‘John Key’s strategic supremo is Lynton Crosby, from the Australian firm Crosby/Textor. Crosby has a trick in his bag called the “dead cat strategy.” Here’s Boris Johnson, one of Crosby’s British clients, describing it in 2013:
If you’re losing an argument, if you’re in a weak position, throw a dead cat on the table, the London mayor wrote.
“Everyone will shout ‘Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!’; in other words they will be talking about the dead cat, the thing you want them to talk about, and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief.”
Today, John Key threw a dead cat into the middle of New Zealand’s Parliament.
John Key knew he was in a weak position today for two reasons. First, his deliberate inaction in the face of disgraceful treatment of expat New Zealanders by Australia is a dereliction of his duty, as his many advisers will be telling him.
“Make no mistake – this was no passionate outburst. It was a coldly calculated tactic, cynically designed to remove stories about Key’s inaction and Labour’s conference from the media.
“The dead cat got even more prominence because the Speaker of the House, National’s David Carter, inexplicably ruled that it is perfectly fine within Parliament’s rules to accuse MPs of “backing rapists” or “putting yourself on the side of sex offenders.”
“Bear in mind that Parliament’s rules are so tight that calling someone a liar or a hypocrite are automatically ruled out of order, and you can’t even refer to an MP being absent from the House chamber.
“Some might wonder whether the Prime Minister and the strictly impartial Speaker of the House from his own party might have conspired to make the dead cat as big and hairy as possible, so nobody would talk about anything else.
“I, of course, couldn’t possibly speculate on that.”
I did wonder why the Speaker was looking so pleased at the furore. Other times when he has lost control he gets angry and splutters. This time he just looked pleased with himself especially when inflaming the situation by refusing to call for the PM to withdraw and apologise. Cat cream?
A New Zealand war hero is being kept in a high-security prison by Australian authorities despite having committed no crime.
Decorated former Lance Corporal Ngati Kanohi Te Eke Haapu, better known as Ko Rutene, has been detained because his visa was revoked on the grounds that he is a member of a motorcycle club.
New laws were introduced in December to crack down on foreign-born criminals. Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton had the power to deport anyone with a 12-month sentence who didn’t have Australian citizenship, no matter how long they had lived in the country.
————————————————————————————————————————
watch the interview with Marama Fox (still giving thumps up to the Speaker and still blaming the opposition, as she must after all she wants to stay in government no matter how much is stinks to high heavens).,It is still nitpicking, insofar as they speak still of the ‘crimes’ committed, while instead of speaking of OZ discriminating against Kiwis in general.
this is racism pure and simple and John Key is supporting this racism…draw your own conclusions ( Key also supports Saudi Arabia and Israel)
…and why is the Maori Party still supporting this John Key racist government?!..they are a disgrace! …they should be walking the floor with Labour ( actions speak louder than words)…the Maori Party has NO moral credibility
…when is Australia going to be brought before United Nations ?! …for crimes against humanity?!
“The incident, where Ko was assigned with providing protection to his unit and conveying his fallen comrade’s body from the attack area, prompted a heartfelt tribute from then opposition leader, Tony Abbott.”
…
“Ko was arrested last week while visiting a friend at Casuarina Prison and had his visa revoked, apparently on the basis that he is a member of an outlaw motorcycle club, the Rebels, which is not a criminal organisation in WA.”
i don’t see racism there. I see bigotry and human rights abuses, and a Maori Party member trying desperately to push some blame on the opposition in order to deflect attention away from the ineptitude, callousness and hostility towards NZ Citizens that the government her party supports shows on any given day.
Here is another example of racism . This Maori is Not a rapist ! (as John Key catagorises and justifies the incarceration of New Zealanders)
…Mr Fowell drove while disqualified and has been caught in possession of cannabis ! He loves his Maori partner and wants to be with her while she dies)
‘Kiwi detained in Australia while partner dies alone’
“If they keep him locked up until he is deported back to New Zealand, it is likely his partner Carmel Stanwell will die alone.
Ms Stanwell has terminal lung cancer and is already finding it difficult to breathe.
Neither she nor Mr Fowell, who said he was originally from Rotorua, could understand why he was being kept in detention, rather than being allowed home to look after her.
While he spent a year in jail, it was not for serious or violent crimes.
In Mr Fowell’s case he had driven while disqualified and been caught in possession of cannabis. That was enough to be imprisoned and under Australia’s tough new regime he is now being held in detention before being deported.
He has been able to visit Ms Stanwell but the last time was early September. Meanwhile, her condition worsens.
“It is just horrible watching her fade away in front of me and I can’t do much about it,” he said.
( compare this with the white collar crimes of banksters, who get away with their frauds)
More racism!?…This lady stole perfume and is about to be deported…She is not rapist or sexual abuser…and why should she be separated from her children?
“Many people being held in Australian detention centres are suicidal after living in what they describe as “war camps”, says a group campaigning for New Zealanders’ rights…
“Their mothers had a type of New Zealand citizenship – by descent – that could not be passed on to their children and they did not fall into a special visa category.
David Faulkner, who fights for the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia, said the action was being taken under existing laws that were now being enforced more rigourously.
“These cases have only just come to light recently, and when I contacted the High Commission they were as surprised as I was to hear about these matters,” he said.
“It appears that [Australian] Immigration is now taking a very literal – a different hardline interpretation of the legislation.”
Mr Faulkner said there could be as many as 1500 children in Australia who were unknowingly in the same position…
Despite low inflation and some bargain prices, economic concentration and novel abuses of market power are pervasive in today’s economy—harming consumers, workers, and innovators. We need a new antitrust for a new predatory era.
the whole affair is sorry and messy, but trying to find someone with out a ‘crime’ is against all reason and actually just fucking bullshittery.
These people should not have been ‘deported’ or more honestly ‘kidnapped’ to Christmas Island and they should not be held there. What ever crimes they have committed and being part of an MC is a crime in OZ (they made it so a few years ago) they should serve their sentence and then a. be returned to the general public, or be deported back to their country of Birth (NZ in this case) with the full cooperation of teh NZ government via the NZ Consulate in OZ. As it is in the moment, they are being held captive on a god forsaken Island several thousands kilometers away from NZ and OZ, from lawyers (are we still a Nation of laws?) from support (are we still providing support via the NZ Consulate to NZ Citizens?) and from their social support net via Family and Friends (would this fall under cruel and unjust treatment). So trying to find somone who is a Hero, or sum such thing is nonsense.
The PM should be asked the same question again today, and he should be forced to answer. What, if anything is NZ doing to help NZ Citizens holed up in Christmas Island. And if nothing is done Why so?
So good on Labour and Kelvin Davis for raising the issue. because frankly no one else did an does, heck even Marama Davis is trying again to put the blame on the opposition, while in this case clearly it is the PM that not only is abdicating his duty towards the citizens of this country, but also in the most crude terms is insinuating that the Opposition is a party of ‘rapists and child molesterers (his words not mine). At some stage, someone should ask the Government with all its little Vassal Parties : At long last have you got no shame. As that behaviour from the PM and his Speaker was simply just shameful and embarrassing and an insult to the office they both hold.
As it is in the moment, they are being held captive on a god forsaken Island several thousands kilometers away from NZ and OZ, from lawyers (are we still a Nation of laws?) from support (are we still providing support via the NZ Consulate to NZ Citizens?) and from their social support net via Family and Friends (would this fall under cruel and unjust treatment).
Exactly!
The PM should be asked the same question again today, and he should be forced to answer. What, if anything is NZ doing to help NZ Citizens holed up in Christmas Island. And if nothing is done Why so? [emph added]
Because Labour via Kelvin Davis has been doing everything possible to have these people stay in OZ, the country they have spend most and in some cases all their lives.
