National announces new line up
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- Date published:
3:47 pm, March 11th, 2018 - 121 comments
Categories: Amy Adams, Gerry Brownlee, Judith Collins, national, nick smith, paula bennett, Politics, same old national, Simon Bridges -
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Simon Bridges has announced the result of National’s reshuffle.
From the Herald:
National leader Simon Bridges’ reshuffle will feature five new faces on the party’s front bench of its top 10 MPs.
The big winners in the reshuffle include Judith Collins, who moves up to be fourth-ranked MP and will take on Labour’s Phil Twyford in Housing and Urban Development – one of the areas Bridges has identified as fertile ground for attacks on the Labour – NZ First Government.
Other new faces on the front bench are Todd McClay, who takes Foreign Affairs, Trade and Tourism; Mark Mitchell, who gets Justice and Defence; and Jami-Lee Ross, who gets Infrastructure and Transport.
The relatively low-profile Paul Goldsmith will get a chance to change that – he is ranked at 9 and will take on the massive Economic Development and Regional Development areas, going head to head against NZ First’s Shane Jones and Economic Development Minister David Parker.
The biggest losers are Nicky Wagner (down 18 places), Joanne Hayes (down 11), Nick Smith (down 8), Chris Finlayson (down 8), Gerry Brownlee (down 7) and Maggie Barry and Tim McIndoe (down 6). Expect a few more resignations from this list before the next election.
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- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...13 hours ago - Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder listThe Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...15 hours ago
- Judicial appointments announcedAttorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...16 hours ago
- Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in SingaporeEducation Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...17 hours ago
- Value of stopbank project proven during cycloneA stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...17 hours ago
- Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visitForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...17 hours ago
- Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac DayScience, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...19 hours ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...1 day ago
- Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...2 days ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...2 days ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...2 days ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...2 days ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...2 days ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...2 days ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...2 days ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...3 days ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...3 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...3 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...3 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...3 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...4 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...4 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...4 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...4 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...4 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...5 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...5 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...5 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...5 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...5 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...5 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...1 week ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...1 week ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...1 week ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...1 week ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...1 week ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...1 week ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...1 week ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...1 week ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...1 week ago
- Rousing farewell for Kiwi doctors flying out to Gaza aid flotilla
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...7 hours ago - Communities Against The Fast-track Heartened By ‘Overwhelming’ Public Response; Disgusted By ‘...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...9 hours ago - Renters Rights To Drastically Reduce Under Landlord GovernmentThe Government’s announced changes around tenancy rules set renters’ rights back by nearly a decade. ...9 hours ago
- NZPI Submission on Fast Track Approvals BillOur response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...9 hours ago
- Fast Track Invite List Includes Most Destructive Industries In New ZealandThe new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...9 hours ago
- Eugene Doyle: Helen Clark on why AUKUS isn’t in New Zealand’s national interestCOMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...9 hours ago
- Government releases list of organisations shoulder-tapped for fast-track consents
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...10 hours ago - The Week in Politics: Job cuts surge and Waitangi Tribunal troubleAnalysis - It's been a grim week for public servants, while trouble is also brewing between the government and Waitangi Tribunal. ...11 hours ago
- It never rains but it pours: intense rain and flash floods have increased inland in eastern Australi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...11 hours ago
- Watch: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaThe PM has defended how he's talked up NZ trade on his trip to Southeast Asia, after criticism from his own delegation. ...12 hours ago
- ‘It could be the death of the museum’: why research cuts at a South Australian institution have ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...12 hours ago
- Government signs off $41m clean energy deal with Asian Development BankThe government has committed $41 million to clean energy transition at the Asian Development Bank's Energy Transition Mechanism. ...12 hours ago
- Are 2 mid-career AFL retirements a sign Australian athletes are taking brain health more seriously?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...14 hours ago
- Luxon: Waitangi Tribunal comments from coalition parties 'ill considered'Comments from ACT and NZ First ministers about the Tribunal were "ill considered" and "that message will be underscored" to them, the PM says. ...14 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation Facing Staff Cuts From Govt Funding SqueezeThe Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...15 hours ago
- I wholeheartedly recommend The President: a brilliant revival of a play of decay, terror and revulsi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...15 hours ago
