What if they are members of Rainbow Labour? Would that upset you?
But yeah, come on guys, less creepy focus on the private lives of MPs- you did just call out someone else on that, remember. Enjoying the beach is a terrible way to make an ad-hominem on a climate sceptic, anyway. Much better is finding out that they have weird views of how science works, or simply don’t understand climate science.
I think ayb was taking the piss, Ari. This image is from a calendar released by Lockwood a while ago in his role as a politician. It was widely publicised at the time and was a source of great hilarity.
This does seem to be walking along the same line you criticized other blogs for crossing recently though. I’m not even really sure what the point is you are trying to make, except to confirm the false stereotype that climate change is about warmer weather, rather than dramatically uncontrollable storms and droughts, environmental destruction and habitat loss.
I suggest you go and get a life Frog. It’s highly strung humorless types like you that give the Greens a bad name and why folks like me steer well clear of you and your dull party.
I thought the post ws funny. It was lighthearted and topical and poked fun at a politician who should know better. Lockwood Smith put that picture on his own calendar and it was a laughed back then without any Green finger-wagging. So why the histrionics now?
James I think you’re being unfair. If frog had actually seen the post Steady Eddy wrote about Kate have then I’m sure he would have made a more considered comment. I saw it and I can tell you there is no comparison between the two: those creeps lied and defamed and slandered Kate to try and end her career. There was nothing funny about it.
Perhaps, but I still think Frog was being a bit PC, for want of a better term.
I mean how dry can you get? Crying about how a picture of Lockwood in speedos “confirms the false stereotype that climate change is about warmer weather, rather than dramatically uncontrollable storms and droughts, environmental destruction and habitat loss.”
I’m not sure I like the idea of making fun of a politician for what they look like in their swimming gear, regardless. I know I’d look pretty ridiculous, too, so… đ
James, settled down and leave frog alone. I don’t want to turn this thread into a flame war. And hey, I happen to like the Greens.
frog, to answer your question, the point of the post was to have a laugh. It wasn’t intended to be nasty in any way, or to make light of climate change. We can’t be serious all the time brother, and sometimes you have to give things the benefit of the doubt.
So its fine for you lads to have a laugh at someone elses expense but if someone on the right attempts to take the piss, it is personal gutter politics.
Thats cool. Im just working out the rules you follow.
Cheers Tane etc, apologies for having neglected this thread.
I don’t give a toss about Lockwood’s personal life but I did find the Speedo vanity shot pretty funny.
Will upload the whole calendar shot to clear up any potential confusion about the source.
Ancient Geek: as per your suggestion have also added the “humor” tag (though reluctantly, as Frog so rightly points out, climate change is no laughing matter)
Sorry. My attempt at facetious humour around stereotypes – by talking about climate change in a moralistic way – obviously flopped.
I did see steady eddy’s post, and you are right it is in a different league. But as a whole I think the NZ political blogosphere is getting unnecessarily more personally. And whatever your intentions towards Dr Smith with this post, it did seem to carry unintended cruel undertones.
The problem you guys have is that everytime you make a post like this and people complain you say “It was meant to be funny – stop taking everything so seriously”.
But when other blogs do similar posts you jump up and down and say “it’s not funny” and or “it’s obviously just dog whistle politics”.
If you’re going to a serious voice-piece for the labour movement it would help if you were consistent.
And if you were really a serious voice-piece for the labour movement I thought we would have seen some comment from you guys on the major party of your movement shooting itself in the foot by not being transparent and breaching the Electoral Finance Act that it passed with loud rhetoric about restoring transparency to the NZ political scene.
Speaking of Blue Chip, I see Doug Graham is tied up in Lombard,the latest dodgy finance company to hit trouble. What is it with National and dodgy money?
National is allways a cheap date when it comes to corporate donations.
But there is quite a list of former NP cabinet ministers and failed companies.
Even Key was in with that Dairy Futures ? which had to shut up shop because the price of milk powder went through the roof.
I think it was a sort of options play on the Future of Fonterra, just the thing for a wall st gnome. But no real basis to any of it
Scientists in the U.K. have reported evidence that further refutes one theory of global climate change.
In the heated debate over global warming, there is an opposing idea, called the cosmic ray theory, which contends that climate change is simply caused by cosmic rays coming from the sun.
