Open mike 14/11/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, November 14th, 2023 - 45 comments
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45 comments on “Open mike 14/11/2023 ”

  1. Thinker 1
    14 November 2023 at 7:49 am

    Behind the scenes coalition negotiations 😜

    https://youtu.be/hlb-lXypMyI?si=SPVubYtzqLWq-yaN

    Reply
      • dv 1.1.1
        14 November 2023 at 8:04 am

        yesyes​​​​​​​yes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​yes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​yes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​yes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​yes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​yes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

        Reply
      • Bearded Git 1.1.2
        14 November 2023 at 8:41 am

        Haha.

        On a serious note, I want to know WTF Luxon/Seymour/Peters were doing in the three weeks after the election when they knew the probable outcome given the way specials usually go. They should have had a deal just about sewed up before the final result was announced.

        I'm suspicious that that they are dragging this out on purpose to blame the specials and so change voting eligibility to favour the Right. That is, to dump same day registration, and perhaps other measures like needing to bring ID when voting.

        Reply
        • bwaghorn 1.1.2.1
          14 November 2023 at 9:06 am

          Luxon and seymour were praying they wouldn't need Winston instead of being grown ups.

          Reply
        • Cricklewood 1.1.2.2
          14 November 2023 at 10:56 am

          The obvious change would be count the party vote portion of the specials in the booth they are cast and include them in the provisional results on the night. Sure there might be some disqualified etc but unless it was a really close election we would have a much better idea of where things sit before the final result is issued.

          Reply
          • Belladonna 1.1.2.2.1
            14 November 2023 at 12:02 pm

            That sounds like a really practical suggestion.

            There would be a bit of double handling. Counting special votes, for the party element – before they were reallocated to the batch going to a specific electorate – but it shouldn't be too challenging to manage.

            Given that there are usually tens of thousands of votes separating even the closest of results – and that the same margin is required to flip seats at the party level – even a small minority of uncounted informal votes would be unlikely to affect the result. They would, of course, be properly counted and accounted for in the 'final' result (although, given the current performance of the EC, perhaps not).

            Reply
          • Bearded Git 1.1.2.2.2
            14 November 2023 at 12:53 pm

            Good idea Crickle.

            Reply
        • Mike the Lefty 1.1.2.3
          14 November 2023 at 11:54 am

          I guess if they started obviously behaving like they had won already they might have incurred some negative pushback, something like what happened to National in 2005. But the real reason is more like what you suggest, Luxon really had no idea of whether he could cobble together a working government with the desperados surrounding him. He still doesn't, despite all the smiles and obligatory mutterings about "good working relationships" and "having a common goal".

          They have nothing of the sort, this will be a government with its only common factors being hatred of the outgoing government, plus greed and arrogance. If Luxon can make a government that lasts the full term then he is a better man than I think he is.

          But it is so typical of the right to blame others for their own failings. The system delivered the result, not without some errors and problems, but compared with overseas elections they were pretty minor. Its up to these bods to form a stable government. If it is beyond them, then they should advise the GG that they are unable to form a government and it will be back to the ballot boxes again. Only this time the public will have judged them on their inabilities.

          Even if they manage to form a government, there will be no honeymoon period. Already the electorate is sick and tired of the manipulations and perambulations and the parties playing games with each other.

          Reply
          • Bearded Git 1.1.2.3.1
            14 November 2023 at 12:59 pm

            +100 Mike…..I am getting really tired of hearing Luxon say "strong and stable"….couldn't he say "robust and solid" or one of many other options available, just so that I can have some confidence he has a working brain.

            Reply
            • observer 1.1.2.3.1.1
              14 November 2023 at 4:47 pm

              As mentioned before, "strong and stable" became a running joke in UK politics. Given the number of NZ voters who have spent time in the UK or even just follow the news from a distance, he'd be well advised to drop it. (But judging by many of his utterances, he doesn't like taking advice).

              Strong and stable – Wikipedia

              Reply
      • mary_a 1.1.4
        14 November 2023 at 3:07 pm

        OMG. Thanks for this Tony. Can't stop laughingyeslaugh

        Reply
    • ianmac 1.3
      14 November 2023 at 9:44 am

      King Christopher the Great. (His view anyway.)

      Reply
  2. Ad 2
    14 November 2023 at 8:44 am

    At some point the Opposition will have to wake up and be an Opposition.

    While we're waiting for Labour to finally move off the throne, maybe the Greens and Maori Party could do the job they were just voted to do.

