Is National the party of law and order?

Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, January 30th, 2020 - 38 comments
Categories: election 2020, election funding, law, law and "order", national, same old national, Simon Bridges, suppression orders, uncategorized - Tags:

Yesterday’s SFO announcement that four persons have been charged with offences following the investigation of the Feng Shue carve up of a $100,000 donation to National will reverberate for a while.  Unfortunately for National during election year.  It makes National’s claim that it is the party of Law and Order pretty suspect.  And it reinforces concerns that National is rather too reliant on Chinese sourced money.

Bridges tried to suggest National had been exonerated by the decision to charge.  In a press release he and the party said:

As expected neither National Party Leader Simon Bridges, nor the National Party have been charged following an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.

“I have always maintained I had nothing to do with the donations. As I have always said the allegations against both myself and the Party were baseless and false,” National Party Leader Simon Bridges says.

“This was always just a vendetta by a disgruntled former MP.”

“I have always been confident in the way the Party receives and declares donations,” General Manager Greg Hamilton says.

“We are happy to put this matter behind us and will not be making any other comment.”

Bridges claiming he had nothing to do with the donations is a bit rich.  We have all heard the tape Simon.  Particularly this bit:

JLR: [laughs] Hey um you know at Paul Goldsmith’s function you saw those two Chinese guys, [redacted] and [redacted] ? You had dinner at their home?

SB: Yes.

JLR: They talked to you about a hundred thousand dollar donation –

SB: Yep

JLR: That is now in.

SB: Fantastic

JLR: What would you like done with it? It’s currently sitting in a Botany electorate account.

…

SB: Um look, I just think we want it for, uh, the advertisements and the like, you know? We want it for the things that we’re gonna need to do over the next year or so, sort of outside of the – not outside of the party but um, uh, you know, like I say we want to do some more attack ads – say we want to do another regional fuel one, say we want to do an industrial relations one.

When I first read the statement my lawyer’s antenna picked up. National is an unincorporated society and generally for legal purposes has no separate standing.

Under the Electoral Act normally an unincorporated body cannot be charged with an offence.  There are some references to “unincorporated bod[ies]” in the Act but offence provisions refer to persons.

So saying that the party had been cleared is not correct.  It could not be charged.

Sam Sachdeva and Andrew Geddis have interpreted the statement as being that no one in the party has been charged, and in particular the party secretary.  But I wish that Bridges and National were more careful with their language.  After all Bridges is a lawyer.  Surely he knows the difference between the party and the general secretary.

I am sure the press will be focussed on the first appearance of the defendants later next month.  If and when disclosure of the identities of those charged is made then his statement can be reviewed.

As I said yesterday please do not speculate on who the people charged are or on the details of the case.  This is for the Court process to work out and decide.

38 comments on “Is National the party of law and order? ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. DirkDirkin 1
    30 January 2020 at 8:40 am

    “We are happy to put this matter behind us and will not be making any other comment.”

    And the compliant media wont ask questions.

    Why?

  2. Incognito 2
    30 January 2020 at 9:00 am

    Cui bono?

  3. RedLogix 3
    30 January 2020 at 9:07 am

    A question for mickey; what are the boundaries on this 'unincorporated societies cannot be charged for anything' malarkey?

    If the office-holders can hide behind 'the party' and then the party itself cannot be held to account because it's 'unincorporated' … on paper it seems a massive loophole. Put like this it seems they could get away with anything, but in reality there must be some point at which it breaksdown.

    • mickysavage 3.1
      30 January 2020 at 9:26 am

      General Secretary of a party is the person with the most onerous obligations. They have obligations over and above others.

      You then get into a situation working out who knew what when and who was conducting it all.

      • RedLogix 3.1.1
        30 January 2020 at 9:31 am

        Thanks. That makes sense, although it does seem designed to maximise plausible deniability. Which I guess is a real thing in politics laugh

        Nominations for new GenSec being sought as we speak eh?

