With the nasty stuff swirling around the National Party, Labour has a leader who is probably the most honest guy in parliament…good timing, now he/we need to let the rest of New Zealand know.
A good article in the NZ Herald. This accords to the David Cunliffe I worked with for a short time in the 90’s.
It was in the public domain because Collins passed it on. And the public servant had absolutely nothing to do with the leak. He says the first that anyone even hinted at it was the day that Collins/Slater published his name and the denigration that followed.
Give up Roflcopter!
You seem to miss the point either way. It is the fact that Mrs Collins is passing the name of public servant to Mr Slater and thus giving prudence to what followed is in fact akin to Gestapo behavior. No matter how this is seen, a Minister of Justice no less should be squeaky clean. Freedom is not lost in a full swoop, but in incremental steps. Like the boiling frog story…
The point is it is 10000% worse if his name was not in the public domain. If it was, and Collins was just Slater of it that would be nasty, but she will probably survive as a minister.
If she was identifying an individual already named as needing some ‘special loving’ from Slater, that’s a lot worse, and she will probably be sacked.
And if his name wasn’t in the public domain as a possible leaker, then it is truly appalling and she should not just be sacked but drummed out out parliament, and mabe (I may be thinking whistfully, here) jailed.
His name wasn’t being suggested in public until Slater asserted it in a post.
The reason I remember it was that I looked at it when Slaters post came out and searched for corroboration. Authors here were making a big thing about Bill English’s rather excessive household claims. So when Pleasants name came up, I looked for sources other than Slater – who is pretty well known for being a liar and making stuff up.
There wasn’t anything visible on the net from a more credible source. So I guessed that it was just bullshit and I started to censor the trolls from using his name as it was defamatory.
What i’m enjoying is Labour and the Lefties all jumping up and down waving their Jockies in the air and creating a Big song and dance
Thats like the All Blacks stopping a game to rave to the Reef about someone on the other side not playing Fair
Once again Labour has dropped the ball and lost their focus on the Game I’m not sure if they realize there is an Election coming up the tracks at a great rate of knots
And the Spectators Just want the game to continue without all the Bullshit and Drama
Imagine if Labour had of said we are better than this bullshit and focused on the real issues just like the All Blacks would do I don’t know if the person who hacked Cam’s computer is a Staunched Labour ally but me thinks it is not gonna do a hell of a lot for Labour and the other lefties Just saying
Eddi, you need to understand that at least 2 laws were broken, not to mention that betrayal of the office:
1/ the law of privacy
2/ the employment law that protects employees from such behaviors
Now that the Justice Minister has done this has effectively signaled to NZ and the world (don’t underestimate this) that NZ has moved to a fascist type of “democracy”. Europe has some good examples of that where people also said thing like you do and it ended up in tears. Lets not forget what history has taught us.
Cactus Kate proving very quotable. “Those Chinese can be very vicious when they lose face … Chop chop for Nicky.”
“Like a lot of the rest of the book that email was just private chatter and banter between various people on emails where absolutely nothing else happened as a consequence,”
Nothing happened except put your sad, vile truths on display, CK. Racism doesn’t stop being disgusting just because it’s private.
Joyce said on tv3 yesterday that no one tells slater what to do. Actually its looking like the reverse is true. If nothing else this is a very sad picture of a man pretending to be something he quite clearly is not. It seems he makes up alot of things about his own power that arent true. The alternative is they are true, but the nats are working hard to deny that.
When the Waikato Times visited the cage, between the courthouse and Waitomo District Council in Queen St, there appeared to be no presence or monitoring by police escort staff, unless it was to hand over papers to an accused and let them out.
Retired defence lawyer Peter Williams QC called the practice “humiliating” and “absolutely barbaric”.
“How the justice department can justify a holding pen is just unbelievable, it’s beyond imagination . . . just absolutely wrong,” the lawyer of 60 years experience said.
“Whoever is responsible for it should be dealt some type of discipline and the thing should be dismantled and the proper remand rooms or accommodation put up to civilised standards.”
yep we live in 2014 and still treat people like shit and then expect them to thank us.
Roger Brooking, who has 15 years experience working in the justice arena, was gobsmacked.
“It’s totally weird. I have never seen anything like that before. I had no idea there was a human zoo for offenders in Te Kuiti. I think it’s disgusting, quite frankly.”
“This is something you would see in a third world country, or something out of the middle ages.”
Barbaric. I agree with Roger.
And why we dis third world countries is beyond me – look around ffs. Meanwhile the middle will wring their hands and tut tut over the stats – and then vote for the liarkey? Nah his time has run out, thank the Gods!!!
The US/NATO squaring up to Russia for a shooting war over the Ukraine:
Ebola squaring up to be the Black Death of the 21st Century:
Fukushima gushing radio-active water into the North Pacific and squaring up to require the Chernobyl-like evacuation of a large chunk of one of the most densly populated places on Earth:
ISIS and its great leap backwards into the Middle-Ages, of military danger only to its neighbours but already in control of some of the Iraqi oil-fields and its ideological fangs bared for its wrong-thinking co-religionists in Saudi Arabia and most of the rest of the world’s oil – so it seems the West will have to start a religious war against Islam to protect its petrol pumps:
Europe going under financially for the third-time since 2008, the US floating – just – on an air-bed of bubbles while the 1% fiddle for all their worth, China imploding:
Every report on Global Warming, the most insidious of all, saying it’s happening faster and to a larger extent than previously thought, from the collapse of the Antarctic Icesheet to methane leakage from Siberia and the Arctic, while politicians everywhere see the next election as far more important:
7 Oh yes, next month I get to choose between various packs of self-important, ethically-challenged, myopic, self-seeking non-entities to strut and fret their hour upon the stage in the empty, badly lit, third-rate theatre that is New Zealand’s Parliament.
“Fukushima gushing radio-active water into the North Pacific and squaring up to require the Chernobyl-like evacuation of a large chunk of one of the most densly populated places on Earth:”
Can’t remember which one. I don’t think evacuation has yet been announced as official Japanese policy but the situation is becoming so bad that it can’t be kept hidden for very much longer, at which point the choice will be between an officially organised (and probably already being planned) evacuation or Tokyo emptying itself anyway.
Anyone know why the Roy Morgan poll is late? It would usually come up on their website on a Thursday, Friday at the latest, but it is still not there. Maybe they are waiting another week because of the Nicky Hager book.
Or maybe it contradicts the Fairfax/ Ipsos so much there has been a decision to hold it back – would they do such a thing? They could then use the Hager book to justify any swing to the left- it won’t be read as a positive reaction to David Cunliffe and Labour policy?
It is very dispiriting when you see so many people intending to vote National in spite of their appalling behaviour, and are still willing to believe in Key in spite of all the lies he has told. I just watched this Campbell Live piece where many people are adamant they will not read the book, but are still convinced it is a pack of lies.
You would think the Electoral Comission would have had a real crack at this Rugby Union. Mates looking after mates, no surprise National party members within the Northland Rugby Union;
It is how National operates particularly in rural areas. Networking with sports clubs, Lodges, SMEs, tradies, some schools, local cops, business associations, real estate, farmers and retirees to develop a “one way” culture.
Clubs and schools need local business support to operate and it comes with strings, often tacit, but strings. People need work and contracts so there is economic pressure too. Don’t support John Key? Whaaadarrrryaaa mate! We are blue men around here!
It is partly why and how electorates such as Northland and Whangarei continually vote tory MPs in against their material needs. And partly due to the Te Tai Tokerau Māori seat syphoning off votes that would redress that, and I am not arguing for collapsing the Māori seats.
yes quite correct. This blatant breech of the act should have been met with a fine and a stern warning.
This sort of arogant carry on is off putting to people wanting a democratic society. The old boys network of political favours in both central & local government.
Jeremy Wells with his impression of Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking with another “Like Mike” Hosking Rant. Today’s topic ‘Hosking In Wonderland’ as Jeremy/Mike rants about Nicky Hager’s book ‘Dirty Politics’
Spoke with an Auckland panelbeater last week. SME currently paying $60,000 a month in all taxes, including GST?
