web analytics

Only ACT standing up for free speech?

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, June 26th, 2015 - 76 comments
Categories: act, blogs, internet, law - Tags: , , , , , ,

National’s Harmful Digital Communications Bill may have had some genuinely well intentioned goals, but some clauses are too broad. It can be interpreted as criminalising any criticism of the government online. In its current form it should be opposed.

Not a phrase I have cause to write very often, but bravo to ACT:

ACT breaks ranks on cyber bullying Bill

ACT has broken ranks and withdrawn support for a Government Bill that cracks down on cyber bullies and internet harassment.

The Bill has passed its committee stage and has to pass its third reading before it becomes law, Radio New Zealand reported.

Party leader and sole MP David Seymour says it’s too broad and ordinary internet users could fall foul of its provisions.

Mr Seymour has a support agreement with the Government and usually supports legislation, but says this Bill goes too far. … “We are left with an overly broad, unenforceable piece of legislation which countless ordinary people could inadvertently breach every day,” he said.

Tim Watkin at Pundit has already set it all out much better than I could:

Je ne suis pas Charlie say NZ MPs: eroding free speech

New Zealand MPs are so keen to be seen to be “doing something” about cyber-bullying that they are about to pass a poor piece of law that will do something terrible.

The way the bill works, is that if you feel something posted online is causing you harm – defined vaguely as “serious emotional distress” – you contact the webhost and demand the offending item be taken down. … if a distressed person isn’t happy with the host’s actions, they can go to an “approved agency” and then onto the courts. So will the Facebooks, news media and blogs of this world stick to existing processes and risk criminal conviction? Or will they take the easy road and just pull things offline?

Yes, I include news media in that list because there’s no exemption for news and current affairs under this bill and no defence of truth; investigative journalists can be labelled bullies as easily as bad-mouthed teens or roasters. Or satirists or cartoonists, for that matter.

If a current affairs investigation into a dodgy finance company offends that financier or his family… if a Fair Go report distresses some con man… or if a cartoon emotionally harms a pious soul, they now can use the law to ask for the offending item to be taken offline.

Now, perhaps news sites will hold the line. Perhaps the courts, when the case finally gets there, will defend journalism, satire and the like. Perhaps. Perhaps. But the bill is silent on these concerns.

So it’s either stupid politics or cynical politics. You can decide which. Either way, exercising your right to free speech in New Zealand is just about to get a bit harder.

Labour, Greens – what are you doing supporting this badly drafted and damaging bill? Please reconsider.

Update: The report I saw said Labour and Greens were supporting the bill, but in comments TRP writes:

Labour voted against the Bill at the second reading and proposed amendments which were voted down in the house. One of Labour’s proposed changes was supported by ACT, another by NZ First. The Greens went with National in voting down the amendments.

ACT is not the only party “standing up for free speech”. Indeed, it’s not even clear that “free speech” has anything to do with ACT’s position and David Seymour did not use the phrase in his speeches on his own amendment. However, in their speeches supporting the ACT amendment, Labour did specifically talk about the affect on free speech.

The headline is fundamentally incorrect. Labour voted in favour of the ACT amendment. They were the only party to do so, other than ACT. But, like all other parties but ACT, they also supported the other changes that were made to the Bill at select committee, which improved some aspects of the original bill. ACT actually voted against the improvements.

Hopefully the bill will be further amended before it’s third reading. I know Labour have not given up trying to soften the potentially negative impacts on free speech, but they, like all MP’s except David Seymour, also recognise that cyber bullying will be finally recognised as the scourge it is and appropriately criminalised.

76 comments on “Only ACT standing up for free speech? ”

  1. Clean_power 1

    Well done ACT, and shame on the rest of political parties.

  2. Lanthanide 2

    Ironic headline, given David Seymour tweeted this yesterday:

    Greenpeace show their arrogance and conceit, breaking into parliament to promote solar panels.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/69688541/climate-change-protest-on-parliaments-roof-a-serious-risk

    • Skinny 2.1

      If this is your point well No ACT see Labour as a natural partner not the Greens. Told to me by one of their senior men within the party a few months ago. Must long for the Douglas days, I laughed and said ya kidding me, he was serious so there ya go.

    • Gosman 2.2

      I believe his point was that breaching security at Parliament will cause even more security checks and make it harder for ordinary people to visit. Do you disagree that the protest will cause more security processes?

      • Lanthanide 2.2.1

        “Do you disagree that the protest will cause more security processes?”

        Yes.

        Because they didn’t “break into Parliament”.

        • Gosman 2.2.1.1

          There is already a review of security being carried out. Usually this sort of thing leads to increased security procedures.

          • Lanthanide 2.2.1.1.1

            So you’re saying the existing review may lead to increased security procedures.

            They protested at Parliament, just like many other protests that have been carried out at Parliament over the years, including by sitting MPs.

            Unless they’re planning to put guards on the entry to the grounds, then it doesn’t seem like there is all that much that they can do, or indeed would impact on the every-day genuine visitor to Parliament, whom you seem to be so concerned about.

            That they climbed up scaffolding just means the scaffolding itself needs to be better secured; again this will not impact on the every-day genuine visitor to Parliament.

            • Colonial Rawshark 2.2.1.1.1.1

              citizens should be permitted to protest on Parliament Grounds unhindered.

              • Tracey

                as they were with a big dumb tractor once… a clear trespass if ever there were one.

          • McFlock 2.2.1.1.2

            It’s not like they installed anti-tractor devices after the farmers did a similar thing. Arguably the greenpeace protest was done with more attention to safety and preventing damage than Shane Ardern’s impulse control failure.

      • Skinny 2.2.2

        Oh right sorry I’m multi tasking and not a woman so not much chop at it (one for Ms Rodgers).

        No I like the freedom to come and go as I please, bit of a hassle unloading everything into the tray and X-rayed etc, they wave ya through if ya come and go after the initial check. I guess I don’t look sketchy ‘must be the smile.’

        I don’t believe the will do too much, maybe laser shot security around the parameter of the parliament. When the TTPA come through they will import some armoured attack robots and a couple of cyborg killer droids with thinking capacity not to kill our MP’s representing us, anyone else is fair game in a future breach.

        [Skinny, your first line is irrelevant to the discussion and looks like a deliberate pop at an author. Pull your head in, Ok? TRP]

        • Skinny 2.2.2.1

          It was a complimentary actually coobah I’m the first to accept this as fact. Anyway I get ya point a crisp millitary salute to that.

