Open mike 09/08/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 9th, 2022 - 72 comments
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72 comments on “Open mike 09/08/2022 ”

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  1. Jester 1
    9 August 2022 at 6:33 am

    "You want the truth. You can't handle the truth." – Sam Uffindell 2022.

    Also, Jack Nicholson 1992.

    • Jimmy 1.1
      9 August 2022 at 7:25 am

      If John Key was his boss he would be gone by lunchtime.

      If Helen Clark was his boss he would be gone by lunchtime.

      If Jacinda Ardern was his boss he would be promoted up the list and probably made speaker.

      As Luxon is his boss……………..could go either way.

      • Robert Guyton 1.1.1
        9 August 2022 at 7:50 am

        Key'd hand him a bed-leg.

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.1.1.1
          9 August 2022 at 8:35 am

          And If the kid'd had a ponytail….uurgh. : (

          sir Key, absolutely fits the bully cap

        • left for dead 1.1.1.2
          9 August 2022 at 10:00 am

          The bullie had three other sadists,who are they ?

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.2.1
            9 August 2022 at 10:07 am

            I guess we don't need to know…unless they stand as National Party candidates.

            • Jimmy 1.1.1.2.1.1
              9 August 2022 at 10:14 am

              What if they stood for Labour?

              • Robert Guyton …
                9 August 2022 at 10:15 am

                For all and any party.

                More likely they'd be drawn to National though 🙂

                Not The Greens.

                No way at all.

                • Jimmy …
                  9 August 2022 at 11:15 am

                  Agreed not good for any party, but being private school far more likely to end up Nats or Act. Mallard seems to be the exception as his bullying well reported.

              • woodart …
                9 August 2022 at 10:18 am

                bullies from a private school? young nats all day long

      • solkta 1.1.2
        9 August 2022 at 9:20 am

        On what basis would he be gone? He disclosed this information to the party as part of the candidate vetting process but they let him run anyway.

        • Robert Guyton 1.1.2.1
          9 August 2022 at 10:13 am

          Why, ya gotta wonder, did Uffindell choose to do this?

          Uffindell "… used his maiden speech to critique a “growing culture of lawlessness, lack of accountability, a sense of impunity, and significant underlying generational social problems”.

          ???

          Was it that "sense of impunity" wot dunnit?

        • AB 1.1.2.2
          9 August 2022 at 11:06 am

          Agreed – I want him to stay. He sounds like a natural fit for National. An ambitious, hard-working guy wanting to get ahead, keen to show his personal excellence (physical, intellectual, verbal) and be unshackled from state regulations and the wasteful spending that goes with it. He might have become a tradie instead of an MP – he knew how to unscrew the bed leg. Certainly he knows that humans are innately competitive and some people naturally dominate others in the free markets of the economy and physical violence. Go Sam, you are the future.

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.2.2.1
            9 August 2022 at 11:32 am

            Good point, AB – John Key couldn't use a hammer, but this bloke can repurpose technology (in this instance, a bed-leg, like nobody's business!).

            Future Leader of the National Party?

      • alwyn 1.1.3
        9 August 2022 at 10:09 am

        "If Helen Clark was his boss he would be gone by lunchtime"

        Really?

        About the only thing we have to decide this is what she did when Trevor Mallard assaulted Tau Henare in Parliament. Trevor was an adult of course, not a teenager.

        What did Helen do? Well nothing really. She was reported as saying that

        "Miss Clark said today that her minister had been punished enough for the brawl in Parliament's lobby.

        Mr Mallard had already been publicly humiliated over the "silly incident", which had occurred after he had been provoked – both verbally and physically."

        She also said "Miss Clark today said calls for Mr Mallard to be sacked were political in nature due to his effectiveness as a minister."

        Then she shifted him into a more significant position in Cabinet.

        I seem to remember she also said something like "That is just Trevor being Trevor" but I can't find any link and I may be imagining that.

        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/35562/Clark-making-excuses-for-Mallard-Henare

        All this storm in a teacup is people on the left trying to distract public attention from last night's poll results. Just the standard dirty politics from the left.

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.1.3.1
          9 August 2022 at 10:15 am

          Just the standard dirty politics from the left.

          WTF? You righties have the lock on that! Proven. And 4 scumbags (one now a nat MP ).. beating on a younger kid…with weapons is a distraction.?

          Unbelievable

          • Visubversa 1.1.3.1.1
            9 August 2022 at 12:51 pm

            There has been a concerted effort from the NACT troll farm to run a massive campaign of "whataboutism" – "what about Mallard"? As if a couple of middle aged blokes having an attack of testosterone poisoning in an inappropriate place was exactly equivalent to 4 people attacking a sleeping and defenseless 13 yo child as he slept.

