Being pleased with deliberately cruel policy will cost you your smile eventually, Nobody.
Yes, a new day and a sunrise but only for those who can survive it and who does survive will not forget the gloating NACT did on last night and beyond.
There's now an implicit Social Darwinism that is going to run throughout politics in NZ now that we have parties that openly endorses micromanaging and scolding beneficiaries newly in governmental power.
Don't be surprised if you one day look around you and realize that this has become a meaner, flintier and sadder country than it was before.
And you likely won't connect that state of affairs to the increasingly run-down politics of the parties that you voted for, or likely, you knew and you don't care because people are such whiners. /sarc
In any case, enjoy your glass of fine wine paid for by the tax cuts that are likely to going to be funded by reducing our benefit incomes over the next 3 or 6 years. I suspect you're going to need it somehow to ease your likely unacknowledged guilt or hatred or both.
It doesn't matter if it is centrist or not, National is joined with ACT and Luxon basically has signalled that he'd prefer to partner with ACT rather than NZF.
And you sound like Luxon telling Hipkins to "calm down." and with that, you have no sense of what we're all facing as a community.
With ACT and/or NZF policies implemented they will be allowing a Right of Centre and Righter influence. Even Labour isn't Centre anymore, so Nats can't be.
By comparing the election results to 2020, words like bloodbath' etc overstate the outcome.
ACT/Nats barely 50% of the vote. Nats down 6% on 2017
Labour is down 6% on 2017
ACT gone from .5% in 2017 to 8%
What has changed is that the two major parties are barely above 60% of the vote. To me, THAT is the bigger story and being overlooked by many.
Low wages, hig unemployment, beneficiary bashing, high low skill migrancy and higher house prices are coming- because that is what always happens when Nats/ACT are in Govt. They have offered nothing new or transformational. Employment and Environmental laws will shift toward employers and away from the environment and preservation of food production – it will reflect the profit motive.
Seymour wants to have his cake and eat it on the Treaty. Any referendum ought only be for maori and citizens descended from the British, cos those were the parties tot he treaty. IF he wants to 'go back to what it really means", he must also accept the whole context of what that means.
Indian, Asian region, South Africams etc are welcome but were never parties tot he Treaty so no referendum participation.
The government of today will be the same as the government of yesterday and the struggles that New Zealand faces will be the same.
However yesterday the people of New Zealand have decided that the old government were unable to address those struggles and that the New government are more capable.
I hope they are right but if not New Zealand will evaluate the state of affairs again in 3 years time.
With ACT and/or NZF policies implemented they will be allowing a Right of Centre and Righter influence. Even Labour isn't Centre anymore, so Nats can't be.
By comparing the election results to 2020, words like bloodbath' etc overstate the outcome.
ACT/Nats barely 50% of the vote. Nats down 6% on 2017
Labour is down 6% on 2017
ACT gone from .5% in 2017 to 8%
What has changed is that the two major parties are barely above 60% of the vote. To me, THAT is the bigger story and being overlooked by many.
Low wages, hig unemployment, beneficiary bashing, high low skill migrancy and higher house prices are coming- because that is what always happens when Nats/ACT are in Govt. They have offered nothing new or transformational. Employment and Environmental laws will shift toward employers and away from the environment and preservation of food production – it will reflect the profit motive.
Seymour wants to have his cake and eat it on the Treaty. Any referendum ought only be for maori and citizens descended from the British, cos those were the parties tot he treaty. IF he wants to 'go back to what it really means", he must also accept the whole context of what that means.
Indian, Asian region, South Africams etc are welcome but were never parties tot he Treaty so no referendum participation.
The 'people' decided someone must be punished for the impact of fighting a global panemic, and they hanker for the way things used to be. Ergo, they voted in parties who want to implement policies from yesterday…
probably a reference is to Michael Wood being out of parliament. There is a political point to be made here about Wood's use of the term 'river of filth', but I will be keeping a moderator eye on this that it's not being used to flame.
I'm suggesting 836,882 New Zealanders from all walks of life have decided that Labour have not been able to deliver the promises they have made over the last 3 (arguably 6) years and to improve their lives and the country that an alternative government is required which at this point is one made up of National, Act and potentially NZ First.
You may personally feel different however it would seem based on current results your feelings are in the minority.
Elections are not personal, or should be seen as personal attacks etc but rather a contest of ideas, beliefs and opinions within society which enable a group of individuals the ability to walk a path satisfactory to the majority of those individuals.
Personally I've not been happy with the path we as a country have walked over the past 6 years, and hope the next 3 years will be better for all of New Zealand.
I do not believe you and I are enemies but rather indivduals walking the same path with different viewpoints and enemies.
Have a good day. Tomorrow the path may alter in a direction you prefer and I do not, but either way the sun will still rise.
Is this including the disabled who will receive less $ to live on in future? I don't see how it can be a victory for them. Can you explain how that works?
This is a victory for all New Zealanders who used their democratic rights to elect a government that best represents them.
Like all governments there will be policies that positively and negatively effect each of us indivdually just like there were in the last government.
For the sick, ill and disabled I can only speak for my own circumstances (2 children and myself with disabilities) overall we calculate to be $200-300 per week better.
I guess that's the difference between you and me – you count the $ and say "yay more for me" whereas I see that the poorest and least able to survive will get less $ and I am appalled.
Not at all. You were the one who brought up the topic of money, for me money is obviously significant as being on a limited budget the ability for my family to ensure a roof over our heads, food in the pantry, bills paid etc is a fairly major worry that has only gotten worse over the last few years.
However the more important factors for me are is the ability to be able to have the cops turn up or an ambulance turn up when you call 111 (from whom I been told by both in the past 12 months when contacted nobody is available), or to take my daughter into a hospital A&E due to seizures and haventhem seen in less than 10 hours or for my kids able to get a quality education vs being sent home multiple times because their teachers are striking etc etc.
I want a better country for my kids, their friends and the future and the last Goverment were incapable of providing it. Hopefully this one is, otherwise perhaps the one after that.
Still ~570,000 special votes to be counted yet which is more than in 2020. Not that Labour are going to get close to 2020's numbers anyway, but there are still enough votes that the comparison will change a bit, particularly the percentage drop.
Well Mr Nobody much did you in fact notice that National didn't actually do as well in 2023 as Labour did in 2020?
No?
Let me explain it simply for you.
After 2020 Labour didn't need ANYONE to help it form a government. It had a majority of 10 seats and could have done it on its own (for the first time in MMP history) but in its spirit of inclusiveness it decided to let the Greens in as well.
National HAS to rely on Seymour to get anything passed. Either that or give into Winston's mob rule.
And at present it looks like the NACTS will have a one-seat (probably two seats after Port Waikato) majority.
Hmmm! not quite so rosy when you look at it that way is it?
Plus if Te Pati Maori manages to pick up another seat on specials the majority will be down to one.
One seat majority!
Wow! Gosh! Golly gee!, that's an impressive result after all the mega millions the 1% have pumped into the NACTs over the last year. Should have used the growth fund, not the conservative fund, huh?
Wait until the fun starts and ACT wants to take off stat holidays from workers. The centrists in National will get a bit uneasy about that.
There might be a few fights.
I'll get the popcorn!
Sorry to rain on your parade Mr Nobody much but you don't know shit.
I'm more than happy with National/Act/NZ First coalition.
While any coalition has the potential for conflicts and difficulties and obviously the more parties the more possibility for them occur, however I do believe that each of these parties can if tthey want to play ttogether they can and that each will be significantly mmotivated to make it work.
If National and Act do not attack crime and make a demonstrable improvement between today and the next election they will not be in power.
3 strikes will be re-implemented with new provisions the restrict the ability for the Judicary to pervert its purpose.
More offenders will be incarcerated
Current Policing approaches with be altered to more aggressively target gangs and repeat offenders.
I am sure this will lead to new issues but by doing so they will at least be able to say we have taken steps in line with what we have campaigned on and elected on.
I'm happy with the most effective solution which will ensure criminals are removed from society until they have been punished and rehabilitated for their crimes.
Means we have to wait a couple of weeks for the final count to see the shape of the new govt I guess. A stunning margin for Brooke van Velden – she thrashed the neanderthal thoroughly! Two Green women made history in Wellington, Chloe held her seat. Good results for young female politicians and their younger generations will be inspired by those role models.
While these results may flip seats in individual electorates (important for the people concerned, and for those individual electorates), it's the party vote which decides the government.
While there is a possibility of an overhang if both of the Maori seats still in play, go to TPM – this won't make a left-government possible.
A couple of points that have been a bit overlooked in last night's blue euphoria.
In 2020 Labour scored a clear majority of seats in its own right.
National did not do that last night, it still needs ACT to form a new government, which finally gives Seymour Butts the power and influence he has craved for years. He will be pushing for senior cabinet positions, no mistake. Landlords, loan sharks and Geoff Upson will be sooooo happy.