In the UK, London is the latest of council groups to signal potential bankruptcy.That’s after Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, went bankrupt in June, resulting in reduced sanitation services, libraries cut, and dimmed streetlights.Some in the city described things as “Dickens” like.Please, Sir, Can I have some more?For families with ...
The Government is considering how to shunt elderly people out of hospitals, and also how to cut their access to other support. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, ...
The so-called “Prince of the Provinces”, Shane Jones, went home last Friday. Perhaps not quite literally home, more like 20 kilometres down the road from his house on the outskirts of Kerikeri. With its airport, its rapidly growing (mostly retired) population, and a commercial centre with all the big retail ...
I have noted before that The Rings of Power has attracted its unfortunate share of culture war obsessives. Essentially, for a certain type of individual, railing on about the Wokery of Modern Media is a means of making themselves a online livelihood. Clicks and views and advertising revenue, and all ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 8, 2024 thru Sat, September 14, 2024. Story of the week From time to time we like to make our Story of the Week all about us— and ...
Yesterday, I ruminated about the effects of being a political follower.And, within politics, David Seymour was smart enough on Friday to divert attention from “race blind” policies [what about gender blind I thought - thinking of maternity wards] and cutting school lunches by throwing meat to the media. Teachers were ...
Far, far away from here lives our King. Some of his subjects can be quite the forelock tuggers, but plenty of us are not like that, and why don't I wheel out my favourite old story once more about Kiwi soldiers in the North African desert?Field Marshal Montgomery takes offence ...
These people are inept on every level. They’re inept to the detriment of our internal politics, cohesion and increasingly our international reputation.And they are reveling in the fact they are getting away with it. We cannot even have “respectful debate” with a government that clearly rejects the very ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Does manmade CO2 have any ...
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:1-2FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY men and women professing the Christian faith would appear to have imperilled their immortal souls. ...
Uh-uh! Not So Fast, Citizens!The power to initiate systemic change remains where it has always been in New Zealandâs representative democracy â in Parliament. To order a binding referendum, the House of Representatives must first to be persuaded that, on the question proposed, sharing its decision-making power with the people ...
Flatlining: With no evidence of a genuine policy disruptor at work in Labourâs ranks, New Zealandâs wealthiest citizens can sleep easy.PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN has walked a picket-line. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has threatened âprice-gaugingâ grocery retailers with price control. The Democratic Partyâs 2024 platform situates it well to the left of Sir ...
The Beginning of the End:Rogernomics became the short-hand descriptor for all the radical changes that swept away New Zealandâs social-democratic economy and society between 1984 and 1990. In the bitterest of ironies, those changes were introduced by the very same party which had entrenched New Zealand social-democracy 50 years earlier. ...
Good morning all you lovely people. 🙂I woke up this morning, and it felt a bit like the last day of school. You might recall from earlier in the week that I’m heading home to Rotorua to see an old friend who doesn’t have much time. A sad journey, but ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Street architecture adjustment, KolkataShare Read more ...
Despite fears that Trump presidency would be disastrous for progress on climate change, the topic barely rated a mention in the Presidential debate. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey ...
The abrupt cancellations and suspensions of Government spending also caused private sector hiring, spending, and investment to freeze up for the first six months of the year. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThis week we learned:The new National/ACT/NZ First Coalition Government ignored advice from Treasury that it didn’t have to ...
Another week of The Rings of Power, season two, and another confirmation that things are definitely coming together for the show. The fifth Episode of season one represented the nadir of the series. Now? Amid the firmer footing of 2024, Episode Five represents further a further step towards excellent Tolkien ...
The background to In Open Seas: How the New Zealand Labour Government Went Wrong:2017-2023Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand, published in 2020, proved more successful than either I or the publisher (VUP, now Te Herenga Waka University Press) expected. I had expected that it would ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...
1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...
The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...
In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...
Treasury’s advice to Cabinet was that the new Government could actually prudently carry net core Crown debt of up to 50% of GDP. ButLuxon and Willis instead chose to portray the Government’s finances as in such a mess they had no choice but to carve 6.5% to 7.5% off ...
This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...
It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...
Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...