He made a number of comments about changes in behaviour by insurance companies toward his trade in recent months, in particular the IAG group of insurance companies.
By way of background we need to understand the recent aquisitions by AIG! their increasing market share and how this might beinfluencing the bullying encountered by chaps like the panelbeater i spoke to
” The Commerce Commission has approved Insurance Australia Group’s takeover of rival Lumley General Insurance.
In New Zealand IAG already owns NZI, AMI and State Insurance. In December it announced a A$1.845 billion deal to buy the underwriting businesses of Australia’s Wesfarmers, which includes Lumley in New Zealand.
This deal increases IAG’s share of the overall New Zealand insurance market to about 50.5% from 41.5%, lifts its share of the home and contents and vehicle insurance market to 66% from 60%, and gives it 40% of New Zealand’s intermediated insurance market. In a December interview with interest.co.nz IAG’s New Zealand CEO Jacki Johnson said IAG would sell assets to gain Commerce Commission approval for the Lumley purchase if it had to, but sees itself as the natural owner of the assets.
The Commerce Commission’s initial deadline for its decision was January 24. This was extended until March 28, then April 30 and finally today.
“The Commission is satisfied that the proposed acquisition will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition, for personal and commercial insurance products,” Commerce Commission chairman Mark Berry said.” http://www.interest.co.nz
R The panelbeaters story
Ami, nzi and state have been squeezing the trade and their margins to claw back losses from the chchch earthquake.
With a large market share AIG turned its attention to cars, a constant source of claims. My guy says that until recently he got about 52 bucks an hour for fixing a bumper. The insurance companies allocated one hour to the work.
In the last few weeks they have increased the hourly rate to $59 per hour. BUT, they have reduced the time allocated to a bumper to 45 minutes. Effectively cutting the payout to panelbeaters for the same work to $45.
The liability on the panelbeater for work performed stays the same. If the bumper falls off or otherwise suffers from a poor job, its the panelbeater who pays. Do they work quicker and risk shoddy work, or still spend an hour and work for a loss.
My guy says he wont and cant reduce wages on his guys, so an insurance bumperjob now yields him a $5.75 surplus after wages and other costs.He also wont do sub standard work but knows some in the industry will to keep their margins.
He is expecting further actions to reduce and this practice applies across all aspects not just bumpers.
” Opponents of the deal including rival insurers, the Insurance Brokers Association of New Zealand, the Collision Repair Association, the Motor Trade Association, the Bus and Coach Association, and the Rental Vehicle Association told the Commerce Commission of their concerns in submissions. Suncorp, which owns Vero and 68% of AA Insurance, warned IAG buying Lumley would represent “a tipping point” towards an anti-competitive structure in New Zealand’s insurance markets.
Being allowed to swallow Lumley will give IAG control of insurance relationships with three of the big four banks in ASB, BNZ and Westpac. ANZ works with Vero and Tower.” http://www.interest.co.nz
“The Commission is satisfied that the proposed acquisition will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition, for personal and commercial insurance products,” Commerce Commission chairman Mark Berry said.”
hmmmm…
This deal increases IAG’s share of the overall New Zealand insurance market to about 50.5% from 41.5%, lifts its share of the home and contents and vehicle insurance market to 66% from 60%, and gives it 40% of New Zealand’s intermediated insurance market.
They’re right, it won’t change it that much – there isn’t any competition left.
Also Lynn can you please fix the cookies problem? I have to keep typing out my name and email address all the time, and end up typoing it – hence why you’re getting my comments in moderation.
After your current cookie expires (was set to half hour which was causing the problem) or you leave a comment (whichever comes first), you’ll find that the cookie resets to just under under a year.
Remember that it is specific to a particular browser on a particular machine.
The NPA had not considered withdrawing Slater’s award, he said.
“In the 40-year history of the awards, none has ever been withdrawn and it would be an extreme, highly unusual step.”
It would only be justified if concrete evidence came forward showing illegal or highly unethical methods were used to obtain the story, he said.
I would have thought the way Bevan Chuang was exploited was the very definition of highly unethical, but’s that’s just me. The Newspaper Publishers’ Association does not agree.
Well Blue I just sent Rick Neville of the Publishers assoc a request to recall of CANON MEDIA AWARD WINNER CAMERON SLATER’s Best Blogger Award.
I can’t get enough of saying it, writing it.
Canon Media Award for Best Blogger Cameron WhaleOilBeefHooked Slater.÷)
Calls/letters directly to Canon might be more effective than the Publishers’ Association — they have more to lose in terms of unhappy customers and are likely walking a delicate line just now. Just point out the words and language their product has now become associated with in the public mind .. shouldn’t take too many ! Send letters as high as possible in corporation … even Japan !!!
And I just read this on Bomber’s site … calls to Canon could be very effective imho.
It is time to write again the name of the website … not sure who really gets it, but say the full name Whale Oil Beef Hooked with a faux Irish accent and you get ‘Well, I’ll be fucked’.
I know the news room at one TV station had not understood itone day this week until , and I’m guessing here, but maybe Canon didn’t either.
Let’s make them aware as loudly and quickly as possible. Surely, they didn’t intend for this language to be given their overt public approval ? And I’m sure head office in Japan will not be happy. Maybe we can send it Huffington Post and have them stir it up a little. Canon will have to acknowledge the ‘backfire’ !!!
darn, won’t let me edit … should have read ‘newsroom at one TV station had not understood it until one day this week, and I’m guessing Canon didn’t either”.
‘Hager’s Dirty Politics – the TV political panels are ridiculous’
By Martyn Bradbury / August 16, 2014
“This isn’t good enough from our fourth estate at a time when we need the powerful to be held to account for their abuse of power.
The total lack of depth and shallow talent pool of TV political panel shows in NZ is providing hideous coverage and insight into one of the most important political stories of the year….
Reading my way through “Dirty Politics”. My summary so far is:
Chapters 1-5: John Key’s National Party is clearly corrupt.
Chapters 6-10: Slater and his mates are scumbags and so are some of our barons of industry.
It looks like Chapter 11 is reconnecting with the corruption of John Key .
If there are more revelations about Key’s involvement contained in the last few chapters (as seems likely) then this is a very ineffective way to structure the book IMHO. Chapters 6-10 lost the momentum of the narrative. Reading about what a scumbag Slater is was a bit boring and I suspect many readers and lazy journalists will not make it to chapter 11…
We’ll see. I’m hoping they’re going after the low-hanging fruit while preparing more substantial coverage of the more substantial (and criminal) allegations. The seriousness of the potential charges means they’ll be dining out on it for months if not years as it stands.
I hope you’re right. In the last hour it’s been playing on my mind that the real revelation of this book is contained in Hager’s “Afterword” where he explains at length that one of the key reasons these people can get away with all of this is because of the weakness of journalism in NZ. Without intelligent and fearless journalists we are a very weak democracy.
I read somewhere that a majority of enrollees in a NZ journalism course had declared that their goal was to become TV presenters – is it any wonder our democracy is in serious trouble…
I’m not so sure about that last sentiment. I think Churchill was right: democracy is the worst possible system apart from all the other ones. It involves people like Nicki Hager investigating people like John Key, because the kind of people people like John Key appeal to, keep on being born.
One of the more surprising revelations in the Dirty Politics saga so far for me has been some details that surround the former National MP Katherine Rich, of whom I had always held in some esteem as a more moderate MP within the conservative machine, and certainly someone who seemed to have a semblance of a moral compass.
There is evidence in the book that Rich (who currently works as the CEO of the Food and Grocery Council.) supplied material for attacks that WO blogger Cameron Slater made against anti-obesity campaigner Tony Falkenstein.
Article goes on to say that Slater was essentially a hired gun for any company that wished to attack a certain figure, receiving thousands of dollars a month from business clients to do so. National’s attack dog is looking more and more disgusting by the minute. and the complicity appears to run much deeper than just Judith Collins and Jason Ede.
Article goes on to say that Slater was essentially a hired gun for any company that wished to attack a certain figure, receiving thousands of dollars a month from business clients to do so.
I wonder what the IRD would think of that? Is it all declared?
