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Journey to Planet Key

Written By: - Date published: 6:40 am, September 19th, 2012 - 58 comments
Categories: class war, Minister for Overseas Holidays - Tags:

In the House yesterday, Metiria Turei threw National’s ‘Planet Labour/Planet Green’ line back at Key, asking if ordinary people get to break the law too or if that privilege is reserved for ministers on Planet Key. Like all little bullies, Key couldn’t take it back. He lashed out and, like Romney’s fatal gaffe the same day, it exposed something of Key’s real world view.

He said that Planet Key “would be a lovely place to live, it would be beautifully governed, golf courses would be plentiful, people would have plenty of holidays to enjoy their time, and what a wonderful place it would be”.

Golf and holidays, eh? Well, not all of us get to holiday in Hawaii (or Maine, or Europe, or the Islands, or Japan …. in fact, has our Minister of Tourism ever holidayed in New Zealand?). Indeed, Key voted against 4 weeks annual leave, then he made that 4th week saleable. He voted against Mondayising our public holidays too. And against a public holiday on Matariki.

So, who gets all the holidays and golf on Planet Key?

And, what’s missing from Planet Key?

271,000 jobless?

270,000 children living in poverty?

The typical household, which saw its income fall 3% last year?

The 80,000 kids turning up to school hungry?

The 1,000 people a week who are leaving for Australia?

I kind of wonder how small Planet Key is – because there’s obviously no room for the 99%.

—————————

And, you know what would be the anthem of Planet Key, eh?

58 comments on “Journey to Planet Key ”

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  1. RedLogix 1
    19 September 2012 at 7:17 am

    Or more to the point … while ‘plenty of golf courses’ is not my personal idea of nirvana …. the crucial thing here is that Key is mocking the very idea that a better life could be better for ordinary people.

    No … that privilege is to be reserved for the rich like him.

    • Dr Terry 1.1
      19 September 2012 at 10:51 am

      RedLogix, You have got just the right word in pointing to Key’s perpetual “mockery” (accompanied by shrug of shoulders).

      • alex 1.1.1
        19 September 2012 at 11:14 am

        It really is bizarre to have a glib, wealthy joker in charge of the country during a harsh economic downturn. Its almost as ridiculous as imagining Boris Johnson as a wartime Prime Minister.

        • georgecom 1.1.1.1
          19 September 2012 at 7:26 pm

          Glib to the extreme. Seems to set the tone for his entire government in its second term.

        • Jokerman 1.1.1.2
          19 September 2012 at 7:46 pm

          excellent.(Boris could slip-line oér the channel and weee on the Hun)

        • mike 1.1.1.3
          19 September 2012 at 8:47 pm

          Did someone say glib?

          Google “glib superficial charm” and see what happens.

        • Tiresias 1.1.1.4
          19 September 2012 at 9:09 pm

          “Its almost as ridiculous as imagining Boris Johnson as a wartime Prime Minister.”

          Or, of course, as ridiculous a wartime Prime Minister as that born in a palace, dyed-in-the-wool Tory, scion of the Spencer dynasty, son-in-law to rich American industrialist and wonderfully dry-witted Winston Churchill.

          Though I suspect our Winnie would have had little time for self-made, jumped-up proles like JK.

  2. Bill 2
    19 September 2012 at 7:25 am

    And I was worried for a second when I saw the so-called reforms to welfare entitlements. Silly me! Now that Sickness Benefit is being abolished, my and other people’s ailments will, obviously, miraculously disappear and we’ll all have many a jolly hockey stick time on his golf courses and in his resorts as we generally get to enjoy ourselves. Wonderful!

    That cunning little Paula. What a card she is – winding everyone up with her ‘the party is over’ statements. Now I can hardly wait for July 2013 to roll round. No more harassment. No more denigration. Leisurely pain free days in the sun and the general feeliing of well being that accompanies a restored sence of dignity.

    Thankyou John and Paula. You’re magnificient – both of you!

  3. irascible 3
    19 September 2012 at 7:31 am

    He, Rommney and Cameron must all be on the same page of the Tory hymnal. Crass arrogance and totally disconnected with reality.

    • mickysavage 3.1
      19 September 2012 at 7:46 am

      I think it is a world wide movement.  

      The US comes up with these bat shit crazy extremist ideas which then seep into popular culture and then the rest of the world follows suit.  Sort of like the collective progressive movement except these people want to wreck the environment and make most of us poorer so they can enjoy the wealth they think they most richly deserve.

      • RedLogix 3.1.1
        19 September 2012 at 7:55 am

        Disconnected from reality is how it happens. These people never actually go outside somewhere and sit looking at the natural world long enough and carefully enough to understand anything.

        In the absence of a grounded reality their own vain imaginings and idle fantasies overwhelm them.