I liked what Kieran McAnulty had to say about the Treaty Principles bill this morning so much I've written it down and copied it out for you. He was saying that rather than let this piece of ordure spend six months in Select Committee, the Prime Minister could stop making such ...
Cabinet discussed National's constitutionally and historically illiterate "Treaty Principles Bill" this week, and decided to push on with it. The bill will apparently receive a full six month select committee process - unlike practically every other policy this government has pushed, and despite the fact that if the government is ...
I spoke with Substack co-founder yesterday, just before the Trump-Harris debate, about how Substack is doing its thing during the US elections. He talks in particular about how Substack’s focus on paid subscriptions rather than ads has made political debate on the platform calmer, simpler, deeper and more satisfying ...
Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
For paid subscribersNot content with siphoning off $230,000,000 of taxpayers money for his hobby projects - and telling everyone his passion is education and early childcare - an intersection painfully coincidental to the interests of wealthy private families like Sean Plunkett’s1 backers, the Wright Family, Seymour is back in the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The Inflation Reduction Act is the Biden administration’s signature climate law and the largest U.S. government investment in reducing climate pollution to date. Among climate advocates, the policy is well-known and celebrated, but beyond that, only a minority of Americans ...
ACC levies are set to rise at more than double the inflation rate targeted by the RBNZ. Photo: Lynn GrievesonKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 12:The state-owned monopoly for accident insurance wants ...
We’ve been selected to rock your asses 'til midnightThis is my term, I've shaved off my perm, but it's alrightI solemnly swear to uphold the ConstitutionGot a rock 'n' roll problem? Well we got a solutionLet us be who we am, and let us kick out the jams, yeahKick out ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appears to have given ACT Leader David Seymour more than he has been admitting in the proposals to go forward with a Treaty Principles Bill.All along, Luxon has maintained that the Government is proceeding with the Bill to honour the coalition agreement.But that is quite specific.It ...
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 11:Annual migration of New Zealanders rose to a record-high 80,963 in the year to the end of July, which is more than double its pre-Covid levels.Two ...
Hubris is sitting down on election day 2016 to watch that pig Trump get his ass handed to him, and watching the New York Times needle hover for a while over Hillary and then move across to Trump where it remains all night to your gathering horror and dismay. You're ...
The government has a problem: lots of people want information from it all the time. Information about benefits, about superannuation, ACC coverage and healthcare, taxes, jury service, immigration - and that's just the routine stuff. Responding to all of those queries takes a lot of time and costs a lot ...
Synopsis: Today - we explore two different realities. One where National lost. And another - which is the one we are living with here. Note: the footnote on increased fees/taxes may be of interest to some readers.Article open.Subscribe nowIt’s an alternate timeline.Yesterday as news broke that the central North Island ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has been soaring high with his hubris of getting on and building motorways but some uncomfortable realities are starting to creep in. Back in July he announced that the government was pushing on with a Northland Expressway using an “accelerated delivery strategy” The Coalition Government is ...
However much I'm falling downNever enoughHowever much I'm falling outNever, never enough!Whatever smile I smile the mostNever enoughHowever I smile I smile the mostSongwriters: Robert James Smith / Simon Gallup / Boris Williams / Porl ThompsonToday in Nick’s Kōrero:A death in the Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital.A sad homecoming and ...
Kia ora.Last month I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections.A couple of ...
Hi,If you’ve read Webworm for a while, you’ll be aware that I’ve spent a lot of time writing about horrific, corrupt megachurches and the shitty men who lead them.And in all of this writing, I think some people have this idea that I hate Christians or Christianity. As I explain ...
In 2023, there were 63,117 full-time public servants earning, on average, $97,200 a year each. All up, that is a cost to the Government of $6.1 billion a year. It’s little wonder, then, that the public service has become a political whipping boy castigated by the Prime Minister and members ...
This is a re-post from This is Not Cool Here’s an example of some of the best kind of climate reporting, especially in that it relates to impacts that will directly affect the audience. WFLA in Tampa conducted a study in collaboration with the Department of Energy, analyzing trends in ...
A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, is how Winston Churchill described the Soviet Union in 1939. How might the great man have described the 2024 government of New Zealand, do we think? I can't imagine he would have thought them all that mysterious or enigmatic. I think ...