Katherine Rich should have resigned from all her posts instantly. She must be forced to as she is supposedly a safeguard for the good population of Kiwiland. The book is shocking at so many levels .. tobacco, alcohol, Coke and Pepsi … all dark arts and arch manipulators .. and I’m certain there is more to come.
The book is on Amazon is you wish to hasten the horror for yourself.
I also listened to David Slack’s show last night. I like David and it is a rarity to listen to leftwing talkback. KDC mentioned 2 extra special guests on 15th January which makes it all the more intriguing, that is as well as Glen Greenwald.
‘Hager’s Dirty Politics – Death threats or hit jobs?’
By Martyn Bradbury / August 16, 2014
“Let’s be clear, no one deserves death threats, but Slater is now outed as the Wolf that cries boy, and all attempts to justify his actions by pointing to the angry reaction that has occurred because he has been outed simply don’t wash and quite frankly are open to a level of scepticism…
“Hooton, a regular RNZ panelist, also (according to the book) passed on Hagers home address to Cactus Kate. Despicable!”
My comment:
Hooton should be struck off Radio New Zealand’s ‘nine-to-noon’ …Hooton is not fit to be a political commentator…in fact a complaint should be laid with the police
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Labour Party president Nigel Haworth resigned yesterday over the party's sexual assault scandal. But while that's good news, its unlikely to take away the stench of a coverup. Because according to Paula Bennett in Parliament yesterday, pretty much everyone in the Prime Minister's office was involved as well:I have been ...
Two-Faced? Labour insiders' commitment to the neoliberal status quo puts them at odds with their party’s membership; its trade union affiliates; and a majority of Labour voters, but this only serves to strengthen the perception they have of themselves as a special elite. Among the lesser breeds, they’ll talk up a ...
There has been a lot of talk about Boris Johnson wanting an election, and he has blustered with great gusto about 'chicken' Jeremy Corbyn refusing one, but I think there are many reasons why he is secretly glad he has been refused the opportunity:The Tories are an utter rabble,tearing themselves ...
Scottish appeal court judges have declared that Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament in the run-up to the October Brexit deadline is unlawful. The three judges, chaired by Lord Carloway, Scotland’s most senior judge, overturned an earlier ruling that the courts did not have the powers to interfere in the prime ...
By Simon Bridges. The following is a press release from the office of Simon Bridges, leader of The National Party. Key ora, New Zealand. Happy Maori Language Week. Look, I’m writing to you today because I want to clear something up. There’s been a lot of kerfuffle around some things ...
I understand there's some stuff going round about how the SIS "was removed from the list of public offices covered by the Public Records Act in 2017". The context of course being their records derived from US torture, which will be disposed of or sealed. The good news is that ...
Dr. Christopher Labos and Jonathan Jarry discuss the recent Canadian fluoride/IQ research. They provide an expert analysis of the paper and its problems. Click on image to go to podcast. The critical debate about the recent ...
Australia is burning down again, and meanwhile its natural disaster minister is denying climate change:Australia’s minister responsible for drought and natural disasters, David Littleproud, has said that he doesn’t “know if climate change is manmade”. Clarifying earlier comments that the question is “irrelevant” when considering the Coalition government’s response to ...
Auckland Philippines Solidarity is excited to host Professor Judy Taguiwalo for a speaking tour of NZ in September. She is a well-known activist in the Philippines and was a political prisoner under the Marcos dictatorship. Professor Taguiwalo briefly served as a Cabinet member under President Duterte but was forced from ...
This open letter to the Green Party was penned after an opinion piece by Jill Abigail, a feminist and founding member of the party, was censored by the Greens’ leadership. (Redline has reprinted her article here).The intolerance of the Green Party leaders and their acceptance of the misogyny of gender ...
Today is a Member's day, and David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill continues its slow crawl through its committee stage. They're spending the whole day on it today, though the first hour is likely to be spent on voting left over from last time. After that they'll move on ...
An ambitious plan to fly to Los Angeles petered out into a brief sight-seeing trip and a desire to return home and get some sleep before work tomorrow. Air New Zealand has confirmed a flight to Los Angeles last night was turned back about a quarter of the way into ...
There appears to be consensus – by omission – that the concept of indigenous futures should be accepted at face value. So I scavenged the internet to see if I could locate an academic descriptor or a framework around how we think about it as a concept, and whether it ...
Here’s another novelty chocolate to shove in your gob, New Zealand Cadbury could be seeking to make itself great again with a rumoured new release: Pineapple Trumps, a spin on its classic chocolate-encased pineapple treat and do-it-yourself tooth remover. The global confectionery manufacturer and bumbling “before” character in an infomercial, ...
During my time in the Pentagon I had the privilege of sitting down with military leaders and defence and security officials from a variety of Latin American nations. Sometimes I was present as a subordinate assistant to a senior US defence department official, sometimes as part of a delegation that ...
Kia ora, Aotearoa. It’s that magical time of year. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. In English, the week that frightens talk radio. As you probably know by now, all your favourite media outlets are participating, some more successfully than others. Stuff has changed its name to Puna for the ...
Eighteen months ago, the government promised to strengthen the Bill of Rights Act, by explicitly affirming the power of the courts to issue declarations of inconsistency and requiring Parliament to formally respond to them. So how's that going? I was curious, so I asked for all advice about the proposal. ...
As the Brexit saga staggers on, the focus is naturally enough on the Prime Minister and his attempts to achieve Brexit “do or die”. But the role played by the Leader of the Opposition is of almost equal interest and complexity. The first problem for Jeremy Corbyn is that he ...
Last week, English Prime Minister Boris Johnson boldly declared that he would rather die be dead in a ditch than delay Brexit. Unfortunately for him, the UK parliament accepted the challenge, and promptly dug one for him. The "rebellion bill" requires him to ask for and secure yet another temporary ...
It has been two years since Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called climate change her generation's nuclear free moment. And on Monday, against a backdrop of global climate protest, she will give the opening speech at the United Nation's climate ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson is under intense scrutiny. New figures show economic growth has slowed to levels not seen for six years. And he has chosen not to answer questions about when he heard about serious allegations of a sexual assault cover-up ...
NZDF Attends Commemorations to Mark International Mission in East Timor A New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) contingent participated today in the 20th anniversary commemorations of the International Force East Timor (INTERFET) mission in Dili. The commemoration ...
They’ve only been up and running for a few months, but a New Zealand not-for-profit has already made a big impact on period poverty in New Zealand. ...
The allocation of money for publicly funded broadcasting for election campaigns should be turned on it's head according to Massey University professor of communication design Claire Robinson. ...
Disappointment expressed by Fletcher Building CEO, Ross Taylor, reflects the increasing frustration held by many with this Government’s failure to protect private property rights.[1] ...
The independent Interim Climate Change Committee today launched an eight-week, nationwide call for evidence on options available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ...
Social Credit has lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman over the way the Overseas Investment Office is handling its official information request for disclosure of documents on the sale of Westland Milk Products to Chinese company Inner Mongolian ...
This Friday in Solidarity with the Global Climate Strike All of the SodaStream’s e-commerce platforms and head office operations will be closed to kick-off the week-long event, and employees will march the #CLIMATESTRIKE in Auckland on 27 September. ...
Federated Farmers congratulates the Auditor-General’s office on its release today of its report Managing Freshwater Quality: Challenges and Opportunities. ...
Growth has now slowed to a 6-year low, and downside risks are dominating. June quarter GDP growth came in at 0.5%qoq, in line with our expectation, and slightly above consensus. Although there were a few sensational reports of the chance of a negative print. ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is calling the release of the National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA) framework a good first step in balancing New Zealand’s response to climate change. ...
Family First NZ says that a new Colorado report compiled by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area finds marijuana-positive traffic fatalities, hospitalisations, marijuana use, and illegal market activity have exploded since marijuana legalization. ...
This year’s Ratepayers’ Report , local government league tables released yesterday, reveals which local councils owe the most and which owe the least. ...
Rachel MacGregor welcomes the decision released today by Justice Hinton. The key issue on which all the various litigation has been based is the question, did Colin Craig sexually harass Rachel. That question has been answered – he did. Justice ...
The Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) has today ratified a ground breaking pay deal with Dunedin Railways which will see all union members being paid a living wage and the lowest paid receiving an 18% wage increase. Higher paid RMTU members ...
Inclusion for trans women/men and non-binary peoples has today been announced as the cornerstone of a new resolution for the National Council of Women New Zealand (NCWNZ). ...
It took a testy Morning Report interview this week to remind me that Simon Bridges was still the Leader of the Opposition. Until then, he had been largely invisible as the events of recent weeks unfolded. ...
The National Council of Women NZ has today welcomed the news that the Government has purchased Kate Sheppard’s house in Christchurch, the base for the NZ suffrage campaign. ...
The Māori Party supports mana whenua of Ihumātao and acknowledges their coming together to reach consensus on the future of their whenua. “We also acknowledge the leadership of the Kīngitanga who have played an important role in supporting ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is questioning why, for the second time, Jacinda Ardern has appointed a Crown-owned company Chief Executive to Chair her “Business Advisory Council”, following her announcement that Mercury CEO Fraser Whineray ...
Responding to the Government’s decision to give around $300 million to Amazon as a sweetener for filming a TV series in New Zealand, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “As a matter of simple waste, this is striking, ...
I am very pleased with Air New Zealand’s Decision to backdown and withdraw their application to trademark into a logo Kia Ora. I said at the time that it was an ill conceived idea and poorly thought out – more importantly it should never have been ...
NZEI Te Riu Roa members will be joining with others across the union movement by wearing black and white in support of pay equity on Suffrage Day tomorrow, and urging the Government to commit to a settlement for teacher aides this year. ...
Yesterday’s announcement from the Minister for Immigration, to improve temporary work visas for migrant workers, provides some positive changes but more detail is needed. The Council of Trade Unions fundamentally supports the principle of making ...
FIRST Union today welcomed Westpac’s public admission of the significant gender pay gap in its workforce and reiterated its call for employers to work with unions to close this disparity, arguing that this work must begin at the bottom of the pay ...
Changes to the work visa system announced by the Minister of Immigration are not all positive for employers or migrants, comments Ms June Ranson, chair of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment (NZAMI) , a leading voice in the ...
The Dairy Workers Union (DWU) has welcomed the announcement from dairy company, Synlait, that they will be boosting parental leave entitlements significantly for working parents. ...
In June, the Children’s Commissioner announced a thematic review into Oranga Tamariki’s policies, processes and practice relating to care and protection issues for tamariki Māori aged 0-3 months. Today the Children’s Commissioner has released the full ...
“Closing the Gap” Tauranga, one of the area groups of Income Equality Aotearoa NZ Inc., has surveyed all candidates in the three local body elections to discover attitudes to some basic issues of the Western Bay region. We believe that this is ...
In response to DairyNZ's attempt to dismiss an economic report that highlighted dairy's role in the New Zealand economy is only three per cent of GDP, Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive Martin Taylor says: "If DairyNZ wishes to reject a report ...
Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has successfully guided the mana whenua of lhumaatao to reach a consensus on the future of their whenua. ...
Two activists disguised as shareholders interrupted the AGM of a gold mining company in central Auckland this morning to inform shareholders their plans to mine for gold in conservation estate in the Karangahake Gorge were unwelcome. ...
The Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) has been labelled ‘NATO’ (no action, talk only) when it comes to child mental health, with just 0.6 full time staff (24 hours per week) for inpatient child psychology and just 0.8 full time staff ...
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL has awarded three New Zealand climate youth groups with its Ambassador of Conscience award, its highest recognition for human rights work, previously given to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Ai Weiwei and Malala Yousafzai. ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union , in partnership with the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance , has today published this year's Ratepayers' Report – online local government league tables – at www.ratepayersreport.nz . ...
NZUS Council executive director Jordan Small welcomes the news New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will meet with US President Donald Trump in New York next week. ...
The recent NZIER report trivialises the significant role the dairy sector plays in New Zealand’s economy – and fails to look at the specifics of the Government’s freshwater package, according to DairyNZ. DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said ...
This week, the New Zealand Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will jointly host a seminar on tackling the global spread of illicit weapons. ...
By Michael Andrew Social media and tech industries have been replicating the ugliest aspects of capitalism from the 1800s, according to an AUT computer science lecturer. Associate Professor Tony Clear says that social media and tech executives are taking advantage of unregulated markets in a similar way as wealthy ...
Covering Climate Now: There’s a range of dairy-free ice creams available these days, but it’s a fair bet none will be as delicious – or satisfying – as making your own. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!If the latest stats ...
Covering Climate Action: Ahead of the UN’s Climate Action Summit, artist Joseph Michael and composer Rhian Sheehan teamed up to create Voices For The Future, a 30-minute installation projected onto the UN buildings.The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!Joseph Michael is ...
New Zealand banning Huawei’s 5G network equipment won’t impact you nearly as much as the US’s recent moves against Huawei phones, writes Henry Burrell. Twenty years ago, you would have shown off your flash new Ericsson or Nokia. How times change. Now, those two entities exist only to provide mobile network ...
Op-Ed by Kaveh Zahedi, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)Kaveh Zahedi is Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).In less than ten days world leaders will be ...
Grant McDougall reviews Kilgour’s new solo album, Bobbie’s A Girl, which sees him reflecting on the deaths of his friend and former bandmate, Peter Gutteridge and his own mother, Helen Kilgour. There is a passage in Shayne Carter’s excellent recent autobiography, Dead People I Have Known, in which he describes ...
New Zealand painter-poet Gregory O’Brien has just published a new collection of essays and art; pitched as a “field notebook … my whale survey”, Always Song in the Water drifts from his own front lawn in Hataitai, up to Northland and way, way across the Pacific. It’s the sort of ...
Ruby Porterlooks into New Zealand’s future when the sea level rises 10, 25 and 80 metres, and finds out how much of Auckland will be left.I grew up in Ponsonby, but the only bay I knew around here was Cox’s. It’s fed by a creek which was once a mahinga ...
Opening up a skid pad, create more housing for single people and make the central city dog friendly: policies from Christchurch's lesser-known mayoral candidates. ...
Josie Adams, Hayden Donnell, and Alice Webb-Liddall read thousands of policy statements to find the climate change deniers, fudgers, prevaricators (and believers) running in our local elections.The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The SpinoffMembers. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click here.One of the problems ...
The paintings of Colin McCahon convey dissonance and uncertainty, writes Shannon Te Ao. So what does this say about us? And why are we maintaining this Pākehā male narrative at the expense of more inclusive representation?Colin McCahon would have turned 100 on August the 1st. If you keep one eye ...
Amanda Thompson spends a day with the New Zealand men’s roller derby squad as they prepare for next year’s world champs in the US.Let’s play a word game. Let’s list some contact sports and the top teams in those codes.Say rugby. Are you thinking about the All Blacks yet? What ...
Covering Climate Now:Dietary Requirements is The Spinoff’s monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms. This month, we go crazy for crickets in a climate week special.The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. ...
To mark International Day of Peace, Dr Rebecca Dudley of the New Zealand Red Cross explores the role that New Zealanders play in the global story of war and peace. Personal stories about war almost always begin with a memory.A humid afternoon in South Sudan.A calm Wednesday evening in Beirut.A bustling ...
The history of tattoo art in Japan is deep-rooted and complex – and so is the cultural aversion to tattooed bodies, explains Brian Ashcraft, the author of a book on subject.Tonight, when the All Blacks take the field, they’ll be covering up. In order not to run afoul of Japanese ...
Covering Climate Now: Saying climate change is important is one thing. So why are we so incapable of having a real conversation about what actually addressing it will mean? Sam McGlennon investigates. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!Up until a week ago, ...
"This is what Wellington boy said, after he finished his quick and bloody deed. You know what your problem is? Once a slut, always a slut": a short story by Auckland writer Eileen Merriman. ...
Michael Mann, a climatologist and famous press critic, talks to the Columbia Journalism Review about the dangers of both understating and overstating the dangers of climate change. ...
