Later Whaleoil

Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, August 1st, 2019 - 66 comments
Categories: Media, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

The Whaleoil site will blog no more.

David Fisher at the Herald has this background:

The Whaleoil blog began in 2005, with Slater saying it was an outlet through which he was able to manage depression.

In the years that followed, it became increasingly politicised until 2014, when the book Dirty Politics revealed it was running political “hit jobs”, targeting opponents of the National Party-led government.

The book, and a court case, also exposed Slater as accepting money for writing stories targeting individuals.

A second book published this year, called Whale Oil, described a campaign of harassment against businessman Matt Blomfield, who had successfully sued Slater for defamation over a series of articles published on the blog.

Slater is also currently party to another defamation case taken by health academics and researchers also targeted through the Whaleoil blog.

And it went out as it started.

The final post on the Whaleoil site today floated a discredited conspiracy theory that “shadowy forces conspired” to destroy the blog by hiring the hacker who supplied Dirty Politics author Nicky Hager with digital content taken from Slater’s computer.

The final post pointed visitors to a new site set up by those who provided content to Whaleoil. The contributors did not include Slater, who has told the High Court he is too unwell following his stroke to participate in the ongoing defamation case.

I wonder if this is strategic?  And I wonder how creditors feel about this announcement?  I am sure they will be interested that there is a proper amount paid for any IP the Whaleoil site may have.

66 comments on “Later Whaleoil ”

  1. Anne 1

    The final post … floated a discredited conspiracy theory that “shadowy forces conspired” to destroy the blog by hiring the hacker who supplied Dirty Politics author Nicky Hager with digital content taken from Slater’s computer.

    The favourite attack line of guilty nut-bars is to project their own despicable conduct onto the shoulders of their victim/victims or those who seek to rectify the damage they have wreaked. Example – Nicky Hager.

    • Anne 1.1

      Oops, on re-reading my post, I didn't mean to infer Hager is a nut-bar… rather the ne'er do wells from the former blog-site called Whale Oil. 😯

    • lprent 1.2

      It has always been a bit of joke to me that Cameron Slater and co seem to think that there is a shadowy conspiracy targeting them. There isn’t. At least not a conspiracy.

      There are quite lot of people who despise them for being complete arseholes and who are willing to put the boot in if given an opportunity. I’m one of them, but I’ll only do things if they are fully legal.

      It doesn’t surprise me that someone with actual skills eventually got pissed off enough to have a go at the site. It crossed my mind a few times. But I haven’t hacked into a system unlawfully since university the first time in about 1980 (and those were different days – it was actually encouraged then). I just stop people doing it to systems I’m in control of.

      However it was pretty obvious from just looking Whaleoil remotely and everything to do with Cameron was that it was swiss cheese and completely incompetent. Even after he dropped the drupal, he never seemed to have secured his wordpress either – and that was well before the hack. After the hack it got a lot better when I scanned it. But I put most of that down to cloudfront.

      But the damage that the Cameron Slater, the idiot fuckwit, managed to do to others was significiant. It was only a matter of time before someone tore his system and world apart.

      I did my bit in making sure that, when inevitable eventually happened, that those doing doing their journalism and cases received as much help as possible from me. But it wasn’t a ‘conspiracy’. It was almost entirely citizens doing their civic duty and putting a mad dog down that brought him down. If the hack hadn’t happened then the same thing would have occurred anyway – for instance the Blomfield case was underway well before the hack.

      More than the police managed to do.

      • Anne 1.2.1

        More than the police managed to do.

        The police response to the whole Dirty Politics saga was diabolical!

        It still gobsmacks me to think they set upon the whistle blower with all guns blazing while leaving alone the characters – of which Slater was the principle – who were responsible for the sometimes violent and unlawful harassment of individuals and the slanderous claims against people who had done nothing to deserve it. And they were getting paid to do it by scumbags out for some perceived revenge.