        • Macro 3.1.1.1
          19 September 2012 at 12:30 pm

          I believe that is the fatal error with our modern western life style – milk comes in plastic bottles , meat on a plastic throw away tray and bread is sliced. We get it all by jumping in our car and going to the super market where we have a choice of what style and brand we buy! All these modern features of everyday life form a huge disconnect with the natural world, and it is quite understandable that people today have little to no understanding of the effect their lifestyle has on the planet. If you are further insulated from all of this by having minions to do the shopping for you, well golfing is the only thing left to do!

          • Fortran 3.1.1.1.1
            19 September 2012 at 1:46 pm

            Macro

            You are right – all that is /nylon/plastic now and it all comes as a by product of oil.
            No oil – no plastic.

          • SpaceMonkey 3.1.1.1.2
            19 September 2012 at 1:59 pm

            Agreed. One of the things that strikes me is how unnatural our organisational structures, system designs and business processes are. Just like our economic models, the prevailing business and systems thinking is geared to protecting a steady-state (or business-as-usual), largely still adhering to mechanistic view of the world. When looking at nature, in which humanity is just one participant, we have to take a holistic view and the dynamic is a perpetual state of flux. There is no “business as usual”… there is only change and perpetual adaptation.

            I wonder if one of the reasons our institutions are failing us now is that while many industries, designed systems and thinking have made the shift to “holism”, utilising frameworks such as design thinking, the governance of these remains locked in mechanistic thinking. The result is the government and management within organisations that resorts to autocratic and arrogant behaviours, distraction, obfuscation and bullying to push decisions through. To me this is one of the death knells of society and the result is disaffection and disillusionment, in wider society and within our institutions, and one by one people withdraw from participating.

  4. starlight 4
    19 September 2012 at 8:34 am

    There is a connection betweeen Romney and Key they both use the word ‘elegant’
    they come from the same rorting institutions and selfish ‘planet’

  5. tc 5
    19 September 2012 at 8:34 am

    If the opposition gets it’s act together in the house (DS being particularly inept) then the facade that our PM has been able to con the electorate with would be shattered beyond repair.

    ‘people would have plenty of holidays to enjoy their time’ should be stacked up against how many he actually has and paraded around to show what a lazy PM he is.

    He is one the oppositions best weapon after all, along with his albatross Banks.

    • Craig Glen Eden 5.1
      19 September 2012 at 8:51 am

      I have to agree with all the comments above. Planet key is a death star we just need the right people directing the right weapons and it will all explode.People need something to vote for, labour didn’t do that at the last election.Lets hope the caucus wakes Up and selects a leader who can reach nzers via that tv thing. If ya can’t present your politics in a tv interview you may as well do something else, anything but politics.

    • Jokerman 5.2
      19 September 2012 at 7:57 pm

      D.S be-ing (dasein) more paced in delivery to Media
      ( albatross has come to mind)

  6. Brian 6
    19 September 2012 at 9:08 am

    What can you expect from a “man” that is too shit scared to read a report?

    • Dr Terry 6.1
      19 September 2012 at 10:58 am

      Funny how Key denigrates the police by refusing to read their report, when following the tea-tape facade he could not rush fast enough to the police to take his side.

      • Treetop 6.1.1
        19 September 2012 at 11:51 am

        Key says that the police are independent, that he will not read the police report on Banks.

        Only a WEAK PM takes the position of ignoring the truth because it SUITS him to do so. If Bank’s statements in the police report were to clear Banks, Key would be standing up at question time and waving the police report and quoting Banks.

        Key has no integrity when it comes to Banks being a minister outside of cabinet as Key’s judgement of Banks is, nothing wrong with what you did John, because you did not get caught within the time frame to be held accountable.

  7. Carol 7
    19 September 2012 at 9:19 am

    I’m not a great fan of Jane Clifton’s op eds. But she does have some good one-liners in her latest piece on yesterday’s questioning in the House about John Banks:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/7699465/Banks-of-loud-rhubarb-on-Planet-Key

    ‘The Planet Key,’ he said, would be ‘a lovely place to live! It would be beautifully governed, golf courses would be plentiful, people would have plenty of holidays to enjoy their time and what a wonderful place it would be.’

    It actually sounded a lot like the verdant part of Mr Key’s electorate where internet mogul Kim Dotcom was living when he obliged Mr Banks with a very large donation.
    …
    finally infuriated Winston Peters, who complained to the Speaker. ‘Frankly, I think that if the prime minister can get away with that, he might as well just get up and say, ‘Rhubarb!’ ‘

    Imbued with the carefree spirit of the Planet Key, Mr Key leapt up, flung his arms in the air crying ‘Rhubarb!’ and sat down.

    That last line makes the whole scenario sound like something out of Alice in Wonderland

  8. Blue 8
    19 September 2012 at 9:49 am

    The video is well worth watching:

    It is unbelievable that it takes Winston Peters to ask the obvious question.

    Watch for the Freudian slip where Key almost refers to Banks being ‘no longer a Minister’.

    Johnny Sparkles ranting on about verdant green golf courses and lots of holidays is delicious. How he must be dearly wishing he was in Hawaii and not stuck here being PM trying to defend the indefensible.

