If Wong stays an MP will she be welcome in National?

Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, November 17th, 2010 - 79 comments
Categories: accountability, corruption, john key, national - Tags:

The latest revelation in the Pansy Wong saga is a Chinese newspaper article where she, as Minister, endorses her husband’s company’s product. John Key says that it would be a sacking offence were she a minister but its up to her if she resigns from Parliament. Here’s a question then: is he going to let this corrupt MP remain in his party’s caucus?

Update: Whaleoil says Wong wanted to resign from Parliament last week but Key told her not to. Apparently, they don’t want her to go yet because the by-election would have to be over the summer break. I’m surprised they haven’t just changed the law under Urgency to let a minister appoint the new MP for Botany, it’s how they tackle every other problem.

79 comments on “If Wong stays an MP will she be welcome in National? ”

  1. Nick K 1

    Corrupt?

    • freedom 1.1

      what would you call it Nick?
      Creative administration? Flexible role application? Serial tasking errors?

    • Eddie 1.2

      That’s what it’s called when a person in public office uses public funds and the privileges of office for private gain and in breach of the rules.

      • burt 1.2.1

        That’s not corrupt – that’s justification to retrospectively validate and move on.

        • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1

          ‘Retrospectively validate’ = Dictatorial rubber stamp after the fact then forget about it?

          Looks like that is where NAT is taking us.

    • felix 1.3

      Poor Nick, he’s been reading Kiwiblog so long he’s forgotten that the word actually has a definition.

  2. toad 2

    Eddie, Gerry can already appoint a replacement under the CERRA.

    • ianmac 2.1

      Can toad but he wouldn’t dare. Would he? But maybe McCulley would under RWC stability.

    • Lanthanide 2.2

      CERRA excludes the electoral act, which I’d imagine is what covers this sort of thing. Also, the actions under CERRA are required to be to do with the Canterbury recovery, it’s hard to swing this for an electoral seat in Auckland. Now if it were Jim Anderton, that might be another story.

    • Vicky32 2.3

      Please, tell me you’re kidding. No, you’re not kidding are you? Yikes!
      Deb

  3. Craig Glen Eden 3

    Oh Gee when your a Tory that’s your birth right to rule and rip of the masses. Corruption heck that’s not very nice “true” but not nice,wrecks the taste of the cucumber sandwich old fella.

  4. freedom 4

    and another bs headline from TVNZ,

    wow i mean the story is almost a week old, must be tough being a journo in TV land

  5. Fisiani 5

    In the last parliament the only MP to be proven in court to be corrupt was Philip Field and he was never expelled from the Labour Party for this. Labour never even apologised for his abuse.

    • Kaplan 5.1

      Fisiani, here is a direct question for you. What would you like John Key to do about Pansy?

      • Tigger 5.1.1

        Clearly expel Wong from National and apologise for her abuse.

        Not sure why the party should apologise for the actions of one person though…but if Fisi wants it then National better jump.

        • Craig Glen Eden 5.1.1.1

          Fisiani we all know you don’t like the facts to get in the way of National Party spin, however just to remind you Field was not re-elected by Labour and he left the Party so they didn’t have to expel him.

          Wong however according to some in the media put out a press release saying she had resigned from Parliament, then subsequently she had only resigned from cabinet. While I am only speculating it may will be that Key doesn’t want a By-election in Botany and so has asked Wong not to resign until it is within six months of a general election in which case he could avoid a potentially embarrassing defeat.

    • Blighty 5.2

      Field was expelled from the Labour Party. He spent most of last terms as an independent.

      Do you think the same standard, or a higher standard, should be applied from your hero, John Key?

    • bbfloyd 5.3

      fisi… just a small point…knowingly making claims that can be easily countered by perusing public records, and indeed having read those same records yourself, is LYING!

      what part of your reptilian brain doesn’t register that your obnoxious attempts at political discourse are, at best, disgraceful and dishonest… if you are what national can rely on for support, then we are in serious trouble indeed!

    • Bunji 5.4

      The old NACT tactic of ‘if I repeat a lie often enough it will become true’.

      Philip Field was expelled from the Labour Party caucus on 14 February 2007. The wider Party moved to expel him as well the next day, but Field resigned before they could have a formal hearing to expel him. Much like Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth – ‘you can’t fire me, I quit!’

      captcha: nonsense.

      • Ari 5.4.1

        Which is annoying, because if he hadn’t quit the party, they could have pressured him to resign from parliament.

    • David Lester 5.5

      Fisiani – Field was expelled from the Labour caucus for his conduct and was facing expulsion from the party itself when he quit the party. National should apply the same high standards to Pansy Wong.

  6. dave 6

    Kaplan here’s a direct question for you,. What would you have liked Labour to do about Taito Philip Field?