        It confirmed for me that when it comes to politically motivated crimes the police show a bias towards the right-wing status quo and will turn a blind eye to their criminal behaviour, while at the same time squashing attempts by the victims who try to seek justice. The hoops they put Blomfield through during his fight for justice is a case in point and he wasn't even a political person.

        • Sacha 1.2.1.1

          There seemed to be something more direct than political bias driving the police's relationship with Slatter. Something we may never find out about.

          • Anne 1.2.1.1.1

            Political interference? That was my suspicion at the time. Slater is the son of John Slater who was the Auckland regional National Party chairman during the Muldoon years and who later became the Party president. He had lots of contacts in high places. Add to that John Key found Slater and his blogsite a useful tool for stories that the MSM woudn't touch – at least until the publication of DP at which point he dropped Slater like a hot cake.

            Bear in mind a former SIS director was duped into providing Slater with top secret material about Phil Goff which put him in a bad light. It turned out to be a load of hogwash and a few years later the current director issued an apology to him.

      • tc 1.2.2

        Nationals police force. 81 bok tour showed their true colours.

      • Instauration 1.2.3

        Yes incompetent

        In the "Gotcha" days – pre the Cactus split, all images had numerically incremental filenames.

        wget n+1

        Have archived all.

        Includes Helen photo-shopped as a "Target"

        Does Cameron still have a firearms license ?

        thewild

        • Instauration 1.2.3.1

          Like – mental health / depression, issues – revealed upon renewals ?

  2. Sanctuary 2

    A transparent attempt to save something from the impending court orders. Slater must think judges are stupid, or perhaps his delusions against the day of his Götterdämmerung need to be nursed for a few more months.

    • lprent 2.1

      He really does seem to think like that. I've been around him a few times in court (and more with his dimwitted legal adviser Dermot Nottingham). It was pretty clear that both of them were completely unaware that it simply didn't matter how much they tried to obscure, conceal, lie and obstruct that the legal system just keeps rolling on and exposes everything.

      That their actions just made things worse because it mounts up legal bills that eventually they’re responsible for.

      All their dimwitted tactics and conspiring does is to make people willing to make damn sure that they don’t get an opportunity to do that kind of crap to someone else.

    • Instauration 2.2

      CIV-2016-404-1312 [2019] NZHC 1666

      Slater was compelled to appear at the Auckland High Court, 26 July 2018.

      Did he ?

  3. Sacha 3

    How much is a digital begging bowl worth these days?

  4. Dukeofurl 4

    I notice its the same old 'authors' including one called WH. Chris Trotter is still 'trotting on' there

    In reality its just a rebranding as they are saying existing subscribers can continue.

    • Shadrach 4.1

      To be fair the new site has a much better look and feel than the old one.

      Is Chris Trotter actually contributing, or are his blogs at Bowalley Road just being 're-posted' by WO?

      • roblogic 4.1.1

        the new site will nor get anywhere near the traffic of whaleoil. its snazzy design is slow to load and confusing- not chronological. (same template as the Daily Blog) and most of the content is paywalled. echo chamber for delusional Act voters

        • Shadrach 4.1.1.1

          I've just had a good run through the site and I'm not seeing any speed issues (I'm using Edge as my browser on a fibre Broadband connection). Also there are very few posts that are paywalled. The design/layout is very subjective, but I will say that what they have chosen is quite contemporary – as you say it is similar to TDB.

      • Chris 4.1.2

        But it's the same sycophantic idiots, including Slater's wife, trying to peddle the same trash as their idiot boss. Whaleoil lasted as long as it did because it was run by a psychopath. The psychopath's gone and there's little left. They're no doubt excited right now about their attempt at a new beginning but it's only a matter of time for them to realise the emptiness of their pursuit and that they're on a hiding to nowhere. I give 'em less than six months.

        • Shadrach 4.1.2.1

          Much of what you say is true, but I give them more 'legs' than that. They still appear to have a solid support base. They also seem to have found the money from somewhere to build the new site?