        • You_Fool 3.1.1.1
          30 January 2020 at 10:37 am

          My (non-lawyer) understanding is that it means that the National Party is not a thing. Bridge's comment has the same meaning as saying that neither Simon Bridges, nor Simon Bridge's shoes, have been charged. Factually true, but meaningless

          • Dennis Frank 3.1.1.1.1
            30 January 2020 at 11:03 am

            Intriguing, huh? The notion that a political party is not a legal entity if it hasn't formed as an incorporated society. Did I get that right? If so, I wonder how many of our political parties are above the law?? 🤔

            • veutoviper 3.1.1.1.1.1
              30 January 2020 at 1:45 pm

              "The notion that a political party is not a legal entity if it hasn't formed as an incorporated society. Did I get that right? "

              Umm – no, Dennis – not imho in the way you are suggesting. LOL

              A political party is still a legal entity under the Electoral Act whether or not it is incorporated, if it meets the criteria set down in Section 3 (Interpretation), ie :

              party, in Parts 6AA, 6A, and 6B,—

              (a) means a political party registered under Part 4; and

              (b) includes a political party that at any time during the regulated period has been registered under Part 4. "

              Some registered political parties are incorporated, and others are not.

              For example, NZ Labour, NZ Green and TOP are all incorporated according to their Constitions, whereas the National Party Constitution describes it as "a non-profit making, unincorporated group, established to undertake political activity".

              Using the current Register of Parties, it is not clear whether ACT or NZF are incorporated or not; I suspect the latter. Haven't checked the remaining registered parties but here is a link to the Register:

              https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/political-parties-in-new-zealand/register-of-political-parties/

              As I understand it, regardless of incorporation status, any registered political party and its officers must meet the legal requirements of the Electoral Act and therefore the party is essentially a 'legal entity' for that purpose/reason.

              Although I used to be well up with the intrinsic pros and cons of incorporation for legal purposes and otherwise, I am now very rusty in that area so will not attempt to comment on that aspect. Cheers.

              • RedLogix …
                30 January 2020 at 2:07 pm

                What can of worms has been opened here?

                What if a society is not incorporated?

                A society does not have to be incorporated in order to operate. So, before you decide whether to incorporate, you should consider the following issues of not doing so:

                • The society does not have a separate legal identity to that of its members.
                • Members of an unincorporated society can be held liable for the society’s debts.
                • An unincorporated society cannot sue or be sued in court. Any court action would be taken by, or against, the members individually.
                • An unincorporated society cannot own property or enter into contracts.
                • If a society is not incorporated, it is not required to have rules to govern it. This can become a problem if there are disputes about how the society is run.
                • Gifting property (including money) to a society that is not incorporated can be a problem.
                • An unincorporated society cannot use the word ‘Incorporated’ at the end of its name.

                https://is-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz/help-centre/getting-started/about-incorporated-societies/

                Does this mean all contracts the National Party have ever entered into are null and void? For example, advertising, polling, party administration and the like.

                The way it’s worded it seems as if Unincorporated societies are very much just extensions of their ‘owner’. So who ‘owns’ the National Party? And what if that owner is a trust of some kind? Is this what they’re hiding behind?

                • veutoviper …
                  30 January 2020 at 2:33 pm

                  Now I have that headache I was trying to avoid !!!!!!!!

                  It is a massive can of worms but unfortunately (or luckily) I don't have time right now to come up with anything constructive/informative as have other commitments which have been avoided so far today but cannot do so any longer.

                  Will think on it, but I seem to recall that Labour only recently became incorporated … MS can possibly help us with their reasoning for doing so – she asks hopefully …

                  It is now going to drive me crazy ! PS it is great to see you back for a lot of reasons which I won't elaborate on or my commenting may come to an end.

              • Dennis Frank …
                30 January 2020 at 4:05 pm

                Thanks for that clarification – had got my head nicely cleared on a bushwalk alongside the local river (all those negative ions from Gaia) but now I'm puzzled again.

                Just guessing, looks like the SFO may have adopted a two-stage strategy: go for the low-hanging fruit, and if convictions result, use them as the basis for making the higher-hanging fruit the next target.

                As I mentioned earlier, the second prong would have to go for the organisers of the scheme rather than those who put it into operation. Provided that conspiracy to commit a crime that was actually committed is also a criminal act, of course. Evidence that three Nats discussed the scheme is already in the public domain. Non-conspiracy theorists would point out that this is just a coincidence… 😎

      • Paul Campbell 3.1.2
        30 January 2020 at 6:23 pm

        This money went into an electorate account – it may be the party's particular electorate committee, and more importantly their secretary (rather than the national one) who's on the spot here. In fact National may be avoiding a lot of the law by spreading the money around.

