National’s Sroubek fizzle

Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, December 13th, 2018 - 159 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, making shit up, national, paula bennett, same old national, Simon Bridges, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

For weeks National has been asking questions and hinting darkly at how there was inappropriate Labour support for Karel Sroubek’s bid to remain in New Zealand. The information has now been released. And all that I feel is an irresistible urge to say Meh.

From Derek Cheng at the Herald:

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was sent a text message commending the decision to grant Karel Sroubek residency by someone who is both a friend of the Czech drug-smuggler and an acquaintance of hers.

That man was Richie Hardcore, whose Instagram’s account shows him posing with Ardern in multiple photos and referring to her as “a friend” and “the people’s champ”.

National has slammed the Prime Minister after the revelation, with leader Simon Bridges saying Ardern had not been upfront about the message from Hardcore and it was time she told the whole story.

“She’s only told us this much because of our relentless questioning. It beggars belief to say that this would be the first contact that she has had with Richie Hardcore about this case.”

Bridges said Ardern should release the full text message, and asked why Hardcore would have sent a text if she didn’t know who Sroubek was.

“For total clarity, the Prime Minister should appear in the House tomorrow and make a Ministerial Statement about her associations with Richie Hardcore, Sroubek and any of their other associates.”

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said that the text from Hardcore was unsolicited, and was the only correspondence between them on this matter.

I must admit that I was nervous for a while about the allegation. So many questions were being asked. It was clear that national was planning an attack similar to the Donghua Liu David Cunliffe incident.  Surely they had something meaty.

But this?

So someone who has met Jacinda sent her a text AFTER Lees-Galloway had made his decision. AND she did not reply?

And someone has photos of themselves with Jacinda on Instagram? They should see my friends’ photos on my facebook feed.

But National still thinks it is onto something.

Although the rest of Twitter had a laugh.

https://twitter.com/CarlyMables/status/1072915097025007616

National is demanding that Ardern release the text. While they are at it maybe they could release Bill English’s 450 texts at the same time.

159 comments on “National’s Sroubek fizzle ”

  1. BM 1

    It’s important to know what the text says if it was something like

    ‘Thanks for your help Jacinda” or
    “Thanks for making it happen”

    That wouldn’t be very good, would it?

    • mpledger 1.1

      Citizens are allowed to ask MPs for help on issues – that’s the whole point of MPs.

      It’s the multi-million dollar lobby groups that use their wealth to get special access, corrupt MPs or corrupt the process that are the problem.

      • BM 1.1.1

        So you wouldn’t have an issue with the PM helping Sroubek get permanent residency?

        Just doing a favour for a mate?

        • Craig H 1.1.1.1

          He already had residence, the Minister’s decision was whether to suspend his liability for deportation.

          • Mr Marshy 1.1.1.1.1

            Which he completely stuffed up. Hence his embarrassing u-turn. And dont start talking about ‘new’ information, no-one is buying that nonsense

            • McFlock 1.1.1.1.1.1

              Well, nats don’t buy it because they are unfamiliar with information-based decision making.

        • mpledger 1.1.1.2

          If the help is within their perview then no.

    • mac1 1.2

      BM, even if she got a text saying what you suggest, it doesn’t mean collusion or behind the scenes undue pressure.

      I’d take a text like that to mean, “Thanks for your minister making a decision with which I agree”, or “Thanks for your minister seeing sense on this issue” or “Thanks for your minister making a decision based on humanitarian grounds”.

      It could well be seen expressing gratitude at the outcome, not the way at which the outcome was achieved. It could be expressing gratitude at the process whereby a man who alleged that his life as at risk upon an enforced return to his native land was offered a merciful solution.

      Remember, BM, the original decision was hedged about with caveats and codicils which stated that if the applicant for residency had lied or been on some way less than fully honest, the application would be revoked.

      Which is what happened upon fuller disclosure of the facts. (Offering thanks for that decision based on those caveats would be what most kiwis would have wished for, btw but is unconnected to your point).

      • BM 1.2.1

        A convicted drug dealer with gang affiliations currently in prison doesn’t get permanent residency under any circumstances.

        I’ve seen some good hard working people get the boot from NZ for the most trivial of things, yet this guy gets to stay.

        Strings must have been pulled, favours must have been done, there’s just no other reason as to why this guys deportation was cancelled and then was given permanent residency.

        • mac1 1.2.1.1

          Remember, a residency granted with huge caveats. A residency granted on insufficiently disclosed facts, by both officials and the applicant himself.

          Remember, too, that the apparent reason for the grant was one of mercy, that Sroubek was in danger of being killed had he returned to his home country, which the events of his return twice prior to the application did rather jeopardise logically.

          BM, I am glad that mercy and compassion were part of the process.

          Remember, too, though the law provides for return to home for criminals upon release, and quite wisely, there is a process also for overturning that automatic response. His crime had ben paid for by his imprisonment. I hope that the sins of his youth upon reflection are replaced with a more mature morality.

          Unfortunately, his omissions in full disclosure in his application don’t indicate that.

          BM, it has to be a case by case basis when an application is made. This application ultimately failed because he lied by omission. People blew the whistle on him, and he was found out.

        • Craig H 1.2.1.2

          He already had residence, the legal question was whether to suspend his deportation liability, which has a different set of rules to decisions to grant residence.

          If this is as bad as National are making it out to be, why didn’t they pass on the pertinent information before the decision was made rather than after?

          • OnceWasTim 1.2.1.2.1

            “He already had residence”
            Unfortunately @Craig H, they’re not hearing you.

            And as for @BM’s
            “I’ve seen some good hard working people get the boot from NZ for the most trivial of things, yet this guy gets to stay.” I’ve seen countless, and a good many that have decided to give up and either go somewhere that appreciates them, or go home.
            All that, as most at the coalface will tell you, is down to the structure, culture, lack-of-resource/incompetence, under-funding or otherwise of ‘officials’ and administrators – all of which has turned things into a bloody raffle unless it can be bypassed with the promise of money.
            I think I have to keep repeating it: the worst thing I L-G is guilty of is a blind faith in the honesty/integrity/capability of a good many of his ‘o f f i c i a l s’
            He do himself a bloody big favour if the whole juggernaut that is the Ministry for Everything was dismantled but its probably more convenient to keep it as is from a ‘pragmatic’ point of view, rather than it being anything that pretends to offer a public service

        • SaveNZ 1.2.1.3

          I agree with you BM either strings were pulled, or our politicians are stupid. Or both. About time our government thought of all the people who get date raped using MDMA and what this piece of crap is doing still in this country after we have spent hundreds of thousands on his prison stay and legal lifestyle here, and no thought to his victims at all.

          https://www.alltreatment.com/mdma-date-rape-drug/

          • BM 1.2.1.3.1

            Sroubek is going to have to be paid off, it’s the only way to get rid of the guy and stop him from talking.