    • Kaplan 6.1

      Dave, this post is very clearly about Pansy Wong and the fact Key has said these new revelations mean should would be sacked as a minister if she had not resigned. Now it is up to Pansy to resign from Parliament but National could expel her from caucus. The question posed is whether JK has the balls to do that.
      In reply Fisiani has predictably bought up the ‘but they did it’ argument so I am asking if what ‘they’ did was not palatable what would you like this lot to do. That is what is pertinent.
      If you want to contribute some substance then please, tell us what YOU think JK should do, given you clearly think he is better than your impression of that ‘last lot’. That’s the issue at hand.
      I’ll not hold my breath.

      • Blighty 6.1.1

        well put old boy.

        It’s very strange to see these righties damning the standards of the last government (as they see them) and then claiming that those same standards justify the behaviour of this government.

        • M 6.1.1.1

          What’s that spume around all the righties?

          Oh, just their autopilot reaction at being caught out again. They’ll need some serious wet weather gear to afford some protection before the next election or they’ll end up looking their usual wet selves.

      • ianmac 6.1.2

        In Field’s case it was not clear cut immediately that he was guilty. It took a long court case to establish the facts.
        It is right now pretty clear that Pansy Wong made mistakes though it might take police action to establish the extent of her problems. There is probably enough now or will be by the end of November for the Parliamentary action.

        • Jim Nald 6.1.2.1

          There is at least one thing I would like to see Jonkey do –
          that is to announce whether he is relaxed and comfortable about Pansy, with his and the National Party’s support, continuing to draw on taxpayer’s money while going on leave in order to disappear from the House .

  7. Gee wizz supporters of the party which was meant to bring us better standards are trying to defend Key’s failure to do anything about Wong because Labour expelled Field but apparently for a different reason.

    If Key does not act to expel Wong his teflon coating will be well and truely under serious threat.

  8. Russell 8

    all this attention on Pansy Wong !!! Why doesn’t Labour focus on some REAL issues

    • pollywog 8.1

      corrupt politicians ripping off the system for their own benefit while the country’s in a funk is about as REAL as it gets.

    • Carol 8.2

      Why doesn’t Labour focus on some REAL issues

      Do you mean Labour, or The Standard?

      And for the Standard, do you mean topics that can be seen on the blog from recent days, such as :
      Whanau ora, neoliberalism, Maori seats, police chases, peak oil, criminal procedures bill, TransPacific Trade & free trade issues?

      And for Labour:
      http://www.labour.org.nz/news

      Employment relations, broadband, cost of living, putting children first?

      • Lanthanide 8.2.1

        Clearly he means why isn’t the media focussing on something that makes National look good, instead of National look bad.

      • Blighty 8.2.2

        No, what Russell means is:

        ‘whaaa, please stop exposing how corrupt this government is and what a weak leader key is, whaaa’

    • freedom 8.3

      so private businesses being run from MP offices is not serious enough for you?

    • Bright Red 8.4

      Meanwhile, at the home of real issues, Kiwiblog, in the past 24 hours:

      a post cutting and pasting a Herald article on that big Facebook party in North Shore
      a cut and paste job on a reuters article about threats to the life of Tanzania’s first albino MP
      a post on MP’s perks that fails to mention Wong
      general debate
      a post on Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton
      an announcement of new ipredict stocks
      a cut and paste job from the Dom on Terry Serepisos

      Gee, I wish The Standard was covering all these REAL issues.

    • Ari 8.5

      Pansy Wong not resigning from parliament IS a real issue, genius.

    • David Lester 8.6

      Why doesn’t Labour focus on some real issues? One good way of seeing what issues a party focusses on is to see what their leader is asking questions about in the House – and what do we see, cost of living, food prices, hikes in GP costs.
      These seem like real issues.

      • Colonial Viper 8.6.1

        Pansy Wong abusing MP and Ministerial privileges while being shielded by the Prime Minister isn’t a ‘real issue’?

  9. Tanz 9

    This is a Labour blog, is it not? Now tha’t it’s all gone wrong for Key and Wong, the left is chortling. Trouble is, Key is still in power and is super-coated by super Teflon, he is what the average Kiwi loves and dreams of, and will re elect again and again, because there is not a lot of true interest in politics by every-day New Zealanders. Survival is more important, and Chardonnay with Cheese, times.

    [lprent: You need to read the about. It is a blog of the broad labour movement. ]

    • r0b 9.1

      This is a Labour blog, is it not?

      This is a blog of the Labour movement – see the about. It is not a blog of the Labour Party (for that you want Red Alert). The writers here support a range of leftie parties.