          • LibertyBelle 1.1.3.1.2
            9 August 2022 at 5:02 pm

            The left is very adept at it's own forms of dirty politics. What's different is that it is often directed at itself, a bit like a man with a pistol that fires before lifting the barrel.

        • LibertyBelle 1.1.3.2
          9 August 2022 at 5:07 pm

          It could have been a deflection from last nights poll, or it could have been a deflection from the OAG's submission on the 3Waters legislation?

    • DB Brown 1.2
      9 August 2022 at 8:01 am

      Four on one – the man's a coward.
      Four on one with weapons – the man's an utter coward.
      Four on one with weapons on a person in bed – the mans a snivelling wretch and an utter coward.
      FOUR ON ONE – so he could have said something but did not… the man's willing to break laws and bones just to be accepted. A jellyfish. A limp-wristed pathetic preener.

      • ianmac 1.2.1
        9 August 2022 at 8:51 am

        Four times Uffindell was asked on Morning Report if this assault was a one off and each time he evaded the answer.

        He let slip that he was asked to leave (expelled) but the others were suspended.

        I wonder why they attacked the victim who was years their junior. Must have been a serious "flaw" of some sort.
        https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018852740

      • Robert Guyton 1.2.2
        9 August 2022 at 9:02 am

        But the National Party deputy-leader says, Sam" is sincere (now) and changed (now). She's sure he will join her in condemning bullying of that sort (now).

        How she knows this, we cannot know.

        She didn't hear about the bullying incident until yesterday…

  2. Ad 2
    9 August 2022 at 7:20 am

    Several hundred old things on TradeMe confirm us still as "Where old British cars go to die." No, not Dunedin, but Hawkes Bay.

    Fancy a classic British motor? Hundreds from one man's passion project on sale | Stuff.co.nz

  3. Jenny how to get there 3
    9 August 2022 at 7:50 am

    Putin asks us, when we bomb civilians, why do we get sanctions, but Israel doesn't?

    1. Are there any sanctions against ISRAEL for the murder and destruction of innocent Palestinian women and children?…..

    https://vk.com/wall473368214_2098

    He has a point.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8qay1Al7Dc&t=01s

    • Ad 3.1
      9 August 2022 at 9:44 am

      "But what about them" is one of the stupidest defences for war crimes I have ever heard.

      • Adrian Thornton 3.1.1
        9 August 2022 at 10:04 am

        Yes..what about them…committing war crimes as we speak…that was the question, how about you just answer that instead of deflecting?

        • Ad 3.1.1.1
          9 August 2022 at 12:06 pm

          No point trading injustice for injustice, deflection for deflection.

          • Adrian Thornton 3.1.1.1.1
            9 August 2022 at 12:16 pm

            Also no harm…actually one could say it is important, to keep reminding ourselves and other of Western MSM media imperialist driven narratives on wars….as this piece from Fair.org points out quite nicely….

            Invasion News Fits on Front Page More When an Enemy Does the Invading

            "In April 2022, there were a total of 179 stories on the Times‘ front page, and 79 (44%) concerned the Ukraine invasion. All but three were located at the top of the page (i.e., with no articles above them), where editors put the stories they consider to be the most important of the day. Fully 75% of all top-of-the-page stories were about the Ukraine war. Not a single day went by without a Ukraine story being published on the top of the page, and on 14 different days only stories about Ukraine were published on the top of the front page.

            In May 2003, when there were 226 stories on the front page, only 41 of them (18%) reported on the Iraq invasion. Thirty-two of those were at the top of the page, with nine below; 25% of all top-of-the-page stories were dedicated to the Iraq War."

            • Ad 3.1.1.1.1.1
              9 August 2022 at 12:38 pm

              We hear almost nothing out of Africa or the Arabian peninsula and yet they hold most of the deeply corrupt, violent and fragile states in the world.

              List of countries by Fragile States Index – Wikipedia

              But then, they tend to be the places where reporters aren't merely shot in the ones or twos. So one tends not to get too many stories out of them.

            • Jenny how to get there 3.1.1.1.1.2
              9 August 2022 at 2:52 pm

              Adrian, though you have accused me of it more than once, I am not a partisan supporter of one bloody imperialist bloc over another.

              The point Putin was making is that he should have the same right to impunity, to kill and maim invade other countries as the Western Powers have.

