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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If you follow politics in New Zealand you've likely noticed that the right wing have been going on and on about the Coalition Government failing to reduce poverty. In fact they’ve been incessantly claiming, in the absence of any conclusive data, that poverty has been getting worse.Yesterday, NewstalkZB reported:Mike Hosking: ...
The Herald reported over the weekend that an Auckland business owner is being targeted with asset forfeiture laws over a workplace death:A workplace fatality has seen police use a law usually associated with drugs and organised crime to seize millions of dollars in assets from a business owner because of ...
Just days after talking about how people feel "squeezed" and promising tax and service cuts as a "solution", National is talking about cancelling a rise in the minimum wage if elected: National is considering scrapping the Government's planned minimum wage increase if it wins this year's election, the party's finance ...
Nobody thinks about the next century anymore. That at least is Sci-Fi writer William Gibson’s observation (in this BBC 4 short interview, starting at 1:43:50 ). He calls it “Futures Fatigue”, but isn’t judgemental about it. Gibson notes that in the 20th century speculation about the 21st (and beyond) was common. Now ...
A Labour government desperate for the numbers crawls into bed with Winston Peters. Winston ignores the law and secretly takes money under the table from someone. When it is exposed just months out from an election, he is investigated by the Serious Fraud Office. That's what happened back in 2008. ...
So the Serious Fraud Office has another secret $100,050 National Party donation before the Courts in a major scandal that looks set to quash any chances Simon Bridges had of winning the 2020 election.Yesterday, Newsroom reported:The Serious Fraud Office prosecution of four people over donations to the National Party involves ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Iceberg twice the size of Washington, D.C., breaks off Pine Island glacier in Antarctica Story Highlights: The Pine Island ...
Prof Philippa Howden-ChapmanHousing policy is building up to be the key election issue again. In this blog I reflect on the importance of the role of the New Zealand Government in improving access to affordable housing. I look at what the Government has been doing to increase quality public housing ...
Writing on The Spinoff, Danyl Mclauchlan argues that we have a vacuum in our political system, in that there is no longer an anti-establishment party anymore:I think there’s a vacuum in our political system. There are obvious problems with the status quo but no real critics offering reform. It’s a ...
Stuff today has a piece about the government discovering it has been oversubsidising polluters for a decade under the Emissions Trading scheme:The Government is pledging to urgently fix an issue within the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), after it emerged some polluters are likely being over-compensated with taxpayer-funded carbon credits. [...] ...
The Marlborough District Council, tired of public scrutiny, wants to increase the amount it charges for LGOIMA requests:The cost of requesting official information from Marlborough's government agency could almost double after a jump in "fishing expeditions". Charges could be raised from $60 to $100 an hour for information supplied by ...
When Winston Peters was caught money laundering donations and stalking journalists, the Greens were conspicuous by their silence. It was another example of how getting along with their government partners was eroding their values and their own reputation. It was obviously unsustainable, and so now James Shaw has finally spoken ...
I am among the most pro-free speech people I know. I don’t doubt there are others more strident than me, but I’m certainly up there. And my support for freedom of expression isn’t limited to opposition to government-imposed restrictions. It extends to a belief that employers should have limited powers ...
With over 69,000 confirmed cases and 1,600 deaths, here’s your round-up of the latest coronavirus news. New disease and virus have now officially been named On the 11th February, the WHO Director General announced a new name for the disease: COVID-19 which is short for coronavirus disease 2019. The naming ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Feb 9, 2020 through Sat, Feb 15, 2020 Editor's Pick ANALYSIS-Climate change opens up 'frontier' farmland, but at what cost to the planet?Climate change could expand farmland globally by ...
After cross-examination Jones knew he would lose the defamation case he took against film maker Renae Maihi. That’s why he threw in the towel. The weight of evidence was clearly against the old tycoon with the defense presenting fifty articles to confirm Jones’ racist views.Being unable to harass somebody into ...
Sprung! Former NZ First president, Lester Gray, chats with RNZ's Guyon Espiner in the carpark of a Tauranga shopping centre.(Photo supplied anonymously to NZ First and The BFD.)IT’S CLEAR THAT an important aspect of Jacinda Ardern’s political success is her willingness to seek – and take – advice. This ...
Ruth Cunningham, Charlotte Paul, Andrew MoorePublic health responses to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 require us to draw on our common humanity and be explicit about our values. Recognising this will help us make good decisions in difficult situations so that, for example, the need to impose restrictive measures ...