So Please Dear Leader why do you do your utmost to get these people to come to NZ, chartering private planes, put plans into action to monitoring them – they did serve their sentence, so why monitoring? Are they not free men/women now. Could it be that you and your government is supporting the OZ government in serious human rights breaches, rather then supporting your citizens and your country, which by the way is still New Zealand. 🙂
No, i really think that Labour should just have fun with them now. Let them eat their own pile of turd that they left in the chambers.
People being declared persona non grata, taken at will from the streets or wherever – just thought – Britain used to do it to get workers for the Navy ships,
Bonhoeffer et al had something to say about arrest and detention arbitrarily.:
Many years later, after Niemöller had been imprisoned for eight years in concentration camps as the personal prisoner of Adolf Hitler, he penned these infamous words:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionist, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Jew.
And then they came for me –
and there was no one left to speak for me.”
― Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
and on joining the right group, doing the right thing
…when someone asked Bonhoeffer whether he shouldn’t join the German Christians in order to work against them from within, he answered that he couldn’t. ‘If you board the wrong train,’ he said, ‘it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.”
― Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/6801520-bonhoeffer-pastor-martyr-prophet-spy
He has a good way of putting things don’t you think.
+100 greywarshark…..Bonhoeffer…was a great German hero who was hung in a German concentration camp for opposing Hitler …just as many other opponents of Hitler were…but you dont hear about them much. ( I wonder why?…nor do you hear about the mass extermination of the Gypsies in the concentration camps)
Can a complaint be made to the hague under human rights abuses?
Is it legal for Australia to detain in a concentration camp style facility New Zealander’s who have served their sentence and abuse/torture them and not give them access to medicine, documents and lawyers and try to torture them to sign documents to remove them from the country they are living in?
This an abuse of ‘terror’ laws against ordinary citizens being held is against their human rights.
In my view this is the outcome of a deregulation of human rights within western countries and a push for totalitarism style power of governments, – where secret squads are going around rendition style, on the command of the government to remove people from society for their own agendas?
And what is or is not legal in Western Australia is completely irrelevant. If the Minister of Immigration reasonably suspects that you have had an association with an organisation that has been involved in criminal conduct, you fail the character test and thus your visa gets revoked.
Naki man, you sound just like Patrick Gower sometimes, blasting us with your Keyfanboyz opinion. So should we arrest everyone who lives in a state house as some have been used to make P?
Only because we are prepared to accept being Australia’s Mexico.
I’m not sure Kirk, (or Lange, or even Holyoake) would have accepted the current situation so easily.
That ‘ANZAC spirit’ ffs. What a croc!
The sooner Key is on the road to Gundagai the better.
Lange was a realist. He would certainly have accepted the fact that there isn’t a single thing that New Zealand can do about Australia’s actions on their own territory.
Remember what happened with the two French Army officers who were jailed here and then released back to a French island with a Club Med resort.
Lange let them go because we were going to be locked out of all trade with Europe otherwise. We couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
Lange would certainly have accepted this situation and would have brushed any complaints with a joke.
Have a look at Q4 in this interview with Lange near the end of his life. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rainbow-warrior-bombing/news/article.cfm?c_id=1500930&objectid=3575913
I can’t even suggest what the other two might have said but in Holyoake’s case it would never have arisen. He overlapped with Menzies who still believed in the old Commonwealth.
Kirk? Who knows but he was sensible enough to know he had his hands tied.
What would you expect any New Zealand Government to do? Declare war?
Which is all very well, but why lie to the nation about the make-up of the people on Christmas Island, why not invoke the ghost of David Lange and say “my hands are tied”.
Ethics for goods is not a great argument given how the world is and what NZ is beginning to look like if you are a vulnerable member of our country.
I don’t think he has been lying about the New Zealand people in detention.
From the Herald we find that
“The Prime Minister’s office later released figures which showed that out of 585 New Zealanders facing deportation, 34 had been convicted of child sex offences, 22 convicted of murder, and 16 convicted for rape or sex offences.”
Sure, that doesn’t mean only people on Christmas Island but they are likely to be the worst of them.
Incidentally did you watch the video of that question in Parliament? The only Labour MP who immediately reacted was Annette King, as far as I could see. Little just when on asking supplementary questions. Robertson didn’t pop up with his claims about being outraged for at least five minutes, did he? I’m surprised that it wasn’t thrown out on the grounds that you are supposed to bring up points of order immediately, and he hadn’t.
Lange let them go because we were going to be locked out of all trade with Europe otherwise. We couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
We could have done something about it and held them here and told Europe to go fuck itself. In fact, that’s what we should have done. We should not be forgoing principle for trade.
What would you expect any New Zealand Government to do? Declare war?
No, I would expect our government to stick to principle rather than just say well, there’s nothing we can do about it. What Aus is doing contravenes numerous statutes of international law and so we should be looking at bringing charges through the UN or IC (whichever is the best place or perhaps even both).
But nobody will do that as it appears that the West is immune from the consequences of such actions.
That is a valid view that you propose but in Lange’s view at the time we couldn’t really afford that.
Did you see the place in his answer that he had thought that
“… international law operates and was there to protect principles and not to be the plaything of power and might – which I now know, of course, to be an absolute nonsense. International law should be spelled l-o-r-e.”
I think that rather than saying the “the West is immune” you would be better saying that “every large nation is immune”.
How successful are we with Russia in the Ukraine, or China in the South China Sea?
A 25-year-old man caught up in the riot had just enough time to send a message to his fiancee in Perth before guards stormed the facility last night.
Matej Cuperka’s mobile phone battery was running low when he wrote: “They locked us up in a cage and left again. I’m safe, but have no access to nothing. I’m dying in here….”
Mr Cuperka — who is awaiting deportation to Slovakia after he was arrested for overstaying his Australian visa — phoned his mother-in-law to say detainees not involved in the riot were put on a bus and into a “cage”.
John Richardson, a Christmas Island resident of 15 years, said the lack of information from authorities caused unnecessary alarm within the community during the violence.”
———————————————————————————————————
but fear not – the Kiwis in this Gulag can go home in days or weeks or whatever, time is relative, you know.
ew Zealand-born detainees at the centre were caught up in the riots, with suggestions that Kiwis may have led the rioting.
News of the action came as Prime Minister John Key warned Kiwi detainees who wanted to leave Christmas Island detention centre for New Zealand may have to wait weeks, but no months to depart.
Potential obstacles to a swift departure included detainees’ lack of travel documents, the need to charter private flights for high-risk offenders, and assessing potential risks that detainees could present upon their arrival.
“The rumour mill is very strong,” he said.
“We don’t have a newspaper, we have only got access to mainland TV, and unfortunately some of the reports on the TV weren’t particularly accurate.
Back-up staff are also being flown to Christmas Island to relieve workers who have been under pressure since death of an Iranian refugee after he escaped from the centre on Saturday.
“The whole detention centre could be burning down for all we know.”
—————————————————————————————————————
so there is no proof that people are living in fear of being ‘bashed’ by kiwis. It seems that people on this Island are more in fear of being forgotten, or put in cages, or otherwise mistreated by the Staff (that was understaffed to begin with).
Might our Government try to put blame on Kiwis for the riot? If so, why?
They have to wait weeks, imo, because the prid quo pro Key has with Australia is they keep them on Christmas Island until Ms Adams has the legislation in place to tag them at the border… in the meantime lying is Key’s “go to”.
I don’t know if there were high traffic volumes on this site last night but I couldn’t load this site for about 2 hours. Same with the Daily Blog (and a local college’s website!). Many other sites were fine – stuff, other local colleges, etc.
I think the good press that Labour got over the weekend and the applause and good reviews Andrew Little got for his speech on Sunday really had him shit his pants. And those of Bennett, Collins, English and the rest of the cabal, all wore messy panties. And they still are.
I think there will be images of National MP’s sitting uncomfortable in the chambers witch itching arses.
I don’t think he cares. He just wants the gravy train for certain businesses and corporations to continue – after all his future after his stint as Middle Manager of a small little Island Nation depends on it, and for that he needs National to stay in government.
