in politics etc etc. He is so sycophantic to National and his supporters, such a broken reed and such a con artist to the electorate for his connections.

      • Dukeofurl 1.1.1

        Nick Smith:

        Convicted of witness tampering in a District court case

        Convicted of contempt for publicising a family court dispute

        Mr Credibility .

        Yet when Bridges and Bennett threaten the media with defamation law , ( it was her DPB history and his handling of donations) it flies under the radar

    • Enough is Enough 1.2

      Do you blame the media for having it in for NZ First?

      Winston (and to a lesser degree Shane) treats the media with utter contempt. So when he gets caught out (as he inevitably does every time he is in government), the media is going to hammer him, as they should.

      Threatening your political opponents and the media with legal action if they don't shut up really shows the pettiness of these people.

      How about he just answers the media's questions with straight answers.

      With Winston gone we will be left with a Labour Green government that will finally bring about the transformational changes that the current government is failing so badly to deliver.

      The sooner Winston is gone forever the better New Zealand politics will be forever.

      It is my hope that this will finally sink him and his cronies.

      • Dukeofurl 1.2.1

        There wont be a Labour- Green government….thats called opposition.

        reality means if NZF is back in parliament , Labour will include them as part of having as many coalition partners as possible. Thats how MMP works successfully as Clark and Key showed.

        • Enough is Enough 1.2.1.1

          That's a bold prediction.

          By my calculations (based on most recent polls) Labour and Greens combined beats National Act

          • Dukeofurl 1.2.1.1.1

            Calculations, based on polls, showed Australian Labour as the election winner too.

            If NZF is back in parliament – and Labour makes government they still will include NZF. Politics means they will want to play the partners off against each other. Perhaps you are thinking of less high stakes situations.

            National has strategic plans to knock Greens out too.

            On the other hand , since about 2010 media generated scandals dont really affect core voters. Trump shows that.

            NZ First dont care about the 94% of voters who dont tick them.

            But I dont know the results 1 yr away.

        • Sacha 1.2.1.2

          if NZF is back in parliament

          Indeed

  2. Dirk Dirkin 2

    Will the media report this?

    More chance of me winning lotto

    • Dukeofurl 2.1

      Theres the suggestion that the source of the leaks from NZF was a former top official who left under a cloud .

      Will Melanie Reid be running stories on this leakers 'office relationships' like she did when Jami-Lee Ross was telling the media about Nationals closests secrets.

      More chance of winning Lotto

  3. tc 3

    Gives Ardern an opportunity to put them both to the sword in the interests of transparency. Good timing IMO the way Blojo, the donald and others have been shown to serve their backers by a better media elsewhere.

    I reckon she's got nothing to lose as it was National who fiddled the EFA for their own ends after bleating on about it needing to be repealed as part of the nanny state meme they went with to get Clark out.

    The sheeple being reminding who really benefitted from those changes and the duplicitous nature of national over the next 12 months would be nice.

    • Dukeofurl 3.1

      You do mean ' put to the sword in interests of transparency' like the National party did with Barclay

  4. AB 4

    Right wing hypocrisy? Quelle horreur! And such a surprise that those lovely people in National don't play an honest game! And shock of shocks, their grinning dim-witted enablers throughout the media are chiming in to help! I need a lie down or else I might stop being so nice.

    • greywarshark 4.1

      Please conserve yourself AB and reserve sufficient energies to keep looking at the farce even though the story is repetitive out of Grim Fairy Tales (Political Version).

      What about the secrecy behind John Key's blind trust – if the National Party appear to be transparent, ever, one needs to look to the side and see what attention is being distracted from.

  5. Anne 5

    And guess what? The skulduggery goes aaaallll the way back to good ole Kiwi Keith, Keith Holyoake.

    In fact National masterminded the art of dishonest fiscal practices (for personal gain) and established the standard for others to follow.