Ever since Wayne Brown became mayor (nearly two years ago now) he’s been wanting to progress an “integrated transport plan” with the government – which sounded a lot like the previous Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) with just a different name. It seems like a fair bit of work progressed ...
And they taught usWhoa-oh, black woman, thou shalt not stealI said, hey, yeah, black man, thou shalt not stealWe're gonna civilise your black barbaric livesAnd we teach you how to kneelBut your history couldn't hide the genocideThe hypocrisy to us was realFor your Jesus said you're supposed to giveThe oppressed ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections In February 2021, several severe storms swept across the United States, culminating with one that the Weather Channel unofficially named Winter Storm Uri. In Texas, Uri knocked out power to over 4.5 million homes and 10 million people. Hundreds of Texans died as a ...
Chris Bishop has enthusiastically dubbed himself and Simeon Brown “the Infra Boys”, but they need to take note of the sums around their roading dreams. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, September ...
In this podcast Selwyn Manning and I talk about what appears to be a particular type of end-game in the long transition to systemic realignment in international affairs, in which the move to a new multipolar order with different characteristics … Continue reading → ...
Just over two years ago, when worries about immediate mass-death from covid had waned, and people started to talk about covid becoming "endemic", I asked various government agencies what work they'd done on the costs of that - and particularly, on the cost of Long Covid. The answer was that ...
For paid subscribers“Aotearoa is not as malleable as they think,” Lynette wrote last week on Homage to Simeon Brown:In my heart/mind, that phrase ricocheted over the next days, translating out to “We are not so malleable.”It gave me comfort. I always felt that we were given an advantage in New ...
All smiles, I know what it takes to fool this townI'll do it 'til the sun goes downAnd all through the nighttimeOh, yeahOh, yeah, I'll tell you what you wanna hearLeave my sunglasses on while I shed a tearIt's never the right timeYeah, yeahSong by SiaLast night there was a ...
This is a guest post by Ben van Bruggen of The Urban Room,.An earlier version of this post appeared on LinkedIn. All images are by Ben. Have you noticed that there’s almost nowhere on Queen Street that invites you to stop, sit outside and enjoy a coffee, let alone ...
Hipkins says when considering tax settings and the size of government, the big question mark is over what happens with the balance between the size of the working-age population and the growing number of Kiwis over the age of 65. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s ...
Hi,One of the things I love the most about Webworm is, well, you. The community that’s gathered around this lil’ newsletter isn’t something I ever expected when I started writing it four years ago — now the comments section is one of my favourite places on the internet. The comments ...
A delay in reappointing a top civil servant may indicate a growing nervousness within the National Party about the potential consequences of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill. Dave Samuels is waiting for reappointment as the Chief Executive of Te Puni Kokiri, but POLITIK understands that what should have been a ...
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 1, 2024 thru Sat, September 7, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is about how peopele are not born stupid but can be fooled ...
You act as thoughYou are a blind manWho's crying, crying 'boutAll the virgins that are dyingIn your habitual dreams, you knowSeems you need more sleepBut like a parrot in a flaming treeI know it's pretty hard to seeI'm beginning to wonderIf it's time for a changeSong: Phil JuddThe next line ...
The âdouble shocksâ in post Cold War international affairs. The end of the Cold War fundamentally altered the global geostrategic context. In particular, the end of the nuclear âbalance of terrorâ between the USA and USSR, coupled with the relaxation … Continue reading → ...
Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...
Military politics as a distinct âpartial regime.â Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison dâĂŞtre of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading → ...
If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
Long stories short, here’s the top six 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 Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...
An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has cut grants helping overseas family of victims to attend the next phase of the Coronial Inquiry into the 15 March 2019 Christchurch Masjidain Attack. ...
The Waitangi Tribunal has released an Urgent Report on the Governmentâs proposed amendments to the Takutai Moana Act 2011. The report calls out Paul Goldsmithâs proposal for what it is: a âgross breach of the Treatyâ and an âillegitimate exercise of kÄwanatangaâ. The Tribunal is recommending the Crown step down ...
The Government must abandon its Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act interventions after the Waitangi Tribunal found it was committing gross breaches of the Treaty. ...
The Governmentâs directive to the public service to ignore race is nothing more than a dog whistle and distraction from the structural racism we need to address.  ...
