Maybe we all should follow the Johns and try it out on our bosses, partners, friends and family members at the first opportunity. We can all celebrate the Johns’ higher standard of non-accountability.
The Minister of Health might well have to declare a NZ pandemic of Johnesia.
GSCB boss, Ian Fletcher has an interesting professional background:
Former high flyer in British Civil Service.
Former Director General and CEO of Queensland’s Dept. of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
He took up his position at the GSCB at the beginning of this year.
Announcing the appointment Prime Minister John Key said he has ” policy and operational experience particularly in relation to international economic and trade matters.”
So, under the Prime Minister’s stewardship, the GSCB has been quietly shifting it’s focus away from international political developments (Foreign Affairs)? Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are of interest to John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Very interesting to speculate what effect such a scenario might be having on the morale of those who work within the GCSB.
Nah, all this is, is the continued over-run of the imperialist officers into NZ. Have a good look around the governmnent departments, central and local, see how many are run or heavily influenced by the UK!
The head of our spy agency being one, is to be expected!
The Dotcom case appears to have its roots in US influence on NZ via the various agencies (FBI, NSA, etc), around the whole trade/IP/TPP negotiations mix.
Throw in the US/China tensions, and you have NZ jammed between the biggies on a serious issue of global power politics.
Fletcher the ideal man for the job, always assuming the Key/McCully instructions are to work for NZ and not the US. But then again, if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
The GCSB is administered by a Director. The directors have been:
Colin Hanson (1977–1988)
Ray Parker (1988–1999)
Dr Warren Tucker (1999–2006)
Air Marshal Sir Bruce Ferguson (2006–2010)
Simon Murdoch (acting November 2010 – February 2011)[5]
Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae (7 February – 30 June 2011)
Simon Murdoch (acting 1 July – 19 December 2011)
Ian Fletcher (January 2012–)
Jerry Mateparae was appointed by Prime Minister John Key on 26 August 2010 taking up the role on 7 February 2011. On 8 March 2011 Mataparae was announced as the next Governor-General. He continued as Director until June 2011.
Up to and including Mateparae, all the permanent directors had military careers before joining the organisation – Hanson, Parker, and Ferguson were all Air Force officers (the latter serving as Chief of Defence), and Tucker and Mateparae were Army officers.
So Simon Murdoch was acting Director for four months before Mataparae (over the period the Dotcom came to NZ and was granted residency) AND for the six months after Mataparae.
EDIT – also from Wikipedia’s entry on Murdoch
Murdoch joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972. He had an early posting to Canberra, before joining the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1980 as foreign affairs adviser to Prime Minister Robert Muldoon.
In 1983, Murdoch was assistant head of the Asian division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later that year, he was posted to Washington DC as political counsellor, and the New Zealand intelligence liaison officer to the United States.
In 1987, Murdoch returned to New Zealand and became head of the Australia Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 1989, Murdoch was seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to be head of the Policy Advisory Group. In 1991, State Services Commissioner Don Hunn appointed Murdoch to the post of Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Murdoch was head of the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Prime Ministers Jim Bolger and Jenny Shipley. He left the post in 1998, to become Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Management at Victoria University of Wellington for a year.
In 1999, Murdoch was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia. At the time, the posting was seen to be grooming Murdoch for the role of Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
In 2002, Murdoch succeeded Neil Walter as New Zealand’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
He was appointed to the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009.[2]
GCSB
In 2010 he conducted a review of New Zealand intelligence agencies, and for a period before and after the appointment of Lt Gen Sir Jerry Mateparae, he was acting chief executive and director of the GCSB. During his second stint in the position he presided over the illegal surveillance of Kim Dotcom.[3]
Murdoch has now been appointed to do the Rena review.
Thanks, should have recalled. But then I’m not paid to do this!
Murdoch before and after Mataparae…and at the crucial DotCom time. Hardly an amateur – and not someone to ‘overlook’ serious stuff. The DotCom saga will (may, eventually?) go right to the top.
We should be in for an interesting week or two.
All this may provoke some interesting discussion around the TPP, its timetable and the secret negotiations involved. We have an FTA with China, crucial to NZ exports. But the chances of similar TPP liberalization of US farm trade, especially in dairy, are those of the proverbial snowball in hell.
It is not difficult to imagine the sort of political pressure being brought to bear on Key. But that’s the job. The question is whether he will stand up for NZ. So far, looks unlikely.
That the GCSB run by ex RNZAF officers works on behalf of the US and A doesn’t surprise me in the least. RNZAF officers seem to put loyalty to Washington ahead of anything else and should probably all be imprisoned for treason. The speeches they used to give at Duntroon when Labour was in power were shocking.
… if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
Thanks Red Rosa. It is essentially the point I was making.
Of course there is a role for our intelligence agencies to play in economic espionage. There is also a role for them to play in other areas too such as international drug cartels. However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes.
And since I don’t trust this govt. – and this PM in particular – then it is, in my view, a pertinent scenario to ponder… at least as far as the GCSB is concerned.
“However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes”.
Good point Anne – and that period covers Murdoch’s time as foreign affairs adviser to Muldoon and his appointment in 1983 as political councillor and NZ Intelligence liaison officer to the US in Washington DC. (as per my quote of Wikipedia’s summary of his career at 3.2.1)
Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are in the interest of John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Males a difference in the meaning of the sentence.
Edit; just seen your comment deuto. No, I don’t believe it to be coincidence. I’m coming to the view there is not a coincidence with the appointment of Ian Fletcher either. Look at the way he is responding to the whistle blower story. What’s happened to Public Service ethics? You throw a staff member to the wolves because he/she is exercising his/her right to express concern over inexcusable behaviour?
