Kia kaha Sonny Bill Williams

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, April 17th, 2017 - 108 comments
Categories: business, capitalism, Media, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

Sonny Bill Williams is someone who has grown on me.  My initial impression of him was that he was an overpaid professional footballer who tore up contracts for more money and code jumped just because he could.  But he has changed dramatically and improved.

He converted to the faith of Islam in 2008 while playing in Toulon.  Up until then he had been involved in different incidents of low level inappropriate behaviour clearly fueled by alcohol.  But since converting to Islam he has been an exemplary citizen.

Think of his giving away his World Cup winner’s medal straight after the final of the Rugby World Cup in 2015.  A more generous gesture is hard to imagine.  If there is an All Black spirit then this action shound exemplify it.

He has recently courted controversy in some quarters because he has insisted on covering up BNZ advertisements on his Blue’s Rugby shirt.  The reason he did this is that promoting a bank that charges interest on loans is incompatiable with his Muslim faith.   The issue is covered in Mediawatch here.  From the article:

… Radio Sport’s Tony Veitch said last weekend SBW makes his own rules and is “the most controversial sportsman we’ve ever had”.

More than 5000 comments on his Facebook page proved it was a genuine story, he told listeners. Caller after caller to his Veitch on Sport show condemned SBW for “disrespecting team culture” and making himself “bigger than the game”.

On his Newstalk ZB show – which is, coincidentally , sponsored by BNZ – Mike Hosking said SBW was “potentially undermining all that sport stands for,” though even by Hosking’s own logic it could only be sponsored professional sport being challenged.

Hosking said SBW’s outstanding talent and profile gave him the clout to set his own terms and conditions – and Hosking knows all about special rules for special talent.

In 2012, TVNZ had to create a special policy to ensure he didn’t talk about Sky City on air, because he had a commercial relationship with the company TVNZ had been unaware of until The Herald on Sunday reported it.

Get that?  By not wanting to be a walking corporate billboard he is disrespecting team culture.  And clearly the game is all about the corporate sponsors and if you don’t accept this you are undermining what rugby stands for.  Have we really been that badly brainwashed that some of our population think that the national game is completely intertwined with and subservient to corporate interests?

You would think that BNZ would be up in arms about this.  But wait …

Did SBW break any rules?

No. Most professional rugby players have had the same right of conscientious objection in their contracts for about ten years, and in any case BNZ said it wasn’t bothered by SBW covering up its logo. New Zealand Rugby general manager Neil Sorensen told Morning Report SBW had already opted out of promotional work for All Blacks sponsor AIG, and other top players had opted out of promoting fast-food maker KFC because of concerns about obesity in the community, or even their own whānau.

So Veitch and Hosking are both not only expousing strange views on the relationship between the national game and corporate sponsors  but they are also wrong about the legal situation.

They seem to think that the corportisation of sport is a good thing.  I am not so sure.  In terms of playing numbers rugby is but a shadow of its former self.  My impression is that there are now a few feeder teams delivering further talent to the professional sport.  At a grassroots level the sport now lacks the vibrancy and parochialism that soccer has.  If you said this 30 years ago people would have called you crazy.

Note to Veitchy and Hoskin even if your personal contractual arrangements are dominated by and dependent on corporate interests  there are a few areas of life that are not and should not be so dominated.  And this is actually a good thing.

108 comments on “Kia kaha Sonny Bill Williams ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Ad 1
    17 April 2017 at 11:56 am

    Well observed Mickey.

    Far better as a person to be fluid across disciplines. Great moral principles stemming from religious conviction.

    And unlike McCaw, didn’t allow himself to be anointed national godhead with his own film, hometown statue, celeb wedding on Womens Day, and personal industry. Our own Ali.

    Williams and McCaw both outstanding dedicated athletes, with contrasting approaches.

    The test for Williams is how he transitions out of competition and into the next phase of his life.

    I wish him well.

  2. gsays 2
    17 April 2017 at 12:11 pm

    Cheers Mickey, I have been loathe to comment on sbw here as often the reaction to positive rugby opinion can be over the top.