    Sometime in the 1960s, a large parcel of land was quietly set aside by the Holyoake govt, for a new University in Albany, Auckland. It was coincidence of course 🙄 but Holyoake decided to buy a chunk of land for himself close to where the proposed university was going to be built. After the public announcement of the new university an enterprising investigative journalist did some investigating and discovered the Holyoake purchase.

    I recall my father going ballistic with rage about it and drumming it into me… that is why you should never vote National. They can't be trusted!

    • Sacha 5.1

      Holyoake had other dodgy dealings: http://werewolf.co.nz/2012/04/public-office-private-gain/

      And Colonel Trotter outlines NZ’s historic political corruption as context for Winston’s current woes: http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-second-and-final-crucifixion-of.html

      Throughout New Zealand’s brief history, conservative parties and crony capitalism have marched together in lock-step. In such a tiny society how could they not? Only the state has ever had access to the huge capital resources required to facilitate economic development. For capitalists, large and small, that meant securing their desired economic outcomes by cultivating mutually beneficial political relationships. Naturally, the individuals, businesses, and political parties involved in this activity were not at all keen to have their behaviour trumpeted from the roof-tops. If deals needed to be done, it was overwhelmingly in the interests of all parties that they be done in secret.

      • Dukeofurl 5.1.1

        Yes. We can see now that NZME has approached the government about getting their merger with Stuff done by government fiat and ignore the competition laws… would they have been told ..join the queue.

        The Banks want the RBNZ regulator off their back too and Im sure the insurance industry who the RBNZ has said will be next for a closer look will be lobbying furiously

  6. Sabine 6

    So Labour / Greens / (NZF) are gonna go out there and put forward a law that promotes public finance only?

    I mean they should have done that a long time a go….but now surely they will do something?

    • greywarshark 6.1

      +100

      Can Labour be dragged off their bums if they are threatened with The Comfy Chair? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAxkcPoLYcQ

      I think that the Labour Coalition are afraid that if they make any practical moves that change things for the better they will, gulp, be devilled by the Spanish Inquisition as in the 16th? century. Whereas actually, The Comfy Chair is just being hit with soft cushions and a short period of isolation to reflect on their shortcomings with a cup of coffee at 11 a.m.

      Nothing to fear here Labour pollies, but you do have to move from one chair to another. Please can you steel yourself to take this giant step for NZ-kind!

      • greywarshark 6.1.1

        This sounds interesting from UK Labour about their manifesto. Would that be of interest here?

        General election 2019: Labour launches 'radical' manifesto

        What is in the Labour manifesto?

        • £75bn to build 150,000 new council and social homes a year, within five years
        • An immediate 5% pay rise for public sector workers, with year-on-year above-inflation pay rises to follow
        • Introducing a "real living wage" of at least £10 an hour
        • Reviewing the retirement age for people in hard manual jobs
        • Introducing a second homes tax
        • Reversing inheritance tax cuts and imposing VAT on private school fees
        • Giving EU nationals living in UK the automatic right to stay
        • Reinstating 3,000 bus routes that have been cut
        • Free broadband for all, delivered by part-nationalising BT
        • A £3bn plan to offer adults in England free access to retraining
        • A pledge to reduce all primary school classes to fewer than 30 children
        • Free personal at-home care in England for over-65s most in need of it
        • A pledge to renew the Trident nuclear deterrent and spend at least 2% of GDP on defence
        • Reducing the voting age to 16
        • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50497288
    • Anne 6.2

      Sabine, up until now it was political suicide to even hint at public funding of election campaigns. Labour did try to 'educate' the voters in the past, but they wouldn't have a bar of it.

      It can take voters decades to catch up with reality.

      • Sabine 6.2.1

        no guts no glory.

        seriously at what stage do we demand that these guys 'be better' ?

        Cause with that attitude nothing is happening. And nothing will be happening.

        Cause everyone does it. Its just that some do it better then other.

        And yes, Labour / Green could simply go out there and say " The other option is public finance and we are personally for it" . But that would take guts and it seems that our complete political landscape is populated by people who have no guts, no spine, no courage, no conviction no nothing other then a pressing need to get 're-elected to do the stuff we so far have steadfast refused to do.