The Helen Clark Foundation has released its report on the housing crisis, and found that house-hoarders are to blame for it:Property investors are to blame for New Zealand's high house prices, a new research paper published by the Helen Clark Foundation says. [...] McArthur said previous attempts to address housing ...
The Abortion Legislation Committee has reported back on the Abortion Legislation Bill and recommended that it be passed with some amendments. Unfortunately, the latter include even more hoops to jump through for those seeking abortions after 20 weeks, including a time-wasting requirement to consult a second doctor. No-one casually seeks ...
Brexit is likely to be a disaster for the UK (how sad, never mind). But now that they're out of the EU, the latter has finaly taken the opportunity to blacklist one of their key tax havens:The Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory, is to be put on an EU ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, New Zealand First Deputy Leader A total delivery of 2,000 new Police Officers has been achieved. New Zealand First Deputy Leader, Fletcher Tabuteau attended the latest police graduation of Recruit Wing 335 in Porirua today. Mr Tabuteau said, “Increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one of ...
Taupō District mayor David Trewavas has welcomed today’s announcement from regional economic development minister Shane Jones outlining $5.87m of funding for the re-development of the Taupō Airport. The bulk of the investment ($5 million) will come from the Provincial Growth Fund, while the rest will be from the New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has defended multi-million dollar provincial growth fund money for Northland water storage. The New Zealand First leader, along with Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones, were recently in Dargaville to announce up to $12.745 million PGF funding top-up for water storage initiatives in the ...
One of our most immediate priorities upon forming Government was to get people out of sleeping in cars, garages, or on the street and into safe and warm housing. Since then, we've made major progress towards breaking the cycle of homelessness, including expanding Housing First, building more state houses, and ...
Kids learn better with a full stomach. That's why we launched our Lunches in Schools programme, which is already providing free and healthy school lunches to thousands of children so they can focus on what's important - learning. ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP based in Clutha-Southland This afternoon to a crowd of over 100 people in Mataura -- Mark Patterson, New Zealand First List MP based in Clutha-Southland launched a parliamentary petition regarding the aluminium dross issue in Mataura, Southland. The petition asks that the ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Finance, Fletcher Tabuteau has welcomed Statistics New Zealand’s latest report as a timely reminder of the value that this Coalition Government brings to every day New Zealanders: “This Coalition Government has meant a ...
Today New Zealand First made a pledge to campaign at the election to fund St John Ambulance the 90 per cent it has asked for. Government funding would allow St. John’s to achieve fully funded status. Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters publicly declared his determination to deliver ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order Newly released Police data shows once again the number of fleeing drivers have continued to skyrocket with a record 512 incidents occurring in December – almost tripling the number of incidents occurring just ten years ago, says New Zealand First Law and ...
While the Provincial Growth Fund has provided $2 million to set up temporary water supplies in Kaikohe and Kaitaia, Regional Economic Minister Shane Jones said he is greatly concerned that there are “issues” in implementing the projects. The Minister said the immediate solution was to pipe water from a bore ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP for Clutha-Southland NZ First is calling on Rio Tinto to accept its responsibilities to the Southland community and enable the immediate removal of the toxic Aluminium Dross from the Mataura Paper Mill site. New Zealand First List MP for Clutha-Southland, Mark Patterson ...
The Coalition Government has announced that a further $500,000 will be given to help residents in Southland and Otago to speed up recovery efforts from the floods. It follows prior government assistance of $200,000 earlier this month where the Southland Mayoral Relief Fund received $100,000 to support communities impacted by ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones was on RNZ’s Morning Report talking about the recent droughts in the Northland region and what the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is doing to alleviate its impact. The PGF recently announced a funding of $2 million for temporary water supplies to Kaikohe and Kaitaia, ...
Speaking to The Country’s Jamie Mackay, New Zealand First MP and Cabinet Minister Shane Jones talks water storage, plant-based meat imitation, and superstar Hollywood director James Cameron. While water storage may have its critics, Minister Jones defended the scheme by saying: “unless we invest and continue to invest” in this ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones is accusing northern iwi leaders of selling out Māori by voting for ideologically-driven court cases rather than practical steps to increase water supply. “I just think that iwi leaders who think that water issues are going to be solved by perpetually fighting in the ...