    Sbw has/is a freakishly talented athlete in both the rugby codes.
    He has grown up in the glare of media spotlight.

    I, too, find his stance around sponsorship to be refreshing and grounded in principle.
    All the nay-sayers opinions, are based on weak, money based attitudes therefore simply negated.

    Doesn’t hurt that he brings a few more bums on seats for pure eye candy purposes. (Cheeky wink here).

  3. Tuppence Shrewsbury 3
    17 April 2017 at 12:20 pm

    I support SBW in his stand. It is his right to choose through freedom of association.

    I’d like to think however that his morals extended to his paycheck and he refused a percentage proportionate to what BNZ, IAG et al contribute. Sadly, knowing the avaricious nature of his manager Khoder Nasser, I doubt this is the case.

    So if he’s biting the hand that feeds him it’s probably more SBW attention seeking.

  4. Vaughn 4
    17 April 2017 at 12:23 pm

    Vietch and Hosking… zzzzz

    • Once ..whatever 4.1
      17 April 2017 at 12:45 pm

      …. and Garner and Richardson (that ex cricket guy, in case you’re wondering) too – both suggesting he should take a pay cut. Apparently on the basis that its all about sponsorship and money, rather than his abilities as a sportsman.
      Who’s more the ‘whore(s)’? (you must not bite the hand that feeds you, despite your beliefs and principles apparently).

      @Richardson and Garner: bow down, face Flowers Street and the corporate logo +hr=e – forget anything about the 4th Estate go-een forward.
      And when you do, can you show us a selfie of it?

  5. One Anonymous Bloke 5
    17 April 2017 at 12:29 pm

    Hosking & Veitch worship the market. Williams, a sky fairy.

    Not exactly great foundations to build ethics on.

    • marty mars 5.1
      17 April 2017 at 1:38 pm

      The problem is under some wide definition of worship where markets and sky fairys are in the same ring then, what do you worship? If you answer wiith truth or something then that it is as absurd as the other examples. If you say you worship nothing then we’ll classify that with not wanking ☺ crew.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1
        17 April 2017 at 2:23 pm

        Lao Tsu said: “I trust in my senses”, and “dwell in the fruit, not the flower”.

        • Incognito 5.1.1.1
          17 April 2017 at 2:31 pm

          I wonder whether Lao Tsu would have liked carrion flowers.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1.1.1
            17 April 2017 at 2:47 pm

            He meant respect results, not rhetoric.

            • Incognito 5.1.1.1.1.1
              17 April 2017 at 3:16 pm

              Of course, this seems to suggest a very narrow idea of what is rhetoric, which I find ironic given that his quotes are scattered everywhere and used and abused out of context on a daily basis.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                17 April 2017 at 3:24 pm

                Whereas this specific quote re: fruit and flowers comes from the chapter of the Tao te Ching concerning religion, so is entirely apt in this context.

                Thanks all the same.

                • Incognito …
                  17 April 2017 at 3:37 pm

                  Who am I to argue about religion with a man who has been dead for a very long time? That said, I think that religion can provide an excellent ethical framework; the free-market ideology not so much. In fact, I go further and say that the slow and progressive loss of religious moral values goes hand-in-hand with the steady rise of neoliberalism. As Max Harris says: we need more values.

                  You’re welcome.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    17 April 2017 at 3:44 pm

                    Religions are certainly very good at claiming the credit for existing ethical frameworks.

                    It was a problem in Lao Tsu’s time too.

                    • Incognito …
                      17 April 2017 at 5:04 pm

                      Are you saying that ethical frameworks were subrogated by religions to suit their purpose? Do I hear heresy?

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      17 April 2017 at 5:25 pm

                      Technically it would be closer to apostasy, except I didn’t recognise their authority in the first place.

                      And yes, it is manifestly so, as any decent examination of the history of books and writing attests.

                    • Incognito …
                      17 April 2017 at 6:06 pm

                      Technically, you’re correct, but you already knew that, of course.

                      Currently, we are presented with a moral/ethical vacuum that is filled with neoliberal surrogate ‘values’ and we need a re-evaluation of our values or lack thereof. If it is not to come from religion it begs the question where will it come from?