Furthermore, our vicar spoke today on the Great Importance of focusing on Poverty in this country and I am certain that the same message is being delivered by All Men of Faith; I know that it is being delivered from the evangelical pastor I support also.
Excellent, that the pastors are defying Tax laws penalising socio-political rhetoric from the pulpit
in the God-Forsaken U S of A
(no Uturn, move on, nothing to see here; “you aint gotta hold on me, you aint gotta hold on me…)
The rot set in during the Rogernomic and Ruthanasia years. I know… I was on the receiving end for blowing a certain whistle. Interesting to note… some months after I resigned (virtually a forced resignation) the govt. unit I complained about was closed down.
I agree, Anne. Ethics were very much a part of public sector culture prior to then, but changed throughout that period – in some public sector areas more than others. Over the years I saw it eroding away – very much who you knew/’networked’ with rather than your competencies; back stabbing, etc etc. That is not to say that there are not still many public servants with ethics and the right culture, but more and more they are being troden down, disillusioned and give up and/or eventually leave as I did.
Yes, deuto. So sad. They have lost a lot of very good people – competent, loyal and reliable. Whilst lip service may still be paid to such qualities, in many areas of the public sector they seem no longer regarded as being essential requisites. And the bulk of the blame can be sheeted home to the ‘dog eat dog’ culture that epitomises NAct governments.
The only “significant positive effect” was that children felt less hungry, the study into free school breakfasts found.
Head of the study, Associate Professor Cliona Ni Murchu, said there were indications that attendance at school was also likely to improve but in reading, writing and maths there was no noticeable improvement.
Researchers at Auckland University’s School of Population Health studied 423 children at decile one to four schools in Auckland, Waikato and Wellington for the 2010 school year
Dear research unit.
Thank you for your time and effort in letting my, I mean our governmnet off the hook with this well timed release of information, I know Paula appreciates the fact that someone else is going to run interference today. I would also like to acknowledge stuff.co.nz for running the story as agreed today, especially as those reading it will be enjoying their latte breakfasts, and I can go back to getting on with the job, without having to worry if all that talk about not providing food in schools will cost me votes, let them eat fruit
Oh, and to John Campbell, eat a dick, you lost, I won!
“Ni Murchu said there was a chance her study did not capture the children who most needed the breakfasts.
“There’s always a risk that the kinds of people who participate are not the higher needs group.” This was because her study participants had to get parental consent and fill in a lengthy questionnaire – a process that may have alienated the high-needs families.”
Not the most authoritative study by the authors own account then.
What measures did they use to see if there were improvements or not?
There was NO indication in the report of how they ensured kid were hungry to start with.
“They were given a free daily breakfast – Weet-Bix, bread with honey, jam or Marmite, and Milo – by either the Red Cross or a private sector provider.”
There was no indication in the report if the kids had had any breakfast, there just seemed to be an assumption that if they were in a low (1-4) decile school they would be hungary.
Nor any indication that they checked if carbo-loading kids at the beginning of the day might, you know, give them a sugar-crash by morning tea which wouldn’t exactly help their concentration.
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
Agree, Paul. Those three are given far too much airtime, for example on RNZ National (Nine to Noon, The Panel etc)
Could not believe my ears last Monday(?) when on the politcal commentary slot on Nine to Noon, Coddington stated categorically that the Kim Dotcom was only big news in NZ and was not being covered by overseas media! It has been covered extensively by the likes of the NY Times, Washington Post etc. She certainly lives in a small bubble.
Who do the left have to represent them regularly on the MSM?
Matt McCarten and Chris Trotter are the only ones I can think of.
I’m not including pundits like Josie Pagani, who is really centrist..hardly the polar opposite to ACT anyway.
Maybe this is how the left should be tackling the issue..by challenging the impartiality of the New Zealand media.
The MSM are already predominantly left-wing ie Campbell, Gower, Smalley, Sainsbury – all good progressives (who like firework displays). We need some of these ACT center-right commentators to even it up a bit and raise a few hard issues that many people dont like being raised.
Paul Holmes, Mike Hosking, Fran O’Sullivan, John Roughan, John Armstrong, Leighton Smith, Danny Williams, Michael Laws…
The media is predominately left wing. Yeah right!
I guess it’s left wing if you’re an ACT supporter or ‘one tracked’.
The examples I gave are all the mainstream television identities so you have TV sown up. Do a few talkback hosts and weekly newspaper columnists make up for that? Nope.
John Armstrong – you must be joking – centre left at best (ie right is better of course). Paul Holmes – i dont think so, apart from one politically incorrect reference to the UN Secretary General which was a simple joke that the hard left media couldnt handle. No, he’s on your team. I note you didn’t even try to deny that the examples I gave are lefties though. And who is Danny Williams?
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
William Feller was quite succinct in this matter eg.
It has been suggested that an army of monkeys might be trained to pound typewriters at random in the hope that ultimately great works of literature would be produced. Using a coin for the same purpose may save feeding and training expenses and free the monkeys for other monkey business.
The most troublesome problem is that political pundits,(and to some extent economic commentators) almost never outperform either monkeys or chance.Eg Tetlock.
EVERY DAY, countless experts offer innumerable opinions in a dizzying array of forums. Cynics groan that expert communities seem ready at hand for virtually any issue in the political spotlight–communities from which governments or their critics can mobilize platoons of pundits to make prepackaged cases on a moment’s notice.
Although there is nothing odd about experts playing prominent roles in debates, it is odd to keep score, to track expert performance against explicit benchmarks of accuracy and rigor. And that is what I have struggled to do in twenty years of research of soliciting and scoring experts’ judgments on a wide range of issues. The key term is “struggled.” For, if it were easy to set standards for judging judgment that would be honored across the opinion spectrum and not glibly dismissed as another sneaky effort to seize the high ground for a favorite cause, someone would have patented the process long ago.
