National loses itself

Written By: - Date published: 3:46 pm, October 25th, 2017 - 86 comments
Categories: Deep stuff, Dirty Politics, national, same old national, spin, Steven Joyce, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

National’s week from hell just got worse.  The High Court has declared that it effectively ripped off Eminem’s song Lose yourself for its 2014 campaign ad.

From the start it seemed to me that National had overstepped the mark.  Here is something I wrote in 2014:

National may have struck a problem with their campaign video.  The soundtrack sounds suspiciously like Eminem’s song “Lose yourself” which was the lead song in the movie 8 Mile.

National has had this problem in the past.  In 2007 a DVD was created about John Key which had a song which sounded like Coldplay’s Clocks.  After a complaint the DVD was withdrawn.

Maybe National has learned and did get the Artist’s approval to use the song this time.  Even if it did you have to wonder at the choice of song.  You see it is all about a rapper who is ready to publicly perform and who chokes, a bit like National seems to be doing now.

Here are some of the lyrics:

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti
He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready to drop bombs,
But he keeps on forgetting what he wrote down,
The whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won’t come out
He’s choking how, everybody’s joking now
The clock’s run out, time’s up, over, bloah!

Perhaps this is how John Key feels every time that Dirty Politics is raised …

The High Court has confirmed that use of the tune was indeed to use that non legal term, a rip off.  What I would like to know is what effect this will have on National’s 2014 return of electoral expenses.  There could be some interesting legal issues arising from this.

And over to twitter which was at its best today …

https://twitter.com/GCSBIntercepts/status/923013410354225152

https://twitter.com/GCSBIntercepts/status/923009112534683649

https://twitter.com/LI_politico/status/923011040731791360

Update: There is an interesting legal issue. National was $177k under the spending cap in 2014. Paying the judgment would presumably put it over because advertising expenses include “the cost incurred in the preparation, design, composition, printing, postage, and publication of the advertisement”. National’s cap is set by section 203C of the Electoral Act 1993. Under section 203D it is a corrupt practice to knowingly pay amounts in excess of breach the cap and this applies to “any person who directly or indirectly pays or knowingly aids or abets any person in paying for or on account of any election expenses any sum in excess of either of the maximum amounts prescribed by section 206C”. Good luck to National sorting that out.

86 comments on “National loses itself ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. tracey 1
    25 October 2017 at 3:53 pm

    Second time. Another wet bus ticket.

  2. Cinny 2
    25 October 2017 at 3:57 pm

    “National loses itself” ROFL !!!

  3. nzsage 3
    25 October 2017 at 4:06 pm

    Come on let’s have some maturity here… gloating over this ruling will only appear childish and will lack any level of decorum……….

    Oh what the hell….. WAAAAAAAAAHOOOO!!!! 600,000 smackaroonies is one hell of a pricey jukebox! Couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch of losers

    Ok…normal service resumed.

    • North 3.1
      25 October 2017 at 4:53 pm

      NZSage……..beautiful! Will we see Michelle Boag retire from public life for the deep grief of it all?

  4. McFlock 4
    25 October 2017 at 4:11 pm

    So what’s the deal with electoral spending?

    My oft-dubious math suggests that their 2014 election victory, tenuous as it was, owes at least some credit to exceeding the spending cap by about $400,000 plus their legal fees. Bastards will probably get away with it, too. Should be jailed.

  5. Robert Guyton 5
    25 October 2017 at 4:15 pm

    “Update: There are a couple of thorny issues posed if Eminem wins. Firstly the judgment would presumably be an election expense and have to be added to National’s return of expenses. It must hope that it is not too close to the maximum.

    Secondly if it loses it would have spent more than was allocated for the purpose of the advertisement by the Electoral Commission. As Mike Smith points out this may be significant. National has had problems in the past when it previously overspent its allocation.”

    https://thestandard.org.nz/eminem-sues-national/

    • mickysavage 5.1
      25 October 2017 at 4:19 pm

      Yep I thought I would do a bit of reading tonite to see what I could find but I do think the lawyers are going to have a field day.