        At least to have this discussed and National / NZFirst etc be public about opposing it.

        NO guts, No Glory, No re-election! – see the Democratic Party in the US, Laobur in England, SPD in Germany and so on and so forth.

      • Dukeofurl 6.2.2

        Not so. Funding of political parties in parliament is $120 mill per year, yes its 'parliamentary purposes' but thats meaningless now as they campaign all year , every year.

        There is plenty of election funding as well, millions for the 'broadcasting' side , which is now allowed to be spent on social media as well.

        • solkta 6.2.2.1

          but thats meaningless now as they campaign all year

          Obviously you have never played an active role in a political party and had to get your head around the difference between what is parliamentary and what is party.

          • Dukeofurl 6.2.2.1.1

            Do people still play charades any more ? From those that work for National they dont seem to bother.

            They used a truck to drive this loophole-

            "There are no rules against support staff doing party or political work in their own time." They would say that when the PS is breathing down their neck . This is another way the Nats bend the rules, a weak cover story is accepted by the main media, no more questions asked.

            Some current MPs used to work in another Mps electorate office while they campaigned for a nearby seat ( but only ahead of the formal election period) , this is one of the reason the Nats gave notice of election date long in advance.

            • solkta 6.2.2.1.1.1

              I can assure you that MP support staff work extremely hard trying to get all their legit work done within payed hours. People take these jobs because they have an interest in politics – it is not a "weak cover story" to suggest that they donate some of their own time for party stuff. Yes sometimes rules do get bent, but this is not significant overall.

              • Dukeofurl

                Im sure you are right ..for the conscientious. And of course there is plenty of real constituents being helped.

                But in electorate offices and those that work in Parliament offices are there too make the Mp is re-elected . Their job might depend on it !

                It was a while back when ACT had a 6 or 7 list Mps . All had electorate funded offices in the same building in Wellington, which also was the Party HQ. As long as an appearance of being inside 'the rules' is done, sleeping dogs are left to lie

                In The US , Congress members cant even use the same taxpayer funded building for fund raising as they knew rules would be bent

  7. mosa 7

    Adern should be taking a tough line here.

    National have already started their camapign to involve her and she could show unlike them she is prepared to act to provide the most transparent government ever.

    http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2019/11/winston-is-pms-problem.html

    • riffer 7.1

      Oh bollocks.

      I'm so over people reporting the right wing rubbish that Jacinda Adern should take a hard line on coalition partners. It's a recipe for coalition disharmony, and completely and utterly unneeded. The matter is being dealt with. It's a party problem for NZF and she is quite rightly staying well out of it.

      If, at any stage it turns out that NZF have an issue proven where they cant possibly be in parliament any more then she should deal with it. But not before then.

      Exactly like should be done with National should the current mess with the SFO amount to anything.

      • Anne 7.1.1

        Excellent. Well said. Thank-you riffer.

      • veutoviper 7.1.2

        Well said riffer.

        There are surprising numbers of people who come here to TS as a political blog who have no idea of how our form of democracy and parliamentary procedure, including MMP, electoral law etc work – and show it in their ignorant comments. I also think Idiot/Savant also needs to do a bit more homework.

        Sure as he says, "Ultimately, Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister for their behaviour" – but only their behaviour in their role as a Minister and not in their role as a Member for, or Leader of, another political party.

        Both as the PM and as the Leader of a Political Party, Jacinda Ardern would be completely outside NZ electoral law and parliamentary procedure to attempt to censor or in any way involve herself in the actions of another Leader or Member of another Political Party. * See EDIT

        Jacinda Ardern made this very clear in her answers to Simon Bridges under Question 2 in Question Time on Wednesday, 20 November.