      • Paul Campbell 2.2.3

        That’s a silly and disengenuous argument – at the moment bits of parliament are covered in scaffolding that the GP people climbed – the only extra security processes that are realistic here would be a security guard keepinan eye on the scaffolding – it’s only going to make it harder for ordinary people to visit parliament if they go there to climb the scaffolding

  3. esoteric pineapples 3

    I’m a Green Party supporter and totally agree. This is nothing more or less than a Trojan horse to be used to shut down online comment on the pretext that it has hurt someone’s feelings. The only people who will be using it will be the police, and people and organisations with a lot of money.

    One interesting aspect that no one seems to be thinking about is that news stories that are okay in print media, say the DomPost or Herald, once on line will become subject to this law.

    • Sable 3.1

      And have the lawyers and money to defend against challenges that most blogs and the like do not…..

    • Jones 3.2

      I agree. I don’t understand why they would be supporting this bill in its current form and if they do, I will struggle to give them my vote again.

    • Tracey 3.3

      I concur (as a Green Party voter and supporter). The biggest irony is that this Bill was sponsored and pushed by one of the worst known bullies in public service, Judith Collins.

  4. Sable 4

    What they fail to understand is discontent doesn’t go away and will find other forms of expression. This is really creeping Fascism at its very worst. If in fact the Greens are supporting this I will not be voting for them next election.

  5. vto 5

    ha ha, what do people expect when they waste their lives on all of this pointless communication revolution. It achieves little. Some of us were laughing this morning how we have ten times more communication today over a job but the job still takes the same amount of time. Net result = all this communication doesn’t help. In fact it hinders.

    10 times more communication today for little to no result. Good one.

    Exactly like the myth of eftpos efficiency over cash

    • Sable 5.1

      Then bugger off and read the newspaper if its so wonderful…

      • Colonial Rawshark 5.1.1

        vto’d point is that advanced communications technology is often a hindrance not a help. It’s a fair point and needs to be acknowledged as such.

  6. Sable 6

    This might be timely under the circumstances. Seems little Iceland has more common sense then we do:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/22/1392812/-No-joke-Iceland-s-Pirate-Party-surges-into-first-place-in-the-polls?detail=email

    • Save NZ 6.1

      @ Sable Very Interesting article.

      Maybe Internet party was ahead of it’s time.

      • Sable 6.1.1

        The Internet party actually polled well for a first time party. It was bashed by the MSM and the Nats, making it look like a failure. Statistically it was not when compared to other small parties on their first political outing.

        • Colonial Rawshark 6.1.1.1

          This is exactly what so many forget. If Hone had garnered about 700-800 more votes both Mana and the Internet Party would have an MP each in Parliament right now.

          The status quo establishment is very pleased that they do not.

  7. Save NZ 7

    Does this mean everytime someone calls John Key a Lying Cheat on The Standard, an aid can request the Standard removes the post?

    Def censorship.

    They could just make it more age appropriate for example amend the bill so that it applies to minors only so it only affects bullying of minors rather than freedom of speech.

    • Gosman 7.1

      The trouble with that is most cyber bullying of minors is carried out by other minors I suspect. Hence you have a situation where you mainly criminalise minors. There surely has to be a better way of dealing with minors than threatening them with criminal convictions over this topic.

    • lprent 7.2

      So will the Facebooks, news media and blogs of this world stick to existing processes and risk criminal conviction? Or will they take the easy road and just pull things offline?

      Does this mean everytime someone calls John Key a Lying Cheat on The Standard, an aid can request the Standard removes the post?

      I am the webhost for The Standard.

      John Key or anyone else could ask for me to look at something for them. I wouldn’t accept a complaint on behalf of someone else from an aide or a lawyer or anyone else. That is the current system for this site.

      It is very fast and effective as I usually make a decision in minutes based on our policy. In practice, by the time that someone makes a complaint, whatever is being complained about has usually already been fixed by a moderator.

      But I’m unlikely to comply with requests unless people point to specific items (more than half of complainants do not), and I think that it actually violates the law or good net practice (most complainants do not). For adults that is not at the standard of someone’s feelings getting hurt. That is no apparent basis at all. FFS: people can get horribly offended by bad punctuation.

      If I (or other moderators) think that it violates our policies or specific laws, then we act abruptly. We usually intend to hurt the feelings of the arseholes who waste our time by writing stuff in violation of our rules. It discourages them from doing it again.

      But I won’t accept mediation of this site from “approved agencies” without approving of their competence myself. That is because as far as I can see the bill proposes that people who are neither legally or net competent are to select “approved agencies”. They are not intending to do it on a basis of proven competence both legally and in the net.

      I’d happily test the people at such agencies myself. After all I have been around the next for nearly 4 decades now. I suspect that I am moderately competent at identifying many of the realworld examples that they need to be competent to cover. However I suspect that I would hurt their feelings – especially after I publish my findings.

      In other words I don’t think that the “approved agencies” are likely to be competent enough to be worth talking to. Certainly from what I have observed with groups like NetSafe, OMSA and the Press Council (and I haven’t had any direct dealings with any of them), none of them appear to be competent at defining clear standards between adults on the net.

      We seldom get kids on this site which is all the NetSafe seem to be concerned with. OSMA and the Press Council appear to be industry bodies more concerned with protecting their members than actually being effective at constraining the arseholes of the net world. They all appear to be just too damn slow.

      I’m not planning on dealing with bodies of either of these two types unless they can convince me that they are worth my effort in engaging with them. To do that, they need to display much clearer guidelines that show their legal and operational frameworks, and provide quality assurance about the speed of operation. I can’t see why any dispute couldn’t be resolved or not resolved in any more than 2 days.

      Basically to me they look like they are being set up as agencies to intimidate the types of rights towards free expression that are in the Bill of Rights Act.

      So going straight to the courts without wasting time seems like the optimal course.

      Since that is exactly what we have now, this bill seems like a complete waste of time to me.

  8. Labour voted against the Bill at the second reading and proposed amendments which were voted down in the house. One of Labour’s proposed changes was supported by ACT, another by NZ First. The Greens went with National in voting down the amendments.

    ACT is not the only party “standing up for free speech”. Indeed, it’s not even clear that “free speech” has anything to do with ACT’s position and David Seymour did not use the phrase in his speeches on his own amendment. However, in their speeches supporting the ACT amendment, Labour did specifically talk about the affect on free speech.

    The headline is fundamentally incorrect. Labour voted in favour of the ACT amendment. They were the only party to do so, other than ACT. But, like all other parties but ACT, they also supported the other changes that were made to the Bill at select committee, which improved some aspects of the original bill. ACT actually voted against the improvements.

    Hopefully the bill will be further amended before it’s third reading. I know Labour have not given up trying to soften the potentially negative impacts on free speech, but they, like all MP’s except David Seymour, also recognise that cyber bullying will be finally recognised as the scourge it is and appropriately criminalised.