Frankly, i think his true persona – the smiling assassin – is showing more and more, and its not an aspirational sight nor an inspirational sight and more and more people are being put of by the sheer meanness and pettiness of him and his government and the people he surrounds himself.
As for Collins, or Bennett, i don’t think either one is going near leadership with National any time soon. Bennett is just simply despised by too many (and yes she is), and Collins is corrupt to the core and does have a hard time covering up her ‘conflicts of interest’. But I would not be surprised if the Nat’s have someone sitting and waiting and we don’t know who it is, as for myself, i don’t care.
Bennett might be able to remake her persona into something like from rags to riches, but her dismantling of the social welfare state could potentially come back to bite her in her behind.
BUT Collins believe sin pay back double. She may well know her career in politic sis over, but I suspect that wouldn’t stop she and her friends punishing those they/she blames?
He(Key) did sound and look nasty yesterday in that moment. To me anyway.
depends, if she believes it is to her advantage, i would say yes. But on the other side, that business world that she lives in is a small planet, and one hand washes the other. And you never know whom you meet again.
However, that would not stop someone from being a backstabbing bitchy little tart. 🙂
it’s cute time is it? Well to use your old worn sweeping statement method he let kiwis think that all of the people on Chrismas Island headed for NZ are rapists, murderers and other sex offenders.
He also suggested that he doesn’t support such people. Which he quite clearly does. See weka’s list from yesterday.
Now, play your semantics game infused, I am not interested in your torturing of the srategy to make yourself feel better about your support of such behaviour.
They don’t when the PM misrepresents and lies to them about the real situation. They might if they believed Key and then worked out that HE is fighting to get the alleged hoarde of rapists relocated here.
And by Kiwis do you mean you, or do you have a different view of the behaviour based on the actual facts?
the same general public who now beleves that all the kiwis coming back from Christmas Island are murderers, rapists or other sexual violaters because Key lied to them?
the PM misrepresents and lies to them about the real situation. They might if they believed Key and then worked out that HE is fighting to get the alleged hoarde of rapists relocated here.
Yes this part makes Kelvin Davis look like a Grandstanding wanker.
“A distressed Lebanese detainee told The Australian he feared for his life at the hands of the 501s during a riot that broke out on Monday.
“They’re f***ing going to kill me … We are in danger. You need to tell someone who cares that our prison is in the hands of very serious criminals.”
He said the New Zealanders had beaten more than 20 weaker detainees over the last month, stealing their phones and other property.
“These Kiwis are like a group. There’s about 25 of them. Very, very strong and they are very, very aggressive. We have problems with them. They call us dogs. Dogs and b****es.
“I got bashed by 14 men … My eyes are destroyed. I cannot see more than 20m. They f***ing destroyed my life.”
The man found guilty today of murdering a Christchurch school girl and then torching her family’s home has killed before.
McLaughlin was sentenced to 12 years in jail. He was deported back to New Zealand in 2001. New Zealand police were told the details of his manslaughter conviction in 2001.
Phillip’s mother Marriya Vidot, 60, said she was shocked when she heard McLaughlin had killed again.
”People in his country should know what he’s done,” she said.
Key, letting 199 marauding rapists and murderers entering NZ very soon… some of them imaginary, which when you think about it is going to make it even harder for people to stay safe….
‘Decorated former Lance Corporal Ngati Kanohi Te Eke Haapu, better known as Ko Rutene, has been detained because his visa was revoked on the grounds that he is a member of a motorcycle club’
War hero ‘my arse’, he has campaign medals, like many of us ex military.
Perhaps he should have read up on the Australian laws regarding membership of a motorcycle gang before joining.
You do realize that the Patriots are an MC as is Ulysses?
Also, you are sprouting this on the wrong platform, your comments should be directed towards the Maori Party and the National Party. After all they are hellbent on getting these ‘hardened crims’ to come back to NZ.
All Kelvin Davis is trying to do is give them the support they need to challenge their deportation away from what they consider their Home Country, so that they get to keep their jobs and stay with their families.
I know its hard to understand, but really its National doing it. And you and your mates are barking up the wrong tree.
Some of the very bravest people in the military in WW2 did precisely that. They were the Coastwatchers in the Pacific Islands who watched and reported on the “Naval” movements of the Japanese.
Are you perhaps one of those people who sit picking lint out of their “navel?
Didn’t your mummy tell you how to spell these two different words?
Indeed – it being the 11th and all, I recommend people read up on the Coastwatchers. Often civilian volunteers doing a lonely and dangerous, but highly important, job.
I wouldn’t have commented at all if you hadn’t added the “didn’t your mummy” bit.
Otherwise it was only a spelling mistake which I do very, very frequently.
Usually I then make one in any comment I make about someone else’s slip.
McFlock is right about their bravery though. I would never have had the courage to do what they did. In general it was a case of if caught you were dead.
You are dreadfully confused. You are using “War Hero” in quite a different vein to the way it is used on this site.
Have a look at a representative opinion on Willie Apiata, who had the gall to be photographed with the All Blacks at the same time as John Key. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-24102015/#comment-1086270
A “War Hero” on this blog would be someone who deserted I suspect, Provided he claimed that it was John Key’s fault of course.
Someone like Apiata, who a normal person would regard as a War Hero, is evil.
again Alwyn, no one on the left used the Words ‘War Hero’, t’was Marama Fox from the Maori Party who works with the National Party and is part of ze Government.
you too, need to take your criticism of the Words used to describe this dangerous non criminal record holding ex Afghanistan Soldier Bikie Gang Member to the Maori Party and admonish them for using the Words “War Hero”.
It seems to me that tories regard all veterans as heroes until the veterans are inconvenient, need treatment, have differing opinions, become unemployed, etc…
Sabine, I fear your memory is failing you.
You, yes you, described him as a war hero in this very blog at 7.01am this morning. Are you telling me you are not part of the left?
You will note that I have put quotation marks around the statement, as I am quoting you. There were none in the original so I must assume that they were your words.
Are you, or are you not of the left?
“John Key and Andrew Little each say their meetings with the Duke of Cornwall covered a variety of topics – including climate change.
“The Prince has a real passion about work he’s doing in that area particularly for developing states and he’s got an idea that he’s working on that he’s bring to Paris for COP 21,” said Key.
Little said climate change was also discussed in his meeting with the Prince. …
‘Labour leader Andrew Little meets Prince Charles’
“Prince Charles and Little had a private meeting for 30 minutes, during which time they talked about issues facing New Zealand, including climate change and urban development, as well as a chat about Little’s home town, New Plymouth…
“He’s clearly concerned about climate change, he’s been talking about that for many years. I think he feels somewhat vindicated that issues he’s regarded for so many years as being a marginal commentator on, are now mainstream…
Have just heard the talk back host subbing for Shaun Plunkett this morning on Radio Live cut off mid-sentence a guy who phoned in and said what a hypocrite Key was abusing the other side of the house yesterday for supporting rapists – he wanted to know what was Key’s explanation about Mike Sabin – wow did the talk back host get shot of him quick and called for an ad break – censorship at work I think. Is everything off limits about Mike Sabin??
Yes, the information has been suppressed, you might have seen MS redacting anything close to revealing the information on The Standard (thanks MS). Which also highlights the irony of having to know what the suppressed information is so that you can be careful what information you can share.
It seems a bit over the top with all this blanket coverage – how important was Mike Sabin for goodness sake – you would think he was royalty – it also beggars belief what his crime was. I also wonder what has happened to Jason Eade?? People just seem to conveniently slide out of trouble and are never heard of again. What’s our justice system for – is it just a law for the “nobodies” of this country?? This country is getting darker by the day.
If you have time, take a look at a replay of general debate, Green co leader James Shaw half way though maybe speech 7 or 8, he mad some good comments and provoked a telling response from the nact mp.