        I suggest everyone who thinks otherwise watch the following video where she makes these points over and over to Bridges. The 10 minute video starts with some calling of Bridges' bluff to his primary question but from 03.20 onwards she makes it very clear three times to his repeating the same question that she would be totally outside her rights and that the appropriate authority/arbiter of electoral law is the Electoral Commission – and that Peters as Leader of NZF was working with the Commission in this regard.

        https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=210076

        I also include the Hansard record for those who wish to see the actual words in writing.

        https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20191120_050850000/2-question-no-2-prime-minister

        * EDIT – And that is exactly what Bridges and Co have been attempting to get JA to do.

  8. Dukeofurl 8

    You should have seen the money donated to Bidois for the Northcote by -election , around $135,000 .

    Thats really serious money, unheard of for a by election in a safe seat.

    Every cent including the 4 cents that wasnt a whole dollar came from the NZ National Party , which laundered all the money from individual donors.

  9. Karol121 9

    Accusations, leaks and quantum:

    Personally, from a leaks and accusations standpoint, those emanating from within state sector in relation to the role and conduct of those within the central government system leak should each be reviewed on overall merit and on an individual case by case basis.

    Such, taking in to consideration all relevant factors, including whether or not the disclosure is political or idealist motivated, or even whether such disclosure is identified as relating to some personal grievance issue.

    Under NZ law, there is always the Protected Disclosures Act for internal reporting of matters which might be considered inappropriate or an issue from either a national interest or general public interest perspective. But it is not always considered to be an effective remedy.

    Political actions or actions often land in that which is considered grey area.

    That which is central government domain and responsibility, and that which is solely political government domain and responsibility is often difficult to distinguish.

    The Department of PM and Cabinet (a state agency) has often been considered somewhere in between the two by many people.

    Crown ministers and those politically appointed to senior positions by the government of the day, ditto, in between. The latter (as appointees) often being seen as "gofors" of political government sole, in relation to such positions.

    To the point, and in relation to this discussion thread.

    Is a political party a political government? Is a political party a state agency?

    The answer should be obvious.

    So, in relation to "special disclosure management" treatment pertaining to political funding for any one party, why ever should there be any special consideration whatsoever?

    On whistle blowing individuals hoping to publicly identify party issues which appear to fall well outside of appropriate conduct by political parties and their supporters, who would not forgive or not morally support a whistle blower or two alerting media or others to such valid concerns?

    What is clearly highlighted is that yes, it certainly appears that National have also been well and truly "in to it", (political funding high jinks that is), jodhpur boots and all.

    So perhaps New Zealand First have just been playing second fiddle copy cat in relation to such antics.

    I observe that during an interview recently, Winston Peters indicated scant knowledge of the reported warning letter from Mr Henry to Mr Smith, mentioning a civil proceedings figure of $30,000,000 E&OE (Errors & Omissions Excluded).

    Boy, just imagine.

    If the foundation could prove damages to the party itself, be rewarded in joinder with the foundation with such a princely sum, and then actually collect all of that loot, New Zealand First as a party probably wouldn't have to be bothered with much, if any future campaign funding requests.

    They'd probably be as financially affluent as so many other Aga Khan “would be if they could” be types.

    • Dukeofurl 9.1

      "Winston Peters indicated scant knowledge of the reported warning letter from Mr Henry to Mr Smith, mentioning a civil proceedings"

      I may have known that Brian Henry was sending his a legal letter ( but hes barrister so hardly needs advice) but not the details. After all the NZFP entitys run by David Henry from the wood processing side of the family isnt really Peters concern , and from a political point of view wouldnt want to know.

  10. xanthe 10

    My view is that the media are waaay out of line on this . Winston has suggested that he might "sort them out" over this and i really do hope he does!

    I am disgusted with this sort of dishonesty from those fraudulently representing themselves as news outlets.

    I am hopeful that this will inform the government in their disestablishment of tvnz and rnz and that they actually sort out some public news service.

    the current situation just wont do.

    • Can you explain exactly how the media are way out of line in investigating NZF's attempts to conceal its donors? I ask because it sounds like exactly the kind of thing we want them to do.