On projected results the NACTS hold a one-seat majority which we can assume will rise to two after the Port Waikato by-election and only another electorate claimed by Te Pati Maori on special votes would likely change that.
Winston's rag tag of pirates and conspiracy theorists will end up just another opposition party and won't be able to do s…t (fortunately perhaps). Winston will (not publicly at least) be very pissed off and we can expect NZ First to be a bunch of annoying f..wits in the next parliament – good at collecting their parliamentary salaries but little else.
From my perspective, I knew this was coming but my resigned disappointment is tempered by the spectacular results achieved in Wellington by the Greens. Taking the seat of Wellington Central and ahead in Rongotai, not to mention Chloe probably assured in Auckland Central. Also think that Te Pati Maori ran a good campaign.
There is (at least) one overhang from the Maori seats and there will be one from the by election, so this will be a parliament of 122.
NACT have 61 seats now but will lose at least one in the specials and gain one from the by-election. So they will have 61 seats (maybe 60) in a 122 house-this is not a majority. Winston is in the drivers seat.
Yes that is a possibility because the Greens traditionally pick up another list seat on specials, but since they will (should) now have three electorate seats their share of the party vote may not entitle them to an extra list seat this time.
The GP electorate seats won't affect whether or not they pick up another seat in the specials.
That's based on the party vote.
Since the GP don't have any seats where they are in close second place, it's not likely to affect the electorate results for them. [Well, I suppose they could lose Rongotai – but I don't think it likely]
So if the GP increase their share of the party vote with the special votes they'll automatically gain another MP – and since they are already past their electorate MP numbers, and into the list – it will be another list MP.
I just hope we can get a re-ascendant left-wing in the next three years and technically this means we have good ground on which to build on.
Greens and TPM didn't do too badly, all things considered. Labour has lost hard and it has to re-form into a different party to even try to capture the moment once more. TOP miscalculated with its openly flip-flop strategy when it came to keeping its party options open; a strategy that was always liable to be subject to misinterpretation.
This also is a rather ambivalent moment for the right in a sense: National/ACT is on a knife's edge, balancing between 61 or 62 or even 60 seats. It all depends on how TPM or Greens are performing with the special votes. This will impact how National is going to interact with NZ First and if 60 votes or less, short of which is needed to form a government, then depending on how much they hate Winston Peters, National will have to consider either a trip back to the voting stations or begrudgingly call him. If over or at 62, we will have to prepare for a pure NACT government that is subject to nearly nobody else.
In any case, this means we have to build a movement anew, to work at the flaxroots and be of the people in New Zealand who will suffer at the hands of the incoming government regardless of whatever may happen.
Why are you asking that I should give the new government a chance to succeed if I have seen them to say that people like me are "BOTTOM FEEDERS"?
If you were in my position, would you want them to succeed in hurting you and your groups?
The policies are lousy and what they are proposing are similar to what Britain is doing in terms of benefits and disabled people and it's proven that sanctions and cuts over there has severely harmed or killed hundred of thousands of disabled people.
Since the 2000s house prices have surged under Labour and yes if people commit crimes then yes they should be in prison (a major reason why Labour lost)
They've already committed the crime to become the prisoner but at least with prisons you can temporarily remove the criminal from society for a period of time
The opposition should provide plenty of entertainment over the next three years. A Labour leadership spill, no new talent to speak of, just a smaller version of the same. Greens and TPM trying to outdo each other for the most extreme version of hard left. James and Marama to be challenged for leadership by MPs who actually have an electorate. Should be fun.
two very ignorant comments about the Greens' leadership. The Greens are happy with their result, not the kind of environment for leadership challenges, and the Greens don't roll leaders.
How fun. Yay, likely having to choose between a can of food or to miss the doctor in a mission to re-certify your disability or pay the bills with increasingly dwindling income amounts over years and what's more your landlord is likely is going to no-cause evict you at a moment's notice. Yay, good fun indeed! Hooray!
I want to be wrong because this is such a dangerous juncture in political history, we are on the verge of being prepared for the future with climate change with some protection or deny the climate has changed and that we will leave the most vulnerable behind.
I want NACT to be weakened if it's going to carry its worst policies.
Maipi-Clarke also thanked Mahuta for her mahi in the electorate over the years, and said it laid the groundwork for local rangatahi like herself to succeed. “I’ve been inspired by whaea Nanaia my whole life in terms of her political leadership,” she said.
Potaka Maipi, her dad, told The Spinoff: “I prepared her to get thrashed, not to win. Our aim was to close the gap.” The gap being the 9,000-vote majority Mahuta won in 2020. Maipi-Clarke’s roughly 1,000-vote majority this time around means she swung 10,000 votes in her direction. https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/15-10-2023/a-magical-night-for-te-pati-maori
And with the bent of this next government somewhat more authoritarian (policy? don’t you worry about that) than the last few, we’ll get to find out how democratic we are too.
As in all things Labour has been making a rod for our backs with increasing numbers of secrecy clauses.
My sympathies to those here who are likely very disappointed with the result. I certainly understand how you all feel given the result at the last election.
I do think Labour's negative campaign backfired on them though. The adds I saw were focussed on discouraging people from voting National. I think this may have worked to some degree, given how the margin pulled back as voting passed around the 50% count. But, what I noticed was that NZ First increased their vote share while Labour didn't really go up much.
So, it looked to me like people who got the Labour message responded by voting NZ First rather than Labour.
Most of the National ads I saw were attacking Labour, but obviously that didn't have the impact on National's vote that the ads attacking National had on Labour's vote.
I wish I could pick the winning Lotto tickets as well as I managed to pick the election result. I expect to lose another seat with the specials, but to get it back with the by-election.
haha fair call. He would have been better than Hipkins.
But all I am saying today is that the specials invariably give the Left one or two more seats. Now it may be, as you seem to be arguing, that this won't happen this time, but with 567k votes out there yet to be counted that usually favour the Left I'm pretty confident that NACT do not have a majority and must rely on Winston to get legislation through.
I came to this conclusion before I heard law professor Andrew Geddes say the same thing just before 10am on Radio NZ's election special this morning.
Labour's 34 MPs will include 30 electorate seats. I think that Prime, Rurawhe, Little, Parker, McAnulty and Andersen will be left in the cold with Jackson being the last cab off the rank.
It's 17 seats and 17 list seats. So all of the above are back off the list.
Like everyone else I prefer to forget the fine points of my statement. I, of course, concentrate on the bits I happened to get right.
I am like the people who take the view that the left won the election because TMP now have double the number of seats and the Green Party have 40% more MPs.
Then they ignore the minor little point that that is only 6 more seats and meanwhile Labour lost 31.
I certainly agree that Winston will have his price. He can be reasonable however in what he demands and what he will give up. I doubt if he would go as far as to force a deadlock and therefore a new election.
It's still a bit fluid – as it depends on the results in a couple of electorates which are too close to call – if these go to the Labour candidate, there will be fewer list places (although at least one would result in the same MP – just electorate, rather than list)
But, basically – you look at the Labour list – cross out all of those MPs who have won electorates; and count the first 17 left.
Yeah, but if Wood or Twyford pull a reversal – they'd bump the last two list placings out of Parliament. I'm not sure which way Rachel Boyack is listed – it's on a knife edge in Nelson – but if she wins the electorate, that might be another list place that goes.
I agree – he's only just behind on the election night results. But, if he does, he'll change the Labour electorate/list balance from 17:17 to 18:16 – resulting in the last List MP being bumped.
Not really. You only need 50 or so votes to overturn the electorate result in these tight results (actually, I'd expect all of them to go to judicial recount). But 50 won't even budge the dial on the list proportionality.
The official results will be published on Friday November 3.
Aucklanders became extremely hostile to Labour! The map of Ak seats usually red that turned blue was a dramatic sight even without Gower's hyperbole ramping it.
National’s campaign leader has confirmed that Christopher Luxon hasn’t yet spoken to Winston Peters, after the full ordinary vote count showed National and Act could govern alone, albeit with a single seat majority.
“Our preference was to govern with the Act Party and essentially that has happened on the current numbers,” he told Jack Tame on Q&A this morning, but he wasn’t “counting chickens” just yet, with nearly 20% of votes still to be counted in the form of special votes. “It may be that with the specials the numbers bounce around a bit and, if required, we said we’d pick up the phone to Winston Peters and it may be that that is necessary.”
Luxon talking bollocks (lying? but why?) as usual. At best after specials NACT will have 61 seats in a 122 parliament-no majority there so they need NZF.
It could even be 60 NACT seats in a parliament of 123.
Funny that Luxon uses the term "track", rather than road. Given National do not invest in rail, is this a warning that they are going to raid the carbon vehicle graveyard repair fund?