Concerns have been raised that our spy arrangements may mean that intelligence is being shared between Aotearoa and Israel. An urgent inquiry must be launched in response to this. ...
Aotearoaâs Youngest Member of Parliament, and Te PÄti MÄori MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, will travel to Montreal to accept the One Young World Politician of the Year Award next week. The One Young World Politician of the Year Award was created in 2018 to recognise the most promising young politicians between ...
The Greens welcome todayâs long-coming announcement by Pharmac of consultation to remove the special authority renewal criteria for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and modafinil and to fund lisdexamfetamine. ...
Mema Paremata for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, has reflected on the decisions made by the councils of the North amidst the governmentâs push to remove MÄori Wards and weaken mana whenua representation. âActions taken by the Kaipara District Council to remove MÄori Wards are the embodiment of the eradication ...
On one hand, the Prime Minister has assured Aotearoa that his party will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading, but on the other, his Government has already sought advice on holding a referendum on our founding document. ...
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...
Te PÄti MÄori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai HauÄuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following todayâs decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. âMy heart goes out to all the workers, their whÄnau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,â said Ngarewa-Packer. ...
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymourâs Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as âdivisive and unhelpful.â ...
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding MÄori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Governmentâs bid to treat MÄori wards different to other wards. ...
The Green Party is unsurprised but disappointed by todayâs announcement from the Government that will see our Early Childhood Centre teachers undermined and pay parity pushed further out of reach. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following todayâs report from the Commerce Commission. ...
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our countryâs rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...
TÄnÄ koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...
The Green Party says the Governmentâs new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this yearâs Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...
News that the annual number of building consents granted for new homes fell by more than 20 percent for the year ended July 2024, is bad news for the construction industry. ...
PapÄ te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whÄtuki i raro rÄ, rĹŤ ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tĹku whare kia tĹŤ tangata he kapua whakairi nÄku nÄ runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tĹkia ki te anu mÄtao. E te iwi ...
Cross-government action to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in Auckland is getting traction, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. âOur central cities should be great places to live and work, but in recent years they have become hot spots for crime and anti-social behaviour. In Auckland, businesses and residents suffered as ...
A draft list of minerals deemed essential to New Zealandâs economy and strengthening its mineral resilience has been released for consultation, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The draft Critical Minerals List identifies 35 minerals essential to economic functions, are in demand internationally, and face high risk of supply disruption domestically ...
The Government has successfully removed trade barriers affecting nearly $190 million worth of exports to help grow the economy, Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced. âIn the past year, we have resolved 14 Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs), returning significant value to kiwi exporters. These efforts directly boost our ...
From private business to the Paris Olympics, reo MÄori is growing with the success of New Zealanders, says Minister for MÄori Development Tama Potaka. âIâm joining New Zealanders across the country in celebrating this yearâs Te Wiki o te Reo MÄori â MÄori Language Week, which has a big range ...
New Cabinet policy directives will ensure public agencies prioritise public services on the basis of need and award Government contracts on the basis of public value, Minister for the Public Service Nicola Willis says. âCabinet Office has today issued a circular to central government organisations setting out the Governmentâs expectations ...
Police Minister Mark Mitchell will join with Australian Police Ministers and Commissioners at the Police Ministers Council meeting (PMC) today in Melbourne. âThe council is an opportunity to come together to discuss a range of issues, gain valuable insights on areas of common interest, and different approaches towards law enforcement ...
The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. âThe Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping. âWhile vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...
Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...
The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...
The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. âStructured literacy will change the way children ...
With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. âThe Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whÄnau and ...
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kÄ - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealandâs top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...
The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. âFrom the first time children step into the classroom, weâre equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. âFrom 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...
Labourâs misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. âLabour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to âreintroduceâ them. ...
The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealandâs response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. âMpox is obviously a ...
Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. âThe Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,â says Mr Seymour. âParliament ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. âThe AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...
The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. âWe welcome the reviewâs findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,â Ms ...
The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...
E te mÄngai o te Whare PÄremata, kua riro mÄku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tÄnÄ koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kĹrero forward. Prime Minister â thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...
Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. âInland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...
More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Womenâs Health, say itâs fantastic to have such ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulationâs first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. âI have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...