    • tc 8.1
      19 September 2012 at 10:46 am

      ‘ It is unbelievable that it takes Winston Peters to ask the obvious question.’ no not when mallard is still pulling the strings it’s quite predictable really.

      Labour are heading toward a similar result that English led the nats to in 2002.

      DS and Blinglish are about as charasmatic as each other and it’ll be a soundbite TV campaign as they always are and after DS’s performance on ‘the nation’ you’d be very uncomfortable being lower down that labour list.

    • deuto 8.2
      19 September 2012 at 11:35 am

      The following clip on Question 5 by Grant Robertson yesterday in Question Time is also well worth watching as Robertson’s supplementary questions focus in on the two aspects of the Police report, namely the one where they did consider that Banks had breached the Act and they had sufficient evidence to prosecute but could not do so because it was outside of statutory time limitations, and the other where they did not consider that there was suffient evidence to prosecute.

      Key quite knowlingly IMO attempts to focus only on the latter aspect.

      http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/15073

      • Draco T Bastard 8.2.1
        19 September 2012 at 5:00 pm

        Key quite knowlingly IMO attempts to focus only on the latter aspect.

        Yep, been noticing that myself – Key is trying to confuse people into thinking that there was only one charge and that that charge didn’t have sufficient evidence to be taken to court. The fact is that there were two charges and in one Banks is protected by a legal limitation but if that limitation hadn’t been there then he would be in court and, after that, probably jail.

        • mike 8.2.1.1
          19 September 2012 at 9:07 pm

          Yep and everytime someone tried to point that out to him he gave the same response. As in “I haven’t read the report so I can’t comment on that. However I’m aware that the report says there was insufficient evidence to charge him.” And the report did say that. About one of the two charges. The other is a different story.

          Lying by omission is lying. Buy Key sidesteps that by saying he didn’t read the report. The cabinet manual says that ministers should not just obey he law, but be perceived to do so. When the police cough up a 126 page report that says his minster broke the law, and/or when public opinion agrees, the PM has a fricken duty to read the fricken report. Why isn’t the opposition raising this point? Is he really going to get away with the equivilent of putting his hands over his ears and making loud siren noises?

          By saying ‘the test is what I say it is’ he’s showing his dictatorial leanings. Ffs he even tried to pass the blame on to the underling who supposedly checked the return for Banks. Sorry, but that’s John Bank’s signature on the form, no one elses. If he trusted someone else to read it for him then that was his decision, and thus his responsibilty.

          If there’s anything good coming from this it’s that Key’s slimy side, (I never saw another side akschully), is sorely exposed for all to see.

  9. Steve Wrathall 9
    19 September 2012 at 10:46 am

    So Greens get their speech notes from Uranus?

  10. gobsmacked 10
    19 September 2012 at 11:51 am

    “Planet Key” is a good example of Political Communications 101 … you take a phrase your opponents have used (so it already has some resonnace – “Planet Labour” etc), you throw it back, and it becomes a memorable line repeated across the media (social and mainstream).

    Plus you have got your oppnent taking the bait – Key describing it in such a revealing and self-defeating way gives the phrase real impact.

    Time and again, the Greens or Winston (even Hone, crudely) get their snappy lines in the media. It simply beggars belief that nobody working for the Labour leadership has ever read a “Beginners Guide To Propaganda”. My suspicion is that they have, but they don’t want to waste their good lines on a leader who can’t use them.

    Thank God – or Gaia – for the Greens.

  11. BernyD 11
    19 September 2012 at 12:35 pm

    Not much of a golfer myself, the ball always ends up 200meters behind me and 400 meters left or right.
    Something to do with swinging the club too hard apparently M8,
    The club twists while your forcing it through space and time M8

    • Jokerman 11.1
      19 September 2012 at 8:27 pm

      thats post-modernism and deconstruction for ya.
      me? if i had the hubris for a pers. plate on me last bike-woodabeen Jagdpanzer (spend too much capital on ,making a Harley haul arse) been there done that .FXDX

  12. blue leopard 12
    19 September 2012 at 2:10 pm

    Mr Key, as PM, could create more of his ideal and improve things for the rest of us.

    Lower the working week, so more people could go on holiday
    Encourage people into education, so more people could share the sector of jobs that NZ is having to import people for.
    Encourage self employment
    Hell! opening more golf courses would create more jobs than is being achieved at present.

    But no, too fixated on welfare and giving tax cuts to the very wealthy to bother with anything productive.

    …I wish he and the rest of our government would go on holiday and leave Labour & Greens in charge. Even if this extended holiday was funded by taxpayers we would be better off than we are now.

