Matt King goes full nut job

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, December 29th, 2018 - 77 comments
Categories: censorship, child welfare, making shit up, national, poverty, Propaganda, quality of life, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, twitter, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

Tis Christmas time.  When MPs and political commentators go on holiday, recharge their batteries and make plans for the next year.

Unless your name is Matt King in which case you scour the papers for evidence of extreme left wing propaganda and then allege that the voices of the right are being suppressed.

Yes, this is exactly what he did recently.

The offending article, written by Lana Hart in Stuff is well written and I found myself agreeing with her every paragraph.  I guess this would be Exhibit A for King and his claim of left wing bias.

The theme of the article is the level and extent of neglect that the change of Government has unearthed.

Like in Health:

Middlemore Hospital was the poster child for chronic under-resourcing, but it was far from the only hospital in the country with asbestos and mould, earthquake-prone and leaky buildings, and entire departments that had stumbled along for years with facilities not acceptable in First World countries.

And the alarming increase in child poverty:

From social welfare benefits that hadn’t kept pace with cost of living and the wearing down of services that directly affected children, such as mental health and education funding, to a housing crisis created mostly by a belief that the free market could provide for everyone, kids in our country suffered disproportionately by government responsibilities left undone. The government’s role of protecting the most vulnerable members of our country from the crush of poverty had been largely ignored.

And even the most mundane aspects of the Government’s responsibility to regulate in the public good:

The NZ Transport  Agency had for several years reneged on its regulatory function to monitor companies that certify vehicles for road safety.

Due to what the transport minister described as “process failures and under-resourcing over the last decade”, cars and trucks with meaningless warrants of fitness are now on the road, with one estimate of the number of potentially unsafe vehicles at 150,000. Unlikely that will help improve our road toll this year.

Or how about the last Government overseeing the use of private investigators to spy on us like goddam totalitarian thugs?

It’s not OK, we’ve learned, for insurance companies to use private investigators engaged by government departments to record our conversations about personal interests such as property or environmental views. We don’t like it when we are forced to unleash a flood of personal information to someone working in a government agency or to comply with government regulations that may have seemed important to the policy wonk who wrote them in 1984, but now seem onerous and irrelevant.

I thought her conclusion was very apt:

Surely this – enabling people to live good lives –  is the role of all governments, whether local or national. They should exert some influence over us with legitimate rules without getting in the way of our individual rights to autonomy and free choice. Since some of us need more help than others, governments also need to step in to even out the inequalities that life throws at us.

After a few years looking after what Kiwis have collectively built, it will probably be time for the current Government to move out. Hopefully they will leave the public house in a better condition than when they first arrived.

Drawing on real life examples she formed a conclusion about the overall direction the last Government took us in.  And concluded, rightfully in my opinion, that it was the wrong direction.

The comments were interesting.  It seems to me that National must have a whole army of old men shaking their fists at clouds ready to fill comments sessions with their bile.  Like this one from Sherbert2:

Lana must have had her head in the sand if she thought all the problems she mentioned came to light after the election.They were invented by Labour pre-election.Remember the 80,000 kiddies living in poverty ? where are they now ? The homeless that were on our screens day in and day have been forgotten because it was all staged by the most honest, transparent, and caring govt ever .Give me a break.

Mr F Dagg had a rant:

it’s amazing the blinded bitterness the socialists still cling to… if you take a deep breath & look at the numbers you’ll find that clark/cullen under-funded core services cv to the relative generosity of national… the latter had a few fiscal issues to deal with on the few resources they were left, yet managed to relatively over-fund core services whilst carving an economy the envy of the oecd world…

what you clearly overlook is that all public services are money sinks, no matter how much money you throw at them they’ll always want more… the greed from striking public servants this year is clear proof of that…<

#socialismisaracetothebottom

And Flintstone:

well the writer of this opinion piece does highlight the fact that more needs to be spent on mental health!