- How the coolest little capital is shrinkingIt's not the first time a government has targeted public servants for job cuts, but this time Wellington is really feeling it. ...15 hours ago
- Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on th...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...15 hours ago
- Ministers accused of Cabinet Manual breach with threats to Waitangi Tribunal
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...15 hours ago - Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s whySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...15 hours ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...15 hours ago - The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) Hot off the press, this debut ...15 hours ago
- Department of Conservation closing Dunedin centre, but no jobs lostVisitor habits are changing and DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way, its operations director says. ...15 hours ago
- Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job CutsWith New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...15 hours ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters in Manila after pledging greater defence cooperation with the Philippines. Watch live. ...16 hours ago
- Government sent please explain letter to Wellington City Council over transport disagreementThe contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor. ...16 hours ago
- Some families push back against journalists who mine social media for photos – they have every rig...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...16 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation staff cuts loom, with funding falling behind rising costsChief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...16 hours ago
- The ‘devil comet’ 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024. James Peirce/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a fan of all things space, you’ve doubtless heard about the “devil comet”, which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the ...17 hours ago
- Rugby stadiums are sold as an economic asset – but NZ needs to ask if they’re really worth itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hamlin, Senior Lecturer in Marketing , University of Otago A multi-billion dollar stadium precinct has been proposed for Auckland, one of three proposals in front of Auckland Council for a new stadium in the city. The council is also considering revamping ...17 hours ago
- Auckland dog attacks: Callouts for attacks on other animals going upRoaming dogs are responsible for more than a thousand attacks on animals each year, and the number is growing. ...17 hours ago
- What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānauThe Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...17 hours ago
- NZ and Philippines pledge defence cooperation amid rising tensionsThe commitment came after a sit-down meeting between Christopher Luxon and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr overnight. ...18 hours ago
- How superblocks can help reimagine city lifeBarcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...19 hours ago
- Fire engineering expertise may take a big hit with job cuts at MBIEThe public sector cuts are poised to take out a big chunk of expertise at the country's building regulator. ...19 hours ago
- “Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...20 hours ago
- ‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in IndiaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...20 hours ago
- Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...20 hours ago
- Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period productsYes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...20 hours ago
- Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...20 hours ago
- Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track LegislationThe Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...21 hours ago
- Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...21 hours ago
- Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...21 hours ago
- Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...21 hours ago
- Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-handSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...21 hours ago
- ‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration StatusThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...21 hours ago
- 20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last yearThe government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...22 hours ago
- All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to bestRaglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...1 day ago
- Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation feesResidents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...1 day ago
- Missy rustles to stardom in CanadaHineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...1 day ago
- Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the paceOfficial figures confirm New Zealand produced less climate pollution in 2022 than in any other year in the 21st century The post Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the pace appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolvedShane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China SeaNew Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...1 day ago
- Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servantsThe thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...1 day ago
- New Zealand transport planning has gone off the railsOpinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...1 day ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 19 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slowsThe transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Financial literacy should be on all of usOpinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...1 day ago
- Group plans work to improve safety of female MPsNew research shows harassment of elected officials - especially women - is on the rise. ...1 day ago
- Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid voteUkraine's Prime Minister says his country desperately needs the US to approve long-stalled security assistance. ...1 day ago
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Nick Smith down 8.
Nelson by election?
Time to reflect…
Opportunity for the party to parachute the next National PM in? Although could be high risk in that electorate.
Smith will stay until the next election and then retire.
Nope, they won’t risk that seat going to the Greens or Labour. Bet he stays.
I really hope nick smith stands next election, he WILL lose and so many people are very much looking forward to that.
However I tend to agree with BMs comment above.
I wouldn’t be too concerned Cinny. Tanz has been proven wrong about every prediction she’s ever made here. 😉
“[Housing Minister] Phil Twyford is on notice, Judith is coming,” Bridges said.