      • xanthe 10.1.1

        If the media was "investigating" that would be fine! what part exactly of John Armstrong's "opinion" piece was investigation?

        FACTS A complaint has been made to the Electoral Commission re one of NZF funding arrangements. NZF is working with the EC to establish if that is legal.

        BULLSHIT all the rest and particularly CRAP about how jacinda should become embroiled in it and what a failure of leadership that she (quiet properly) declines to do so.

        • Psycho Milt 10.1.1.1

          So, not "the media," but John Armstrong, an opinion columnist? You do know that reportage and editorial are two different things, right?

          NZF is working with the EC to establish if that is legal.

          It is? I've seen NZF officials and MPs abusing or refusing to talk to media, but nothing to suggest they're cooperating with anybody who isn't a NZF official. Also: it may well be that setting up mechanisms to conceal your political donors is legal (presumably it is, since National is doing it too), but that only means the law needs changing.

  11. xanthe 12

    unbelievable hatchet job by John Armstrong on tvnz news website now.

    They deserve to be disestablished as has been proposed. the sooner the better. How on earth has it come to this where our most accessible "news" service is serving up dishonest deliberate misinformation as "opinion"

    Now is the best chance while we have an honest and intelligent PM to set up a public funded independent news service.

  12. R.P Mcmurphy 13

    love listening to dinosaurs like armstrong pontificate. this is the meat and spuds of politics and gives the infantilised under educated juvenile mediocre press corpse something to do. btw how many journos at Parliament now? what is their average age? anyway Prime TV mentioned the natz and their foundations tonight so that is a start

    • Sacha 13.1

      Armstrong is one of the worst examples of horse-race 'journalism' where he tries to show how jolly well-connected he is. Silly hack.

  13. Fireblade 14

    (Posted on Open Mike, but it's more relevant here).

    The National Party Foundation and Dodgy Donations.

    Newshub Reports:
    Jami-Lee Ross said NZ First's foundation was modelled on the National Party's and operates in largely the same way, and there's little the Electoral Commission can do.

    Ross said political party foundations exist only as a way of obscuring donors' identities and should be abolished.

    Ross also claims National MPs face 'repercussions' if they miss fundraising target. "If you did not fundraise your $30,000 or $20,000, you weren't allowed to go to selection. Every MP was also expected to ensure there were donations going into the National Foundation".

    National Party president and chair of the National Foundation board Peter Goodfellow told Newshub Nation "It is correct that our local party electorate committees are set and supported to achieve KPIs before proceeding to a candidate selection," said Goodfellow. The party acknowledged targets do exist.

    Newshub contacted Simon Bridges' office, which declined to comment.

    Ironically when he was a National MP in Government, the job of securing donations that could slip through the cracks often fell to Ross, as he wasn't a minister and therefore not subject to the Official Information Act. He said he was a "product of the National Party" but has changed his views.

    The Serious Fraud Office is still investigating National Party donations.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/11/jami-lee-ross-claims-national-mps-face-repercussions-if-they-miss-fundraising-targets.html

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    This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Black Friday

    It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 13-September-2024

    Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37 2024

    Open access notables Early knowledge but delays in climate actions: An ecocide case against both transnational oil corporations and national governments, Hauser et al., Environmental Science & Policy: Cast within the wide context of investigating the collusion at play between powerful political-economic actors and decision-makers as monopolists and debates about ‘the modern ...
    3 days ago
  • What it is

    I liked what Kieran McAnulty had to say about the Treaty Principles bill this morning so much I've written it down and copied it out for you. He was saying that rather than let this piece of ordure spend six months in Select Committee, the Prime Minister could stop making such ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • A government-funded hate campaign

    Cabinet discussed National's constitutionally and historically illiterate "Treaty Principles Bill" this week, and decided to push on with it. The bill will apparently receive a full six month select committee process - unlike practically every other policy this government has pushed, and despite the fact that if the government is ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • How Substack works to take (some) craziness out of America’s elections