No and heres why. Act, like the Greens will never be the majority party in Govt. which is actually a good thing because it means the center govt of the day can take out the more radical parts while keeping the general idea
I mean does anybody take the Greens idea of QE seriously? I don’t think Cunliffe would go for that.
I take the Greens idea seriously as do many others.
In my opinion Labour asked the Greens to do this, they’re attacking the Government on other fronts.
(i.e Assets/Law)
And voting for a party that you don’t want in power is delusional bud.
I would vote for Act if Act got back to the principles it was founded on
you and a few thousand others, and that’s the problem. their ideas are just not at all popular. ACT doesn’t divert into law and order, and conservative knee jerkery, and climate change denialism for laughs. They do it because the need funders and votes.
Then I guess you didn’t understand it. It’s the economic stuff that’s so deeply disliked and distrusted.
Have you been in a coma or something? Everything you want has already happened. The populist Mr Hide was replaced with the serious economics focused Dr Brash, because the only thing holding the party back from its rightfully deserved popularity was all that populism.
Remember? He was to take the party back to its core economic principles and win 15% of the vote. Actually wasn’t he scoffing at that figure and saying he expected a lot more? You know, because of the serious economic focus and return to core principles.
How’d that work out again?
And “rebuild around Epsom”, are you serial? You want a party that’s deliberately structured to be 100% reliant on National gifting a seat every three years?
An ACT internal review: two people wondering why their chequebooks failed them.
Here’s a thought: the “one of us” you parachuted into the seat is a fucking lying moron, and your ability to fool people into thinking that your policies are a good idea is inversely proportional to the level of hardship that your prospective voters face.
ACT is a party for people who think their problems revolve around GDP and labour market flexibility (the solutions to which handily include tax cuts anf enabling developers to bulldoze unique environments), not around feeding the kids tonight.
Just listened to “Down the list”. Jeepers the satire was top-notch and cutting, even Chris said “ouch” when it finished – key gets chucked on the barbie – good fun.
Today, two Hollywood film moguls preparing for a quick meeting with Jeff Key (John Key) discuss making a film in New Zealand based on Richie McCaw’s sore foot. They struggle to make it sound exciting enough to invest in, but finally they are swayed by the concessions and subsidies being offered to overseas film productions.
Just listened to “Down the list”. Jeepers the satire was top-notch and cutting, even Chris said “ouch” when it finished – key gets chucked on the barbie – good fun.
Will our ill fated military intervention in Afghanistan end in one more final act of ignominy and disgrace to be covered over by lies and secrecy?
Who is lying? – Who is telling the truth? Former translator 19 year old Diamond Kazimi? or, Anonymous senior Defence Force spokespeople, backed by secretive, ‘no comment’ Prime Minister?
According to Diamond Kazimi, 6 of our Aghan translators, have been told not to talk to the press about their fears that they are being abandoned by our troops in Baniyan.
Last week, the Sunday Star-Times reported 26 Afghan interpreters working with Kiwi troops were pleading with the Government not to abandon them to “certain death”
And this week? According to Kazimi, 6 Afghan translators have been released by the army in Afghanistan and told not to go to the media.
In reply to Kazimi’s claim of lay offs, an anonymous unattributed statement was published in the Star Times on behalf of the army brass, it reads; “There are still 26 interpreters on staff and there is no change we are aware of.“, NZDF
Along with this official denial by the Defence Force – Prime Minister Key who had previously told media that, ‘the interpreters concern had been acknowledged and were being considered.’ On Friday, announced he would not be commenting any further on the issue.
19 year old Diamond Kazimi, in the face of official military denials and top government secrecy and apparent cover up, is defying military and the government officials in continuing to openly speak up, demanding that the rights of our troop’s translators and their families to safety be taken seriously by the army and the government.
Why will our government and military leaders not heed Diamond Kazimi and the other translators and give them and their families some assurance or certainty as to their fate?
Why have the 6 laid off last week, been ordered to shut up?
Is a shabby and cowardly abandonment by our troops of their interpreters being ordered?
Will our final withdrawal from Afghanistan be in dignity or shame?
Doc you haven’t addressed the question of why our military deny that it laid off 6 interpreters last week amid fears that they will abandoned when our troops finally pull out. Or why the Prime Minister has gone silent on the issue.
Maybe possibly, to admit we need to do something to protect our Afghan interpreters from Taliban retribution after our departure, is also an admission that our declared reason for being there: To pacify the country and turn back the Taliban has been a complete and dismal failure and pointless waste of the lives of the ten Kiwis who have died there.
Rather than admit the defeat of our mission in Afghanistan, Defence Force and Government personel are in effect claiming there is no problem, that Baniyan has been made safe by our efforts, and the interpreters claims that they face “certain death” on our withdrawal from the province are wrong.
Biosecurity officers have raided the Auckland Botanic Gardens, apparently looking for an exotic relation to the kauri tree that may have been illegally introduced to the country.
The homes of the gardens’ curator, Jack Hobbs, and veteran Albany ecologist Graeme Platt were also targeted by Ministry of Primary Industries staff in simultaneous raids just after dawn on Thursday.
….”I was sitting at my computer in my undies and the next thing a police car came roaring down the driveway, followed by five more cars.
I thought something very tragic must’ve happened. The policewoman was lovely, the others were maggots.”
….Officers removed computers and plants and ordered him not to not sell or remove plants from the property that were part of the kauri or Norfolk pine family.
Platt said after the raids Hobbs told him computers were also taken from his home and the botanic gardens, and plant samples were taken from the gardens.
“He’s extremely upset and staff at the botanic gardens are outraged.”
The ministry refused to comment before the Herald on Sunday deadline.