              My point is that none of them should have any impunity and that includes Israel.

              This latest attack by Israel against the Palestinian people, brings into sharp relief the hypocrisy of the Ardern administration.

              When Ukraine was attacked by Russia, the Prime Minister never paused for a second in the rush to impose sanctions and even send military aid to Ukraine to defend themselves.

              ….Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says NZ is sending Hercules aircraft to help Ukraine, $7.5m for weapons. The Government will send a C130 Hercules aircraft to Europe to help move donated military provisions to Ukraine and will provide millions of dollars for weapons to arm Ukrainian soldiers.

              New Zealand to send Air Force Hercules to Europe to assist Ukraine

              Instead of sanctions, New Zealand rewards Israel with visiting privileges.

              In April 2011, Israel and New Zealand signed a reciprocal deal that allows tourists to work for three months without an additional visa. The deal was signed by the Speaker of the Knesset, Reuven Rivlin and his New Zealand counterpart Lockwood Smith, when Rivlin was visiting New Zealand.

              Israel–New Zealand relations – Wikipedia

              Will we hear a peep out of 'Kindness' government over this latest Israeli atrocity?

              Will the government rescind Israel's visiting privileges to this country?

              Will we put economic sanctions on Israel as the BDS Movement have asked us to?

              The West is busy supplying Ukraine with highly accurate HiMARs to defend themselves from Russian attacks.
              God forbid, that we could ever even contemplate supplying the Palestinians with any means at all to defend themselves from Israeli attacks, rather than the highly inaccurate backyard hand made rockets they have to make themselves.

              • Adrian Thornton …
                9 August 2022 at 9:18 pm

                "Adrian, though you have accused me of it more than once, I am not a partisan supporter of one bloody imperialist bloc over another"….

                Well that's very strange, because that is exactly what nearly everything you write on the matter of geo-politics usually sounds (reads) like….and BTW let’s be honest here..getting the Palestinian/ Israel conflict right is real easy…pretty much all Liberals are on board with that one, as they should be, (well except most of the editorial board at The Guardian)…
                ..but now we cut to the present, and for some reason the Liberal class have morphed into the most aggressive war hawks on the planet, and are now all gung-ho about nearly every Western backed military intervention that comes knocking (and I include the Ukrainian conflict here), even though this means getting into bed again and again with the likes of John Bolton, George Bush, Boris Johnson, the US miliary industrial complex and every other blood thirsty war hawk you can think of…but again, for reasons known only to yourselves, even that doesn’t seem set off any alarm bells?!??…apparently not.

                You do realize, that if the Iraq war were to happen today under Biden or Obama… the probability that you Red Logic and all the other Western war Hawks on this site would support that invasion would be extremely high…infact it is almost a certainty.

                BTW…Jacinda Ardern and Labour NZ stepping out of line on Palestine or the genocide in Yemen, come on, seriously….we all know that will never happen….ever, maybe you should ask yourself why that is.

                • Jenny how to get there …
                  10 August 2022 at 1:05 pm

                  "….let’s be honest here..getting the Palestinian/ Israel conflict right is real easy…pretty much all Liberals are on board with that one, as they should be, (well except most of the editorial board at The Guardian)…" Adrian Thornton

                  How about a link for that claim. Eh, Adrian.

                  Apart from your continual diversions, what-aboutisms, and smears.
                  What I am getting heartily sick of Adrian, is the repeated use of outrageous bald statements, without any attempt to provide evidence, or back up for them, from the supporters of Russia's bloody imperialist interventions and wars, like yourself.

  5. Gosman 5
    9 August 2022 at 8:44 am

    It just gets worse for Uffindell

    "Matthew Hooton

    @MatthewHootonNZ

    The BoP Times asked the Tauranga candidates about their biggest mistake. Act's candidate Cam Luxton spoke about his drink-driving conviction. Uffindell's response was: "Not coming home to New Zealand sooner. There's nowhere we'd rather raise our kids.""

  6. PsyclingLeft.Always 6
    9 August 2022 at 8:56 am

    A healthcare company has apologised for the "shocking" treatment of a diabetic woman who did not receive her regular insulin medication and died less than 24 hours after being admitted to one of its rest homes.

    "Multiple systems issues" were to blame for the woman's death, Hughes said.

    "There are individuals involved, there are systems involved, there are processes involved and at the end of the day we expect more. We've done a lot to prevent this happening again."

    no-one at Oceania had lost their jobs, Hughes said.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/472492/oceania-care-apologises-for-shocking-treatment-of-woman-in-one-of-its-rest-homes

    "no-one at Oceania had lost their jobs"….Yea, strange that. (not)

    There is a not nice term for these "Rest Homes"….Granny Farming.