  13. aerobubble 13
    19 September 2012 at 3:39 pm

    Key, doesn’t believe in shares plus, so having
    discussions around it, merely provides ticking
    the box on consultation. Which is perplexing
    since it shows Key is willing to provide some
    compensation for rights, that Key also believes
    don’t exist. Muddled. But then he also believes
    he can have confidence in a man police had the
    elements for a crime, in the new super city
    (constructed under Key’s government) had
    Banks committed an offense overseas would Key
    have been so keen to rely on the technicality
    that the offence had timed out. So
    here you have the current ACT leader, who
    ran for the super city mayor, overseen by the
    previous ACT leader (Hide), Hide who also had
    lapses of memory about identity fraud of his
    own MP. A pattern of illigant ethics plagues
    National starting with denying the reality of
    Police reports, Police who did have time on their
    hands (teapot time), Key used Police over the teapot
    privacy issue, but now isn’t interested in the
    problem too much information about Banks. As a
    Hamiltonian, i was struck by another ethical case, the
    V8 debacle, where a former Mayor/CEO of Hamilton
    resigned from the super-city when question
    started to arise. Unlike Banks, who has no such
    qualms, its seems the higher up they are, the less
    worried they are about the stench of wrongdoing.
    Hide was thrown out too, would not walk.
    Banks ran for office, where a staff member resigned
    for the integrity of that office, Auckland saw
    into Bank and said no, so why won’t Key?
    National degenerate denigration, funny how National
    on women right to vote day, failed to acclaim
    the first women voted by the people to be their PM,
    but remember the woman she beat. Again, its okay
    to fail to remember the full truth of matters, just
    like Key defence of Banks, just like Banks own
    problems with electoral documentation.
    Why does this matter, well it seems the CTV building
    that killed so many had a civil engineer who also
    may have grilled the lilly. A employee, or a minister,
    as a duty to bring all matters to their bosses, or the
    PM’s attention. Banks obvious has not, and Key obviously
    knows he has not and doesn’t care that Banks hasn’t.

  14. ianmac 14
    19 September 2012 at 5:32 pm

    Anyone notice that during Question Time Today Wednesday, John Key was able to quote from the Police Report, off the cuff, yet says he has never read it.
    Perhaps the Question should be, “Have you read the Police Report or a summary of the salient points?”

    • gobsmacked 14.1
      19 September 2012 at 6:01 pm

      Everyone noticed, except the people asking the prepared questions. If they could think on their feet, Banks would be gone and Key would be in trouble …

      “How does the Prime Minister have such a detailed knowledge of a report he has never read?”

      (his answer would be along the lines of “I’ve read media reports” …)

      “Is the Prime Minister telling the House that he relies on newspapers to tell him what his Ministers have done? Who does he trust, the media or the police?”

      and heaps more, as previously discussed on here. Key has misled Parliament, and got away with it, yet again. He must be laughing.

      • Treetop 14.1.1
        19 September 2012 at 7:11 pm

        Has Tolley seen the Banks police file as she would be the most likely source to advise Key?

        It is unknown just how much involvement there is between Banks and Dotcom and I think that the police file has further disclosure of Banks relationship with Dotcom. I read some where that Banks was questioned for three hours.

  15. Nick 15
    19 September 2012 at 6:55 pm

    From the herald back in June:

    “Psychologists, poker players and the criminal profilers on Criminal Minds will tell you that every person has a “tell” – a tic that gives them away when they are fibbing, hiding something or not totally convinced by their own argument.

    In Prime Minister John Key’s case, that telling tic is a sharp intake of breath at the end of the sentence – a tight “pfiss”.”

    Every sentence coming out of Key’s mouth these days ends in this annoying noise. Including all his ‘answers’ involving Planet Key, John Banks and child poverty. I think National MPs have this Pavlovian response now to clap like trained seals whenever Key says a one liner that ends with this pfiss.

    I hate it and it makes watching / listening to question time very difficult.

    On the plus side the fact that its coming out so often means that Key is got things to hide and is feeling the pressure. The opposition will keep it up and something will give.

    • BernyD 15.1
      19 September 2012 at 6:58 pm

      I’ve found watching parliament TV is best at double speed, if you’ve got digital it makes it much easier to follow the audio still works in Media Center.

  16. weka 16
    19 September 2012 at 8:42 pm

    #planetkey

    https://twitter.com/#!/search/?q=%23planetkey&src=hash

    Martyn Bradbury ‏@CitizenBomber

    PM says there wouldn’t be any toilets on planet key? But Planet Key is populated with arseholes – how does that work? #PlanetKey 
     

  17. Roy 17
    19 September 2012 at 8:47 pm

    Martyn Bradbury has never heard of totara corks?

  18. illuminatedtiger 18
    19 September 2012 at 9:22 pm

    I would be interested in hearing some statistics on what percentage of time he has spent on holiday along with previous Prime Ministers for comparison.

  19. Georgecom 19
    19 September 2012 at 9:39 pm

    With the demotion of Pluto to ‘dwarf planet’ status, there is space within the Solar System for an extra planet.

    Key may be promoting ‘Planet Key’ as a suitable candidate to fill the space.

    As Pluto is spatially, Planet Key is equally far removed from most Kiwis daily reality.

  20. Populuxe1 20
    20 September 2012 at 2:28 am

    I say we adopt the Golgafrinchan’s tactic and take our chances with any plague spread by unsanitised telephones. Tell the whole Nat caucus that we’ve found planet Key and we’re going to send them all there….
    Or put them in a rocket and fire them into the sun. That works too.