And Beachboy:

What a load of dribble, firstly Middlemore had no leaks or mould, secondly the Minister does not do Warrant of Fitness inspections or run the companies which do them, thirdly the previous govt had put aside $20 plus billion to do its 17 roads of National Significance. All this govt has done is cancelled those so the roads are again delayed so they can re allocate the money to their pet projects. They have been great at reannouncing like all the homes being built by the previous govt as their own.
This government needs to take ownership of its stuff ups and there have been many of those with its KiwiJoke, lack of transparency, secretly signing the UN MOU on Migration, stopping oil and gas exploration, just to name a few.
Most people do not want government to interfere with their lives and we don’t want waffle and continual b*&(sh&^ with outright lies and mis truths. The general population can see through the waffle that nothing is being done except lots of non productive meetings

And Fisherman:

Its interesting that even 15 months into its term, this government and its deciples continue you place blame for everything that is supposedly still wrong in NZ at the feet of the Key/English administration. At some point the blame game is going to have to cease and this rabble will have to actually become accountable. The PM in particular will at some stage have to front and provide some proper leadership.

And Annon:

It was completely unnecessary to start something about government control in our lives with an attack on the previous government and their supposed lack of funding. They only had so much to spend after auntie helen squandered it and they had to deal with several natural disasters during their time in power and still managed to leave money in the bank to be squandered by this government.

BTW labour are notorious for wanting to control people’s lives. They walk the extremely fine line between socialism and communism and history has shown that NEITHER of these work – even China has headed towards capitalism given the growth in their economy.

There were a number of anti Government comments, verging from slightly to considerably nutty.

It looks like a couple of comments got through but were deleted by the moderator.  One response to a deleted comment was this:

You are a sad person wishing poor people who aren’t as fortunate as you are not to breed. The fact that your comments have got past the Moderator surprises me.  You see my parents were poor, my siblings and I changed that through hard work. My family are successful Business people now.   If your comments were enacted by a previous Government my family wouldn’t be here. Good luck to you I hope no misfortune happens to you or your family which reduces you or them to being poor.

The deleted comment must have been pretty extreme in a eugenics sort of way.

But Matt King was having nothing of this:

Responses were interesting:

https://twitter.com/richardneateNZ/status/1078406015014424576

https://twitter.com/fxbtnz/status/1078728914439208960

https://twitter.com/jeremy_pm/status/1078436756800716800

And it looks like SnarkyMcSnark had a screen shot of the deleted comment:

I think that Matt should set out publicly what comments he had made which Stuff did not publish. They should be allowed the light of day to shine strongly on them so we can either revel in their magnificence or laugh at their stupidity.

But for a National MP to claim there is some sort of conspiracy to suppress right wing views in the media is bizarre.  Right wing voices are incredibly loud and vociferous.  To suggest otherwise is the sort of Trumpesque nuttiness that America sees far too much of.

77 comments on “Matt King goes full nut job ”

  1. Kat 1

    Matt King will most likely be back pushing lawnmowers and chainsaws after the next election. He may consider the security business or even a stint at medicinal cannabis farming.

    • veutoviper 1.1

      Don’t mention lawnmowers !!!!!!!!!!!!

      Otherwise you will be condemned to comment at least 50 times a day on Kiwiblog for eternity.

      • veutoviper 1.1.1

        PS – not a criticism; just a bad attempt at humour. Sorry, Kat.

        Sometimes ignorance is bliss and I recommend it for anyone who doesn’t understand the references to lawnmowers at Kiwiblog.

    • Wayne 1.2

      Pretty sure that Matt will comfortably win Northland at the next election.

      As for the article/opinion piece, well, it might just have well been written at Labour HQ. But the be fair to Stuff, they have regularly published opinion pieces from the right as well, just not that many of them.

      I personally find Stuff has a more left wing tilt than the Herald, which has a better balance of right and left commentators. Seems to be about 50% balance in the Herald and 75% left in Stuff. Which reflects that Wellington’s population and thus readership is generally more left than Auckland.