  6. Ad 6
    25 October 2017 at 4:16 pm

    Labour government sworn in.

    Joyce humiliated losing a campaign and a legal case.

    I think this calls for a drink 🙂

  7. tracey 7
    25 October 2017 at 4:26 pm

    Will Nats appeal? Why wasnt the company that sold them the licence joined in a cross claim by Nats?

  8. Matthew Whitehead 8
    25 October 2017 at 4:27 pm

    In terms of election expenses, even if this settlement counted, Graeme Edgler on twitter points out that it would be beyond the statute of limitations for the Electoral Commission to refer them to Police for prosecution on 2014 spending, so the implications are likely to be entirely in terms of political image and financial drain.

    Despite Joyce’s grandiose claims on RNZ this morning, it is unlikely to change the way copyright law is applied. It was always illegal to attempt to breach copyright by proxy, and it was always going to be the National Party held responsible for their actions, especially given email chains revealed they were specifically trying to avoid asking for a license, ie. attempting to circumvent the law.

    For a party that makes a big deal about intellectual property for large corporations, this is ridiculously ironic, but also revealing of how little National knows about or cares about intellectual property- no wonder they backed the TPP so aggressively, they obviously don’t understand what it will cost New Zealand’s creative and intellectual industries.

    • McFlock 8.1
      25 October 2017 at 4:31 pm

      So as long as their donors pick up the tab, the nats walk away scot-free. 🙄

      • Matthew Whitehead 8.1.1
        25 October 2017 at 4:54 pm

        It’s worse than that. The National Party has more money than it can legally spend on campaign expenses, so this judgement is probably not even large enough to serve as a meaningful financial disincentive by disadvantaging them in their 2020 campaign, as large as it seems in general.

      • Draco T Bastard 8.1.2
        25 October 2017 at 7:45 pm

        …the National Party held responsible for their actions, especially given email chains revealed they were specifically trying to avoid asking for a license, ie. attempting to circumvent the law.

        My bold.

        Wonder what other laws they always try to circumvent. You can guarantee that it’s many.

    • ianmac 8.2
      25 October 2017 at 4:43 pm

      Of course Joyce was thinking he was still all powerful and could retrospectively change the law and have a clause that anyone who dared to sue National would be fined and/or imprisoned.

      • Matthew Whitehead 8.2.1
        25 October 2017 at 4:59 pm

        Joyce seems to think that when an artist creates a sound-alike track, only they are responsible for copyright infringement, when in fact any new derivative work (such as pairing that track to video) is also guilty on being published. (you can still create an infringing work so long as you never make it publicly available, but that would defeat the point of evading the licensing process for their political ad!) National foolishly thought that even if there was a copyright claim, it would be able to wash its hands and say they weren’t the original infringer and 8 Mile Style would need to sue the track’s creator, which is of course absolutely rubbish.

        Makes you wonder if they even bothered to ask Finlayson about the whole affair, because I’d be shocked if he wouldn’t have set them straight.

    • mickysavage 8.3
      25 October 2017 at 4:56 pm

      It gets sticky though. They have to pay up but it is illegal to pay the bill late. They will need permission. And there is this …

      206C Maximum amount of party’s total election expenses
      (1) If a party is listed in the part of the ballot paper that relates to the party vote, the total election expenses of that party in respect of any regulated period must not exceed—
      (a) $1,139,000 (or such other amount as is prescribed by the Governor-General by Order in Council under section 266A); and
      (b) $26,800 (or such other amount as is prescribed by the Governor-General by Order in Council under section 266A) for each electoral district contested by a candidate for the party.

      And …

      206D Offence to pay election expenses in excess of prescribed maximum
      (1) This section applies to any person who directly or indirectly pays or knowingly aids or abets any person in paying for or on account of any election expenses any sum in excess of either of the maximum amounts prescribed by section 206C.
      (2) The person is guilty of—
      (a) a corrupt practice if he or she knew the payment was in excess of the prescribed maximum amount; or
      (b) an illegal practice in any other case, unless he or she proves that he or she took all reasonable steps to ensure that the election expenses did not exceed the prescribed maximum amount.
      (3) Every person who enters into an agreement or enters into an arrangement or understanding with any other person for the purpose of circumventing either of the maximum amounts prescribed in section 206C is guilty of a corrupt practice.

