Nats vs journos

Written By: - Date published: 3:53 pm, July 9th, 2008 - 40 comments
Categories: Media, national - Tags:

Shane Ardern is now saying he was misquoted by the Te Awamutu Courier when he said ‘[Kiwisaver] needs adjusting from the employers’ contribution angle, from one size fits all approach, to allow for pressure on smaller business employers.’

Attacking the media for reporting your words. Now, where have I seen that before?

That’s, right, when Kate Wilkinson said National opposed compulsory employer contributions to Kiwisaver. And when John Key said New Zealand has never experienced internal conflict. And when Bill English said National would borrow for tax-cuts.

Oh and when Key said ‘we would love to see wages drop’.

It’s the Crosby/Textor playbook again: Keep a small target, attack anyone who criticises you mercilessly (accuse them of personal attacks), alternately cajole and threaten the media, cross your fingers, and hope the public buys it until polling day.

40 comments on “Nats vs journos ”

  1. BeShakey 1

    I’m not even sure how I could manage to be ‘misquoted’ that many times if I wanted to. Anyone have any ideas?

  2. Ari 2

    I’m just waiting for Nicky Hager to “steal” “misquoted” emails that are “personal attacks” on John Key for the Ridiculous National Party Claims trifecta.

  3. Tamaki Resident 3

    For a brief minute, let’s accept that he was misquoted. What did Shane Ardern really mean to say then?

    ok, the brief minute is now over.

  4. “National is continuing to follow its policy of keeping its powder dry until closer to the election, and you can’t blame it when it’s 20 points clear in the polls and it obviously bothers Labour so much. Why wouldn’t you keep doing what annoys and frustrates your enemy?”

    Colin Espiner

    Time for Helen to call the election perhaps ?

  5. Matthew Pilott 5

    Bryan – because it’s anti-democratic.

    Of course, Esipner also said (straight after):

    Until it does engage in substantive debates, however, it can hardly complain if Labour attacks it over the odd day off, or Key’s share portfolio, or reports on the mutterings of a backbench MP in the Te Awamutu Courier – Labour’s got little else to go on.

    so I expect you won’t complain again if you think something’s a ‘personal’ attack, or if someone in the National Autocratic party says something that’s not personally vetted by Key and they get blown up about it like here.

    Thanks for pointing that out though!

  6. Felix 6

    To be fair to Bryan though, Colin’s second paragraph had a couple of multi-syllable words in it. And a Maori one.

  7. gobsmacked 7

    The comments on Colin Espiner’s blog post are revealing.

    The same phrases are used by commenters making the same point, at 1.55, 2.16, 2.28, 2.29, 2.42 … etc. All on one particular part of the post – all ignoring the other points Colin made.

    Obviously a large number of people around the country all, simultaneously and independently of each other, saw Colin’s blog post and thought exactly the same thing at the same time and, quite coincidentally, expressed it in the same way, with the same words.

    Yes, I’m sure that’s what happened!

  8. andy 8

    and hope the public buys it until polling day.

    Respectfully I think you have that wrong, it should read “hope the journalists/media buys it until polling day.”

    When the media get over the man crush it will be game on!

  9. andy 9

    gobsmacked

    I have long thought that some of the more prolific right wing posters here and commenter’s on other blogs (NZ herald ‘your views’in particular) have read the same talking points and posted remarkably similar posts along the party(C/T)lines. one could accuse them of being paid shills..

    My fear is that the same could be said about the left, I hope am horribly wrong on both counts.

  10. Falafulu Fisi 11

    Steve Pierson , you must understand that private businesses is private, exactly what the word means. The government forces/coerces private property owners/businesses to donate money which is theirs and not the government. This is what you call state-theft and it is no difference from what the mobs and mafia do, but the difference is, the state legalizes this theft. Business owners are already paying taxes and that should be enough. Workers don’t have rights, private property owners (private businesses) do. It is the same that I don’t have rights to what is in your house as you don’t have rights to what is in my house. What is yours is yours and what is mine is mine.

  11. Falafulu Fisi 12

    Esipner quoted:
    Until it does engage in substantive debates, however, it can hardly complain if Labour attacks it over the odd day off, or Key’s share portfolio, or reports on the mutterings of a backbench MP in the Te Awamutu Courier – Labour’s got little else to go on.