      Papers/news media websites tend to reflect their communities/readerships. Which is hardly surprising.

      • Muttonbird 1.2.1

        No, Stuff is 50-50, and The Herald is 75% right wing.

      • Sacha 1.2.2

        Really? Please do tell us which Herald commentators you see as left-wing.

        • Chris 1.2.2.1

          The reason Spray and Walk Away Wayne will not answer your question is because while of course he will say that he thinks the Herald is 50/50, what he believes is that every commentator at the Herald is left-wing.

          There you go Wayne, saved you the trouble.

      • Anne 1.2.3

        I think you’ll find Stuff is just out for click-bait and the right give them more ammunition than the left. 😉

      • KJT 1.2.4

        Probably.

        As Northland farmers will vote for a gumboot, so long as it is coloured blue.

        One of the 100k, MP’s?

        • the other pat 1.2.4.1

          ah the humble blue band gumboot.!!!….leaks like a sieve and costs a thousand bux a pair…but the peasants who make em get paid 2.50 a day

      • David Mac 1.2.5

        I think Northland is in a state of flux and I’d say all bets are off re: Who wins the seat next time round.

        I feel my thoughts are confirmed by Winston scooping the pool time before last.

        I’ve been up here for over a decade now and the change I speak of seems to have many faces. eg:

        Freehold home owners cashing up in Auckland, buying a beaut house on the coast and sticking 500k in the bank – Right voters.

        The reverse urban drift, people returning to a less pressured lifestyle in locations that their families have lived in for 700 years. – Left voters.

        I think the Northland seat is open to the candidate that offers the most palatable offering of bipartisan hope, regardless of what party they are attached to.

        • Kat 1.2.5.1

          Matt King is desperately trying to make himself relevant, he has two more years but based on current performance he won’t. The odds are against him winning the Northland seat again. Total share of votes in 2017 was: Matt King 15,243, Winston Peters 13,854, Willow Jean Prime 8,599 (others are not worth mentioning). Matt Kings majority of 1,389 is very assailable and especially if Winston stands again and that unknown may be the main “state of flux” that could influence the outcome.

          • David Mac 1.2.5.1.1

            Hi Kat, I’m hoping the next MP for Northland is someone that has never stood. Almost everytime I catch a comment from ex New Zealander of the Year Dr Lance O’Sullivan I think ‘Yep, that makes sense to me.’

            I encounter his grassroots good work at every turn. Sorting out a kid’s clicky hips or signing the paperwork to get a family home properly insulated. I don’t care what party he aligns with, he has my vote.

            I think a wise party would be hard-out wooing him.

            • Kat 1.2.5.1.1.1

              David, Northland will be a political hot potato come next election. Matt King is the sitting MP and unless hit by a bus or a runaway lawnmower will be standing for National. Willow Jean Prime is the Labour candidate and a current MP and difficult to see her not standing. For a credible shot on a party ticket that leaves Dr Lance O’Sullivan joining NZF as well as standing in Northland. He may join a party and stand somewhere else but highly unlikely to be Northland.

              • David Mac

                Yes Kat, I agree with your take on the Northland political landscape.

                At the risk of pooping in my own nest, I’ve been a bit disappointed with how invisible Willow Jean appears to be.

                It seems to be an ailment that follows list MPs about. I think she should be lighting fires, rattling cages and getting her name in the paper and through my eyes, it just hasn’t happened.

                I saw Dr Lance romancing with the Maori Party but I think he has the potential to appeal to a wider audience. Willow Jean is there because the Labour party appointed her. I think Lance has the potential to pull up a chair in the Beehive because the people of Northland want him there.

                • One Two

                  You’re correct about MP’s in general , David…not just list MP’s…

                  Although list MP’s must follow the gatekeepers agenda more than electorate…or it’s list demotion time…

                  Lance O’Sullivan is unstable and unsuitable to be taken seriously…on any subject matter…

                  • KJT

                    I am now convinced he is a good bloke. If One two doesn’t like him.