            • SaveNZ 1.2.1.3.1.1

              If they pay him off after what he has done, the public will go ape. Get rid of him asap, and make sure they take 1/2 his house to pay off his legal bills and proceeds of crimes act.

              And most importantly, change the immigration act, so that if you commit a crime or become a burden on NZ you don’t get to stay here and it takes 20 years to become a citizen or permanent resident and get benefits from the people who have lived here all their lives have paid for.

              If they don’t feel it is worth the wait, don’t come!

              Or just make the whole process transparent and you pay $10 million and if you pass the good character test and don’t get into trouble here, you can stay here as a sort of retirement/lifestyle visa for 20 years, because that is an easier way than just having people’s application be so political that our MP’s prefer jailed drug smugglers to someone who just wants to live here and prepared to pay a large up front fee to do so .

              Our government is not smart enough to get the investments our of them aka Thiel any other way and the public end up subsidising the super rich here with the current screw ups.

              An up front fee and longer timeframes for new citizens to gain benefits would suit everybody more because our dysfuncitonal Laissez-faire visas are ensuring our country will be in poverty and full of inequality like Asia, to pay for the bad choices that our immigration policy is making, by turning a blind eye to fraudsters, criminals and users profiting here.

            • Louis 1.2.1.3.1.2

              That BM and SaveNZ have lost the plot. No one needs to pay anyone to get rid of him. He’s “liable to be deported upon his release”

        • Pete 1.2.1.4

          Have you seen repeat sex offenders allowed to stay in the country? And if the Immigration Minister was Michael Woodhouse were strings pulled? Were favours done?

          Have your suspicions, have your blind bias but this forum could be a big opportunity to show that you’re capable of rationality.

          Tell us, when sex offenders were allowed to stay in the country under the previous administration, do you think strings were pulled and favours done? If you don’t think they were, why? And why then would they be done in the Sroubek case? What makes it so special?

          • SaveNZ 1.2.1.4.1

            The immigration screw ups were just as bad if not worse under the Natz, time the entire policy is rewritten to protect the future of this country turning into the land of homeless and super rich, full of drugs and criminals, with people in between having to pay for the bad government policy and sports stadiums everywhere and obese richer Kiwis all excited by the brighter future.

            • woodart 1.2.1.4.1.1

              yes.if you or you family werent here before 1900, bugger off. actually make it 1850, really clear out some ratbags…..Im safe,dont care about you.

              • SaveNZ

                Ask Maori is immigration ‘worked’ for them. Weird all the liberals understand Maori were screwed over, but somehow feel that massive migration in NZ for the past decade is a good idea and isn’t screwing the residents already in NZ over and the future generations of the migrants kids and the Kiwis of all ethnicities already here including Maori.

                It’s not immigration that is so much the issue, is how it is done.

                Why Sroubek is making the headlines and is of such interest to the public, is because he is an example of everything that is wrong with out immigration policy and he is white so the usual woke lefty/neoliberal righty cries of ‘racism’ can’t be easily used and therefore the decision has nothing to do with ‘colour’, ‘ethnicity’ or what have you.

                Some people are scum bags of any nationality and for whatever reason our government has been opening it’s arms by lazy immigration policy and poor decision makers in that field, to the world’s scum and exploiters of others (aka drug smugglers and labour traffickers and Vagas style marriages) and expects Kiwi’s who are already struggling to support a whole bunch of additional burdens on the state. And put more people into NZ’s social welfare system and infrastructure system already groaning under the weight of poorly thought out policy decisions.

                The labour government could have made decisions to change immigration policy in the first 100 days to stop exploitation of our immigration laws, they didn’t in any way to help, in fact make it worse by loosening up work visa’s so that people can live here without a job for years and get married, have kids, use our social services etc without residency and then use the above to get it.

        • Unicus 1.2.1.5

          I think I’ve missed something

          Unless they were stalking her – why on earth would a woman like Jacinda even be near a couple of sleazo’s like these two let alone ‘know’ them.

          And what favours could she be possibly be repaying.

          I know you and the others in the confused swarm of NP fanatics must have had a miserable xmas last year – this one will be worse – but chin up the Tauranga Titan will be gone by March

          • Rapunzel 1.2.1.5.1

            Titan-ic.

          • veutoviper 1.2.1.5.2

            A lot of people are missing a lot of things in relation to this whole issue, Unicus.

            Apparently kickboxing (including Nuay Thai kickboxing which is where the links between Sroubek and Hardcore are), is a big thing in Auckland amongst the wealthy young Auckland “in crowd” in their late 20s and 30s. Sroubek’s estranged wife was, and apparently is still part of that crowd. I am not counting Ardern as a part of that crowd but there has certainly been interaction over the years, but then mixing across all spectrum of society is part and parcel of being a politician. Hardcore is also a public speaker, MC etc and he and Gayford’s paths are likely to have crossed over the years.

            Hardcore is quite a contradiction in himself from all accounts including this interview by Steve Braunias two years ago in 2016.

            https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11615406

            Vegan, feminist, alcohol and drug counsellor …… as well as kickboxing champion, personal trainer etc. Also a prolific user of social media, texting, twitter etc.

            https://www.facebook.com/richie.hardcore/
            https://twitter.com/richiehardcore?lang=en

            Here is a more up to date article on him on 25 Nov 2018 which everyone should read – particularly Bennett and Woodhouse. (And Bridges and Mitchell)

            This article explains why he and Ardern etc may well be in contact and rightly so. Amongst other things a lot of his advocacy these days is in the area of violence towards women – a subject on everyone’s lips and in our thoughts at present following Grace’s murder/manslaughter.