Labour have had the warning, lets see what they can do (it probably won’t end well for Twyford) Go Jude!
But where has she been for the past 9 years while the problem became worse and worse? Rhetorical flourishes don’t cut it.
Doesn’t matter, Labour made the claim so now they need to be held to account and Judes just the person for the job
Bet Twyfords already having nightmares, hes toast
Yeah I’m sure your alternate reality on Planet Key looks like that, but meanwhile back in NZ 2018 …
Well don’t worry because when, when not if, Jude makes Twyford and by extension the Labour party look like incompetents that just plucked numbers out of their nether regions I’ll be here to helpfully remind you that I said it was going to happen
“plucked numbers out of their nether regions”
While National disgorged the contents of their nether regions over the people for 9 years.
You are a nice case study in the psychopathology of vandalism – wreck stuff, then jeer at the people trying to fix it, especially if they can’t fix it as fast as they had hoped.
The intention being that your jeering will disillusion enough people so that you are then given another go at wrecking it all again.
Your worship of Judith Collins is true to character
But then again maybe “Jude” Oravida Collins will implode once again. Yeah, I’m sure Twyford will be quaking in his boots.
He will have to keep on his toes, but there is no indication so far that he isn’t, so as he goes about starting to fix National’s mess he’s probably enjoying the sleep of the righteous.
Kiwiblog has helpfully put up a counter showing how many houses Labour will need to build to make their own targets
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/
Basically hes going to have to start to pull finger at some point because Jude knows, for good or bad, how to get headlines and you know shes going to be onto this
This move a good move by Simon as I was worried he was going to demote Nationals biggest weapon
I don’t read that hate fulled garbage website.
Thats ok as of the time of writing for Labour to reach 10000 houses built per year they’ll have needed to build 3739 and to have planted 100 million trees for the year they’ll have needed to have planted 38597880, although that counter goes up roughly two per second
So they’re a wee bit behind schedule at the moment but I’m sure Jude won’t mention it at all nor will she go through the details with a fine tooth comb
🙂
National trumps all Labour’s big numbers, and we all how much National loves big numbers and Big Data, because they are still counting down from 11.7 billion (that’s’ 11,700,000,000 for you; lots of lovely zeroes). But I agree that Jude is gonna crush Phil and all his affordable and state houses because that’s what Jude (and National for that matter) does best: decry, deter, and destroy. Let the market sort it out. Oh, wait …
“I don’t read that hate fulled garbage website.”
That leads to having to pick one of two conclusions.
1. You are lying and you do read it. If so you can at least claim to have some excuse for your description of the site.
2. You don’t read it. In that case you have no possible way to claim that it is what you depict. If you don’t read it it is impossible to be able to make such a claim about something you are ignorant about.
Either way makes you a liar. Which is it?
3: took a look at it a few times and it was consistently full of arseholes, so now don’t visit it at all.
No lies involved. Just good taste and experience.
Surely you don’t have to dig Ed out of his hole?
I note he never bothers to answer any questions he gets.
You, on the other hand are a true gentleman.
A cigar aficionado no less. No wonder you can suggest sensible, if unlikely options
For your entertainment
https://twitter.com/CigarAficMag?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
No, I was merely pointing out the absurdity of your false dichotomy before you disgraced yourself too much. A futile gesture, perhaps.
And again, tense is important. Sadly no longer an aficionado.
” Sadly no longer an aficionado”.
Oh dear. No wonder you sometimes seem a trifle ill-tempered.
So am I (an ex smoker), in New Zealand. When visiting civilised countries like France I can still afford to indulge. They allow people to practice their small pleasures. Not like the wowsers in the form of Key and Turia that we had here.
As usual – RWNJ fuck logic. That’s the kind of reasoning one learns in Year 3.
Kiwiblog has helpfully put up a counter showing how many houses Labour will need to build to make their own targets
And I’m sure there are plenty of Kiwiblog too dumb to see where the grift is. Are you one of them, or are you just assuming the readership here contains a similar proportion of dumbasses?