And these bad bad multiple property barons are also planning to rob the public domain to line the pockets of the few landlords.
So why did the greens who were polling 14% only get 10% and with all these weather events maybe they shouldve been at 20%. Also not a good look to act like ya won in a landslide and give ya speech drunk.
[I think that you are an astroturfing troll who crawled out from underneath your bridge. Let’s see if you’re intelligent enough to stop drawing attention to yourself. However, in my experience trolls are too stupid and self-entitled to self-moderate and avoid detection – Incognito]
Since the start of MMP they have used a flawed marketing strategy: they pitch to the minority who think like them. They have nothing in their repertoire to suitably frame a pitch for the commons, where the numbers always reside. Their partisan stance is an immense handicap for them.
Re the difference tween polls & result: factor in the undecided (around 10%). If they hadn't done the reef-fish thing, but instead gone in multiple directions, we'd have a totally different result. Crowd psych is a wonderful thing…
My pick is that the truly Undecideds mostly didn't vote. Turnout is 78%.
I think that the difference between the polls and the election result is mostly within the margin of error – and that we spend too much energy celebrating or bemoaning a 1% poll shift. It's not significant.
The long-term view. Strategic thinking emanates therefrom. I agree the vote for a return to socialist governance is significant but don't expect anyone to draw that conclusion – the view is too historically valid for younger generations to grasp easily. They play the game in the short/medium term – it works for them.
Seriously. They were polling 14%, Got 10%. With what's happening with climate change they shouldve gotten 20%. The speeches that were televised, they came across that they though they won in a landslide. In a country like NZ the greens should be pushing 20%.
[As expected from a stupid troll, you couldn’t help yourself with all your aliases and had to confirm that you indeed belong under your bridge permanently. Say ‘Hi’ and play nice with the other trolls – Incognito]
So why did the greens who were polling 14% only get 10% and with all these weather events maybe they shouldve been at 20%. Also not a good look to act like ya won in a landslide and give ya speech drunk.
As Incognito has pointed out, you look like a troll.
Omeprazole controls my GERD (courtesy of a Hiatus Hernia) really well usually – but as a warning the new family of diabetes drugs – Trulicity, Ozempic Wegovy etc stops omeprazole dead in it's tracks /cue pain.
Inflation: Tracks down, but more slowly than hoped. Oil and food prices are the sticking point. 2024 El Nino summer in the northern hemisphere causes major agricultural disruption and inflationary pressure. Luxon’s cutting of ‘wasteful spending makes zero difference, because it was never a cause of inflation in the first place.
Employment & Wages: Unemployment rises due to sustained high immigration and public service cuts. Fair Pay Agreements are gone and minimum wage are frozen. Wages decline in real terms while inflationary pressure lingers. Tax cuts favour those facing the least downward pressure on their wages.
Housing: Foreign buyers trigger asset price inflation at the top end which percolates downwards. This top-down pressure meets bottom-up pressure from domestic landlords due to the reduction of the Brightline and mortgage interest deductibility. House prices rise to easily outpace the CPI and flat wage growth. Housing affordability declines, property ownership becomes more concentrated. Real estate industry booms – expensive restaurants fill up.
Meddling with Kainga Ora reduces capacity to build public housing. Private sector is green-lighted to build housing in “freed up” land on the peripheries. Potential state house tenants are herded out to private rentals on the city margin. Land bankers profit – expensive restaurants fill up. Reduction in regulations concerning the quality of rentals see a drop in quality and more poor health. Homelessness increases.
Climate Change/Infrastructure: Agriculture gets an additional exemption on emissions targets. Work on technology to reduce methane emission delivers nothing that can be affordably deployed at scale, so the exemption is extended twice. Agriculture sees pressure from some export markets to reduce emissions – so dependency on the Chinese market increases, cranking up sector fragility even higher.
Uptake of EVs declines as they become less affordable. Local car-industry profiteers by adding huge markups to potentially low-price, Chinese EVs – expensive restaurants fill up. Road-building increases car-dependency, Labour’s subsidies on public transport are removed adding more wage pressure. NZ’s car fleet ages further. Two dry summers cause drought and shortfall in hydro capacity – coal is burned. Uptake of solar continues but does not cover the gap. New Zealand reneges on Paris commitments. Two El Nino summers means a respite from floods – but farmers need bailouts from drought. Next La Nina sees extreme damage. National throws cost onto Councils so as not to increase government debt. Insurance industry walks away from some regions and localities. Rates rise steeply, the non-wealthy retired start to lose their homes so house ownership concentrates further – expensive restaurants fill up. The uninsured who lose homes are herded into trailer parks. Low population growth regions struggle with permanently bad transport links. Affordable Water (3 Waters) is stopped. Councils are left to cope. Most problems are left unaddressed, where some attempt is made it adds to pressure on rates.
Race Relations; An initial ugly period where gleeful right-wing supporters demand removal of Maori language from government communications. Luxon walks back more extreme rhetoric and forces Seymour to abandon the Treaty referendum. Co-governance and Te Whatu Ora are gone. The Maori Party grows stronger and angrier. Problems are stored up.
Health: Workforce gaps prove stubborn to fill because of international competition. Flat wages for nurses and technicians increase migration pressure to Australia. Huge lead time on new medical school and first graduates from it. The two-tiered (insured versus uninsured) health system widens gaps. Private sector medical specialists make out like bandits – expensive restaurants and overseas flights fill up. Mental health declines, greater poverty increases preventable diseases resulting from obesity such a diabetes. Maori health statistics go backwards. More stress among the elderly from having to fund private health care. Labour’s hospital construction projects are dialled back but completed – then not much else.
Education: Another round of ‘reform’ soaks up time and frustrates teachers. Any increase or decrease in student performance is within the margin of error and bears no relation to the reform programme. Gaps in performance between kids from wealthy and poor households widen. Private tertiary education sector kicks off again selling residency under the guise of education – money is made, expensive restaurants fill up.
Tourism: Post-Covid recovery continues. High immigration lowers real wages and increases profitability. Then the mass market tails off as oil prices keep fares high, climate events spoil tourist experiences and (eventually) climate change increases fears of flight safety. Industry hits a natural ceiling and begins to decline. Much gnashing of teeth and call for subsidies.
Public mood: initial sugar rush as some sectors kick off with high immigration, housing inflation, tax cuts and deregulation. A gleeful, contemptuous orgy of looting and wealth extraction by those in a position to do so. Honeymoon period lasts 2 years and National easily returned. Doubts surface in term two, initial sugar hit slows, stored up problems begin to emerge. 2029 election is contestable. Great damage has been done. World has passed 1.5C heating over pre-industrial. 3-4+C increase by 2100 looms. One or more dangerous tipping points are already triggered. Public at large still mostly unconcerned and National just get back for a third term.
Luxon walks back more extreme rhetoric and forces Seymour to abandon the Treaty referendum.
Yeah, I thought that too. However one must allow common ground to be formed via goodwill, so if they get it with Winston it's a goer – unless he has already adopted an entrenched position against it.
I predict an increase in suicides as the mentally ill are especially vulnerable to demonisation and harassment. Statistically a NACT government could claim a success in reducing the long-term beneficiary count so long as people don't look at where the 'success' comes from.
There needs to be a change at the had of PR for the Greens. The best speech of the night was Chris Hipkins, understated, raw, loyal and it came off as real. To celebrate going up 2% in the party vote, was not needed.
What the Greens must do is have an honest discussion, on how to increase it's support, the work behind the scenes is mysterious and important, but it needs to be done.
the Greens increased their MPs by nearly 50%, and tripled their electorates. If you look at the 2017, 2020, and 2023 election results it’s easy to see how they are building the party and the vote.
As for celebration, I wrote a post about why they are doing that, it’s on the front page.
No I think they voted Green because they realised it was a party with strong and consistent policies and ethics. You make it sound as though some voters owe Labour their vote come what may.
What the Greens need to learn is how to use a microphone. Both Chloe and Marama screeched their way thru their victory speeches. Hard to understand them both.
What the Greens must do is have an honest discussion, on how to increase it's support
Human nature, though, is a problem. Time is money, and discussions free-range naturally. Nobody in the Greens has ever claimed to have marketing nous, to my knowledge, which is the expertise required to increase support.
Firstly they'd have to account for their relationship to the broader Green movement. Problem: doing so requires moral integrity! That's why it hasn't happened yet.
Two yellow cards to none! Against the best team in the world in recent times! And it could have gone to the Irish easily if one of our tacklers had failed, right down to the end. Even restored the coach's reputation.
It was one of the games where you can truly say rugby was the victor on the day.
Outstanding performance from both sides – and went right down to the wire. Ireland could have so easily won it – and your heart goes out to them for missing out on their first RWC semi.
Jester-glad you are happy NACT are in thrall to Winston after this election. Luxon will have to go cap in hand to NZF, the thing he said was the last thing he wanted.