        • Anne 4.1.2.2

          Whaleoil lasted as long as it did because it was run by a psychopath.

          Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a psychopath will know how amazing it is they are able to dispense their particular form of chaos and criminal behaviour without intervention from the 'powers that be' including the police.

          I've not yet figured out why. Maybe someone can enlighten me. 🙂

        • Instauration 4.1.2.3

          Freed from Antonio – Juana (SB) – ambitions diminished ?
          Beside the seaside – beside the sea – Großvater

    • greywarshark 4.2

      Chris Trotter was born in 1956 so will have to go a few more years till retirement. I understand that he earns his own living, therefore he may have to lie down with dogs like Whaleoil or its successor at times. He would lift their IQ and EQ by some deciles. Also if he is involved with a wide group of people he gets to know what is going on, and a feel for the zeitgeist. It isn't enough for a commenter at his level to spout out opinions like the right wingers, Mike Hosking, whatsisname Hooten etc. We get more thought from Chris Trotter than they have in their big toes which they use to kick ideas off-side with.

      • Chris 4.2.1

        Whaleoil and now this latest outfit has Trotter write for them for the credibility that gives them, including the times when they can say “there, even the left thinks it’s a stupid idea.”

    • lprent 4.3

      CT gets paid to write.

  5. Professor Longhair 5

    I understand that he earns his own living, therefore he may have to lie down with dogs like Whaleoil or its successor at times.

    ??? He's superior to Whaleoil and his cronies, is he? So who's this laughing his head off at the suffering of a journalist in political asylum in 2013?

    SUSAN BALDACCI: Julian Assange is a little bit paranoid.
    JIM MORA: Oh yes? Hur, hur, hur, hur!
    SUSAN BALDACCI: Yeah, he claims that being holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy, he is deprived of his human right of getting enough sun.
    MORA: Is it a human right to get enough sun?
    SUSAN BALDACCI: That’s what he claims! He claims that being not allowed to leave London is violating his “human rights”.
    MORA: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
    LISA SCOTT: Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
    CHRIS TROTTER: Haw haw haw haw haw!
    SUSAN BALDACCI: He thinks he should be allowed out of his Ecuador embassy hideout to sunbathe.
    MORA: He can get out on the balcony, where he gave that speech!
    LISA SCOTT: Yeah! Ha ha ha ha ha!
    CHRIS TROTTER: Yeah! Ha ha ha ha ha! Or get him a sun lamp! THAT’s what he needs!
    LISA SCOTT: Ha ha ha ha ha!
    SUSAN BALDACCI: He he he he he!
    TROTTER: I suspect the ambassador’s just sick of the sight of him! “Are you ever going to LEEEEAAAVE?”
    MORA: Sun lamp! Get him a sun lamp!!!
    LISA SCOTT: Ha ha ha ha ha!
    MORA: Back after the news!

    https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/an-unusually-inane-and-depraved-edition.html

    Also if he is involved with a wide group of people he gets to know what is going on, and a feel for the zeitgeist. It isn't enough for a commenter at his level to spout out opinions like the right wingers, Mike Hosking, whatsisname Hooten [sic] etc.

    Ignorant and nasty as they obviously are, have Hosking or Hooton expressed anything in a windier or more disgusting fashion than Trotter did when he bloviated a defence of the Deep South jury that had exonerated the killer of Trayvon Martin?

    https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/chris-trotter-reckons-zimmerman-jury.html

    We get more thought from Chris Trotter than they have in their big toes which they use to kick ideas off-side with.

    Really?

    • Sacha 5.1

      How come you do not just login under the one username?

      • Poission 5.1.1

        You recognized the music?

      • David Mac 5.1.2

        Astounds me too, there are few better ways to destroy credibility than pretend to be someone else. Closely followed by attempting to deny a person their opinion with nothing more than your own opinion.

        I generally don't regret starting a Trotter piece. I enjoy the political writers that prompt me to question where I stand.

        • Morrissey 5.1.2.1

          there are few better ways to destroy credibility than pretend to be someone else.