      National may have problems …

      • McFlock 8.3.1
        25 October 2017 at 5:07 pm

        here’s hoping.

      • Matthew Whitehead 8.3.2
        25 October 2017 at 5:14 pm

        I would be shocked if they were on the hook for either of those offenses. 206C is likely to be too late to prosecute even if the judgement counts as an election expense, and 206D is out because there is no way to prove that they knew that they would have to pay this court judgement. (in fact there’s a lot of evidence they thought they were off the hook for legal liability, even though they were wrong)

        And then there’s a reasonable argument that court costs are not election expenses as well, so I’d be very surprised if they are in further hot water than the civil case.

        The real fallout is likely to be creative industries such as the IT sector abandoning National as it’s clear they do not understand or respect intellectual property.

        • tracey 8.3.2.1
          25 October 2017 at 5:19 pm

          I agree. This wont affect Nats or their supporters. Blame will go on media company and in some respects that is fair enough. I wouldnt expect Joyce to recognise similarity to Eminem.

          • Matthew Whitehead 8.3.2.1.1
            25 October 2017 at 5:35 pm

            Actually there are emails confirming the National Party deliberately picked the track because of its similarity to Eminem’s famous hiphop song, and used Lose Yourself during the first draft of the ad and only sought the sound-alike track on learning that they were unlikely to be granted a license to the real track, so I wouldn’t excuse them there.

            Blame belongs to the National Party, who have been legislating in this area and don’t even understand the impacts of our current law. You could ask any intellectual property intern and they would have told you these actions were a very, VERY bad idea, even if they weren’t sure that they would lose the court case, and the people they claimed to have asked- the entertainment industry- would have told them the same thing if they actually had any awareness of intellectual property law.

            I know this stuff because you have to be very clear about whether your work is original as an author.

        • mickysavage 8.3.2.2
          25 October 2017 at 5:23 pm

          But the cap is breached when the payment is made. Currently the party has not broken the cap. But as soon as the settlement check is signed …

          • Matthew Whitehead 8.3.2.2.1
            25 October 2017 at 5:28 pm

            *shrug* Edgeler thinks given it would be related to the 2014 campaign, the timing for the offense is actually related to the end of that campaign, not the current over-payment, if the settlement even counts as a campaign expense, which I would also find iffy. That’s not even marginally my area of expertise, so I would defer to him as to the period allowable for prosecution, but if you know more feel free to enlighten us.

          • tracey 8.3.2.2.2
            25 October 2017 at 5:29 pm

            They didnt knowingly exceed though Mickey… having to have something decided by a court suggests that they didnt exceed with any intent?

            • mickysavage 8.3.2.2.2.1
              25 October 2017 at 5:37 pm

              This is where it gets interesting. The section applies to someone who “directly or indirectly pays or knowingly aids or abets any person in paying for or on account of any election expenses any sum in excess of either of the maximum amounts“. It seems that it is not the running up of expenses that is the problem, it is the writing of the cheque.

              • Tracey …
                25 October 2017 at 7:43 pm

                Hmmmmmm.

                Another irony is Key authorised some arguably illegal activity to bring copyright breacher kim dotcom before the courts… such was his and Nats distaste for copyright infringement.

              • gsays …
                25 October 2017 at 9:20 pm

                This conversation reminds me of David lange’s advice on lawyers-to not trust them, half of them are always wrong.

              • lurgee …
                25 October 2017 at 10:13 pm

                I reckon the judge is going down for this. Knowingly aiding National in breaching the election cap!

                Your argument is entertaining, but … rather tenuous.

            • Draco T Bastard 8.3.2.2.2.2
              25 October 2017 at 8:11 pm

              having to have something decided by a court suggests that they didnt exceed with any intent?