Ahead of the All Blacks first game Trevor McKewen makes some his fanciful, fraught and some hopefully on-point predictions for the Rugby World Cup.Can you take one for the team? Could you cope with the All Blacks coming up short in achieving an unprecedented third straight World Cup if it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]University of Canberra Deputy Vice-Chancellor Leigh Sullivan discusses Scott Morrison’s new family law inquiry with Michelle Grattan. They also speak of the developments in the Tamil family from Biloela’s case, and the UN barring ...
Analysis - Jacinda Ardern heads for the UN as the sexual assault scandal rumbles on at home, and Simon Bridges says he isn't going to ease off his personal attacks on the PM. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dries Verstraete, Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Design and Propulsion, University of Sydney CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d ...
In this episode of our new tarot reading show Wild Card, The Spinoff’s resident psychic divines the outcome of the All Blacks’ opening match against the Springboks on Saturday.In the first and potentially only episode of Wild Card, we have a focus on sport. The Spinoff’s psychic-in-residence, Jo Sees, specialises ...
Recently-retired Sky TV chief executive John Fellet talks to Newsroom business editor Nikki Mandow about baseball, media, goldfish, accountancy - and more baseball. ...
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in reality television and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s.With Duncan enjoying a MAFS-style beach holiday in Bali, Alex and Jane are left to cover another crazy week in reality television. Shannon Ryan has gone full beast-mode in Celebrity Treasure Island, Married ...
Dr Bryce Edwards“Diversity” is a central theme of the current local government elections – with the common criticism that incumbent politicians are generally too “stale, male, and pale” (or variations on that). Numerous commentators and candidates have lamented the lack of women, ethnic minorities, and youth in local government. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Climate change, environment Paul Gorman (Stuff): How would you spend an unlimited war chest for ...
A review into the Ministry for Culture and Heritage will look into the relationship between a staffer and the external developer responsible for a massive data breach. ...
Covering Climate Now: The Spinoff crew who took on climate change with a vegan diet for the week reflect on the highs, the lows, the pies and the fries. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!As I write, I’m tucking into ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Crisp, Professorial Fellow, Dianoia Institute of Philosophy, Australian Catholic University As world chiefs and youth leaders gather in New York at the United Nations Climate Action Summit, many of us as individuals are feeling powerless and overwhelmed. Making big personal changes ...
The head of one of the country's biggest news media firms is the latest subject of criticism for darkening his face at a staff party he attended dressed as US basketballer Lamar Odom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Coral Gartner, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland Health authorities in the United States are investigating 530 cases of lung illness, including seven deaths, reportedly connected to vaping. Some of these patients have been diagnosed with lung inflammation ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (Chatto & Windus, $48)Obvs. (Read our review by Pip Adam here)2 Three ...
When comedy documentary Funny As was made, a lot of interviews got left on the cutting room floor which NZ On Screen quickly picked up. Here are some of our favourites.We’re a pretty funny bunch us Kiwis. Trapped on a tiny island at the end of the earth it appears ...
Auckland rapper JessB has just released a new EP and wraps up a national mini-tour tonight in her home town. Jogai Bhatt talked to her about her world travels, performing at Ihumātao, and how her community and her music intersect.It’s only been two years since JessB entered the public radar ...
A new poem by Waiheke poet Rata Gordon.PacingA deep bow to NerudaIt so happens I am sick of being a woman. It happens that I walk into BP stations and supermarkets greasy, swollen, like a cow made of soap, losing my way in a field of placentas and pesticides.The smell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Gardiner, Lecturer, Edith Cowan University In August, a 24-year-old woman appeared before the Western Australian District Court after pleading guilty to concealing the birth of her newborn baby in 2018. The charge of concealment of birth refers to hiding the dead ...
Voting papers are being sent out today, and lots of people say they won’t fill them out because they don’t know anything about the candidates. Respected website ‘The Spinoff’ is trying to fix that through its Policy Local tool. But it’s not the only one. Catherine Jeffcoat talks to the ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by literary editor Steve Braunias ...
Writer and cannabis legalisation expert Russell Brown watched episode two of Patrick Gower on Weed, and found it highly entertaining but dangerously light on facts. Patrick Gower is good value when he’s high. In the second part of his documentary Patrick Gower on Weed, he does what you’d expect in a ...
Sydney shock-jock Alan Jones has written to Jacinda Ardern saying he didn't intend any violence towards her when he said on air that Australia's Prime Minister should "shove a sock down [her] throat". ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caio Seguin, PhD candidate, University of Melbourne Brain regions exchange information by sending and receiving signals through a network of nerve connections. This exchange is crucial to all aspects of the brain’s functioning, including how we experience the world, form and retrieve ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Miranda Kaye, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney Over the next 12 months, a joint parliamentary committee will examine Australia’s family law system. It will be led by conservative Liberal MP Kevin Andrews and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barbara Allen, Senior Lecturer in Public Management, Victoria University of Wellington This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story. For three years in a row, the ...
Open mike 16/08/2014 
Open mike is your post.
Before Jacingrant There Was Gracinda: Grant Robertson and his 2014 running mate, Jacinda Ardern. She stood at his side: loyal and obliging, as she had ever been. The media dubbed this duo “Gracinda” – a sort of political “Brangelina”. The other young people who worked alongside Robertson were also ambitious ...3 hours ago
. . Just when you thought Simon Bridges couldn’t sink any lower – he has. After the March 15th Christchurch terror attack, the (current) Leader of the National Party issued strong committments to support urgently needed gun law reform; “We will be ready and prepared to be constructive and to ...1 day ago
We all know that bad parents simply don’t care about their children’s education. Most truants have loser parents, and grow up to be involved with crime, or in low paid employment usually like their parents. The nonsense so-called “climate strike” coming up will be attended mostly by the least intelligent ...2 days ago
Today is the first day of the global climate strike. Led by schoolkids, people all around the world are going to protest to demand action on climate change. New Zealand isn't doing it till next Friday (join us!), but if you want to get active early, there's plenty to do ...2 days ago
To Protect and Serve: When the Prime Minister finds herself enmeshed in the coils of a full-blown political scandal, her colleagues and party comrades have only one priority: to release her as swiftly – and with as little lasting injury – as possible. Is this what Jacinda Ardern’s colleagues and ...2 days ago
When military leaders cover up and lie to elected civilian authorities, the foundation of democratic civil-military relations is undermined because it is those authorities who are entrusted to hold the military accountable to the public that they mutually serve. But this is only true if civilian political authorities take their ...2 days ago
by Daphna Whitmore The long years of Netanyahu’s reign are drawing to an end. For years he has epitomized reactionary zionism as he oversaw hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers seize land in the West Bank. There are now 700,000 settlers, putting an end to the myth that Israel was ...2 days ago
BP, Z and Mobil all insist that petrol price hikes are temporary, “in a very literal sense.” The nation’s major petrol providers are trying to allay customer fears over prices, promising that they’ll move to lower them again “immediately” when the Middle East is returned to its formerly peaceful state. ...3 days ago
South African coach Rassie Erasmus says he has no idea what they’re going to do about the boat. In a highly anticipated press conference this afternoon, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has finally unveiled the team’s boat for its Rugby World Cup 2019 campaign. In a press conference that went ...3 days ago
Get Back Jojo! The elation in Mayor Phil Goff’s camp may be easily imagined as they watched social media light up in indignation at challenger John Tamihere’s "Sieg Heil to that" quip. Just when JT’s notoriously right-wing, sexist and homophobic stains were beginning to fade back into his ‘colourful’ past, ...3 days ago
Patrick Gower is good value when he's high. Not that I've ever, you know, got stoned with him. But in the second part of his documentary Patrick Gower on Weed, he does what you'd expect in a modern weed documentary and immerses himself – first with a doctor, then a ...4 days ago
We surveyed candidates on their attitudes to issues facing the Western Bay Region, find out what they think: “Closing the Gap” Tauranga, one of the area groups of Income Equality Aotearoa NZ Inc., has surveyed all candidates in the three local body elections to discover attitudes to some basic issues ...4 days ago