            Hardcore is on the board of White Ribbon and does speaking events on their behalf. I don’t count men who do that as scum bags or ‘sleazos’. I hope you – and others here – don’t.

            https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2018/11/richie-hardcore-reveals-how-his-abusive-past-helped-his-crusade-against-toxic-masculinity.html

          • katie 1.2.1.5.3

            Richie Hardcore is pretty insufferable but he’s not a sleaze – he’s a well-known anti drug, anti violence against women campaigner who is also a fairly prominent public speaker. He and Jacinda almost certainly crossed paths through his advocacy work.

            Also people forget that for many years prior to becoming PM Jacinda was just another 20/30 something city-dwelling hipster (albeit one who was also a well liked mp) known to frequent the odd k’rd/ponsonby bar or grey lynn house party just like every other one of her peers. It’s not shocking that during that time she may have shared her number out of friendliness (heck i’ve hung out with her socially in the past and sometimes she even likes my instagram photos) – it’s not her fault if people took that to mean they’re super tight mates who can text her about any old thing, as Hardcore appears to have done here.

            A complete non-story tbh.

    • Sacha 1.3

      “Thanks for making it happen”

      ‘.. The money is in your usual Panamanian account’.
      Oh, wrong PM.

    • Aaron 1.4

      BM don’t you think that it is more important to investigate the National Party’s links with Sroubeks ex-partner?

      Specifically don’t you think we should look at Mark Davey,National Party member and candidate for the National Party Auckland local government ticket ‘Auckland Future’ who is now in a relationship with Karel Sroubek’s ex-partner?

      Was this relationship the source of information that started the National Party onto their latest dirty politics project – a project where, as usual, they don’t care about the effect they have on the lives of other people – even if it means someone gets killed?

      • Tuppence Shrewsbury 1.4.1

        So it’s dirty politics to uncover information that a crown minister hasn’t been doing their job to the benefit of the country?

  2. mac1 2

    “There has to be a connection” says Paula Bennett this morning on National radio.

    Bennett is saying that Ardern is somehow hiding something because of someone else’s action. Someone texted her, a text to which she did not respond, and which was sent after the original decision had been made and therefore could not have been lobbying.

    The person who sent the text probably overstepped his mark, is all.

    But there’s Paula on NatRadio pushing this line, and not getting far with the interviewer.

    “There must be a connection” says Paula, but she doesn’t know what it is.

    It’s a smear by association, and a low trick. Worse, it’s a smear by association at one remove, and that’s plain barmy.

    • Grantoc 2.1

      There is a question around why it is that Hardcore had Ardern’s cell phone number. Is it publicly available to all and sundry? I assume not. But I may be wrong.

      If Hardcore has her cell phone number it does suggest other/earlier communications between the two does it not? And this raises the question as to whether or not any of that communication related to Sroubek.

      Rather than leaving the situation in a state of ambiguity – which encourages conspiracy theories, Ardern is best advised to table all communications between herself and Hardcore on this matter in the interests of open government (which I believe she stated would be one of the principles by which her government would operate).

      • mpledger 2.1.1

        Once a cell phone number gets into the public domain then it’s just going to spread to who knows where.

        We could all start sending texts to the MPs we don’t like – “thanks, Simon for the help you gave me avoiding prison, the payment will be in your account tonight”.

        • I feel love 2.1.1.1

          Exactly MrPledger. I know one of Woodhouses many brothers in law, it wouldn’t be hard for me to get his cell phone number, how easy would it be for me to send Woodhouse a “thank you” text. This plan is so cunning Balderick could have come up with it.

  3. Cinny 3

    Dear simon, Jacinda isn’t dodgy like john key, bill english, yourself or your MP’s

    The public is over this story, so is the media judging from their lack of reporting on said subject v’s the volume of questions asked about it in the house in the last few weeks.

    But hey carry on, if you think it will help you in the polls.

    Wonder if the nat’s even read the twitter comments on their tweets? They are constantly slayed on the twitter, super amusing.

    • Ankerrawshark 3.1

      Cinny 100%.

      We have a PM who is the epitome of integrity……..National are trying to imply jacinda nudged the process along. It wouldn’t have happened cause she has integrity and is too smart. And there’s been a review already into this ffs.

      National are just stirring shit cause that’s all they have/are

      • tsmithfield 3.1.1

        I assume your comment is irony, right?

        • Sacha 3.1.1.1

          The world is irony.

        • ankerawshark 3.1.1.2

          No tsmithfield. my comment was not irony. To date Ms Ardern has shown herself to have a good understanding of how to operate in these situations. Jacinda has integrity and is very smart. I think it is highly unlikely she has made a mistake here.

          but you are entitled to your opinion whatever it is tsmithfield.

    • Chris T 3.2

      Labour has had to sack 2 MPs in their first year and Galloway will probably end up being the 3rd.

      You might want to take the eye patch off before calling out who has the “dodgy” MPs

      • Unicus 3.2.1

        Just a bit of a reminder of how dodgy National Party / Act MPs have been over the years.

        In recent years right-wing governments have supported :

        Someone who ‘borrowed’ the identities of deceased children.
        A Chinese spy
        A PM accused of currency manipulation
        Someone accused of assaulting his own step-daughters
        An ex-PM accused of ‘troughing’ the Christchurch earthquake fund

        The list is long –
        But then being a dodgy pratt is almost a requirement in a National Party MPs CV . Remembering that Jamie LR got his job after stabbing his then boss Len Brown in the back over a phony bank card scandal.

        Apparently, that was deemed a stellar indicator of a promising career by the NP brass back then –

      • Louis 3.2.2

        There’s no reason to sack Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. Nat mps have form in dodgy.

        • Michelle 3.2.2.1

          oh yeah no need to sack them (lab ministers) after the debacle we have had in the last 9 years breaches of privacy, breaking airport security, telling lots of porkies and lies, trying to change our flag wasting millions at a time when many people were suffering, selling state assets, when we said no. And the worst thing they do every time national get in they create and exacerbate poverty and inequalities. Then there is more poor more homelessness, begging, someone should of got the f.. n sack alright.