The same thing happened to Captain Haddock when he accidentally drank a glass of water. His remedy was half a bottle of whiskey. I only mention this because of your name. Glad you're feeling better!
tell me why it would be better for Nact to need Peters to form government. Not vague handbrake stuff, but specific policy that he has a chance of getting through.
The comments I've seen haven't been about Peters getting specific policy through (I seriously doubt that NZF policy is in any fit state to be progressed) – but that he would prevent some core National/ACT policies going through. Stopping the National foreign buyers scheme; and, Halting raising the super to 67 (though I don't agree that he'd be strongly motivated to do this)
Instant biological signalling is part of our evolutionary heritage – an instinctive survival skill. Democracy, however, presumes voters think about issues. Political commentators who follow this line default into acceptance. Yet the Bulgarian prof who came to prominence at Princeton showed people normally just react to the face of the politician. I suspect the ephemeral engagement of floaters in the political process hinges on this.
Olivia and Noah and Hana are going to the library!It is fun to go to the library. It has books and songs and mat time and people who smile at you and say, Hello Olivia, what have you been doing this morning?The library is more fun than the mall. At ...
New World Orders: The challenge facing Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins is how to keep their small and vulnerable nation safe and stable in a world whose economic and political climate the forty-seventh American president is changing so profoundly.IT IS, SURELY, the ultimate Millennial revenge fantasy. Calling senior Baby-Boomer and Gen-X ...
“This might surprise you, Laurie, but I reckon Trump’s putting on a bloody impressive performance.”“GOODNESS ME, HANNAH, just look at all those Valentine’s Day cards!”“Occupational hazard, Laurie, the more beer I serve, the more my customers declare their undying love!”“Crikey! I had no idea business was so good.” Laurie squinted ...
In 2005, Labour repealed the long-standing principle of birthright citizenship in Aotearoa. Why? As with everything else Labour does, it all came down to austerity: "foreign mothers" were supposedly "coming to this country to give birth", and this was "put[ting] pressure on hospitals". Then-Immigration Minister George Hawkins explicitly gave this ...
And I just hope that you can forgive usBut everything must goAnd if you need an explanation, nationThen everything must goSongwriters: James Dean Bradfield / Sean Anthony Moore / Nicholas Allen Jones.Today, I’d like to talk about a couple of things that happened over the weekend:Brian Tamaki’s Library Invasion and ...
New reporting highlights how Brooke van Velden refuses to meet with the CTU but is happy to meet with fringe Australian-based unions. Van Velden is pursuing reckless changes to undermine the personal grievance system against the advice of her own officials. Engineering New Zealand are saying that hundreds of engineers ...
The NZCTU strongly supports the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill. This Bill represents a positive step towards addressing serious issues around unlawful disparities in pay by protecting workers’ rights to discuss their pay and conditions. This Bill also provides welcome support for helping tackle the prevalent gender and ...
Years of hard work finally paid off last week as the country’s biggest and most important transport project, the City Rail Link reached a major milestone with the first test train making its way slowly though the tunnels for the first time. This is a fantastic achievement and it is ...
Engineers are pleading for the Government to free up funds to restart stalled projects. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, February 17 are:Engineering New Zealand CEO Richard Templer said yesterday hundreds of ...
It’s one of New Zealand’s great sustaining myths: the spirit of ANZAC, our mates across the ditch, the spirit of Earl’s Court, Antipodeans united against the world. It is also a myth; it is not reality. That much was clear from a series of speakers, including a former Australian Prime ...
Many people have been unsatisfied for years that things have not improved for them, some as individuals, many more however because their families are clearly putting in more work, for less money – and certainly far less purchase on society. This general discontent has grown exponentially since the GFC. ...
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonia R. Grover, Clinical Professor of Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne Polina Zimmerman/Pexels Menstruation, or a period, is the bleeding that occurs about monthly in healthy people born with a uterus, from puberty to menopause. This happens when the endometrium, the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ella Barclay, Senior Lecturer, School of Art and Design, Australian National University Despite the perceived outrage at Khaled Sabsabi’s depiction of Hassan Nasrallah in his 2007 work You, Australian art has long made subjects of outlaws and questionable figures. And it is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Pryke, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia “It’s an old song”, Hermes (Christine Anu) sings at the opening of Hadestown, but “we’re gonna sing it again and again”. Based on a ...
An additional $13 million will be invested in tourism infrastructure, including upgrading huts and resolving the backlog in Milford Sound concessions. ...
The reality is that we have no obligation to tolerate the intolerant. They are using violence to shut down and silence others. The result of tolerating intolerant views is the loss of everyone’s freedom of speech except for the one who most effectively ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Davis, Associate Professor in Conservation, Edith Cowan University Adwo/Shutterstock Humans have been poisoning rodents for centuries. But fast-breeding rats and mice have evolved resistance to earlier poisons. In response, manufacturers have produced second generation anticoagulant rodenticides such as bromadiolone, widely ...
Alex Casey unearths Simon Court’s full sales pitch for how menstrual cups could end poverty. On Friday last week, Act MP Simon Court was accused of “mansplaining” during a parliamentary committee hearing about benefit sanctions. After submitter Rachel Dibble shared her concerns about period poverty and the impact that sanctions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato It’s an unfortunate fact that bad people sometimes want guns. And while laws are designed to prevent guns falling into the wrong hands, the determined criminal can be highly resourceful. There are three main ...
Asia Pacific Report Two independent Jewish Voices groups in Aotearoa New Zealand have written an open letter to the government condemning the Zionist “colonisation” project leading to genocide and criticising the role of the NZ Jewish Council for its “unelected” and “uncritical support” for Israel. The groups, Alternative Jewish Voices ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Newspoll, conducted February 10–14 from a sample of 1,244, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the previous Newspoll, ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you enjoy whip-smart satire: The White Lotus (Neon, February 17) HBO’s award-winning The White Lotus is back for what critics are calling “an absolutely exquisite third ...
NZPF called for a slowdown of the curriculum change, asking for one subject at a time, so that teachers and principals could be fully trained and feel confident and competent to implement the changes, New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) President ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Indonesia’s TVOne launched an AI news presenter in 2023.T.J. Thomson Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has taken off at lightning speed in the past couple of years, creating disruption in ...
Many of the young vapers interviewed by a team of public health researchers said they felt unable to resist the pro-vaping environment that surrounded them. New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms. The smokefree ...
Analysis: While most Wellingtonians enjoyed a rare but unbeatable sunny day on Saturday, some New Zealand diplomats will have been briefly shocked by a screenshot making the rounds on social media showing US President Donald Trump calling us a “third world country”.The image, it appears, was a fake – certainly a ...
ActionStation Director, Kassie Hartendorp says that the Treaty Principles Bill has galvanised the biggest movement in support of Te Tiriti in modern history. ...
While it is in the interests of Wellington ratepayers to sell off this subsidy for the rich, it is unfortunate that it has come to this point. The council should have never spent a penny on this programme, and the $3.4 million spent is a flagrant abuse ...
A search for the person behind a social media account ridiculing Māori.Last week, while scrolling Facebook, I came across a post shared to the New Zealand Centre for Political Research group. The post began, “From Matua Kahurangi on X”, before pasting his critique of iwi leadership – particularly Ngāpuhi ...
On the heels of The White Lotus season three, Tara Ward travels to Koh Samui, Thailand, to live her best life as a five-star wannabe. I’ve never been one for luxury travel. Despite religiously watching TV shows like Luxury Escapes: World’s Best Holidays and harbouring grand dreams of one day ...
The Treaty Principles Bill submission hearings continue at Parliament today with a range of submitters expected including councils, iwi, community organisations and individuals. ...
It’s become of one of Christchurch’s most famous landmarks online, but why? Alex Casey steps through the portal of the brutalist Timezone. Ask anyone what Christchurch’s most iconic building is and you might expect to hear some of the dusty old classics like the Cathedral, or the Town Hall, or ...
New Zealand’s alignment with the White House is further underscored by its refusal to oppose Trump’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is a serious blow to the soft power of the United States and disastrous for many poor countries ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Shutterstock/Aliaksandr Barouski New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms. The smokefree generation would have ended sales of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By George Disney, Research Fellow, Social Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne Edwin Tan/Getty Images When the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established in 2013, one of its driving aims was to make disability services and support systems fairer. However, our new ...
The resignation of the director general of health is the latest departure in what Labour is calling a ‘purge’ of health leadership. Another day, another health resignation It’s a dangerous time to be a top health executive. On Friday, Dr Diana Sarfati announced her resignation as director general of health ...
Labour and the Greens say the government should focus spending on tourism infrastructure like tracks, toilets and protection of nature instead of more advertising. ...
Hundreds of people called the former prime minister vile and dehumanising things online. Internet safety agencies did nothing - then called in the lawyers. ...
