Offending comment was made from Giltrap!

Written By: - Date published: 6:20 pm, December 5th, 2015 - 56 comments
Categories: blogs, law, making shit up, spin, suppression orders, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , , ,

On Friday, Pete George of the Your NZ blog said this.

Tonight I was served with a court order notice instructing me to “take down or disable material from the blog Your NZ that mentions or identified [person’s name] or [company name], or any of it’s associated companies directly or indirectly” and “introduce a full time moderator systems so that no comment that is harmful to said person is placed on the blog “Your NZ”.

I asked Pete George for the details, which he was happy to provide me as providing them to me wasn’t covered by the court order. For some reason the usual lack of cooperation between us seems to have dissipated as the “LF” crowd has been trying to silence kiwi blogs.

What I tracked down was fascinating, appeared to point to a deliberate attempt to pervert the courts judgement, and highlighted the deficiency in the court’s approach to internet media (more about that in a later post)

The order describes the plaintiff as being “Marc Robert Spring” “C/- Shofields 48-50 Great South Road Newmarket” and explains that he was the source for an affidavit. Who made the application for the order is unclear.

The court order says in part

UPON READING the application for interim orders date 27.11.15 AND the affadavit of Marc Robert Spring in support IT IS ORDERED that PETER DONALD GEORGE, is restrained until further order of the Court from:-

I.
i. Mentioning the names of Marc Robert Spring and The Giltrap and its associated companies on the blog “Your NZ”
ii. Communication with those persons or companies or personnel.

I haven’t seen the application or the affidavit. I don’t think that Pete George has either.

Schofield is a Giltrap group company, and Giltrap is mentioned prominently in the court order. Presumably the Giltrap group was involved in requesting the court order . But maybe not…

When I asked Pete George about the comments that mentioned Marc Spring AND “The Giltrap and its associated companies”, the only comment on Your NZ linking Marc Spring and The Giltrap group was the one below.

This has been edited to conform to the court order. What I was interested in was the IP number.

Offending comment

Click for larger image

It was left by the IP number 203.167.188.90. Doing a reverse lookup on that static IP reveals that it is remote.asrl.co.nz.

$ nslookup
> 203.167.188.90
Non-authoritative answer:
90.188.167.203.in-addr.arpa     name = 203-167-188-90.dsl.clear.net.nz.
90.188.167.203.in-addr.arpa     name = smtp.asrl.co.nz.
90.188.167.203.in-addr.arpa     name = remote.asrl.co.nz.

The asrl.co.nz domain is for

Registrant Contact Address1 Archibald Shorter Roverland Limited
Registrant Contact Address2 572 Great South Road Greenlane
Admin Contact Name Giltrap Group
Admin Contact Address1 Level 6, 2 Burns Street, Grey Lynn
Admin Contact Email [email protected]

Another Giltrap company. From what I gathered on the phone to Giltrap companies this afternoon, this particular subsidiary company is the one that Marc Spring is currently employed at.

Presumably the request for a court order and the affidavit prominently featured this comment as it is the ONLY comment about Giltrap on the entire Your NZ site. It was left by someone from the company that the plaintiff was employed at and by a company protected in the court order. That seems somewhat strange.

I examined our site today. That same IP has been used by someone in a comment who was described an incident that exactly matched some of the known history of  Marc Spring’s long history of useless legal complaints and litigation. Because of our privacy policy, I won’t reveal the exact comment.

We also had to censor a comment last night from the handle “Schofield” that was trying to link Marc Spring and Giltrap, and make unsubstantiated allegations about Pete George. This seems more than a little coincidental.

I’d suggest that there has been an deliberate attempt from Marc Spring and/or the Giltrap group to pervert the course of justice. I’ll be heading to their Giltrap’s head office on Monday morning to find out exactly what their involvement is before considering laying a complaint with the police.