    No, this is wrong. Policies should be announced by all political parties so that voters know what exactly what each one stands for. To avoid doing so, it means only one thing and that is such party is interested only in power rather than the welfare of the country, which is not exactly why we elected them to parliament to do in the first place.

    Not PC blog did blog about the benefit of stolen policies, which it should be encouraged.

  12. Felix 13

    That’s not how you spell faeces.

  13. Falafulu Fisi 15

    Felix said…
    That’s not how you spell faeces.

    Is that an argument or pure trolling? If you have something to say for counter-argument, then bring it on, if your aim is to make fun, ridicule, deride, then sorry, I debate with people who are intelligent, not daft & intellectual handicapped people like you, because to do so, it would be a waste of my time.

    I hope that moderators here (Tane, et al) banned you , since Tane was on record in blogosphere stating the he doesn’t like racist comment such as the one above.

  14. Falafulu Fisi: “Policies should be announced by all political parties so that voters know what exactly what each one stands for.”

    Agree Falafulu.Strategically it would be unwise for National to announce their policies too soon before the election. We must not forget that Michael Cullen has a recently announced, “un-expected” surplus that he could use to Labours advantage.

    Felix: I see you have been to the same “Play the man, not the ball” Labour Party debating seminar at the Owen Glenn Business School as your colleague T Rex.

  15. Falafulu Fisi: “This is what you call state-theft and it is no difference from what the mobs and mafia do, but the difference is, the state legalizes this theft.”

    Yep, socialists seem to struggle grasping the concept that the money they so freely spend is “other peoples money”.

  16. DS 18

    –Yep, socialists seem to struggle grasping the concept that the money they so freely spend is “other peoples money’.–

    Without the social contract (of which taxes are a part) you would have no property.

  17. T-rex 19

    Bryan, I’m busy, I don’t have time right now to play with my own balls, let alone yours. Please stop going on about it, it’s getting awkward.

  18. Draco TB 20

    private businesses is private

    Business is only private when it doesn’t have any affect on anyone else. As soon as it does then that person or society has complete and total veto over that business.

    The government forces/coerces private property owners/businesses to donate money which is theirs and not the government. This is what you call state-theft and it is no difference from what the mobs and mafia do, but the difference is, the state legalizes this theft.

    Those businesses are free to leave if they don’t like the rules.

    Workers don’t have rights, private property owners (private businesses) do.

    Workers do have rights and they are protected by law. You may not like it but, like I said, you can leave if you don’t like the rules.

    Yep, socialists seem to struggle grasping the concept that the money they so freely spend is “other peoples money’.

    When you live in a society then you have a personal responsibility to help maintain that society in a viable state. This, in a modern society such as NZ, costs money – quite a lot of it. Being a good conservative who believes in upholding their personal responsibility you wouldn’t be trying to disavow said responsibility would you?

  19. KenS 21

    Yawn. Don’t you guys have an upcomming election loss to spin or something?

  20. Dean 22

    “I have long thought that some of the more prolific right wing posters here and commenter’s on other blogs (NZ herald ‘your views’in particular) have read the same talking points and posted remarkably similar posts along the party(C/T)lines. one could accuse them of being paid shills..”

    Whereas your talking points are Labour’s demon of the week, in this case Crosby/Textor. For bonus points, throw in some more exclusive brethren (chinless scarf wearers to you, the party faithful), haters and wreckers (thats those guys your party would like to form a coalition with), last cabs off the rank (ditto) or even some feral inbreds (constituents of a long time Labour stronghold electorate seat).

    Hey, are Crosby/Textor also by any chance members of the exclusive brethren? Imagine if it were so. You’d whip yourself into an absolute frenzy over that one.

  21. r0b 23

    This post touched a nerve did it Dean? Hmmmm.

    And say, while we’re dredging through the quote file, aren’t you thrilled to know that the National Party describes its extreme supporters, such as yourself, as “barking mad”?

    Something to think about eh. Good night Dean.

  22. Oliver 24

    Attacking journos, din’t Helen have a go at journos and then refuse to release thee tape of her speech untill the ombudsman made her?

  23. Razorlight 25

    Oliver, that is correct.

    And then she blamed Labour’s misfortunes on cartoons appearing in the Herald. She even went as far as to say that they had been unkind to the Labour Party for the past 90 years.