                    Actually he talks sense. Which means he will probably never be a politician.

              • Chris

                Highly unlikely to be Labour, too.

          • Wayne 1.2.5.1.2

            Kat,

            For you to be correct would require a deal between NZF and Labour. Now that could be possible. If Labour’s voters were prepared to follow direction, a win is possible for NZF. That assumes the Winston (or other serious NZF candidate) held on to at least 80% of the 2017 Winston vote. That will be a big ask in itself.

            My money would still be on Matt holding the seat, since not all of the Labour vote would actually switch.

            As for the Herald balance of commentators, Wilson, Marvelly and Rudman would all be left, Roughan, Hooton and O’Sullivan are right. Trevett, Dann and Young are basically centre.

            • Wayne 1.2.5.1.2.1

              I should also mention Fallow. Hard to pick. Maybe centre right, but could be centre left.

            • Sacha 1.2.5.1.2.2

              Young and Roughan are tribally Nat rather than Act, but I’d hardly call that ‘centre’. I’ve most often seen Trevett slavishly echo Nat talking points and angles too.

              You seem to have omitted Hosking, Hawkesby, Soper and Duplessis-Allen – or do they also count as ‘centre’ in your eyes?

              • Andre

                It’s all consistent if ‘centre’ is ‘where National is’.

              • Wayne

                Hosking is typically on the back page. Half the time I don’t get there. But yes, he is right. Soper, I would say is centre, though I think Dupleiss-Allen is centre right. As for Hawkesby, centre. While they are both couples, they are not political mirrors of each other.

                While Audrey is from a National family, she works hard to be a centre voice. Yes. some of her articles might seem right, but then plenty are also left. It depends on how well the govt or the opposition are actually doing.

                Clair Trevett puts a lot of humour in her articles, seems happy to prick anyone’s ballon.

                • Sacha

                  Interesting. Thank you for responding.

                  • Wayne

                    I should also mention Little. He is left, but is primarily a social rather than political commentator. Also an entertaining writer.

                • Anne

                  I have come to enjoy Claire Trevett. Even when I don’t agree with what she is saying, I love the way she says it. She has a remarkable way with words.

            • Kat 1.2.5.1.2.3

              There won’t be a “deal” between Labour and NZF. Only National/Act supporters need directions on how to vote, as in Epsom. Voters have two ticks remember, party and candidate and come the next election if Winston or Shane Jones stands it will be a no brainer for Labour/NZF voters what to do. This is the nightmare reality for National in Northland and a number of other electorates.

              The other problem for National is that on one hand they accuse Shane Jones of buying the electorate being the champion of the provinces and on the other accuse the govt of doing nothing in Northland. National can’t have it both ways and if they have any hope at all they need to change tact and start producing serious alternative policy that is relevant to the 21st century.

              Have a great New Year, Wayne.

      • Pete 1.2.6

        King comfortably winning next time is more a comment on the idiots who vote for him.

        National treated Northland like crap for years and got a scare when Peters won it. Then they crapped themselves when their buddies didn’t get into Government. That has seen clowns like King running around all aggrieved and saying how badly Northland is doing with roading.

      • Unicus 1.2.7

        Can anyone from the National gaggle haunting this site explain why a corporate focused Murdoch -esq media – even in its most indulgent moments support the a Labour Party or its allies – or even democracy itself for that matter.

      • PaulC 1.2.8

        I’ve cancelled BOTH my Taranaki Daily News & NZ Herald. Neither are papers as they used to be. Neither publish balanced reports, only biased ones.

  2. NZJester 2

    Matt King If he was telling the truth would not have “Matt King For Northland” on his sign, it would read “Matt King For Himself (and anyone who gives him a decent legal bribe)”

  3. R.P Mcmurphy 3

    Watch him on channel 31 and he is a bi-polar right wing bombiddybom tory nutter.

  4. Matt King ate a pie once – hold the front page, more details soon, now back to the studio for expert commentary…

  5. Gabby 5

    Matt Headroom.