    • Anne 8.1

      My problem te reo putake is that Labour ( and other Oppo parties) don’t have a very good track record when it comes to robustly opposing draconian aspects of govt. legislation. Instead they sometimes appear to acquiesce without putting up a real fight. What is going to happen if, by the time of the third reading, the govt. has refused to sufficiently amend the offensive clauses to an acceptable level? Will Labour and the Greens withdraw their support and, together with ACT and NZF, prevent the bill from passing? I’m not 100% sure they will.

      If I choose to describe John Key on this site as a bumptious, bullying sociopathic schoolboy with a masochistic and puerile penchant for hair pulling – all of which is true – will I be committing a criminal act in the eyes of the law?

      • To answer your question, Anne, no, that will not be an offence. There is nothing in this bill that specifically removes current free speech defences and politicians and other public figures still need to have thick skins. However, repeated personal attacks that are intended to cause harm, could be seen as criminal. No doubt there will be test cases that set the standard, but I’m reasonably confident that the judiciary aren’t going to overturn centuries of previous decisions just based on the vague wording of this bill. They will look to the intent of the bill as well, which has been repeatedly expressed in Parliament as being about protecting ordinary citizens.

        This is how it should work; as a back up, if needed: http://www.theage.com.au/national/man-shamed-for-trolling-clementine-ford-apologises-for-online-attack-20150625-ghxz24.html

        • Colonial Rawshark 8.1.1.1

          You can’t trust future sets of authorities to act with good judgement and discretion once they are handed additional powers to criminalise online expression.

          but I’m reasonably confident that the judiciary aren’t going to overturn centuries of previous decisions just based on the vague wording of this bill.

          Labour should not be voting for badly written legislation.

          • te reo putake 8.1.1.1.1

            Two separate issues, CV. The ‘authorities’ and the judiciary are not the same thing. As I said, the judiciary will rule on intent and precedent. That doesn’t mean that the weak prosecutions won’t be bought under this Act (and private citizens can also do that), but it still requires a judge to make a decision on the facts. Our judiciary is independent and has a proven history of not endorsing poor law. So, I’m not too worried, at this point.

            The bill will do some real good in an area that really, really needs it. Our kids need protection online. All the parties, except ACT, apparently, are agreed on that.

            • Colonial Rawshark 8.1.1.1.1.1

              Sorry mate, please explain how a “vaguely worded” bill is going to provide much needed protection if the judiciary is going to find it hard to work with this law???

              Is criminalising kids and having them stand in the dock really our society’s best approach to cyber-bullying?

              • The bill is, for the most part, pretty clear. But there are some poor parts in it, hence this post and hence Labour’s opposition to the bill and its support for the amendments. If the wording is unclear in an Act, the judiciary look at the intent of the law and precedent. That system works pretty well.

                And, yep, putting bullies in the dock is a reasonable thing. If people of any age intend to hurt and harm and repeatedly do so, then having to account for themselves is entirely appropriate.

                • Colonial Rawshark

                  And, yep, putting bullies in the dock is a reasonable thing. If people of any age intend to hurt and harm and repeatedly do so, then having to account for themselves is entirely appropriate.

                  Putting young online bullies into the criminal justice system is not going to make them into better kinder people; it is going to make them harder tougher real life bullies.

                  • Draco T Bastard

                    Then the criminal justice system needs an overhaul.

                  • Tracey

                    which is why this government puled funding of self defence for high school girls which was shown to increase self confidence and reporting of abuse by those who went through it, why anti bullying programmes rely on donors rather than 100% taxpayer funding…

                    Cyer bullying and face to face bullying… programmes in school AND workplaces, state funded. Why? Becuase EVERYONE benefits.

                    Bullying manifests in loads of different says that spill over into Health budgets and productivity and so on.

                    WORKSAFE should include such programmes, even if just for bosses/business owners in the first round

          • Skinny 8.1.1.1.2

            +1 If they had half a brain they would have kicked up opposing an attack on our freedom of speech. Public opinion was strongly against the spy legislation Bill, similarly they would oppose this Bill because of it’s broadness. Far easier to attack ill thought through scruffy legislation that you can drive a bus through. But no they do the opposite.

            • te reo putake 8.1.1.1.2.1

              Labour did vote against it, skinny, and got the Government to amend it as well. Labour were the only party talking about free speech when it was reported back the other day and they are still trying to modify the weak wording.

              • Colonial Rawshark

                So, Labour will vote against this legislation right up to the second they help pass it.

                • Mate, you’re being a tad foolish. Labour has opposed the legislation, voted against it, argued successfully for changes and has worked to make it do what it is actually intended to do. They are continuing to work to get the bill modified. The Greens, not so much. But then you don’t hate the Greens, do you? Nope it’s all self loathing and verbal flagellation from the Andersons Bay Bubble Boy.

                  • Colonial Rawshark

                    Labour wants to support a new route for young people to enter the criminal justice system? Great, some types will be all for it.

                    • Oh do fuck off. The behaviour is already criminal. It leads to deaths in some cases and just misery and self loathing in others. If you have an alternative do say so ….

                    • Colonial Rawshark

                      Yep, because pushing more young people into the criminal justice system is going to help outcomes for young people.

                    • So you’ve got no alternative? Thought so.

                    • Colonial Rawshark

                      So you’ve got no alternative? Thought so.

                      LOL. Answer the fucking question, if you can. Is criminalising young people and funneling more youths into the criminal justice system, going to help them become better adults.

                    • I already answered that question. http://thestandard.org.nz/only-act-standing-up-for-free-speech/#comment-1034999

                      Now, what alternatives are there? Go on, surprise us!

                    • Colonial Rawshark

                      The alternative is for well paid adults to stop pushing kids into the criminal justice system, just bevcause the well-paid adults want to look like they are “doing something” even if it is the wrong thing.

                    • Thanks, but what’s the alternative solution to cyber bullying?

                    • TheContrarian

                      “Answer the fucking question, if you can”

                      Hi CR – since you’re on the topic of demanding people answer questions I posted some questions to you the other day on an open mike thread. You know where and what I asked. I don’t want to derail this thread so I won’t comment further here but I would really appreciate your response.

                    • Don’t hold yer breath, TC. CV’s not big on providing actual answers; that’s not how trolling works.

              • Skinny

                Ok i get that, however I take a simple view let them push this crap legislation through in it’s scruffy form and make them pay for it. Let the straw that broke the camels back happen, meaning for voters let this legislation add to the others they don’t like, enough so that they flip.

        • lprent 8.1.1.2

          I’m more concerned with the pissant agencies that they are planning on setting up.