              If, as Michael says, there’s an email track showing intent to bypass the law about getting a licence then it can be assumed that they did so because getting a licence would have put them above the cap.

              If so then intent is proved on two crimes – breaking copyright law and breaking election spending law.

              • Matthew Whitehead …
                26 October 2017 at 9:21 am

                They wouldn’t have gotten a license. Lose Yourself is almost never licensed for anything, let alone political ads.

        • Draco T Bastard 8.3.2.3
          25 October 2017 at 8:03 pm

          206C is likely to be too late to prosecute even if the judgement counts as an election expense

          Wouldn’t the timing be when Eminem laid the complaint? I.e, if Eminem brought the lawsuit before the cut off time then the time is extended to when the court case comes to an end?

          (in fact there’s a lot of evidence they thought they were off the hook for legal liability, even though they were wrong)

          But they do seem to have conspired to break the law and the only reason why they would do that is because they knew the law and how it worked.

      • Patricia Bremner 8.3.3
        26 October 2017 at 2:19 am

        8.3 thank you Micky. It gets better and better. They liked throwing mud, great to see it stick to them.

  9. Patricia Bremner 9
    25 October 2017 at 4:27 pm

    4.1 McFlock Yes Probably a calculated “Pretty legal” effort which paid off for them. Their backers will pick up the tab.

  10. OnceWasTim 10
    25 October 2017 at 4:40 pm

    legal schhhhmegal. Law doesn’t apply to masters of the universe – they’re not only legends in their own minds, but they ARE the law apparently.

  11. ankerawshark 11
    25 October 2017 at 5:00 pm

    Its not all about the money though……………I am enjoying the humiliation for the Nats and Steven Joyce in particular………………….

    And the loss of credibility………………11.7 billion dollar holes, Pretty legal I feel a Tui billboard coming on.

    I am am happy to look like a lesser person for enjoying all of this…………..ha, ha ha ha ha ha……….etc, etc, etc

  12. AB 12
    25 October 2017 at 5:04 pm

    So if their use of the Eminem song was “pretty legal”, then their election performance must be “pretty victorious”?

    • tracey 12.1
      25 October 2017 at 5:19 pm

      Like Bennett was pretty honest when on a benefit

      • rhinocrates 12.1.1
        25 October 2017 at 6:37 pm

        I’m really looking forward to seeing the vultures fighting over Blinglish’s carcass. Bennett, Tolley, Prostetnic Vogon Joyce, Collins (oh ha ha! – really, I wouldn’t worry, all of her colleagues hate her), Bridges…

  13. Richard 13
    25 October 2017 at 5:52 pm

    My brother wants to know when the FBI will be initiating extradition proceedings…

  14. rhinocrates 14
    25 October 2017 at 6:29 pm

    The nats trying to appeal to youth is comical enough. Actually it’s hilarious. Sure there are some chinless brats practicing their comb-overs and drooling over their invitations to the Princess Parties who think that it was really groovy, as the hip youngster folks say… but, oh, the schadenfreude…

    Oh, and personal responsibility? And copyright? And property rights?

    Come on Wayne, please! Tell us how reasonable, sensible and balanced and pragmatic you’ve been!

    • OncewasTim 14.1
      25 October 2017 at 7:17 pm

      Yep. I’ve been waiting for Jeeze Wayne to emerge too.

      • rhinocrates 14.1.1
        25 October 2017 at 9:02 pm

        You don’t get paid for humility, you get paid for being a theatrical idiot that people can pretend is sensible. He’s angling for a lucrative “commentator” gig and that needs a firmly-established brand. The brand in this case is “never admitting to being wrong”.

  15. beatie 15
    25 October 2017 at 7:14 pm

    Breach of Copyright. Isn’t that what they accused Kim Dotcom of?

  16. One Anonymous Bloke 16
    25 October 2017 at 8:03 pm

    Making a “mistake” at work, costing the firm $600k.