Can’t a tree or two grow in peace? And how come the Dotcom-like raid was enacted on hapless misnamed trees. Did the police think that trees might have a safe room or have an escape plan? Escaped trees last seen scampering down Kaihangahape Road. Do not approach. Jeez!
Today’s most insulting quote from the Minister of Hypocrisy, ” “an extra 50 bucks a week” into the homes of child abusers wouldn’t save lives and more than the extra $20 million budgeted to fight child abuse would not get abuse rates down”
Of course the child abusers the Minister refers to are beneficiaries – all of them. Bennett reverts to the tried and true B-bashing technique only this time making use of presuppositions.
The Minister confuses cause and effect by using statistics to wrongly imply beneficiaries are synonymous with abuse. Of course this suits her key purpose which is to vilify anyone who has legally sort government assistance under the Social Securities Act as they are entitled to do.
Another sad chapter of NZ politics. No word as yet from the Minister on how she thinks the continued attacks by her on the character of parents of the children on welfare affect the children’s self esteem and development.
Indeed the deflector shields are always up, because the biggest abusers on the planet are the elite, and in the case of the UN, and CPA in the USA, many openly busted instances of habitual abuse, and then of course there is the “entertainment” business known as Hollywood!
What a freakin lying-arsed, in-denial, freakin drench trough we live in, and the lice are only multiplying;
Military Assaults each other; apparently, weak discipline, they see a fox-hole, and they gotta fill it,
and the CDF blatently lies, does he think we are stupid? He can Bat his eyelids all he wants, but his aperture will not shut.
Bnnt- failing abysmally to acknowledge the Primary link (she would be a primary link if we ever saw one) between Poverty and Child Abuse. (if I was not a believer and follower of My Lord, I would be speaking much Harsher; however, I prophecy that all will not end well for her; her spirit is on show for All to see)
The freakin sheep still bleating after the very weak master of Deception, baaa, baaaa, as they slip down all the OECD slopes..
And, New Zealand is likely to be the “Weakest Link” in the Five Eyes Network (only one eye open) well, that suits me just fine. (bring it on you Crosby-Textor sycophantic Fasci; losers)
Personally, I WELCOME THE CHINESE (and they have known that for nearly a year), and then the sooner the local merchants can get on with business (all cards ON the table, instead of Denial about their graft and Inbred Kleptocracy)
Now I do not choose to Know much about Falun Gong, but I Do Know a lot about Monotheism (I believe) and the sooner THE CHINESE get here, The Better.
WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE (and Foo Yung to any nation that gets in their way, fools)
As a contrast to the above poll Labour are on 30.8% the nats are on 50.6%
Labour down 2.4% Nats up 4.8%
Who on earth would believe these polls,garnered by garner.
TV3 news reid research polls are usually
way out of wack anyway.
The first polls are from roy morgan,the middle one is one i went looking for,tv3
reid research,the third is national and opposition parties also from roy morgan
for the dates 24/9 -7/10
Always worth remembering that the 3 news/Reid poll allways overestimates National support by 2-3 pts, at least. And always underestimates NZF’s support. Anyway, further comfirmation of the downward trend for Key and Co., so good news there.
I’m not sure about the reid research polls – too irregular to get a trend off, and the seem to have pumped national at getting over 50% in the election just a week or so out, and labour proportionately less than their election tally.
Oh, and take care looking at the RR graphs – they don’t have null spaces in their charts in the months they fail to publish a poll, e.g. the jump from april to june, and the last record is july.
The penguin probably does closer coverage, but I try not to go to sites that might lso-cookie me. Safe browsing, peeps!
The roy morgan tracker has the national led govt that includes support party’s
on 44%, the opposition party’s which includes all support party’s is 53.5%
I was shocked by the tv3 poll,so i went looking for some answers.
The tracker was taken 24/9/12 – 7/10/12
shonkey will be slapping his chest about how great they are doing and people
just dont care about the dotcom fiasco,he will say nz’ers have moved on,look at
the polls,the roy morgan polls need to be shown in the media as well,that will
stop him chest beating, but it will be difficult with the msm.
Last week, I got tipped-off that the parts of the MSD network were completely exposed to the public. You could go into any WINZ office and use their self-service kiosks to access their corporate network.
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Apparently you can’t access everything – just nearly everything – in MSDs servers.
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When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
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Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
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Brian Edwards now blames john banks for key’s memory loss.lol.
It does catch on, doesn’t it?
Maybe we all should follow the Johns and try it out on our bosses, partners, friends and family members at the first opportunity. We can all celebrate the Johns’ higher standard of non-accountability.
The Minister of Health might well have to declare a NZ pandemic of Johnesia.
Brian Edwards is yesterday’s political analyst and belongs in the same pasture as Franet, JA, Roughan etc
I’ve been watching and listening to Owen Glenn in regard to the Warriors. Serious question – is he just a litle bit senile now?
GSCB boss, Ian Fletcher has an interesting professional background:
Former high flyer in British Civil Service.
Former Director General and CEO of Queensland’s Dept. of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
He took up his position at the GSCB at the beginning of this year.
Announcing the appointment Prime Minister John Key said he has ” policy and operational experience particularly in relation to international economic and trade matters.”
So, under the Prime Minister’s stewardship, the GSCB has been quietly shifting it’s focus away from international political developments (Foreign Affairs)? Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are of interest to John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Very interesting to speculate what effect such a scenario might be having on the morale of those who work within the GCSB.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5589538/New-Zealands-new-top-spy-boss-revealed
Nah, all this is, is the continued over-run of the imperialist officers into NZ. Have a good look around the governmnent departments, central and local, see how many are run or heavily influenced by the UK!
The head of our spy agency being one, is to be expected!
Mmmm..that would fit.
