In the past few months a series of mini-scandals and criticisms have been levelled at the social welfare fund, largely thanks to digging by Winston Peters.
Most damning has been the conviction of Mongrel Mob member Korrey Teeati Cook for supplying drugs he bought with a $20,000 Whanau Ora grant. At first, Turia insisted there was no proof – until Cook was jailed this month, which she dismissed as a one-off.
It was recently revealed that a quarter of applicants who received Whanau Ora cash were from Te Tai Hauauru – Turia’s electorate. It has only 8 per cent of the Maori population. Turia says she is “more than satisfied with the accountability of the spend”.
Seriously, it seems that the police should be looking into Whanau Ora already. And if not the police then a ministerial enquiry. There’s just too many stories of what looks like people getting money for nothing.
Tamihere, who was a failed Minister and poor electorate performer, is lined up for a seat selection despite a string of financial and political sins.
Cunliffe, who was a ministerial star and is a top electorate performer, is shafted for refusing to say how he will vote in a future secret ballot.
Shearer is a genius. Shearer is genius.
Heil Shearer.
He will lead up to 23% in 2014 and do better than English in 2002.
We are saved. We are saved.
I intend to write to the council stating that though I have no particular objection to his being a member of the party, I would strongly oppose his being allowed to stand for Labour. Surely even a cursory reading of the foundational principles of the party, compared with Tamihere’s stated views, and past behaviour would rule him out as a representative.
Hell, any hint of a possibility, and I’ll ring up talkback shows myself, and remind listeners of the family pets he abandoned when he moved home a few years ago. Just to get things moving.
I hope others will make their feelings known on this issue, along with the many, many, reasons why Tamihere is not acceptable, and not Labour.
I’d vote for David before I’d vote for John.
I have to agree about Shearer’s genius, though. It takes a special type of political nous to ignore Jones, Tamihere, and Mallard and attack Cunliffe instead. It shows focus in the race for that 23%.
Reading this mornings NZH there is a item about record redundancies in NZ. National can take a bow for a lot of these job losses because of their inability too manage the economy properly. High NZD coupled with inaction
to stimulate job growth, thru one example ‘keeping it local with Govt contracts etc.’ Thank goodness the major opposition parties had the sense to hold a manufacturing/job summit
recently. I imagine in part Labour’s bold new Housing Policy came out of this? I think most New Zealanders know someone being made redundant lately. Is enough pressure being put on National by opposition parties? Should they band together with the CTU & lead a protest day of ‘all’ the workers getting the axe before Christmas. A damn good idea too highlight a piss & wind Government!
just beginning to wonder if the Labour leadership understand that the poll this week showing Labour losing ground and Greens gaining has something to do with membership dissatisfaction.
The way Cunliffe was handled was one thing. But Tamihere is another.
I suspect this will generate massive distaste among Labour’s female members, who will either stay home or switch membership to the Greens in droves.
The poll shift means this is really hurting Labour and will get worse.
Feels sick to be part of a nasty calculation like that ie liberal females are worth sacrificing in order to get a seat-winner back, and to shore up Shearer’s caucus majority.
Sepuloni would stand a good chance winning back Waitakere. And Tamihere’s opening salvo is to call Bennett “fat”? Yes, that’s really what’s wrong with her bennie bashing campaign.
Labour has enough ‘show ponies’ without adding has been JT. Shearer is going to be rolled by New York’s Lady Penelope’s boy Parker. So no need to worry.
Tamihere is a dinosaur. Also for all his talk he’s very thin skinned. He can dish it but can’t take it. He just got personal with that vile ‘fat’ comment. Problem is a bunch of us know some personal stuff about you JT. Keep acting like this and we’ll start slapping you back.
This may well be the final nail in the coffin for my Labour membership. Who thought this was a good idea? Did they allow Tamihere back in as a show of how broadminded they are? To have him pissing from inside the tent? Look at the very first thing he’s done – he’s fired off a bunch of shots at his own members.
Labour isn’t being led at the moment. It is lurching forward. It is dying and it doesn’t even know it.
My guess? David Shearer, Grant Robertson, and their respective staff. A lot of you guys know people on New Zealand Council. Ask them to see if they can confirm or deny.
Anyhows, the Labour Party is a ship headed by Captain Edward John Smith, and the order from the bridge is “Full speed ahead. Damn the icebergs”.
A crisp military salute to Viper ‘.’ This Ed Smith will be relieved of Captains duties by way of a mutiny ala the Bounty. Cpt Bligh’s crime of subjecting his crew to harsh treatment ( attempting a right lurch into dangerous waters instead of remaining to port) will require action from Fletcher in February. “Stir give em the lash… not the rum & the others coming.” lol.
Well cv looks like centralist shearer shoring up a power base by including JT and negating the power play by Parker and or robertson. Labour broad church split into multi blocks and factions has just got broader and more inclusive. JT connects to a segment of the elctrorate that labour needs to reengergise and reconnect to….also JT is a attack dog, a mongrel who can and will get dirty taking on the Tories.
Whilst I don’t like jt he and his kind have a place in the very very broad tent that is or should be labour.
Shearers divide and rule is working well so far shame he isn’t performing in public.
God if only I had that much faith as you in Shearer’s political acumen (ahem) that I could see him making a proper splitter play.
It is definitely good “divide and rule” caucus politics. Great while you are still 2 years out. Crush your enemies and turn the whole caucus into West Germany 1981: absolutely everyone is a spy for everyone else. Keeps the leader the leader.
It is spectacularly bad Party politics.
And shockingly, cynically bad electoral politics. Don’t anyone think this guys brings swags of votes. He brings a handful, and burns a sackful.
The Greens are the winners out of this. Watch the next poll for the same tracking as current.
IMO JT can do nothing to fix Labour’s disconnection and tone deaf approach to the working class and underclass. You still have a caucus of MPs too many of whom completely live and breathe the insular Wellington beltway bubble of palace politics.
JT is being put back into caucus to appeal to the brash, slightly red neck, middle class. Also, as you point out, to further divide and rule caucus.
Can Labour use him to bring a bit of dirty street fighter mongrel back? Sure, exactly like a skinny snob can ring in for a bit of muscle to rough up the other side. But what does that really change? How will this move solve any of Labour’s biggest issues and limitations? In fact it risks much in return.
One further observation: in Labour, it appears you get handpicked by the few to become an MP if you belong to the right clique.
But it will blow up in their faces, as we are not all ‘1970’s blokey, insult everyone, bloke’s’. Personally I reckon he should run for the Nats, as his politics fit with them better.
Feels sick to be part of a nasty calculation like that ie liberal females are worth sacrificing in order to get a seat-winner back, and to shore up Shearer’s caucus majority.