Like in most things around politics its not whos right or wrong it manages to convince the majority of people
Labour made much ballyhoo of building a stack load of houses, if Labour fail to deliver any meaningful numbers then they’ll certainly believe Jude when she says how much of a clusterf**k kiwibuild has been
The authoritarian right has this weird, neo-fascist adoration of Judith Collins.
I bet chris73 has a Judith action figure complete with jackboots and a riding crop that he frantically rubs on dick every night.
Trouble is, most people find her polarising and she only really gets her base – and how base they are – supporters going.
Well I don’t know anyone named dick but I get what you’re saying and shes a fine women all right
It’s not so much the right as Big Julee’s Claque.
yes, the same sort of men that worship collins also worship pauline hanson and maggie thatcher. says a lot about them and there relationship to there mothers. the other 44% of men cant stand any of these women and have normal sexual fantasies…..
Define normal
I like the one with the gooseberries.
Labour supporters!
define normal…NOT fantasising about being ruled by a nasty overbearing harridan . you sound like the typical nat gimpboi,….. mistress orivida will see you now
Can we get away from such gendered abuse, please guys? Why does your disussion of JC have to be sexual? And why does a powerful woman have to be characterised as a “harridan”? Say she’s a bully – yes, she is, but let’s avoid words made up to diminish strong women and make a woman’s gender central to the way in which she’s criticised.
The exact number of houses Labour will build doesn’t matter. What matters is that they build as many as resources allow. Labour are now in government, not so much because they promised to build 100,000, but because National was seen to have failed in this area.
“Are you one of them, or are you just assuming the readership here contains a similar proportion of dumbasses? ”
Oh I don’t believe this site has any shortage of dullards, the extreme edges of politics seem to attract them.
We want Housing sorted not endless point scoring..so has Judith Collins got any ideas, or is it sleep in cars, and live in motels time again?
If you want ideas or constructive criticism you’re at the wrong address with National.
don’t you mean go judas Chris 73
The top 20, with changes from the last rankings.
1. Simon Bridges, Leader (+4)
2. Paula Bennett, Deputy Leader, Social Investment Services, Tertiary Ed, Women (nc)
3. Amy Adams, Finance (+3)
4. Judith Collins, Housing, RMA reform (+5)
5. Todd McClay, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism (+8)
6. Jonathan Coleman, Health (+1)
7. Mark Mitchell, Justice, Defence (+14)
8. Jami-Lee Ross, Infrastructure, Transport (+19)
9. Paul Goldsmith, Economic Development, Revenue (+5)
10. Nikki Kaye, Education (+2)
11. Gerry Brownlee, Shadow House Leader (-7)
12. Nathan Guy, Agriculture, Biosecurity (-1)
13. Michael Woodhouse, Immigration, Labour (-3)
14. Louise Upston, Social Development (+1)
15. Alfred Ngaro, Children, Community, Pacific (+5)
16. Chris Finlayson, Shadow AG (-8)
17. Scott Simpson, Environment (+9)
18. Jacqui Dean, Local Govt, Small Business (+5)
19. Melissa Lee, Broadcasting, Comms (+12)
20. Sarah Dowie, Conservation (+19)
Theres some talent in there, Labour must be feeling really jealous
Oh, there’s some talent in there, alright, but I’m not sure Labour has a great need for talents in dirty politics and crony capitalism. Can’t imagine jealousy featuring.
Currently Labour is like the 80s NZ cricket team, you have Jacinda being basically Paddles and Hogan, you have a couple of decent, hardworking performers but the rest…
And if , by implication you are trying to say National had a line up of ‘decent , hardworking performers’ , well yes you could be right. The fact that they were performing for their overseas masters and not the people of NZ seems to have slipped your notice, however …
and yet the TPP just got signed
Then you admit that National works for their overseas masters , then. Or perhaps it would be more accurate that the neo liberals in both National and Labour work for their overseas masters.