The Dotcom case appears to have its roots in US influence on NZ via the various agencies (FBI, NSA, etc), around the whole trade/IP/TPP negotiations mix.
Throw in the US/China tensions, and you have NZ jammed between the biggies on a serious issue of global power politics.
Fletcher the ideal man for the job, always assuming the Key/McCully instructions are to work for NZ and not the US. But then again, if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
Who ran the GCSB between Mataparae and Fletcher?
From Wikipedia, Red Rosa:
So Simon Murdoch was acting Director for four months before Mataparae (over the period the Dotcom came to NZ and was granted residency) AND for the six months after Mataparae.
EDIT – also from Wikipedia’s entry on Murdoch
Murdoch has now been appointed to do the Rena review.
Thanks, should have recalled. But then I’m not paid to do this!
Murdoch before and after Mataparae…and at the crucial DotCom time. Hardly an amateur – and not someone to ‘overlook’ serious stuff. The DotCom saga will (may, eventually?) go right to the top.
We should be in for an interesting week or two.
All this may provoke some interesting discussion around the TPP, its timetable and the secret negotiations involved. We have an FTA with China, crucial to NZ exports. But the chances of similar TPP liberalization of US farm trade, especially in dairy, are those of the proverbial snowball in hell.
It is not difficult to imagine the sort of political pressure being brought to bear on Key. But that’s the job. The question is whether he will stand up for NZ. So far, looks unlikely.
How on earth many more weeks are going to be “interesting, but stop right there!
That the GCSB run by ex RNZAF officers works on behalf of the US and A doesn’t surprise me in the least. RNZAF officers seem to put loyalty to Washington ahead of anything else and should probably all be imprisoned for treason. The speeches they used to give at Duntroon when Labour was in power were shocking.
… if those instructions were to mix trade with national security, then the illegal use of the GCSB is not surprising.
Thanks Red Rosa. It is essentially the point I was making.
Of course there is a role for our intelligence agencies to play in economic espionage. There is also a role for them to play in other areas too such as international drug cartels. However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes.
And since I don’t trust this govt. – and this PM in particular – then it is, in my view, a pertinent scenario to ponder… at least as far as the GCSB is concerned.
“However there is always a risk of them being used by a government in a way that is not appropriate. We saw it happen between 1975 and 1984 when Muldoon used the SIS for political purposes”.
Good point Anne – and that period covers Murdoch’s time as foreign affairs adviser to Muldoon and his appointment in 1983 as political councillor and NZ Intelligence liaison officer to the US in Washington DC. (as per my quote of Wikipedia’s summary of his career at 3.2.1)
Coincidence?
ooops, I meant to say:
Does it now concentrate rather more on off-shore economic and trade concerns that are in the interest of John Key and the National govt., but not necessarily the rest of us?
Males a difference in the meaning of the sentence.
Edit; just seen your comment deuto. No, I don’t believe it to be coincidence. I’m coming to the view there is not a coincidence with the appointment of Ian Fletcher either. Look at the way he is responding to the whistle blower story. What’s happened to Public Service ethics? You throw a staff member to the wolves because he/she is exercising his/her right to express concern over inexcusable behaviour?
addition… on the part of the prime-minister?
There are no coincidences. Not with this government – they know exactly what they’re doing and it’s not good for NZ.
Furthermore, our vicar spoke today on the Great Importance of focusing on Poverty in this country and I am certain that the same message is being delivered by All Men of Faith; I know that it is being delivered from the evangelical pastor I support also.
Excellent, that the pastors are defying Tax laws penalising socio-political rhetoric from the pulpit
in the God-Forsaken U S of A
(no Uturn, move on, nothing to see here; “you aint gotta hold on me, you aint gotta hold on me…)
Anne – so there was a time they had “ethics”?
Once Dr Terry – but it was a long time ago.
The rot set in during the Rogernomic and Ruthanasia years. I know… I was on the receiving end for blowing a certain whistle. Interesting to note… some months after I resigned (virtually a forced resignation) the govt. unit I complained about was closed down.
I agree, Anne. Ethics were very much a part of public sector culture prior to then, but changed throughout that period – in some public sector areas more than others. Over the years I saw it eroding away – very much who you knew/’networked’ with rather than your competencies; back stabbing, etc etc. That is not to say that there are not still many public servants with ethics and the right culture, but more and more they are being troden down, disillusioned and give up and/or eventually leave as I did.
Yes, deuto. So sad. They have lost a lot of very good people – competent, loyal and reliable. Whilst lip service may still be paid to such qualities, in many areas of the public sector they seem no longer regarded as being essential requisites. And the bulk of the blame can be sheeted home to the ‘dog eat dog’ culture that epitomises NAct governments.
Feeding hungry schoolchildren does nothing to boost their learning, a new report shows.
Dear research unit.
Thank you for your time and effort in letting my, I mean our governmnet off the hook with this well timed release of information, I know Paula appreciates the fact that someone else is going to run interference today. I would also like to acknowledge stuff.co.nz for running the story as agreed today, especially as those reading it will be enjoying their latte breakfasts, and I can go back to getting on with the job, without having to worry if all that talk about not providing food in schools will cost me votes, let them eat fruit
Oh, and to John Campbell, eat a dick, you lost, I won!
Best
J Key
“Ni Murchu said there was a chance her study did not capture the children who most needed the breakfasts.
“There’s always a risk that the kinds of people who participate are not the higher needs group.” This was because her study participants had to get parental consent and fill in a lengthy questionnaire – a process that may have alienated the high-needs families.”
Not the most authoritative study by the authors own account then.
Hey now, self-selecting samples are always the BEST samples.
And of course the headline on the page NOT biased one little bit is it?
Food and learning connection shot down
Yes and then at the bottom of the article is well, oopps maybe it’s not dead BUT Stuff as usual get’s it’s spin working.