    I spoke with Substack co-founder yesterday, just before the Trump-Harris debate, about how Substack is doing its thing during the US elections. He talks in particular about how Substack’s focus on paid subscriptions rather than ads has made political debate on the platform calmer, simpler, deeper and more satisfying ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • David Seymour is such a loser

    For paid subscribersNot content with siphoning off $230,000,000 of taxpayers money for his hobby projects - and telling everyone his passion is education and early childcare - an intersection painfully coincidental to the interests of wealthy private families like Sean Plunkett’s1 backers, the Wright Family, Seymour is back in the ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Cross-party consensus: there’s no pipeline without good faith

    There’s been a lot of talk recently about a cross-party agreement to develop a pipeline for infrastructure, including transport. Last month, outgoing CRL boss Sean Sweeney talked about the importance of securing an enduring infrastructure programme. He outlined the high costs of the relentless political flip-flopping of priorities, which drives ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    3 days ago
  • Voters love this climate policy they’ve never heard of

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The Inflation Reduction Act is the Biden administration’s signature climate law and the largest U.S. government investment in reducing climate pollution to date. Among climate advocates, the policy is well-known and celebrated, but beyond that, only a minority of Americans ...
    3 days ago
  • ACC wants to administer inflation at more than double the RBNZ’s target rate

    ACC levies are set to rise at more than double the inflation rate targeted by the RBNZ. Photo: Lynn GrievesonKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 12:The state-owned monopoly for accident insurance wants ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Harris vs Trump

    We’ve been selected to rock your asses 'til midnightThis is my term, I've shaved off my perm, but it's alrightI solemnly swear to uphold the ConstitutionGot a rock 'n' roll problem? Well we got a solutionLet us be who we am, and let us kick out the jams, yeahKick out ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Treaty Bill “a political stunt”

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appears to have given ACT Leader David Seymour more than he has been admitting in the proposals to go forward with a Treaty Principles Bill.All along, Luxon has maintained that the Government is proceeding with the Bill to honour the coalition agreement.But that is quite specific.It ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • An average 219 NZers migrated each day in July

    Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 11:Annual migration of New Zealanders rose to a record-high 80,963 in the year to the end of July, which is more than double its pre-Covid levels.Two ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • What you’re wanting to win more than anything is The Narrative

    Hubris is sitting down on election day 2016 to watch that pig Trump get his ass handed to him, and watching the New York Times needle hover for a while over Hillary and then move across to Trump where it remains all night to your gathering horror and dismay. You're ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • National’s automated lie machine

    The government has a problem: lots of people want information from it all the time. Information about benefits, about superannuation, ACC coverage and healthcare, taxes, jury service, immigration - and that's just the routine stuff. Responding to all of those queries takes a lot of time and costs a lot ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Christopher Luxon: A Man of “Faith” and “Compassion” Speaks on the Treaty Pr...

    Synopsis: Today - we explore two different realities. One where National lost. And another - which is the one we are living with here. Note: the footnote on increased fees/taxes may be of interest to some readers.Article open.Subscribe nowIt’s an alternate timeline.Yesterday as news broke that the central North Island ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Member’s Day

    Today is a Member's Day. First up is the third reading of Dan Bidois' Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the committee stage of Deborah Russell's Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill. This will be followed by the second readings of Katie ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Northern Expressway Boondoggle

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has been soaring high with his hubris of getting on and building motorways but some uncomfortable realities are starting to creep in. Back in July he announced that the government was pushing on with a Northland Expressway using an “accelerated delivery strategy” The Coalition Government is ...
    4 days ago
  • Never Enough

    However much I'm falling downNever enoughHowever much I'm falling outNever, never enough!Whatever smile I smile the mostNever enoughHowever I smile I smile the mostSongwriters: Robert James Smith / Simon Gallup / Boris Williams / Porl ThompsonToday in Nick’s Kōrero:A death in the Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital.A sad homecoming and ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Question Two of The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)

    Kia ora.Last month I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections.A couple of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Why is God Obsessed with Spanking?