Oh , btw – TINA is no alternative. Look at the destruction of our country after 34 years of neo liberal crap.
New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html
maybe..but National sure as hell arnt Australia
No they’re not
@ Chris 73 (3.1) … doubt it somehow. What’s there for the government to be jealous about in that murky brown lineup?
Collins will demonstrate how vindictive and nasty she and Natz are, in comparison to a more caring and progressive government.
Can’t see she will have anything to throw at Twyford to unbalance him or the coalition. After all she and her party weren’t exactly visible over the nine years National was government, doing anything positive for housing and urban development!
You mean apart from Hipkins who can’t count, a deputy leader that apparently can’t (or not allowed to) speak and Clare Curran
I think she means Collins was stood down to the back benches because of her’ conflict of interests’ over Orivida, among other things,…I’m sure you remember that , chris 73 ,… or are you new?…
L0L… where do these young nat RWNJ’s get their sycophancy from?
Always a laugh.
She did get demoted and now, through her hard work, shes got promoted again.
Hard work brings rewards, something most lefties probably don’t quite understand 🙂
She only got promoted because Key and English are no longer there.
And you seem to forget that this current National mpb – and the last one couldnt hold a shadow to the hard work and legacy of Michael Joseph Savage in bringing the country out of the Depression , and rebuilding our infrastructure including a massive state housing program , a harbour bridge ( Yes , Simon ,- a HARBOUR BRIDGE ! ) hydro dams , the largest man made forest in the southern hemisphere , free education , healthcare , low cost electricity and on it goes…
And that was initiated under a ‘ left’ Labour govt…
So much for the work ethics of the far right,…
Eh.
She only got promoted because Key and English are no longer there.
– and?
“And you seem to forget that this current National mpb – and the last one couldnt hold a shadow to the hard work and legacy of Michael Joseph Savage in bringing the country out of the Depression , and rebuilding our infrastructure including a massive state housing program , a harbour bridge ( Yes , Simon ,- a HARBOUR BRIDGE ! ) hydro dams , the largest man made forest in the southern hemisphere , free education , healthcare , low cost electricity and on it goes…”
Well you just managed to sneak in under a century ago so thats something 🙂
Yes, but what you liberals seem to forget that it had NOTHING to do with Milton Freidman , the Chicago school of economics nor Roger Douglas.
You have a problem with history showing up your fallacy’s?
Get the drift?
What Harbour bridge are you talking about?
The only well known one I can think of is that one in Auckland.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge Authority was set up in 1950. At the time we had a National Government. Construction started in 1954. At that time we had the same National Government. It was finished and opened in 1959. Yes at the time of the opening we had a short-lived Labour Government, elected at the end of 1957 but you could hardly argue that they built the bridge.
Which Bridge did you have in mind?
As far as Hydro stations go there are, apparently, about 100 in New Zealand. Of these only 5 were opened during the term of the First Labour Government from 1935 to 1949.
Not a particularly wonderful record by the Savage/Fraser gang is it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_New_Zealand
And you like the chris character above seem to have the same neo liberal problem. Denial and the rewriting of history to suit your narratives.
You seem to have conveniently forgotten that BOTH National and Labour adhered to KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS, – not neo liberalism.
You have both walked into the trap admirably.
Or do you both deny Bob Jones didn’t set up the NZ party only to topple Muldoon and destroy that system? And that under neo liberalism NONE of those large projects have taken place ? . We even have problems maintaining the few state houses we have left, – let alone a functioning education / health system.
So rather than try and quote sites to back up your claims that the infrastructure that built this country all occurred post Douglas and Richardson and Shipley and Clarke or Key or any of these neo liberal ideologues ( an impossible claim no matter how you try to paint it ) – wouldn’t it be far easier to admit your both talking through a hole in your arse and try being honest for a change ?
READ THIS :
New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html
Did you bother to read what I said?
It doesn’t seem possible that you read any of it if you think that I, in your own words, claimed that everything was built post 1984.