Stephen Doyle said
You mean in that the study, if anything, paints a too optimistic picture because the most in need kids may have been left out?
You really are a brainbox, aren’t you, Stephen.
What measures did they use to see if there were improvements or not?
There was NO indication in the report of how they ensured kid were hungry to start with.
“They were given a free daily breakfast – Weet-Bix, bread with honey, jam or Marmite, and Milo – by either the Red Cross or a private sector provider.”
There was no indication in the report if the kids had had any breakfast, there just seemed to be an assumption that if they were in a low (1-4) decile school they would be hungary.
Nor any indication that they checked if carbo-loading kids at the beginning of the day might, you know, give them a sugar-crash by morning tea which wouldn’t exactly help their concentration.
ACT are conducting an internal review according to a small article on the Herald site
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10840409
LOL, best of luck to them. From a comment on Audrey’s Young’s column yesterday “Is Banks still alive?”
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
Agree, Paul. Those three are given far too much airtime, for example on RNZ National (Nine to Noon, The Panel etc)
Could not believe my ears last Monday(?) when on the politcal commentary slot on Nine to Noon, Coddington stated categorically that the Kim Dotcom was only big news in NZ and was not being covered by overseas media! It has been covered extensively by the likes of the NY Times, Washington Post etc. She certainly lives in a small bubble.
Who do the left have to represent them regularly on the MSM?
Matt McCarten and Chris Trotter are the only ones I can think of.
I’m not including pundits like Josie Pagani, who is really centrist..hardly the polar opposite to ACT anyway.
Maybe this is how the left should be tackling the issue..by challenging the impartiality of the New Zealand media.
The MSM are already predominantly left-wing ie Campbell, Gower, Smalley, Sainsbury – all good progressives (who like firework displays). We need some of these ACT center-right commentators to even it up a bit and raise a few hard issues that many people dont like being raised.
🙄
Paul Holmes, Mike Hosking, Fran O’Sullivan, John Roughan, John Armstrong, Leighton Smith, Danny Williams, Michael Laws…
The media is predominately left wing. Yeah right!
I guess it’s left wing if you’re an ACT supporter or ‘one tracked’.
Onetrack is centre-left (of Genghiz Khan)
A little harsh to Genghis maybe!
The examples I gave are all the mainstream television identities so you have TV sown up. Do a few talkback hosts and weekly newspaper columnists make up for that? Nope.
John Armstrong – you must be joking – centre left at best (ie right is better of course). Paul Holmes – i dont think so, apart from one politically incorrect reference to the UN Secretary General which was a simple joke that the hard left media couldnt handle. No, he’s on your team. I note you didn’t even try to deny that the examples I gave are lefties though. And who is Danny Williams?
You’re insane, but that’s an interesting slip of the tongue re: Holmes.
LOL get your head checked and a wheel alignment mate, I think you got your lefts and rights whacked out
so whatta ya think of the show so far….?
Reruns of Happy Days would be better.
The MSM is propaganda for the 1%.
It’s amazing how many ex-ACT people get on to the media to spout the neo-liberal dogma.
For a party that commands 1% of the vote, they seem to have a lot more than 1% of the pundits invited to put forward their opinions.
Deborah Coddington,Rodney Hide and Stephen Franks come to mind immediately.
William Feller was quite succinct in this matter eg.
It has been suggested that an army of monkeys might be trained to pound typewriters at random in the hope that ultimately great works of literature would be produced. Using a coin for the same purpose may save feeding and training expenses and free the monkeys for other monkey business.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/File:Monkey-typing.jpg
The most troublesome problem is that political pundits,(and to some extent economic commentators) almost never outperform either monkeys or chance.Eg Tetlock.
EVERY DAY, countless experts offer innumerable opinions in a dizzying array of forums. Cynics groan that expert communities seem ready at hand for virtually any issue in the political spotlight–communities from which governments or their critics can mobilize platoons of pundits to make prepackaged cases on a moment’s notice.
Although there is nothing odd about experts playing prominent roles in debates, it is odd to keep score, to track expert performance against explicit benchmarks of accuracy and rigor. And that is what I have struggled to do in twenty years of research of soliciting and scoring experts’ judgments on a wide range of issues. The key term is “struggled.” For, if it were easy to set standards for judging judgment that would be honored across the opinion spectrum and not glibly dismissed as another sneaky effort to seize the high ground for a favorite cause, someone would have patented the process long ago.
http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s7959.html
And Don Brash and even Muriel Newman, not too much heard from “Brothel signage eyes” Hilary Clavert though.
If the act louts are missing in action,they are most likey down the nearest toilet,getting
closer to the sewage waste going out to sea.
Heres some advice for them
Ditch Banks
Bring up some of the younger talent
Ditch the SST
Go back to focusing on economic matters
Classic Gnat policy ….
Destroy any thought and analysis that currently exists, and put a teenager in charge
Then start thinking about what everyone else has been talking about for 4 years.
“Welcome too PlanetChris73 M8!”
Classic lefty response: be a dipshit
Banks is not nor has he ever been Act. National yes or maybe even Conservative but not Act.
What?, R U trying too reason out here Chris73?
Restructure ACT so you can vote for them again?
Kinda head up ur arse stuff that one buddy!
I would vote for Act if Act got back to the principles it was founded on just like I’d imagine quite a few people would vote Labour if it did likewise
They only have one principle …. “Free Market”, i.e “Open Slather”
This country is dying because of that blinkered approach to Aoteoroa.
No and heres why. Act, like the Greens will never be the majority party in Govt. which is actually a good thing because it means the center govt of the day can take out the more radical parts while keeping the general idea
I mean does anybody take the Greens idea of QE seriously? I don’t think Cunliffe would go for that.