    • Jacquelyne 5.1

      Please Gabby hon
      Max Headroom was funny.Still is.
      Also the invention of clever dry minds.
      Matt King more like a concoction of missing wonky links,a little bit like his current leader..

    • WeTheBleeple 5.2

      In Australia back in the day they had introduced video relayed court proceedings. I was locked up for drunk and disorderly (which is how we roll in Aussie) and not presenting a passport (was in a safe in Bundaberg, long story) and put in a video courtroom with a Brisbane judge on a monitor – who looked just like Max Headroom. To make matters worse there was a video delay giving him the jerky appearance of the TV character.

      I was biting my cheeks really hard to stop from laughing. It was uncannily like the show, and everything seemed detached from reality that hungover day…

  6. Pat 6

    All symptoms of the fear that comes with the elites loss of control thats occurring worldwide…..something about chickens and roosts.

  7. mosa 7

    Collins – King ticket for 2020.

  8. greywarshark 8

    Matt King and probably the whole of the National Party and their apparatchiks
    should donate their brains to science so that the effects of modern civilisation can be studied from those who have been most diseased by the neo-liberal, free market plague.

    • fender 8.1

      That suggestion just makes me visualise a laboratory full of empty jars and scientists sitting around twiddling their thumbs.

      • greywarshark 8.1.1

        Oh there is mass there, but it’s a mess. And as full mask and safety gear will need to be worn to prevent the virulent strain from spreading, there is likely to be a high turnover in lab staff.

  9. veutoviper 9

    Thanks for bringing this to notice, MS.

    A thought provoking article well worth reading, which I would probably have missed.

    (Please note that the Press journalist’s name is Lana Hart – not Hutt as in your post. No criticism – summer holiday brains are allowed.)

    I find Matt King’s Twitter response to her article really interesting as a day or so ago (27/28 Dec) there were reports on both RNZ News and in The Herald that Dr Shane Reti – King’s Whangarei Nat MP mate – had also not ‘closed down for summer’ and was criticising the Government on the Northland meningococcal vaccine roll-out being too slow.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12181790

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/379131/officials-slow-on-meningococcal-w-outbreak-mp

    At the time, cynical me thought OK is this a one off? Or are the Nats going to spend the Summer recess chasing cars and barking about every little which thing they can find to attack?

    One MP does not a strategy make; two a coincidence? Time will tell. A bit like the sudden appearance of the motorway signs…

    No rest for the wicked?

    Isaiah 57:20 “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.”

    LOL

    [Ta. Now fixed – MS]

  10. JustMe 10

    National and their various MPs and supporters eg the Mouthpiece of the NZ National Party(aka the NZ Herald)will always blame everyone else but the faces staring back at them in the mirror.

    Perhaps such denial by National MPs that they caused alot of problems due to their arrogance, pig-headedness, greed, ego, etc.etc.etc should have such an illness identified as being the “Denial Syndrome”.

    It’s clearly a mental illness that is rampant amongst politicians that have been in a job far too long and taking it, the job of being an MP on a fantastic pay packet and perks of the job, a little bit too much for granted.

    Anthony Robbins once referred to a relationship in crisis as being something where the “Law of Familiarity’ comes into effect. That is being with someone(or in the instance of Matt King and co)in a job like politics for far too long is they start taking things for granted.

    Politicians do start behaving as if the world OWES THEM a living and not vice-versa.

    If King, like Key, doesn’t like hearing National and the previous government being criticised then it’s time King dropped off the scene and gave the job to perhaps a more credit-worthy and meritable person.

    But we all know he like his ilk in politics(the National Party)will not do the honourable thing and resign. Not whilst there is the NZ taxpayer to rip off at every opportunity.

  11. farming …..failed………Cop…….failed…..MP…….Completely failed.Give it up Rodders.

  12. JustMe 12

    I am strongly feeling like I need to do a “Lets Bash National and their MPs urge coming on”.