Why is New Zealand climate change policy so crap? The Herald this morning has a long article on the twists and turns of climate change policy in New Zealand [paywalled / depaywall script], which shows where we've been. The short version is that the government first began worrying about this ...4 days ago
The All Blacks have been, for more than a century, arguably the most successful International sports team in the world. But they are more than that; even for those Kiwis who are immune to the charms of rugby (and there are more than a few), the All Blacks are ambassadors ...4 days ago
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Dangerous Foes: For those readers of Bowalley Road who feel disposed to dismiss any prospect of an Israeli destabilisation of New Zealand politics, the example of the United Kingdom repays close attention. Ever since the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the British Labour Party, the Israelis have sanctioned, funded and ...6 days ago
Make It 16, the youth-led campaign to lower New Zealand's voting age, is holding an official campaign launch at Parliament this Friday from 16:30. If you'd like to attend, you can register using EventBrite here. ...6 days ago
by Don Franks It was a lovely sunny Wellington afternoon with blue skies above the beaches. In Courtenay Place, political activists packed out a stuffy upstairs room for an important meeting. The assembled pacifists, anarchists, communists and independent young radicals of Peace Action Wellington felt the need for a mission ...6 days ago
From the Wall Street Journal:Inside a room of the ornately decorated Hotel du Palais during last month’s Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, President Trump awaited a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. Mr. Trump looked over a gathering of American and Egyptian officials and called out in ...1 week ago
Those close to the Police Minister believe the initiative may be the result of Nash “seeing a great deal” on AliExpress. In a move that comes seemingly out of nowhere, Police Minister Stuart Nash announced this afternoon that he expects all frontline staff to don bearskin hats, famously worn by ...1 week ago
Moving And Shaking: There was a time when people spoke matter-of-factly about the “labour movement” – a political phenomenon understood to embrace much more than the Labour Party. Included within the term’s definition was the whole trade union movement – many of whose members looked upon the Labour Party as ...1 week ago
By Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern I am every bit as angry as you are. I am every bit as disappointed as you must be. The people with power, oversight and the ability to do something about these processes within the Labour Party should be ashamed. Whoever those people are, I ...1 week ago
Two-Faced? Labour insiders' commitment to the neoliberal status quo puts them at odds with their party’s membership; its trade union affiliates; and a majority of Labour voters, but this only serves to strengthen the perception they have of themselves as a special elite. Among the lesser breeds, they’ll talk up a ...1 week ago
By Simon Bridges. The following is a press release from the office of Simon Bridges, leader of The National Party. Key ora, New Zealand. Happy Maori Language Week. Look, I’m writing to you today because I want to clear something up. There’s been a lot of kerfuffle around some things ...2 weeks ago
Dr. Christopher Labos and Jonathan Jarry discuss the recent Canadian fluoride/IQ research. They provide an expert analysis of the paper and its problems. Click on image to go to podcast. The critical debate about the recent ... 2 weeks ago
An ambitious plan to fly to Los Angeles petered out into a brief sight-seeing trip and a desire to return home and get some sleep before work tomorrow. Air New Zealand has confirmed a flight to Los Angeles last night was turned back about a quarter of the way into ...2 weeks ago
There appears to be consensus – by omission – that the concept of indigenous futures should be accepted at face value. So I scavenged the internet to see if I could locate an academic descriptor or a framework around how we think about it as a concept, and whether it ...2 weeks ago
Here’s another novelty chocolate to shove in your gob, New Zealand Cadbury could be seeking to make itself great again with a rumoured new release: Pineapple Trumps, a spin on its classic chocolate-encased pineapple treat and do-it-yourself tooth remover. The global confectionery manufacturer and bumbling “before” character in an infomercial, ...2 weeks ago
Kia ora, Aotearoa. It’s that magical time of year. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. In English, the week that frightens talk radio. As you probably know by now, all your favourite media outlets are participating, some more successfully than others. Stuff has changed its name to Puna for the ...2 weeks ago
On Newshub Nation: Simon Shepherd Interviews The New Zealand Initiative's Executive Director Oliver Hartwich ...1 day ago
By Michael Andrew Social media and tech industries have been replicating the ugliest aspects of capitalism from the 1800s, according to an AUT computer science lecturer. Associate Professor Tony Clear says that social media and tech executives are taking advantage of unregulated markets in a similar way as wealthy ...3 hours ago
Covering Climate Now: There’s a range of dairy-free ice creams available these days, but it’s a fair bet none will be as delicious – or satisfying – as making your own. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!If the latest stats ...4 hours ago
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With the nasty stuff swirling around the National Party, Labour has a leader who is probably the most honest guy in parliament…good timing, now he/we need to let the rest of New Zealand know.
A good article in the NZ Herald. This accords to the David Cunliffe I worked with for a short time in the 90’s.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11309592
more honest that turei, I think you jest.
I note collins has admitted giving slater the public servants name. How is that not a sacking offence Mr Key
Because the information was already in the public domain, how many times to you need to be told?
It was the basis of the Privacy Commission investigation at the time, which verified this.
Why is a minister doing this? Shouldn’t she be concentrating on doing her job?
and yet super journo slater needed collins to supply it? This is what we pay her for is it, to do a bloggers research for him?
And when Slater told her he was expecting leaked video evidence from the police, what did our soon to be minister of police and justice say…
Still as long as she didnt sign a painting for charity she didnt paint, right laughing boy?
It was in the public domain because Collins passed it on. And the public servant had absolutely nothing to do with the leak. He says the first that anyone even hinted at it was the day that Collins/Slater published his name and the denigration that followed.
Give up Roflcopter!
Can this be verified, please? I haven’t noticed Collins or Slater claiming it as a defence.
You seem to miss the point either way. It is the fact that Mrs Collins is passing the name of public servant to Mr Slater and thus giving prudence to what followed is in fact akin to Gestapo behavior. No matter how this is seen, a Minister of Justice no less should be squeaky clean. Freedom is not lost in a full swoop, but in incremental steps. Like the boiling frog story…
The point is it is 10000% worse if his name was not in the public domain. If it was, and Collins was just Slater of it that would be nasty, but she will probably survive as a minister.
If she was identifying an individual already named as needing some ‘special loving’ from Slater, that’s a lot worse, and she will probably be sacked.
And if his name wasn’t in the public domain as a possible leaker, then it is truly appalling and she should not just be sacked but drummed out out parliament, and mabe (I may be thinking whistfully, here) jailed.
I want to know just what degree of bad it is.
His name wasn’t being suggested in public until Slater asserted it in a post.
The reason I remember it was that I looked at it when Slaters post came out and searched for corroboration. Authors here were making a big thing about Bill English’s rather excessive household claims. So when Pleasants name came up, I looked for sources other than Slater – who is pretty well known for being a liar and making stuff up.
There wasn’t anything visible on the net from a more credible source. So I guessed that it was just bullshit and I started to censor the trolls from using his name as it was defamatory.
What i’m enjoying is Labour and the Lefties all jumping up and down waving their Jockies in the air and creating a Big song and dance
Thats like the All Blacks stopping a game to rave to the Reef about someone on the other side not playing Fair
Once again Labour has dropped the ball and lost their focus on the Game I’m not sure if they realize there is an Election coming up the tracks at a great rate of knots
And the Spectators Just want the game to continue without all the Bullshit and Drama
Imagine if Labour had of said we are better than this bullshit and focused on the real issues just like the All Blacks would do I don’t know if the person who hacked Cam’s computer is a Staunched Labour ally but me thinks it is not gonna do a hell of a lot for Labour and the other lefties Just saying
he was a Public servant the Information was NOT secret you could google his name
Eddi, you need to understand that at least 2 laws were broken, not to mention that betrayal of the office:
1/ the law of privacy
2/ the employment law that protects employees from such behaviors
Now that the Justice Minister has done this has effectively signaled to NZ and the world (don’t underestimate this) that NZ has moved to a fascist type of “democracy”. Europe has some good examples of that where people also said thing like you do and it ended up in tears. Lets not forget what history has taught us.
Sure, but wish he wouldn’t say silly things like demanding an apology from Key. Surely all this stuff’s way beyond a stupid apology.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10391270/Labour-points-finger-at-National-over-website
Vale Jack Shallcrass.
