In support of Nanaia Mahuta

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, November 6th, 2020 - 70 comments
Categories: International, labour, Nanaia Mahuta, the praiseworthy and the pitiful - Tags:

Some elements of the right as well as Comrade Chris Trotter have decided to attack Nanaia Mahuta’s appointment as Foreign Affairs minister.

I can understand the attacks from the right.  They are motivated by distaste because not only is she not a man but she is not one of them, her skin colour is not quite right as far as they are concerned and they still harbour views that were last century and which are well and truly past their use by date .  But the attack by Comrade Trotter is to be frank well misplaced.

At the Daily Blog he said this:

No amount of fluffing-up the elevation of Nanaia Mahuta to Minister of Foreign Affairs – “the first woman in our nation’s history appointed to hold the portfolio” – can disguise the sheer awfulness and irresponsibility of Ardern’s decision.

The job should have gone to David Parker: not only because he has earned it many times over, but also because, in the years between now and the next election, New Zealand is going to need a truly outstanding Foreign Minister. Regardless of who wins the 3 November presidential election, the conflict between the USA and China is going to ramp-up into something with the potential to inflict huge damage on this country and its economy. New Zealand needs a Foreign Minister of vision, courage, verbal felicity and real, on-the-ground, experience. Mahuta, sadly, has not distinguished herself as a person over-endowed with any of these qualities.

I would beg to differ with Comrade Chris.  Mahuta has displayed heaps of courage, for instance when she opposed the Foreshore and Seabed legislation, has an outstanding ability to present and critique ideas and her ability to ride the complexity of Maori politics leaves her well placed to do the same with International politics.

Mahuta has a proud history in the Labour Party.  She has been an MP since 1996.  I got to know her in 2011 during the Labour leadership contest that year when she stood for the deputy leadership in partnership with David Cunliffe.  The two of them toured the country and wowed the membership.  The caucus decided to support David Shearer but I can say confidently that large parts of the membership did not see it that way.

Nanaia was a star.  I saw her speak at a couple of meetings and her speech was straight from the heart, presented a complex view of the world, and made me think about things.  Her world view was expansive and complex.  She provided a distinct and welcome alternative to the other speeches being given.  And the David Nanaia partnership was perfect.  Male female, Pakeha Maori.

She was first elected to Parliament in 1996.  She survived the foreshore and seabed difficulties that the party faced.  She sought and received permission to vote against the bill.  In 2005 which was a good year for Labour but a bad year for Labour’s Maori MPs she was returned to Parliament.  Since then she has won the seat very comfortably.  Maori have a very sophisticated and complex understanding of the political process.  Mahuta’s continued success shows that she is tuned into what it happening within her community.

The increasing strength of the Maori and Pacifica caucuses in Labour are reasons for celebration.  Their sense of Manaakitanga is something that every leftie should endorse.  If you are looking for the left faction in Labour’s caucus this is it.

Shane Te Pou, who is going from strength to strength as a political commentator also considers that Nanaia’s appointment is a worthy one.  In this morning’s Herald he says this:

Ardern has recognised Mahuta as one of her most reliable ministers — she gets the job done, she keeps people onside, and she doesn’t create negative headlines. In other words, perfect attributes for a Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Nanaia Mahuta has built her 24-year career as an MP by being a quiet achiever. She connects to communities and stakeholders, builds consensus, fixes problems without a fuss, without a splash. She constantly surpasses expectations.

I was on the selection panel when Mahuta put her name forward to be a Labour candidate in 1996. I’ll confess, she wasn’t the top candidate in my mind, until she came and spoke to us.

Her research and knowledge was impeccable, her vision was impressive. Already in 1996, she was thinking about the post-Treaty settlement future that we’re only just starting to grapple with now.

She won that selection and has gone on to win eight successive electorate races. Through the foreshore and seabed controversy, when she voted against the bill in its first two readings, she decided the best course was to stay with Labour and be part of rebuilding the Māori voice in the party. She went back to her people and made the case for staying with Labour, and she won re-election — one of only two Māori seats Labour held in 2008.