    Hi,If you’ve read Webworm for a while, you’ll be aware that I’ve spent a lot of time writing about horrific, corrupt megachurches and the shitty men who lead them.And in all of this writing, I think some people have this idea that I hate Christians or Christianity. As I explain ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Inside the public service

    In 2023, there were 63,117 full-time public servants earning, on average, $97,200 a year each. All up, that is a cost to the Government of $6.1 billion a year. It’s little wonder, then, that the public service has become a political whipping boy castigated by the Prime Minister and members ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • New Models Show Stronger Atlantic Hurricanes, and More of Them

    This is a re-post from This is Not Cool Here’s an example of some of the best kind of climate reporting, especially in that it relates to impacts that will directly affect the audience. WFLA in Tampa conducted a study in collaboration with the Department of Energy, analyzing trends in ...
    5 days ago
  • Where ever do they find these people?

    A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, is how Winston Churchill described the Soviet Union in 1939.  How might the great man have described the 2024 government of New Zealand, do we think? I can't imagine he would have thought them all that mysterious or enigmatic. I think ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Motorway madness

    How mad is National's obsession with roads? One of their pet projects - a truck highway to Whangārei - is going to eat 10% of our total infrastructure budget for the next 25 years: Official advice from the Infrastructure Commission shows the government could be set to spend 10 ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Our transport planning system is fundamentally broken

    Ever since Wayne Brown became mayor (nearly two years ago now) he’s been wanting to progress an “integrated transport plan” with the government – which sounded a lot like the previous Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) with just a different name. It seems like a fair bit of work progressed ...
    5 days ago
  • Thou Shalt Not Steal

    And they taught usWhoa-oh, black woman, thou shalt not stealI said, hey, yeah, black man, thou shalt not stealWe're gonna civilise your black barbaric livesAnd we teach you how to kneelBut your history couldn't hide the genocideThe hypocrisy to us was realFor your Jesus said you're supposed to giveThe oppressed ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • How mismanagement, not wind and solar energy, causes blackouts

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections In February 2021, several severe storms swept across the United States, culminating with one that the Weather Channel unofficially named Winter Storm Uri. In Texas, Uri knocked out power to over 4.5 million homes and 10 million people. Hundreds of Texans died as a ...
    5 days ago
  • The ‘Infra Boys’ Highway to Budget Hell

    Chris Bishop has enthusiastically dubbed himself and Simeon Brown “the Infra Boys”, but they need to take note of the sums around their roading dreams. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Media Link: “AVFA” on the politics of desperation.

    In this podcast Selwyn Manning and I talk about what appears to be a particular type of end-game in the long transition to systemic realignment in international affairs, in which the move to a new multipolar order with different characteristics … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • The cost of flying blind

    Just over two years ago, when worries about immediate mass-death from covid had waned, and people started to talk about covid becoming "endemic", I asked various government agencies what work they'd done on the costs of that - and particularly, on the cost of Long Covid. The answer was that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Seymour vs The Clergy

    For paid subscribers“Aotearoa is not as malleable as they think,” Lynette wrote last week on Homage to Simeon Brown:In my heart/mind, that phrase ricocheted over the next days, translating out to “We are not so malleable.”It gave me comfort. I always felt that we were given an advantage in New ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Unstoppable Minister McKee

    All smiles, I know what it takes to fool this townI'll do it 'til the sun goes downAnd all through the nighttimeOh, yeahOh, yeah, I'll tell you what you wanna hearLeave my sunglasses on while I shed a tearIt's never the right timeYeah, yeahSong by SiaLast night there was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Could outdoor dining revitalise Queen Street?