The “nasty calulation” goes far wider than “liberal females”. Be nice if people would look at the bigger picture, as opposed to the narrow biased view, but encouraging the calculations are being clocked!
Labour are being imploded, National, currently having a free ride during some of the lowest times in NZ political history, and Russel Norman is being plumped nicely to slide in as “the left”
Any odds on an offical National/Labour merger, or will they leave it at unoffical co-operation!
Makes it feel like Shearer is preferring a superstar with high firework-burnout risk, to a lower-profile player who is likely to win with lower risk. Perhaps instead they could put Tamihere head to head with Hone from Mana. Carmel Sepuloni is a keeper.
Simply put, Shearer is shoring up his risk with Jones by bringing back Tamihere. He thinks if he’s got to have a Maori, it had better be a bloke and either will do. Can anyone point to any evidence since Shearer became leader that he supports women or any other minority that JT feels entitled to publicly abuse?
I don’t even LIKE Bennett, and I’m offended at JT’s comments. We aren’t in a schoolyard FFS.
I’m reminded of when males attacked my body insulting it as if it were their right to pass approval or disapproval.
The proportion of “fat” insults are predominantly directed at females such as Bennett. It seems to me if you are female you can be considered “fat” at a size 12, or even a size 10 if you have offended someone sufficiently.
Can anyone tell me if JT has launched a personal attack like this on Parekura Horomia, Tau Henare, or Pita Sharples?
And DO we really want an MP who focuses his valuable time on body image rather than significant issues? He clearly has intelligence, but unless he is Winston I’m not sure he can pull of this type of angle.
I think you have your answer. The fresh names on Council are too scared to face down the Leadership team. Its just a no brainer regarding the harm Tamihere will do to Labour. But if that’s what the Leadership team want, then guess what we’ll all have to live with it.
My guess is Moira is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She knows in her heart what is right but is powerless to stop the Shearer/Robertson train wreck.
“Look, I don’t have to get on with these people. I’m joining the Labour Party. I’m not joining the ‘Women’s Party’, I’m not joining the ‘Union Party’, I’m not joining the ‘Gay Party’, I’m joining the Labour Party.
It’s been a while since I attended a LEC meeting so will be going to the next one. Last thing we need is JT championing his own cause during election year & turning voters off in droves. His carry on supporting Gibson & co at POAL sums him up. Bloggers on here referring to him as an attack dog, as if he is a heavy hitter have to be kidding. I’d rather have his side kick Willie Jackson at least he fights from a true left corner.
JT has only just got membership of labour again and he launches into the same type of
rhetoric that got his membership withdrawn,incredible.
NZ women dont need some political ‘wannabe’ telling them they are fat,therefore not
worthy of respect,does the labour caucus really need the likes of JT in its ranks,indeed,
in the membership ?
After the Cunliffe dumping, i can see no real reason to support the Shearer led Labour
party, the Robertson and Labour endorsement of JT,cements that.
I’ve managed to get a few details, with some reasonable although I must say not absolute certainty. Parker, Twyford and Cosgrove all supported JT’s membership application earlier this week.
All this talk of JT reminded me of an American soap drama from the seventies with a main character called JR. Checking out if I had the initials correct (I had thought it might be JT too) I came across another spooky coincidence on the search engine in the description of the series…….
“The soapy, backstabbing machinations of Dallas oil magnate J.R. Ewing and his family…….”
Substitute the words in italics one gets a Kiwi up to date version:
“The less than soapy backstabbing machinations of certain caucus members of the 2012 Labour party.”
JR, and the entire cast of the Dallas series would have felt right at home in the Kiwi version.
Odd? Nope it just goes to show the level of distrust thats going on. Cunliffe should have been the guy who went to it. but they went with No one. A Brilliant idea that was, maybe they though we wouldn’t notice.
John Tamihere gives interviews to the media, openly attacks members of a party that has just taken him back, throws around insults, and generally acts like an infant.
This is OK.
People on a blog then criticise Tamihere and his supporters.
This is not OK. This is “undermining Labour” or “supporting National” or something. Because it’s on a blog.
It’s now clear that this is all part of a great human experiment. The aim is to find out how often you can say “Black Is White”, and still get people to defer to authority, instead of reality.
We must unite! We must rally round Shearer-Labour! We must support people who say “Labour”, even if they themselves are attacking Labour! If they undermine the party, we must support them, otherwise we will be undermining the party! Be Loyal to Disloyalty! It is the Only Way!
And never forget … YOU are the real problem. Not Tamihere. Not Shearer. Not Jones. You. Because you’re on a blog.
OK he may not get his wish to repeal the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986, but as an associate education minister in a Shearer Cabinet he might launch a pogrom against gay schoolteachers, or campaign to get homosexual themed literature out of the school system, or as Social Development minister, stack the Families Commission with homophobes and seek to deny sickness benefits to those with HIV.
He also supports Partnership Schools, and privatisation of health,education and welfare — if he had his way. — and hates unions, which is a bedrock of the labour party.
He also called for tax cuts which would have collapsed our schools and hospitals.
JT coming back is more of what the hollowmen ordered, carry on captain shearer. Aye aye Admiral.
Sepuloni lost Waitakere largely because Bradford and Mana couldn’t be bothered with the big picture in unseating a cabinet minster and further evidence how ego ecentric they all are. They were never going to win it but rather then let Carmel have a clear run at it they did the ‘me me me me’ routine.
Letting the devious and inciteful JT back is asking for trouble, he’ll make the nat’s look presidential with his talkback rant time adding to an already dodgy and flawed political character.
Sue Bradford:
I’ve been making it really clear at every meeting I speak at that I am only asking for the Party vote for Mana in Waitakere, not the electorate vote.
Anyway, it’s not ego, it’s about using her electorate to increase the profile of Mana, and the issues.
tc, why blame Bradford and Mana but not the GP, or the ALCP? Sepuloni lost by 9 votes, and any of Mana, GP or ALCP not standing a candidate would have ensured she won.
We should be talking about parties accommodating at the electoral level.
and in Ideas 10.06 a.m.
Last month Human Rights Watch issued a report calling for so-called killer robots to be stopped in their tracks and this week Jeremy Rose talks to the report’s author, Bonnie Docherty. Wellingtonian Mary Wareham, who has just taken up the position of advocacy director of disarmament at Human Rights Watch in Washington DC, tells Chris Laidlaw about the challenges of convincing governments to give up some of the nastier parts of their arsenals, and Wim Zwijenburg, of the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, talks about efforts to have a moratorium placed on the use of depleted uranium. Produced by Jeremy Rose.