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      18 April 2017 at 8:51 am

                      Humanism, as usual.

        • marty mars 5.1.1.2
          17 April 2017 at 2:57 pm

          I trust in my senses therefore mistrust in my senses.

    • weka 5.2
      17 April 2017 at 1:41 pm

      I don’t know. This sounds sensible to me,

      “According to Islamic law, you can’t use money to make money – it has to be from legitimate trade. It is prohibited to accept interest or fees for loans of money.”

      (from your link below).

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.1
        17 April 2017 at 2:27 pm

        Unfortunately it’ comes with a large helping of mumbo-pocus.

        Is it really “rent” as we understand the term? A landlord is responsible (or at least should be) for the upkeep of rented property. Do sharia banks come and fix the guttering?

        • weka 5.2.1.1
          17 April 2017 at 2:50 pm

          One person’s mumbo-pocus is another person’s inspiration /shrug.

          I was meaning more the principle of money should come from actual useful things not simply from accruing money.

      • Draco T Bastard 5.2.2
        17 April 2017 at 6:59 pm

        It is prohibited to accept interest or fees for loans of money.

        And yet there’s this thing called Islamic Banking that does, essentially, both of those.

  6. Neil 6
    17 April 2017 at 12:38 pm

    Surely SBW has money in a interest paying bank account or interest paying investments??? now he wouldnt be earning interest if the banks didnt charge interest on loans???

  7. mauī 7
    17 April 2017 at 12:44 pm

    You couldn’t hope for better cut through on the topic of bank interest and getting people thinking about all that automatic profit that is extracted from NZ.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1
      17 April 2017 at 12:47 pm

      Once they discover that a sharia mortgage means you pay rent to the bank (on top of the capital repayments) while you pay it off, they might realise there’s nothing to be gained by it.

  8. BM 8
    17 April 2017 at 1:14 pm

    Williams is a clown.

    Paying “rent” is no different than paying interest, the key point here though is no ones getting free money.

    https://www.theguardian.com/money/2008/jun/29/mortgages.islam

    • adam 8.1
      17 April 2017 at 1:22 pm

      And here comes the corporate trolls. On ya BM. Always a beacon to the sycophants in these troubling times.

    • weka 8.2
      17 April 2017 at 1:42 pm

      from OAB’s link above,

      “According to Islamic law, you can’t use money to make money – it has to be from legitimate trade. It is prohibited to accept interest or fees for loans of money.”

      Rent is paying money for legitimate trade (you get a house in return).

      • One Anonymous Bloke 8.2.1
        17 April 2017 at 2:59 pm

        According to many, rentiers are as big a problem in this economy as banks.

        Couple (a) buys a house for $100k according to sharia law. They pay the bank $20k per year for five years plus $3k per year in rent.

        Couple (b) buys a house for $100k from the BNZ. They pay the bank $20k per year for five years plus $3k per year in interest.

        Looks like semantics to me.

  9. tinfoilhat 9
    17 April 2017 at 1:47 pm

    i can remember similar mutterings when Michael Jones stopped playing on sundays.

    Storm in a teacup stuff that will pass as people find something else to moan about.

    • Red 9.1
      17 April 2017 at 4:18 pm

      Big difference MJ actually sacrificed something for his religion, he forgo a number of tests by not playing Sunday’s, SBW is forgoing nothing. He is still been paid indirectly by his sponsors he boycotts and missing no rugby, irrespective of mumbo jumbo of religion jones stance was far more principaled

      • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.1
        17 April 2017 at 4:26 pm

        He is still been paid indirectly…

        Seen his contract have you? Neither have I, but it looks like BNZ have, and are happy with the situation.

        What he does with his money is between him and his sky fairy, ie: none of our business.

        • Red 9.1.1.1
          18 April 2017 at 2:01 pm

          Agree just contrasting the Mj and Sbw stands re personal sacrifice to principals, no problem with sbw stand, up to blues bnz to protest, otherwise who really cares

  10. Ethica 10
    17 April 2017 at 2:03 pm

    I don’t follow rugby but I have been impressed by SBW in recent years as someone with a mind of his own and ethics. Speaking up against corporates – great. He has done great work in his UNICEF ambassador role too.