I take the Greens idea seriously as do many others.
In my opinion Labour asked the Greens to do this, they’re attacking the Government on other fronts.
(i.e Assets/Law)
And voting for a party that you don’t want in power is delusional bud.
If Cunliffe doesn’t then he’s a fool.
The principles that just had the global economy collapse.
I would vote for Act if Act got back to the principles it was founded on
you and a few thousand others, and that’s the problem. their ideas are just not at all popular. ACT doesn’t divert into law and order, and conservative knee jerkery, and climate change denialism for laughs. They do it because the need funders and votes.
I can’t disagree with that.
What I’d suggest is bring up the younger talent, stick with economic policies and rebuild around Epsom. It can be done but it’ll take time.
NZ politics need smaller parties to give voice to as many people so it’d be a shame if Act went under.
“I can’t disagree with that. “
Then I guess you didn’t understand it. It’s the economic stuff that’s so deeply disliked and distrusted.
Have you been in a coma or something? Everything you want has already happened. The populist Mr Hide was replaced with the serious economics focused Dr Brash, because the only thing holding the party back from its rightfully deserved popularity was all that populism.
Remember? He was to take the party back to its core economic principles and win 15% of the vote. Actually wasn’t he scoffing at that figure and saying he expected a lot more? You know, because of the serious economic focus and return to core principles.
How’d that work out again?
And “rebuild around Epsom”, are you serial? You want a party that’s deliberately structured to be 100% reliant on National gifting a seat every three years?
Doesn’t matter anyway, ACT is already over.
Did you have breakfast this morning,you seem to be a bit sugar deprived ?
reply to chris73 about his ‘lefty’ remark.
Is SST the name of the toilet they are in ?
Whatever is left of Act can gather together and stare down into their pit.
Betting on who they’ll throw in next, great bloodsportsmanship!
An internal review??? Have they got anyone left to do it?
An ACT internal review: two people wondering why their chequebooks failed them.
Here’s a thought: the “one of us” you parachuted into the seat is a fucking lying moron, and your ability to fool people into thinking that your policies are a good idea is inversely proportional to the level of hardship that your prospective voters face.
ACT is a party for people who think their problems revolve around GDP and labour market flexibility (the solutions to which handily include tax cuts anf enabling developers to bulldoze unique environments), not around feeding the kids tonight.
Just listened to “Down the list”. Jeepers the satire was top-notch and cutting, even Chris said “ouch” when it finished – key gets chucked on the barbie – good fun.
Link not there yet but well worth a listen
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/20121014
I heard that, it was brilliant! 🙂
Will our ill fated military intervention in Afghanistan end in one more final act of ignominy and disgrace to be covered over by lies and secrecy?
Who is lying? – Who is telling the truth? Former translator 19 year old Diamond Kazimi? or, Anonymous senior Defence Force spokespeople, backed by secretive, ‘no comment’ Prime Minister?
You decide.
Afghan interpreters ‘scared and confused’
According to Diamond Kazimi, 6 of our Aghan translators, have been told not to talk to the press about their fears that they are being abandoned by our troops in Baniyan.
And this week? According to Kazimi, 6 Afghan translators have been released by the army in Afghanistan and told not to go to the media.
In reply to Kazimi’s claim of lay offs, an anonymous unattributed statement was published in the Star Times on behalf of the army brass, it reads; “There are still 26 interpreters on staff and there is no change we are aware of.“, NZDF
Along with this official denial by the Defence Force – Prime Minister Key who had previously told media that, ‘the interpreters concern had been acknowledged and were being considered.’ On Friday, announced he would not be commenting any further on the issue.
19 year old Diamond Kazimi, in the face of official military denials and top government secrecy and apparent cover up, is defying military and the government officials in continuing to openly speak up, demanding that the rights of our troop’s translators and their families to safety be taken seriously by the army and the government.
Why will our government and military leaders not heed Diamond Kazimi and the other translators and give them and their families some assurance or certainty as to their fate?
Why have the 6 laid off last week, been ordered to shut up?
Is a shabby and cowardly abandonment by our troops of their interpreters being ordered?
Will our final withdrawal from Afghanistan be in dignity or shame?
Probably shame – it’s all we get out of this government.
Jenny – there is not a choice here. Any final withdrawal can only be “in shame”!
Maybe I should have said less shame.
Doc you haven’t addressed the question of why our military deny that it laid off 6 interpreters last week amid fears that they will abandoned when our troops finally pull out. Or why the Prime Minister has gone silent on the issue.
Maybe possibly, to admit we need to do something to protect our Afghan interpreters from Taliban retribution after our departure, is also an admission that our declared reason for being there: To pacify the country and turn back the Taliban has been a complete and dismal failure and pointless waste of the lives of the ten Kiwis who have died there.
Rather than admit the defeat of our mission in Afghanistan, Defence Force and Government personel are in effect claiming there is no problem, that Baniyan has been made safe by our efforts, and the interpreters claims that they face “certain death” on our withdrawal from the province are wrong.
May be a security thing. The less publicity the greater chance of a quiet withdrawl to safety below the Taliban radar?
Safety for who, ianmac?
Are they that worried about what the Taliban will do to our interpreters that our troops have to quietly sneak out of the country?
Do you really think that if they sneak out of the country silently the Taliban won’t notice they are gone and so will leave the translators alone?
The “over the top” raids phenomenum is catching!
“Plant Naz1s hunt for outlawed trees.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10840408
LOL – who signed off on this one?
PS – thanks to Dotcom’s twitter for the link….
Can’t a tree or two grow in peace? And how come the Dotcom-like raid was enacted on hapless misnamed trees. Did the police think that trees might have a safe room or have an escape plan? Escaped trees last seen scampering down Kaihangahape Road. Do not approach. Jeez!