      • patricia bremner 3.2.3

        Chris T and BM, that is the point. Those ministers were sacked because they failed to do the right thing.
        ILG was misinformed and made a decision which required activating caveats, an embarrassment rather than a failure to do the right thing.

        This indicates our current PM takes standards very seriously. She is direct clear and honest in her relationships.

        Now we have insinuations of unhealthy relationships being promoted by a number on the right, including Simon Bridges in the house.

        After a decision regarding residency is made with caveats by ILG, National party members and supporters appear to have decided that if the PM knows/met/ interacted with a person who texted her after the decision, and supports the supposedly reformed drug addict concerned , that she has had influence? Really? How?

        The fact there was no response is possibly because the case was not in her brief,

    • Grantoc 3.3

      Cinny

      How do you know that the public is “over this story”. Where the evidence?

      Or are just saying this because Lees – Galloway said the same thing first and you’re just being the loyal foot soldier carrying out your duties unquestionably.

      Sounds to me like this is just a tactic being employed by the government and its acolytes to try to make the story go away. It has an edge of desperation about it.

      • woodart 3.3.1

        the desperation is coming from the natz. spca should be called.

      • Cinny 3.3.2

        grantoc

        Have been asking around, outside of my bubble.

        I’m that random person that talks to strangers. The friendly conversation initiator.

        The public appears to be over it, because in their eye’s it’s now all been sorted.

        The public trusts the PM, that is more than obvious, none of simons mud slinging is going to change that.

        Maybe we can thank johnkey and english for all of their nothing to see here spin re texts. Why? Because they’ve possibly made the public a bit immune to it all re texts. As most aren’t all aghast at a text message that wasn’t even replied to.

        But hey who am to suggest he needs a ‘change of direction’.

        Meanwhile…. simons legacy appears to be the words ‘paula benefit’, and it’s bbq season.

  4. Ed1 4

    To be fair to Bridges, the last clip I heard of him in Parliament he was going on about an apparently different case for someone called Shroebrick; whatever problem Shroebrick has had was not clear but apparently Jacinda Ardern should have known about it.

  5. tsmithfield 5

    If the text is released and proves to be totally innocent, and if no deeper associations with the PM are uncovered, then, yes, this is a damp squib.

    But National are carefully picking away at this, and Labour are obfuscating in the house on the matter. So, maybe there is a bit more to come on this yet.

    If it was all so innocent, surely the best strategy for the PM would have been to release details of her contact upfront.

    • Mr Marshy 5.1

      You mean actually get a straight answer out of Ardern … now that would make the front pages of Womans Day

    • Kevin 5.2

      “Carefully picking away at this”, don’t make me laugh. They are flailing around in the dark throwing as much mud as possible hoping some of it will stick.

      No-one is talking about this TS, the public are not interested, social media has all but dried up, MSN has all but given up on it and if it wasn’t for the usual Nat ineptitude in Twitter for comic relief this would be dead and buried.

      Bridges is so desperate for a ‘hit’ it is now laughable.

  6. Michelle 6

    nationals new policy is the sniff tests courtesy of pull the benefit maybe they can go work for customs and sniff the bags and visitors typical pulla all arse and no class

  7. Mr Marshy 7

    Lol nice smoke screen by another dim socialist. Trying to turn this fiasco created by labour and an inept mister into a National failure really is desperate. Lees-Galloway completely stuffed up, his week boss doesnt have the courage to sack him, he doesnt have the integrity to resign. And the tax payers will be paying for the legal fees which WILL drag on for years as he appeals any decision. Maybe you forgot the real essence of this story.

    • joe90 7.1

      the real essence of this story

      .

      That since 2011 Sroubek had been before the courts facing various charges and despite having ample opportunity to give him the arse, National sat on their hands and then made hay when ILG fumbled their hospital pass.

      • Ross 7.1.1

        I’m not sure what you refer to as the hospital pass!? ILG granted him permanent residency. There is no evidence at all to suggest National were looking to do the same. ILG created this mess and the question now is why….

        • joe90 7.1.1.1

          National had every opportunity to deport Sroubek but for whatever reason they kicked the can down the road, leaving the decision to the incoming government.

          ILG made a dogs breakfast out of the task, he admitted as much and revisited his decision.

          • Ross 7.1.1.1.1

            As far as I am aware, Sroubek never petitioned the National Government for permanent residency? He was also incarcerated at the time so no decision about his status needed to be made anyway.

            • Louis 7.1.1.1.1.1

              @Joe90 ILG made his initial decision on the information that was put before him. He followed the process. @Ross Doesn’t excuse the fact that National had the opportunity to depot Sroubeck, but didn’t.

              “A spokesman for Immigration New Zealand said today Antolik would have the chance to make a submission as to why he should not be deported before his case is put before Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse to make a decision”

              https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10861491

          • SaveNZ 7.1.1.1.2

            To his only credit ILG changed his mind. Natz loved the having criminals here too and welcomed them with open arms.

            • Ross 7.1.1.1.2.1

              I think you you’ll find he was put in prison under a National government. Labour wanted him to stay forever.

            • Louis 7.1.1.1.2.2

              @Savenz new information came to light which resulted in the minister reviewing his initial decision.

    • Ankerrawshark 7.2

      Mr marshy schbrock has the right to appeal his decision same as everyone else. Nothing to do with labour.

  8. Ross 8

    Why would someone who is publicly anti-drugs (Hardcore) go on to commend Ardern for allowing someone known to import substantial quantities of drugs to avoid deportation? As much as there’s no meat in the sandwich right now, something does seem a tad fishy.

    • joe90 8.1

      Compassion and redemption are big words.

      /

    • Sacha 8.2

      Kickboxing buddies. Loyalty is a strange thing.

      • Ross 8.2.1

        At what point do you question your own loyalty? I.e. what crime would Sroubek have to commit for you to stop supporting him? And if indeed they’re besties, then what influence did R Hardcore have if any? Hardcore has already said he’s mates with the PM and there are numerous photos of them now emerging. Fishy indeed…

      • SaveNZ 8.2.2

        Yep, comes down to NZ is a sucker for a sports jocks. They can rape, pillage, commit all manner of crimes and it’s all good if they are sports people.