    This is a guest post by Ben van Bruggen of The Urban Room,.An earlier version of this post appeared on LinkedIn. All images are by Ben. Have you noticed that there’s almost nowhere on Queen Street that invites you to stop, sit outside and enjoy a coffee, let alone ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • Hipkins challenges long-held Labour view Government must stay below 30% of GDP

    Hipkins says when considering tax settings and the size of government, the big question mark is over what happens with the balance between the size of the working-age population and the growing number of Kiwis over the age of 65. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Your invite to Webworm Chat (a bit like Reddit)

    Hi,One of the things I love the most about Webworm is, well, you. The community that’s gathered around this lil’ newsletter isn’t something I ever expected when I started writing it four years ago — now the comments section is one of my favourite places on the internet. The comments ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Seymour’s Treaty bill making Nats nervous

    A delay in reappointing a top civil servant may indicate a growing nervousness within the National Party about the potential consequences of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill. Dave Samuels is waiting for reappointment as the Chief Executive of Te Puni Kokiri, but POLITIK understands that what should have been a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36

    A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 1, 2024 thru Sat, September 7, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is about how peopele are not born stupid but can be fooled ...
    7 days ago
  • Time for a Change

    You act as thoughYou are a blind manWho's crying, crying 'boutAll the virgins that are dyingIn your habitual dreams, you knowSeems you need more sleepBut like a parrot in a flaming treeI know it's pretty hard to seeI'm beginning to wonderIf it's time for a changeSong: Phil JuddThe next line ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Six.

    The “double shocks” in post Cold War international affairs. The end of the Cold War fundamentally altered the global geostrategic context. In particular, the end of the nuclear “balance of terror” between the USA and USSR, coupled with the relaxation … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Buried deep

    Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.

    Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Leadership for Dummies

    If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Home again

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Dead even tie for hottest August ever

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 7

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?

    An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • Councils reject racism

    Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Homage to Simeon Brown

    Open to all - happy weekend ahead, friends.Today I just want to be petty. It’s the way I imagine this chap is -Not only as a political persona. But his real-deal inner personality, in all its glory - appears to be pure pettiness & populist driven.Sometimes I wonder if Simeon ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Government of deceit

    When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all

    Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024

    Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago

  • Draft critical minerals list released for consultation

    A draft list of minerals deemed essential to New Zealand’s economy and strengthening its mineral resilience has been released for consultation, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The draft Critical Minerals List identifies 35 minerals essential to economic functions, are in demand internationally, and face high risk of supply disruption domestically ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    52 mins ago
  • Government eliminates $190 million in trade barriers to boost the economy

    The Government has successfully removed trade barriers affecting nearly $190 million worth of exports to help grow the economy, Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced.  “In the past year, we have resolved 14 Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs), returning significant value to kiwi exporters. These efforts directly boost our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Reo Māori the ‘beating heart’ of Aotearoa New Zealand

    From private business to the Paris Olympics, reo Māori is growing with the success of New Zealanders, says Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka. “I’m joining New Zealanders across the country in celebrating this year’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week, which has a big range ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Need and value at forefront of public service delivery

    New Cabinet policy directives will ensure public agencies prioritise public services on the basis of need and award Government contracts on the basis of public value, Minister for the Public Service Nicola Willis says. “Cabinet Office has today issued a circular to central government organisations setting out the Government’s expectations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister to attend Police Ministers Council Meeting

    Police Minister Mark Mitchell will join with Australian Police Ministers and Commissioners at the Police Ministers Council meeting (PMC) today in Melbourne. “The council is an opportunity to come together to discuss a range of issues, gain valuable insights on areas of common interest, and different approaches towards law enforcement ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Bill to crack down on youth vaping

    The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping.  “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed

    Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups

    Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it

    The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Targeted supports to accelerate reading

    The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology

    With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final

    Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Driving structured literacy in schools

    The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. “From the first time children step into the classroom, we’re equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. “From 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s misleading information is disappointing

    Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says.   “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine

    The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill

    Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government unlocking potential of AI

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government releases Wairoa flood review findings

    The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Promoting faster payment times for government

    The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech

    E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward.  Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses

    Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test

    More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction

    Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Māori Education Advisory Group established

    The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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