People underestimate Mahuta at their peril. They think that because she’s not all over the news she’s not doing much, but that’s a mistake. Not every minister needs to be a star or a show-off. Getting things done is more important than producing a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

His conclusion is outstanding:

The best bit is the old grumps and racists moaning about it. It just shows how out of touch and irrelevant they are. It’s the 21st century — the days when grey men in suits were in charge are long gone. It’s time for the people of Aotearoa to be proud of who we are and display what makes us unique. A skilful, consensus-building wāhine with a moko kauae is the perfect voice for NZ’s place in the world.

He rākau taumatua he huinga manu — it’s not a wāhine leadership of one but it’s about the tree in the forest where all the birds turn up for a sing and a kōrero. A trusted and important tree in Te Wao nui a Tane, just as she is now a trusted and important politician in the current Government.

Maori woman with a moko representing us to world leaders?  Hell yeah.

70 comments on “In support of Nanaia Mahuta ”

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  1. Antonina 1
    6 November 2020 at 8:24 am

    well said Micky and thank you for writing this.

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    6 November 2020 at 8:25 am

    "I can understand the attacks from the right. They are motivated by distaste …"

    Poor lambs!

    I applaud the appointment.

  3. Tiger Mountain 3
    6 November 2020 at 8:44 am

    Nice piece. Do some of the critics even know what the Kingitanga is one wonders? This woman is definitely someone of status.

    Nanaia and Peeni replacing the reactionaries from NZ First are an opportunity for new approaches. Solidarity networks for the likes of Palestinians and West Papua need to move fast though, because 5 Eyes, internal security agencies and Israeli supporters, will already be trying to capture these two.

    It will be interesting when Nanaia meets some US State Dept. types and drops into the conversation–“so where is it all at with Standing Rock?”

  4. JanM 4
    6 November 2020 at 8:58 am

    Chris Trotter has some trouble understanding that white men no longer rule as of right. I feel as though I have hurtled back to the history department of the 60s when I read him sometimes. I personally am proud and happy that Nanaia Mahuta gets to represent us on the international stage. Kia kotahi!

    [Removed spurious text from e-mail address]

    • greywarshark 4.1
      6 November 2020 at 11:00 am

      JanM I think you have trouble understanding discussion and critiquing in general, wanting a rose-strewn path with feminine/feminist bias all the time. Women need to be watched and checked and evaluated as with all candidates for anything, to ensure they are trustworthy and capable. Women and Maori as two groups who have been backgrounded for a long time, can not be indulged with have-a-go, or rah rah, it's your time. It should be a case of equal opportunity, with a recognition of whom is ready and capable to do the job. There should also be a willingness, a desire to have a greater representation of society among those ready to carry out the task. To ensure this all should have an opportunity to learn skills and shine especially those who have not been considered in the past. They must have opportunities to build the skills and abilities, and have places set aside at training institutions, whether in university or practical social work courses. Then equality must be evident in choosing personnel, and thinking widely, we might then see more NZs in positions with aurthoritu instead of the present influx of overseas high flyers.

      It seems that Ms Mahuta's talents can stand any amount of critiquing and comparison with David Parker. It is not unreasonable of Chris Trotter to discuss and test the case.

      • JanM 4.1.1
        6 November 2020 at 1:34 pm

        Are your comments about what I said wilful ignorance or just an excuse to hang your hat on a convenient peg?

        • greywarshark 4.1.1.1
          6 November 2020 at 9:28 pm

          Jibes at anyone who doesn't follow your line of thinking which has superior authority is your style it appears.

      • CrimsonGhost 4.1.2
        9 November 2020 at 7:17 pm

        Yeah nah, Chris is just becoming reactionary in his old age & bummed that his tidbit feeder Parker didn't get the role and be able to provide him with more tidbits LOL.

    • tc 4.2
      6 November 2020 at 11:52 am

      "…I have hurtled back to the history department of the 60s when I read him.." +100

      Trotter's a tame lefty media rent a quote goto they turn to as he doesn't scare the 'horses' like pagani etc. They have to pay the piper eventually.