See also:

YourNZ – The press release.
YourNZ – Order made by the court
R
edbaiter – Thank The National Party for this atrocious abuse of process

 

56 comments on “Offending comment was made from Giltrap! ”

  1. ropata 1

    Great work LP. I hope you wore a hazmat suit during your investigations 🙂

    I did a little bit of poking around the RWNJ web to see what was going on but it was too murky and disgusting.

    The Daily Blog’s assessment of LF as worse than WO seems correct (although the rednecks lurking in other kiwi blogs are also pretty horrific, they aren’t actually sabotaging other bloggers)

  2. Cricklewood 2

    Excellent. Hopefully another piece in the puzzle that tightens the noose* on these shitheads.

    Not a death threat just a turn of phrase indicating I want them exposed for what they are…

  3. Rich 3

    Tariq Aziz? Saddam Hussein’s former sidekick is clearly not dead as widely reported but alive, kicking and a court official in New Zealand. Is Comical Ali also gainfully employed here, perhaps at Mediaworks?

  4. r0b 4

    Curiouser and curiouser.

    • lprent 4.1

      It looks to me like when Marc Spring et al are short of evidence, then they just manufacture it. This appears to have been a particularly stupid instance of it happening.

      • Kev 4.1.1

        LF’s mode of operation is to mix facts with made up crap in the erroneous belief that they can’t be sued for defamation.

        PS. No need to moderate this comment. It’s a statement of honest opinion based on observable fact (just go visit the LF site). 🙂

  5. dv 5

    Well done
    Dont mess with the Pent.

  6. BLiP 6

    Heh! Classic. I know its a hassle to mop after after troublesome yobs, and thank you for doing so, but I can’t stop laughing. This incident, I am sure, will become Kiwi internet folklore – a take down notice for a comment made by the person who obtained the take down notice – hahahahahahaahahaha!!!111!!!

    • weka 6.1

      I had to read Lynn’s post 3 times to make sure I had understood right because it’s unbelievable.

      • BLiP 6.1.1

        I know. I thought I was reading a plot line from an old Beagle Boys’ comic.

      • Anne 6.1.2

        I thought maybe lprent had been partaking of too many gins…

        Don’t these twats have anything better to do with their lives?

        So what’s going to happen now?

  7. lprent 7

    There was a hint. Tag was ” you couldn’t make this shit up”.

    But this really is pathetic. It makes Cameron Slater or Lusk look intelligent.

  8. Fun fact! The Crimes Act has an entire section called “misleading justice”.

    Highlights include:

    113. Fabricating evidence

    Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, with intent to mislead any tribunal holding any judicial proceeding to which section 108 applies, fabricates evidence by any means other than perjury.

    115. Conspiring to bring false accusation

    Every one who conspires to prosecute any person for any alleged offence, knowing that person to be innocent thereof, is liable—
    (a)

    to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years if that person might, on conviction of the alleged offence, be sentenced to preventive detention, or to imprisonment for a term of 3 years or more:
    (b)

    to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years if that person might, on conviction of the alleged offence, be sentenced to imprisonment for a term less than 3 years.

    116 Conspiring to defeat justice

    Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who conspires to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in New Zealand or the course of justice in an overseas jurisdiction.

    • Draco T Bastard 8.1

      Well then, I can assume they weren’t planning on a career as an MP.

    • Kev 8.2

      Doesn’t that just apply to criminal matters?

      • veutoviper 8.2.1

        Does not seem to apply only to criminal matters. In fact these provisions seem to apply to a very comprehensive range of judicial proceedings.

        Section 113 as quoted in TRP’s comment states that it applies to “any tribunal holding any judicial proceeding to which section 108 applies”.

        S.108(4) and (5) state:

        Every proceeding is judicial within the meaning of this section if it is held before any of the following tribunals, namely:
        (a) any court of justice:
        (b) the House of Representatives or any Committee of that House:
        (c) any arbitrator or umpire, or any person or body of persons authorised by law to make an inquiry and take evidence therein upon oath:
        (d) any legal tribunal by which any legal right or liability can be established:
        (e) any person acting as a court or tribunal having power to hold a judicial proceeding:
        (f) a disciplinary officer, the Summary Appeal Court of New Zealand, or the Court Martial of New Zealand acting under the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971.
        (5) Every such proceeding is judicial within the meaning of this section whether the tribunal was duly constituted or appointed or not, and whether the proceeding was duly instituted or not, and whether the proceeding was invalid or not.