          How about if you join in with a mob laughing at the suffering of a political prisoner? Or how about if, following an outrageous decision by a Deep South jury after the murder of another African-American youth, you pompously admonish weak and namby-pamby human rights obsessives that they "have, even in this case I think, to trust the jury"?

          https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/chris-trotter-reckons-zimmerman-jury.html

          Surely that kind of thing is more destructive of one's credibility than wearing a mask occasionally.

        • Gabby 5.1.2.2

          I tend to wonder what bunch of shmucks he's trying to prod into risky action while cheering safely from the sidelines. Like he'd risk his precious toe kicking anything.

      • Instauration 5.1.3

        Fidelity Life Assurance (messrs Whale, et-al)

        Assured Slater's income during – "depression"

        http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2998740/Blogger-takes-on-insurance-firm

        Will Cameron and Juana ever achieve an insurable status ?

        Will Cameron ever be able to tick the " No criminal conviction" box on the AU arrival form when he visits his brother ?

        The long queue for you !

    • greywarshark 5.2

      Cut your hair you're not Einstein. 2013 and you heard something that was satirical, and you being so pure that you are almost a saint wouldn't have a clue as to the ways of the world and took offence. I hope you are getting looked after well as most people have to harden up a little and learn to keep schtum sometimes. But not you St Prof. and with your little bag of faux pas trotting around to leave deposits on everybody's doorsteps till the year dot. You would make me sick but I can't be bothered.

      • Morrissey 5.2.1

        2013 and you heard something that was satirical,

        Trotter laughing at the suffering of Julian Assange was satirical, was it? And his endorsement of that Deep South "jury" that acquitted George Zimmerman: that was satire as well? And the windy admonition of anyone foolish enough to speak out against it: that was also Trotterian satire? Thanks for that.

        and you being so pure that you are almost a saint wouldn't have a clue as to the ways of the world and took offence.

        I don't think the Professor is a saint, Mr. Shark—hell, if he was, he wouldn't have lost the job of a lifetime tutoring at that exclusive girls' school in Switzerland and be forced to work as a stand-up comic on Turkish cruise ships.

        But not you St Prof. and with your little bag of faux pas trotting around to leave deposits on everybody's doorsteps till the year dot.

        Oh, so it was a faux pas when Trotter roared with laughter, then hilariously yelled "Get him a sun lamp!" and then capped it off by brilliantly imitating Speedy Gonzales with the following rib-tickling classic: “Are you ever going to LEEEEAAAVE?” It was all…. satire. Just like his advice to wet liberals in 2013: "I think all this talk about the jury is most unfortunate. You have, even in this case I think, to trust the jury." Satire. He's a regular Mort Sahl, all right.

        You would make me sick but I can't be bothered.

        I can give you what you want, Shark—but you gotta come back for more.

    • tc 5.3

      Trotter is the tame lefty for 'balance' and is establishment through and through IMO.

      Likes the sound of his own voice lecturing folk to sleep.

  6. woodart 6

    good point about creditors to whaleoil. always interests and amuses ,when those who spout about personal responsibility, cut and run, any leave others holding useless markers.

  7. Jess NZ 7

    On twitter, there are several abused people celebrating the demise of WOil, however limited. One in particular hoped the defamatory material was going to disappear from Google searches, but I don't know…

  8. Sacha 8

    A suitably blunt wrap-up of the blubberpit: https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/01-08-2019/rip-whaleoil-net-nz-2005-2019/

    If it is to be remembered for anything, let it be for making politics a crueler, and more viscerally hateful arena. May we never see its like again.

  9. Robert Guyton 9

    Bye.

  10. Hamish Stevenson 10

    Whaleoil began as an outlet through which Slater could manage depression. Well, it seems depression became Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

    • Sacha 10.1

      began as an outlet through which Slater could manage depression

      That's the claim now, sure. Wonder if MSD ever investigated his income while on the sickness benefit?