  9. Gosman 9

    The aim seems to be to chip away at Ardern’s credibility. In this regard it is similar to the last Labour lead opposition’s attempt to discredit John Key. that didn’t work either.

  10. Puckish Rogue 10

    So it seems to me that politics is a lot like test cricket. Labour is batting and National is bowling. When batting you can bat away as many deliveries/allegations as you like but it only takes one to get through and you’re gone (Clare Curren)

    Clare Curren ran herself out, due to the pressure of the fielding team, in a desire to get to the other end though you could also argue for LBW

    Meka Whaitiri was clean bowled, no referral to the third umpire required

    Iain Lees-Galloway is currently in some trouble due to some quality spin and is looking like its only a matter of time before he’s gone

    Phil Twyford is riding his luck and riding it hard, some quality short pitched bowling yet still making him play more then he’d like and you get the feeling he’s going to try a hook shot one too many times

    Jacinda Ardern (or Kane Williamson) is playing a straight bat to some nagging just short of length deliveries on the off stump. Shes keeping the good balls out but that nagging line might just beginning to wear her down a little.

    Absolute chaos in the National dressing room at the moment but still managing to put some good performances on the field however its very a much an individual rather than team effort, a change in captain may be in order…

  11. BM 11

    Does anyone know what date Ardern received this text?

    Back on November the 7th in an interview with Tracey Watkins she said she only found out about the decision through the media.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/108416607/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-found-out-about-karel-sroubek-decision-through-the-media

    • Puckish Rogue 11.1

      I’ve been impressed by how well National have been in staying with this, the obviously have some information and, instead of making a big announcement, they’ve teased out what they know and have managed to keep the story alive for longer than it should

      Mind you thats been helped by Jacinda, in that had she released everything she knew this story probably would have died weeks ago

    • shadrach 11.2

      The PM repeated that (“she said she only found out about the decision through the media”) in parliament during QT yesterday.

  12. veutoviper 12

    I roared with laughter yesterday when Woodhouse dramatically announced Richie Hardcore’s name. What a ‘fall flat’ moment!

    For goodness sake, It was quite well known that Hardcore’s name would probably be brought up at some stage by National due to his connections to the kickboxing world – and thus Sroubek. AND those photos of Ardern and Hardcore were being mentioned and recirculated in the early days of the Sroubek deportation issues coming into the public domain a month or so ago.

    Much as Lees-Galloway made it very clear yesterday in Question Time (Q9) that he would not be releasing the identities of those who made representations to immigration NZ on Sroubek, Hardcore’s name had already been mentioned in this regard (whether true or not).

    In addition one or two other people, have also been mentioned as having made representations – In particular, Alex Swney.

    For about a decade, Swney was founder (in 2005?) and head of Auckland’s Heart of the City, the central city business association whose focus is “supporting a successful city centre economy.”

    https://www.hotcity.co.nz/about-us/our-work

    In 2015 Swney was sentenced to five years seven months’ prison for netting $2.5m from submitting false invoices to the association because he felt that he was not being paid enough.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/69645518/heart-of-the-city-founder-alex-swney-sentenced-to-5-years-jail

    [Note this little bit in this article – “He unsuccessfully ran for Auckland mayor in 2007 and was previously a one-time list candidate for the ACT Party.”

    Swney was paroled in 2016 having served 12 months of his sentence. During his time in prison Swney was in the same unit as Sroubek.

    A month ago on 17 November 2018, the Herald – somewhat surprisingly – published an opinion piece written by Swney in which Swney puts forward his opinion of Sroubek having spent 17 hours a day for 12 months in a six person prison unit with him – and the frenzy that has arisen since Lees-Galloway’s first decision on Sroubek’s deportation.

    I hesitate to quote from Swney’s article as I believe it needs to be read in full and it would be easy to misinterpret bits taken out of context. I recommend taking a minute or two to read it in full.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12161233

    Over the last week or so, I have actually done a bit of research (gone down some rabbit holes) that I am not going to reveal other than to say cryptically tends to support looking at this whole case through a different lens along the lines suggested by Swney. Sometimes our initial perceptions, built on perspectives put forward by the media etc, can be wrong or flawed. Sometimes, up might look like down, and who is the skilled/ experienced operator/mastermind and who is the more innocent may be the complete opposite. No, Iike Swney I am not trying to excuse crime especially drug related crime, just saying that sometimes people become the ‘fall guy’ or end up ‘taking one for the team’.

    But my main point in raising the issue of Alex Swney is to note the silence that has prevailed since this article appeared a month ago.

    National has been very intent in trying to prove some form of relationship between Ardern and her Ministers and those supporting Sroubek through representations to Immigration NZ on his possible deportation – but have been completely silent on Swney’s very public representations in the Herald.

    While Swney simply presents a different view of Sroubek’s character from his own experience as noted above and does not really make representations about the deportation issue, why the silence?

    Just speculation on my part, but looking at the period Swney was Head of Heart of the City before being found to have committed fraud, it covers most of the National Party’s nine years in Government.

    In his role during that time, how much contact did Swney have with National MPs and Ministers and how many photo ops etc?

    How much lobbying of people like Key and other Auckland-based Nat Ministers and MPS did Swney do in his position with Heart of the City?

    I would really, really like to see Woodhouse etc be questioned on their contacts with people like Swney along the lines they are trying to apply to Ardern and the current government.

    What is good for the goose etc ….

    On the other hand, I do admire Swney for his willingness to come out publicly as he did in his Herald article, and in his apparent rehabilitation from his own crime, and the work he is now doing towards pushing for prison reform.

    • Puckish Rogue 12.1

      “I roared with laughter yesterday when Woodhouse dramatically announced Richie Hardcore’s name. What a ‘fall flat’ moment!”

      If this is all the information National has then you might be right in laughing however if National has more information then you might be a little premature in your celebrations

      Now there are more questions to ask like when was the text received, was this the only communication between the two and what did the text say

      • veutoviper 12.1.1

        All of this re Hardcore and his relationship to Ardern, his text etc are red herrings, Puck. Little cheap sardines, actually. Whitebait and anchovies are worth a lot more.

        The real clues etc to the whole situation are in NZ company records.

      • Gabby 12.1.2

        How mitch more does Mark know puckers? He in with the ex, or her new bf?