& Mark Mitchell (if I have his name right) basically makes a few comments (during Shaws speech) that a dunderhead would even be able to put 2 & 2 together & get the gist of the suppressed crimes. Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.
Republican Senator Jeff Sessions speaking about the TPP
The TPP is about a goal of creating a new global regulatory structure, what I have called a Pacific union, transferring power from individual Americans and power from Congress once more. Eroding Congress to an unaccountable, unelected international bureaucratic committee,” the Alabamian said.
Sessions pointed specifically to the agreement’s creation of a Trans-Pacific Partnership commission.
“In other words, we are empowering the Trans-Pacific Partnership countries to create really a new Congress of sorts, a group with delegates that goes and meets and decides important issues that can impact everyday life of Americans. So the American representative in this commission, which will operate in many ways like the UN, will not be answerable to voters anywhere,” he said” http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/10/sen-jeff-sessions-tpp-does-not-protect-interests-of-the-american-people/
This does not paint a pretty picture of TPP to the public,
“Of course, we live in a completely corrupted world where every government is just a bunch of businessmen working for a bunch of bigger businessmen and none of them give a shit about the people,” he says. “The sad fact is no one knows how to change it, because no one knows how to take on the corporations. So I guess we’re stuck with this system until the oil runs out.”
Good point Puddleglum, maybe too court up in self indignation, not lessening the hurt some felt, but this is politics, they should have a long game, I mean this sort of act/stunt shouldn’t be such an surprise from creepkey.
I was thinking more about why journalists (rather than opposition MPs) hadn’t asked this question.
Surely, if the Prime Minister makes such a startling claim about opposition parties and MPs it would be the job of journalists to ask in what ways he thinks such ‘backing’ is happening.
I suspect that Key would have to say, in effect, that he thinks they are ‘backing’ such people by showing concern about their human rights. And, if he said that, his shocked demeanour when making the ‘accusation’ would imply that he thinks that the detainees’ human rights should not be supported (i.e., ‘backed’) in this situation.
Or is there some other way Key thinks the opposition is ‘backing’ them?
If so, surely we, the public, need to know just what other sense he is trying to convey?
After all, it is our Prime Minister who has revealed this to the nation in a manner that suggests that he is shocked by such ‘backing’ so it must obviously be something deeply disturbing about the behaviour of the opposition.
I suppose I’m pointing out that political journalists should take what the Prime Minister says seriously and at face value (i.e., take the office of Prime Minister seriously even if the incumbent doesn’t) and, in the public interest, they should therefore seek to discover just what the Prime Minister meant on this occasion.
And, simply asking if he still ‘stands by’ his comments is not the point – first we need to know what meaning he was expressing in making the comments before we can be concerned about whether or not he stands by them.
If the Prime Minister cannot explain his comment further then it should be reported as some inexplicable and unfathomable random insult for which the Prime Minister has no explanation or justification.
Yes, but of coarse whats said inside Parliament and outside Parliament are two different legal issues, the MSM have shown theirs colours offen in regard to their bias, meanwhile the minister of everything will tell us, Jurno’s are left wing, with a straight face.
As I type this over a coffee, I hear Armed Defenders call out near a School in Auckland, I swear the more the people suffer this sort of BS Goverment, more bad things happen in the community, sorry can’t link, only run on about a Gig a month.
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Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
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‘Cold, calculated and cynical’
‘John Key’s strategic supremo is Lynton Crosby, from the Australian firm Crosby/Textor. Crosby has a trick in his bag called the “dead cat strategy.” Here’s Boris Johnson, one of Crosby’s British clients, describing it in 2013:
If you’re losing an argument, if you’re in a weak position, throw a dead cat on the table, the London mayor wrote.
“Everyone will shout ‘Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!’; in other words they will be talking about the dead cat, the thing you want them to talk about, and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief.”
Today, John Key threw a dead cat into the middle of New Zealand’s Parliament.
John Key knew he was in a weak position today for two reasons. First, his deliberate inaction in the face of disgraceful treatment of expat New Zealanders by Australia is a dereliction of his duty, as his many advisers will be telling him.
Read more here.
http://publicaddress.net/speaker/cold-calculated-and-cynical/
“Make no mistake – this was no passionate outburst. It was a coldly calculated tactic, cynically designed to remove stories about Key’s inaction and Labour’s conference from the media.
“The dead cat got even more prominence because the Speaker of the House, National’s David Carter, inexplicably ruled that it is perfectly fine within Parliament’s rules to accuse MPs of “backing rapists” or “putting yourself on the side of sex offenders.”
“Bear in mind that Parliament’s rules are so tight that calling someone a liar or a hypocrite are automatically ruled out of order, and you can’t even refer to an MP being absent from the House chamber.
“Some might wonder whether the Prime Minister and the strictly impartial Speaker of the House from his own party might have conspired to make the dead cat as big and hairy as possible, so nobody would talk about anything else.
“I, of course, couldn’t possibly speculate on that.”
I did wonder why the Speaker was looking so pleased at the furore. Other times when he has lost control he gets angry and splutters. This time he just looked pleased with himself especially when inflaming the situation by refusing to call for the PM to withdraw and apologise. Cat cream?
In other words, it went off exactly as planned.
Another example of National’s Dirty Politics.
except the fact that one of the guys in detention was a bodyguard for Key in Afghanistan, spanner in the works
from stuff
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/73901020/kiwi-war-hero-detained-by-australian-government-after-visa-revoked
A New Zealand war hero is being kept in a high-security prison by Australian authorities despite having committed no crime.
Decorated former Lance Corporal Ngati Kanohi Te Eke Haapu, better known as Ko Rutene, has been detained because his visa was revoked on the grounds that he is a member of a motorcycle club.
New laws were introduced in December to crack down on foreign-born criminals. Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton had the power to deport anyone with a 12-month sentence who didn’t have Australian citizenship, no matter how long they had lived in the country.
————————————————————————————————————————
watch the interview with Marama Fox (still giving thumps up to the Speaker and still blaming the opposition, as she must after all she wants to stay in government no matter how much is stinks to high heavens).,It is still nitpicking, insofar as they speak still of the ‘crimes’ committed, while instead of speaking of OZ discriminating against Kiwis in general.
“Ko Rutene was part of a team whose job was to rescue infantry units under attack in Afghanistan.
“Rutene, 34, was taken into custody over a week ago and is currently being held at the Casuarina maximum-security prison in Perth.
“His lawyer Michael Pena-Rees said the Kiwi had no criminal record in Australia or New Zealand and he was otherwise of “exceptional good character”.
“The solicitor said Rutene served in the New Zealand Army from 2008 to 2012.” [emph added]
….and this is Remembrance Day, 2015
MIGRATION ACT 1958 – SECT 501
For the purposes of this section, a person does not pass the character test if:
(b) the Minister reasonably suspects:
(i) that the person has been or is a member of a group or organisation, or has had or has an association with a group, organisation or person; and
(ii) that the group, organisation or person has been or is involved in criminal conduct
Yes indeed. That’s the law that they implemented to be able to do this shit. Sort of the point, really.
this is racism pure and simple and John Key is supporting this racism…draw your own conclusions ( Key also supports Saudi Arabia and Israel)
…and why is the Maori Party still supporting this John Key racist government?!..they are a disgrace! …they should be walking the floor with Labour ( actions speak louder than words)…the Maori Party has NO moral credibility
…when is Australia going to be brought before United Nations ?! …for crimes against humanity?!
It is not racism.
Maybe not overt but covert and just part of an ongoing bias against those who are brown or black which becomes very noticeable sometimes, as now.
Here’s the SMH reporting of it: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kiwi-mp-slams-decision-to-revoke-visa-of-decorated-soldier-20151110-gkvpdw.html
“Supporters say the former soldier, Mr Ngati Kanohi Haapu, who is better known as Ko, was involved in four serious incidents during his Afghanistan deployment, including one where one of his comrades died and two were seriously injured.