Also keep an eye on santa fe institute – some great thinking that I could possibly understand, and many of you for sure. http://www.santafe.edu/education/
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By Professor Tony Blakely, Dr Tim Wilson, Luke Thorburn and Professor Nathan Grills, University of MelbourneA new web tool, COVID-19 Pandemic Trade-offs, allows people to weigh the costs and benefits of different policy responses as Australia rolls out vaccines and considers opening borders.See here for an associated explanatory ...
This evening I was engaging in polite conversation (well, I was polite, anyway) on an RNZ Facebook post about – you guessed it! – the covid19 vaccination program. One of those present offered up a link to a blog post by Joseph Mercola to support a claim he was making ...
by Jordan Levi (Contributed) I don’t remember when I first came across the concept of gender identity, but it was definitely before Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner) came out as transgender because I’m sure that would’ve confused me way more if it was my first acquaintance with the phenomenon. The ...
The Greens welcome $6.6 million from the Government’s $455 million programme to increase access to mental health and addiction services for our Pasifika communities in Auckland and Wellington. ...
The Green Party is putting a Member’s Bill into the ballot today which will be a significant step towards overhauling the Social Security Act by embedding a tikanga Māori framework into the welfare system. ...
The Green Party have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the union movement in Aotearoa New Zealand by renewing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with E Tū. ...
Soon, more kids in Aotearoa will have access to the in-school mental health support that has boosted the resilience of tamariki and whānau in Canterbury. ...
The Green Party supports the open letter released today by a cross-sector coalition calling for the Government to treat all drug use as a health issue, to repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. ...
Small businesses are not only the heart of our economy – they’re also the heart of our communities. They provide important goods and services, as well as great employment opportunities. They know and love their locals. And after a tough year, they need our support! ...
Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono MP, supports the demand from Pasifika communities fighting for climate action as their homelands are more at risk in the Pacific region. ...
The Green Party supports the six demands for climate action put forward by School Strike for Climate NZ, who are striking across the country today. ...
The Ministry of Justice Māori victimisation report, released today, reinforces what we already know about the impact of systemic racism in Aotearoa and that urgent action is needed. ...
Ricardo Menéndez March’s Members Bill to ensure that disabled New Zealanders do not face discrimination for having a disability assist dog was today pulled from the biscuit tin to be debated in Parliament. ...
More than one million people will be better off from today, thanks to our Government’s changes to the minimum wage, main benefits and superannuation. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to do more for New Zealanders who continue to miss out, as main benefits are set to rise by less than $8 a week tomorrow, Thursday 1 April (at the start of the financial year). ...
Sunday 28th March 70 Rongomaiwahine descendants welcomed members of the Green Party’s Māori Caucus, Te Mātāwaka, Dr Elizabeth Kerekere and Teanau Tuiono, to discuss concerns about RocketLab’s operations on the Mahia Peninsula. ...
New Zealand has today added its voice to the international condemnation of the malicious compromise and exploitation of the SolarWinds Orion platform. The Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau, Andrew Little, says that New Zealand's international partners have analysed the compromise of the SolarWinds Orion platform and attributed ...
An expert consenting panel has approved the Queenstown Arterials Project, which will significantly improve transport links and reduce congestion for locals and visitors in the tourism hotspot. Environment Minister David Parker welcomed the approval for the project that will construct, operate and maintain a new urban road around Queenstown’s town ...
Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash says a landmark deal has been agreed with Amazon for The Lord of the Rings TV series, currently being filmed in New Zealand. Mr Nash says the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) secures multi-year economic and tourism benefits to New Zealand, outside the screen ...
The Government welcomes the findings from a rapid review into the health system response to lead contamination in Waikouaiti’s drinking water supply. Sample results from the town’s drinking-water supply showed intermittent spikes in lead levels above the maximum acceptable value. The source of the contamination is still under investigation by ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood today marked the start of construction on the New Zealand Upgrade Programme’s Papakura to Drury South project on Auckland’s Southern Motorway, which will create hundreds of jobs and support Auckland’s economic recovery. The SH1 Papakura to Drury South project will give more transport choices by providing ...
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karanga maha o te wa, tēnā koutou, tēna koutou, tēna tātou katoa. Ki ngā mana whenua, ko Ngāi Tahu, ko Waitaha, ko Kāti Māmoe anō nei aku mihi ki a koutou. Nōku te hōnore kia haere mai ki te ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood today marked the completion of upgrades to State Highway 20B which will give Aucklanders quick electric bus trips to and from the airport. The State Highway 20B Early Improvements project has added new lanes in each direction between Pukaki Creek Bridge and SH20 for buses and ...
The Government is putting in place a review of the work being done on animal welfare and safety in the greyhound racing industry, Grant Robertson announced today. “While Greyhound Racing NZ has reported some progress in implementing the recommendations of the Hansen Report, recent incidents show the industry still has ...
The infringement fee for using a mobile phone while driving will increase from $80 to $150 from 30 April 2021 to encourage safer driving, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. Michael Wood said too many people are still picking up the phone while driving. “Police issued over 40,000 infringement notices ...
Pacific people in New Zealand will be better supported with new mental health and addiction services rolling out across the Auckland and Wellington regions, says Aupito William Sio. “One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of our Pacific peoples. We need a by ...
New measures are being proposed to accelerate progress towards becoming a smokefree nation by 2025, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced. “Smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke kills around 12 people a day in New Zealand. Recent data tells us New Zealand’s smoking rates continue to decrease, but ...
More children will be able to access mental wellbeing support with the Government expansion of Mana Ake services to five new District Health Board areas, Health Minister Andrew Little says. The Health Minister made the announcement while visiting Homai School in Counties Manukau alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate ...
The Government’s COVID-19 response has meant a record number of people moved off a Benefit and into employment in the March Quarter, with 32,880 moving into work in the first three months of 2021. “More people moved into work last quarter than any time since the Ministry of Social Development ...
A stocktake undertaken by France and New Zealand shows significant global progress under the Christchurch Call towards its goal to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The findings of the report released today reinforce the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, with countries, companies and civil society working together to ...
Racing Minister Grant Robertson has announced he is appointing Elizabeth Dawson (Liz) as the Chair of the interim TAB NZ Board. Liz Dawson is an existing Board Director of the interim TAB NZ Board and Chair of the TAB NZ Board Selection Panel and will continue in her role as ...
The Government has announced that the export of livestock by sea will cease following a transition period of up to two years, said Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “At the heart of our decision is upholding New Zealand’s reputation for high standards of animal welfare. We must stay ahead of the ...
WORKSHOP ON LETHAL AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS SYSTEMS Wednesday 14 April 2021 MINISTER FOR DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL OPENING REMARKS Good morning, I am so pleased to be able to join you for part of this workshop, which I’m confident will help us along the path to developing New Zealand’s national policy on ...