  13. simbit 13

    Meh. Remember when the VC of Lincoln University was banging an international sports scholarship student? She was wanting help with residency or citizenship or her top spin…

  14. Pete 14

    Paula Bennett, nothing to hide Paula Bennett, is in a desperate situation and will smear and slap and scrap and scratch, and kick.

    When she’s done and dusted, she’ll be remembered for publicly releasing a person’s private information, being told Wintston Peters’ private information before it strangely got to the media, telling Jacinda Ardern to “zip it sweetie” and threatening legal action on someone who was going to release information about her own past.

    Well Sweetie, Paula, the sight of being the woman scorned suits you.

    • veutoviper 14.1

      And why should there not be contacts between Hardcore and Ardern?

      He is a very complex person Mr Hardcore – and a strong advocate against violence towards women including being on the Board of White Ribbon and a public speaker on their behalf. More detail in my comment here

      https://thestandard.org.nz/nationals-sroubek-fizzle/#comment-1561845

      Bennett and Co may well fall flat on their faces in pursuing this connection – particularly at the present time.

    • Gabby 14.2

      Do they do kick punching at truck stops? Or is Pullya too old for the whole kick punching hipster scene?

  15. ankerawshark 15

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12176246

    I guess it comes down to whether you believe her or not. I believe her.

    • Puckish Rogue 15.1

      Would probably help if the PM explained what she meant by read between the lines which is taking on a whole different context now

      • indiana 15.1.1

        …or in the context of joining the dots, because someone has to hold the ‘D’ to be more caring and kinder, to make a captain’s call, with absolute transparency, to see that “best interests” are held up, with information that was only available at the time, or hear it from the media first because its never discussed in caucus, because when the rubber hits the road, we need keep hope alive, to simply “do this”…

  16. DJ Ward 16

    How did this random guy have her personnel phone number?

    Was it for lawnmower purchases?

    • Puckish Rogue 16.1

      I’m going to bust myself here but I have no idea what lawnmower references

    • ankerawshark 16.2

      If you read the article DJ it says that Hardcore is an anti violence /social justice campaigner and that a number of MPs know him.

      How he got her phone number. Gee I don’t know. It maybe that he had it as part of his anti violence work or that someone who knew JA well gave it too him.

      I would have no idea how hard or easy it is to get her number.

    • veutoviper 16.3

      You obviously don’t know that Hardcore is an advocate against violence towards women and is on the board of White Ribbon and a speaker for them.

      Here is more detail I provided up the page

      https://thestandard.org.nz/nationals-sroubek-fizzle/#comment-1561845

      And if your lawnmower reference is what I think it is, you are disgusting.

      Edit – Snap but will leave as my link has more info.

    • DJ Ward 16.4

      I have been asked to remove the Lawnmower reference.

      My understanding of the Lawnmower reference is from what was discussed on Kiwiblog. I don’t have any clue if what was claimed is true but since the cliams were not being removed, because they were clearly well past defamatory I assumed they had substance. If they are wrong I apologise. I would edit or remove my comment if I could, but don’t know how.

      Molly, your repeatedly making defamatory comments towards me. I have no clue at all what your referring to in regards to this comment being a reference to a sex crime. My only knowledge of that reference was from Kiwblog and that has nothing to do with sex.

      Anne. Your understanding of the word referenced is wrong. Compared to my use.

      You think I’m supposed to be impressed by White Ribbon. I guess since everything else in the world revolves around ignoring completely the things women do, I should be impressed.

      Lighten up people. That was a bit over the top.

      • joe90 16.4.1

        The claim was made a few days ago and promptly removed by the gimp.

      • te reo putake 16.4.2

        I went over to Farrars place and had a look. Lawn mower pops up a bit, though I would have thought you’d realise that’s its bollocks. TS is a very different place to Kiwiblog, so please don’t bring that inane shit here. it’s not welcome.

        (For puzzled readers, DPF is allowing his commenters to fantasize about a supposed link between Sroubek and the PM’s partner. The implication is that Clarke was on the periphery of the drug scene and lawn mower was a super sophisticated code word for the devil’s dandruff.

        This will shock some readers, but some people in the media world do drugs. Clarke works in the media. Therefore Clarke must do drugs. Logic, innit? )

      • Molly 16.4.3

        “Molly, your repeatedly making defamatory comments towards me. “
        Link to comments. I have always responded to you without defamation or accusations.

        I asked for this to be looked into if what vv suggested was true, then it should have been removed. TRP has dealt with it and I’m good with that.

      • McFlock 16.4.4

        My understanding of the Lawnmower reference is from what was discussed on Kiwiblog. I don’t have any clue if what was claimed is true but since the cliams were not being removed, because they were clearly well past defamatory I assumed they had substance.

        And that right there is why the nats are persisting with this Sroubek squib: 80% will recognise it as bullshit, but 20% are morons who assume that just because the pricks stuck with it, it must have something in it. If they back off, everyone will know the “opposition” is a waste of space.

    • Macro 16.5

      That is an extremely vile smear – any one who indulges in that sort of nastiness doesn’t deserve to comment here – you should withdraw that comment and apologise.

  17. ianmac 17

    Amazingly Bridges and Woodhouse have just wasted all their QT questions on hopeless dredging for something/anything on Richie Hardcore. Jawdroppingly petty.

    • taxicab 17.1

      I think the question that should now be asked is given that questions such as this in the house are made with the questioner already knowing the answer and since it involves a “text message” how could the questioner even know of such a text ? It implies that dirty politics participants have access to either Richie Hardcore or Jacinda Arderns text messages . I think someone should be calling the GCSB to investigate forthwith !

    • Pete 17.2

      They decided on their game plan. They’re sticking to it. They decided they were going to play it tight, straight up the guts, no more than one pass. Hopefully it would be a wet mucky field. But the field isn’t what they expected. Undeterred they’re sticking to their game plan.

      And today they stuck to it again. Trouble isn’t that the conditions are different than they wanted. Trouble isn’t that they chose the wrong game plan. Trouble isn’t that they’re sticking to the game plan.

      Trouble for them is they trying to play rugby or some such and the game is badminton or tennis or bridge.

      Losers looking like losers.