        It's way past time we made EVERY dollar that is given to political parties public, it's mostly done through bank transfers and online credit card payments anyway, collecting this data should be trivial. People worry about discrimination (in jobs, housing etc) against people who donate – but we should make that discrimination illegal, not use it as an excuse for transparency

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    30 January 2020 at 9:16 am

    The taped conversation refers to a single donation entering the National Party Botany account. The National Party leader is heard acknowledging the offer of it from two Chinese men. A jury could reasonably be expected to see the cause and effect relationship between the offer and the deposit.

    These are the two historical facts that the court case will hinge on. They are not speculation. Since JLR publicised them, they have become part of our political history.

    And history is often a morality play, right? Shakespeare made a career out of dramatising that part of political group psychodynamics. So, regardless of the legal side of things, there's a public interest in how National conducted the donation process because it seems to be an attempt to circumvent the law.

    Politicians gaming the system by finessing laws are normal in the USA, but the public here are more traditionally British still, I suspect, and view this type of behaviour askance – since it seems obviously immoral. Hard to see Simon's wriggling on the moral hook as having much prospect of success…

  5. Psycho Milt 5
    30 January 2020 at 9:31 am

    Surely he knows the difference between the party and the general secretary.

    Yep, I don't doubt that for a moment…

  6. Anne 6
    30 January 2020 at 10:06 am

    Relevant excerpt form phonecall transcript:

    Ross: Donations can only be raised two ways: Party donation or candidate donation.

    Party donation has a different disclosure which is fine, and the way they've done it meets the disclosure requirements… it meets the requirements where it's under the particular disclosure level because they're a big association and there's multiple people and multiple people make donations, so that's all fine. But if it was a candidate donation that'd be different. So making them party donations is the way to do it. Legally though if they're party donations they're kind of under Greg's name as the party secretary.

    Bridges: We need to tell them, I get that. I get that. I'm going to tell him… I think he'll accept it I just need to explain to him what it is I want it for. Unless I get him to… leave it with me. I might talk to McClay as well; see what he's got up his sleeve. Because Peter is going to be with me at this meeting in Wellington, is all. If I then brought him [in] after that… good work though man, that's a lot of money.

    Ross: Yeah they're good people. Now there's no catch or anything to it. You may recall at the dinner they did discuss candidacy, and another Chinese candidate.

    Bridges: Two MPs, yeah.

    Based on the above, there's no way Bridges can claim to have "had nothing to do with it". He may not have managed any of the process adopted, but he knew from the start exactly what was done and he signaled his approval.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/107914931/jamilee-ross-and-simon-bridges-phone-call-transcript

    • mac1 6.1
      30 January 2020 at 10:24 am

      Amongst all this dishonesty we must keep in mind the trading going on in List MPs as Anne's excerpt highlights, but also the racism of their banter about relative merits of MPs by race, let alone the disparaging remarks about their own MPs in these phone calls with Bridges and Ross.

      Is National the party of law and order? I hardly think so.

      The best image I have seen about where National is at is on Facebook where a National MP is proudly showing off the laundry where his suits are being dry-cleaned ready for election year.

      It'll take more for this particular tarnish to be removed. I bought a second hand shirt, very nice, new and light for summer. It stinks of deodorant. Multiple washes, use of vinegar, repeated airings, exposure to sunlight- nothing alters the fact that the fabric is irrevocably stained.

      Like National, it won't even recycle well. Best to consign it to the rag bag of history

      • patricia 6.1.1
        2 February 2020 at 1:39 pm

        Mac1 Try baking soda pasted on to the area, leave for 30 minutes then wash as normal Cheers. Baking soda can be used as a deodorant as well. Good luck.
        National need a barrel of the stuff lol.

        • mac1 6.1.1.1
          2 February 2020 at 2:07 pm

          Thanks, patricia. I'll try that. After a good barrel dosage, National needs to be hung out to dry. Sunlight, like laughter, is a good disinfectant.

  7. veutoviper 7
    30 January 2020 at 11:03 am

    I note that MS' link for Andrew Geddis in the post above is to Andrew's article on The Spinoff, which is well worth a read.