The Education Minister has established a MÄori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for MÄori learners. âThis group will provide independent advice on all matters related to MÄori education in both English medium and MÄori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...
The Government has welcomed the findings of the recent statutory review into the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says. The 5-yearly review, conducted on behalf of Treasury and tabled in Parliament today, found the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Forceâs Base Auckland, Whenuapai. âThis is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...
Today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealandâs confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. âEvery death by suicide is a tragedy â a tragedy that affects far too many of our families and communities in New Zealand. We must do ...
Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. âAll New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Governmentâs increased investment in Pharmac. âPharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,â says Mr Seymour. âWhen our Government assumed office, New ...
Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris. âThe NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Governmentâs response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. âThe creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commissionâs final report. âIt will have the mandate ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. âI am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. âThere were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this governmentâs commitment to âstamp outâ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. âThe new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. âFinancial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
Watching the legendary Ironman New Zealand event in TaupĹ earlier this year, Harriet Steele had her first âbig wobbleâ.Sheâd coped with a shock breast cancer diagnosis in January, followed by an emergency mastectomy and chemotherapy getting underway. But being sidelined at an Ironman event, watching her partner compete, was almost ...
No one ends up in Waiau Pa by accident. A small dot on the edge of South Auckland near the coast. A town youâll never pass through unless you come to stay, or to fish, or to come back to after a long time away, having grown and expanded while ...
The Act leaderâs scheme to cut spending on the free school lunch programme not only subtly shift costs from central government to schools, it also risks damaging the very thing that makes the programme work, writes Max Rashbrooke.You mightnât think that giving kids free lunches would be âone of ...
A roadside police officer spotted a driver allegedly on his phone â so searched his number plate, found his details and called him up. Stewart Sowman-Lund has the details in this special report for The Bulletin.An Auckland motorist was surprised to receive a phone call from a police officer ...
Opinion: New Zealand has a reputation as a country of innovators, outside-the-box thinkers with a can-do approach to tackling big problems. Yet that reputation belies a huge (and growing) hole in funding for research, science and innovation. On a global scale, our investment in R&D pales woefully in comparison to ...
“111, what is your emergency?”The emergency is St John.Frontline staff have told The Detail it’s broken and on life-support – underfunded, understaffed, and overstressed.And now First Union members have voted to strike again, on September 27, after rejecting the latest offer from Hato Hone St John.Staff say it’s a last ...
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COLFO strongly encourages Governments to use the full legislative process, including public consultation with vulnerable communities, for significant changes, to create enduring firearms laws that increase public safety. ...
Global Indigenous leaders and environmentalists condemn New Zealand's Treaty Principles Bill as a significant affront to MÄori rights and democratic processes, urging government respect for Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
NZCTU criticises the Government for neglecting to save 300 jobs in Ruapehu after Winstone Pulp International's mill closures, highlighting regional economic impacts and the need for proactive support. ...
Octopus Energy's COO warns that New Zealand's prolonged high electricity prices necessitate urgent regulatory changes for increased market competition and improved investment. ...
Wadestown residents firmly oppose Wellington City Council's proposed cycle lanes and parking management changes, demanding a comprehensive re-evaluation that prioritises community input. ...
The BSA's report on harmful speech raises concerns about subjectivity and potential censorship of controversial views, according to Free Speech Unionâs Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling. ...
Concerns arise over IRD allegedly sharing sensitive taxpayer data with tech giants, prompting calls for accountability and privacy protection from the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. ...
Over 440 Christian leaders oppose the coalition's Treaty Principles Bill, asserting it undermines Te Tiriti o Waitangi's recognition of MÄori rights and relationships with the Crown. ...
Disability advocacy groups criticise NZTAâs decision to block Arioâs remote e-scooter reparking technology, arguing it undermines accessibility and safety in urban environments. ...
The Maritime Union of New Zealand is federated with the Maritime Union of Australia, and the MUA and the wider CFMEU have our full support in their struggle. ...
Weâre thrilled to announce that Distinguished Prof. Nigel Biggar (Oxford University) and Dr. Peter Boghossian (Portland State University) will both tour New Zealand with the Free Speech Union before the end of the year, says Nathan Seiuli, the Free Speech ...
Nominations for the 2024 trustee election for the TECT Community Trust closed at 12 noon, Wednesday 4 September. The following 9 nominations were received for the 3 vacancies on the Trust: ...