  5. Patricia Bremner 5
    6 November 2020 at 8:59 am

    Nanaia will represent us with dignity and knowledge. She is a believer in the rule of law and a great communicator and listener. She is able to network, and has confidence in her role and is a team player. The World Trade people she met through her Associate Minister of Trade role, congratulated her on her new role and gave a glimpse of the warm relationships and respect in which she is held. I am pleased for her, but more pleased for us. Jacinda Ardern is a very astute leader, and shows that once again.

  6. swordfish 6
    6 November 2020 at 9:17 am

    I can understand the attacks from the right. They are motivated by distaste because not only is she not a man but she is not one of them, her skin colour is not quite right as far as they are concerned

    Ohhh, Poor Little Rich Girl.

    Mission of the Political Right: Maintaining power for the Christ College / Whanganui Collegiate Old Boys Network

    Mission of the Woke "Cultural Left": Empowering & ostentatiously celebrating the spoiled, privileged elites of ID demographics deemed "marginalised" … from Old Money Pakeha Woodford House Girls to Blue Blood Indigenous Aristocracy …

    All very emotionally moving for the sort of Upper-Middle Professionals (imbued with a kind of Romantic Paternalism) now firmly in control of supposedly "Left"-leaning Parties.

    Elitist to its very core.

    • RedLogix 6.1
      6 November 2020 at 9:25 am

      Blue Blood Indigenous Aristocracy

      Indeed, most pakeha are quite blind to how very elitist and precisely calibrated are the class distinctions in Maori society.

      Nonetheless, if she is as competent as the OP paints her to be, then this is all that really matters to me.

      • left_forward 6.1.1
        6 November 2020 at 9:53 am

        … very elitist and precisely calibrated…

        If you are pakeha, then the irony of your view is how dangerously close to intellectual elitism and racist it is.

        If you are maori, then I recommend that you look for the deeper nuances within your whanaunga.

        • Redlogix 6.1.1.1
          6 November 2020 at 11:19 am

          Whakapapa. While it is usually explained as genealogy and connection to your past ancestors, there is also no doubt that it very precisely places each individual into a complex hierarchy in the present.

          And that hierarchy has both it's good and oppressive aspects. None of this is terribly controversial, all human societies do this to some degree.

    • left_forward 6.2
      6 November 2020 at 9:26 am

      Sorry – don't understand anything you have written here – too many codified phrases – what are you actually saying?

    • Matthew Whitehead 6.3
      6 November 2020 at 9:30 am

      Happy to discuss elitism within Labour or the Left generally, but what exactly are you citing as evidence here that either Minister Mahuta herself or her appointment is a result of elitism? So far you've just thrown the accusation without really backing it up.

    • mickysavage 6.4
      6 November 2020 at 7:36 pm

      Interesting comment Swordfish. The broad left have discussed for a few decades now the competing arguments of class, race and gender.

      Some see things in class terms only, others in gender terms, others in race terms.

      For me I see class and race as being closely linked. Gender perhaps less so.

      It is a valid argument but one that tends to blow up every time the left has it …

      • swordfish 6.4.1
        7 November 2020 at 6:45 am

        For me I see class and race as being closely linked.

        That's your problem right there.

  7. left_forward 7
    6 November 2020 at 9:22 am

    Yes I entirely agree – the critique is completely unwarranted and ignorant.