Hundreds of people called the former prime minister vile and dehumanising things online. Internet safety agencies did nothing - then called in the lawyers. ...
After a morning spent calf marking, Flock Hill Station manager Richard Hill headed up Bridge Hill – about 100km from Christchurch on the way to the West Coast – to check on a fire near the station’s boundary.It was December 5 last year, and the Craigieburn area had experienced three ...
It can’t be much of a surprise that a relatively inexperienced Act MP, handed the workplace relations portfolio, doesn’t want to entertain the country’s biggest union in her office.But it still astonishes the head of that union, the CTU’s president, Richard Wagstaff.After all, he’s met regularly with ministers of all ...
A new day.
A new Prime Minister.
A beautiful sunrise.
A new hope for New Zealand.
You seem to be a happy minion
"One seldom recognizes the devil when he is putting his hand on your shoulder."
Beware the Hope Diamond.
Being pleased with deliberately cruel policy will cost you your smile eventually, Nobody.
Yes, a new day and a sunrise but only for those who can survive it and who does survive will not forget the gloating NACT did on last night and beyond.
There's now an implicit Social Darwinism that is going to run throughout politics in NZ now that we have parties that openly endorses micromanaging and scolding beneficiaries newly in governmental power.
Don't be surprised if you one day look around you and realize that this has become a meaner, flintier and sadder country than it was before.
And you likely won't connect that state of affairs to the increasingly run-down politics of the parties that you voted for, or likely, you knew and you don't care because people are such whiners. /sarc
In any case, enjoy your glass of fine wine paid for by the tax cuts that are likely to going to be funded by reducing our benefit incomes over the next 3 or 6 years. I suspect you're going to need it somehow to ease your likely unacknowledged guilt or hatred or both.
Take care.
Come on now let's not be all over dramatic, National is now a centrist party
It won't be all that different from Labour
It doesn't matter if it is centrist or not, National is joined with ACT and Luxon basically has signalled that he'd prefer to partner with ACT rather than NZF.
And you sound like Luxon telling Hipkins to "calm down." and with that, you have no sense of what we're all facing as a community.
Centrist
Take from the poorest 350,000 New Zealanders and give it to landlords? oh do fuck off
With ACT and/or NZF policies implemented they will be allowing a Right of Centre and Righter influence. Even Labour isn't Centre anymore, so Nats can't be.
By comparing the election results to 2020, words like bloodbath' etc overstate the outcome.
ACT/Nats barely 50% of the vote. Nats down 6% on 2017
Labour is down 6% on 2017
ACT gone from .5% in 2017 to 8%
What has changed is that the two major parties are barely above 60% of the vote. To me, THAT is the bigger story and being overlooked by many.
Low wages, hig unemployment, beneficiary bashing, high low skill migrancy and higher house prices are coming- because that is what always happens when Nats/ACT are in Govt. They have offered nothing new or transformational. Employment and Environmental laws will shift toward employers and away from the environment and preservation of food production – it will reflect the profit motive.
Seymour wants to have his cake and eat it on the Treaty. Any referendum ought only be for maori and citizens descended from the British, cos those were the parties tot he treaty. IF he wants to 'go back to what it really means", he must also accept the whole context of what that means.
Indian, Asian region, South Africams etc are welcome but were never parties tot he Treaty so no referendum participation.
The government of today will be the same as the government of yesterday and the struggles that New Zealand faces will be the same.
However yesterday the people of New Zealand have decided that the old government were unable to address those struggles and that the New government are more capable.
I hope they are right but if not New Zealand will evaluate the state of affairs again in 3 years time.
With ACT and/or NZF policies implemented they will be allowing a Right of Centre and Righter influence. Even Labour isn't Centre anymore, so Nats can't be.
By comparing the election results to 2020, words like bloodbath' etc overstate the outcome.
ACT/Nats barely 50% of the vote. Nats down 6% on 2017
Labour is down 6% on 2017
ACT gone from .5% in 2017 to 8%
What has changed is that the two major parties are barely above 60% of the vote. To me, THAT is the bigger story and being overlooked by many.
Low wages, hig unemployment, beneficiary bashing, high low skill migrancy and higher house prices are coming- because that is what always happens when Nats/ACT are in Govt. They have offered nothing new or transformational. Employment and Environmental laws will shift toward employers and away from the environment and preservation of food production – it will reflect the profit motive.
Seymour wants to have his cake and eat it on the Treaty. Any referendum ought only be for maori and citizens descended from the British, cos those were the parties tot he treaty. IF he wants to 'go back to what it really means", he must also accept the whole context of what that means.
Indian, Asian region, South Africams etc are welcome but were never parties tot he Treaty so no referendum participation.
The 'people' decided someone must be punished for the impact of fighting a global panemic, and they hanker for the way things used to be. Ergo, they voted in parties who want to implement policies from yesterday…
Agreed, the potential is there and hopefully we can all grasp it
A RIVER OF FILTH got voted out of parliament last night.
The world is healing
Would you like to enlighten as to what you mean>?
Labour Votes
2020 Election: 1,443,545
2023 Election: 606,663
Change: -836,882
Labour Seats
2020 Election: 65
2023 Election: 34
Change: -31
Source(s)
2020 Election Results
2023 Election Results
Are you suggesting that the 31 Labour MPs lost was a "RIVER OF fILTH"?
probably a reference is to Michael Wood being out of parliament. There is a political point to be made here about Wood's use of the term 'river of filth', but I will be keeping a moderator eye on this that it's not being used to flame.
I'm suggesting 836,882 New Zealanders from all walks of life have decided that Labour have not been able to deliver the promises they have made over the last 3 (arguably 6) years and to improve their lives and the country that an alternative government is required which at this point is one made up of National, Act and potentially NZ First.
You may personally feel different however it would seem based on current results your feelings are in the minority.
Elections are not personal, or should be seen as personal attacks etc but rather a contest of ideas, beliefs and opinions within society which enable a group of individuals the ability to walk a path satisfactory to the majority of those individuals.
Personally I've not been happy with the path we as a country have walked over the past 6 years, and hope the next 3 years will be better for all of New Zealand.
I do not believe you and I are enemies but rather indivduals walking the same path with different viewpoints and enemies.
Have a good day. Tomorrow the path may alter in a direction you prefer and I do not, but either way the sun will still rise.
Well I guess as the great philosopher said
"Success is the only earthly judge of right and wrong"
So enjoy your victory
It is not my victory but rather a victory for democracy and for all New Zealanders.
Is this including the disabled who will receive less $ to live on in future? I don't see how it can be a victory for them. Can you explain how that works?
This is a victory for all New Zealanders who used their democratic rights to elect a government that best represents them.
Like all governments there will be policies that positively and negatively effect each of us indivdually just like there were in the last government.
For the sick, ill and disabled I can only speak for my own circumstances (2 children and myself with disabilities) overall we calculate to be $200-300 per week better.
I guess that's the difference between you and me – you count the $ and say "yay more for me" whereas I see that the poorest and least able to survive will get less $ and I am appalled.
Not at all. You were the one who brought up the topic of money, for me money is obviously significant as being on a limited budget the ability for my family to ensure a roof over our heads, food in the pantry, bills paid etc is a fairly major worry that has only gotten worse over the last few years.
However the more important factors for me are is the ability to be able to have the cops turn up or an ambulance turn up when you call 111 (from whom I been told by both in the past 12 months when contacted nobody is available), or to take my daughter into a hospital A&E due to seizures and haventhem seen in less than 10 hours or for my kids able to get a quality education vs being sent home multiple times because their teachers are striking etc etc.
I want a better country for my kids, their friends and the future and the last Goverment were incapable of providing it. Hopefully this one is, otherwise perhaps the one after that.
Still ~570,000 special votes to be counted yet which is more than in 2020. Not that Labour are going to get close to 2020's numbers anyway, but there are still enough votes that the comparison will change a bit, particularly the percentage drop.
Well Mr Nobody much did you in fact notice that National didn't actually do as well in 2023 as Labour did in 2020?
No?
Let me explain it simply for you.
After 2020 Labour didn't need ANYONE to help it form a government. It had a majority of 10 seats and could have done it on its own (for the first time in MMP history) but in its spirit of inclusiveness it decided to let the Greens in as well.
National HAS to rely on Seymour to get anything passed. Either that or give into Winston's mob rule.
And at present it looks like the NACTS will have a one-seat (probably two seats after Port Waikato) majority.
Hmmm! not quite so rosy when you look at it that way is it?
Plus if Te Pati Maori manages to pick up another seat on specials the majority will be down to one.
One seat majority!
Wow! Gosh! Golly gee!, that's an impressive result after all the mega millions the 1% have pumped into the NACTs over the last year. Should have used the growth fund, not the conservative fund, huh?
Wait until the fun starts and ACT wants to take off stat holidays from workers. The centrists in National will get a bit uneasy about that.