“So rather than try and quote sites to back up your claims that the infrastructure that built this country all occurred post Douglas and Richardson and Shipley and Clarke or Key or any of these neo liberal ideologues “.
Can you please point out where on Earth I made any such claim? The only politicians I mentioned were Savage and Fraser. If you don’t know who they were I shall inform you that they were PMs between 1935 and 1949.
Now, will you come clean and admit that you are simply talking through a hole in your arse?
got nothing to do with work, plenty to do with bridges having to keep her satisfied(shudder) and how much yen she promises to bring to the nats…
Look, I’m really getting a bit tired of all your bluster chris. I take it the 73 is your birth year. Going on that you will be coming up 45 this year. Well I shall be coming up 75 and by rights that should make me a fat cat conservative old fucker who sits around bemoaning the loss of a Tory government. Well, far from it, I get more socialist and environment caring as I age. Then I look at the hugely entitled and selfishly unforgiving young turks of the 70s and 80s and wonder what went wrong.
Here’s something to stick in your buttonhole, or up your arse, or wherever you find most appropriate – a Labour led government is taking a much more holistic approach to managing the way our people live in the 21st century.
1. Providing more and better housing for the less fortunate.
2. Making a purposeful attempt to eliminate child poverty.
3. Looking to support new parents more directly.
4. Managing the supply of immigrants in a more careful way.
5. Trying to filter who buys our property and who is allowed to invest.
6. Reshaping the education system to make it more relevant and purposeful for people’s lives.
I won’t list everything. We all know the thrust of their policies.
This is a government which has shifted the emphasis away from the importance of money as a commodity to what it will do for people. We have now moved away from adulating and glorifying the rich for their fine efforts and hard work which has seen them become insanely wealthy. We are looking more critically at the likes of Fonterra and Fletchers and wondering how we allowed them to become so.
And yet there is this puffed up, self important, pseudo-intellectual, money worshipping, poor people hating, selfish, thoughtless, nasty and self aggrandising bunch of neo-liberal arseholes who are whining for the return of their blue suited, career minded Nationals who spent 9 years doing nothing that people needed. They were locked in the 50s churning out policies which served everyone except those who needed help.
People like Shonkey made us an embarrassment to the world. We are well shot of him and his ilk. He is the best advertisement for why knighthoods should be banished for ever.
Kia kaha Jacinda. More power to your elbow my girl.
+ 100 doogs ..73 sounds like the typical me,me,me nat fanboi. the sort of person who doesnt give to charity, do any community service or think about anybody but himself…should go and live on an island..white island
+10000 doogs
There’s a fundamental disconnect in Nat thinking. What is the purpose of government & the NZ economy? Is it to make money for the 1% or is it to promote the wellbeing of scoiety?
The typical Nat fanboi’s framing of cost cutting and surpluses assumes that the peons exist to serve the economy. So they don’t give a fuck about neglecting education/health/welfare or making tens of thousands homeless as long as their bankster pals make $$$$
I’m of the 1973 vintage, but unlike chris73 and likes of the rest of his fellow Muppets, I fully agree with your sentiment their Doogs and like you I wonder even to this day where NZ went wrong? If it weren’t for the Jackass National party in 90’s I might be still living in NZ with a good secure job a roof over my head and some money in bank, shares or both. But I had to overseas to get all that plus a bit more and when I look back at my cohort and my wee brother I made the right decision back in 98 and apart from my work related injuries I feel a lot better than having to put up with the RWJ’s and being kick down the St like a coke can.
Oh wow, this comment @ 8:30am should be a guest post on TS.
Thanks Doogs for telling it as it is – no ifs or buts.
Brilliant Doogs.
The 73 in chris’s Handle is the key.
Born in 73.
Formative years in the late 80s and early 90s.
Fell for the neoliberal gospel hook, line and sinker.
Selfish.
Greedy.
Sociopathic.
if you added that top 20 to to the top 20 from Labour and the top 10 from the greens and Winston First you’d still struggle to find an IQ/EQ higher than your average Cro Magnon.