  8. Matthew Whitehead 8
    6 November 2020 at 9:47 am

    Most of the criticism I've seen of this falls into one of three categories:

    a) Obvious racism. I don't think we need to waste time discussing that nonsense, and it discredits anyone who tries it. I'm sure to some degree other critiques are motivated by unconscious racism, and that one's a bit more insidious to get at.

    b) Objecting to how "quiet" Mahuta is- I think you covered this well in the post. There is no reason a Minister has to be flashy, in fact from the PM's perspective there is some benefit to surprising the public or your opponents with everything they've done because they're plugging away in the background. Frankly, being able to sit back and say "this room already has all the questions I want to ask covered, I will observe and report later" or even just "this isn't my area yet, I will be quiet and learn for now" is an underrated political skill, and it is telling that political liches like Stephen Franks think it's disqualifying.

    c) Fetishizing experience- I think Trotter's objection that Parker is more qualified fits in here. There are other ways to be qualified than just the sorts of obvious things you'll have checked in a job interview, although the Minister has some of those as a previous Minister for Trade, too, and I'm willing to take Ardern at her word that she's impressed in that portfolio. (And you know me, I will be skeptical as all hell when there's evidence behind doing so!) Also, Parker may frankly not want MFAT, and is almost certainly the type who will be pleased for Mahuta's promotion. It is uncharitable to push him as an alternative to her given their presumably still close working relationship.

    Mahuta comes from a tradition that is deeply appropriate to this role, and even Pakeha like me can see she's built up an impressive amount of mana for Labour in general and herself in particular, that will be of great value in MFAT. Not only is it past time we gave roles this senior to women, a wahine Māori perspective will be extremely valuable in MFAT and hopefully build new and useful values into the future. And she was actually very impressive in the Labour leadership shuffle debates.

    I think on paper she's a particularly brilliant pick, but obviously as with all Cabinets, we do have to wait and see to a degree whether theory becomes reality. I'm frankly surprised that it's Mahuta that most of the ire has fallen upon, as she seems for less controversial to me than re-appointing Clark, or promoting Jackson.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 8.1
      6 November 2020 at 11:53 am

      Great comment Matthew. Can't recall the last time the appointment of a NZ Foreign Affairs minister engendered such angst.

      Looking at a photo of Mahuta, it's easy to fully understand the origin of that angst in some, but why not give her a fair go – her decisions and actions in this portfolio will be scrutinised as never before; literally like no other.

  9. Darien Fenton 9
    6 November 2020 at 9:52 am

    I am so proud of this appointment. I agree what you are seeing is the traditional old boys bullshit that woman have no place in the "real" jobs of the government. It shows NZ is growing up at last.

  10. Brigid 10
    6 November 2020 at 9:53 am

    She withdrew from the Labour list after the seabed and foreshore legislation and stood only as an electorate candidate in Hauraki-Waikato at the next election to truly test the feeling of the electorate. Hows that for courage and strength? How many other politicians have similarly risked their job?

    None.

    Chris Trotter, this time, is so wrong. And why does he think Parker is more fit for the role anyway?

    • tc 10.1
      6 November 2020 at 12:13 pm

      manufacturing dissent as he is a media poodle. No doubt he’s got a snoozefest of an article to back up his thoughts.

  11. Brendan 11
    6 November 2020 at 9:56 am

    Nat voter here.

    NZ's Foreign policy is basically the same under Team Blue or Team Red with a different flavour. I.e sell more stuff and don't have a war. I don't see a major change in foreign affairs – other than trying to do as much as possible with possibly smaller budgets due to COVID cuts.

    She has been around for a while in Parliment so she will know how things work. And she will have had lots of practice doing buisness with us whities, which will help with the job. Foreign Affairs will be there to handle the finer protocol details that otherwise might be missed.

    And overseas Ministries of Foreign affairs are be proffessional organizations who just want to get on with buisness (And they know that foreigners like Nanaia are different anyway so they expect them not to act like them).

    All the best for the next 3 years – although she might get sick of airports and air travel once COVID ends.

    • left_forward 11.1
      6 November 2020 at 10:19 am

      Is that all that foreign policy is to a Nat voter? Money and war?

      • Wensleydale 11.1.1
        6 November 2020 at 11:25 am

        That's all foreign policy is to the entire human race, generally speaking. Money, power, resources, and war. The latter is simply one means of acquiring the former.

        • left_forward 11.1.1.1
          6 November 2020 at 12:50 pm

          Doesn’t humanitarianism hold any value across the 'entire' human race?