    SP you have said this is from the Crosby/Textor playbook.

    I have two points.

    Firstly this was obviously a gaffe from a National MP. Big mistake. And very silly thing to say. But I think you give CT to much credit. It is not some high paid consultant shooting the messenger. It is the man who made the mistake trying to cover his arse. Nothing more nothing less.

    Secondly, every time National opens their mouth you use it as evidence that CT is running the show. But if shooting the messenger is a CT tactic then Clark must be consulting them as well as shown above. In fact every time you say CT is being used I believe we could pull out a similar use of that tactic by the Labour party.

  24. Ari 26

    FYI: There’s a big difference between releasing a press statement saying you disagree with the media and simply bludgeoning the media into posting a retraction/”correction” of a story just because you don’t like it. The former promotes free speech and public debate, the latter ends it.

    The whole taxation/theft hobby-horse you guys like to get on isn’t even tangentally relevant to this post. There are plenty of posts about taxation and public services where you can deny that you have any responsibility to the wider community to your heart’s content.

    Bryan: I’ll reconfirm this later, but I’m quite sure that the surplus you refer to is spent and overspent providing the ridiculous tax cuts you wanted.

    No, this is wrong. Policies should be announced by all political parties so that voters know what exactly what each one stands for. To avoid doing so, it means only one thing and that is such party is interested only in power rather than the welfare of the country, which is not exactly why we elected them to parliament to do in the first place.

    I think what you’re essentially saying here is “But I agree!” Until a party is willing to give the principles it stands on and the policy it intends to implement, there is nothing to debate except the integrity of the people in said party. The policies should be released because then Labour and National have a chance to debate over how their policies disagree, instead of playing incessant attack politics.

    And yes, I agree that it says something about National that they quickly retract any policy leaks that prove unpopular- that they’re more interested in a term in power at any cost than openly announcing their principles- which is itself worrying as it suggests you might not get what you vote for if they win.

  25. All those damn journos misinterpreting whatever we say their just conspiracy theorists (John Key about Nicky Hager). LOL.

    Oh by the way T-rex I owe you an apology. I just watched the documentary about the collapse of WTC 7 and it all makes sense to me now. I can see why the buildings including WTC 7 could collapse due to fire. I wish they explained it a little bit sooner I would not have had to go through all that ridicule and agony. But hey here you have it: My apologies.

    For all of you who want to to see the riddle finally solved:
    http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/th-bbc-announces-the-mystery-of-wtc-7-is-solved/

    Captcha: Printemps(Spring) ought. Yes, Spring really ought to come, it’s bloody cold here.

  26. T-rex 28

    Hi Travellerev,

    Really? Or are you just trying to trick me into going and watching a documentary by Dylon Avery 😉

    Anyway, if you are serious, no worries. I was never really annoyed at you anyway, just frustrated. The people who p*ss me off are the various engineers etc that you referenced who should have been honest advocates but instead decided to turn it into a bit of publicity for themselves. Nevermind!

    And yes, it’s cold. I’m going to be over near your homeland shortly, looking forward to houses that actually have insulation.

  27. T-rex,

    This is the official BBC documentary aired on Monday this week.

  28. Dean 30

    “And say, while we’re dredging through the quote file, aren’t you thrilled to know that the National Party describes its extreme supporters, such as yourself, as “barking mad’?”

    Who said I was a National supporter? Only you, r0b, and only because it suits you.

  29. Pascal's bookie 31

    Shorter Dean:

    “How dare you suggest that I am only ‘barking’ mad. Those nambypamby ‘barking mad’ people and their quisling National Party are objectively pro sanity. Wibble.”

  30. r0b 32

    PB – quite right. Do you suppose he has pencils up his nose and underpants on his head?

    Travellerev: This is the official BBC documentary aired on Monday this week.

    I actually let this vid run full time in the background. For a long long time I couldn’t decide if it was pro conspiracy or anti. Towards the end it starts to come together and present the anti conspiracy case fairly cogently.

    Given that Travellerev is promoting this video I’ll tentatively conclude that she is sincere in her new understanding of the building collapses. If so, that’s a remarkable achievement, I can count the number of times I have seen people change their mind on firmly held convictions on rather less than the fingers of one hand.