  11. Guerilla Surgeon 11
    17 April 2017 at 2:10 pm

    I don’t care what it is, if Hosking’s agin it – I’m for it.

  12. David Mac 12
    17 April 2017 at 2:14 pm

    This has all gone rather well for the BNZ marketing dept and their agency. A vox pop question in the street 2 months ago…”The Auckland Blues play with a sponsor’s name on their collar, who is that sponsor?” Fast forward to today and ask the same question. I think Sonny Bill has multiplied the benefit of BNZ’s marketing investment x 10.

    Not because he thumped someone in a bar or up-ended 24 cans on the way to England. He has gained the exposure because he has integrity. Banks like to be seen associating with integrity.

    • McFlock 12.1
      17 April 2017 at 3:18 pm

      BNZ have actually done a good PR job in a month of stunningly shit PR efforts around the globe.

      Having their logo replaced with plunket was a freaking brilliant idea from the “let’s be human and reach agreement” side as well as the purely mercenary “minimise PR damage” perspective.

      • newsense 12.1.1
        17 April 2017 at 4:26 pm

        Yep- it is a massive win-win for all the parties involved in the club. Not so for those trying to throw 1950s angst.

  13. Skeptic 13
    17 April 2017 at 2:53 pm

    As is usual for talking heads – Retch and fosking – neither of whom have a working brain cell between them – they’ve got it completely wrong. Even the Press – a paper that I only read to see what the enemy is thinking – got this one right.
    SBW has it written into his contract about who he wears and doesn’t wear on his sports uniforms. Apparently BNZ are actually supportive of his stance and his religious convictions.

  14. McFlock 14
    17 April 2017 at 3:21 pm

    To be fair, a partner-bashing fuckwit knows all about controversy, and a so-called journalist with a massive conflict of interest knows all about potentially undermining what they stand for.

    And yet neither of them can recognise integrity, for some reason…

  15. newsense 15
    17 April 2017 at 4:22 pm

    Veitch and Hosking can’t understand the idea that there might be things that make you turn down money.

    Both of them have a fairly chequered and controversial record.

    Another thing about this SBW, Blues and BNZ is the professionalism it has been handled with.

    Beat up jounros need BS to bleat about, and try and make something out of nothing.

    • Muttonbird 15.1
      17 April 2017 at 5:49 pm

      Veitch and Hosking can’t understand the idea that there might be things that make you turn down money.

      This. As a result of earning your living from profile, sponsorship, and endorsement, those two are dumbfounded that anyone might question that authority.

  16. Draco T Bastard 16
    17 April 2017 at 5:08 pm

    The reason he did this is that promoting a bank that charges interest on loans is incompatiable with his Muslim faith.

    Not compatible with Christianity either. I particularly like this one:If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.

    And yet, despite that, many National Party supporters and MPs call themselves Christians while cutting payments to beneficiaries and forcing students into debt to live.

    or Buddhism:

    The common translation seems to point to the phrase, ‘gain upon gain’.

    “One discerns wrong livelihood as wrong livelihood, and right livelihood as right livelihood. And what is wrong livelihood? Scheming, persuading, hinting, belittling, and charging interest. This is wrong livelihood.”

    So, that would be the three main religions of the world that hold that usury is bad.

    Capitalism is based entirely upon usury.

    Have we really been that badly brainwashed that some of our population think that the national game is completely intertwined with and subservient to corporate interests?

    Wouldn’t surprise me as it’s business that rules through the politicians and it’s business that censors what we see in the MSM.

    Note to Veitchy and Hoskin even if your personal contractual arrangements are dominated by and dependent on corporate interests there are a few areas of life that are not and should not be so dominated.

    No areas of life or society should be dominated by corporate interests. Corporate interests should always come secondary or even tertiary to life and society.

    It is by putting corporate interests first that has brought about climate change, the ongoing destruction of the ecosphere and the increasing poverty that we see around us and the world.