          So far we have one that appears to dither, not have any coherent standards, and does not deal with anything in a timely fashion – NetSafe.

          We have several others OSMA and the Press Council that seem to be designed to not do anything in a timely manner, are prone to doing ineffectual wrist slaps for their members benefit, and who demand that people complaining to them give up their rights to take legal action against their members. Not to mention that the latter two cost about two months of our server costs to be members. A very steep cost for a protection racket industry body.

          I can’t see any point with anything like those. So where are out dumbarse legislators planning on getting these mythic agencies from. How are they planning on getting people competent to stuff them?

          • te reo putake 8.1.1.2.1

            Good point, LP. The agencies don’t seem well thought out and leading them sounds like a nice little earner for ‘friends of John’. I wonder if the PM knows anyone involved in social media that he could appoint to run them? Perhaps Curia could run a poll on likely candidates?

          • adam 8.1.1.2.2

            I’m glad I was not the only one thinking – why do we need more officious officials in this country. National have a very bad track record setting up and running new departments.

            This is a stupid law written by stupid people, which won’t stop what it was designed to.

            How about we save some money and get this organisation to teach their programme in all the schools.

            http://www.peace.net.nz/content/school-programmes-0

            For the fiscally conservatives, what this will cost – a few million a year and save the tax pay in the long term.

          • Skinny 8.1.1.2.3

            Do you mean like the Law Society and the ability to be struck off?

          • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.2.4

            So where are out dumbarse legislators planning on getting these mythic agencies from. How are they planning on getting people competent to stuff them?

            Oh, I’m sure that Nationals’ cronies can set them up pretty quickly and make a bomb out of them.

            As for competent people? Well, they’re Nationals’ cronies so they’re competent by default – right. Right? 😈

            • lprent 8.1.1.2.4.1

              Yeah. Competent at being quite stupid. You just know whoever takes on this task is going to overstep…

          • Tracey 8.1.1.2.5

            Like or hate them, lawyers and Judges(in particular) are trained to evaluate stuff critically, without jaundice and without favour. This government wants to take away jurisdiction for ACC appeals from Judges and into a tribunal, giving greater power to bureaucrats and delaying tactics. OSMA, Press Council etc are a similar problem because there is self interest of the profession, first and foremost and patch protection second. The Law Society is a great example. I know of investigations into those least deserving due to certain lawyers and their powerful client wanting to make life difficult for a lawyer or their client (as part of a strategy) while other, deserving of ethical scrutiny escape it.

            • lprent 8.1.1.2.5.1

              That is my view as well. But there are three things wrong with legal approaches.

              1. The time taken for anything to happen
              2. The costs.
              3. The age and inclinations of lawyers and judges meaning that they aren’t used to operations on networks.

              I have no real solution for this.

              My draconian preference would be for the police to have a few tech-heads who operators can respect (ie have some credibility for running social media systems), backed with the ability to arrest and charge operators for gross breaches if they don’t cooperate, and to shut their operations down. In other words, an immediate judge, jury and executioner. Then their targets can wait for court for the equivalent of a conspiracy to publish. However this would reek of sedition and blasphemy laws, and we all know how those were abused for political ends.

              • Tracey

                I think the ability to critically assess both material and people is important and something that court lawyers and judges learn (and are trained). While they may lack specific knowledge of the topic before them, they can learn and they are outside the hive mind of that industry.

                The Sport Dispute Tribunal has a good model. It has a lawyer/retired judge on each panel of 3 people, and people with admin, playing, coaching or other sport background on the panel. The judge can then direct the others in terms of evidence and process and evaluation/assessment of witnesses.

                My experience of the Weathertight Tribunal is that the Adjudicators too often kowtow to Council’s lawyers… when setting timetables they will frequently say things like

                “I assume with Councils workload that date won’t be possible”… so of course Council’s lawyers says “that date doesn’t work for council”. One of a string of delay tactics that the Council gets waya with and is symptomatic of many so-called “specialist” tribunals.

                • lprent

                  Lawyers are fine for what they can do. However they are so damn slow.

                  But what they are unlikely to cope with is the sheer speed that the net can shift. Not dealing things in a timely manner is likely to cause some pretty strange distortions in the way that the local net flows.

                  You’d have seen some of the very very fast ways that the net can shift. It gets quite a lot faster when there slow and daft impediments.

            • Puckish Rogue 8.1.1.2.5.2

              I’ll leave it to The Simpsons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2VxpTMAbas

  9. RedLogix 9

    Of course Labour and the Greens are supporting this because ‘cyber-bullying’ is a very real concern for huge numbers of parents. Opposing this would set them up for the Tories to smear them as weak on the issue.

    While the number of New Zealanders who actually care about the right to express an honestly held opinion is far smaller minority.

    The cynical bastard in me would suggest Labour attack this Bill as not going far enough. Why not protection from ‘serious emotional harm’ in the media? Why not extend it to anything said by anyone in a public domain?

    Require the legislation to simply shut down any blog, chat-room or social media service that is found to have ever hosted anything that someone does not like. That would be much more efficient than bogging the Courts down with case by case offenses. Everyone knows the net is a cesspit of freely expressed opinion anyhow.

    Why not have recording devices attached to everyone, so as anything said by anyone, anytime – can be computer analysed and vetted for potential ‘harm’? That might be considered a little extreme, but the technology to achieve it is within our reach.

    New Zealand would be a ‘much politer society’ and a safer place if saying or doing anything that another person found ‘offensive’ could result in a criminal conviction, a fine or prison. We could once again take the lead in massive social reform – and show the Aussies up for the wimpish slackers they are. Tony Abbott is only just talking about gagging irresponsible tv content he doesn’t like. NZ could actually walk the talk – so to speak.

    • Colonial Rawshark 9.1

      Of course Labour and the Greens are supporting this because ‘cyber-bullying’ is a very real concern for huge numbers of parents. Opposing this would set them up for the Tories to smear them as weak on the issue.

      Yep I noted yesterday that this had all the hallmarks of Thorndon Bubble risk management, as opposed to doing anything worthwhile.

      Talk about stupid, ineffective uses for legislation.

    • Tracey 9.2

      Yes, like National did with seabed and foreshore. SO many forget that National only voted against SF because they didn’t think Labour was taking it far enough, not cos of some benevolence toward maori customary rights.

  10. Buzz 11

    Hi Anthony

    Did you teach at Tokoroa High School many years ago? If so I would be keen to say hi.