  31. Dean 33

    Pascal, r0b. I realise that this is difficult for you to understand given your Labour Good. National Bad ethics, but not everyone that dislikes Labour automatically likes National.

    Shocking, but true.

  32. Ari 34

    So, Dean, do you support Act, United Future, or are you one of the Disenchanted Labour Supporters who are going to protest-vote, that seem to bear marked similarity to trolls?

    And Dean- I think given some of the things I’ve said about Labour now and then, the regulars around the blogosphere know that even lefties can dislike Labour enough to call them names 😉

  33. Dean 35

    Well Ari, this year I’m going to vote for the party that behaves in the most adult-like manner in parliament.

    Which rules out Labour, with their myriad childish, petulant insults hurled not only across the debating chamber at the baby eating National and Act parties, but also to any other group that dares to have a difference of opinion. I mean, just imagine being an Exclusive Brethren from Greymouth who opposed the foreshore and seabed legislation – you could get quite a complex if you listened to Clark and co’s opinions of you. Hell, good old SP made a post about how “Nasty” the Nats are, but I bet he won’t be drawn on Labour’s repeated “take your pills” jibes thrown at Nick Smith. Nope, Labour are a bunch of, in their own words, feral inbreds.

    It also rules out National, because although they’re a lot less childish and petulant it’s only because they haven’t been given a chance behind the Treasure benches for so long. You can read it on their faces. I can’t really say as I blame them though – after listening to Clark, Mallard and Cullen harp on about all those failed reforms theyve yet to reverse, together with their tragic one liners. It’d be like listening to 9 years worth of “yo mamma” jokes. I’d want payback too most likely. Even if just for a little while.

    NZ First – are a big, fat joke in pretty much every way conceivable. So no go there.

    United Future – probably even worse than NZ First.

    Greens – Although I have strong issues with their policies I think they’ll probably get my vote this time. I cannot stand almost everything they stand for, but at least they behave like rational, intelligent adults.

    Maori Party – They may get my other vote, if only to show them that not everybody things the same way Helen does. Boys and girls, you’re so not haters and wreckers.

  34. T-rex and r0b,
    I’m sorry, I really thought they did it. It looked so plausible.
    but then this interview with Barry Jennings started to make the rounds
    and now I’m all confused again.
    http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/alex-jones%E2%80%99-prison-planetcom-barry-jennings-uncut/

  35. T-rex 37

    Hi Travellerev,

    It’s all good. You’re free to believe what you like, as long as you’re keeping an open mind. Seems like you are, so you’re ok in my book (even though I think you’re wrong).

    Dean – That’s very odd. Your justifications are very, very close to mine. I agree, the Greens are pretty much the only people in parliament that behave like grown ups. I’ve got a reasonable amount of respect for David Carter, and there’s a couple of others scattered around too, but the Greens are certainly the only party for whom it’s by any means the norm.

    Do you really oppose everything they stand for? I mean I can understand you might not like their methods – but their goals?

    If you’ve got some time, have a read through some of their policies. There are some smart people in their crowd – they’re not just idealistic hippies. That’s resulted in some smart policy. Jeanette Fitzsimons knows far more about energy and transport policy that Brownlee ever will.

  36. God T-rex your such a patronising sod.

    It would be nice if you opened up your mind a bit. Have you seen the interiew with Barry Jennings? No, I didn’t think so.
    A first hand account of the guy who was one of two stuck in the WTC 7 building for hours after allmost getting killed in an explosion in the WTC 7 before any of the towers had collapsed and you won’t see it because your to yellow belly you may have to review your paradigm.

  37. T-rex 39

    Travellerev.

    Grow up. You think I’m wrong, I think you’re wrong. Given that I’m an engineer and you think you’ve got a car that runs on magic water, I’d say if anything I’m being quite generous with a “hey, who’s to say what’s correct” approach. The reason I won’t watch your stupid videos is that they all take about half an hour to get to the point, and the point ends up being something like “this weird smudge just here could be a missile”. Get over it.

    All of your arguments are riddled with logical flaws and poor science. I’m not going to argue the point with you again – go back to the other thread and spend some more time shouting in a vacumn if you like, I’ll wait for the official report.

  38. Yep, patronising and yellow belly.

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    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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    5 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
    5 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
    6 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

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour 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
    6 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
    8 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
    9 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
    22 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
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
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