Dawn raids? Oh unbelievable!
hey leAVE ‘EM ALONE.
THEY HAVE JUST AS MUCH RIGHT AS ANYONE ELSE TO GET THEIR GOBS PLASTERED ALL OVER THE TEEVEE FOR FIVE MINUTES!
Today’s most insulting quote from the Minister of Hypocrisy, ” “an extra 50 bucks a week” into the homes of child abusers wouldn’t save lives and more than the extra $20 million budgeted to fight child abuse would not get abuse rates down”
Of course the child abusers the Minister refers to are beneficiaries – all of them. Bennett reverts to the tried and true B-bashing technique only this time making use of presuppositions.
The Minister confuses cause and effect by using statistics to wrongly imply beneficiaries are synonymous with abuse. Of course this suits her key purpose which is to vilify anyone who has legally sort government assistance under the Social Securities Act as they are entitled to do.
Another sad chapter of NZ politics. No word as yet from the Minister on how she thinks the continued attacks by her on the character of parents of the children on welfare affect the children’s self esteem and development.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1210/S00207/qa-greg-boyed-interviews-paula-bennett.htm
Indeed the deflector shields are always up, because the biggest abusers on the planet are the elite, and in the case of the UN, and CPA in the USA, many openly busted instances of habitual abuse, and then of course there is the “entertainment” business known as Hollywood!
Kids of rich parents dont get abused!
Game-changer: LiLo endorses Mittens.
And what a ringing endorsement she is Joe. 🙂
Just thought i would give you these polls from roy morgan taken 24/9/2012 – 7/10/2012
it was taken nz wide and there were 827 electors.
National 41.5% ( down 2% )
Labour 33.5% ( up 0.5% )
Greens 13.5% ( up 2 % )
NZ First 6.5% ( up 1.5 % )
United F 0.5%
Act 0%
What a freakin lying-arsed, in-denial, freakin drench trough we live in, and the lice are only multiplying;
Military Assaults each other; apparently, weak discipline, they see a fox-hole, and they gotta fill it,
and the CDF blatently lies, does he think we are stupid? He can Bat his eyelids all he wants, but his aperture will not shut.
Bnnt- failing abysmally to acknowledge the Primary link (she would be a primary link if we ever saw one) between Poverty and Child Abuse. (if I was not a believer and follower of My Lord, I would be speaking much Harsher; however, I prophecy that all will not end well for her; her spirit is on show for All to see)
The freakin sheep still bleating after the very weak master of Deception, baaa, baaaa, as they slip down all the OECD slopes..
And, New Zealand is likely to be the “Weakest Link” in the Five Eyes Network (only one eye open) well, that suits me just fine. (bring it on you Crosby-Textor sycophantic Fasci; losers)
Personally, I WELCOME THE CHINESE (and they have known that for nearly a year), and then the sooner the local merchants can get on with business (all cards ON the table, instead of Denial about their graft and Inbred Kleptocracy)
Now I do not choose to Know much about Falun Gong, but I Do Know a lot about Monotheism (I believe) and the sooner THE CHINESE get here, The Better.
WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE WELCOME THE CHINESE (and Foo Yung to any nation that gets in their way, fools)
As a contrast to the above poll Labour are on 30.8% the nats are on 50.6%
Labour down 2.4% Nats up 4.8%
Who on earth would believe these polls,garnered by garner.
TV3 news reid research polls are usually
way out of wack anyway.
starlight are you referring to the latest TV3 poll reported this evening?
The numbers are actually:
National 48.8%
Labour 33.0%
Greens 10.6%
NZ 1st 3.2%
Not a bad result given their landline based and are therefore always skewed towards National.
Same with TV1 too of course.
The first polls are from roy morgan,the middle one is one i went looking for,tv3
reid research,the third is national and opposition parties also from roy morgan
for the dates 24/9 -7/10
TV 3 Poll tonight:
National 48.8%
Labour 33.2%
Greens 10.6 %
NZF 3.2
For PM:
Key 41%
Shearer 8.5%
Norman 5%
Winston 2.4 %
According to Garner National could govern alone with 62 seats??
Snap Anne.
Always worth remembering that the 3 news/Reid poll allways overestimates National support by 2-3 pts, at least. And always underestimates NZF’s support. Anyway, further comfirmation of the downward trend for Key and Co., so good news there.
He wishes.
I’m not sure about the reid research polls – too irregular to get a trend off, and the seem to have pumped national at getting over 50% in the election just a week or so out, and labour proportionately less than their election tally.
Oh, and take care looking at the RR graphs – they don’t have null spaces in their charts in the months they fail to publish a poll, e.g. the jump from april to june, and the last record is july.
The penguin probably does closer coverage, but I try not to go to sites that might lso-cookie me. Safe browsing, peeps!
The roy morgan tracker has the national led govt that includes support party’s
on 44%, the opposition party’s which includes all support party’s is 53.5%
I was shocked by the tv3 poll,so i went looking for some answers.
The tracker was taken 24/9/12 – 7/10/12
Oh, I get it now starlight. Am easily confused. 🙂
shonkey will be slapping his chest about how great they are doing and people
just dont care about the dotcom fiasco,he will say nz’ers have moved on,look at
the polls,the roy morgan polls need to be shown in the media as well,that will
stop him chest beating, but it will be difficult with the msm.
I reckon that the more he beats his chest when more and more people think he’s a lying braggart, then the more it alienates him from the electorate.
Bill English should be worried.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/the-greens-go-well-in-gore.html
Getting a little late but this needs to be out:
Apparently you can’t access everything – just nearly everything – in MSDs servers.
FFS. Cost cutting and private sector/corporate providers hurrah.
And today of course, it’s been all over the MSM!