          • Wensleydale 11.1.1.1.1
            6 November 2020 at 1:48 pm

            Sure it does. But self-interest is a huge aspect of what goes on. Human nature is funny like that.

          • Gabby 11.1.1.1.2
            6 November 2020 at 5:25 pm

            That would be the presence of money and the absence of war.

            • greywarshark 11.1.1.1.2.1
              6 November 2020 at 7:55 pm

              No I don't think so. It has been found that war is a great wealth creator for some. The spending of nations on armaments and just grenades is tremendous. Diana, Princess of Wales was onto that.

              War is a problem to those who get caught up in it as attackers or the attacked, but isn't so terrible for the organisers and those at home who may be just inconvenienced. Ir has proved to be something terrible, that someone is always prepared to countenance; the mind skips over it and Anzac Day has lost the depth of meaning.

              And the fancy equipment and gear development and then the building costs a fortune, and gives a fortune to the businesses involved. So war and money go well together. Wensleydale is right on the button.

  12. Rosemary McDonald 12
    6 November 2020 at 10:10 am

    If you all remember…in 2017 Nanaia Mahuta made a staunch stand in Hauraki / Waikato against the Maori Party candidate endorsed by King Tuheitea.

    She held her seat, despite having to go up against the Kingitanga's Chosen One.

    "I never take an election for granted. I've been clear in this election about the issues that Labour would seek to implement to improve the lives of whānau that I represent. And they've heard that message, and they've spoken, and they've returned me back to Parliament for three years,"

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/97172406/labours-nanaia-mahuta-defeats-rahui-papa-in-haurakiwaikato

    I've always admired Nanaia Mahuta, and given the space she'll represent Aotearoa on the world stage with intelligence and grace.

  13. Reality 13
    6 November 2020 at 10:16 am

    Great to see a quiet and respected achiever is being recognised and that men in suits are having to learn these roles can be held by women.

    Jacinda's diverse caucus is in stark contrast to Judith's, as we saw with post election photos of the two caucuses.

  14. Stuart Munro 14
    6 November 2020 at 10:17 am

    I haven't followed her particularly closely, and I am not a fan of facial tats.

    But her rep is very strong. The last Maori we had doing foreign affairs did a great job. And it's a wakeup call to countries that have put less effort into supporting their indigenous peoples.

    I imagine she'll shine, and good on her.

  15. Anne 15
    6 November 2020 at 10:21 am

    Around 2012 Nanaia came to my electorate to put the local active membership through a special exercise. She divided us into teams of 5-10 people and gave each team a political circumstance to solve. It could have ended up a bit of a battle ground but it didn't. Nanaia handled the occasion brilliantly and I was very impressed with the way she was able to engage with each of us regardless of our backgrounds and level of importance in the party.

    I think that ability will stand her in very good stead no matter who she is negotiating with. She also comes across to me as a woman of infinite patience too, which could be sorely needed in the times ahead.

  16. Siobhan 16
    6 November 2020 at 10:25 am

    "Maori have a very sophisticated and complex understanding of the political process."…qudos for noticing that Maori, like all humans, are inherently political I guess, but what on earth does that mean? and as opposed to whom exactly?..you perchance? or Pakeha (all of them..seeing as were going for broad racial stereotypes today).
    It would be good to read a bit more about Nanaia’s actions as an individual political force rather than so heavily pigeonholing her…and her critics..

    • greywarshark 16.1
      6 November 2020 at 10:34 am

      You're looking for a stern but fair assessment. Fair enough. What Anne says above may be heartening and answer some of your queries?

      • Siobhan 16.1.1
        6 November 2020 at 11:05 am

        Yes..thank you. Annes comment is more what i'm interested in. And more. I'm all for the 'stern but fair assessment' of Labour and its members even though some people interpret such things as being one step away from some sort of Communist style show trial.

        • greywarshark 16.1.1.1
          6 November 2020 at 11:56 am

          You set up the questions well Siobhan, and we throw the balls at the figures in the sideshow. And everyone gets to participate, and who knows who is winning but the idea is to have a try, and the show rolls on with good attendance. Which is what we want I think.