“The incident, where Ko was assigned with providing protection to his unit and conveying his fallen comrade’s body from the attack area, prompted a heartfelt tribute from then opposition leader, Tony Abbott.”
…
“Ko was arrested last week while visiting a friend at Casuarina Prison and had his visa revoked, apparently on the basis that he is a member of an outlaw motorcycle club, the Rebels, which is not a criminal organisation in WA.”
i don’t see racism there. I see bigotry and human rights abuses, and a Maori Party member trying desperately to push some blame on the opposition in order to deflect attention away from the ineptitude, callousness and hostility towards NZ Citizens that the government her party supports shows on any given day.
Here is another example of racism . This Maori is Not a rapist ! (as John Key catagorises and justifies the incarceration of New Zealanders)
…Mr Fowell drove while disqualified and has been caught in possession of cannabis ! He loves his Maori partner and wants to be with her while she dies)
‘Kiwi detained in Australia while partner dies alone’
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/288326/kiwi-detained-while-partner-dies-alone?utm_source=change_org&utm_medium=petition
“If they keep him locked up until he is deported back to New Zealand, it is likely his partner Carmel Stanwell will die alone.
Ms Stanwell has terminal lung cancer and is already finding it difficult to breathe.
Neither she nor Mr Fowell, who said he was originally from Rotorua, could understand why he was being kept in detention, rather than being allowed home to look after her.
While he spent a year in jail, it was not for serious or violent crimes.
In Mr Fowell’s case he had driven while disqualified and been caught in possession of cannabis. That was enough to be imprisoned and under Australia’s tough new regime he is now being held in detention before being deported.
He has been able to visit Ms Stanwell but the last time was early September. Meanwhile, her condition worsens.
“It is just horrible watching her fade away in front of me and I can’t do much about it,” he said.
( compare this with the white collar crimes of banksters, who get away with their frauds)
Thank you for posting that. It is shockingly cruel.
What possible reason could they have – could anyone have, for locking him up? This is a perversion of justice!!
Once again, if we still had Campbell Live, they would be all over this, and Ko, – and the Nats could no longer look away and hide in their lies.
More racism!?…This lady stole perfume and is about to be deported…She is not rapist or sexual abuser…and why should she be separated from her children?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/287142/'please-let-me-go-back-home-to-my-children‘
Suicides at Detention Centres
‘Detention conditions ‘too much to handle’ ‘
“Many people being held in Australian detention centres are suicidal after living in what they describe as “war camps”, says a group campaigning for New Zealanders’ rights…
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/286370/detention-conditions-'too-much-to-handle‘
Children to be deported
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/285648/young-kids-to-be-deported-in-crackdown
“Their mothers had a type of New Zealand citizenship – by descent – that could not be passed on to their children and they did not fall into a special visa category.
David Faulkner, who fights for the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia, said the action was being taken under existing laws that were now being enforced more rigourously.
“These cases have only just come to light recently, and when I contacted the High Commission they were as surprised as I was to hear about these matters,” he said.
“It appears that [Australian] Immigration is now taking a very literal – a different hardline interpretation of the legislation.”
Mr Faulkner said there could be as many as 1500 children in Australia who were unknowingly in the same position…
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201772733
Bring Back Antitrust
Despite low inflation and some bargain prices, economic concentration and novel abuses of market power are pervasive in today’s economy—harming consumers, workers, and innovators. We need a new antitrust for a new predatory era.
David Dayen
http://prospect.org/article/bring-back-antitrust-0
The Cartels draft legislation has been languishing before this Parliament for several years now, and shows no sign of coming out.
Kiwi war hero detained by Australian government after visa revoked
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/73901020/kiwi-war-hero-detained-by-australian-government-after-visa-revoked
Kelvin Davis really needs to get an interview with this guy and/or this case should be mentioned at every opportunity.
edit: oops double post with sabine
the whole affair is sorry and messy, but trying to find someone with out a ‘crime’ is against all reason and actually just fucking bullshittery.
These people should not have been ‘deported’ or more honestly ‘kidnapped’ to Christmas Island and they should not be held there. What ever crimes they have committed and being part of an MC is a crime in OZ (they made it so a few years ago) they should serve their sentence and then a. be returned to the general public, or be deported back to their country of Birth (NZ in this case) with the full cooperation of teh NZ government via the NZ Consulate in OZ. As it is in the moment, they are being held captive on a god forsaken Island several thousands kilometers away from NZ and OZ, from lawyers (are we still a Nation of laws?) from support (are we still providing support via the NZ Consulate to NZ Citizens?) and from their social support net via Family and Friends (would this fall under cruel and unjust treatment). So trying to find somone who is a Hero, or sum such thing is nonsense.
The PM should be asked the same question again today, and he should be forced to answer. What, if anything is NZ doing to help NZ Citizens holed up in Christmas Island. And if nothing is done Why so?
So good on Labour and Kelvin Davis for raising the issue. because frankly no one else did an does, heck even Marama Davis is trying again to put the blame on the opposition, while in this case clearly it is the PM that not only is abdicating his duty towards the citizens of this country, but also in the most crude terms is insinuating that the Opposition is a party of ‘rapists and child molesterers (his words not mine). At some stage, someone should ask the Government with all its little Vassal Parties : At long last have you got no shame. As that behaviour from the PM and his Speaker was simply just shameful and embarrassing and an insult to the office they both hold.
As it is in the moment, they are being held captive on a god forsaken Island several thousands kilometers away from NZ and OZ, from lawyers (are we still a Nation of laws?) from support (are we still providing support via the NZ Consulate to NZ Citizens?) and from their social support net via Family and Friends (would this fall under cruel and unjust treatment).
Exactly!
The PM should be asked the same question again today, and he should be forced to answer. What, if anything is NZ doing to help NZ Citizens holed up in Christmas Island. And if nothing is done Why so? [emph added]
Yes.
He would just reply: “Nothing, because we don’t want them back.”
Then Labour could simply say, Why are you doing then everything to get them back here? http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/73859941/kiwis-at-christmas-island-detention-able-to-return-home-in-days-or-weeks
Because Labour via Kelvin Davis has been doing everything possible to have these people stay in OZ, the country they have spend most and in some cases all their lives.
So Please Dear Leader why do you do your utmost to get these people to come to NZ, chartering private planes, put plans into action to monitoring them – they did serve their sentence, so why monitoring? Are they not free men/women now. Could it be that you and your government is supporting the OZ government in serious human rights breaches, rather then supporting your citizens and your country, which by the way is still New Zealand. 🙂
No, i really think that Labour should just have fun with them now. Let them eat their own pile of turd that they left in the chambers.
The media are certainly against him on this one.
Key is trying Aussie-style hard politics here; I’m not convinced it’s going to work.
People being declared persona non grata, taken at will from the streets or wherever – just thought – Britain used to do it to get workers for the Navy ships,
Bonhoeffer et al had something to say about arrest and detention arbitrarily.:
Many years later, after Niemöller had been imprisoned for eight years in concentration camps as the personal prisoner of Adolf Hitler, he penned these infamous words:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionist, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Jew.
And then they came for me –
and there was no one left to speak for me.”
― Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
and on joining the right group, doing the right thing
…when someone asked Bonhoeffer whether he shouldn’t join the German Christians in order to work against them from within, he answered that he couldn’t. ‘If you board the wrong train,’ he said, ‘it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.”
― Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/6801520-bonhoeffer-pastor-martyr-prophet-spy
He has a good way of putting things don’t you think.
+100 greywarshark…..Bonhoeffer…was a great German hero who was hung in a German concentration camp for opposing Hitler …just as many other opponents of Hitler were…but you dont hear about them much. ( I wonder why?…nor do you hear about the mass extermination of the Gypsies in the concentration camps)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer
+1 Sabine.
Can a complaint be made to the hague under human rights abuses?