    Reply
    • Tiger Mountain 2.1
      14 November 2023 at 9:38 am

      Greens and Te Pāti Māori are likely to be the main opposition force in this Parliamentary term unless NZ Labour finally retire Rogernomics…(some of us live in hope I guess…) but yes Greens and TPM certainly need to get moving as do the NZCTU and other NGOs.

      The hiatus effectively lets the Natzos determine the narrative yet again as they are prone to.

      Reply
      • Stephen D 2.1.1
        14 November 2023 at 2:43 pm

        If we want Labour to move away from the neo liberal paradigm, get involved.

        Join your local LEC, start drafting remits to submit to yoir local conference.Not everything in Labour is top down. If the flax roots overwhelmingly want to nationalise infrastructure, (for example) the Policy Council must listen.

        Reply
  3. Sandra Le Cron 3
    14 November 2023 at 8:55 am

    The Opposition cannot be in Opposition until they are in Opposition!.

    Reply
    • Ad 3.1
      14 November 2023 at 9:07 am

      That is true of Labour.

      Anyone else it's a free hit.

      Reply
      • Sanctuary 3.1.1
        14 November 2023 at 9:59 am

        The MSM response to the cone of silence from Luxon though hasn't been to report on TPM or the Greens or even remark on the apparent insouciance of corporate guy Luxon to democratic accountability – it's been to lazily carry on it's jihad against Labour's now largely irrelevant ex-ministers.

        This fits with the wider MSM media pattern in NZ – a rump, decimated and intellectually uncurious press corps with a lazy ambient acceptance of right wing rule combined with a bullying policing of the opposition fueled by press releases from from right wing propaganda fronts like the TPU.

        Reply
    • Thinker 3.2
      14 November 2023 at 11:33 am
      1. I never thought for one minute people could find more hilarious clips but they are all better than mine… laugh

      2. Sandra L-C comment is true, but to us peasants it's all about who wone how many seats. In a more formal way, it's about who took what oath. The coalition of chaos are no more the government than the left 3 parties are the opposition. This is because Luxon (as leader of the biggest-polling party) needs to go to the Governor-General with a coalition agreement, upon which the GG then "…makes it so…". So, in a formal sense, Labour is the nearest thing to a government we have at the moment, although they can't go making decisions that would bind the incoming government, to a great extent.

      3. Tiger Mountain, you're absolutely right, because in 2026, Labour hopes to be where National is at the moment. Luxon's put many feet in his mouth by promising everything to everybody and I think his "Get out of jail free card" will be that he had to make some compromises to get the coalition over the line. Normally, that would work, but Luxon's talked up his negotiating skills so much that I think many National voters expect a National govrernment, with a few crumbs thrown to NZF and ACT in order to get their support for a coalition.

      So, going back to your point, Tiger Mountain, the last thing Labour wants to be guilty of is making important promises that it then has to reneg on (which I think is where Luxon has put National).

      4. Maybe or maybe not the media is right-wing friendly, but primarily it is still the media. If it can't create stories about good news, it will slowly start to write about whatever Luxon is doing. Think of it like a merry-go-round. The media writes stories that it things will sell papers (for example). In other words, it writes what it thinks people think because people will fork out money to read news that supports their own point of view. If/as people become dissatisfied with the incoming coalition, the medial will shift and write those stories, instead.

      5. If I was Hipkins/Labour, today I would be publicly offering to lead a delegation to APEC, and take along someone from the incoming government. By virtue of his oath, Hipkins can sign off on things (I think) but would need to discuss such decisions with someone from the incoming government.

      If I was Luxon, I would prefer no-one goes to APEC than to send a representative from the caretaking government. If no-one goes, APEC delegates would soon forget about little old NZ, but if Hipkins goes, the delegates will be constantly reminded that the results came out a while back and Luxon hasn't reached a consensus yet.

      However, for the sake of New Zealand (politics aside) I think it's important that someone represents NZ at such an important occasion. I don't agree that "…hey, there'll be other APECs". An offer from Labour today would leave National between a rock and hard place. Send Labour or send nobody, neither of which is a good outcome.

      Reply
  4. tsmithfield 4
    14 November 2023 at 9:53 am

    Call me a right wing optimist looking at things through rose coloured glasses if you like.

    But I think it is a good think for negotiations in any setting to be hard fought rather than easy. I think negotiations that are hard fought tend to be more sustainable in the long run. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, if negotiations are easy, then either party may feel they could have done better. Whereas in hard fought negotiations, parties may believe they have wrung as much out of the process as they can.