  18. veutoviper 18

    Further upstream I have provided quite a lot of information on Richie Hardcore, and why there are very good reasons why Ardern (and many other MPs etc) may know and be in touch with him – regardless of his knowing Sroubek.

    This comment below is one of several comments I have made today.

    https://thestandard.org.nz/nationals-sroubek-fizzle/#comment-1561845

    As mentioned, Richie Hardcore is a member of the Board of White Ribbon NZ which is an organisation fo men working to change male attitudes and behaviour to stop violence towards women. Hardcore is one of many ambassadors for White Ribbon and he is an active speaker for them in the fight against violence.

    Here is a link to the White Ribbon NZ website. It is interesting that the list of White Ribbon Ambassadors includes quite a number of current MPs on both sides of the House – eg Andrew Little, Mark Mitchell – and many other men in positions of prominence.

    https://whiteribbon.org.nz/

    And here is a link to what comes up if you search the site for Richie Hardcore, including his involvement in the current vigils for Grace Millane.

    https://whiteribbon.org.nz/?s=Richie+Hardcore

    As Ianmac has said at 17, Bridges was actually present in the House this afternoon – a Thursday when he is usually absent – and he and Woodhouse yet again wasted two questions on continuing to dredge for replies to make the text from Hardcore to Ardern look like representations from a sinister character to influence a Minister’s decision etc.

    They duly made little headway and quite frankly, yet again Peters had a great time making Bridges look like an ignorant idiot – or as Peters said a “Philadelphia lawyer” but not in the complimentary definition of that term.

    https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Philadelphia+Lawyer

    Bridges is really desperate to get a hit, but more and more his colleagues seem to look down while he is speaking ….

    • taxicab 18.1

      And the real fizzer for them was when Woodlouse got the answer to his direct question to Lees Galloway regarding a representation from Hardcore that in fact no such representation exists . In short this whole longbow is about to snap on the archer Woodlouse as maybe the media will follow up and ask why Woodlouse didn’t deport Sroubek when he had the chance as mentioned in a comment above https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10861491

    • Cinny 18.2

      VV, are you saying that mark mitchell probably knows Richie Hardcore?

      Wonder if they text ?

      Maybe mitchell does, but Hardcore ignores the little emoji hearts he’s sending.

      Maybe that’s the whole issue with it all, someone’s feeling a bit left out. Awww’s poor mark.

      Lmao !!!

    • Rosemary McDonald 18.3

      White Ribbon?

      This…https://thestandard.org.nz/john-key-the-white-ribbon-ambassador/…. White Ribbon?

      ” But White Ribbon New Zealand did not think the stunt was trivial, stating that male rape is horrific.

      “It was an awful exercise in bad taste and helped to perpetuate violence by normalising and trivialising it,” the White Ribbon Trust said in a statement on Sunday.

      “We understand that some people won’t see it that way, it will be in their eyes just a joke. We however do not agree.”

      White Ribbon reached out to the prime minister and were told he had no idea what he was about to be involved in. Key also did not understand the rape reference.

      “We take the Prime Minister at his word.” ”

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/75247759/null (trigger warning!!! contains disturbing images)

      White Ribbon should have kicked this serial harasser to touch, instead they ‘took him at his word.’

      This organisation lost all credibility….

  19. Anne 19

    This aspect may have already been covered but I can’t be bothered plowing through 100 comments:

    Why hasn’t this individual, Richie Hardcore come forward and put the record straight?

    He sends a text after the initial decision and expresses his appreciation. What the hell is wrong with that? It happens all the time. I’ve sent the odd message of congratulations in the past to politicians when they have done something of which I approve.

    Many people will message the PM instead of the appropriate cabinet minister, especially if they have had previous interactions with them in the past and prefer to respond to someone they know.

    Are the Nats so incensed at losing last year they’ve gone off their collective rocker?

    • Kat 19.1

      “Are the Nats so incensed at losing last year they’ve gone off their collective rocker?

      Yes Anne……. they are drowning in their own tears.

    • Chris T 19.2

      Interesting

      How many people exactly have her mobile phone number?

      • Anne 19.2.1

        She’s been in parliament since 2008. 10 years. I’m picking quite a few thousand have her phone number.

        He’s an anti-violence campaigner. Fits in well with her past shadow portfolios. He also knows her partner. Not surprising he acquired her mobile no. at some stage.

        And what’s that got to do with the price of fish? Some “dirty political” idiotic conspiracy meme that has been desperately plucked out of thin air?

        Bridges is a dick. And so it would seem are you.

      • mpledger 19.2.2

        Google did some work on connections between texters and there is something like an average of 6.4 degrees of separation between people in the USA. I would say in NZ it would be even closer … and for important people even closer still … not the least because people would be willing to trade cell phone numbers for favours.

    • ScottGN 19.3

      He has Anne. He said his contact with the PM occurred after the the decision was made and he didn’t get any response from her.

  20. georgecom 20

    A bit of irony that, Bridges having a go at Ardern for not fully disclosing txts.

    Have you found the $100,000 yet Simon?

  21. Ian 21

    Hard core corruption. This doesn’t look like it’s going away in a hurry. I just watched Winston Peters answer all the questions today on behalf of Jacinda. Jones needs to wipe the smirk off because I suspect he is next. Can I have Jacindas phone number please as I have an employee who has been waiting to get NZ residency for 9 years.

    • ianmac 21.1

      The real reason that the Opposition are labouring on with this nonsense is that they have found nothing better. No serious errors and no drawers full of Coalition offences.

      • Kat 21.1.1

        Tonight from Tracy Watkins:

        “But there is a determined whispering campaign underway that suggests National is far from ready to give up on the case against Ardern yet”

        What else can the National opposition do over the next nine years in opposition but attack the PM, unfortunately for them they have become utterly irrelevant……the phone is off the hook.

        Advice to Simon Bridges, instead of looking for a non existent smoking gun, maybe try smoking some “loose leaf”….and beat those drums instead.

        • Sacha 21.1.1.1

          “But there is a determined whispering campaign underway”
          – which as a trusted churnalist I have no choice but to amplify.

          What a hack.

      • Ian 21.1.2

        Sorry mate. I judge people by the company they keep. Jacinda has a very poor judgement when it comes to choosing friends.