For the first time, all 18 prisons in New Zealand will be invited to participate in an inter-prison kapa haka competition, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. The 2021 Hōkai Rangi Whakataetae Kapa Haka will see groups prepare and perform kapa haka for experienced judges who visit each prison and ...
The Government has introduced the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill, designed to boost New Zealand's ability to respond to a wider range of terrorist activities. The Bill strengthens New Zealand’s counter-terrorism legislation and ensures that the right legislative tools are available to intervene early and prevent harm. “This is the Government’s first ...
Coal boiler replacements at a further ten schools, saving an estimated 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Fossil fuel boiler replacements at Southern Institute of Technology and Taranaki DHB, saving nearly 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Projects to achieve a total ...
Attorney-General David Parker today announced the appointment of Cassie Nicholson as Chief Parliamentary Counsel for a term of five years. The Chief Parliamentary Counsel is the principal advisor and Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO). She is responsible for ensuring PCO, which drafts most of New Zealand’s legislation, provides ...
Every part of Government will need to take urgent action to bring down emissions, the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said today in response to the recent rise in New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions. The latest annual inventory of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions shows that both gross and net ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says Aotearoa New Zealand has become the first country in the world to introduce a law that requires the financial sector to disclose the impacts of climate change on their business and explain how they will manage climate-related risks and opportunities. The Financial ...
Exceptional employment practices in the primary industries have been celebrated at the Good Employer Awards, held this evening at Parliament. “Tonight’s awards provided the opportunity to celebrate and thank those employers in the food and fibres sector who have gone beyond business-as-usual in creating productive, safe, supportive, and healthy work ...
Applications are now invited from all councils for a slice of government funding aimed at improving tourism infrastructure, especially in areas under pressure given the size of their rating bases. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has already signalled that five South Island regions will be given priority to reflect that jobs ...
Tēnā koutou e ngā maata waka Tenā koutou te hau kāinga ngā iwi o Te Whanganui ā TaraTēnā koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te Rā. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa. It is a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you Graeme (Peters, ENA Chief ...
The Construction Skills Action Plan has delivered early on its overall target of supporting an additional 4,000 people into construction-related education and employment, says Minister for Building and Construction Poto Williams. Since the Plan was launched in 2018, more than 9,300 people have taken up education or employment opportunities in ...
An innovative new Youth Justice residence designed in partnership with Māori will provide prevention, healing, and rehabilitation services for both young people and their whānau, Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Whakatakapokai is located in South Auckland and will provide care and support for up to 15 rangatahi remanded or ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today expressed New Zealand’s sorrow at the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “Our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen at this profoundly sad time. On behalf of the New Zealand people and the Government, I would like to express ...
We, the Home Affairs, Interior, Security and Immigration Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (the ‘Five Countries’) met via video conference on 7/8 April 2021, just over a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Guided by our shared ...
Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni has today announced the opening of the first round of Ngā Puninga Toi ā-Ahurea me ngā Kaupapa Cultural Installations and Events. “Creating jobs and helping the arts sector rebuild and recover continues to be a key part of the Government’s COVID-19 response,” Carmel ...
Interim legislation that is already proving to keep people safer from drugs will be made permanent, Health Minister Andrew Little says. Research by Victoria University, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, shows that the Government’s decision in December to make it legal for drug-checking services to operate at festivals ...
Public consultation launched on ways to improve behaviour and reduce damage Tighter rules proposed for either camping vehicles or camping locations Increased penalties proposed, such as $1,000 fines or vehicle confiscation Rental companies may be required to collect fines from campers who hire vehicles Public feedback is sought on proposals ...
The Government is continuing to support Air New Zealand while aviation markets stabilise and the world moves towards more normal border operations. The Crown loan facility made available to Air New Zealand in March 2020 has been extended to a debt facility of up to $1.5 billion (an additional $600 ...
Christchurch’s Richmond suburb will soon have a new community hub, following the gifting of a red-zoned property by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to the Richmond Community Gardens Trust. The Minister for Land Information, Damien O’Connor said that LINZ, on behalf of the Crown, will gift a Vogel Street house ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says the reopening of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ (MPP) Languages Funding in 2021 will make sure there is a future for Pacific languages. “Language is the key to the wellbeing for Pacific people. It affirms our identity as Pasifika and ...
It is a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you Cameron for the introduction and thank you for ERANZ for also hosting this event. Last week in fact, we had one of the largest gatherings in our sector, Downstream 2021. I have heard from my officials that the discussion on ...
Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods has today announced the 16 projects that will together get $3.9 million through the 2021 round of Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund, further strengthening the Government’s commitment to Māori knowledge in science and innovation. “We received 78 proposals - the highest ...
The Government is delivering on a key election commitment to tackle climate change, by banning new low and medium temperature coal-fired boilers and partnering with the private sector to help it transition away from fossil fuels. This is the first major announcement to follow the release of the Climate Commission’s ...
Six projects, collectively valued at over $70 million are delivering new schools, classrooms and refurbished buildings across Central Otago and are helping to ease the pressure of growing rolls in the area, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. The National Education Growth Plan is making sure that sufficient capacity in the ...
"He pulled down the straps of her tank top with his teeth and bit her neck..Afterwards, she pretended it didn’t happen": a short story by Auckland writer Leanne RadojkovichA teenager riding an e-scooter shot across the intersection towards Patsy, she stepped aside, the front wheel took the ...
Critic's Chair: Guy Somerset watches and listens to two wonderful series on YouTube and Spotify featuring great raconteurs and wits broadcast from their homes during the long UK lockdown This week, the UK started off along the second stage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “cautious but irreversible” roadmap to the ...
What happens when the world’s rarest gull sets up camp in earthquake-damaged buildings in central Christchurch? Frank Film investigates. Christchurch’s population of endangered tarāpuka/black-billed gulls may have a new home. The Christchurch City Council is hoping to fashion a new site for the gulls in what was once part of ...
WATCH: In the heart-wrenching final episode of the Pure As video series, Silver Ferns shooter Maia Wilson reveals the on-court highs and off-court lows she's been through. Maia Wilson's young life has already been an emotional rollercoaster. While her netball career soars to new heights every time she takes the court, away ...
LISTEN: Is 2021 the year the Tactix finally get to lift netball's ANZ Premiership trophy? with the ANZ Premiership starting this weekend, how will the absence of Silver Fern captain Amerliaranne Ekenasio affect the two-time champions Central Pulse? What impact will Australian international Caitlin Bassett have for the Waikato Bay of ...