Farewell to a good man.
Wow. I remember him from Wgtn Teacher’s College back in the 70’s. A good man indeed.
RIP
http://www.tributes.co.nz/ViewMyTribute.aspx?id=10112
Cactus Kate proving very quotable. “Those Chinese can be very vicious when they lose face … Chop chop for Nicky.”
“Like a lot of the rest of the book that email was just private chatter and banter between various people on emails where absolutely nothing else happened as a consequence,”
Nothing happened except put your sad, vile truths on display, CK. Racism doesn’t stop being disgusting just because it’s private.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11309750
Also interesting that Cathy Odgers admits to writing as Cameron Slater on whaleoil.
Jesus, does Cameron actually write anything there? Or does he just make the tea?
Joyce said on tv3 yesterday that no one tells slater what to do. Actually its looking like the reverse is true. If nothing else this is a very sad picture of a man pretending to be something he quite clearly is not. It seems he makes up alot of things about his own power that arent true. The alternative is they are true, but the nats are working hard to deny that.
human zoo? no not the gnats and their mates.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/10389919/Te-Kuitis-human-zoo
yep we live in 2014 and still treat people like shit and then expect them to thank us.
Barbaric. I agree with Roger.
And why we dis third world countries is beyond me – look around ffs. Meanwhile the middle will wring their hands and tut tut over the stats – and then vote for the liarkey? Nah his time has run out, thank the Gods!!!
who is the minister of justice…
Quick, write an email to Slater… he has to get some cover up story under way…
Why won’t John Key read the book? Because he doesn’t need to. He was there when it all happened.
😀
Oh he’s read the book. Great excuse for more lies
The world I woke up to this morning:
7 Oh yes, next month I get to choose between various packs of self-important, ethically-challenged, myopic, self-seeking non-entities to strut and fret their hour upon the stage in the empty, badly lit, third-rate theatre that is New Zealand’s Parliament.
Think I’ll just roll over and go back to sleep.
“Fukushima gushing radio-active water into the North Pacific and squaring up to require the Chernobyl-like evacuation of a large chunk of one of the most densly populated places on Earth:”
Source, please.
Lanthanide – “Source, please.”
One of the links featured in:
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2014/08/weve-opened-gates-hell.html
Can’t remember which one. I don’t think evacuation has yet been announced as official Japanese policy but the situation is becoming so bad that it can’t be kept hidden for very much longer, at which point the choice will be between an officially organised (and probably already being planned) evacuation or Tokyo emptying itself anyway.
It is true can’ t remember but 350 tonnes of heavy water a day leaking into the sea
Forget the Hagar book.
Get people ready to vote.
Anyone know why the Roy Morgan poll is late? It would usually come up on their website on a Thursday, Friday at the latest, but it is still not there. Maybe they are waiting another week because of the Nicky Hager book.
Or maybe it contradicts the Fairfax/ Ipsos so much there has been a decision to hold it back – would they do such a thing? They could then use the Hager book to justify any swing to the left- it won’t be read as a positive reaction to David Cunliffe and Labour policy?
Or am I just getting paranoid?
I want to think better of my fellow kiwis than this poll suggests. However the public are up against a well funded strategy designed to dupe them…
It is very dispiriting when you see so many people intending to vote National in spite of their appalling behaviour, and are still willing to believe in Key in spite of all the lies he has told. I just watched this Campbell Live piece where many people are adamant they will not read the book, but are still convinced it is a pack of lies.
http://www.3news.co.nz/What-are-your-thoughts-on-Dirty-Politics/tabid/817/articleID/357059/Default.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+co%2FEoAG+%283News+-+Political+News%29
You would think the Electoral Comission would have had a real crack at this Rugby Union. Mates looking after mates, no surprise National party members within the Northland Rugby Union;
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11309746
It is how National operates particularly in rural areas. Networking with sports clubs, Lodges, SMEs, tradies, some schools, local cops, business associations, real estate, farmers and retirees to develop a “one way” culture.
Clubs and schools need local business support to operate and it comes with strings, often tacit, but strings. People need work and contracts so there is economic pressure too. Don’t support John Key? Whaaadarrrryaaa mate! We are blue men around here!
It is partly why and how electorates such as Northland and Whangarei continually vote tory MPs in against their material needs. And partly due to the Te Tai Tokerau Māori seat syphoning off votes that would redress that, and I am not arguing for collapsing the Māori seats.
yes quite correct. This blatant breech of the act should have been met with a fine and a stern warning.
This sort of arogant carry on is off putting to people wanting a democratic society. The old boys network of political favours in both central & local government.
It isn’t easy being Green – Metiria stands tall for short people.
chuckle
Love it.
Jeremy Wells with his impression of Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking with another “Like Mike” Hosking Rant. Today’s topic ‘Hosking In Wonderland’ as Jeremy/Mike rants about Nicky Hager’s book ‘Dirty Politics’
Thanks Joe90
That was amazing! Sounds just like Hosking taking the mickey out of Hosking.
Spoke with an Auckland panelbeater last week. SME currently paying $60,000 a month in all taxes, including GST?
He made a number of comments about changes in behaviour by insurance companies toward his trade in recent months, in particular the IAG group of insurance companies.
By way of background we need to understand the recent aquisitions by AIG! their increasing market share and how this might beinfluencing the bullying encountered by chaps like the panelbeater i spoke to
” The Commerce Commission has approved Insurance Australia Group’s takeover of rival Lumley General Insurance.
In New Zealand IAG already owns NZI, AMI and State Insurance. In December it announced a A$1.845 billion deal to buy the underwriting businesses of Australia’s Wesfarmers, which includes Lumley in New Zealand.
This deal increases IAG’s share of the overall New Zealand insurance market to about 50.5% from 41.5%, lifts its share of the home and contents and vehicle insurance market to 66% from 60%, and gives it 40% of New Zealand’s intermediated insurance market. In a December interview with interest.co.nz IAG’s New Zealand CEO Jacki Johnson said IAG would sell assets to gain Commerce Commission approval for the Lumley purchase if it had to, but sees itself as the natural owner of the assets.
The Commerce Commission’s initial deadline for its decision was January 24. This was extended until March 28, then April 30 and finally today.
“The Commission is satisfied that the proposed acquisition will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition, for personal and commercial insurance products,” Commerce Commission chairman Mark Berry said.” http://www.interest.co.nz
R
The panelbeaters story
Ami, nzi and state have been squeezing the trade and their margins to claw back losses from the chchch earthquake.
With a large market share AIG turned its attention to cars, a constant source of claims. My guy says that until recently he got about 52 bucks an hour for fixing a bumper. The insurance companies allocated one hour to the work.
In the last few weeks they have increased the hourly rate to $59 per hour. BUT, they have reduced the time allocated to a bumper to 45 minutes. Effectively cutting the payout to panelbeaters for the same work to $45.
The liability on the panelbeater for work performed stays the same. If the bumper falls off or otherwise suffers from a poor job, its the panelbeater who pays. Do they work quicker and risk shoddy work, or still spend an hour and work for a loss.
My guy says he wont and cant reduce wages on his guys, so an insurance bumperjob now yields him a $5.75 surplus after wages and other costs.He also wont do sub standard work but knows some in the industry will to keep their margins.
He is expecting further actions to reduce and this practice applies across all aspects not just bumpers.
” Opponents of the deal including rival insurers, the Insurance Brokers Association of New Zealand, the Collision Repair Association, the Motor Trade Association, the Bus and Coach Association, and the Rental Vehicle Association told the Commerce Commission of their concerns in submissions. Suncorp, which owns Vero and 68% of AA Insurance, warned IAG buying Lumley would represent “a tipping point” towards an anti-competitive structure in New Zealand’s insurance markets.
Being allowed to swallow Lumley will give IAG control of insurance relationships with three of the big four banks in ASB, BNZ and Westpac. ANZ works with Vero and Tower.” http://www.interest.co.nz
“
hmmmm…
They’re right, it won’t change it that much – there isn’t any competition left.
Can this be verified, please? I haven’t noticed Collins or Slater claiming it as a defence.