  21. Phil 21
    20 September 2012 at 7:24 am

    My oath, it really is true, Planet Key DOES exist.
    Until recently it was designated as Swift J1765.9-2508

    “It’s essentially a white dwarf that has been whittled down to a planetary mass.”

    After billions of years, little remains of the companion star, and it remains unclear whether it will survive. “It’s been taking a beating, but that’s part of nature,” adds Krimm.

    With an estimated distance of roughly 25,000 light-years, the system is normally too faint to be detected at any wavelength.

    From “Astronomy” magazine.
    Whoda thunk it?

  22. burt 22
    20 September 2012 at 7:48 am

    How dare Key play the Clark line and take a minister at his word when it’s fricken obvious the prat was telling porkies…. It’s OK when Labour do that but just not good enough from National. Perhaps if Banks had held up a big “NO” sign it would have all been OK and Banks would have been defended by the lovers of corruption.

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    * Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Beehive’s revolving door and corporate mateship
    New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • A miracle pill for our transport ills
    This is a guest post by accessibility and sustainable transport advocate Tim Adriaansen It originally appeared here.   A friend calls you and asks for your help. They tell you that while out and about nearby, they slipped over and landed arms-first. Now their wrist is swollen, hurting like ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • The Surprising Power of Floating Wind Turbines
    Floating offshore wind turbines offer incredible opportunities to capture powerful winds far out at sea. By unlocking this wind energy potential, they could be a key weapon in our arsenal in the fight against climate change. But how developed are these climate fighting clean energy giants? And why do I ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • The next Maori challenge
    Over the past two or three weeks, a procession of Maori iwi and hapu in a series of little-noticed appearances before two Select Committees have been asking for more say for Maori over resource management decisions along the co-governance lines of Three Waters. Their submissions and appearances run counter ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Secret “war-crime” warrants by International Criminal Court is mischief-making
    The decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue war crimes arrest warrants for the Russian President and the Russia Children Ombudsman may have been welcomed by the ideologically committed but otherwise seems to have been greeted with widespread cynicism (see Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    3 days ago

  • How to answer Drunk Uncle Kevin's Climate Crisis reckons
    Let’s say you’re clasping your drink at a wedding, or a 40th, or a King’s Birthday Weekend family reunion and Drunk Uncle Kevin has just got going.He’s in an expansive frame of mind because we’re finally rid of that silly girl. But he wants to ask an honest question about ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • National’s Luxon may be glum about his poll ratings but has he found a winner in promising to rai...
    National Party leader Christopher Luxon may  be feeling glum about his poll ratings, but  he could be tapping  into  a rich political vein in  describing the current state of education as “alarming”. Luxon said educational achievement has been declining,  with a recent NCEA pilot exposing just how far it has ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: More Labour foot-dragging
    Yesterday the IPCC released the final part of its Sixth Assessment Report, warning us that we have very little time left in which to act to prevent catastrophic climate change, but pointing out that it is a problem that we can solve, with existing technology, and that anything we do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Te Pāti Māori Are Revolutionaries – Not Reformists.
    Way Beyond Reform: Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have no more interest in remaining permanent members of “New Zealand’s” House of Representatives than did Lenin and Trotsky in remaining permanent members of Tsar Nicolas II’s “democratically-elected” Duma. Like the Bolsheviks, Te Pāti Māori is a party of revolutionaries – not reformists.THE CROWN ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • When does history become “ancient”, on Tinetti’s watch as Minister of Education – and what o...
    Buzz from the Beehive Auckland was wiped off the map, when Education Minister Jan Tinetti delivered her speech of welcome as host of the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers “here in Tāmaki Makaurau”. But – fair to say – a reference was made later in the speech to a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Climate Catastrophe, but first rugby.
    Morning mate, how you going?Well, I was watching the news last night and they announced this scientific report on Climate Change. But before they got to it they had a story about the new All Blacks coach.Sounds like important news. It’s a bit of a worry really.Yeah, they were talking ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What the US and European bank rescues mean for us
    Always a bailout: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Government would fully guarantee all savers in all smaller US banks if needed. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: No wonder an entire generation of investors are used to ‘buying the dip’ and ‘holding on for dear life’. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Who will drain Wellington’s lobbying swamp?
    Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in Guyon Espiner’s in-depth series published by RNZ. Two of Espiner’s research exposés ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • It’s Raining Congestion
    Yesterday afternoon it rained and traffic around the region ground to a halt, once again highlighting why it is so important that our city gets on with improving the alternatives to driving. For additional irony, this happened on the same day the IPCC synthesis report landed, putting the focus on ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Checking The Left: The Dreadful Logic Of Fascism.
    The Beginning: Anti-Co-Governance agitator, Julian Batchelor, addresses the Dargaville stop of his travelling roadshow across New Zealand . Fascism almost always starts small. Sadly, it doesn’t always stay that way. Especially when the Left helps it to grow.THERE IS A DREADFUL LOGIC to the growth of fascism. To begin with, it ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • Good Friends and Terrible Food
    Hi,From an incredibly rainy day in Los Angeles, I just wanted to check in. I guess this is the day Trump may or may not end up in cuffs? I’m attempting a somewhat slower, less frenzied week. I’ve had Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record on non-stop, and it’s been a ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – What evidence is there for the hockey stick?
    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
    4 days ago