  11. Stuart Munro. 11

    His many victims, including the Hall family of Greymouth, will be feeling slightly vindicated. It was no ornament to NZ, and no use except to unusually seedy politicians who used it to extend their term beyond their popular mandate.

  12. mosa 12

    This organisation had friends in high places and i don’t think we will ever know the full extent of what else was done and contemplated to attack their enemies had the last gang of crooks carried on for three more years.

    Judith Collins it must be remembered was an active participant in what whaleoil was doing here and used these dirty tricks to maximum advantage as did Key-Eade and others.

    Not since Muldoon have we seen this level of manipulation and character assassination in our politics ( Douglas destroying Lange aside )

    The most disturbing is the MSM and the infiltration of this poison in our fourth estate and that they allowed themselves to be used as Key and others attack squad in our countries media.
    Of course it suited these media organisations perfectly well as a mouth piece for National and its friends.
    It is utterly reprehensible and yet the main protagonists are still in positions of authority and want to be PM !!!

    Slater may have been consumed by the fire he started but there is still more left too burn and Judith has the petrol and matches.

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/08/01/the-whaleoil-blog-is-finally-dead-reflecting-on-its-impact-over-nz-politics

  13. Paul Campbell 14

    I hope the creditors realise that the oily email archives (of which rawshark only showed us a small part) have some value, not only to the general public but also to those still involved in court cases with Slater (and other defendants who still have the resources to continue the defamation cases).

    And TheBFD – Big Fucking Deal (rolls eyes)

  14. Posted on the Whale Oil website tonight:

    It is the liquidator's opinion that the director of Social Media Consultants Limited, Juana Atkins or someone directed by her has illegally used the customer database for the benefit of another business entity.

    This appears on the face of it to have been done for the purpose of misappropriating the company’s goodwill and causing the company loss, therefore breaching the duties as a director to preserve the assets of the company for the benefit of creditors.

    The Whale Oil blog and everything associated to the blog remains the property of Social Media Consultants Limited (in liquidation).

    • Shadrach 15.1

      Yes just noticed that too. Note the final paragraph of what MS wrote in the post.

      The plot thickens!

    • Muttonbird 15.2

      That is outstanding. They couldn't even migrate their users without breaking the law.

      I had a pretty good day – that has made it better.

    • Sacha 15.3

      Thank you.

    • Paul Campbell 15.4

      Strangely that's what's on https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/, the old site is still on https://www.whaleoil.org.nz/.

      whaleoil.co.nz is sitting on freeparking.co.nz

      whaleoil.org.nz is sitting on an Aussie registrar http://www.instra.com

      As much as I'd like this to be real I suspect hijinks

      • Pete George 15.4.1

        whaleoil.co.nz seems to be under the control of the liquidator Corporate Restructuring Limited, who are domain registrant. That will be why the message is there. They are also registrant of whaleoil.nz

        Those involved with WO transferred everything to whaleoil.net.nz (whaleoil.co.nz was redirecting there until this message appeared from the liquidator). Regan Cunliffe, a long time associate of Slater, is registrant. Same for whaleoil.org.nz. Technical contact is Andrea Parkes. She is also the registrant of thebfd.co.nz which they have now transfered everything to.

        • lprent 15.4.1.1

          Just looked at it this morning.

          • Couldn't see the OA message you described.
          • The formating on whaleoil.co.nz & whaleoil.net.nz has turned to shite. whaleoil.org.nz is offline as is whaleoil.nz.
          • whaleoil.co.nz and whaleoil.nz are in corporate restructuring's name. .net.nz and .org.nz in Regan Cunliffe's name (andrea parkes as tech contact).
          • thebfd.co.nz is in andrea parkes name and was registered in May.
          • thebfd.nz got registered on the 1st August by someone else. Maybe an extort?

          I have no idea why they think that moving to a new site isn't just going to annoy the courts, creditors, and the OA.