Chris Bishop?
Cro Magnons are under-rated – can’t imagine Gerry Brownlee knocking out a few Lascaux cave paintings in between barging through security cordons.
Are you sure you’d want to compare with Cro-Magnon? Odd choice IMO. But then again, I assume this comment did not intend to offer or add anything remotely intelligent; it was not even funny.
“There’s some talent in there, somewhere, it’s just not obvious.” FIFY
A bit….but it’s about to leave (one way or another).
Not mitch to worry about in that shower.
no Nick Smith?
Yes, maybe this will be one of the resignations we are all hoping for.
And Gerry looks on the way out.
actually (or akshully?)…Im surprised he remained as high as he has…thought he was going to be thrown to the wolves…11 would appear to indicate he can choose.
He is the spymaster.
theres that…he may have suggested hed take a few with him
or he can while away his days on the backbench reliving old war stories….maybe Bill will get him a job
Why WK? The longer Smith sticks around the worse National look.
Cheer up , no bridges Bridges has included Collins , that’ll provide a bit of mirth , all Tywford has to mention is Chinese dinners, swamp Kauri and free water for export and it’ll bring the house down…
Nick is there – he has simply redefined how the Arabic numeral system works.
So even though he sits at ’44’, that is actually higher than ‘4’ on this list because two 4’s are worth more than one.
This was all in the excellent cause of making our numeric system more ‘swimmable’ than it was before. Great job Nick!
hell…on that basis he probably thinks he’s leader
4. Judith Collins, Housing, RMA reform
LOL – RMA Reform.
No resource consents required for draining wetlands and extracting swamp kauri perhaps? Or even for digging near vital infrastructure?
And no minister for “Homelessness Reform”, or “Poverty Reform” or “Tax Evasion Reform”. What a transparent bunch of 3rd-rate ideologues they are!
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue …
I feel we’re on the cusp of something special!
Not worth worrying about them.
Labour’s main problem is the same as National’s in the 2014 election:
Will their support partners survive to enable Labour to form the next government?
The biggest risk to the next Labour-led government is New Zealand First and the Greens.
And Nationals potential support partners are? Oh that’s right, the Act party, with 0.5% and one propped-up seat in Epsom.
Funny thing is, Nationals lack of support partners could be what actually wins it for them in 2020.
Right vote no split
Left vote 3 way split.
National will get more votes than Labour, Greens and NZ First don’t make it then National wins outright.
That stratergy didn’t work for National at the last election, so good luck with that idea.
It’s not a strategy its fact.
There are no support partners because they’ve all aligned themselves with Labour.
NZ First ===Labour
Greens ===Labour
You want a centre-right party running the country the only option is National.
Unfortunately for Labour, those other two parties split their vote.
Ever heard of MMP? Why is National in opposition again?
Maori party got wiped out and Peters managed to fool enough elderly and farmers that he was going to go with National.
And that fuckwit Peter Dunne left them in the lurch by pulling out just before the election.
And that was because no one wanted to vote for him….
What happens when you refer to former friends as ‘fuckwits’? Does that make it easier, or more difficult to find new friends?
They weren’t ‘friends’ in the normal sense of the word. They were business partners in a shady business deal to extract maximum (political) profit from the NZ voters. Politics and business are intertwined now more than ever, the voters/consumers come much further down the picking order and always have, actually.
He said exactly how he felt, he said he was fed up with National, it is National voters who did not get his message..to bad.
BM, if you had attended a Winston Peters rally before the election, as I did, then you just might have realised that he was going no where near National.
His speech was pretty clear. I went to the rally to hear Winston, as an older man. (btw ‘elderly’ is a bit pejorative to describe senior citizens with its connotations of being a bit past it and doddery).
There was no mistake about his strength of language regarding his opposition to National. It confirmed earlier intimations in his speeches to Grey Power audiences where he referred to National’s “corporate capitalism”. Grey Power itself, (these older citizens supposedly duped by Winston Peters), understood the need for change and accordingly advised its membership.