    Regards
    Kevin

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • All of Us, All of Us.
    Mutual Support: Democracy in New Zealand will not be saved by pitting Pakeha against Māori, but by joining together with every other citizen who still understands the meaning of working together to build something good that will last. Call that co-governance if you like, or call it something else – ...
    7 hours ago
  • Tracking the KPIs of eight-year-olds
    Imagine being a great big business success enjoying your lavish Waiheke island property with infinity pool and ballroom and riparian rights and heli-pad. Sweeeet. But imagine, also, having to take orders from some little bureaucratic oik about how often you can land a chopper on it.I can’t, really, but it ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    9 hours ago
  • Life Church Confirms its Leader Was Paid $10,000 For Investigating Sexual Misconduct at Hillsong Chu...
    Hi,New Zealand’s Life megachurch has confirmed to Webworm it was paid $10,000 by Hillsong for investigating Brian Houston’s sexual misconduct allegations.Following Webworm publishing this piece about the $10,000 payment, Life’s Corporate Communications Manager Phil Irons has confirmed what it was for:Paul [de Jong] was engaged by Hillsong to assist in ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    10 hours ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #12
    A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Mar 19, 2023 thru Sat, Mar 25, 2023. Story of the Week Q&A: IPCC wraps up its most in-depth assessment of climate change The final part of the world’s most comprehensive assessment of ...
    10 hours ago
  • What I wanted to say before the mob stopped women speaking
    by Daphna Whitmore I thought the #LetWomenSpeak meeting would be a good time to talk about free speech and why it is important for the left. Then the mob stampeded the open-air gathering and no one got to speak. Here’s what I was had prepared. Today I want to talk ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    20 hours ago
  • Women’s rights meeting silenced
    By Don Franks Today my friend Ani O’Briien went to a meeting in Auckland and wrote: “No sooner had Kellie-Jay Keen Minshull arrived at the Rotunda, a protestor (who had managed to get past the barrier) ran at her and threw a red substance all over her and a security ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    21 hours ago
  • A serving of soup curbs Posie Parker’s appetite for speaking – and shows that might is right in ...
    Jonathan Milne, managing editor for Newsroom Pro, has expressed his indignation about the outcome of a court decision yesterday in an article headed Posie Parker wins the beautiful freedom to make an ugly argument. Newsroom Pro laments: High Court Justice David Gendall has regretfully allowed an outspoken anti-trans activist to enter New ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • It’s official: National have an education policy
    imagine my surprise this week when the National Party, in their infinite wisdom, decided to release an education policy. As you can imagine, this got us so riled up here in the office that we dusted off our Windows XP laptop, waiting 17 hours for all the updates to be ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    1 day ago
  • Prosperity through Productivity.
    Come on Jess thought Mr Evans come on. He watched the large clock on the wall tick closer to 8:40am. Come on girl.In two minutes he had to submit the class attendance report and with Jess having already been late once that term it’d mean an automatic visit from the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The hoon for the week that was to March 25
    This week’s UN IPCC report warned climate emissions will need to be cut by almost half by 2030, if warming is to be limited to 1.5°C. Bronwyn Hayward points out in The Hoon podcast how far behind NZ’s government and councils are now on climate action compared to the rest ...
    The KakaBy Peter Bale
    1 day ago
  • The big question for Labour: Will Hipkins have any more success than Ardern did with the top priorit...
    Chris  Hipkins,  after  he became prime minister, committed  to defeating the  cost-of- living crisis. He  proceeded to make a  bonfire of policies  that were at  the  heart of Jacinda Ardern’s administration.  But, as   Richard Prebble pointed out this week, “the government has not just U-turned, it has repudiated the ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    2 days ago
  • Reality check.
    There are some wellness, crystal-gazing, holistic spiritual guidance types in my disaster-hit coastal community who insist that the power of positive thinking will overcome the physical and material damages incurred by the community. They object to restrictions on road travel … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • High Performance Instability in the Financial Sector
    Evaluating the recent crashes of Silicon Valley Bank in the US and Credit Suisse in Switzerland plus two other banks (perhaps more by the time you read this) needs to begin with a review of the inevitable instability in the financial sector. The financial sector is inherently unstable, like military ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    2 days ago
  • The week in review
    1. We see here new police minister Ginny Andersen. Which larger than life NZ political figure was her great-uncle?a. Rob Muldoonb. Bill Andersenc. Richard John Seddond. Norman Kirk2. We see here archival footage of Ginny Andersen coming out of her electorate office to ask ex-tobacco lobbyist Chris Bishop if he ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Nash splashes out with a $900,000 investment in the blue economy (or is it more corporate welfare?)
    Buzz from the Beehive Stuart Nash, speaking as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, one of his remaining portfolios after he was dropped down the Hipkins Government batting order, has drawn attention to the blue economy and its potential. Nash says the government is investing in the blue economy, or – ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to March 24
    Photo by Josh Mills on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for the next hour, including:The runs on Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank on the west coast of the United States that forced the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 24-March-2023
    Roundup is back! We skipped last week’s Friday post due to a shortage of person-power – did you notice? Lots going on out there… Our header image this week shows a green street that just happens to be Queen St, by @chamfy from Twitter. This week (and last) in ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Keen-Minshull visit
    After threatening Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of consequences if he dared to bar her entry, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull has been given her visa, regardless. This will enable her to hold rallies in Auckland and Wellington this weekend, and spread her messages of hostility against an already marginalised trans community. Neo-Nazis may, ...
    2 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS’ Political Roundup:  NZ needs to distance itself from Australia’s anti-China nucl...
    * Bryce Edwards writes – The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Wayne Brown's #Auxit moment
    Boomers voted him in, but Brown’s Trumpish moments might spook Aucklanders worried about what a change to National nationally might mean. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has become our version of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, except without any of the insatiable appetite for media appearances. He ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: NZ needs to distance itself from Australia’s anti-China nuclear submarines
    The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as part of its Aukus pact with the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • Posie Parker vs Transgender Rights.
    Recently you might have heard of a person called Posie Parker and her visit to Aotearoa. Perhaps you’re not quite sure what it’s all about. So let’s start with who this person is, why their visit is controversial, and what on earth a TERF is.Posie Parker is the super villain ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Select Committee told slow down; you’re moving too fast
    The chair of Parliament’s Select Committee looking at the Government’s resource management legislation wants the bills sent back for more public consultation. The proposal would effectively kill any chance of the bills making it into law before the election. Green MP, Eugenie Sage, stressing that she was speaking as ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #12 2023
    Open access notables  The United States experienced some historical low temperature records during the just-concluded winter. It's a reminder that climate and weather are quite noisy; with regard to our warming climate,, as with a road ascending a mountain range we may steadily change our conditions but with lots of ...
    3 days ago
  • What becomes of the broken hearted? Nanny State will step in to comfort them