There might be a few fights.
I'll get the popcorn!
Sorry to rain on your parade Mr Nobody much but you don't know shit.
I'm more than happy with National/Act/NZ First coalition.
While any coalition has the potential for conflicts and difficulties and obviously the more parties the more possibility for them occur, however I do believe that each of these parties can if tthey want to play ttogether they can and that each will be significantly mmotivated to make it work.
Excuse me while I piss myself laughing.
They can.
Whether they choose to is a different question and if they dont/can't then in 3 years time we will see a swung back to Labour/Greens.
Either way NZ will be better or we'll all have 3 more years of Government fuckups.
And what would this new hope consist of?
For me I hope we see an improvement in crime & safety, health and education statistics and performance.
A reduction in taxpayer funds being wasted on ideological projects and programs which produce no benefit or outcomes.
Progress on repairing and rebuilding the damage New Zealand society has experienced over the last 6 years.
The only way you will see an improvement in crime will be if the MSM reports it less or if a NACT government does a 'Judith Collins'
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/83585857/eugene-bingham-the-spectre-of-ghost-crimes-should-have-come-back-to-haunt-police
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/leak-about-police-error-political-says-collins/VX24JZLK4CDRQWJIGRTPOUKKOE/
If National and Act do not attack crime and make a demonstrable improvement between today and the next election they will not be in power.
3 strikes will be re-implemented with new provisions the restrict the ability for the Judicary to pervert its purpose.
More offenders will be incarcerated
Current Policing approaches with be altered to more aggressively target gangs and repeat offenders.
I am sure this will lead to new issues but by doing so they will at least be able to say we have taken steps in line with what we have campaigned on and elected on.
Sweet so it's private prisons time again is it? Monetise crime and call it a win.
I'm happy with the most effective solution which will ensure criminals are removed from society until they have been punished and rehabilitated for their crimes.
Too close to call (5 seats): https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300989388/election-2023-the-electorates-that-are-still-too-close-to-call
Means we have to wait a couple of weeks for the final count to see the shape of the new govt I guess. A stunning margin for Brooke van Velden – she thrashed the neanderthal thoroughly! Two Green women made history in Wellington, Chloe held her seat. Good results for young female politicians and their younger generations will be inspired by those role models.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/the-bombshell-electorate-turns-from-last-night
While these results may flip seats in individual electorates (important for the people concerned, and for those individual electorates), it's the party vote which decides the government.
While there is a possibility of an overhang if both of the Maori seats still in play, go to TPM – this won't make a left-government possible.
A couple of points that have been a bit overlooked in last night's blue euphoria.
In 2020 Labour scored a clear majority of seats in its own right.
National did not do that last night, it still needs ACT to form a new government, which finally gives Seymour Butts the power and influence he has craved for years. He will be pushing for senior cabinet positions, no mistake. Landlords, loan sharks and Geoff Upson will be sooooo happy.
On projected results the NACTS hold a one-seat majority which we can assume will rise to two after the Port Waikato by-election and only another electorate claimed by Te Pati Maori on special votes would likely change that.
Winston's rag tag of pirates and conspiracy theorists will end up just another opposition party and won't be able to do s…t (fortunately perhaps). Winston will (not publicly at least) be very pissed off and we can expect NZ First to be a bunch of annoying f..wits in the next parliament – good at collecting their parliamentary salaries but little else.
From my perspective, I knew this was coming but my resigned disappointment is tempered by the spectacular results achieved in Wellington by the Greens. Taking the seat of Wellington Central and ahead in Rongotai, not to mention Chloe probably assured in Auckland Central. Also think that Te Pati Maori ran a good campaign.
Yes I agree.
A great result, potentially, National tempered by Act and Winston in Parliament by impotent on the opposition seats (hopefully)
Funny that you agree with Mike the Lefty despite us both making basically the same points.
I was being calm in post 4 (https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15-10-2023/#comment-1972714) and trying to be as balanced as possible and being as positive as possible.
What made you think I was making the wrong points compared to Mike?
Mike….they also need NZF.
There is (at least) one overhang from the Maori seats and there will be one from the by election, so this will be a parliament of 122.
NACT have 61 seats now but will lose at least one in the specials and gain one from the by-election. So they will have 61 seats (maybe 60) in a 122 house-this is not a majority. Winston is in the drivers seat.
Yes that is a possibility because the Greens traditionally pick up another list seat on specials, but since they will (should) now have three electorate seats their share of the party vote may not entitle them to an extra list seat this time.
It may come down to a bit of complicated maths.
I guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks.
The GP electorate seats won't affect whether or not they pick up another seat in the specials.
That's based on the party vote.
Since the GP don't have any seats where they are in close second place, it's not likely to affect the electorate results for them. [Well, I suppose they could lose Rongotai – but I don't think it likely]
So if the GP increase their share of the party vote with the special votes they'll automatically gain another MP – and since they are already past their electorate MP numbers, and into the list – it will be another list MP.
If Labour had scored a more normal result in 2020 last night's fiasco might not have seemed so bad. Even so it was not good.
Morena!
Well, that's it, really.
That was positively nightmarish.
I just hope we can get a re-ascendant left-wing in the next three years and technically this means we have good ground on which to build on.
Greens and TPM didn't do too badly, all things considered. Labour has lost hard and it has to re-form into a different party to even try to capture the moment once more. TOP miscalculated with its openly flip-flop strategy when it came to keeping its party options open; a strategy that was always liable to be subject to misinterpretation.
This also is a rather ambivalent moment for the right in a sense: National/ACT is on a knife's edge, balancing between 61 or 62 or even 60 seats. It all depends on how TPM or Greens are performing with the special votes. This will impact how National is going to interact with NZ First and if 60 votes or less, short of which is needed to form a government, then depending on how much they hate Winston Peters, National will have to consider either a trip back to the voting stations or begrudgingly call him. If over or at 62, we will have to prepare for a pure NACT government that is subject to nearly nobody else.
In any case, this means we have to build a movement anew, to work at the flaxroots and be of the people in New Zealand who will suffer at the hands of the incoming government regardless of whatever may happen.
Kia kaha, indeed.
No.
It means we come together and give the new government a chance to succeed because if the government is successful we're all successful
Now is not the time for being selfish
Successful in what sense?
Selfish in what sense?
Why are you asking that I should give the new government a chance to succeed if I have seen them to say that people like me are "BOTTOM FEEDERS"?
If you were in my position, would you want them to succeed in hurting you and your groups?
The policies are lousy and what they are proposing are similar to what Britain is doing in terms of benefits and disabled people and it's proven that sanctions and cuts over there has severely harmed or killed hundred of thousands of disabled people.
I do not want that to happen here.
Successful in that Labour now have a chance to do what they should have done in 2017
Successful in that Winston is not in government (maybe)
Successful in that Act has some power
Pretty successful night all round
I'm sorry. I don't find much to rejoice with except for Greens improving its vote share.
Plus you just castigated me for making pretty much the same points as you and Mike, so that's just a tone thing?
Ok, I'll try to smile and not make much trouble so you can walk on unimpeded by what troubles people in dire straits, then.
Putting house prices on turbo again bashing the poor, more prisons , something to look forward to
Since the 2000s house prices have surged under Labour and yes if people commit crimes then yes they should be in prison (a major reason why Labour lost)
Can you point to anywhere in the world where prisons have solved crime?
They've already committed the crime to become the prisoner but at least with prisons you can temporarily remove the criminal from society for a period of time
Again a major reason why Labour lost
You didn't answer the question
Where'd nationals plan to stop the pipe line??
To RoG at 4 : Indeed!
The opposition should provide plenty of entertainment over the next three years. A Labour leadership spill, no new talent to speak of, just a smaller version of the same. Greens and TPM trying to outdo each other for the most extreme version of hard left. James and Marama to be challenged for leadership by MPs who actually have an electorate. Should be fun.
Chloe warming up for a tilt at the leadership you reckon
two very ignorant comments about the Greens' leadership. The Greens are happy with their result, not the kind of environment for leadership challenges, and the Greens don't roll leaders.
She'd make a good Labour leader.
She certainly would given the lack of talent in Labour
How fun. Yay, likely having to choose between a can of food or to miss the doctor in a mission to re-certify your disability or pay the bills with increasingly dwindling income amounts over years and what's more your landlord is likely is going to no-cause evict you at a moment's notice. Yay, good fun indeed! Hooray!
I want to be wrong because this is such a dangerous juncture in political history, we are on the verge of being prepared for the future with climate change with some protection or deny the climate has changed and that we will leave the most vulnerable behind.
I want NACT to be weakened if it's going to carry its worst policies.
Epic surge for TMP last night!
Only slaves think Democracy stops at the ballot box.
Hear, hear!
And with the bent of this next government somewhat more authoritarian (policy? don’t you worry about that) than the last few, we’ll get to find out how democratic we are too.