Is it legal for Australia to detain in a concentration camp style facility New Zealander’s who have served their sentence and abuse/torture them and not give them access to medicine, documents and lawyers and try to torture them to sign documents to remove them from the country they are living in?
This an abuse of ‘terror’ laws against ordinary citizens being held is against their human rights.
In my view this is the outcome of a deregulation of human rights within western countries and a push for totalitarism style power of governments, – where secret squads are going around rendition style, on the command of the government to remove people from society for their own agendas?
There’s a good photo there of Ko Rutene in his uniform with his medals. That pic should be front page of every NZ newspaper today!
Media only care about war heros when they’re skulling out of the rugby world cup with All Blacks in plain sight. Its all part of the meme.
+1
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29990643/more-nz-bikies-ordered-home/
“The Rebels OMC is not a criminal organisation in Western Australia”
You fucking idiot, google the Rebels Perth.
“Kiwi war hero” member of a crime gang dealing drugs and shooting people.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/rebels-bikie-bentley-boss-on-drug-trafficking-guns-charges/news-story/3ca411b6780ff4a8044b31ce388a468e
And what is or is not legal in Western Australia is completely irrelevant. If the Minister of Immigration reasonably suspects that you have had an association with an organisation that has been involved in criminal conduct, you fail the character test and thus your visa gets revoked.
Has John Key had any trouble getting a visa to Aus?
Naki man, you sound just like Patrick Gower sometimes, blasting us with your Keyfanboyz opinion. So should we arrest everyone who lives in a state house as some have been used to make P?
Indeed – Using a Rebel Motorcycle gang member as a poster child of “the poor innocent wee things” is going to resonate with most of NZ.
No matter how many RWC memes we share on FB, or how much we crap on and on about ANZAC this, and that, we are, and always will be, Australia’s Mexico.
Only because we are prepared to accept being Australia’s Mexico.
I’m not sure Kirk, (or Lange, or even Holyoake) would have accepted the current situation so easily.
That ‘ANZAC spirit’ ffs. What a croc!
The sooner Key is on the road to Gundagai the better.
Lange was a realist. He would certainly have accepted the fact that there isn’t a single thing that New Zealand can do about Australia’s actions on their own territory.
Remember what happened with the two French Army officers who were jailed here and then released back to a French island with a Club Med resort.
Lange let them go because we were going to be locked out of all trade with Europe otherwise. We couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
Lange would certainly have accepted this situation and would have brushed any complaints with a joke.
Have a look at Q4 in this interview with Lange near the end of his life.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rainbow-warrior-bombing/news/article.cfm?c_id=1500930&objectid=3575913
I can’t even suggest what the other two might have said but in Holyoake’s case it would never have arisen. He overlapped with Menzies who still believed in the old Commonwealth.
Kirk? Who knows but he was sensible enough to know he had his hands tied.
What would you expect any New Zealand Government to do? Declare war?
Which is all very well, but why lie to the nation about the make-up of the people on Christmas Island, why not invoke the ghost of David Lange and say “my hands are tied”.
Ethics for goods is not a great argument given how the world is and what NZ is beginning to look like if you are a vulnerable member of our country.
I don’t think he has been lying about the New Zealand people in detention.
From the Herald we find that
“The Prime Minister’s office later released figures which showed that out of 585 New Zealanders facing deportation, 34 had been convicted of child sex offences, 22 convicted of murder, and 16 convicted for rape or sex offences.”
Sure, that doesn’t mean only people on Christmas Island but they are likely to be the worst of them.
As far as the claim that he is “lying” to the nation I think he has been totally consistent in saying that the Australian Government has the right to take the actions it has been taking and there is nothing we can do.
As an example have a look at
https://nz.news.yahoo.com/top-stories/a/29792405/australia-could-deport-about-1000-kiwis/
Incidentally did you watch the video of that question in Parliament? The only Labour MP who immediately reacted was Annette King, as far as I could see. Little just when on asking supplementary questions. Robertson didn’t pop up with his claims about being outraged for at least five minutes, did he? I’m surprised that it wasn’t thrown out on the grounds that you are supposed to bring up points of order immediately, and he hadn’t.
We could have done something about it and held them here and told Europe to go fuck itself. In fact, that’s what we should have done. We should not be forgoing principle for trade.
No, I would expect our government to stick to principle rather than just say well, there’s nothing we can do about it. What Aus is doing contravenes numerous statutes of international law and so we should be looking at bringing charges through the UN or IC (whichever is the best place or perhaps even both).
But nobody will do that as it appears that the West is immune from the consequences of such actions.
That is a valid view that you propose but in Lange’s view at the time we couldn’t really afford that.
Did you see the place in his answer that he had thought that
“… international law operates and was there to protect principles and not to be the plaything of power and might – which I now know, of course, to be an absolute nonsense. International law should be spelled l-o-r-e.”
I think that rather than saying the “the West is immune” you would be better saying that “every large nation is immune”.
How successful are we with Russia in the Ukraine, or China in the South China Sea?
Which comes from the delusional view that we needed the trade.
Which wouldn’t be true if every small nation stood up to them.
Just putting it out there. http://i.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/73902227/Christmas-Island-detainees-living-in-fear-as-Kiwis-bash-weaker-inmates
i think that the mobs of Kiwis are more the Mobs of Guards – Serco Guards
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-10/australian-immigration-says-christmas-island-is-under-control/6927882
” The whole centre could be burning down for all we know’
A 25-year-old man caught up in the riot had just enough time to send a message to his fiancee in Perth before guards stormed the facility last night.
Matej Cuperka’s mobile phone battery was running low when he wrote: “They locked us up in a cage and left again. I’m safe, but have no access to nothing. I’m dying in here….”
Mr Cuperka — who is awaiting deportation to Slovakia after he was arrested for overstaying his Australian visa — phoned his mother-in-law to say detainees not involved in the riot were put on a bus and into a “cage”.
John Richardson, a Christmas Island resident of 15 years, said the lack of information from authorities caused unnecessary alarm within the community during the violence.”
———————————————————————————————————
but fear not – the Kiwis in this Gulag can go home in days or weeks or whatever, time is relative, you know.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/73859941/kiwis-at-christmas-island-detention-able-to-return-home-in-days-or-weeks
ew Zealand-born detainees at the centre were caught up in the riots, with suggestions that Kiwis may have led the rioting.
News of the action came as Prime Minister John Key warned Kiwi detainees who wanted to leave Christmas Island detention centre for New Zealand may have to wait weeks, but no months to depart.
Potential obstacles to a swift departure included detainees’ lack of travel documents, the need to charter private flights for high-risk offenders, and assessing potential risks that detainees could present upon their arrival.
“The rumour mill is very strong,” he said.
“We don’t have a newspaper, we have only got access to mainland TV, and unfortunately some of the reports on the TV weren’t particularly accurate.
“If it happened on the mainland it would have been front page news and everyone would have known exactly what was going on, whereas on Christmas Island it’s life as normal.
————————————————————————————————————–
but then this is why the riot broke out in the first place
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-09/christmas-island-calm-after-stand-off-immigration-department/6922866
Back-up staff are also being flown to Christmas Island to relieve workers who have been under pressure since death of an Iranian refugee after he escaped from the centre on Saturday.
“The whole detention centre could be burning down for all we know.”
—————————————————————————————————————
so there is no proof that people are living in fear of being ‘bashed’ by kiwis. It seems that people on this Island are more in fear of being forgotten, or put in cages, or otherwise mistreated by the Staff (that was understaffed to begin with).
Might our Government try to put blame on Kiwis for the riot? If so, why?
They have to wait weeks, imo, because the prid quo pro Key has with Australia is they keep them on Christmas Island until Ms Adams has the legislation in place to tag them at the border… in the meantime lying is Key’s “go to”.
I don’t know if there were high traffic volumes on this site last night but I couldn’t load this site for about 2 hours. Same with the Daily Blog (and a local college’s website!). Many other sites were fine – stuff, other local colleges, etc.