    • weka 16.2
      6 November 2020 at 10:42 am

      Not all cultures are the same. Māori have a particular cultural way of approaching politics. Why does this have to be understood in opposition to something, instead of looking at it in its own right?

      • Siobhan 16.2.1
        6 November 2020 at 11:15 am

        Not all cultures are the same. Then again not all people within each culture are the same….Not all people of any particular gender are the same. Not all people of any generation are the same…yet do we feel the need to point this out on every comment about every individual and their approach to politics?

        …any way..my point was that this piece seemed to lack any real information as to Nanaias particular skills and suitability for the job.,which at the end of the day would the best argument as to her suitability..rather than a tit for tat about 'grumpy old white men' vs 'Maori', let alone the implication that Maori and Pasifika people are somehow inherently the Leftist faction in Labour.

        • weka 16.2.1.1
          6 November 2020 at 12:03 pm

          I felt the need to point it out because you seemed confused about Māori politics.

          We must have read different posts. The one I read is full of Mahuta's skills and suitability for the job.

  17. bwaghorn 17
    6 November 2020 at 11:15 am

    So we have a woman pm ,a maori woman foreign affairs minister, the nats had a Maori leader and a Maori woman DP in bennet ( correct me if I'm wrong on that)

    Sounds like maybe we need to stop with the nz is a racist sexist country palaver.

  18. AB 18
    6 November 2020 at 11:41 am

    I think Chris gives the game away by accusing Mahuta of lacking "verbal felicity". This is the thing that really bothers him, the other stuff about 'courage' etc. he can't possibly know. For a certain type of educated Pakeha (I'd plead guilty here too), this skill of "verbal felicity" is a marker of intelligence. And Trotter illustrates what he perceives as Mahuta's lack of it, by showing off his own through the very use of this phrase. I wouldn't call it racist, but it's very bound up with one particular cultural perspective.

  19. Heather Grimwood 19
    6 November 2020 at 12:04 pm

    Nanaia most certainly has courage Micky ! and not only over Seabed and Seashore. She has dealt with attitudes to capable women prevailing in her early years of activism, with sadness, with producing and raising children while an M.P., characteristically without fanfare and undoubted racial slights with seeming equanimity.
    I first recognised her earnestness at LP conferences….always on tasks at sessions and in between, always friendly and capable, and through the years always answering emails. I remember at a LP conference in Dunedin, The little family sitting quietly at dinner when Nanaia must have been exhausted.
    I wish her well
    Yes, Pat Bremner, Nanaia “has dignity and knowledge.”
    Yes, Tiger Mountain, Nanaia “is definitely a woman of status.”
    Yes, Matthew Whitehead ( at 8 par 3 ), David Parker is most “certainly the type who will be pleased for Nanaia’s promotion. “

  20. Ad 20
    6 November 2020 at 12:07 pm

    I would evaluate her on her work.

    The policy work she has done on freshwater governance over the last two years could have been an explosion of poop all over the place. Instead she has subtly tilted the field of discourse towards "of course" and "totally necessary".

    Fresh water governance reform is of course driving policy deep in to rural local government heartland, which is code word for National. All those tiresome fifedoms of farmers electing each other up. But what's coming their way is a shift towards amalgamation of water entities that will require greater common accountability from larger regions for water reliability and water quality. That's Mahuta's work.

    She's formed a very firm bed for policy change that will enable Ardern to have a bit more courage when it comes to water price reform. Which runs of course straight into mana whenua kaitiaki and Treaty claim issues. It would be bonkers not to replace her with a Maori Labour leader in this area. Note again near silence from Maori on water at the moment. That's Mahuta's work.

    The field of policy work that is most strongly open to her in Foreign Affairs is the Pacific Islands Forum, COVID-19 economic development recovery response, and pacific islands regional development. New Zealand frankly needs a te reo speaker there because putting up a Pakeha – no matter how skilled – inevitably has a parochial tint to it. It certainly is an advantage that she comes from the prestigious Mahuta line, and with very strong Kingitanga understanding.