    Buzz from the Beehive The Nanny State has scored some wins (or claimed them) in the past day or two but it faltered when it came to protecting Kiwi citizens from being savaged by one woman armed with a sharp tongue. The wins are recorded by triumphant ministers on the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Acceptance, decency, road food.
    Sometimes you see your friends making the case so well on social media you think: just copy and share.On acceptance and decency, from Michèle A’CourtA notable thing about anti-trans people is they way they talk about transgender women and men as though they are strangers “over there” when in fact ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: More Labour sabotage
    Not that long ago, things were looking pretty good for climate change policy in Aotearoa. We finally had an ETS, and while it was full of pork and subsidies, it was delivering high and ever-rising carbon prices, sending a clear message to polluters to clean up or shut down. And ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is bundling restricting electricity competition?
    Comparing (and switching) electricity providers has become easier, but bundling power up with broadband and/or gas makes it more challenging. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The Kākā TL;DR: The new Consumer Advocacy Council set up as a result of the Labour Government’s Electricity Price Review in 2019 has called on either ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Westland Milk puts heat on competitors as global dairy demand  remains softer for longer
    Hokitika-based Westland Milk Products  has  put the heat on dairy giant Fonterra with  a $120m profit turnaround in 2022, driven by record sales. Westland paid its suppliers a 10c premium above the forecast Fonterra price per kilo, contributing $535m to the West Coast and Canterbury economies. The dairy ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS’ Political Roundup:  The Beehive’s revolving door and corporate mateship
    * Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Beehive’s revolving door and corporate mateship
    New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • A miracle pill for our transport ills
    This is a guest post by accessibility and sustainable transport advocate Tim Adriaansen It originally appeared here.   A friend calls you and asks for your help. They tell you that while out and about nearby, they slipped over and landed arms-first. Now their wrist is swollen, hurting like ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • The Surprising Power of Floating Wind Turbines
    Floating offshore wind turbines offer incredible opportunities to capture powerful winds far out at sea. By unlocking this wind energy potential, they could be a key weapon in our arsenal in the fight against climate change. But how developed are these climate fighting clean energy giants? And why do I ...
    3 days ago
  • The next Maori challenge
    Over the past two or three weeks, a procession of Maori iwi and hapu in a series of little-noticed appearances before two Select Committees have been asking for more say for Maori over resource management decisions along the co-governance lines of Three Waters. Their submissions and appearances run counter ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Secret “war-crime” warrants by International Criminal Court is mischief-making
    The decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue war crimes arrest warrants for the Russian President and the Russia Children Ombudsman may have been welcomed by the ideologically committed but otherwise seems to have been greeted with widespread cynicism (see Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants ...
    4 days ago
  • How to answer Drunk Uncle Kevin's Climate Crisis reckons
    Let’s say you’re clasping your drink at a wedding, or a 40th, or a King’s Birthday Weekend family reunion and Drunk Uncle Kevin has just got going.He’s in an expansive frame of mind because we’re finally rid of that silly girl. But he wants to ask an honest question about ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • National’s Luxon may be glum about his poll ratings but has he found a winner in promising to rai...
    National Party leader Christopher Luxon may  be feeling glum about his poll ratings, but  he could be tapping  into  a rich political vein in  describing the current state of education as “alarming”. Luxon said educational achievement has been declining,  with a recent NCEA pilot exposing just how far it has ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: More Labour foot-dragging
    Yesterday the IPCC released the final part of its Sixth Assessment Report, warning us that we have very little time left in which to act to prevent catastrophic climate change, but pointing out that it is a problem that we can solve, with existing technology, and that anything we do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Te Pāti Māori Are Revolutionaries – Not Reformists.
    Way Beyond Reform: Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have no more interest in remaining permanent members of “New Zealand’s” House of Representatives than did Lenin and Trotsky in remaining permanent members of Tsar Nicolas II’s “democratically-elected” Duma. Like the Bolsheviks, Te Pāti Māori is a party of revolutionaries – not reformists.THE CROWN ...
    4 days ago
  • When does history become “ancient”, on Tinetti’s watch as Minister of Education – and what o...
    Buzz from the Beehive Auckland was wiped off the map, when Education Minister Jan Tinetti delivered her speech of welcome as host of the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers “here in Tāmaki Makaurau”. But – fair to say – a reference was made later in the speech to a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Climate Catastrophe, but first rugby.
    Morning mate, how you going?Well, I was watching the news last night and they announced this scientific report on Climate Change. But before they got to it they had a story about the new All Blacks coach.Sounds like important news. It’s a bit of a worry really.Yeah, they were talking ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • What the US and European bank rescues mean for us
    Always a bailout: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Government would fully guarantee all savers in all smaller US banks if needed. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: No wonder an entire generation of investors are used to ‘buying the dip’ and ‘holding on for dear life’. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Who will drain Wellington’s lobbying swamp?
    Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in Guyon Espiner’s in-depth series published by RNZ. Two of Espiner’s research exposés ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • It’s Raining Congestion
    Yesterday afternoon it rained and traffic around the region ground to a halt, once again highlighting why it is so important that our city gets on with improving the alternatives to driving. For additional irony, this happened on the same day the IPCC synthesis report landed, putting the focus on ...
    4 days ago
  • Checking The Left: The Dreadful Logic Of Fascism.
    The Beginning: Anti-Co-Governance agitator, Julian Batchelor, addresses the Dargaville stop of his travelling roadshow across New Zealand . Fascism almost always starts small. Sadly, it doesn’t always stay that way. Especially when the Left helps it to grow.THERE IS A DREADFUL LOGIC to the growth of fascism. To begin with, it ...
    4 days ago
  • Good Friends and Terrible Food
    Hi,From an incredibly rainy day in Los Angeles, I just wanted to check in. I guess this is the day Trump may or may not end up in cuffs? I’m attempting a somewhat slower, less frenzied week. I’ve had Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record on non-stop, and it’s been a ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • At a glance – What evidence is there for the hockey stick?
    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 ...
    5 days ago
  • Carry right on up there, Corporal Espiner
    RNZ has been shining their torch into corners where lobbyists lurk and asking such questions as: Do we like the look of this?and Is this as democratic as it could be?These are most certainly questions worth asking, and every bit as valid as, say:Are we shortchanged democratically by the way ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • This smells
    RNZ has continued its look at the role of lobbyists by taking a closer look at the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Andrew Kirton. He used to work for liquor companies, opposing (among other things) a container refund scheme which would have required them to take responsibility for their own ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Major issues on the table in Mahuta’s  talks in Beijing with China’s new Foreign Minister
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has left for Beijing for the first ministerial visit to China since 2019. Mahuta is  to  meet China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang  where she  might have to call on all the  diplomatic skills  at  her  command. Almost certainly she  will  face  questions  on what  role ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • Inside TOP's Teal Card and political strategy