After a marathon year of droughts and water restrictions, Auckland finally has a goal to reduce its water consumption Water, water everywhere, and most certainly in the news. After a massive public information campaign last year, Aucklanders managed to knock 100 million litres a day off the city’s water consumption. ...
A new initiative is taking on food insecurity and food wastage by encouraging diners to take uneaten food home. And, as chefs taking part of the scheme explain, what you do with those leftovers needn’t be limited to a quick blat in the microwave. It’s hard to know just how much ...
With the council in disarray, former Wellington mayor Justin Lester sat down with The Spinoff to share his thoughts on what’s gone wrong, and what needs to happen from here. Justin Lester is running again. When we meet at the Civic Square cafe Nikau, the former Wellington mayor is breaking in a ...
After months of lockdown, pubs in England were allowed to reopen this week, with outdoor seating only. New Zealander George Fenwick headed out to see how Londoners were welcoming the return of a cornerstone of British social life.Trying to explain what life has been like in the UK for the ...
The government's priorities are being questioned after announcing it will be giving Amazon a more than $100 million boost to film the Lord of the Rings television series here. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Keane, Professor of Chinese Digital Media and Culture, Queensland University of Technology China’s state-run anti-monopoly bureau has tightened its regulations on big tech players, as shown by its recent move against the country’s largest e-commerce company, Alibaba Group. Alibaba was hit ...
Campaign & Petition Launch “Racial INJustice Matters” calling for an immediate independent inquiry into Institutional Racism and Racial Profiling by the Waikato Police. Where we live, work, play should be safe for everyone, no matter ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and Director of the Institute for Governance & Policy Analysis Dr Lain Dare discuss the week in politics. This week the pair discuss the evidence given by Christine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Carlson, Professor, Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University Recently, we have witnessed an uprising of thousands marching in the streets fuelled by outrage against the violence and sexual assault experienced by women. Indigenous women and gender diverse people also marched and shared this ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. India only at Magnitude 4 for reported cases. Chart by Keith Rankin. New Zealand has, for the rest of this month, banned all people who have been in India this month from entry into New Zealand. The decision is based not on the incidence of Covid19 ...
The screen industry – or some of its more well-heeled operators – today learned the government is keen to improve its wellbeing. This followed several blasts of Beehive trumpeting about initiatives to improve the wellbeing and wellness of we Kiwis. The announcements yesterday included the heartening news that the Government’s ...
The new Ministry for Ethnic Communities comes into being on 1 July. It’s important that the views and needs of Aotearoa New Zealand’s many and diverse ethnic communities help set the priorities for the new organisation from day one. We are running a series ...
The National Party need to take a good hard look at themselves, following their Economic Development spokesperson’s endorsement of Kiwi taxpayers stumping up for welfare for the American multi billion dollar corporation, Amazon. Responding to ...
New Zealand is not rejigging its Covid-19 immunisation programme despite predictions people will need a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine within 12 months. ...
Predator Free 2050 Limited has announced new investments in predator free projects around the country. Existing projects in Taranaki, Waiheke and Dunedin, a new project in Te Urewera, and a feasibility study on Aotea Great Barrier Island will benefit ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Mitchell, Professor of Nursing, University of Newcastle The Australian public’s infection control literacy continues to expand. We know what PPE is, what “flattening the curve” means, and we are growing increasingly familiar with the term “deep clean”. But what does a ...
The High Court in Auckland this week ordered overseas investors to pay penalties totalling $1.38 million and legal costs for breaching the Overseas Investment Act. The significant penalty follows a family purchasing five forestry blocks totalling ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1The Mirror Book by Charlotte Grimshaw (Vintage, $38)It’s the book everyone’s talking about – and writing about. ...
A little understanding – and a few simple, easy-to-follow rules – can make a huge difference to our lives, Autistic advocate Rory McCarthy writes.Autistic people have difficult lives: a lot of things that seem trivial or a sign of over-sensitivity to allistic (non-Autistic people) actually affect us quite significantly. There ...
Analysis - A startling revelation shows up cracks in the testing regime just as the vaccine rollout comes under scrutiny, and National faces another bout of leadership speculation, writes Peter Wilson. ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is urging ACC to ignore diktats from the Minister of Finance . “ACC should be left to independently manage the hard-earned funds it receives from levy-payers,” says Union spokesman Jordan Williams. “It’s ...
The New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) is not surprised by the government’s decision to ban live exports by sea and believes the two- year transition period is pragmatic for businesses in the sector. We are not surprised by the decision and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cristina Pozo-Gonzalo, Senior Research Fellow, Deakin University Rare-earth metals are critical to the high-tech society we live in as an essential component of mobile phones, computers and many other everyday devices. But increasing demand and limited global supply means we must urgently ...
Looking to buy a unit or apartment? You might need to think twice or even three times, if this Prime documentary is anything to go by, writes Jacqueline Paul.If you are hoping to buy a home built between the late 1980s and the mid-2000s, there is a significant risk that ...
Amid some in-House knitting drama this week, there was more speculation the knives are out for National Party leader Judith Collins. But doesn't National always have its knives out? James Elliott has the news of the week. It was an exciting week for those holding tickets in the “Seymour Sweepstake”, ...
A poem from Mohamed Hassan’s Ockham-shortlisted collection National Anthem.And before that we were starsCan you please look at this poem and tell me if it’s good?it’s for my fiancé she’s really far away I want to say how I feel but my English is limited, can you read it?she works ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Click here to subscribe to Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup and New Zealand Politics Daily. Today’s contentNational Party leadership Matthew Hooton (Herald): My message to National – and how to avoid ...
A new full-time role recording, editing and mixing content for The Spinoff podcast network, based in our Morningside office. We’re looking for an experienced sound engineer. The successful applicant will be responsible for recording, editing and mixing content for The Spinoff podcast network and managing the podcast studio. In addition to ...
Rainbow youth still facing stigma and stress but positive signs: new findings Youth19, the latest in a series of surveys focused on young people in Aotearoa, asked 7,721 secondary school-aged students about their experiences of school, home and community. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rajib Dasgupta, Chairperson, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University India is in the grip of a massive second wave of COVID-19 infections, surpassing even the United States and Brazil in terms of new daily infections. The current spike ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW Perhaps the most important lesson from the Christine Holgate controversy is that the confluence of sexism and politics leads to double standards for female executives. But Holgate’s demise – pushed from her position as Australia Post’s ...
The $162 million subsidy for one of the world’s richest companies proves Amazon has New Zealand taxpayers over a barrel, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Treasury has previously warned that our ...
The Government has just announced a review of the greyhound racing industry, following reports from SAFE, Greyhound Protection League and Grey2K USA Worldwide of ongoing cruelty within the greyhound racing industry. In the announcement, Minister for Racing ...