          I'm off work for a week as an R&R. If the OA is having problems, I'd be happy to help secure the whaleoil site and the domains associated with it. I'd happily donate my time to lock out miscreants.

          • Pete George 15.4.1.1.1

            "Couldn't see the OA message you described."

            That's odd. It still comes up for me, but someone else says they can't see it either.

          • Paul Campbell 15.4.1.1.2

            Looks like someone's slowly taking whaleoils down, .co.nz has the warning on it, .org.nz is now down (well the server is there but it's timing out), .net.nz still has the original content on it

          • Paul Campbell 15.4.1.1.3

            thebfd.com belongs to "American LowLife" – at least they admit to who they are

          • Paul Campbell 15.4.1.1.4

            BTW there's a strange conflict of interest(s) here – the Receiver is duty bound to discover all the creditors (and treat them equally) and the paid members are in fact (very minor) creditors – they're due refunds (or fractions there of, depending on the actual assets of the wound up corporation which are likely tiny).

            So the whaleoil memberships are strangely both liabilities and assets – assets because they are essentially 'good will' (which amounts to what the oily site really took) and business knowledge that could be sold – say to another right wing web site, political consultants (of any stripe), to advertisers looking for the right wing conspiracy demographic (qanon for example might want them, or a maga hat company).

            On the other hand the paid up members however probably identify themselves as members of the community that's moved over to the new oily place and are glad their memberships have been moved over there, and probably have it in for the Receiver (who's really only doing their, politically neutral, legally defined job) and maybe would like to stick it to them by claiming their membership dues back.

            Interestingly the new oily web site seems to contain whaleoil content (back to Aprilish), I wonder how much of this really belongs to the Receiver

            • lprent 15.4.1.1.4.1

              Especially since the OA is in fact working on the behalf of the creditors owed (at present) $660k.

              https://www.insolvency.govt.nz/support/about/news-and-other-notices/auckland-accountant-sentenced-to-three-years-imprisonment-for-bankruptcy-offences/

              In sentencing, Judge Kevin Glubb described the offending as involving a high level of premeditation and planning. He found that Mr Clarke had embarked on a deliberate course of conduct intended to frustrate the Official Assignee and prevent the distribution of assets to creditors.

              Judge Glubb noted that Mr Clarke has never shown any remorse for his offending. He continues to refuse to co-operate with the Official Assignee and blames the Official Assignee for failing to understand his situation.

              Doesn’t that sound just like a Cameron Slater line..

              Perhaps someone should go and inform the Spanish Bride of her obligations as (for a time) the final former sole director of the holding company for the whaleoil site.