    And the Owners….beneath contempt : (

    • gsays 6.1
      9 August 2022 at 8:17 pm

      Any thoughts on those who keep these Granny Farms well stocked and with a waiting list ie the families?

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 6.1.1
        9 August 2022 at 9:03 pm

        WTF? Are you a Granny Farmer? Manager? Employee? My comments were in regard to Oceania .I'm sure you have some……"thoughts". Best keep them to yourself …..

        • weka 6.1.1.1
          10 August 2022 at 10:21 am

          there's nothing wrong with gsays' comment and they have as much right to say what they think as you.

          In this case they're making a political point: in NZ, many people support the system we have for elderly people who can't live at home. Families are generally the ones that put elderly people into those situations.

          What’s not ok is telling people to shut up. I’m also not impressed by the reaction to start questioning someone’s personal and work life. Focus on the politics.

          • PsyclingLeft.Always 6.1.1.1.1
            10 August 2022 at 5:58 pm

            Well..thats your take on it. I fail to see how you read that into what I wrote. I have previously linked “rest homes” to very high fees…AND Low Employee pay rates. Hence “Granny Farming” . Oceania would be up there with the worst…gsays comment ignored my link comment. per : That NO ONE from Oceania lost their job.! When some one died a very short time after being admitted. Maybe nuance….

            I’ll certainly avoid gsays..and you.

            • weka 6.1.1.1.1.1
              10 August 2022 at 8:26 pm

              I fail to see how you read that into what I wrote

              I didn't comment on what *you wrote.

        • gsays 6.1.1.2
          10 August 2022 at 9:25 pm

          I have no truck with granny farms. Like supermarkets, they will keep up their practices and undesirable exploitative behaviour so long as folk keep signing up their elderly relatives.

          I missed the memo where we were told to sub-contract our love.

  7. Adrian Thornton 7
    9 August 2022 at 10:13 am

    As predicted, the US led war in Ukraine is not as cut and dried as some would have you believe, and with the avalanche of weapons pouring into the Ukraine seemingly being only marginally monitored, into what was only a short while ago openly known as the most corrupt country in Europe…what could go wrong…well you don’t have to have a degree to work that out for yourself now do you?

    The balance of probability that in the wake of this war, extremely well armed and highly motivated, organized and battle hardened Right Wing militia will cause havoc throughout Europe is highly likely, as well as crazy Right Wing lone wolves, returning to their countries (or somewhere) post conflict (as we know only to well in NZ)….not to mention just your run of the mill criminal organizations…
    Welcome to Ukraine, the most corrupt nation in Europe

    . Ukraine: Cashing in on Illegal Arms
    " Ukraine has gained a reputation as one of the world's most active suppliers of illegal small arms. It is one of several Eastern European countries that has turned to arms dealing as a source of much-needed hard currency."

    Nato and EU sound alarm over risk of Ukraine weapons smuggling

    Even CBS ran a indepth story on this crazy free for all…but got pressured to pull the piece…
    CBS bows to Ukrainian pressure over weapons reveals

    "The documentary originally featured an interview with Jonas Ohman, the founder of a Lithuania-based organization that supplies the Ukrainian military. Ohman told CBS that supplying foreign weapons to Ukrainian troops involves navigating a web of “lords of power, oligarchs [and] political actors, and that of all aid arriving at the border in Poland, “kind of like 30% of it reaches its final destination.”

    • Ad 7.1
      9 August 2022 at 11:20 am

      I can't yet figure how all those pre Zelinsky oligarchs and their oligopolies are in operation now and in what form. Maybe it's simply too complex and febrile to analyse until the war is done.

      One would reasonably expect this protracted war to make even greater concentration of power in wheat, coal, steel, armaments, electricity, and pretty much anything else people need to survive, than there was when it started.

      Ain't no Marshall Plan out of this one.

  8. Ad 8
    9 August 2022 at 11:16 am

    Well if we thought National's annual conference got spiked with historical revelations about an MP, imagine how the US Republicans feel when their own Convention got spiked with Trump's Mar A Lago raided by the FBI an hour ago.

    Donald Trump Says FBI Raided Mar-A-Lago As It Executed Search Warrant – Deadline

    Hope FBI Director Christopher Wray has the asbestos undies on.