Books editor Catherine Woulfe with a personal story about structured literacy, the step-by-step reading system that’s gaining traction across the country. My boy is called Ben and he turns seven in October. In the battle over how kids learn to read, he is a data point of one. But he ...
Wellington, 15 April 2021 - Cancer Society says Government's proposed smokefree plan includes bold and forward-thinking measures that are needed at this time to make smokefree 2025 a reality. S moking is the biggest cause of cancer and preventable ...
Climate justice organisation 350 Aotearoa is celebrating the direction from the government for the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) to accelerate its moves to divest from investments in fossil fuels. The direction to ACC to divest ...
Far from worshipping their former colonial masters, by proudly appropriating and indigenising a piece of British culture the Tannese are asserting their own mana, writes Scott Hamilton.In the aftermath of Prince Philip’s death, the western media has turned its gaze to Tanna, a mountainous island in the far south of ...
The Federation of Islamic Associations is accusing the Office of Ethnic Communities of being insensitive by scheduling community meetings during the holy month of Ramadan. ...
The government’s slight increase in fines for drivers illegally using cellphones is ‘pathetic’, says the car review website dogandlemon.com . Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says many drivers will simply continue ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for April 16, bringing you the latest news throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 8.00am: Fine for using a cell phone while driving almost doubles You’ll seen be fined $150 if you’re caught using a cell phone while behind the wheel, transport ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Baron, Associate professor, Australian Catholic University In 1994, physicist Miguel Alcubierre proposed a radical technology that would allow faster than light travel: the warp drive, a hypothetical way to skirt around the universe’s ultimate speed limit by bending the fabric of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra Rojas, Speech pathologist and Lecturer in Voice Disorders, Department of Speech Pathology, Orthopedics & Audiology, La Trobe University Losing our voice, having a hoarse voice, or having any difficulties with our voice can be challenging, especially for those who need to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Feral horses are a catastrophic problem for the environment, particularly in the high country that crosses the New South Wales and Victoria border. To deal with this growing issue, the Victorian government has released ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca English, Lecturer in Education, Queensland University of Technology Home education, sometimes called homeschooling, is when children are educated outside a formal institution like a school. Parents of home-educated children are wholly responsible for facilitating their child’s learning. This is different to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW Perhaps the most important lesson from the Christine Holgate controversy is that the confluence of sexism and politics leads to double standards for female executives. But Holgate’s demise – pushed from her position as Australia Post’s ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: The complex politics of ending smoking, security company with MIQ contract disputes government claim, and parliament votes to extend emergency Covid powers.A range of proposals have been outlined by the government to effectively end smoking. Newshub reports it includes phasing the age ...
Business & Investing: Stand by for action in Contact and Meridian shares as Blackrock is forced to sell down holdings, Plus: A new bid for Tilt Renewables ...
Michelle Hooper, tournament director for the 2022 Rugby World Cup, talks to Ashley Stanley in part two of LockerRoom’s video series, The Big Four, where we meet the women leading the four global sporting events in New Zealand over the next two years - three World Cups and the IWG Women and ...
The latest Silver Fern, Maddy Gordon has had to learn not to over-train, and is primed for the start of the ANZ Premiership this weekend. Her alarm goes off at 6am and Maddy Gordon is up and out of her bed, putting on her running shoes and dashing out the door. Moments later ...
Dr Alys Longley explains why art collaboration across borders in all our different cities and spaces is an essential service during a pandemic As an artist and academic, I love to make work with colleagues whose first language is not English, with artists whose creative language is infused by cultures and traditions ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve BrauniasNON-FICTION 1 The Mirror Book by Charlotte Grimshaw (Penguin Random House, $38) Number one in its first week in the shops – of course, because this is the book ...
A suburban ratepayers revolt against the rates and debt hikes needed for affordable apartments and pedestrian-friendly CBDs could wreck the government’s carbon zero and housing affordability plans before they’re off the drawing boards.In the latest episode of When the Facts Change, Bernard Hickey talks to Wellington city councillor Tamatha Paul ...
If the hospitality industry wants public and government support for a pandemic recovery, it must clean up its employment act according to Unite Union. What was already a bad situation became much worse as zero hour contracts, illegal pay cuts, cancelled ...
This time next week, we will be a bubble of 30 million. That’s a big bubble. But is it the best? We rank other impressive bubbles through the ages.The trans-Tasman bubble is a big one, but we’re determined not to pop it. This could be the best bubble we’ve seen ...
The latest study on how we are using and abusing our urban and rural land is confronting reading. Rod Oram argues we must wise up now or suffer the consequences. ...
When even the Energy Efficiency Authority's emissions are dominated by air travel, it doesn't bode well. So there's a push to bring back the night train. ...
Hate speech offences will be moved to the crimes act and could be penalised with three years' imprisonment, according to a Cabinet paper on the long-awaited reforms. ...
Turia personifies Whanau Ora problem
Seriously, it seems that the police should be looking into Whanau Ora already. And if not the police then a ministerial enquiry. There’s just too many stories of what looks like people getting money for nothing.
Hate to say it but Whanau Ora, the supposed magic bullet, has indeed turned out to be just another opportunity for those in the know to fleece the taxpayer.
It always had the look and smell of being Turia’s slush fund, those votes don’t come cheap you know.
So more funds diverted from hospitals etc. Lovin the accountability/transparency NACT, nice one.
Tamihere, who was a failed Minister and poor electorate performer, is lined up for a seat selection despite a string of financial and political sins.
Cunliffe, who was a ministerial star and is a top electorate performer, is shafted for refusing to say how he will vote in a future secret ballot.
Shearer is a genius. Shearer is genius.
Heil Shearer.
He will lead up to 23% in 2014 and do better than English in 2002.
We are saved. We are saved.
I intend to write to the council stating that though I have no particular objection to his being a member of the party, I would strongly oppose his being allowed to stand for Labour. Surely even a cursory reading of the foundational principles of the party, compared with Tamihere’s stated views, and past behaviour would rule him out as a representative.
Hell, any hint of a possibility, and I’ll ring up talkback shows myself, and remind listeners of the family pets he abandoned when he moved home a few years ago. Just to get things moving.
I hope others will make their feelings known on this issue, along with the many, many, reasons why Tamihere is not acceptable, and not Labour.
I’d vote for David before I’d vote for John.
I have to agree about Shearer’s genius, though. It takes a special type of political nous to ignore Jones, Tamihere, and Mallard and attack Cunliffe instead. It shows focus in the race for that 23%.