    • ropata 16.1
      17 April 2017 at 6:25 pm

      +1 DTB, Veitch and Hosking are media whores who live and breathe to sell whatever shit their corporate sponsors are peddling. SBW is like a splinter in their minds, representing an alien and incomprehensible value system that’s not centred on Money.

    • mosa 16.2
      17 April 2017 at 7:48 pm

      Superbly put Draco.

    • Gosman 16.3
      18 April 2017 at 11:02 am

      Ummm… that suggests someone who is poor shouldn’t be offered loans not that interest shouldn’t be charged on any loan to anyone.

      • Draco T Bastard 16.3.1
        18 April 2017 at 12:33 pm

        You should go read the whole list:

        Withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live.

        In other words, don’t be a RWNJ.

        • Gosman 16.3.1.1
          18 April 2017 at 12:52 pm

          Ummm… that is from Ezekiel. If you are going to use OT verses to argue what should and shouldn’t be allowed then be prepared for the whole stoning adulterers and gays argument.

          • Draco T Bastard 16.3.1.1.1
            18 April 2017 at 4:48 pm

            https://www.biblebelievers.org.au/usury2.htm

            The New Testament embraces both Jew and Gentile. Id. at 3.

            The New Testament continued the prohibition of usury: “In the fullness of time the Messiah came, and no part of the moral law was abrogated. The prohibition of usury as to the Jew was extended, to include mankind, and the permit as to the stranger was declared inoperative and void. The Jew was taught to sympathize with strangers remembering that they were once strangers in Egypt.” Id. at 9-10.

            Jesus taught (Luke 6:34-35) “love ye your enemies, and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again.” Id. at 10. Usury was the basis for Jesus’s calling the money changers thieves: “The commerce of the world is conducted on principles as much at variance with the teachings of the master, as are the practices of a sneak thief or burglar. So the Master taught, as with whip of cords, he indignantly drove its representatives, from the sacred precincts of the Temple, denouncing them as thieves. Every well-informed mind knows that the money changers in the Temple, on that startling occasion, were at the very center of the Jewish Banking system, and of the pitiless and grinding commerce of Palestine.” Id. at 19.

            So, it seems that the New Testament also prohibits usury.

  17. Psycho Milt 17
    17 April 2017 at 5:29 pm

    He converted to the faith of Islam in 2008 while playing in Toulon. Up until then he had been involved in different incidents of low level inappropriate behaviour clearly fueled by alcohol. But since converting to Islam he has been an exemplary citizen.

    People always relate these “turned his life around” stories as though they were good news, inspirational in some way. I just find them annoying. Their subject is a person who can do the right thing only because he’s taken up an authoritarian ideology and is convinced a supernatural supervisor has commanded him to obey and is constantly watching to monitor his obedience. They describe someone who was a stranger to ethics and now proves himself a stranger to reason as well. The best you can say about these stories is that at least the schmuck is behaving himself now, but that’s a dispiritingly low bar to set for a human.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 17.1
      17 April 2017 at 5:40 pm

      …and that’s discounting the possibility that the entire redemption narrative is bollocks from the get-go. Must we accept without question that he was a schmuck prior to the lobotomy?

      Anyhow, well said.

    • ropata 17.2
      17 April 2017 at 6:19 pm

      I think you’ll find that in most cases a decent bloke is still a decent bloke with or without religion. Just like a religious arsehole would still be an arsehole without a theological metanarrative of the meaning of life the universe and everything.

      If SBW has aligned himself to Islam of his own free will because he admires its ethics then that’s OK isn’t it? As long as he doesn’t go for the nutty side of Islam, he’s a pretty good example of a ‘normal’ Muslim

      • Psycho Milt 17.2.1
        17 April 2017 at 8:03 pm

        I personally find the idea of someone converting to Islam because they admire its ethics horrifying, but YMMV.

        • ropata 17.2.1.1
          18 April 2017 at 1:02 pm

          Muslims, like Christians, have varying interpretations of the Scripture, and SBW’s ethics are probably more cultural and founded in a caring community rather than some inhuman ideology.