Mr Slater has frequently commented that he gets some of his info from a/few labour mp’s nothing has been mentioned regarding this claim to date, I don’t think that ms Collins is the source so who is skaters deep throat ?
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2013/08/leaked-labours-plans-to-use-taxpayer-money-to-promote-policy/
lol
probably reminiscing about a one-off during chris carter’s meltdown.
Also Lynn can you please fix the cookies problem? I have to keep typing out my name and email address all the time, and end up typoing it – hence why you’re getting my comments in moderation.
Ok. Due to a email not turning up from Singapore, it looks like the day is partially free.
After your current cookie expires (was set to half hour which was causing the problem) or you leave a comment (whichever comes first), you’ll find that the cookie resets to just under under a year.
Remember that it is specific to a particular browser on a particular machine.
Thank-you!!!
Thanks!
Interesting article on why Cameron Slater gets to keep his Canon Media Award:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11309752
I would have thought the way Bevan Chuang was exploited was the very definition of highly unethical, but’s that’s just me. The Newspaper Publishers’ Association does not agree.
Well Blue I just sent Rick Neville of the Publishers assoc a request to recall of CANON MEDIA AWARD WINNER CAMERON SLATER’s Best Blogger Award.
I can’t get enough of saying it, writing it.
Canon Media Award for Best Blogger Cameron WhaleOilBeefHooked Slater.÷)
Calls/letters directly to Canon might be more effective than the Publishers’ Association — they have more to lose in terms of unhappy customers and are likely walking a delicate line just now. Just point out the words and language their product has now become associated with in the public mind .. shouldn’t take too many ! Send letters as high as possible in corporation … even Japan !!!
And I just read this on Bomber’s site … calls to Canon could be very effective imho.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/08/16/hagers-dirty-politics-response-to-canon-nz/
And Deborah Hill Cone, as the sole judge for that award, should also apologise.
righto
It is time to write again the name of the website … not sure who really gets it, but say the full name Whale Oil Beef Hooked with a faux Irish accent and you get ‘Well, I’ll be fucked’.
I know the news room at one TV station had not understood itone day this week until , and I’m guessing here, but maybe Canon didn’t either.
Let’s make them aware as loudly and quickly as possible. Surely, they didn’t intend for this language to be given their overt public approval ? And I’m sure head office in Japan will not be happy. Maybe we can send it Huffington Post and have them stir it up a little. Canon will have to acknowledge the ‘backfire’ !!!
darn, won’t let me edit … should have read ‘newsroom at one TV station had not understood it until one day this week, and I’m guessing Canon didn’t either”.
“Pollster and blogger David Farrar said yesterday he believed documents were stolen from his offices by an employee.
He intended to lay a complaint with police and said the breach of his privacy had him considering stepping back from politics.”
We can but hope, but does that make Farrar the hypocrit of the day?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10389804/SIS-gave-blogger-first-dibs-on-papers-release-Hager
the faux indignation would be funny except ms bloggs out there thinks it is genuine.
Darren Watson’s banned Planet Key video now #8 on NZ Music Charts.
“Not bad for a song banned from all airplay. We have big news to announce this coming Monday.”
The EC is not threatening legal action over the itunes sale. Get it while you can 😉
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11309749
‘Hager’s Dirty Politics – the TV political panels are ridiculous’
By Martyn Bradbury / August 16, 2014
“This isn’t good enough from our fourth estate at a time when we need the powerful to be held to account for their abuse of power.
The total lack of depth and shallow talent pool of TV political panel shows in NZ is providing hideous coverage and insight into one of the most important political stories of the year….
That photo of Hooton and Hager: great body language. Hooton looks like he wants to eat Hager’s liver with a nice Chianti 🙂
Test message
Lets try that again
[lprent: Success. ]
Reading my way through “Dirty Politics”. My summary so far is:
Chapters 1-5: John Key’s National Party is clearly corrupt.
Chapters 6-10: Slater and his mates are scumbags and so are some of our barons of industry.
It looks like Chapter 11 is reconnecting with the corruption of John Key .
If there are more revelations about Key’s involvement contained in the last few chapters (as seems likely) then this is a very ineffective way to structure the book IMHO. Chapters 6-10 lost the momentum of the narrative. Reading about what a scumbag Slater is was a bit boring and I suspect many readers and lazy journalists will not make it to chapter 11…
Why not read it all before the review? It isn’t like anyone is waiting for you to finish.
Finished now, and yeah what I wrote above still stands as a good summary.
I am amazed how little of this is being pursued vigorously by MSM. I didn’t have a lot of respect for them before, but now, rock-bottom…
We’ll see. I’m hoping they’re going after the low-hanging fruit while preparing more substantial coverage of the more substantial (and criminal) allegations. The seriousness of the potential charges means they’ll be dining out on it for months if not years as it stands.
I hope you’re right. In the last hour it’s been playing on my mind that the real revelation of this book is contained in Hager’s “Afterword” where he explains at length that one of the key reasons these people can get away with all of this is because of the weakness of journalism in NZ. Without intelligent and fearless journalists we are a very weak democracy.
I read somewhere that a majority of enrollees in a NZ journalism course had declared that their goal was to become TV presenters – is it any wonder our democracy is in serious trouble…
I’m not so sure about that last sentiment. I think Churchill was right: democracy is the worst possible system apart from all the other ones. It involves people like Nicki Hager investigating people like John Key, because the kind of people people like John Key appeal to, keep on being born.
One of the more surprising revelations in the Dirty Politics saga so far for me has been some details that surround the former National MP Katherine Rich, of whom I had always held in some esteem as a more moderate MP within the conservative machine, and certainly someone who seemed to have a semblance of a moral compass.
There is evidence in the book that Rich (who currently works as the CEO of the Food and Grocery Council.) supplied material for attacks that WO blogger Cameron Slater made against anti-obesity campaigner Tony Falkenstein.
Now I’m just reading this from here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11309420 I haven’t had an opportunity to read the book yet, I have my copy ordered, so it will be interesting to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Article goes on to say that Slater was essentially a hired gun for any company that wished to attack a certain figure, receiving thousands of dollars a month from business clients to do so. National’s attack dog is looking more and more disgusting by the minute. and the complicity appears to run much deeper than just Judith Collins and Jason Ede.
Article goes on to say that Slater was essentially a hired gun for any company that wished to attack a certain figure, receiving thousands of dollars a month from business clients to do so.
I wonder what the IRD would think of that? Is it all declared?
I’m wondering what his insurance company thinks of that considering that he spent so long blogging while unable to work.
surely KR must now be removed from the health board the govt appointed her ?
Katherine Rich should have resigned from all her posts instantly. She must be forced to as she is supposedly a safeguard for the good population of Kiwiland. The book is shocking at so many levels .. tobacco, alcohol, Coke and Pepsi … all dark arts and arch manipulators .. and I’m certain there is more to come.
The book is on Amazon is you wish to hasten the horror for yourself.
Interesting call.
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Kim-Dotcom-Calls-Late-Night-Talk-Back/tabid/506/articleID/52300/Default.aspx
I also listened to David Slack’s show last night. I like David and it is a rarity to listen to leftwing talkback. KDC mentioned 2 extra special guests on 15th January which makes it all the more intriguing, that is as well as Glen Greenwald.
Buggered if I know who but someone asked about this earlier in the week.
Key said he regularly called Slater, who broke the story of the Len Brown affair, “to see what he’s got on his site and mind”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9723130/Looks-like-Slater-is-Keys-Peters-source
‘Hager’s Dirty Politics – Death threats or hit jobs?’
By Martyn Bradbury / August 16, 2014
“Let’s be clear, no one deserves death threats, but Slater is now outed as the Wolf that cries boy, and all attempts to justify his actions by pointing to the angry reaction that has occurred because he has been outed simply don’t wash and quite frankly are open to a level of scepticism…
Comment from one commenter:
“Hooton, a regular RNZ panelist, also (according to the book) passed on Hagers home address to Cactus Kate. Despicable!”
My comment:
Hooton should be struck off Radio New Zealand’s ‘nine-to-noon’ …Hooton is not fit to be a political commentator…in fact a complaint should be laid with the police