    TL;DR: The Opportunities Party’s Leader Raf Manji is hopeful the party’s new Teal Card, a type of Gold card for under 30s, will be popular with students, and not just in his Ilam electorate where students make up more than a quarter of the voters and where Manji is confident ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Make Your Empties Go Another Round.
    When I was a kid New Zealand was actually pretty green. We didn’t really have plastic. The fruit and veges came in a cardboard box, the meat was wrapped in paper, milk came in a glass bottle, and even rubbish sacks were made of paper. Today if you sit down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on how similar Vladimir Putin is to George W. Bush
    Looking back through the names of our Police Ministers down the years, the job has either been done by once or future party Bigfoots – Syd Holland, Richard Prebble, Juduth Collins, Chris Hipkins – or by far lesser lights like Keith Allen, Frank Gill, Ben Couch, Allen McCready, Clem Simich, ...
    5 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  Te Pāti Māori’s uncompromising threat to the status quo
    Chris Trotter writes – The Crown is a fickle friend. Any political movement deemed to be colourful but inconsequential is generally permitted to go about its business unmolested. The Crown’s media, RNZ and TVNZ, may even “celebrate” its existence (presumably as proof of Democracy’s broad-minded acceptance of diversity). ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Shining a bright light on lobbyists in politics
    Four out of the five people who have held the top role of Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff since 2017 have been lobbyists. That’s a fact that should worry anyone who believes vested interests shouldn’t have a place at the centre of decision making. Chris Hipkins’ newly appointed Chief of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Auckland Council Draft Budget – an unnecessary backwards step
    Feedback on Auckland Council’s draft 2023/24 budget closes on March 28th. You can read the consultation document here, and provide feedback here. Auckland Council is currently consulting on what is one of its most important ever Annual Plans – the ‘budget’ of what it will spend money on between July ...
    5 days ago
  • Talking’ Posey Parker Blues
    by Molten Moira from Motueka If you want to be a woman let me tell you what to do Get a piece of paper and a biro tooWrite down your new identification And boom! You’re now a woman of this nationSpelled W O M A Na real trans woman that isAs opposed ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    6 days ago
  • More Māori words make it into the OED, and polytech boss (with rules on words like “students”) ...
    Buzz from the Beehive   New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti is hosting the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers for three days from today, welcoming Education Ministers and senior officials from 18 Pacific Island countries and territories, and from Australia. Here’s hoping they have brought translators with them – or ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Social intercourse with haters and Nazis: an etiquette guide
    Let’s say you’ve come all the way from His Majesty’s United Kingdom to share with the folk of Australia and New Zealand your antipathy towards certain other human beings. And let’s say you call yourself a women’s rights activist.And let’s say 99 out of 100 people who listen to you ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Greens, Labour, and coalition enforcement
    James Shaw gave the Green party's annual "state of the planet" address over the weekend, in which he expressed frustration with Labour for not doing enough on climate change. His solution is to elect more Green MPs, so they have more power within any government arrangement, and can hold Labour ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • This sounds familiar…
    RNZ this morning has the first story another investigative series by Guyon Espiner, this time into political lobbying. The first story focuses on lobbying by government agencies, specifically transpower, Pharmac, and assorted universities, and how they use lobbyists to manipulate public opinion and gather intelligence on the Ministers who oversee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Letter to the NZ Herald: NCEA pseudoscience – “Mauri is present in all matter”
    Nick Matzke writes –   Dear NZ Herald, I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. I teach evolutionary biology, but I also have long experience in science education and (especially) political attempts to insert pseudoscience into science curricula in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • So what would be the point of a Green vote again?
    James Shaw has again said the Greens would be better ‘in the tent’ with Labour than out, despite Labour’s policy bonfire last week torching much of what the Government was doing to reduce emissions. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Green Party has never been more popular than in some ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Gas stoves pose health risks. Are gas furnaces and other appliances safe to use?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler Poor air quality is a long-standing problem in Los Angeles, where the first major outbreak of smog during World War II was so intense that some residents thought the city had been attacked by chemical weapons. Cars were eventually discovered ...
    6 days ago
  • Genetic Heritage and Co Governance
    Yesterday I was reading an excellent newsletter from David Slack, and I started writing a comment “Sounds like some excellent genetic heritage…” and then I stopped.There was something about the phrase genetic heritage that stopped me in tracks. Is that a phrase I want to be saying? It’s kind of ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: Radical Uncertainty
    Brian Easton writes – Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s Middle East strategy, 20 years after the Iraq War
    This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. While it strongly opposed the US-led invasion, New Zealand’s then Labour-led government led by Prime Minister Helen Clark did deploy military engineers to try to help rebuild Iraq in mid-2003. With violence soaring, their 12-month deployment ended without being renewed ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    6 days ago
  • The motorways are finished
    After seventy years, Auckland’s motorway network is finally finished. In July 1953 the first section of motorway in Auckland was opened between Ellerslie-Panmure Highway and Mt Wellington Highway. The final stage opens to traffic this week with the completion of the motorway part of the Northern Corridor Improvements project. Aucklanders ...
    6 days ago
  • Kicking National’s tyres
    National’s appointment of Todd McClay as Agriculture spokesperson clearly signals that the party is in trouble with the farming vote. McClay was not an obvious choice, but he does have a record as a political scrapper. The party needs that because sources say it has been shedding farming votes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • As long as there is cricket, the world is somehow okay.
    Rays of white light come flooding into my lounge, into my face from over the top of my neighbour’s hedge. I have to look away as the window of the conservatory is awash in light, as if you were driving towards the sun after a rain shower and suddenly blinded. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • So much of what was there remains
    The columnists in Private Eye take pen names, so I have not the least idea who any of them are. But I greatly appreciate their expert insight, especially MD, who writes the medical column, offering informed and often damning critique of the UK health system and the politicians who keep ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Mar 12, 2023 thru Sat, Mar 18, 2023. Story of the Week Guest post: What 13,500 citations reveal about the IPCC’s climate science report   IPCC WG1 AR6 SPM Report Cover - Changing ...
    1 week ago
  • Financial capability services are being bucked up, but Stuart Nash shouldn’t have to see if they c...
    Buzz from the Beehive  The building of financial capability was brought into our considerations when Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced she had dipped into the government’s coffers for $3 million for “providers” to help people and families access community-based Building Financial Capability services. That wording suggests some ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • Things that make you go Hmmmm.
    Do you ever come across something that makes you go Hmmmm?You mean like the song?No, I wasn’t thinking of the song, but I am now - thanks for that. I was thinking of things you read or hear that make you stop and go Hmmmm.Yeah, I know what you mean, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The hoon for the week that was to March 19
    By the end of the week, the dramas over Stuart Nash overshadowed Hipkins’ policy bonfire. File photo: Lynn GrieveasonTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and the political economy covered on The Kākā included:PM Chris Hipkins’ announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but ...
    The KakaBy Peter Bale
    1 week ago