    • Incognito 17.3
      17 April 2017 at 6:31 pm

      Your dualism creates an insoluble problem for you. Why the mockery and name-calling? Cheap words that achieve nothing but scorn & ridicule.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 17.3.1
        17 April 2017 at 7:33 pm

        Mockery is a perfectly valid rhetorical response to false claims, especially now the church isn’t allowed to burn people alive any more.

        • Incognito 17.3.1.1
          17 April 2017 at 8:42 pm

          Somebody’s faith is deeply personal but feel free to call it “false claims” to justify mockery if that’s the intent. True, mockery has its place & time in rhetoric when it adds to or aids the strength of the persuasive argument but it adds nothing when it is just mocking for the sake of it; this becomes anti-rhetoric and just displays contempt and intolerance often based on barefaced ignorance.

      • Psycho Milt 17.3.2
        17 April 2017 at 8:08 pm

        There’s a problem I can’t solve? Actually, there are many, but none of them arise from that comment.

        There are two reasons for the mockery and name-calling:
        1. This is a blog comments thread, not afternoon tea at the vicarage.
        2. I find unreason and irrationalism fit subjects for mockery. On occasion I exhibit them myself, and mockery ensues. It’s all fair enough.

        • Incognito 17.3.2.1
          17 April 2017 at 8:49 pm

          TBH I use mockery too but more often than not consider it unnecessary and infantile afterwards. I guess I am projecting this onto you for which I apologise.

  18. Cricklewood 18
    17 April 2017 at 7:29 pm

    Good to see the NZRU are comfortable and make allowance for players not wishing to support certain sponsers.
    Seems to me its only news due to SBW not communicating his wishes and the covering the labels with tape. Im sure an alternate strip would have been provided had he asked prior to the game.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 18.1
      17 April 2017 at 7:30 pm

      Since his wishes are in his contract, I can’t see how he failed to communicate them.

  19. timeforacupoftea 19
    17 April 2017 at 7:54 pm

    ( One Anonymous Bloke rote 8.2.1
    17 April 2017 at 2:59 pm
    According to many, rentiers are as big a problem in this economy as banks.

    Couple (a) buys a house for $100k according to sharia law. They pay the bank $20k per year for five years plus $3k per year in rent.

    Couple (b) buys a house for $100k from the BNZ. They pay the bank $20k per year for five years plus $3k per year in interest.

    Looks like semantics to me. )

    I agree with what you say “One Anonymous Bloke”
    From a red blooded older womans point of veiw on SBW,
    I have always thought of him as Sissy Bill Williams kind and considerate.
    Willaims Sister has more testosterone than he.

    On Hoskisns,
    A jumped up short little twat,
    with not much between his ears,
    he makes our family spew on sight with a flick of the remote he is gone.

    On Veitch,
    A evil violent predator,
    Never listened to him since he was sentenced

  20. BM 20
    17 April 2017 at 8:07 pm

    Is Islamic banking a fractional reserve banking system.

    Of course it is. At one end you have sellers of the Islamic Banking brand claiming that the Islamic system is so different from the conventional one and then you have poor little buyers of these products wondering what is so different aside from the Arabic names.

    Let me reiterate, the Islamic Banking System is a fractional reserve banking system where money is CREATED very much like in a conventional system

    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/islamic-banking-fractional-reserve-system-hussain-kureshi

  21. peterlepaysan 21
    17 April 2017 at 10:04 pm

    Once again veitch and hosking have drawn attention to their awesome intellects that attract advertisers. Sigh.

    In comparison both the NZRU and the BNZ look rather sensible

  22. tc 22
    18 April 2017 at 6:49 am

    Hoskins and Vietchy; shock jocks with highly questionable ethics and court proceedings to back that up.

    Ignore the media whores, it’s what annoys them most.

  23. Cinny 23
    18 April 2017 at 8:23 am

    Proud of you SBW. Last week I heard commentators saying… why has he just started doing this, he didn’t have a problem with logos last season and so on, those kind of comments really pissed me off, are people not allowed to change as they learn more.