      • Tanz 9.1.1

        Thanks. Do you support any Rightie parties, such as Act? I am weary of Red Alert, the moderators are rather frightening and rude, except for the personable Phil Twyford. But at least Red Alert is an interesting, honest blog, and does allow comments (unlike the National party blog, whatever its name is).

  10. Jim Nald 10

    Act-shually (and this might surprise some readers here) I voted National in 2008.
    And I was an ardent, indeed audacious, supporter of Roger Douglas’ books in the 1980s but the partly baked ideas and implementation showed to be frightening and rather, erm, rude to the interests of the many.

    • Colonial Viper 10.1

      Well we all get older and hopefully wiser huh 🙄

      • Jim Nald 10.1.1

        I’m a bit slow but, thanks to key’s mantra about transparency, he has been helping me SEE THROUGH their modus operandi. The nacts keep taking us up the same path: 80s re Rogernomics, 90s re Ruthanasia and Shipley’s swanky wanky administration, and now their stealthy double standards, double face, double-dipping and double-speak methods.

        They haven’t changed; I am changing.

  11. randal 11

    anyone who invests money in hoverceraft has to be a bit strange anyway.
    costly inefficient and noisy.
    put on a big show and back in the shed.
    you dont even have to deflect them.

  12. freedom 12

    “Would it be easier to just give MPs a full wage and let them pay for their own travel costs?”

    I saw this on a newstalkzb comment tag and it struck me, on two fronts, as a particularly bizarre perspective of a MP’s income .

    Firstly, they do get paid quite a lot of money and to suggest there is something lacking in their renumeration, only highlights how surreal things have gotten. Most of the travel is unquestioned and let’s face it, not all of the domestic travel is strictly on MP business, especially that of the spouses. It is the international travel that people really wanted a clamp down on.

    Secondly, the subject of MPs abusing travel perks is a question of purpose not payment. The distinction between Official and Private business is quite simple, if it is unclear then we must question the suitability of the individual for the position of MP

  13. grumpy 13

    Trouble is, with all parties struggling for the ethnic vote and putting up anyone who even vaguely looks electable, they finish up with the cultural baggage (in the form of corruption) that goes with them. Labour got tarnished in the Auckland local body elections and now National.

    At least we are not hearing the “cultural differences” excuse.

    • Colonial Viper 13.1

      Not hearing about the cultural baggage excuse, except for you mentioning it that is?

      Ah, I do long for the clean green and non corrupt western civilisation who gave us Enron and the US Congress.

      Seriously where are the parallels here? An unelected no-body non-office holder with tenuous and recent links to the Labour Party gets found out in AKL local body elections vs an elected multi term MP and National Minister of the Crown whom appears to have exercised very bad judgement vis a vis tax payers resources over a long period of time with the PM still shielding her. Hmmm.

  14. Treetop 14

    The PM is handling Wong rather differently to Worth’s resignation. PM could have done a Worth on this one and accepted Wongs resignation as both a minister and an MP. But PM cannot afford to be seen as not allowing due process to occur, this was inevitable with Field and needs to occur with Wong.

    • Colonial Viper 14.1

      The PM believes in due process for Wong but not for Richard Worth?

      I don’t think so – the most likely explanation is that Key is doing what is politically expedient. Either that or he loves practicing his double standards.

      • Treetop 14.1.1

        Worth too is entitled to due process. I do not disagree with the politically expedient either. A lot more ground needs to be covered in revamping parliamentary spending and were Wong’s full resignation accepted by the PM there would be no shutting up the Wong resignation issue due to it involving inappropriate parliamentary spending.

      • Pascal's bookie 14.1.2

        Look JK is relaxed mate. He was a wall st banker at Merrily Fucking Lynch for chrissake (warning You tube link soundtrack quite possibly not safe for work). The PM is comfortable as with 99.9 of whatever petty-assed provincial lame dick excuse for vice or pissant financial scandal this country can produce.

        Richard Worth however? Well it clearly aint pretty my droogles. Clearly not. I fear, in fact, to speculate. And the bookie ain’t no vestal nuthin. He’s had his salad days and seen all sorts of dressings that go with I can tell you that much. As long as it’s consensual, you go for it has been my rule, and for me it was mostly about the drugs to be honest. I am just saying I’m no shrinking violet afeared of facing what people get up to.

        But a thing that a wall st merril lyncher finds too literally unspeakable?

        That has got to be sick sick shit. It’s just gotta be.

        I don’t want to know what Worth got up to

      • grumpy 14.1.3

        Somehow I don’t think Wong will be found out to have demanded a blow job for a government position.

  15. KJT 15

    This is a sideshow from the corruption that is really going on. The sellout of New Zealand to bankers, speculators, cronies and financiers which is being extended by their mate JK after it was started by Labour in 1984.