        The full section on Misleading Justice in the Crimes Act is here.

        http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1961/0043/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM328792

      • Veutoviper is on to it. Spring (and presumably his dimwitted mates) have successfully conned a District Court judge. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what kind of case the Judge was dealing with at the time. If a person supplies information that they know is not legitimate to advance their case, and get caught, they are likely to face the sanctions in the ‘misleading justice’ provisions.

        There are a surprisingly high number of successful prosecutions:

        https://fyi.org.nz/request/perjury_statistics

        • Kev 8.2.2.1

          In that case I wouldn’t like to be Spring when the judge figures out that he’s been duped. You don’t get any smarter than a judge and when a judge finds out he’s been tricked, especially by a bunch of idiots, he’s going to be none to happy.

  9. newsense 9

    A version for dummies?

    • lprent 9.1

      I suspect that Marc Spring tried to manufacture “evidence” by writing a comment at YourNZ linking himself and the Giltrap group. However the comment was made from a internet address that was at Marc Spring’s workplace. Which is what this post is about.

      I also suspect that Marc Spring lied capriciously on his affidavit to get this court order. It appears that he presented this as a sworn statement in front of a judge. If I am correct that has a certain number of very painful consequences for him.

      On Monday, I will find out what Giltrap has to say about their part in this, and find out what information is available at the court. It will be interesting to find out all of the details.

  10. Wainwright 10

    Fucking idiots don’t even understand the internet. Why bother to ban George from publishing stuff on YourNZ without limiting his ability to get it published elsewhere? Talk about Streisand effect.

    • lprent 10.1

      PG didn’t publish it. I asked him for the source materials and posted my conclusions.

      I’d have to say that it’d be damn hard to put in a court suppression order where there has not been either a charge or a case started.

      That is what Spring and his idiot adviser tried to imply, but it wasn’t what the court order covered. Without the affidavit or the request to the court, we can’t tell what they asked for. But with dimwit Nottingham involved (read the Court of Appeal judgement to see what I mean), you can guarantee it was both a crazed spin and showed no understanding of legal principles.

  11. Ackell Ackenacker 11

    This whole story doesn’t make a lick of sense. Why would there be a problem with linking Spring and the Giltrap group when his job information is on his own Linked In page? Also, the “offending comment” reads to me to actually be supporting/defending Spring, not harming him. I can understand that comment having come from the Giltrap Group, but I can’t understand how it by itself could have possibly given rise to an order under the HDCA (even as poorly drafted as it is). Surely the subject of the application must have been some other alleged comments which, while perhaps not linking Spring and Giltrap, were actually derogatory of one or both?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.1

      Surely.

      😆 or perhaps it’s what it looks like as outlined in the OP. I hope Lprent is right, and that trash face the consequences.

    • Kev 11.2

      Spring has been mentioned several times on the site in not so nice terms (although not defamatory in my opinion). It would appear that Spring has tried to set up PG by making comments on his site and then complaining to the court about those comments, even though he’s the one who made them!

      • lprent 11.2.1

        There is quite a lot of history with Spring that I’m aware of. But posts and comments here tend to concentrate on issues that are political, legal, or focus on societal themes or the blogs.

        Most of his issues appear to be personal.

    • lprent 11.3

      That was the only comment on your NZ linking Spring and Giltrap.

      It can’t have been a decision under the HDCA because that act only allows for court orders done by an approved agency that hasn’t been set up yet. That link to the HDCA is pure fantasy by a legal idiot Dimwit Nottingham.

      The issue from what I understand was that Marc Spring has been making defamatory comments on YourNZ and other sites (including this one) under many handles. Some of those comments traced back via the IP they were made from to a Giltrap company. A call was made to inform them of their employees behaviour on their networks.