Smells fishy.
Never a clearer sign that Key is weak on something than when “Labour did it too” comes out.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/73903948/john-key-stands-by-claims-australia-detainees-absolutely-free-to-return
I think the good press that Labour got over the weekend and the applause and good reviews Andrew Little got for his speech on Sunday really had him shit his pants. And those of Bennett, Collins, English and the rest of the cabal, all wore messy panties. And they still are.
I think there will be images of National MP’s sitting uncomfortable in the chambers witch itching arses.
It had Collins callinig out Nash as the only possible saviour of the Labour Party again in her Sunday column….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/73635220/judith-collins-v-phil-goff-talent-only-goes-so-far
Perhaps this is also what has Key’s undies in a crumple, he knows who Collins has in the shadows and what they do for her when they have a goal?
I don’t think he cares. He just wants the gravy train for certain businesses and corporations to continue – after all his future after his stint as Middle Manager of a small little Island Nation depends on it, and for that he needs National to stay in government.
Frankly, i think his true persona – the smiling assassin – is showing more and more, and its not an aspirational sight nor an inspirational sight and more and more people are being put of by the sheer meanness and pettiness of him and his government and the people he surrounds himself.
As for Collins, or Bennett, i don’t think either one is going near leadership with National any time soon. Bennett is just simply despised by too many (and yes she is), and Collins is corrupt to the core and does have a hard time covering up her ‘conflicts of interest’. But I would not be surprised if the Nat’s have someone sitting and waiting and we don’t know who it is, as for myself, i don’t care.
Bennett might be able to remake her persona into something like from rags to riches, but her dismantling of the social welfare state could potentially come back to bite her in her behind.
BUT Collins believe sin pay back double. She may well know her career in politic sis over, but I suspect that wouldn’t stop she and her friends punishing those they/she blames?
He(Key) did sound and look nasty yesterday in that moment. To me anyway.
I agree @ smiling assassin.
depends, if she believes it is to her advantage, i would say yes. But on the other side, that business world that she lives in is a small planet, and one hand washes the other. And you never know whom you meet again.
However, that would not stop someone from being a backstabbing bitchy little tart. 🙂
I think she has the whole business market of China covered, one way or another… especially now she has her certificate in Health and Safety 😉
A message to Australians who support their governments concentration camps:
First they came for the terrorists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a terrorist.
Then they came for the refugees, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a refugee.
Then they came for the New Zealanders, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a New Zealander.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
As was said yesterday, kiwis don’t give a shit. Backed the wrong argument here.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/73902227/christmas-island-detainees-living-in-fear-as-kiwis-bash-weaker-inmates
Yes dear.
Yep. You’re fucked.
bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
you are such a funny guy.
Not as funny as watching Labour, once again, shoot its self in the foot.
More like in the face.
Yeah, this one a bit more so.
I wonder why Key had to lie to achieve that?
What did he lie about?
sigh
it’s cute time is it? Well to use your old worn sweeping statement method he let kiwis think that all of the people on Chrismas Island headed for NZ are rapists, murderers and other sex offenders.
He also suggested that he doesn’t support such people. Which he quite clearly does. See weka’s list from yesterday.
Now, play your semantics game infused, I am not interested in your torturing of the srategy to make yourself feel better about your support of such behaviour.
It’s probably easier if you re-frame the question as “what didn’t he lie about?” The answer will be much shorter
Keep talking to yourselves….
They don’t when the PM misrepresents and lies to them about the real situation. They might if they believed Key and then worked out that HE is fighting to get the alleged hoarde of rapists relocated here.
And by Kiwis do you mean you, or do you have a different view of the behaviour based on the actual facts?
You know excatly what i mean. The general public who labour thinks is so stupid.
the same general public who now beleves that all the kiwis coming back from Christmas Island are murderers, rapists or other sexual violaters because Key lied to them?
the PM misrepresents and lies to them about the real situation. They might if they believed Key and then worked out that HE is fighting to get the alleged hoarde of rapists relocated here.
Yes this part makes Kelvin Davis look like a Grandstanding wanker.
“A distressed Lebanese detainee told The Australian he feared for his life at the hands of the 501s during a riot that broke out on Monday.
“They’re f***ing going to kill me … We are in danger. You need to tell someone who cares that our prison is in the hands of very serious criminals.”
He said the New Zealanders had beaten more than 20 weaker detainees over the last month, stealing their phones and other property.
“These Kiwis are like a group. There’s about 25 of them. Very, very strong and they are very, very aggressive. We have problems with them. They call us dogs. Dogs and b****es.
“I got bashed by 14 men … My eyes are destroyed. I cannot see more than 20m. They f***ing destroyed my life.”
Dead Cats. Dead Rats. Wot an awful diet Key has!
CLEVER!
The man found guilty today of murdering a Christchurch school girl and then torching her family’s home has killed before.
McLaughlin was sentenced to 12 years in jail. He was deported back to New Zealand in 2001. New Zealand police were told the details of his manslaughter conviction in 2001.
Phillip’s mother Marriya Vidot, 60, said she was shocked when she heard McLaughlin had killed again.
”People in his country should know what he’s done,” she said.
”How many lives does he have to take?”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8586976/Jade-Bayliss-killer-has-killed-before
Key, letting 199 marauding rapists and murderers entering NZ very soon… some of them imaginary, which when you think about it is going to make it even harder for people to stay safe….
‘Decorated former Lance Corporal Ngati Kanohi Te Eke Haapu, better known as Ko Rutene, has been detained because his visa was revoked on the grounds that he is a member of a motorcycle club’
War hero ‘my arse’, he has campaign medals, like many of us ex military.
Perhaps he should have read up on the Australian laws regarding membership of a motorcycle gang before joining.
Yeah. People saw through this shit story.
“people” “kiwis” the “general public”, How DO you find the time to know what such a huge group thinks AND post in here?
Did you tell that to Marama Fox and the Maori Party?
Cause it was them who said it. 🙂
again, wrong tree my friend.
You do realize that the Patriots are an MC as is Ulysses?
Also, you are sprouting this on the wrong platform, your comments should be directed towards the Maori Party and the National Party. After all they are hellbent on getting these ‘hardened crims’ to come back to NZ.
All Kelvin Davis is trying to do is give them the support they need to challenge their deportation away from what they consider their Home Country, so that they get to keep their jobs and stay with their families.
I know its hard to understand, but really its National doing it. And you and your mates are barking up the wrong tree.
“Perhaps he should have read up on the Australian laws regarding membership of a motorcycle gang before joining.”
ha ha ha ha ha that is funny
“like many of us ex military”
Naval gazing doesn’t qualify as military, didn’t your mummy tell you that
Some of the very bravest people in the military in WW2 did precisely that. They were the Coastwatchers in the Pacific Islands who watched and reported on the “Naval” movements of the Japanese.
Are you perhaps one of those people who sit picking lint out of their “navel?
Didn’t your mummy tell you how to spell these two different words?
Indeed – it being the 11th and all, I recommend people read up on the Coastwatchers. Often civilian volunteers doing a lonely and dangerous, but highly important, job.
Extracting The Michael is what that was
Tory the veteran – Not a chance
I wouldn’t have commented at all if you hadn’t added the “didn’t your mummy” bit.
Otherwise it was only a spelling mistake which I do very, very frequently.
Usually I then make one in any comment I make about someone else’s slip.
McFlock is right about their bravery though. I would never have had the courage to do what they did. In general it was a case of if caught you were dead.
The response was not yours to take, but you chose to. You got it wrong, and deflected poorly, and obviously
Perhaps you are Tory. Neither of you are veterans
There, there diddums. Take your tranquilisers.
You are dreadfully confused. You are using “War Hero” in quite a different vein to the way it is used on this site.