A dairy owner in St Kilda, Dunedin was delighted to hear that an attempted robbery of his establishment was foiled by a government-funded security system. Sean Lee was delighted at how well the anti-theft smoke system worked. When a knife-wielding man entered the store, the shop assistant immediately pressed a ...
Customs says it stopped more than three tonnes of illegal drugs coming into New Zealand last year. This includes 1,180kg of methamphetamine, 329kg of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine precursors, which could have been converted into 246kg of methamphetamine, 739kg and 6469 pills of MDMA or Ecstasy and 60kg of cocaine. Offshore, ...
Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Up to $2 million will be allocated from the Provincial Growth Fund to set up temporary water supplies in Kaikohe and Kaitaia where drought is biting hard, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Drought conditions in Northland have led to ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Law and Order New Zealand First welcomes the deployment of an Eagle Police helicopter in Christchurch in what is a step towards fulfilling its long-standing goal to increase the use of police helicopters for the front line, particularly in addressing the scourge of fleeing drivers. Christchurch leads ...
It may have been the first sitting week of 2020, but our Government is already in full-swing - managing a strong economy, investing in infrastructure, and working to break the cycle of homelessness. Read below for all that, and more... ...
In a heated debate in Parliament, National's Deputy Leader Paula Bennett claimed that “nearly 1600 patched gang members have been added” since the Coalition Government took power. To illustrate her point, she altered a chart used by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to show her government’s progress in housing to instead ...
Speech by the Rt Hon Winston Peters at Parliament’s Opening 2020 "We all need insurance" This year New Zealanders are going to have a clear choice to make That choice is between: Optimism versus pessimism; More progress versus back to the future; Investment versus divestment; Unity versus division. New Zealand ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has slammed the Board of Auckland Airport following the airport's runway closing twice within two weeks due to maintenance. Around 2,000 passengers were affected by last week’s runway closures, according to 1NEWS. Another maintenance closure on January 24 saw two international flights and three domestic flights ...
A milestone has been reached with the graduation of more than 2,000 new Police officers since the Coalition Government took office in October 2017. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the graduation today of Wing 335 marks a surge of 2,023 new officers, and coincides with some significant breakthroughs against organised ...
Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister, Kris Faafoi, and the Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins, have welcomed a new cyber security qualification as a step towards countering cyber threats and keeping New Zealanders safe. Attending the launch of the new Level 6 Diploma of Cyber Security at Auckland’s Unitec Institute ...
Government Ministers today celebrated 20 years of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park/ Ko te Pataka kai o Tikapa Moana/ Te Moananui a Toi, and recognise there is much to celebrate and so much more to do to give nature a helping hand. Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said “New Zealanders care deeply about nature.I want to ...
Prepared remarks on coronavirus by Finance Minister Grant Robertson to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and Massey University. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, The topic of this speech is the Budget 2020 priorities. But, given the considerable interest that I imagine is in the room about COVID-19 coronavirus, I do ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira ma. Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. Ni sa bula vinaka. Namaste Thank you Shamima, Hon. Minister Vuniwaqa, community leaders and Women’s Crisis Centre staff for your warm welcome. It’s an honour and privilege to officially ...
The Government has released a comprehensive response to ensuring New Zealanders get a fairer deal at the petrol pump. This follows the Commerce Commission fuel market study which found motorists were paying more than they should for petrol and includes: Fuel Market Bill drafting, to pass mid-year Industry consultation in ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira ma Tēnā koutou katoa Ni sa bula vinaka As-salaam alaikum It is a privilege to be here today. Thank you for welcoming us to your house of prayer. Thank you for your warmth. Thank you for greeting ...
Taupō Airport is to be upgraded and expanded through a $5.9 million Government funding boost, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. “Taupō Airport is the gateway to the Central North Island. It is essential for both keeping local people and businesses connected, but also to bring more people ...
The Minister of Housing Megan Woods has confirmed the Government is working with Rotorua Lakes District Council and Te Arawa for the second place-based assessment to better understand the housing and urban issues affecting the city. “Every New Zealander has a right to a warm, safe and secure place to ...
19 new community homes (in addition to 14 opened in December) delivered in Takanini, Auckland 500 people housed by CORT Housing Trust by end of March 2,290 new public housing homes delivered in Auckland (November 2017 – December 2019). Another nineteen new public housing homes are being delivered in Auckland, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker met today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to discuss ways to strengthen ties between New Zealand and India. “India is a priority relationship for New Zealand. We share common democratic traditions, growing two-way trade, extensive people-to-people links, ...