  9. Molly 9
    9 August 2022 at 12:09 pm

    Another update from Swedish authorities on the use of medication for minors, as NZ perversely makes them accessible from GPs without comprehensive assessment:

    https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/om-socialstyrelsen/pressrum/press/uppdaterade-rekommendationer-for-hormonbehandling-vid-konsdysfori-hos-unga/

    (In Swedish, but Google translate link will appear)

    Following a request from the National Board of Health and Welfare, SBU has drawn up a literature review in which all relevant studies on the effect and safety of hormone treatments have been reviewed. In the report, which is published today, it appears that it is not yet possible to draw any definite conclusions about the effect and safety of the treatments based on scientific evidence.

    – The conclusion is that very little knowledge has been gained about the effects and safety of the treatments since 2015, says Thomas Lindén.

    – When the knowledge support for the care of children and young people with gender dysphoria was developed in 2015, the importance of the measures offered within the framework of the clinical work being systematically followed up and evaluated in the best possible way was emphasized. Now we see that this has not yet been realized, which contributes to the fact that there is reason to change the recommendations.

    SBU has also compiled studies on changing perceptions of gender identity or interruption of treatment. It is not possible to determine how common it is for people who undergo gender-affirming treatment to later change their mind about their gender identity, cancel the treatment or regret it in some aspect. At the same time, it is documented that detransition occurs, and there may also be a dark speech.

    <

    p style=”text-align:left”>The whole is worth the read.

    • Molly 9.1
      9 August 2022 at 12:28 pm

      blush Old "update"… from February.

    • weka 9.2
      9 August 2022 at 1:33 pm

      as NZ perversely makes them accessible from GPs without comprehensive assessment:

      Do you have any specific references for that?

        • weka 9.2.1.1
          9 August 2022 at 4:23 pm

          thanks 👍

          There's a whole conversation here about how much liberals are into medication as a fix.

        • weka 9.2.1.2
          9 August 2022 at 4:23 pm

          (can you please make sure you stick to one user name from now on? cheers).

        • Rosemary McDonald 9.2.1.3
          9 August 2022 at 5:28 pm

          There's no doubt that things are different Down South…

          In some DHB’s, including Southern, there were requirements for psychologist referrals to access endocrinologists whereas in other areas, such as Canterbury, gender-affirming hormone treatment was led by GPs, with studies showed this reduced stress amongst patients.

          …and luckily

          The change in requirements for psychological assessment only impacts adults looking to receive gender-affirming hormones, and does not cover gender-affirming surgery or children looking to access hormones.

          Fine if adults wish to pharmacologically alter their appearance to better match their gender identity…but its also entirely appropriate for there to be extra layers of scrutiny when it entails surgery and hormones for children experiencing gender discomfort.

          I thought this a little strange though…a doctor somehow seeing some similarity between access to gender affirming pharmaceuticals and the contraceptive pill.

          He pointed out that psychological assessment before hormone prescription was not common in other areas, such as when the contraceptive pill is prescribed, with the change reducing stigma for the gender diverse community.

          Is there still 'stigma' attached to accessing the Pill?

          • Visubversa 9.2.1.3.1
            9 August 2022 at 7:30 pm

            If "gender" is not sex – as they keep on claiming – then why does this "gender affirming" treatment all relate to the primary and secondary sex characteristics? If "gender " is in your head – surely saying "yes, I affirm your gender" should do the trick? If people like Eddie Izzard and Alex Drummond become women simply by saying so – not bodily change required (Alex does not even shave off the beard but identifies as a woman and a lesbian), then why are children pushed into changing their bodies with drugs and surgeries?

  10. Poission 10
    9 August 2022 at 12:21 pm

    Housing prices continue fall with mean price falling 4.9% for quarter.With OCR increases coming and floating rates to be close to 8% by New Year,there will see some significant decreases in asking prices as new builds come on stream.

    https://www.qv.co.nz/price-index/

  12. Puckish Rogue 12
    9 August 2022 at 8:29 pm

    People Labour in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

    Sure by itself this is nothing:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/10/new-zealand-labour-faces-sexual-assault-crisis-as-jacinda-ardern-sets-up-inquiry

    Be interesting to know who the 20 year old was:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/13/world/asia/new-zealand-jacinda-ardern-labour-party-sexual-assault-.html

    Again probably nothing but maybe it appears theres a cultural problem within Labour:

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4809631/MP-Darren-Hughes-resigns-following-scandal

    Maybe Labour tidies up its own backyard first but only if they think theres a problem, which there probably isn't

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    [You have diverted and distracted enough under Micky’s Post. Consider this a warning – Incognito]

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    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes – The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    6 days ago

  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    1 week ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
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