      I do this in extreme cases and at least a couple of times a year. Most of the time I simply ban the person from commenting warning them that if I see them coming in again, I’ll start getting nasty. I often inform the IT people at a domain or ISP of the abuse of their systems, providing sufficient trace that they can identity their problem.

      As far as I am aware Marc Spring hasn’t returned to comment after his last permanent ban. That was caused by him persistently putting this site at risk by deliberately defaming Blomfield and others under a pseudonym. Basically Marc Spring has been and still is an internet pest.

      It wasn’t that YourNZ was unmoderated, it was that it was moderated that appears to have been at issue. However looking at the decision, it appears likely that Marc Spring simply lied about most of that in his affidavit.

      • Heartbleeding Liberal 11.3.1

        Hi Lynn,

        How are you so sure that an “Approved Agency” has not been set up? I am not doubting your judgment (am just curious).

        • veutoviper 11.3.1.1

          I can perhaps help on this. Not a lawyer but used to finding my way around legislation.

          The Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 received Royal Assent on 2 July 2015; BUT under section 2 (Commencement) only some parts of the Act came into force on the following day, 3 July 2015; with the remainder of the Act not due to come into force until July 2017.

          Here is a link to the Act.
          http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/0063/latest/DLM5711810.html?search=ta_act_H_ac%40ainf%40anif_an%40bn%40rn_25_a&p=1

          Under S.2, Commencement, the provisions that came into effect on 3 July 2015 were sections 22 – 25 making certain actions deemed to cause harm through digital communications an offence under the Act and liability of online content hosts: and Part 2 of the Act covering amendments to other Acts concerning use of digital communications.

          Sections 7 – 10 cover “Approved Agency” and these provisions do not come into effect until 2017. As a consequence, no Approved Agency has yet been set up under these provisions.

          • veutoviper 11.3.1.1.1

            Slight update which does not materially affect the above.
            On 27 November 2015, by an Order in Council issued under s.2(3) of the Act, sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 also came into effect. These sections cover the purpose of the Act, Interpretation, Act binds the Crown, and Communication principles.

        • lprent 11.3.1.2

          S7 of the Act. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/0063/latest/whole.html#DLM6113500

          It hasn’t been gazetted. But that is a negative.

          How about the the FAQ from the Ministry of Justice

          Who will be the approved agency?
          The Act allows the Governor General to appoint, on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, any organisation or government body as the approved agency.

          The Ministry of Justice has done preliminary work related to establishing the agency. Now the Act is in place, the Ministry will carry out more detailed work as part of the appointment process.

      • Grindlebottom 11.3.2

        Posted today on Pete George’s blog:

        The court order Spring versus George was discharged today by Judge Harrison.

        …My order of 02.12.15 was made on the misapprehension that sections 18 & 19 of the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 are in force.

        It has been brought to my attention that is not so, and my order was made without jursidiction.

        The interim order is therefore discharged pursuant to clause 5 of the order, and is of no effect.

  12. jpwood 12

    If you are curious rule 3.3 (subject to the restrictions of rule 3.8) of eth District Court Rules provides a general right to inspect a Court file. PG of course as a party has an absolute right to inspect or direct his legal representative to inspect the file.

    The downside is that the DC registry, inspite of the clear direction in this rule and the intent of the rules committee when it was introduced usually resist and do not understand that this is not their information to protect, but our information to view. I have even had to argue to see my own client’s files.

  13. Hally 13

    Everyone also seems to have missed the news of the week.

    The Nation reported yesterday that the Cops had “finalised” their investigation into Slater backing The Standard and the file is now with Crown law for their assessment as to whether charges will be laid.

    • lprent 13.1

      I’ve been aware of that for weeks.

      I’m not particularly hopeful because there appears to be a level of protection of friends and attacks on perceived foes of this government inside the police. I am slightly more hopeful because it went to crown law. But I’m not expecting to get any decision until about April.

  14. Alan Wilkinson 14

    Congratulations on this excellent investigation that should give some pretty nasty folk the proper reward for their offending.