    It’s called personal growth, maybe the commentators should try it some time.

    Hosking is nothing more than a has been who props up a gambling institution (Sky City). SBWs logo actions shines a light on Hoskings lack of morals.

    But SBW did not cover or change his collar logo for fame or fortune, no it’s deeper than that, it’s about setting a good example to others when you are in the spotlight. Kudos to him for supporting an organisation that is important to all NZer’s, Plunket

    • Gosman 23.1
      18 April 2017 at 9:30 am

      Would he be willing to take a pay cut for his religious beliefs?

      • mac1 23.1.1
        18 April 2017 at 9:47 am

        Adherents of religions tend to value other than material things, Gosman- giving, caring, you know, that sort of thing. Status is derived from things other than income or wealth. Doing good is different from doing better. And of course I’ll always win this argument because he who does not believe and act so is not a true adherent of a true religion……..

        • Gosman 23.1.1.1
          18 April 2017 at 9:52 am

          Except SBW has been known to ditch agreements in an attempt to get a better commercial deal for himself so he isn’t above following the money.

          • mickysavage 23.1.1.1.1
            18 April 2017 at 9:53 am

            That was pre Toulon days.

            • Gosman 23.1.1.1.1.1
              18 April 2017 at 9:57 am

              No, it was the Toulon days. He moved to Toulon after ditching his previous contract with the Caterbury Bulldogs. He did this with the full support of his manager Khodar Nasser who alongside Anthony Mundine (who also is managed by Nasser) was one of the reasons SBW converted to Islam.

              • Cinny …
                18 April 2017 at 10:38 am

                How long ago was that Gosman? Around seven years ago maybe? People change as they learn, it’s called growth and it’s healthy, just in case you missed my point.

                • Gosman …
                  18 April 2017 at 10:58 am

                  SBW doesn’t think his motivation behind what he did back then was wrong, just the actions he took as a result.

                  http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10848112

                  • Cinny …
                    18 April 2017 at 1:39 pm

                    Thanks for the link to an article from back in 2012.

                    SBW has grown so much in the last five years. Proud of him for his recent actions.

                    I wonder what personal growth you have achieved in the last five years Gosman? As for me I’m learning more and evolving everyday, just like SBW is 😀

                    Yay for personal growth, there will be much personal growth happening the day after the spring equinox.. standby NZ, it’s going to be all shades of awesome 😀

              • mickysavage …
                18 April 2017 at 2:01 pm

                My point exactly. The decision to go to Toulon occurred before he was actually at Toulon and when he decided to convert to Islam.

          • The New Student 23.1.1.1.2
            18 April 2017 at 9:57 am

            He didn’t ditch purely for commercial reasons, everybody knows that. It’s no secret.

          • mac1 23.1.1.1.3
            18 April 2017 at 10:07 pm

            Gosman, you did specify religious beliefs and SBW’s salary. I responded to that query. Of course he can go chasing the best contract that such a talented and effective player can get.

            The two situations are different- what a player can get for his contract, and what a player will accept in line with his religious beliefs being affected in terms of his conscience.

            Don’t go moving the goal posts. It’s too easy to score an own goal that way……

    • The New Student 23.2
      18 April 2017 at 9:55 am

      Well-said cinny. SBW has raised but one important point for us all to ponder and he did so in a non-violent, non-confrontational manner. The public domain are all talking about it, both online and off. It’s great too see. I look forward to more of this.

  24. Tanz 24
    18 April 2017 at 2:24 pm

    Considering he has been paid huge sums of money from the corporation, his behaviour is belligerent and ungrateful. He signed up to be an advertisement, and was paid much dosh for it, so if he has now changed his mind, why does he not return the big fat cheque? Not exactly acting in good faith.

    • ropata 24.1
      18 April 2017 at 4:58 pm

      I doubt his contract states any requirement to be a walking billboard, his job is chasing a ball and smashing into people

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    Skeptical Science
    40 mins ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    2 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    9 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    10 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours 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
    11 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
    23 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    4 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
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    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 Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-19T09:07:45+00:00