Have a look at a representative opinion on Willie Apiata, who had the gall to be photographed with the All Blacks at the same time as John Key.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-24102015/#comment-1086270
A “War Hero” on this blog would be someone who deserted I suspect, Provided he claimed that it was John Key’s fault of course.
Someone like Apiata, who a normal person would regard as a War Hero, is evil.
Wow, you should be a hurdler at the Olympics
again Alwyn, no one on the left used the Words ‘War Hero’, t’was Marama Fox from the Maori Party who works with the National Party and is part of ze Government.
you too, need to take your criticism of the Words used to describe this dangerous non criminal record holding ex Afghanistan Soldier Bikie Gang Member to the Maori Party and admonish them for using the Words “War Hero”.
wrong Tree….wrong site.
It seems to me that tories regard all veterans as heroes until the veterans are inconvenient, need treatment, have differing opinions, become unemployed, etc…
Sabine, I fear your memory is failing you.
You, yes you, described him as a war hero in this very blog at 7.01am this morning. Are you telling me you are not part of the left?
I refer you to
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11112015/#comment-1093807
where you say
“A New Zealand war hero is being kept in a high-security prison”
You will note that I have put quotation marks around the statement, as I am quoting you. There were none in the original so I must assume that they were your words.
Are you, or are you not of the left?
The Labour Party barking at the wrong tree and defending the wrong people. Again.
Big fail, check.
“The wrong people”
Human beings not your kind of people then eh, so perhaps they will come for you next
The Royals have gone and John Key is back on his Nasty pills. Nothing new here folks.
Well said. Not a peep from HRH on climate change or the environment while he was here either…
‘Charles talks climate change with Key and Little’
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/charles-talks-climate-change-with-key-and-little/
“John Key and Andrew Little each say their meetings with the Duke of Cornwall covered a variety of topics – including climate change.
“The Prince has a real passion about work he’s doing in that area particularly for developing states and he’s got an idea that he’s working on that he’s bring to Paris for COP 21,” said Key.
Little said climate change was also discussed in his meeting with the Prince. …
‘Labour leader Andrew Little meets Prince Charles’
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/73856848/labour-leader-andrew-little-meets-prince-charles
“Prince Charles and Little had a private meeting for 30 minutes, during which time they talked about issues facing New Zealand, including climate change and urban development, as well as a chat about Little’s home town, New Plymouth…
“He’s clearly concerned about climate change, he’s been talking about that for many years. I think he feels somewhat vindicated that issues he’s regarded for so many years as being a marginal commentator on, are now mainstream…
Lobby Groups, real not imaginary usurpers of power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WPd-ASU0yM
Have just heard the talk back host subbing for Shaun Plunkett this morning on Radio Live cut off mid-sentence a guy who phoned in and said what a hypocrite Key was abusing the other side of the house yesterday for supporting rapists – he wanted to know what was Key’s explanation about Mike Sabin – wow did the talk back host get shot of him quick and called for an ad break – censorship at work I think. Is everything off limits about Mike Sabin??
Yes, the information has been suppressed, you might have seen MS redacting anything close to revealing the information on The Standard (thanks MS). Which also highlights the irony of having to know what the suppressed information is so that you can be careful what information you can share.
It seems a bit over the top with all this blanket coverage – how important was Mike Sabin for goodness sake – you would think he was royalty – it also beggars belief what his crime was. I also wonder what has happened to Jason Eade?? People just seem to conveniently slide out of trouble and are never heard of again. What’s our justice system for – is it just a law for the “nobodies” of this country?? This country is getting darker by the day.
If you have time, take a look at a replay of general debate, Green co leader James Shaw half way though maybe speech 7 or 8, he mad some good comments and provoked a telling response from the nact mp.
& Mark Mitchell (if I have his name right) basically makes a few comments (during Shaws speech) that a dunderhead would even be able to put 2 & 2 together & get the gist of the suppressed crimes. Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.
From the cant beat em,join em files.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crickhowell-welsh-town-moves-offshore-to-avoid-tax-on-local-business-a6728971.html
Republican Senator Jeff Sessions speaking about the TPP
The TPP is about a goal of creating a new global regulatory structure, what I have called a Pacific union, transferring power from individual Americans and power from Congress once more. Eroding Congress to an unaccountable, unelected international bureaucratic committee,” the Alabamian said.
Sessions pointed specifically to the agreement’s creation of a Trans-Pacific Partnership commission.
“In other words, we are empowering the Trans-Pacific Partnership countries to create really a new Congress of sorts, a group with delegates that goes and meets and decides important issues that can impact everyday life of Americans. So the American representative in this commission, which will operate in many ways like the UN, will not be answerable to voters anywhere,” he said”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/10/sen-jeff-sessions-tpp-does-not-protect-interests-of-the-american-people/
This does not paint a pretty picture of TPP to the public,
For those who want more fine detail, here is the
audio of Professor Jane Kelsey’s TPP briefing for media held on Mon 9 Nov 2015.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1511/S00032/scoop-audio-jane-kelsey-on-the-tpp-text.htm
Woody Harleson in the guardian:
“Of course, we live in a completely corrupted world where every government is just a bunch of businessmen working for a bunch of bigger businessmen and none of them give a shit about the people,” he says. “The sad fact is no one knows how to change it, because no one knows how to take on the corporations. So I guess we’re stuck with this system until the oil runs out.”
Fascinating, thanks
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/10/woody-harrelson-interview-we-live-in-a-completely-corrupted-world
Why has no-one asked John Key what he meant by Labour ‘backing the rapists’?
What did he think was being ‘backed’?
I would really like to hear him elaborate on his statement as I think he may find it difficult to articulate his meaning clearly.
Good point Puddleglum, maybe too court up in self indignation, not lessening the hurt some felt, but this is politics, they should have a long game, I mean this sort of act/stunt shouldn’t be such an surprise from creepkey.
I was thinking more about why journalists (rather than opposition MPs) hadn’t asked this question.
Surely, if the Prime Minister makes such a startling claim about opposition parties and MPs it would be the job of journalists to ask in what ways he thinks such ‘backing’ is happening.
I suspect that Key would have to say, in effect, that he thinks they are ‘backing’ such people by showing concern about their human rights. And, if he said that, his shocked demeanour when making the ‘accusation’ would imply that he thinks that the detainees’ human rights should not be supported (i.e., ‘backed’) in this situation.
Or is there some other way Key thinks the opposition is ‘backing’ them?
If so, surely we, the public, need to know just what other sense he is trying to convey?
After all, it is our Prime Minister who has revealed this to the nation in a manner that suggests that he is shocked by such ‘backing’ so it must obviously be something deeply disturbing about the behaviour of the opposition.
I suppose I’m pointing out that political journalists should take what the Prime Minister says seriously and at face value (i.e., take the office of Prime Minister seriously even if the incumbent doesn’t) and, in the public interest, they should therefore seek to discover just what the Prime Minister meant on this occasion.
And, simply asking if he still ‘stands by’ his comments is not the point – first we need to know what meaning he was expressing in making the comments before we can be concerned about whether or not he stands by them.
If the Prime Minister cannot explain his comment further then it should be reported as some inexplicable and unfathomable random insult for which the Prime Minister has no explanation or justification.
Yes, but of coarse whats said inside Parliament and outside Parliament are two different legal issues, the MSM have shown theirs colours offen in regard to their bias, meanwhile the minister of everything will tell us, Jurno’s are left wing, with a straight face.
As I type this over a coffee, I hear Armed Defenders call out near a School in Auckland, I swear the more the people suffer this sort of BS Goverment, more bad things happen in the community, sorry can’t link, only run on about a Gig a month.
Try an enjoy your day. 🙂
yep, ask him what he is doing with a dead cat on his lap?
http://publicaddress.net/speaker/cold-calculated-and-cynical/
Found it with the dead rats hes trying to feed the likes of you and me. 😉
citizens have rights, if they are accused they face trial
slaves have no rights, when accused they are summarily thrown on the scrap heap
which are we?