    We have never done a convincing job on this forum, and the testosterone levels within the Melanseian Spearhead Group are quite something. Frankly it needs a female Maori leader to engage on this well. None other have her standing.

    Many Pacific Islands have been proven over COVID19 lockdown to be totally dependent upon tourism trade from ourselves and Australia. She will be an excellent asset landing the new health protocols that will enable flights to re-start, and in dong so re-start the devastated economies of our Realm countries and further afield.

    Often Foreign Affairs is the position you give to the Minister most likely to form a coup against you.

    Instead she has sent one of her most competent, most Pacifika-smart, most relationship-nuanced Cabinet Ministers.

    It's a strong choice.

    • RedLogix 20.1
      6 November 2020 at 12:47 pm

      Thanks for filling out some details. She is a bold choice that was always going to attract some comment. No question she will be under considerable scrutiny to deliver in what is going to be a critical Ministry role in the next few years.

      Like most others here I wish her the best.

    • Patricia Bremner 20.2
      6 November 2020 at 2:05 pm

      Thanks Ad, a good summary.
      I was impressed with her dignified inclusive manner, and this action shows we colonials have begun to cringe less, and have developed pride in our own.

    • mickysavage 20.3
      6 November 2020 at 7:47 pm

      Thanks Ad.

      Agreed entirely about water. This is the big, really big issue for the country. This summer parts of Tamaki Makaurau are going to face severe pressures, worse than last year.

      The Waikato river and Tainui (kia ora) are helping but this is not sustainable.

      And te wai must be clearly in the centre of article two of the Treaty of Waitangi.

      This is a bit of a downer for some but once the Crown makes an agreement it should stick to it.

  21. mary_a 21
    6 November 2020 at 12:42 pm

    Well done Labour and Jacinda for appointing Nanaia Mahuta as our Minister of Foreign Affairs.

    I could not be prouder than to have Nanaia represent NZ's interests overseas. Nanaia is a woman with mana and dignity, possessing the necessary ability to calmly draw people together. She will serve our country well.

  22. Heather Grimwood 22
    6 November 2020 at 1:09 pm

    [Hopefully fixed. There was some stray text in your name field – MS]

  23. Dot 23
    6 November 2020 at 1:29 pm

    Mary -a, you have expressed my thinking well.
    I feel very proud to have Nanaia Mahuta as Aotearoa’s Foreign Minister .

  24. Jae 24
    6 November 2020 at 2:18 pm

    Thanks for writing this, couldn't agree more.

  25. PsyclingLeft.Always 25
    6 November 2020 at 4:36 pm

    Nanaia seems to have a quiet, measured dignity. Is gravitas the appropriate word? Best Wishes Nanaia !.

    (and I did look this up)….

    Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui

  26. Grafton Gully 26
    6 November 2020 at 7:07 pm

    "There are approximately 476 million Indigenous Peoples worldwide, in over 90 countries."

    https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples#:~:text=There%20are%20approximately%20476%20million,percent%20of%20the%20extreme%20poor

    We now have an Indigenous Person as Foreign Minister, who will become known to the 476 million as a woman of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 90 countries is potentially a lot of influence.

    • RedLogix 26.1
      7 November 2020 at 6:59 am

      We now have an Indigenous Person as Foreign Minister

      What was the ethnicity of the previous FM again?

  27. peterlepaysan 27
    6 November 2020 at 9:24 pm

    Interesting I cannot find a reference to Nanaia on on either trotters or bradbury's sites.

    • weka 27.1
      7 November 2020 at 12:34 am

      If you make even a minor change to your username or email address the system treats you as a new person and you get caught in the spam filter. I've adjusted your username back to what its been historically onsite. Mods *strongly prefer people to use the same name (choose one name and stick to it).

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  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five 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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    25 mins ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
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  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Government focused on getting people into work
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
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  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
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  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
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  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
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  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
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  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
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  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
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  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
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