  • Crown apology to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua
    Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has delivered the Crown apology to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua for its historic breaches of Te Tiriti of Waitangi today. The ceremony was held at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton, hosted by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua, with several hundred ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Minister of Foreign Affairs meets with Chinese counterpart
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has concluded her visit to China, the first by a New Zealand Foreign Minister since 2018. The Minister met her counterpart, newly appointed State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, who also hosted a working dinner. This was the first engagement between the two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government delivering world-class satellite positioning services
    World-class satellite positioning services that will support much safer search and rescue, boost precision farming, and help safety on construction sites through greater accuracy are a significant step closer today, says Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor. Damien O’Connor marked the start of construction on New Zealand’s first uplink centre for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointment of Christopher John Dellabarca of Wellington, Dr Katie Jane Elkin of Wellington, Caroline Mary Hickman of Napier, Ngaroma Tahana of Rotorua, Tania Rose Williams Blyth of Hamilton and Nicola Jan Wills of Wellington as District Court Judges.  Chris Dellabarca Mr Dellabarca commenced his ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New project set to supercharge ocean economy in Nelson Tasman
    A new Government-backed project will help ocean-related businesses in the Nelson Tasman region to accelerate their growth and boost jobs. “The Nelson Tasman region is home to more than 400 blue economy businesses, accounting for more than 30 percent of New Zealand’s economic activity in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • National’s education policy: where’s the funding?
    After three years of COVID-19 disruptions schools are finally settling down and National want to throw that all in the air with major disruption to learning and underinvestment.  “National’s education policy lacks the very thing teachers, parents and students need after a tough couple of years, certainty and stability,” Education ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Free programme to help older entrepreneurs and inventors
    People aged over 50 with innovative business ideas will now be able to receive support to advance their ideas to the next stage of development, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen said today. “Seniors have some great entrepreneurial ideas, and this programme will give them the support to take that next ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government target increased to keep powering up the Māori economy
    A cross government target for relevant government procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded. The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Continued progress on reducing poverty in challenging times
    77,000 fewer children living in low income households on the after-housing-costs primary measure since Labour took office Eight of the nine child poverty measures have seen a statistically significant reduction since 2018. All nine have reduced 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018 Measures taken by the Government during ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech at Fiji Investment and Trade Business Forum
    Deputy Prime Minister Kamikamica; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Tēnā koutou katoa, ni sa bula vinaka saka, namaste. Deputy Prime Minister, a very warm welcome to Aotearoa. I trust you have been enjoying your time here and thank you for joining us here today. To all delegates who have travelled to be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government investments boost and diversify local economies in lower South Island
    $2.9 million convertible loan for Scapegrace Distillery to meet growing national and international demand $4.5m underwrite to support Silverlight Studios’ project to establish a film studio in Wanaka Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library to be official opened tomorrow with support of $3m from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government future-proofs EV charging
    Transport Minister Michael Wood has today launched the first national EV (electric vehicle) charging strategy, Charging Our Future, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. “Our vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • World-leading family harm prevention campaign supports young NZers
    Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched the Love Better campaign in a world-leading approach to family harm prevention. Love Better will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to dealing with hurt. “Over 1,200 young kiwis told ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • First Chief Clinical Advisor welcomed into Coroners Court
    Hon Rino Tirikatene, Minister for Courts, welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s appointment of Dr Garry Clearwater as New Zealand’s first Chief Clinical Advisor working with the Coroners Court. “This appointment is significant for the Coroners Court and New Zealand’s wider coronial system.” Minister Tirikatene said. Through Budget 2022, the Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Next steps for affected properties post Cyclone and floods
    The Government via the Cyclone Taskforce is working with local government and insurance companies to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. “The Taskforce, led by Sir Brian Roche, has been working with insurance companies to undertake an assessment of high-risk areas so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New appointment to Māori Land Court bench
    E te huia kaimanawa, ko Ngāpuhi e whakahari ana i tau aupikinga ki te tihi o te maunga. Ko te Ao Māori hoki e whakanui ana i a koe te whakaihu waka o te reo Māori i roto i te Ao Ture. (To the prized treasure, it is Ngāpuhi who ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government focus on jobs sees record number of New Zealanders move from Benefits into work
    113,400 exits into work in the year to June 2022 Young people are moving off Benefit faster than after the Global Financial Crisis Two reports released today by the Ministry of Social Development show the Government’s investment in the COVID-19 response helped drive record numbers of people off Benefits and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Vertical farming partnership has upward momentum
    The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Conference of Pacific Education Ministers – Keynote Address
    E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New $13m renal unit supports Taranaki patients
    The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Second Poseidon aircraft on home soil
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Further humanitarian aid for Türkiye and Syria
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Community voice to help shape immigration policy
    Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today.  “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • State Highway 3 project to deliver safer journeys, better travel connections for Taranaki
    Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Ginny Andersen appointed as Minister of Police
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government confirms vital roading reconnections
    Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Foreign Minister Mahuta to meet with China’s new Foreign Minister
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Education Ministers from across the Pacific gather in Aotearoa
    Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • State Highway 5 reopens between Napier and Taupō following Cyclone Gabrielle
    A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Special Lotto draw raises $11.7 million for Cyclone Gabrielle recovery
    Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government delivers a $3 million funding boost for Building Financial Capability services
    The Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao – new Chair and member
    Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Scholarships honouring Ngarimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion announced
    Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today.  The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Appointment of Judge of the Court of Appeal and Judge of the High Court
    High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ still well placed to meet global challenges
    The economy has continued to show its resilience despite today’s GDP figures showing a modest decline in the December quarter, leaving the Government well positioned to help New Zealanders face cost of living pressures in a challenging global environment. “The economy had grown strongly in the two quarters before this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Western Ring Route Complete
    Aucklanders now have more ways to get around as Transport Minister Michael Wood opened the direct State Highway 1 (SH1) to State Highway 18 (SH18) underpass today, marking the completion of the 48-kilometre Western Ring Route (WRR). “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Briefings to Incoming Ministers
    This section contains briefings received by incoming ministers following changes to Cabinet in January. Some information may have been withheld in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. Where information has been withheld that is indicated within the document. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Teaming up for a stronger, more resilient Fiji
    Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Investment in blue highway a lifeline for regional economies and cyclone recovery
    The Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Next steps developing clean energy for NZ
    The Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-03-26T02:29:27+00:00