The compelling evidence emphasises how this precious ecosystem has been decimated by years of bottom trawling, which involves dragging heavy weighted fishing gear across the sea floor, destroying fragile communities that take thousands of years ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Women, girls, the elderly, and young boys have rushed to pack any vehicle they could as they escaped heavy tribal fighting that has erupted in Papua New Guineaâs Porgera Valley. The sound of gunfire erupts in the peaceful valley, shouts of war follow the ...
âThese latest figures on the costs of Wellington City Councilâs latest bike rack have truly humbled the Taxpayerâs Union. Imagine a Council so incompetent it can make its previous $84k bike rack blowout look almost reasonable in comparison. ...
Save the Children is extremely concerned the Governmentâs proposal to narrow the focus of schoolsâ legislated education objectives to prioritise achievement and remove references to childrenâs rights will have a detrimental impact on children ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers Union can reveal through the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act that South Taranaki District Councilâs new cultural centre (Te Ramanui O Ruaputahanga) has blown out from a starting point of $8 million ...
The latest review of assisted suicide / euthanasia was quietly released last month by the Ministry of Health â but it should sound significant and loud warning bells about the law, especially at a time when proponents want it to be liberalised even ...
All teachers deserve to be paid fairly. We have a shortage of qualified early childhood staff in Aotearoa and are already losing teachers overseas. Reducing pay and conditions for relief teachers wonât make that problem any better. ...
Federated Farmers says pressing pause on the rollout of freshwater farm plans until improvements can be made is a practical and pragmatic step from the Government. ...
Too many government announcements affecting disabled people donât even mention disabled people, leaving the community googling for answers, and feeling forgotten or invisible. ...
Despite KaikĹura District Councilâs project to rebuild the Waiau Toa/Clarence River Glen Alton bridge after the KaikĹura earthquake being eight years deep, the Council have still not even managed to gain the appropriate resource consents or ...
A man who threw what turned out to be tomato juice at UK womenâs rights advocate Kellie-Jay Keen and Tania Sturt, an organiser of the âLet Women Speakâ event in Aucklandâs Albert Park on 25 March last year, has been convicted of assault ...
The panellists will speak about the importance of formal recognition of gender apartheid, give background as to the situation of women and girls in Iran and Afghanistan and outline a way forward towards greater equality and basic rights for all. ...
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) in Oceania calls on the current bishops of Hamilton, Auckland, and Rarotonga, and all church leaders, to not follow in Bishop Browneâs negligent ways, and instead, support the abused in their dioceses ...
By the look things I’d say he’s more than relaxed. I mean jeez AYB, a little photo shopping could have saved my my eyes from that.
Now I know where National have been hiding all that policy they’re going to be releasing.
Are you guys members of Rainbow Labour?
I think you need to get a life sometimes. Surely your obsession with national Party MPs is at best sad, at worst – well desperate.
What if they are members of Rainbow Labour? Would that upset you?
But yeah, come on guys, less creepy focus on the private lives of MPs- you did just call out someone else on that, remember. Enjoying the beach is a terrible way to make an ad-hominem on a climate sceptic, anyway. Much better is finding out that they have weird views of how science works, or simply don’t understand climate science.
I think ayb was taking the piss, Ari. This image is from a calendar released by Lockwood a while ago in his role as a politician. It was widely publicised at the time and was a source of great hilarity.
This does seem to be walking along the same line you criticized other blogs for crossing recently though. I’m not even really sure what the point is you are trying to make, except to confirm the false stereotype that climate change is about warmer weather, rather than dramatically uncontrollable storms and droughts, environmental destruction and habitat loss.
I suggest you go and get a life Frog. It’s highly strung humorless types like you that give the Greens a bad name and why folks like me steer well clear of you and your dull party.
I thought the post ws funny. It was lighthearted and topical and poked fun at a politician who should know better. Lockwood Smith put that picture on his own calendar and it was a laughed back then without any Green finger-wagging. So why the histrionics now?
James I think you’re being unfair. If frog had actually seen the post Steady Eddy wrote about Kate have then I’m sure he would have made a more considered comment. I saw it and I can tell you there is no comparison between the two: those creeps lied and defamed and slandered Kate to try and end her career. There was nothing funny about it.