Record Redundancies
Reading this mornings NZH there is a item about record redundancies in NZ. National can take a bow for a lot of these job losses because of their inability too manage the economy properly. High NZD coupled with inaction
to stimulate job growth, thru one example ‘keeping it local with Govt contracts etc.’ Thank goodness the major opposition parties had the sense to hold a manufacturing/job summit
recently. I imagine in part Labour’s bold new Housing Policy came out of this? I think most New Zealanders know someone being made redundant lately. Is enough pressure being put on National by opposition parties? Should they band together with the CTU & lead a protest day of ‘all’ the workers getting the axe before Christmas. A damn good idea too highlight a piss & wind Government!
just beginning to wonder if the Labour leadership understand that the poll this week showing Labour losing ground and Greens gaining has something to do with membership dissatisfaction.
The way Cunliffe was handled was one thing. But Tamihere is another.
I suspect this will generate massive distaste among Labour’s female members, who will either stay home or switch membership to the Greens in droves.
The poll shift means this is really hurting Labour and will get worse.
Feels sick to be part of a nasty calculation like that ie liberal females are worth sacrificing in order to get a seat-winner back, and to shore up Shearer’s caucus majority.
Sepuloni would stand a good chance winning back Waitakere. And Tamihere’s opening salvo is to call Bennett “fat”? Yes, that’s really what’s wrong with her bennie bashing campaign.
Tamihere is a 47% man like Mitt Romney. He dismisses women, gays and unonists in the Labour Party and still thinks he can win.
Labour has enough ‘show ponies’ without adding has been JT. Shearer is going to be rolled by New York’s Lady Penelope’s boy Parker. So no need to worry.
Tamihere is a dinosaur. Also for all his talk he’s very thin skinned. He can dish it but can’t take it. He just got personal with that vile ‘fat’ comment. Problem is a bunch of us know some personal stuff about you JT. Keep acting like this and we’ll start slapping you back.
Labour “show ponies”? It seems to me like Labour prefers to pick lames for race day.
This may well be the final nail in the coffin for my Labour membership. Who thought this was a good idea? Did they allow Tamihere back in as a show of how broadminded they are? To have him pissing from inside the tent? Look at the very first thing he’s done – he’s fired off a bunch of shots at his own members.
Labour isn’t being led at the moment. It is lurching forward. It is dying and it doesn’t even know it.
My guess? David Shearer, Grant Robertson, and their respective staff. A lot of you guys know people on New Zealand Council. Ask them to see if they can confirm or deny.
Anyhows, the Labour Party is a ship headed by Captain Edward John Smith, and the order from the bridge is “Full speed ahead. Damn the icebergs”.
“To have him pissing from inside the tent?”
Or more precisely, to have him also pissing and shitting inside the tent.
The Labour Party tent is getting more smelly, messy and distasteful.
National is just lovin’ it.
A crisp military salute to Viper ‘.’ This Ed Smith will be relieved of Captains duties by way of a mutiny ala the Bounty. Cpt Bligh’s crime of subjecting his crew to harsh treatment ( attempting a right lurch into dangerous waters instead of remaining to port) will require action from Fletcher in February. “Stir give em the lash… not the rum & the others coming.” lol.
Yeah it looks like a “Waitakere man” play. Who decides on the Waitakere candidate? – Carmel must be pissed.
Well cv looks like centralist shearer shoring up a power base by including JT and negating the power play by Parker and or robertson. Labour broad church split into multi blocks and factions has just got broader and more inclusive. JT connects to a segment of the elctrorate that labour needs to reengergise and reconnect to….also JT is a attack dog, a mongrel who can and will get dirty taking on the Tories.
Whilst I don’t like jt he and his kind have a place in the very very broad tent that is or should be labour.
Shearers divide and rule is working well so far shame he isn’t performing in public.
God if only I had that much faith as you in Shearer’s political acumen (ahem) that I could see him making a proper splitter play.
It is definitely good “divide and rule” caucus politics. Great while you are still 2 years out. Crush your enemies and turn the whole caucus into West Germany 1981: absolutely everyone is a spy for everyone else. Keeps the leader the leader.
It is spectacularly bad Party politics.
And shockingly, cynically bad electoral politics. Don’t anyone think this guys brings swags of votes. He brings a handful, and burns a sackful.
The Greens are the winners out of this. Watch the next poll for the same tracking as current.
I will certainly hope that such occurs.
+1 Ad @12.10
IMO JT can do nothing to fix Labour’s disconnection and tone deaf approach to the working class and underclass. You still have a caucus of MPs too many of whom completely live and breathe the insular Wellington beltway bubble of palace politics.
JT is being put back into caucus to appeal to the brash, slightly red neck, middle class. Also, as you point out, to further divide and rule caucus.
Can Labour use him to bring a bit of dirty street fighter mongrel back? Sure, exactly like a skinny snob can ring in for a bit of muscle to rough up the other side. But what does that really change? How will this move solve any of Labour’s biggest issues and limitations? In fact it risks much in return.
One further observation: in Labour, it appears you get handpicked by the few to become an MP if you belong to the right clique.
But it will blow up in their faces, as we are not all ‘1970’s blokey, insult everyone, bloke’s’. Personally I reckon he should run for the Nats, as his politics fit with them better.
He probably thinks the National party still hates brown people.
The “nasty calulation” goes far wider than “liberal females”. Be nice if people would look at the bigger picture, as opposed to the narrow biased view, but encouraging the calculations are being clocked!
Labour are being imploded, National, currently having a free ride during some of the lowest times in NZ political history, and Russel Norman is being plumped nicely to slide in as “the left”
Any odds on an offical National/Labour merger, or will they leave it at unoffical co-operation!
Makes it feel like Shearer is preferring a superstar with high firework-burnout risk, to a lower-profile player who is likely to win with lower risk. Perhaps instead they could put Tamihere head to head with Hone from Mana. Carmel Sepuloni is a keeper.
Not that I don’t appreciate your efforts, but this is what they usually call “picking up the polished end of a turd”.
It’s still sticky.
Simply put, Shearer is shoring up his risk with Jones by bringing back Tamihere. He thinks if he’s got to have a Maori, it had better be a bloke and either will do. Can anyone point to any evidence since Shearer became leader that he supports women or any other minority that JT feels entitled to publicly abuse?
Puts a lot more stress on Labour’s Council to get the selection criteria and mix right next year.
Whether the fresh names on Council can collectively stand up to Robertson, Shearer, Goff and King, is one last faint hope.
Wonder what Moira’s view of Tamihere is? Perhaps she needs the confidence of a strong Council majority.
In fact we should ask every female member of Labour’s caucus what they think of Tamihere back on the path to selection as well.
I don’t even LIKE Bennett, and I’m offended at JT’s comments. We aren’t in a schoolyard FFS.
I’m reminded of when males attacked my body insulting it as if it were their right to pass approval or disapproval.