    And, secondly, if negotiations are easy, then there has been a lot less commitment by either party to the negotiations. On the other hand, where both sides have invested a lot of time and effort in the negotiation process, they are less likely to walk away because their commitment has been a lot higher through the process.

    I think we saw this in the result after Labour's first term in that the relationship lasted the full term. Likewise, when my wife was selling real estate, the deals we worried about most were the easy ones, because they were more likely to collapse whereas the hard fought deals tended to settle.

    So, in the case of the current negotiations, from a right wing perspecitive it is probably a good thing if the negotiations are hard fought. Because then all parties will think they got the best deal they could, and they will be a lot more committed to the relationship going forward.

    From a left wing perspective the best outcome would likely be a quick and easy deal because those deals may fall apart just as easily.

    Reply
  5. ianmac 5
    14 November 2023 at 10:00 am

    The Better Public Media has been ruled a Charity by the Court.

    Some of the things that they advocate for resonate for me.

    It believes well-funded public media – be it news, drama or documentary – not reliant on ratings or clicks, would lead to greater social cohesion.

    “For example, people often think the wider world beyond their suburb is unsafe because of exaggerated crime coverage in the news,” Thomas said.

    “If the only news media we have is shallow and ignores policies to focus on 'the horse race', then politicians who want to be elected will tailor their messages accordingly.

    “There are examples of this from the election such as National’s bootcamp policy and Labour’s GST on food policy. Both policies are proven to be ineffective but in a 30-second soundbite they resonate. I really think that is a terrible way for decisions to be made.”

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/advocating-for-stronger-public-media-a-charitable-cause-court-rules?utm_source=Newsroom&utm_campaign=507cd68e07-Daily_Briefing+14.11.2023&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-507cd68e07-95522477&mc_cid=507cd68e07&mc_eid=88a3081e75

    Reply
    • Adrian 5.1
      14 November 2023 at 1:24 pm

      Couldnt agree more Ian, in the 70s my old old man used to complain about all the murders of which in reality there were less than previous decades . My reasoning to him was that in the 50s he got the 2Minute Silence also known as the Marlborough Express which didn't even have a front page, that was all ads, but the murders were a week old in a small column on maybe the 3rd page, whereas even in the 70s they were first item on the 6)Çlock News delivered to his own lounge so it just looked as though there were. Now, videographers do more kilometres than RamRaiders tearing around Auckland following them to record it all.

      Reply
  6. Sanctuary 6
    14 November 2023 at 10:15 am

    According to Simon Wilson in the (paywalled) Herald today, Luxon "..should establish a high-powered Fix Auckland Group, with direct access to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet…"

    Ah yes, FAG. Groundswell might find the name appropriate. In any event, obviously their first move would be to restore car parks on K road.

    Reply
    • Descendant Of Smith 6.1
      14 November 2023 at 4:28 pm

      But but but the supercity was supposed to fix all Auckland's problems……….

      Anyway look forward to Groundswell's FonTerror banners as they protest their green policies.

      Fonterra says its milk will be 30% greener in seven years – by encouraging farmers to plant trees, treat cow pats and introduce methane-cutting tools.

      The announcement is the first time the co-op, the country’s biggest emitter, has asked its farmers to take steps to reduce emissions.

      The company is under pressure to reduce the greenhouse footprint of its dairy, because its biggest customers, including Nestlé and Danone, have introduced science-led climate goals.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/133258547/fonterra-pledges-to-make-milk-production-30-greener-by-2030

      Reply
      • gsays 6.1.1
        14 November 2023 at 4:53 pm

        In respect to treating cow pats, an obvious solution is dung beetles.

        Here's a few minutes of a local effort (Sth Wairarapa).

        Reply
  7. tc 7
    14 November 2023 at 11:10 am

    Across the ditch ANZ CEO Shayne Shayne Elliott says the Australian dream of home ownership “has become the preserve of the rich" in The Australian.

    Here ANZ just increased profit by 10% with an incoming govt that has policies that will make home ownership less affordable than it is now.

    Interesting times for the banks who see a market in decline that they've plundered for all it's worth.

    Reply
  8. Chris 8
    14 November 2023 at 11:14 am

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/301007984/tova-obrien-christopher-luxons-inexperience-costs-him-international-power-play

    Mr Merger and Aquisitions' insistence on telling us about his need for a strong and stable government's going to provide some wonderful responses after the coalition's up and running. Even if it doesn't collapse midway through, anything involving Winston Peters and David Seymour's never going to be strong and stable. Whoever came up with Luxon's meme surely didn't envisage the precise outcome of the election, but you'd at least think he'd stop trotting it out at every opportunity.