Perhaps, but I still think Frog was being a bit PC, for want of a better term.
I mean how dry can you get? Crying about how a picture of Lockwood in speedos “confirms the false stereotype that climate change is about warmer weather, rather than dramatically uncontrollable storms and droughts, environmental destruction and habitat loss.”
Give me a break.
I’m not sure I like the idea of making fun of a politician for what they look like in their swimming gear, regardless. I know I’d look pretty ridiculous, too, so… đ
Should have been filed under humour?
You have to admire Lockwood’s physique for a man of his age- I hope I’m looking that good when I’m 60!
VEry good post a_y_b, almost made me fall off my chair.
James, settled down and leave frog alone. I don’t want to turn this thread into a flame war. And hey, I happen to like the Greens.
frog, to answer your question, the point of the post was to have a laugh. It wasn’t intended to be nasty in any way, or to make light of climate change. We can’t be serious all the time brother, and sometimes you have to give things the benefit of the doubt.
Thank you Tane. Speaking also as a big fan of the Greens, welcome Frog. I read your blog often. I wish you and your party well.
So its fine for you lads to have a laugh at someone elses expense but if someone on the right attempts to take the piss, it is personal gutter politics.
Thats cool. Im just working out the rules you follow.
Cheers Tane etc, apologies for having neglected this thread.
I don’t give a toss about Lockwood’s personal life but I did find the Speedo vanity shot pretty funny.
Will upload the whole calendar shot to clear up any potential confusion about the source.
Ancient Geek: as per your suggestion have also added the “humor” tag (though reluctantly, as Frog so rightly points out, climate change is no laughing matter)
Sorry. My attempt at facetious humour around stereotypes – by talking about climate change in a moralistic way – obviously flopped.
I did see steady eddy’s post, and you are right it is in a different league. But as a whole I think the NZ political blogosphere is getting unnecessarily more personally. And whatever your intentions towards Dr Smith with this post, it did seem to carry unintended cruel undertones.
The problem you guys have is that everytime you make a post like this and people complain you say “It was meant to be funny – stop taking everything so seriously”.
But when other blogs do similar posts you jump up and down and say “it’s not funny” and or “it’s obviously just dog whistle politics”.
If you’re going to a serious voice-piece for the labour movement it would help if you were consistent.
And if you were really a serious voice-piece for the labour movement I thought we would have seen some comment from you guys on the major party of your movement shooting itself in the foot by not being transparent and breaching the Electoral Finance Act that it passed with loud rhetoric about restoring transparency to the NZ political scene.
So hmmm – so what “dog whistle” do you see in this case?
So, actually Frog was being funnier than everyone else but the humour just went over our heads. Sorry for not getting it Frog.
It’s kind of like how the Greens have the best policy on lots of stuff but most people just think they’re weird.
Sam
Some MIGHT think the Greens are weird however almost everybody KNOWS that Labour are corrupt.
Please stop calling yourself ‘everybody’, bruv, it’s disturbing.
Are there any photos ( in the public arena of course ?) of Lockwood Smith and his prize Bulls?
There is the Blue Chip banner one of course, shown here
Speaking of Blue Chip, I see Doug Graham is tied up in Lombard,the latest dodgy finance company to hit trouble. What is it with National and dodgy money?
National is allways a cheap date when it comes to corporate donations.
But there is quite a list of former NP cabinet ministers and failed companies.
Even Key was in with that Dairy Futures ? which had to shut up shop because the price of milk powder went through the roof.
I think it was a sort of options play on the Future of Fonterra, just the thing for a wall st gnome. But no real basis to any of it
Just musing about MR FEBRUARY in the above calendar.
What are the hunks on the other months? Are there Firemen , League players ?
Wonder if there are any pre school teachers or even old folks home on other months. Or Does Lockwood ‘not go there’
Captcha denied nearby
Scientists in the U.K. have reported evidence that further refutes one theory of global climate change.
In the heated debate over global warming, there is an opposing idea, called the cosmic ray theory, which contends that climate change is simply caused by cosmic rays coming from the sun.
Alec, Hi.
I read something similar this morning.
Are you talking about this?
http://www.newshoggers.com/blog/2008/04/studies-debunk.html