The proportion of “fat” insults are predominantly directed at females such as Bennett. It seems to me if you are female you can be considered “fat” at a size 12, or even a size 10 if you have offended someone sufficiently.
Can anyone tell me if JT has launched a personal attack like this on Parekura Horomia, Tau Henare, or Pita Sharples?
And DO we really want an MP who focuses his valuable time on body image rather than significant issues? He clearly has intelligence, but unless he is Winston I’m not sure he can pull of this type of angle.
I think you have your answer. The fresh names on Council are too scared to face down the Leadership team. Its just a no brainer regarding the harm Tamihere will do to Labour. But if that’s what the Leadership team want, then guess what we’ll all have to live with it.
My guess is Moira is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She knows in her heart what is right but is powerless to stop the Shearer/Robertson train wreck.
In the words of the man himself –
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10851393
Says it all really. Fine by me. As a woman voter, I’ll be supporting the GP to go after the women’s vote.
It’s been a while since I attended a LEC meeting so will be going to the next one. Last thing we need is JT championing his own cause during election year & turning voters off in droves. His carry on supporting Gibson & co at POAL sums him up. Bloggers on here referring to him as an attack dog, as if he is a heavy hitter have to be kidding. I’d rather have his side kick Willie Jackson at least he fights from a true left corner.
War on Terror; an open-ended question?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/pentagons-top-lawyer-says-military-fight-against-al-qaida-not-en-open-ended-conflict/2012/12/01/90a02102-3bd2-11e2-9258-ac7c78d5c680_story.html
JT has only just got membership of labour again and he launches into the same type of
rhetoric that got his membership withdrawn,incredible.
NZ women dont need some political ‘wannabe’ telling them they are fat,therefore not
worthy of respect,does the labour caucus really need the likes of JT in its ranks,indeed,
in the membership ?
After the Cunliffe dumping, i can see no real reason to support the Shearer led Labour
party, the Robertson and Labour endorsement of JT,cements that.
I’ve managed to get a few details, with some reasonable although I must say not absolute certainty. Parker, Twyford and Cosgrove all supported JT’s membership application earlier this week.
Starlight +1. Me too. Talkback is a highly remunerative power trip for redneck bully boys. Any prospect of change in that fulla ? Doubt it.
All this talk of JT reminded me of an American soap drama from the seventies with a main character called JR. Checking out if I had the initials correct (I had thought it might be JT too) I came across another spooky coincidence on the search engine in the description of the series…….
“The soapy, backstabbing machinations of Dallas oil magnate J.R. Ewing and his family…….”
Substitute the words in italics one gets a Kiwi up to date version:
“The less than soapy backstabbing machinations of certain caucus members of the 2012 Labour party.”
JR, and the entire cast of the Dallas series would have felt right at home in the Kiwi version.
Whey was Labour missing from the lineup in today’s Q & A
Very odd.
Odd? Nope it just goes to show the level of distrust thats going on. Cunliffe should have been the guy who went to it. but they went with No one. A Brilliant idea that was, maybe they though we wouldn’t notice.
So …
John Tamihere gives interviews to the media, openly attacks members of a party that has just taken him back, throws around insults, and generally acts like an infant.
This is OK.
People on a blog then criticise Tamihere and his supporters.
This is not OK. This is “undermining Labour” or “supporting National” or something. Because it’s on a blog.
It’s now clear that this is all part of a great human experiment. The aim is to find out how often you can say “Black Is White”, and still get people to defer to authority, instead of reality.
We must unite! We must rally round Shearer-Labour! We must support people who say “Labour”, even if they themselves are attacking Labour! If they undermine the party, we must support them, otherwise we will be undermining the party! Be Loyal to Disloyalty! It is the Only Way!
And never forget … YOU are the real problem. Not Tamihere. Not Shearer. Not Jones. You. Because you’re on a blog.
John Tamihere hates gays, women and unions.
The guy is more or less a brown Hitler.
OK he may not get his wish to repeal the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986, but as an associate education minister in a Shearer Cabinet he might launch a pogrom against gay schoolteachers, or campaign to get homosexual themed literature out of the school system, or as Social Development minister, stack the Families Commission with homophobes and seek to deny sickness benefits to those with HIV.
He also supports Partnership Schools, and privatisation of health,education and welfare — if he had his way. — and hates unions, which is a bedrock of the labour party.
He also called for tax cuts which would have collapsed our schools and hospitals.
The guy must be stopped. Plain and simple.
Tamihere is a distraction, and a symptom of other issues.
+1
+2 CV “symptom of other issues” very spot on
JT coming back is more of what the hollowmen ordered, carry on captain shearer. Aye aye Admiral.
Sepuloni lost Waitakere largely because Bradford and Mana couldn’t be bothered with the big picture in unseating a cabinet minster and further evidence how ego ecentric they all are. They were never going to win it but rather then let Carmel have a clear run at it they did the ‘me me me me’ routine.
Letting the devious and inciteful JT back is asking for trouble, he’ll make the nat’s look presidential with his talkback rant time adding to an already dodgy and flawed political character.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10766370
Yeah, such a “me me me” routine.
Yet she stood as a candidate.
Anyway, it’s not ego, it’s about using her electorate to increase the profile of Mana, and the issues.
tc, why blame Bradford and Mana but not the GP, or the ALCP? Sepuloni lost by 9 votes, and any of Mana, GP or ALCP not standing a candidate would have ensured she won.
We should be talking about parties accommodating at the electoral level.
Both TV1 and TV3 have got polls out tonight.
Telling times.
Apart from JT and Q&A there was some other interesting stuff on today. Chris Laidlaw on Sunday morning for Radio nz did a piece on the environment – good stuff.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday
Wayne Brittenden’s Counterpoint 11.41. a.m.
then
Chris follows up with Dr George Mobus, a University of Washington-based expert on cross-disciplinary approaches to understanding complex adaptive systems – blog is Question Everything.
http://questioneverything.typepad.com/question_everything/2011/03/limits-to-complexity.html
and in Ideas 10.06 a.m.
Last month Human Rights Watch issued a report calling for so-called killer robots to be stopped in their tracks and this week Jeremy Rose talks to the report’s author, Bonnie Docherty. Wellingtonian Mary Wareham, who has just taken up the position of advocacy director of disarmament at Human Rights Watch in Washington DC, tells Chris Laidlaw about the challenges of convincing governments to give up some of the nastier parts of their arsenals, and Wim Zwijenburg, of the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, talks about efforts to have a moratorium placed on the use of depleted uranium. Produced by Jeremy Rose.
Also keep an eye on santa fe institute – some great thinking that I could possibly understand, and many of you for sure. http://www.santafe.edu/education/