    And lets go:
    Where was Matt King when John Key was sexually harassing a waitress on more than ONE occasion by pulling her ponytail despite the fact she told him not to????!! Oh right he, King, was probably thinking all righteousness shines out of Key’s rectum. Either that or he just deemed the waitress as a lowly worker and not one meriting any rights as a worker.

    Where was Matt King(if he was even an MP at the time)when John Key in one of his ‘pre-election promises'(tui billboard time)promised no increase in GST? Oh right King was probably still admiring the aforementioned rectum.

    Where was King when Bill English was Double Dipping and treating those who caught him out with such disdain because English considered it(ripping off NZ taxpayers)as being his democratic right? As per usual not a peep out of King.

    Where was King when Key promised just to impress Prince William to ‘bring out our boys’ after the Pike River disaster? Naturally not a peep out of King.

    Where was King when over $64million was spent on Beemers with bum warming seats that ONLY a few eg King and co; could enjoy? Not a peep.

    Where was King when Key on one of his Ego-quests wasted $26million on a flag referendum no-one but John Key and the National Party wanted? Not a King peep.

    Where was King for the promised bridges that the current national party leader Simon Bridges promised for Northland whilst he was transport minister? Probably doing what National are infamous at i.e behaving like the three monkeys ‘see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil(which there is a National government).

    National and its various MPs will always try to paint themselves as being as pure as the driven snow. They will try to give us voters the illusion they have never, ever made a mistake in their entire lifetime especially in politics. It just shows how shallow minded and selfish they truly are.

    Where was King for when Aaron Gilmore yelled at a waiter: Do you know who I am? or Brownlee saying to yet another worker(another law abiding NZ citizen ‘I am running late for a plane’?

    And so it comes across that King wants to be noticed and have attention heaped upon him He obviously misses the publicity that he deems as his right and privilege whilst giving scant attention to those homeless people and everyone else living in poverty which has become more pronounced over the past 9 years there was a National government that were living on a Meth Myth and evicting families from HNZ homes with the intent of on-selling to wealthy overseas investors who donated heavily to the NZ National Party.

    And so whilst National were so busy demeaning and denigrating NZ workers at every opportunity they conveniently forgot through selective amnesia as to whom was paying their pay packet and perks of the job. And so whilst Key was referring to NZ protesters as “rent a protestor’ he was in fact showing to us all how much he hated NZ, NZers and the NZ workers.

    And that says alot about National and their MPs when all things considered.

    • Unicus 12.1

      ” Where was King when Key ect”

      Oh and where indeed was Matt when his predecessor slunk off – his disgraceful peccadillos hidden behind a National Party created media smokescreen

  13. Muttonbird 13

    I reckon this, and Chris Bishop’s bill to get drunk at the races, and the three billboards outside any holiday traffic jam is a calculated Nat strategy to try to keep relevant in the summer break.

    Most people will have had enough of polititians by now but National MPs having the ego they do think we need a little more when trying to spend time with our families.

  14. Muttonbird 14

    Right wing voices are incredibly loud and vociferous.

    They are but they are uttered by deaf old white men who have trouble recalling their latest rant.

  15. Sacha 15

    The striking thing about that column is how unusual its perspective is in our press.

  16. Ad 16

    lana hart is so accurate she males me feel like a commie.

    king will need to work a lot harder on his Trump-style to shift any votes. its a stale as pitching roads to farmers.

  17. Sanctuary 17

    Matt King is one of those people that you just know has never had an original thought in his life. He displays the pathology of the provincial squatocracy, perched on the edge of the Empire. Acutely aware of his status and living what he thinks is an exemplar life of the capitalist, but which is actually just a stale and sterile parody of how the ruling elite live in Virginia or Florida.

    Stuck in the cultural cringe of the white settler mindset he is simply intellectually incapable of developing an indigenous variation of anything, so of course he seeks solace and information from the true home of the colonial – the Anglo-Saxon Empire and it’s current cultural nexus of the USA. And as befits any hayseed colonial aping his supposed superiors, he adopts a crude pastiche of the most extreme views found on Fox News, in order to prove his loyalty by being a better citizen of the Empire.