As in all things Labour has been making a rod for our backs with increasing numbers of secrecy clauses.
My sympathies to those here who are likely very disappointed with the result. I certainly understand how you all feel given the result at the last election.
I do think Labour's negative campaign backfired on them though. The adds I saw were focussed on discouraging people from voting National. I think this may have worked to some degree, given how the margin pulled back as voting passed around the 50% count. But, what I noticed was that NZ First increased their vote share while Labour didn't really go up much.
So, it looked to me like people who got the Labour message responded by voting NZ First rather than Labour.
I voted for Greens, knowing NZF isn't a good bet and I avoided Labour.
I hope that we can make it through the years without much scathing.
We need it because we need to re-build as a whole.
And I think it's going to be rebuilt.
(How's that for optimism, Robin? Next time do not tell me that I’m being selfish. We’re all on the same side or should be.)
Most of the National ads I saw were attacking Labour, but obviously that didn't have the impact on National's vote that the ads attacking National had on Labour's vote.
Black Caps going well, National take the election and the All Blacks playing like All Blacks
Plus the sun is shining
"Black Caps going well, National take the election and the All Blacks playing like All Blacks
Plus the sun is shining"
“National take the election ”
So that's why you basically told me to calm down and not to be overly-dramatic.
Bye. I don't have any use for insincere trolls like you.
I'm going out to see my friends soon.
Looks like a good day for it 👍
I have only one regret.
I wish I could pick the winning Lotto tickets as well as I managed to pick the election result. I expect to lose another seat with the specials, but to get it back with the by-election.
13 October 2023 at 10:53 am
I regret Winston being back in Parliament but as long as he stays away from power its all good
Robin-he is in power….read my post above.
Not yet he isn't
Oh yes he is
I'll put that next to your other prediction:
Bearded Git 8.7
10 June 2022 at 11:20 am
'I think that Robertson will replace Ardern AFTER the election whether Labour win or not. '
haha fair call. He would have been better than Hipkins.
But all I am saying today is that the specials invariably give the Left one or two more seats. Now it may be, as you seem to be arguing, that this won't happen this time, but with 567k votes out there yet to be counted that usually favour the Left I'm pretty confident that NACT do not have a majority and must rely on Winston to get legislation through.
I came to this conclusion before I heard law professor Andrew Geddes say the same thing just before 10am on Radio NZ's election special this morning.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/500221/election-2023-what-special-votes-and-the-overhang-mean-for-deciding-the-new-government
It's 17 seats and 17 list seats. So all of the above are back off the list.
Like everyone else I prefer to forget the fine points of my statement. I, of course, concentrate on the bits I happened to get right.
I am like the people who take the view that the left won the election because TMP now have double the number of seats and the Green Party have 40% more MPs.
Then they ignore the minor little point that that is only 6 more seats and meanwhile Labour lost 31.
Alwyn-I would have thought you would regret that NACT are in thrall to NZF.
That is the tax cuts gone, the foreign buyer ban stays, etc etc
I certainly agree that Winston will have his price. He can be reasonable however in what he demands and what he will give up. I doubt if he would go as far as to force a deadlock and therefore a new election.
Well according to Hooton Luxon needs an excuse to can the daft tax cuts.
Who will get in to parliament as Labour list mps ?
Labour will have 17 electorate and 17 list members in the new parliament.
https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2023/election-night-results-for-the-2023-general-election/
It's still a bit fluid – as it depends on the results in a couple of electorates which are too close to call – if these go to the Labour candidate, there will be fewer list places (although at least one would result in the same MP – just electorate, rather than list)
But, basically – you look at the Labour list – cross out all of those MPs who have won electorates; and count the first 17 left.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/494829/labour-releases-party-list-for-2023-election
At the moment if the Labour candidate loses Banks Peninsular they are the last one in off the list …
Yeah, but if Wood or Twyford pull a reversal – they'd bump the last two list placings out of Parliament. I'm not sure which way Rachel Boyack is listed – it's on a knife edge in Nelson – but if she wins the electorate, that might be another list place that goes.
Twyford is pretty certain to win.
I agree – he's only just behind on the election night results. But, if he does, he'll change the Labour electorate/list balance from 17:17 to 18:16 – resulting in the last List MP being bumped.
If Labour are winning seats on specials, it's likely that the party vote will increase proportionately as well, so it may not change much.
Not really. You only need 50 or so votes to overturn the electorate result in these tight results (actually, I'd expect all of them to go to judicial recount). But 50 won't even budge the dial on the list proportionality.
Nelson should go Labour too
Troll picnic at the standard today
it would be good for everyone to keep focused on the politics and robust debate. Moderation will deal with the trolls
Looks like the specials will change the lie of the land – being a fifth of the whole gives them considerable leverage.
Aucklanders became extremely hostile to Labour! The map of Ak seats usually red that turned blue was a dramatic sight even without Gower's hyperbole ramping it.
Luxon talking bollocks (lying? but why?) as usual. At best after specials NACT will have 61 seats in a 122 parliament-no majority there so they need NZF.
It could even be 60 NACT seats in a parliament of 123.
Funny that Luxon uses the term "track", rather than road. Given National do not invest in rail, is this a warning that they are going to raid the carbon vehicle graveyard repair fund?
And these bad bad multiple property barons are also planning to rob the public domain to line the pockets of the few landlords.
Backtrack (to the '90s) is where we will be going.
So why did the greens who were polling 14% only get 10% and with all these weather events maybe they shouldve been at 20%. Also not a good look to act like ya won in a landslide and give ya speech drunk.
[I think that you are an astroturfing troll who crawled out from underneath your bridge. Let’s see if you’re intelligent enough to stop drawing attention to yourself. However, in my experience trolls are too stupid and self-entitled to self-moderate and avoid detection – Incognito]
Are you going to specialise in making comments about female politicians?
Since the start of MMP they have used a flawed marketing strategy: they pitch to the minority who think like them. They have nothing in their repertoire to suitably frame a pitch for the commons, where the numbers always reside. Their partisan stance is an immense handicap for them.
Re the difference tween polls & result: factor in the undecided (around 10%). If they hadn't done the reef-fish thing, but instead gone in multiple directions, we'd have a totally different result. Crowd psych is a wonderful thing…
My pick is that the truly Undecideds mostly didn't vote. Turnout is 78%.
I think that the difference between the polls and the election result is mostly within the margin of error – and that we spend too much energy celebrating or bemoaning a 1% poll shift. It's not significant.
Agree, and also they may increase their proportion of the vote when the special votes are counted.
the Greens have just increased their MPs by 40%, probably 50% by the time the Specials are counted. What are you on about?
https://thestandard.org.nz/why-are-the-greens-so-happy/
The long-term view. Strategic thinking emanates therefrom. I agree the vote for a return to socialist governance is significant but don't expect anyone to draw that conclusion – the view is too historically valid for younger generations to grasp easily. They play the game in the short/medium term – it works for them.
Mod note
Seriously. They were polling 14%, Got 10%. With what's happening with climate change they shouldve gotten 20%. The speeches that were televised, they came across that they though they won in a landslide. In a country like NZ the greens should be pushing 20%.
Yeah well the jerk store just called….
[As expected from a stupid troll, you couldn’t help yourself with all your aliases and had to confirm that you indeed belong under your bridge permanently. Say ‘Hi’ and play nice with the other trolls – Incognito]
Mod note
As Incognito has pointed out, you look like a troll.
The polling average peaked at around 12.5%
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2023_New_Zealand_general_election
The Greens got 10.77% (thus far). They almost always poll better than they get on election night.
I wrote a post about the numbers for the Greens and why this was a good election for them. See if you can learn something.
https://thestandard.org.nz/why-are-the-greens-so-happy/
I recommend omeprazole 20mg o.d.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[I have a much better option: take time away from trolling here on TS until the day after the by-election. Bye – Incognito]
Mod note
Omeprazole controls my GERD (courtesy of a Hiatus Hernia) really well usually – but as a warning the new family of diabetes drugs – Trulicity, Ozempic Wegovy etc stops omeprazole dead in it's tracks /cue pain.
Prediction:
Inflation: Tracks down, but more slowly than hoped. Oil and food prices are the sticking point. 2024 El Nino summer in the northern hemisphere causes major agricultural disruption and inflationary pressure. Luxon’s cutting of ‘wasteful spending makes zero difference, because it was never a cause of inflation in the first place.
Employment & Wages: Unemployment rises due to sustained high immigration and public service cuts. Fair Pay Agreements are gone and minimum wage are frozen. Wages decline in real terms while inflationary pressure lingers. Tax cuts favour those facing the least downward pressure on their wages.