    Andrew was also interviewed on RNZ Checkpoint last night and I posted the link to this plus a short summary on the SFO post late last night @14. As I found this interview an excellent summary, I will take the liberty of repeating some of my earlier comment again here.

    Legal aspects (including probable legal reasons why "the party" (ie National) or any of its officers have apparently NOT been charged)

    There has been a lot of speculation above on these aspects so I wanted to recommend that as a first step people listen to the interview with Andrew Geddis, constitional law professor, Otago University, on Checkpoint this evening which covers Andrew's views on these aspects in a clear down to earth manner for non-legal beagles.

    In summary, Geddis believes that this is the first time that such charges have been laid – assuming that they relate to 'how the donations were paid into the National Party accounts', and not to any other issues that were found in the course of the SFO's investigations.

    He is not particularly surprised that neither Bridges nor any Party offficials have been charged – for example the Party Secretary.

    According to Geddes:

    • For Bridges to have personally been charged he would have had to explicitly told the donors that he wanted them to pay the donations to the party in this specific illegal way. Geddis didn't believe anyone would be that stupid. LOL
    • Re the Party officials, the Party Secretary is the one essentially with legal liability but their duty is simply to receive the donations, bank them and then pass information onto the Electoral Commission.
    • There is no duty on the part of the Party Secretary to check or verify the information provided re the donations is accurate or true etc other than, for example, the donations were made by these named people and these people exist.

    The interview then covers other issues such as whether it is morally acceptable to operate in certain ways re party donations regardless of whether it is actually legal etc.

    …

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018731861/criminal-charges-filed-over-national-party-donations

    • veutoviper 7.1
      30 January 2020 at 11:22 am

      Just to add to the above, my perception of the above is that Bridges and the Party Secretary are unlikely to ever be able to be charged with anything to do with how the donations were paid to the Party – regardless of the JLR recordings etc. Again a case of "pretty legal" – but morally corrupt IMO.

  8. Kevin 8
    30 January 2020 at 1:38 pm

    So, Simon wants to run attack ads on 'hard working Kiwi mums and dads' by going after industrial relations…

  9. Gosman 9
    30 January 2020 at 2:27 pm

    No ACT is far more the party of law and order than National was/is. ACT stands up for protecting the individual far more than National.

  10. soddenleaf 10
    30 January 2020 at 4:22 pm

    So someone has charged Bridges with knowing about these donations, that are current before the courts, and Bridges is happy. When they start plead deals…

    Surely this is the start of Bridges problems.

    • Muttonbird 10.1
      30 January 2020 at 7:21 pm

      I would have thought so. The defence will do their best to defend their clients and that will surely involve attacking the National Party or individuals within it.

  11. roblogic 11
    30 January 2020 at 6:48 pm

    after the gang shootings last weekend the laura norder rednecks were claiming that the solution is more guns… 🤔

  12. Muttonbird 12
    30 January 2020 at 7:16 pm

    Ross – who is now an independent MP – dropped a bombshell in October 2018 claiming Bridges had asked him to collect a $100,000 donation from a Chinese businessman Zhang Yikun.

    He said Bridges had stressed it should not be made public. The money then arrived in chunks smaller than $15,000, the threshold at which donations have to be declared, Ross said.

    The reason Bridges didn't want it made public is that the public do not want $100K donations from Chinese interests. Bridges knew it. Everyone fucking knows it.

    Hence the carve up.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/408445/moral-questions-remain-over-national-donations-as-unnamed-people-charged

  13. Fireblade 13
    30 January 2020 at 9:10 pm

    Newshub has been trying to contact eight National Party donors and Jami-Lee Ross.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/01/national-party-donors-silent-after-serious-fraud-office-lays-charges.html

  14. Michael 14
    31 January 2020 at 12:09 am

    For students of irony: although National mouthpiece David Farrar has taken down his post, reporting that Newstalk ZB hack Barry Soper outed one of the four defendants (even though name suppression orders have not been granted or, AFAIK, even applied for), that person's identity can be obtained via a google search for "Barry Soper". I should mention that Soper himself issued a tweet vehemently denying that he identified the person. Finally, the purpose of name suppression orders is to protect the victims of offending not the offenders themselves.