    The worrying thing is that you only have to listen to Bridges spouting conspiracy theories about UN agendas on immigration to realise that the Breitbart paranoia and conspiracy theories of the US hard right are colonising National’s base. What a shitty party. Half of it wants to sell us out to Trumpism, and the other half wants to sell us out to the Chinese Communist party. I guess what unites them is a greed for foreign cash, presumably so they can leave this horrible colonial outpost and shoot through to a country estate somewhere more civilised.

  18. mpledger 18

    I think there is something screwy about stuff’s comment section. I have posted comments that have never turned up but I have seen them when I go and look for them in another browser. Also the count of comments can be different on different browsers, it’s not just out by one or two but substantially out.

    • the other pat 18.1

      what i found was that when you reply to several right leaning comments on one issue it is trolling apparently and will get you banned….had an interesting convo with their editor who wasnt interested at all….they are definitely right leaning….just not as overt as the NZ Herald

  19. Darien Fenton 19

    Not that its a biggie, but Matt King has blocked me on Twitter. I can only recall responding to a tweet of his once – and then it was a stretch to remember who he is. Doesn’t take long for new MPs to think they know best and only want to hear good things about their very important selves. Having said that, I give grudging kudos for Simeon Brown who plugs along, albeit stupidly, but at least leaves comments open.

  20. Rapunzel 20

    The Natz holiday hysteria reeks of true desperation and for what? What are they offering? A leader few people rate at all and if even only ½ of the issues in the news item applied in revealing the way they let NZ down over nine years and they have not changed what do they expect NZ to accept any sort of sound and forward thinkg govt? It pretty shallow and digusting really.

  21. Morrissey 21

    Aaron Gilmore all over again.

    • North 21.1

      Morrissey…..if you mean to identify Matt King with your Aaron Gilmore reference you probably go too far. Matt King is ‘nice’, Demonstrably so. ‘Nice’ to the point of gushing over the rock hard scones and over-sweet feijoa jam still found in Northland’s rural hinterland.

      Nothing to add. Errh…..In respect of the scones…..baking powder maybe.

  22. mike 22

    what a dick we had to put up with 9 years of the hosk whale blubber dirty politics john keys lies now that there lies doesn’t work they complain just another gnat twat

  23. Lynette Stevens 23

    I bet poor young Sarah Higgins got to the bottom of the meth testing rort…any politician who tries to do something good, get’s ‘dirty politicked’…some stand up to the EUOF like Jami-Lee Ross…others like Sarah fail dismally and it was fatal…Meka Whaitiri MP got accused of bullying…is it because she got too close to what goes on with John Key’s immigration scam? Or drugs coming into the country through Customs? And Clare Curran accused by Carol Hirschfield…was it because of Clare finding out about the likes of Rob Pope (he who framed Scott Watson and whitewashed the Crewe review) being head of CERT? Yet those like old Judas Collins can ignore a sworn affidavit about a gun not handed to police in one of NZ’s largest cold cases, the Crewe murders, gets away with it….all starting to add up?

  24. DJ Ward 24

    So all of the article points out thing the Nats did and portrays them in a bad light. Then his attempts to comment are blocked.

    So he is correct in saying this was a left wing article, and in blocking comments Stuff supports the left wing narrative. Just one article is not proof of a trend.

    My own veiw.
    I’ve looked at 100s of Stuffs articles, analysing and commenting on another site, and they are experts at propaganda in regard to feminism, and yes they are left wing biased.

  25. greywarshark 25

    It’s the old story again, cherchez la femme!

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  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    10 hours ago
  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    24 hours ago
  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    1 day ago
  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    1 day ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    3 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    3 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    4 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    4 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    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 ...
    5 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    5 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    5 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    5 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    5 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    6 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
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