But, BM, you continue to search for reasons as to why National did not retain the government benches in places where the blame does not lie. Certainly, blaming voters for rejecting National by an 8% margin is not fair, reasonable or good politics. But believe differently. 2020 will go easier for a further term for L/G/NZF with such analysis.
Understand that National lost. They tried to get a 50% majority, failed in that and suffered the consequences. Get your head around the reality that the majority voted against the government and for the opposition Labour, Green and NZ First parties.
They voted for change. None of them achieved National’s percentage. But that’s MMP, because a coalition of three parties is stronger in this case.
Stronger than the coalition that formed and lies within the National party.
“Unfortunately for Labour, those other two parties split their vote”
Reality Check BM:
Labour, NZ First and the Greens are the Government today. It’s called MMP.
The Greens and NZFirst are running at 6% each, I wouldn’t bet on NZFirst making it back and at the moment I can’t see the Greens taking too many votes off National or Labour so they’re in a precarious position, at the moment anyway
^ crystal ball gazing again and wishful thinking, hoping like hec the dreams come true…
Just out of interest , has Bridges gotten rid of the Chinese spy they had embedded in there as an MP?
I wonder if that’s taken the ‘shine’ off the Blue Dragons and a big portion of where National was getting its votes from…
But NZ First won’t be there next time, and their new deputy leader will not save them. Toast. So yep, quite on the cards National will win an outright majority. Sooo can’t wait to see a real election again.
Or to put it another way, for Labour to forget the MMP environment and to become as arrogant as those pesky little gNats that failed to understand its nature.
What is Simon Bridge’s Portfolio? Also who has the Energy Portfolio and the Arts Portfolio – what headers do they come under. Please help.
Nicky Wagner Arts, Culture and Heritage
Paul Goldsmith Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage
Jonathan Young Energy and Resources
“Paul Goldsmith Associate Arts”
Excellent choice – truly he is the Marcel Marceau of election campaigning. The ‘art of silence’ at its finest.
The contrast with the current Government portfolios is striking:
Jacinda Ardern Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Grant Robertson Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Carmel Sepuloni Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Megan Woods Minister for Energy and Resources
National don’t support the Arts (no money to be made there!) – so Paul Goldsmith is an excellent choice from that point of view.
Kinda odd that the associate is ranked higher than the primary spokesperson. Must be expecting a departure.
Nicky i’d rather be sailing would just about have a constructive dismissal case if she was a normal employee
Simply an indication of the complete disregard these Orcs hold for Art and Culture.
Paul Goldsmith’s other portfolios are:
Economic and Regional Development
Revenue
Isn’t he infrastructure?
Building Bridges and all that.
No Bridges Bridges.
Thanks guys for filling me in. The energy guy doesn’t even feature in the top 20 – is this saying they will not have an emphasis on oil drilling – can’t see it but you never know, our Simon drives an electric car – sarc.
Oh darn, trouble in paradise already, already.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12010781
I watched the announcement of the shadow lineup on TV news this evening – dear oh god, has Paula Benefit got the hots for Soimun or what. It was excruciating to watch.
What internal leverage must Coleman have to retain the Health portfolio?
Yeah – that was a real surprise. Coleman was a disaster in Health and evidence of his incompetence is liely to continue to come out over timme.
Perhaps what he did is seen as competence by Bill English – see: –
http://werewolf.co.nz/2017/08/bill-english-the-forgotten-history/
Its all about wrecking the system for a private takeover, without it getting to be a scandal with too many people dying. I know some people were starting to say that private health insurance was the way to go, but that may have been offset by the anecdotal story of at least one insurer refusing further operation costs after a claim, and putting up premiums significantly for people that had claimed.
Bennett as Tertiary Education spokesman. What a joke! Looks like National is admitting it screwed up over the earthquakes with the demotions of Brownlee and Wagner – two incompetent ministers.
Bill English is gone from the political landscape, and still commenters here knock him. Move on. Sad.
He’ll be gone when we see those 450 txts. Nah, didn’t think so.