Speech to the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) Delhi, India Wednesday 26 February 2020 [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] The Indo-Pacific: from principles to partnerships Distinguished guests, good afternoon and thank you for your invitation. It is good to be here at a time where New Zealand needs less of an introduction than ...
Tihei mauri ora Te Whare e tu nei Te Papa e takoto Tēnā korua No reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa Ni sa bula Vinaka It is a real pleasure to be here today, and to have the honour of addressing you all. If you’ll indulge me I’m ...
Improved air quality to support better health and environmental wellbeing is the focus of proposed amendments to air quality regulations, says the Associate Minister for the Environment, Hon Nanaia Mahuta. “Although our air quality is good in most places, during winter certain places have spikes in air pollution, mainly from ...
The remote eastern Bay of Plenty community of Raukokere will receive a Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment of $10.6 million for a water storage facility, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. “This is great news for the rural community. The landowner, Te Whānau a Maruhaeremuri Hapū Trust, will use ...
The Lake Ōkaro lakebed has transferred to Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis announced today. Kelvin Davis joined Te Arawa at Te Papaiōuru Marae in Rotorua to celebrate the reinstatement of Te Arawa Lakes Trust as a key decision maker over the bed ...
New legislation is being proposed which aims to reduce the stress and financial hardship caused by late payments to small businesses. The Minister for Small Business Stuart Nash is considering stricter rules around payment practices between businesses. “Late payments from large organisations to smaller suppliers can be crippling for these ...
A new partnership programme between the New Zealand Police and Fiji Police will focus on combatting transnational organised crime and enhancing investigative skills, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on the first day of her visit to Fiji. The programme will see: · New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama met today in Suva, and renewed their commitment to continue to strengthen Fiji-New Zealand relations on a foundation of shared values and equal partnership. The Prime Ministers acknowledged the kinship between Fijians and New Zealanders, one that has endured over ...
A $19.9 million investment from the Provincial Growth Fund will help develop essential infrastructure for an industrial hub in the Bay of Plenty town of Kawerau, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. “The funding will go to three projects to further develop the Putauaki Trust Industrial Hub, an industrial ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing $8.3 million on a roading package for Mahia that will lead to greater and wider economic benefits for the region and beyond, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced at an event in Mahia today. The $8.3 million announced consists of: $7 ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed new reporting showing the Coalition Government is on track to meet its child poverty targets, with 18,400 children lifted out of poverty as a result of the Families Package. Stats NZ has released the first set of comprehensive child poverty statistics since the Government ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today announced that Bikes in Schools facilities have been rolled out to 20,000 more kiwi kids under this Government. She made the announcement at the opening of a new bike track at Henderson North School in Auckland. “Bikes in Schools facilities give kids ...
Benefit settings rise in line with wages as of 1 April Main benefits will increase by over 3 percent, instead of 1.66 percent, on 1 April with the Government’s decision to annually adjust benefit rates to increases in the average wage. The Minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, said ...
Strengthening New Zealand’s political and business ties with India will be the focus of Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters’ and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker’s visit to India this week. The Ministers are co-leading a high level business delegation to India to support increased people and economic engagement ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio continues to champion for greater Pacific participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers with the announcement of the Toloa Awards, with 8 recipients of the Toloa Community Fund and 13 Toloa Tertiary Scholarships. “The Toloa Programme encourages more Pacific peoples ...
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has extended the date for people to have their say on proposed changes to improve management of whitebait across New Zealand. Submissions were due to close on 2 March 2020 but will now remain open until 9am on Monday 16 March 2020. “I have ...
The endangered toroa/Antipodean albatross has new international protection for its 100,000km annual migration, thanks to collaborative efforts led by New Zealand, Australia and Chile. Today, 130 countries agreed to strictly protect Antipodean albatross at the Conference of Parties on the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild ...
