‘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former Lance Corporal Ngati Kanohi Te Eke Haapu, better known as Ko Rutene, has been detained because his visa was revoked on the grounds that he is a member of a motorcycle club.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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Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
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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
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?