  15. mosa 15
    31 January 2020 at 10:33 am

    Is National the party of law and order ?

    Of course it is and 45% of the electorate agree.

    If Simon said he knew nothing about it then that's good enough for them.

    It worked for Key numerous times when he was convenient with the truth.

    It is an example of the alternative reality that Nationals supporters inhabit.

    Ignore the facts that state the obvious and carry on regardless.

    • roblogic 15.1
      31 January 2020 at 7:32 pm

      Easy to say that crime is down if you lie about the statistics and tell the Police not to record some incidents

      • NZJester 15.1.1
        1 February 2020 at 9:04 pm

        Yes, we should forget that under National some serious crimes got listed on the list of the less serious crimes instead and got ignored for follow-ups by police in some areas.

        They also like to underfund the police just like most other public services while they are the government.

        Crime tends to rise under a National government and keeps going up for a bit before it starts to slow down or shrink under a Labour government.

        A lot of the crime also imboldened under a National government tends to be the kind where those caught can only be given a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket.

        Steal a few hundred dollars from your employer, you go to jail. Your employer steads a few thousand from you, wet bus ticket slap on the wrist time for them.

  16. JustMe 16
    31 January 2020 at 8:37 pm

    If the SFO is anything like the ASA then lets be assured there will be a total botch up by the relevant agency and that botch up will be in favour of the NZ National Party.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12304817

    Simon Bridges will probably get away with what happened and may well become known as the Teflon Simon(a complete change to the Teflon Don and John(Key).

    I had thought he(Bridges)might be called the Teflon Si(short for Simon) because of his amazing ability to avoid taking responsibility for his actions and misleading advertising of the NZ National Party and of course his MPs that also embark on misleading innuendos and comments.. But a quick Google of the name Si meaning in Chinese is "One who thinks". Sorry but the track record of Simon Bridges shows he is incapable of thinking with any sense of credibility or responsibility let alone morals.

    Another Google search of the name Simon and what it means in English is one who hears and listens. Again those are two things Simon Bridges just doesn't have. Whilst he may well hear what people said to him especially whilst he was a minister in the Key government he like his colleagues lack the ability to listen to people.

    I recall one time he, whilst minister of Transport in the previous National government, said it was not the government(the National government)responsibility to deal with the road safety(or something along those lines). And yet when he became leader of the Opposition he was on camera as saying that 'people are doiying(yep I am playing with his speech impediment)on Nu Zilland roids”
    Bridges demanded that this current Coalition government do something about the number of road deaths on Nu Zilland roids(using his words) because a National government wouldn’t allow it.
    Looking at Bridges comments whilst minister of Transport and his words of say only 2 years ago methinks Bridges suffers badly from selective amnesia when it suits him and so contrary to the Chinese meaning of the name Si and the English meaning of the name Simon it confirms to us all that Bridges neither thinks, nor listens nor hears especially when it suits the NZ National Party ideology that nothing is ever THEIR mistake(s).

    • In Vino 16.1
      31 January 2020 at 9:39 pm

      I would add to that. National loudly and heroically lowered the alcohol levels for drivers to prove that they would bring alcohol-related road deaths down. Easy – no cost – a stroke of the pen.

      They then studiously ignored the fact that other countries which had done the same and lowered their road tolls, had also increased afterwards the number of checkpoints. (That extra enforcement was what lowered their toll – not changing the limit.)

      What did our Law & Order stalwarts do? They decided to produce a budget surplus to show what good economic managers they were. They then starved health, hospitals, schools and police to the point that police had to reduce the number of alcohol checkpoints on our roads.

      Congratulations National – you alone made NZ the only country so far to lower the alcohol driving limit, and then actually raise instead of lower the number of alcohol-related road deaths.

      That is what our National Govt did, and they have no way of denying it.

      Law and Order indeed..

      Under this Government we have seen a timely increase in the number of alcohol checkpoints.
      That alone will bring down the number of drunk drivers.
      Already proven overseas – places like France and New South Wales, countries quoted by advocates of lowering the limit…

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    16 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
    17 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
    17 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
    17 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
    17 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
    17 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
    18 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
    19 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
    19 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
    19 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
    19 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
    19 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
    20 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
    23 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
    23 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
    23 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
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