    On the very same day, doubling down on your personal reputation for lying, by telling a lie that contradicts one of your previous lies.

    Personal responsibility means Steven Joyce will attack anyone who questions his fitness for office.

  17. tc 17
    25 October 2017 at 8:07 pm

    Is this a normal length of time for such matters ? It’s taken years.

    • mickysavage 17.1
      25 October 2017 at 8:48 pm

      It has taken longer than I thought it would. The essential facts are not really in dispute although the discovery came up with some interesting background.

      I suspect that National tried to burn Eminem off but he would have just kept laughing and signing cheques for his legal team …

  18. mac1 18
    25 October 2017 at 8:24 pm

    Now let’s get this right.

    The Right, by copying wrong, breach copyright, thus getting it wrong, right?

    In this, and its allied case involving Coldplay, it seems two wrongs do make a right dork of the Right.

    And now they’re $600,000 less on the right side of the ledger.

    Right on, I’d say.

  19. Stuart Munro 19
    25 October 2017 at 8:28 pm

    There’s vomit on his sweater already, Bill’s spaghetti pizza.

  20. Ed 20
    25 October 2017 at 8:33 pm

    How I’m feeling about all this news…..

    Walking on sunshine.

  21. mosa 21
    25 October 2017 at 8:40 pm

    National should lose themselves permanently.

    I wish justice could be served in all of their other misdemeanors starting with that shyster Key.

    Sam Mc Cready are you out there !!!!!

  22. Sabine 22
    25 October 2017 at 8:41 pm

    600.000 $ plus interest.

    t’is is pretty funny, innit?

  23. corodale 23
    25 October 2017 at 8:55 pm

    rich gnats high up, paying top$ for term in opposition

  24. Terry 24
    25 October 2017 at 9:08 pm

    The Nats must have got carried away with Bill English’s “Rock Star Economy” and thought they were Led Zeppelin, pity they didn’t have Page & plant’s legal team…

  25. ankerawshark 25
    25 October 2017 at 9:09 pm

    I am also thinking of that clever clip which unfortunately I can’t copy of a real running race with the blue runner looking like they were about to win, only to have the runner in black and red (prophetic much?) take over…………………..

  26. gsays 26
    25 October 2017 at 9:14 pm

    Contrast this with the electoral commission’s response to darren watson last election.

    Perhaps the new lefty acumen cleaner could do with giving the aforementioned institution a once over.

  27. ropata 27
    25 October 2017 at 9:34 pm

    Somewhat bitter tweet from Kim Dotcom on the matter

    The @NZNationalParty was found guilty of copyright infringement today. The same people who did the military style copyright raid on my home.— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) October 25, 2017

  28. cleangreen 28
    25 October 2017 at 9:45 pm

    I heard on Radiolive with Ali today;

    That the national Party ‘faithful’ supporters are pissed off having to pony up to pay for Joyces next bid fuckup here already and now that national are going back to court to sue the giver of the 2000 dollar copy of MSM to Joyce they did say it was o/k to use it?????

    Iwould demand Joyce pay the million dollar fine instead!! It’s his fuckup as he was National party Election strategy manager.

    Someting smells fishy in denmark.

  29. One Anonymous Bloke 29
    26 October 2017 at 8:20 am

    As Minister of Justice-designate I want to state from that outset that “pretty legal” is no longer the standard this country operates to!

    Andrew Little.

  30. Acting Up 30
    26 October 2017 at 8:21 am

    If I was a rich backer who has been attending “Cabinet Club” to buy myself some access to ministers, I would be feeling pretty pissed off about now that a) my money is heading to Eminem instead, and b) I have only managed to purchase myself access to some opposition MPs who will be fully engaged in backstabbing and self-interested career jockeying for the next year or so.

    I might even withdraw my largesse!

  31. james 31
    26 October 2017 at 9:15 am

    Well – that bit them in the arse, and deservedly so.

    Although I find the update in the post the most interesting – will be curious to see how that is handled. A doomed if you do, doomed if you dont type conundrum.

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    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
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    1 week ago

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