  • Carry right on up there, Corporal Espiner
    RNZ has been shining their torch into corners where lobbyists lurk and asking such questions as: Do we like the look of this?and Is this as democratic as it could be?These are most certainly questions worth asking, and every bit as valid as, say:Are we shortchanged democratically by the way ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • This smells
    RNZ has continued its look at the role of lobbyists by taking a closer look at the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Andrew Kirton. He used to work for liquor companies, opposing (among other things) a container refund scheme which would have required them to take responsibility for their own ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Major issues on the table in Mahuta’s  talks in Beijing with China’s new Foreign Minister
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has left for Beijing for the first ministerial visit to China since 2019. Mahuta is  to  meet China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang  where she  might have to call on all the  diplomatic skills  at  her  command. Almost certainly she  will  face  questions  on what  role ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • Inside TOP's Teal Card and political strategy
    TL;DR: The Opportunities Party’s Leader Raf Manji is hopeful the party’s new Teal Card, a type of Gold card for under 30s, will be popular with students, and not just in his Ilam electorate where students make up more than a quarter of the voters and where Manji is confident ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Make Your Empties Go Another Round.
    When I was a kid New Zealand was actually pretty green. We didn’t really have plastic. The fruit and veges came in a cardboard box, the meat was wrapped in paper, milk came in a glass bottle, and even rubbish sacks were made of paper. Today if you sit down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how similar Vladimir Putin is to George W. Bush
    Looking back through the names of our Police Ministers down the years, the job has either been done by once or future party Bigfoots – Syd Holland, Richard Prebble, Juduth Collins, Chris Hipkins – or by far lesser lights like Keith Allen, Frank Gill, Ben Couch, Allen McCready, Clem Simich, ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER:  Te Pāti Māori’s uncompromising threat to the status quo
    Chris Trotter writes – The Crown is a fickle friend. Any political movement deemed to be colourful but inconsequential is generally permitted to go about its business unmolested. The Crown’s media, RNZ and TVNZ, may even “celebrate” its existence (presumably as proof of Democracy’s broad-minded acceptance of diversity). ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Shining a bright light on lobbyists in politics
    Four out of the five people who have held the top role of Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff since 2017 have been lobbyists. That’s a fact that should worry anyone who believes vested interests shouldn’t have a place at the centre of decision making. Chris Hipkins’ newly appointed Chief of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Auckland Council Draft Budget – an unnecessary backwards step
    Feedback on Auckland Council’s draft 2023/24 budget closes on March 28th. You can read the consultation document here, and provide feedback here. Auckland Council is currently consulting on what is one of its most important ever Annual Plans – the ‘budget’ of what it will spend money on between July ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Talking’ Posey Parker Blues
    by Molten Moira from Motueka If you want to be a woman let me tell you what to do Get a piece of paper and a biro tooWrite down your new identification And boom! You’re now a woman of this nationSpelled W O M A Na real trans woman that isAs opposed ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    4 days ago

  • More Māori words make it into the OED, and polytech boss (with rules on words like “students”) ...
    Buzz from the Beehive   New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti is hosting the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers for three days from today, welcoming Education Ministers and senior officials from 18 Pacific Island countries and territories, and from Australia. Here’s hoping they have brought translators with them – or ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Social intercourse with haters and Nazis: an etiquette guide
    Let’s say you’ve come all the way from His Majesty’s United Kingdom to share with the folk of Australia and New Zealand your antipathy towards certain other human beings. And let’s say you call yourself a women’s rights activist.And let’s say 99 out of 100 people who listen to you ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • The Greens, Labour, and coalition enforcement
    James Shaw gave the Green party's annual "state of the planet" address over the weekend, in which he expressed frustration with Labour for not doing enough on climate change. His solution is to elect more Green MPs, so they have more power within any government arrangement, and can hold Labour ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • This sounds familiar…
    RNZ this morning has the first story another investigative series by Guyon Espiner, this time into political lobbying. The first story focuses on lobbying by government agencies, specifically transpower, Pharmac, and assorted universities, and how they use lobbyists to manipulate public opinion and gather intelligence on the Ministers who oversee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Letter to the NZ Herald: NCEA pseudoscience – “Mauri is present in all matter”
    Nick Matzke writes –   Dear NZ Herald, I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. I teach evolutionary biology, but I also have long experience in science education and (especially) political attempts to insert pseudoscience into science curricula in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • So what would be the point of a Green vote again?
    James Shaw has again said the Greens would be better ‘in the tent’ with Labour than out, despite Labour’s policy bonfire last week torching much of what the Government was doing to reduce emissions. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Green Party has never been more popular than in some ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Gas stoves pose health risks. Are gas furnaces and other appliances safe to use?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler Poor air quality is a long-standing problem in Los Angeles, where the first major outbreak of smog during World War II was so intense that some residents thought the city had been attacked by chemical weapons. Cars were eventually discovered ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Genetic Heritage and Co Governance
    Yesterday I was reading an excellent newsletter from David Slack, and I started writing a comment “Sounds like some excellent genetic heritage…” and then I stopped.There was something about the phrase genetic heritage that stopped me in tracks. Is that a phrase I want to be saying? It’s kind of ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Radical Uncertainty
    Brian Easton writes – Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s Middle East strategy, 20 years after the Iraq War
    This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. While it strongly opposed the US-led invasion, New Zealand’s then Labour-led government led by Prime Minister Helen Clark did deploy military engineers to try to help rebuild Iraq in mid-2003. With violence soaring, their 12-month deployment ended without being renewed ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago

  • The motorways are finished
    After seventy years, Auckland’s motorway network is finally finished. In July 1953 the first section of motorway in Auckland was opened between Ellerslie-Panmure Highway and Mt Wellington Highway. The final stage opens to traffic this week with the completion of the motorway part of the Northern Corridor Improvements project. Aucklanders ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • Kicking National’s tyres
    National’s appointment of Todd McClay as Agriculture spokesperson clearly signals that the party is in trouble with the farming vote. McClay was not an obvious choice, but he does have a record as a political scrapper. The party needs that because sources say it has been shedding farming votes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • As long as there is cricket, the world is somehow okay.
    Rays of white light come flooding into my lounge, into my face from over the top of my neighbour’s hedge. I have to look away as the window of the conservatory is awash in light, as if you were driving towards the sun after a rain shower and suddenly blinded. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • So much of what was there remains
    The columnists in Private Eye take pen names, so I have not the least idea who any of them are. But I greatly appreciate their expert insight, especially MD, who writes the medical column, offering informed and often damning critique of the UK health system and the politicians who keep ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Mar 12, 2023 thru Sat, Mar 18, 2023. Story of the Week Guest post: What 13,500 citations reveal about the IPCC’s climate science report   IPCC WG1 AR6 SPM Report Cover - Changing ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Financial capability services are being bucked up, but Stuart Nash shouldn’t have to see if they c...
    Buzz from the Beehive  The building of financial capability was brought into our considerations when Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced she had dipped into the government’s coffers for $3 million for “providers” to help people and families access community-based Building Financial Capability services. That wording suggests some ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Things that make you go Hmmmm.
    Do you ever come across something that makes you go Hmmmm?You mean like the song?No, I wasn’t thinking of the song, but I am now - thanks for that. I was thinking of things you read or hear that make you stop and go Hmmmm.Yeah, I know what you mean, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • The hoon for the week that was to March 19
    By the end of the week, the dramas over Stuart Nash overshadowed Hipkins’ policy bonfire. File photo: Lynn GrieveasonTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and the political economy covered on The Kākā included:PM Chris Hipkins’ announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but ...
    The KakaBy Peter Bale
    1 week ago

  • Saving Stuart Nash: Explaining Chris Hipkins' unexpected political calculation
    When word went out that Prime Minister Chris Hipkins would be making an announcement about Stuart Nash on the tiles at parliament at 2:45pm yesterday, the assumption was that it was over. That we had reached tipping point for Nash’s time as minister. But by 3pm - when, coincidentally, the ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    1 week ago

  • Radical Uncertainty
    Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go on to attack physics by citing Newton.So ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago

  • Jump onto the weekly hoon on Riverside at 5pm
    Photo by Walker Fenton on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week again when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kaka for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on Riverside (we’ve moved from Zoom) for our chat about the week’s news with ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • The Dream of Florian Neame: Accepted
    In a nice bit of news, my 2550-word deindustrial science-fiction piece, The Dream of Florian Neame, has been accepted for publication at New Maps Magazine (https://www.new-maps.com/). I have published there before, of course, with Of Tin and Tintagel coming out last year. While I still await the ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago

  • Snakes and leaders
    And so this is Friday, and what have we learned?It was a week with all the usual luggage: minister brags and then he quits, Hollywood red carpet is full of twits. And all the while, hanging over the trivial stuff: existential dread, and portents of doom.Depending on who you read ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • This station is Karanga-a-Hape, Chur!
    When I changed the name of this newsletter from The Daily Read to Nick’s Kōrero I was a bit worried whether people would know what Kōrero meant or not. I added a definition when I announced the change and kind of assumed people who weren’t familiar with it would get ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Greens don’t shy from promoting a candidate’s queerness but are quiet about govt announcement on...
    There was a time when a political party’s publicity people would counsel against promoting a candidate as queer. No matter which of two dictionary meanings the voting public might choose to apply – the old meaning of odd, strange, weird, or aberrant, or the more recent meaning of gay, homosexual ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Ask Me Anything about the week to March 17
    Photo by Joakim Honkasalo on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for the next hour, including:PM Chris Hipkins announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but which blew up ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Slow consenting could create $16b climate liability by 2050
    Even though concern over the climate change threat is becoming more mainstream, our governments continue to opt out of the difficult decisions at the expense of time, and cost for future generations. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Now we have a climate liability number to measure the potential failure of the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • THOMAS CRANMER: Challenging progressivism in New Zealand’s culture wars
    Thomas Cranmer writes  Like it or not, the culture wars have entered New Zealand politics and look set to broaden and intensify. The culture wars are often viewed as an exclusively American phenomenon, but the reality is that they are becoming increasingly prominent in countries around the world, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointment of Christopher John Dellabarca of Wellington, Dr Katie Jane Elkin of Wellington, Caroline Mary Hickman of Napier, Ngaroma Tahana of Rotorua, Tania Rose Williams Blyth of Hamilton and Nicola Jan Wills of Wellington as District Court Judges.  Chris Dellabarca Mr Dellabarca commenced his ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • New project set to supercharge ocean economy in Nelson Tasman
    A new Government-backed project will help ocean-related businesses in the Nelson Tasman region to accelerate their growth and boost jobs. “The Nelson Tasman region is home to more than 400 blue economy businesses, accounting for more than 30 percent of New Zealand’s economic activity in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • National’s education policy: where’s the funding?
    After three years of COVID-19 disruptions schools are finally settling down and National want to throw that all in the air with major disruption to learning and underinvestment.  “National’s education policy lacks the very thing teachers, parents and students need after a tough couple of years, certainty and stability,” Education ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Free programme to help older entrepreneurs and inventors
    People aged over 50 with innovative business ideas will now be able to receive support to advance their ideas to the next stage of development, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen said today. “Seniors have some great entrepreneurial ideas, and this programme will give them the support to take that next ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government target increased to keep powering up the Māori economy
    A cross government target for relevant government procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded. The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Continued progress on reducing poverty in challenging times
    77,000 fewer children living in low income households on the after-housing-costs primary measure since Labour took office Eight of the nine child poverty measures have seen a statistically significant reduction since 2018. All nine have reduced 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018 Measures taken by the Government during ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Speech at Fiji Investment and Trade Business Forum
    Deputy Prime Minister Kamikamica; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Tēnā koutou katoa, ni sa bula vinaka saka, namaste. Deputy Prime Minister, a very warm welcome to Aotearoa. I trust you have been enjoying your time here and thank you for joining us here today. To all delegates who have travelled to be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government investments boost and diversify local economies in lower South Island
    $2.9 million convertible loan for Scapegrace Distillery to meet growing national and international demand $4.5m underwrite to support Silverlight Studios’ project to establish a film studio in Wanaka Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library to be official opened tomorrow with support of $3m from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government future-proofs EV charging
    Transport Minister Michael Wood has today launched the first national EV (electric vehicle) charging strategy, Charging Our Future, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. “Our vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • World-leading family harm prevention campaign supports young NZers
    Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched the Love Better campaign in a world-leading approach to family harm prevention. Love Better will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to dealing with hurt. “Over 1,200 young kiwis told ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • First Chief Clinical Advisor welcomed into Coroners Court
    Hon Rino Tirikatene, Minister for Courts, welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s appointment of Dr Garry Clearwater as New Zealand’s first Chief Clinical Advisor working with the Coroners Court. “This appointment is significant for the Coroners Court and New Zealand’s wider coronial system.” Minister Tirikatene said. Through Budget 2022, the Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Next steps for affected properties post Cyclone and floods
    The Government via the Cyclone Taskforce is working with local government and insurance companies to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. “The Taskforce, led by Sir Brian Roche, has been working with insurance companies to undertake an assessment of high-risk areas so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New appointment to Māori Land Court bench
    E te huia kaimanawa, ko Ngāpuhi e whakahari ana i tau aupikinga ki te tihi o te maunga. Ko te Ao Māori hoki e whakanui ana i a koe te whakaihu waka o te reo Māori i roto i te Ao Ture. (To the prized treasure, it is Ngāpuhi who ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government focus on jobs sees record number of New Zealanders move from Benefits into work
    113,400 exits into work in the year to June 2022 Young people are moving off Benefit faster than after the Global Financial Crisis Two reports released today by the Ministry of Social Development show the Government’s investment in the COVID-19 response helped drive record numbers of people off Benefits and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Vertical farming partnership has upward momentum
    The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Conference of Pacific Education Ministers – Keynote Address
    E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New $13m renal unit supports Taranaki patients
    The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Second Poseidon aircraft on home soil
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Further humanitarian aid for Türkiye and Syria
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Community voice to help shape immigration policy
    Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today.  “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • State Highway 3 project to deliver safer journeys, better travel connections for Taranaki
    Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Ginny Andersen appointed as Minister of Police
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Government confirms vital roading reconnections
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  • State Highway 5 reopens between Napier and Taupō following Cyclone Gabrielle
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