    Double congratulations that you intervened on principle even though the victim of this offending has been your critic. Very well done.

    • lprent 14.1

      Personally I tend to ignore criticism unless I think it is justified. If it gets too annoying then I tend to get a wee bit critical in return. That is part of the cost of having free speech.

      However I do strongly distinguish between those who criticise and disagree and the malicious liars who simply make shit up either false facts or invent ridiculous spin from a few facts. The separation between the traits tends in my view to be pretty stark and people who routinely do the latter tend to get on my shitlist.

      PG is often a pain in the arse. But he is honest.

      • Joe Bloggs 14.1.1

        A very gracious response Lyn, and good work on the investigative front too.

      • Kev 14.1.2

        Kudos from me as well. No blog owner should have their freedom of speech taken away but they should be held accountable when appropriate. That’s why I don’t think LF should be shut down but they should be held accountable for the defamatory statements and falsehoods that they publish. The best thing to happen to LF would be a successful defamation action against them and being forced to clean up their act.

  15. adam 15

    This is so funny.

    This is why we need political satire on our TV’s again.

    So much good material.

  16. ZTesh 16

    The irony is that LF publishes a multitude of extremely defamatory, aggressive and threatening posts towards a large range of people.

    I know they hide behind the fact they aren’t registered, but if that was the case why would they be ‘blocked’ by New Zealand youtube from uploading videos?

    “This is the second time that YouTube has pulled this stunt; so we have cancelled Lauda Finem’s Account; A question for readers: why is New Zealand one of the only western Governments that YouTube has relinquished control to?”

  17. Ratty 17

    I believe the Court Order is a forgery …

    So many issues there that dont stack up

    • lprent 17.1

      It’d be interesting if it was. The penalties for that misdeed would be horrendous.

    • weka 17.2

      I wondered about it being a forgery too. Not sure why. I can’t imagine anyone being so stupid to do such a thing, but then…

  18. Alan Wilkinson 18

    Any progress with Giltrap and the police complaint? I’d like to find out if I should be making the complaint against them as well as Marc Spring.

    • lprent 18.1

      Nothing from Giltrap via email today (I was out of time to visit them due to work). Police?

      I still have to go to the court to pick up copies of the affidavit and the request. I’m pretty sure that will provide ample material for the police to examine after I point out where they lied to a judge.

    • Alan Wilkinson 18.2

      That second sentence was not mine.

  19. A few people on here are saying PG is fundamentally honest.

    Based on my own personal engagement with PG and observing his engagement with others I would disagree strongly.

    Nevertheless, we’re all entitled to our own opinions.

    However, I would warn anyone deciding to get involved in this mess to be very very cautious about going out on any kind of limb for PG.

    • lprent 19.1

      Why? He is often a pain in the arse. I didn’t like the way that he made virtually any comment stream he entered into to be about him or that he wasted a lot of time trying to re litigate our policies. It works a lot better now he writes his own blog.

      But I’ve never had a problem with his basic honesty. I just think that his ideas are out of the ark, and he isn’t fond of rethinking them. But I could say the same of about a third of NZ adults – some of them being my relatives. Mind you I could say the same about you.

      Unlike Cameron Slater who appears to have all of the moral and operational hallmarks of being a sterling candidate for a concentration camp guard. Or the LF crowd who appear to be intent on expanding the extortion capabilities of online media like blogs.

  20. OK, fair enough.

    I withdrew from this issue because I don’t think it involves the HDCA and I still think I am right about that.

    I can’t see any other reason to get involved really.

    Its a can of worms, and while you have made your view of PG clear enough here, lets see how that view stands up as this issue plays out.

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    Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;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:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    3 days ago
  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    4 days ago
  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    4 days ago
  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    5 days ago
  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    5 days ago
  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    6 days ago
  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    6 days ago
  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    7 days ago
  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    7 days ago
  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    7 days ago
  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    1 week ago
  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 week ago
  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    1 week ago
  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    1 week ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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