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    Open access notables Publicly expressed climate scepticism is greatest in regions with high CO2 emissions, Pearson et al., Climatic Change: We analysed a recently released corpus of climate-related tweets to examine the macro-level factors associated with public declarations of climate change scepticism. Analyses of over 2 million geo-located tweets in the U.S. showed that climate ...
    1 day ago
  • The thrilling possibilities of charter schools
    You can be all negative about these charter schools if you want, but I’m here to accentuate the positive. You can get all worked up, if you want to, by the contradiction of Luxon saying We’re going to make sure that every school in the country is teaching exactly the same ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • This Unreasonable Government.
    Losing The Room: One can only speculate about what has persuaded the Coalition Government that it will pay no electoral price for unreasonably pushing ahead with policies that are so clearly against the national interest. They seem quite oblivious to the risk that by doing so they will convince an increasing ...
    2 days ago
  • Supreme Court weighs in on name suppression
    Name suppression decisions can be tough sometimes. No matter your views on free speech, you have to be hard-hearted not to be torn by the tug of the competing arguments. I think you can feel the Supreme Court wrestling with that in M v The King. The case for ...
    2 days ago
  • Is This A “Merchants” Government?
    The Merchants of Menace: The Coalition Government has convinced itself that the Brahmins’ emollient functions have become much too irksome and expensive. Those who see themselves as the best hope of rebuilding New Zealand’s ailing capitalist system, appear to have convinced themselves that a little bit of blunt trauma is what their mollycoddled ...
    2 days ago
  • This is what corruption looks like
    When National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants: On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Take that, Vladimir – and be warned: we have plenty more sanctions (at least, we hope so) in our ...
    Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point.  Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • More Harm Than Good.
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...
    2 days ago
  • The Ombudsman fails again
    In 2020, the Operation Burnham inquiry reported back, finding that NZDF had lied to Ministers and the New Zealand public about its actions in Afghanistan. The inquiry saw a large number of documents declassified and released, which raised another problem: whether they had also lied to the Ombudsman in his ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • No Time To Think: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...
    2 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the Govt
    It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • Picking Sides.
    Time To Choose: Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into AUKUS’s  “Pillar 2” – or they are going to China.HAD ZHENG HE’S FLEET sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks ...
    2 days ago
  • Universities offer course in self-serving cowardice
    Henry Ergas writes –  When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • The teacher trainee challenge
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Words and (in)actions
    New Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision   Michael Reddell writes –  When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What do you hope for/fear from the budget?
    Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on ACT’s charter schools experiment
    If there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...
    2 days ago
  • Drought fuels wildfire concerns as Canada braces for another intense summer
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gaye Taylor As widespread drought raises expectations for a repeat of last year’s ferocious wildfire season, response teams across Canada are grappling with the rapidly changing face of fire in a warming climate. No longer quenched by winter, nor quelled by the ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Thursday, May 16
    Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Controversial proposal could threaten coalition
    The University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Of Rings of Power Annatar, Dramatic Irony, and Disguises
    As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...
    2 days ago
  • The future of Nick's Kōrero.
    This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • The PM promises tax relief in the Budget – but will it be enough to satisfy the Taxpayers’ Union...
    Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when  the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Fucking useless
    Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Setting things straight.
    Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    3 days ago
  • Far too light a sentence
    David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Unwinding Labour’s Agenda
    Muriel Newman writes –  Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Sequel to “Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour”
    Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • The Govt’s Fast-Track is being demolished by submissions to Parliament
    Bryce Edwards writes –  The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day
    An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • NZUP RORS back to life
    The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
    3 days ago
  • School Is Out.
    School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • How Are You Doing?
    Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • The Rings of Power: Season Two Teaser Trailer
    I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – What ended the Little ice Age?
    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 ...
    4 days ago
  • Talking Reo with the PM
    “The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Waitangi Tribunal’s authority in Chhour case is upheld – but bill’s introduction to Parliament...
    Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour.  The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Australia jails another whistleblower
    In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Some “scrutiny”!
    Back in February I blogged about another secret OIA "consultation" by the Ministry of Justice. This one was on Aotearoa's commitment in its Open Government Partnership Action Plan to "strengthen scrutiny of Official Information Act exemption clauses in legislation" (AKA secrecy clauses). Their consultation paper on the issue focused on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • TVNZ is loss-making, serves no public service due to bias, and should be liquidated
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The conflicted Covid Chair
    David Farrar writes –  Kata MacNamara reports:    Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea
    Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer coming
    RNZ reports –  It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The climate battleground heats up
    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14
    The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitic
    To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
    4 days ago
  • Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
    4 days ago
  • Wayne Brown’s PT Plan
    Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
    4 days ago
  • Potaka's Private Universe.
    And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Our slow regional councils
    The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    5 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • DJ Fred Again – Assurance report received
    "On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden.  “I raised my concerns after being ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Unions should put learning ahead of ideology
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools.     “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMA
    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguard
    Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
    New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says.  “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019.  “It is my pleasure ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
    New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.  “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Further sanctions against Russia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • One year on from Loafers Lodge
    A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaboration
    New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says.    “This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Penk travels to Peru for trade meetings
    Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Minister attends global education conferences
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA Chair
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
    New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.   This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Panel announced for review into disability services
    Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister welcomes Police gang unit
    Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners.  “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Chief of Defence Force appointed
    Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
    Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
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