Housing: Foreign buyers trigger asset price inflation at the top end which percolates downwards. This top-down pressure meets bottom-up pressure from domestic landlords due to the reduction of the Brightline and mortgage interest deductibility. House prices rise to easily outpace the CPI and flat wage growth. Housing affordability declines, property ownership becomes more concentrated. Real estate industry booms – expensive restaurants fill up.
Meddling with Kainga Ora reduces capacity to build public housing. Private sector is green-lighted to build housing in “freed up” land on the peripheries. Potential state house tenants are herded out to private rentals on the city margin. Land bankers profit – expensive restaurants fill up. Reduction in regulations concerning the quality of rentals see a drop in quality and more poor health. Homelessness increases.
Climate Change/Infrastructure: Agriculture gets an additional exemption on emissions targets. Work on technology to reduce methane emission delivers nothing that can be affordably deployed at scale, so the exemption is extended twice. Agriculture sees pressure from some export markets to reduce emissions – so dependency on the Chinese market increases, cranking up sector fragility even higher.
Uptake of EVs declines as they become less affordable. Local car-industry profiteers by adding huge markups to potentially low-price, Chinese EVs – expensive restaurants fill up. Road-building increases car-dependency, Labour’s subsidies on public transport are removed adding more wage pressure. NZ’s car fleet ages further. Two dry summers cause drought and shortfall in hydro capacity – coal is burned. Uptake of solar continues but does not cover the gap. New Zealand reneges on Paris commitments. Two El Nino summers means a respite from floods – but farmers need bailouts from drought. Next La Nina sees extreme damage. National throws cost onto Councils so as not to increase government debt. Insurance industry walks away from some regions and localities. Rates rise steeply, the non-wealthy retired start to lose their homes so house ownership concentrates further – expensive restaurants fill up. The uninsured who lose homes are herded into trailer parks. Low population growth regions struggle with permanently bad transport links. Affordable Water (3 Waters) is stopped. Councils are left to cope. Most problems are left unaddressed, where some attempt is made it adds to pressure on rates.
Race Relations; An initial ugly period where gleeful right-wing supporters demand removal of Maori language from government communications. Luxon walks back more extreme rhetoric and forces Seymour to abandon the Treaty referendum. Co-governance and Te Whatu Ora are gone. The Maori Party grows stronger and angrier. Problems are stored up.
Health: Workforce gaps prove stubborn to fill because of international competition. Flat wages for nurses and technicians increase migration pressure to Australia. Huge lead time on new medical school and first graduates from it. The two-tiered (insured versus uninsured) health system widens gaps. Private sector medical specialists make out like bandits – expensive restaurants and overseas flights fill up. Mental health declines, greater poverty increases preventable diseases resulting from obesity such a diabetes. Maori health statistics go backwards. More stress among the elderly from having to fund private health care. Labour’s hospital construction projects are dialled back but completed – then not much else.
Education: Another round of ‘reform’ soaks up time and frustrates teachers. Any increase or decrease in student performance is within the margin of error and bears no relation to the reform programme. Gaps in performance between kids from wealthy and poor households widen. Private tertiary education sector kicks off again selling residency under the guise of education – money is made, expensive restaurants fill up.
Tourism: Post-Covid recovery continues. High immigration lowers real wages and increases profitability. Then the mass market tails off as oil prices keep fares high, climate events spoil tourist experiences and (eventually) climate change increases fears of flight safety. Industry hits a natural ceiling and begins to decline. Much gnashing of teeth and call for subsidies.
Public mood: initial sugar rush as some sectors kick off with high immigration, housing inflation, tax cuts and deregulation. A gleeful, contemptuous orgy of looting and wealth extraction by those in a position to do so. Honeymoon period lasts 2 years and National easily returned. Doubts surface in term two, initial sugar hit slows, stored up problems begin to emerge. 2029 election is contestable. Great damage has been done. World has passed 1.5C heating over pre-industrial. 3-4+C increase by 2100 looms. One or more dangerous tipping points are already triggered. Public at large still mostly unconcerned and National just get back for a third term.
Luxon has to get the foreign buyers policy through Winston yet, which he won't.
Luxon walks back more extreme rhetoric and forces Seymour to abandon the Treaty referendum.
Yeah, I thought that too. However one must allow common ground to be formed via goodwill, so if they get it with Winston it's a goer – unless he has already adopted an entrenched position against it.
I predict an increase in suicides as the mentally ill are especially vulnerable to demonisation and harassment. Statistically a NACT government could claim a success in reducing the long-term beneficiary count so long as people don't look at where the 'success' comes from.
There needs to be a change at the had of PR for the Greens. The best speech of the night was Chris Hipkins, understated, raw, loyal and it came off as real. To celebrate going up 2% in the party vote, was not needed.
What the Greens must do is have an honest discussion, on how to increase it's support, the work behind the scenes is mysterious and important, but it needs to be done.
the Greens increased their MPs by nearly 50%, and tripled their electorates. If you look at the 2017, 2020, and 2023 election results it’s easy to see how they are building the party and the vote.
As for celebration, I wrote a post about why they are doing that, it’s on the front page.
Yeah, an excellent performance. Cannibalising Labour. Zero-sum strategy of the left does indeed work.
"Cannibalising Labour"
No I think they voted Green because they realised it was a party with strong and consistent policies and ethics. You make it sound as though some voters owe Labour their vote come what may.
What the Greens need to learn is how to use a microphone. Both Chloe and Marama screeched their way thru their victory speeches. Hard to understand them both.
What the Greens must do is have an honest discussion, on how to increase it's support
Human nature, though, is a problem. Time is money, and discussions free-range naturally. Nobody in the Greens has ever claimed to have marketing nous, to my knowledge, which is the expertise required to increase support.
Firstly they'd have to account for their relationship to the broader Green movement. Problem: doing so requires moral integrity! That's why it hasn't happened yet.
What a great positive weekend. And to top it off, an All Blacks win against the odds.
Two yellow cards to none! Against the best team in the world in recent times! And it could have gone to the Irish easily if one of our tacklers had failed, right down to the end. Even restored the coach's reputation.
An epic game: https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby-world-cup-2023/300989435/rugby-world-cup-awesome-all-blacks-dig-deepest-to-secure-a-signature-victory
I watched the game and I still don't quite believe we won
This has to rate as, at least, in the top 5 All Black victories of all time, given the stakes of the game, the opposition and the two yellow cards
Now we just need the Black Caps to follow suit
NZ cricket team bats well above it's weight. I think we have a good chance of coming close even if we don't quite win it.
IMHO Kane Willimson is more talismanic for the Black Caps than McCaw was for the All Blacks
Nah the Poms will change the rules again.
That yellow card for the tip of one little finger sees extreme.
It was one of the games where you can truly say rugby was the victor on the day.
Outstanding performance from both sides – and went right down to the wire. Ireland could have so easily won it – and your heart goes out to them for missing out on their first RWC semi.
Yes I think I nearly had a heart attack two or three times over in the last 20 minutes of the game.
Jester-glad you are happy NACT are in thrall to Winston after this election. Luxon will have to go cap in hand to NZF, the thing he said was the last thing he wanted.
Sweatng, nausea, shaky hands and the spins ah balls.
Half a can of coke and feeling better
The same thing happened to Captain Haddock when he accidentally drank a glass of water. His remedy was half a bottle of whiskey. I only mention this because of your name. Glad you're feeling better!
tell me why it would be better for Nact to need Peters to form government. Not vague handbrake stuff, but specific policy that he has a chance of getting through.
The comments I've seen haven't been about Peters getting specific policy through (I seriously doubt that NZF policy is in any fit state to be progressed) – but that he would prevent some core National/ACT policies going through. Stopping the National foreign buyers scheme; and, Halting raising the super to 67 (though I don't agree that he'd be strongly motivated to do this)
that's what I meant by policy.
National don't intend to raise the retirement age. Do you think Act could force that?
National policy is to raise the retirement age to 67 – but has it pushed out to 2044 (so 20 years for planning)
https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/124238/national-party-re-states-its-policy-age-eligibility-nz-super-only-act-agrees
ACT wants it earlier (over about 12 years, I think).
I'd certainly see this on the cards.
Especially since Labour has previously supported the same age (before they got cold feet, and pulled the policy)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/pm-chris-hipkins-facing-flack-over-super-age-decision-ahead-of-congress-address/C4TQHUXJ4JCM3AXHYIUGMPYC2M/
I've been re-reading Haidt's Righteous Mind & he mentions this:
Instant biological signalling is part of our evolutionary heritage – an instinctive survival skill. Democracy, however, presumes voters think about issues. Political commentators who follow this line default into acceptance. Yet the Bulgarian prof who came to prominence at Princeton showed people normally just react to the face of the politician. I suspect the ephemeral engagement of floaters in the political process hinges on this.
Waiting for the international headlines:
Parties whose climate policy was ‘Nah, nah, nah not listening infinity plus one more than you’ attempting to form next NZ government.