    Why is Douglas not in jail along with all the insider traders who made a killing in the fire sale.

    It was comical to see the dismay when their careful crafting of the attempt to burgle Auckland of public assets was upset when Auckland voted for Len Brown.

    Only trouble is Key will get his revenge by starving Auckland of funding until they toe the line.

  16. Jeremy Harris 16

    There’s no way she can stay, they might as well take their medicine…

  17. Irascible 17

    The revelations are stacking up against Pansy every day and the problem for Key is that as his permanent residence is in Hawaii rather than Helensville he is persistently out of touch with reality and the need to be more than “perfectly relaxed” about the behaviour of his “department managers” (Cabinet Ministers) and the rest of the company he uses to support his lifestyle.
    His excuse that he cannot act on the Wong case, that she is no longer a “Departmental Manager” so the issue is to be dealt with by a minion somewhat further down the line is what one can expect from someone who treats NZ as a small business rather than a nation state, treats Parliament as though it was a subsiduary that can be hocked off to a bigger conglomerate rather than a serious forum that legislates for the good of the state and typical of those who are creations of the glossed up CV and shonkey credentials.
    The Wong case is an illustration of all that is wrong with the Key NACT government.

  18. felix 18

    Key was on RNZ the other morning talking about this. Audio (Key comes on about half way through I think).

    This is the sound of a man out of his depth with a poor grasp of the issues fumbling, mumbling and fudging his “performance”.

    His babysitters must’ve been pretty upset with him after that.

    • Lanthanide 18.1

      He didn’t front this morning to talk about the housing expenses rort. Neither did English or whoever their chief whip is – so Pete Hodgson did.

    • Jim Nald 18.2

      John Key – O. M . G.
      I don’t know whether to weep or medicate myself.
      Still collecting myself to try to post a comment.

      I’ll have to step away from the computer to recover my composure.

  19. Herodotus 19

    Fotr my sake, how late can Pansy remain as an MP and resign and there be no by-election? and if Botany has no MP( Basing on PW resigning) who represents the interest of this electorate. Or do we have 40k voters not represtened in parliament.
    Just some Q of interest to me 😉

    • gobsmacked 19.1

      By law, if Wong resigns from Parliament, there has to be a by-election. Or the PM has to commit to a general election.

      Key wanted Worth out, because he was a list MP. i.e. no by-election needed.

      At that time, I asked Key’s cheerleaders on here, if the PM would have shown the same “leadership’ (as they called it) if Worth had been an electorate MP. I didn’t get an answer.

      We’re getting an answer now. It’s revealing.

      • Herodotus 19.1.1

        List MP’s are expendable, that is why when Lab refreashed themselves only the list MP’s retired early (or were gifted jobs), and why some think that Field was granted greater room. The power of having a strong electorate support you. Mana and Mt Albert are safe seats and have no bearing on any change that the public has towards Nat, Botany is very different and personnally it would be great if Pansy decided to board the hovercraft to distance shores, even if she would still be elidgible for legit use of travel until the day she ceases to be.

  20. gobsmacked 20

    On the choice between a by-election versus general election, the relevant law is here:

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0087/latest/DLM309461.html

    Key (sic) number: 75%

    That’s why Key is stalling on Pansy Wong fronting up. He doesn’t want to have to ask Labour for “permission” to call the election, and he doesn’t want to cut six months off National’s term.

    Eventually the press gallery will work this all out! They’re a bit slow on the uptake, bless ’em.

    • felix 20.1

      The press gallery don’t want to cause a scene so close to the end of the year. They don’t want Key to cancel the xmas piss-up or anything now, do they?

    • Herodotus 20.2

      So all that has to occur is for the Christmas recess then Parliament will not resume until mid Feb(?) + 6 months we enter the tradional Sept-Nov time span + there will not be an election during the RWC. Imagine party political broadcasts at the same time as the A.Bs playing a 1/4 final scenario or an election on the semis or final !!!

  21. Shazzadude 21

    Hmmm, there’s another question, what chances would an Asian party have of getting 5%?

  22. The Voice of Reason 22

    About the same as a Polynesian party, I’d say. Too many different identities (cultural, ethnic and political) to get the unity needed to get to 5% with the current population. An electorate seat is possible, I guess. Just need the candidate and the issue.

    • ianmac 22.1

      And the word Asian covers a very wide range of ethnicity. Chinese is only one of them.

      • Colonial Viper 22.1.1

        And worse than that, ‘Asians’ frequently have deep seated cultural biases, historical grudges and suspicions of each other. Chinese vs Japanese, Pakistani vs Indian,…

  23. Drakula 23

    I tell you that they (NAT/ACT) have all got their snouts in the trough.

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  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
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