    Reply
  9. Tricledrown 9
    14 November 2023 at 12:58 pm

    Luxon has no one to blame but himself reaching out to NZ first increased their popularity and reduced Nationals popularity.Now by signaling he wants to be at Apec Luxon set himself up to be made a fool of twice.Now he is saying low and middle income earners will get tax cuts that's signaling that Nationals tax cuts are being re-written. More dead rats to swallow while Winston willows in Luxon's back tracking ,oh I'm the best negotiator (Trump like)our bottom line will not be compromised a lot of walking back for Luxon and still no govt.This is 1996 all over again Peter's is making Luxon squirm .Luxon has only one other choice go to the electorate again and that will not be popular as all the time wasted.

    Reply
  10. SPC 10
    14 November 2023 at 4:22 pm

    Elders of Tik Tok

    Three blind mice

    Too many to

    make the clock

    run on time

    One has years of experience in politics and forming government and yet the man who would bring his managerial competence to government did not know him.

    And the man who did, but who has never formed a coalition government in all his years as an MP, thought that he could instruct another party’s leader to meet his terms for coalition or require consent to every government action (this before his party polling numbers halved and enabled the ultimate triumph of the one who plays his hand after the votes are all counted).

    So it has come to this.

    Tick tock.

    Bird of the century results are coming.

    US slang. flipping the bird : to make an offensive gesture at (someone) by pointing the middle finger upward while keeping the other fingers folded down.

    Reply
  12. Eco Maori 12
    16 November 2023 at 7:29 am

    Hippy tutai

    Reply

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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    New Zealand has  a chance  to  rise  again. Under the  previous  government, the  number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing  year by year. The Luxon-led government  must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising  the  pillars  of the economy. After the  mismanagement  of the outgoing government created   huge ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    3 days ago

  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The stupidest of stupid reasons
    One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • A website bereft of buzz
    Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being  sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found ….  Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: A new Ministry – at last
    Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Luxon's Breakfast.
    The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL:  Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreement
     Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item:   Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki:     “Section ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record. Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Cans of Worms.
    “And there’ll be no shortage of ‘events’ to test Luxon’s political skills. David Seymour wants a referendum on the Treaty. Winston wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Labour’s handling of the Covid crisis. Talk about cans of worms!”LAURIE AND LES were very fond of their local. It was nothing ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Disinformation campaigns are undermining democracy. Here’s how we can fight back
    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Misinformation is debated everywhere and has justifiably sparked concerns. It can polarise the public, reduce health-protective behaviours such as mask wearing and vaccination, and erode trust in science. Much of misinformation is spread not ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is not even an entry in Wikipedia. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • The New Government: 2023 Edition
    So New Zealand has a brand-spanking new right-wing government. Not just any new government either. A formal majority coalition, of the sort last seen in 1996-1998 (our governmental arrangements for the past quarter of a century have been varying flavours of minority coalition or single-party minority, with great emphasis ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago

  • The unboxing
    And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the tree with its gold ribbon but can turn out to be nothing more than a big box holding a voucher for socks, so it ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • A cruel, vicious, nasty government
    So, after weeks of negotiations, we finally have a government, with a three-party cabinet and a time-sharing deputy PM arrangement. Newsroom's Marc Daalder has put the various coalition documents online, and I've been reading through them. A few things stand out: Luxon doesn't want to do any work, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Hurrah – we have a new government (National, ACT and New Zealand First commit “to deliver for al...
    Buzz from the Beehive Sorry, there has been  no fresh news on the government’s official website since the caretaker trade minister’s press statement about the European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement. But the capital is abuzz with news – and media comment is quickly flowing – after ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Christopher Luxon – NZ PM #42.
    Nothing says strong and stable like having your government announcement delayed by a day because one of your deputies wants to remind everyone, but mostly you, who wears the trousers. It was all a bit embarrassing yesterday with the parties descending on Wellington before pulling out of proceedings. There are ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Coalition Government details policies & ministers
    Winston Peters will be Deputy PM for the first half of the Coalition Government’s three-year term, with David Seymour being Deputy PM for the second half. Photo montage by Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: PM-Elect Christopher Luxon has announced the formation of a joint National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government with a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • “Old Coat” by Peter, Paul & Mary.
     THERE ARE SOME SONGS that seem to come from a place that is at once in and out of the world. Written by men and women who, for a brief moment, are granted access to that strange, collective compendium of human experience that comes from, and belongs to, all the ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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