        • ScottGN 21.1.2.1

          Why? Are you suggesting Mr Hardcore has done something wrong?

          • Ian 21.1.2.1.1

            You have got to be kidding . Google Richie hardcore.Are you suggesting Mr Hardcore has NEVER done anything wrong ?

            • joe90 21.1.2.1.1.1

              Do tell…

            • Pete 21.1.2.1.1.2

              So you’ve judged Ms Arden because of the company she keeps which you have implied is shady.

              Tell us why we should believe the wrong Hardcore has done according to you, is anywhere near as bad as the wrong you have done.

              Thing is you seem to be smearing him in an effort to smear the PM. He’s an ordinary person who’s main mistake in life could be to know the Prime Minister and contact her.

              When Simon Bridges is dumped people will look back on his notable contribution as leader. I’ll be the triumph of the Sroubek thing. Serious politicos on that side of the fence will be shaking their heads and be asking “what the hell was that all about? He had a chance to make his mark but the only one was the one inside his undies.”

          • Muttonbird 21.1.2.1.2

            I suspect in the eyes of right-wing whack-jobs, Richie Hardcore’s social advocacy work is a greater crime than Sroubek’s drug trafficking.

        • Ffloyd 21.1.2.2

          I’m sure our Prime Minister will be gutted to hear that you are disappointed in her poor judgement of people.

          Who are you again? Ian? Ian who? Oh. Just a nobody making random irrelevant statements about someone he does not personally know. Sad.

  22. ScottGN 22

    The timing is really rubbish for National, regardless of the substance (if there is any) of their claims. 2 weeks before xmas and summer kicking in.

    • Ian 22.1

      Your right . Jacinda may get a bit of breathing space because of the summer break. The facts will be the same when she gets back in the hotseat.

      • mpledger 22.1.1

        What facts?

        That the PM got a text message from a citizen congratulating her on a govt decision.

        • Puckish Rogue 22.1.1.1

          Or that someone the PM knows personally congratulating her on a govt decision to give residency to his friend, his friend the convicted criminal

          • Grumpy 22.1.1.1.1

            One of the unanswered questions that I think very important is why a supposed anti drug campaigner like Hardcore would be texting the PM about his delight that she has allowed a convicted drug importer and distributor to gain residency?
            Methinks Mr Hardcore and his associates need a closer look…..

            • Puckish Rogue 22.1.1.1.1.1

              In my (always) humble opinion what I think happened is that ILG got fooled by Karel, fooled plain and simple. ILG believed Karel and didn’t spend nearly enough time looking at the file.

              ILG probably told the PM that Karels life was in danger so he had to grant residency which also explains why the PM said to the public to read between the lines

              Richie Hardcore is probably Karels mate and probably thought nothing of texting the PM when he learned Karel was getting residency

              So this whole debacle gain be laid at one persons feet and that isn’t the PM (shes been made to look a fool so ILG will probably get demoted at some time in the future and rightfully so), it certainly isn’t immigration and its not Richies fault

              Ian Lees Galloway is solely to blame for this whole mess, in my always humble opinion

  23. infused 23

    Because there will be more to it. You don’t just randomly txt someone like that.

    • Ian 23.1

      soimon can probably put the cap on this one for a while. Shane jones giving our money to his mates will be a lot harder to hide from the voters. Buy shares in that goldmine.

    • Gabby 23.2

      And then share it with Woodlouse and co., apparently.

    • Pete 23.3

      Random acts of contact and kindness are beyond the ken of some. They live in a world where everything is done in some order, everything is pre-ordained, and done according to some recipe.

      What I’m getting at is YOU don’t randomly text someone like that. Like you haven’t over the years seen something and emailed the Speaker of the House about the laugh. Or sent your mother a cartoon with just that in the envelope. Or sent a letter with drawings and cartoons on it to give the delivering postie a laugh. Or written to someone in the news you’ve never met to tell them how great they are or how well they did and how it inspired you. Someone contacts the PM to apparently say they’re pleased about something and some are for calling out the GCSB, SIS, FBI,CIA. And probably RSA.

      At least you didn’t bring out the classic; “Where there’s smoke there’s fire.”

  24. Fireblade 24

    Did you know there is a secret pagan church under the Beehive, where MP’s pay homage to the Rothschilds and sacrifice newborns to satisfy the dark lord. This is real folks, not just some made up conspiracy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAAlDoAtV7Y

    • Ian 24.1

      Helen clarke would have buried the newborns,paid off with the required hail marys and continued on her way. Her student is not following the script. Jacinda scaredy pants has to pay winston ,the dark lord protection money and the payback for that will never be enough.

  25. DJ Ward 25

    I have read what you guys are saying is going on. I don’t think what you guys are thinking.

    I call what National is doing as ticking boxes.
    Prosecutors will sometimes use this method.

    So what we are seeing from National is one event after another they present it and attack with it. There is however no intent to prove those events mean anything. Hence the title of this post, Fizzle. Its about creating a platform of knowledge.

    That in my mind is because they have a key piece of information that on its own would also be a Fizzle. Because the audience doesn’t have the information to put everything else together. So the key to the puzzle.

    I don’t know what that key is or the final accusation is. I can guess, but I wont.

    So what are the events.

    Shoubek is arrested.
    As part of the investigation his communications are monitored.
    JAs partner is one of those texts, implying a purchase of an illegal substance.
    Someone makes a complaint about him.
    Nothing to see here from the police.
    The residency is granted.
    JA is thanked by a friend of Shoubek.
    National starts its box ticking.
    It releases information about the text, but not in parliament. That’s the power play. letting the target know they know.
    Its always focusing back on JA.
    Its methodically providing the puzzle pieces, and putting them on record as well as trying to force comments in response. The trap.

    Now I don’t know what the end game is, but you don’t do box ticking unless you have the key to the puzzle. I simply don’t think National is that stupid not to have an end game to all this effort.

    Its also clear that someone has information about this case acting behind the scenes, hence Nationals ability to pick out behind the scenes stuff, that shouldn’t have become knowledge.

    Never ever, ever underestimate your enemy when they engage in box ticking.

    Or Simon is the biggest idiot ever to lead National.

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    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    11 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
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