No sales to under-18-year-olds No advertising and sponsorship of vaping products and e-cigarettes No vaping or smokeless tobacco in smokefree areas Regulates vaping product safety comprehensively, - including devices, flavours and ingredients Ensure vaping products are available for those who want to quit smoking Vaping regulation that balances ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little will travel to Berlin tomorrow to represent New Zealand at a high-level summit on nuclear disarmament. This year, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) celebrates 50 years since it entered into force. “New Zealand’s proud record and leadership on nuclear disarmament is unwavering, so it’s important we are present ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit two of New Zealand’s most important Pacific partners, Fiji and Australia, next week. The visit to Fiji will be the first by a New Zealand Prime Minister in four years and comes during the 50th anniversary of Fijian independence and diplomatic relations between our ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little and New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball, have today announced the appointment of the Chief Commissioner of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the location, and the membership of the Establishment Advisory Group. Colin Carruthers QC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the CCRC for an ...
Māori Development Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta and Agriculture Minister Hon Damien O’Connor co-announced the first horticultural finalists for the Ahuwhenua Trophy celebrating excellence in the Māori agricultural sector. The three finalists are Ngai Tukairangi Trust from Mt Maunganui, Otama Marere Trust from Tauranga, and Hineora Orchard Te Kaha 15B Ahuwhenua ...
A new kete of resources to strengthen support for students with dyslexia will provide extra tools for the new Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs) as they start in schools, Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Minister launched the kete in Wellington this morning, at the first of three induction ...
The Government continues to make progress on a fairer and more secure rental market for renters and landlords with the First Reading of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill and its referral to the Social Services and Community Select Committee. “Now is the opportunity for landlords, tenants and others who want ...
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Hon James Marape will visit New Zealand from 21-25 February, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have a warm and friendly relationship. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Marape here and strengthening the relationship between our two countries,” ...
Thousands of children have begun receiving a free lunch on every day of the school week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. The Government’s free and healthy school lunch programme is under way for 7,000 students at 31 schools in Hawke’s Bay / Tairāwhiti and Bay of Plenty / Waiariki, extending ...
The Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni today announced a new approach that continues to broaden the Government’s social sector focus from a narrow, investment approach to one centred on people and wellbeing. Minister Sepuloni said redefining the previous approach to social investment by combining science, data and lived experience ...
The Government is strengthening the Protected Disclosures Act to provide better protection for whistle blowers, Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins said today. “The Protected Disclosures Act is meant to encourage people to speak up about serious wrongdoing in the workplace and protect them from losing their jobs or being ...
Nǐn hǎo (Hello in Mandarin). Xīn Nián Kuài Lè (Happy New Year in Mandarin) Néi Hóu (Hello in Cantonese). Sun Nin Fai Lok (Happy New Year in Cantonese) Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you for your invitation to attend this celebration today. I would like to acknowledge ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government would be looking for the private sector to put in four or five times as much as it invests in research and development of particular technologies to reduce emissions, Energy Minister Angus Taylor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two issues are currently presenting the Morrison government with fast-moving targets. One is the fallout from the coronavirus, where the picture has been altering on a near-daily basis. The other is very different – the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The federal government has activated its emergency response plan to deal with a spread of the coronavirus locally, in anticipation of it becoming a “pandemic”. It is also considering limited assistance for those hardest hit ...
In an apparent change of tune, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expects to raise the topic of climate change with Australian counterpart Scott Morrison tomorrow. ...
The Government says it wants to protect small businesses from getting shafted by big companies who don’t or won’t pay their bills on time. The move can’t come too soon. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Muecke, Clinical senior lecturer in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Adelaide Humans are physiologically hardwired to love and seek out sweet things. It’s an ancient survival mechanism that evolved to prepare our bodies for periods of fasting when food supplies ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marilyn McMahon, Deputy Dean, School of Law, Deakin University The NSW government has just introduced a bill that will, among other significant reforms, make it easier for a jury to be informed about the prior convictions of a person on trial for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marilyn McMahon, Deputy Dean, School of Law, Deakin University The NSW government has just introduced a bill that will, among other significant reforms, make it easier for a jury to be informed about the prior convictions of a person on trial for ...
By RNZ Pacific Jacinda Ardern has paid tribute to the three Fijians who died in last year’s Christchurch mosque shootings. Ardern spoke today at Lautoka Mosque as part of her trip to Fiji to remember Imam Hafiz Musa Patel, Ashraf Ali Razak and Ashraf Ali, who died almost a ...
The Real Pod reassembles to dissect the cultured fourth week of The Bachelorette NZ with special thanks to Nando’s.This week on The Bachelorette NZ, a burrito bust-up ends in anaphylaxis, Steve chows down on some one-ply, and the Buenos Aires hostel goes full Lord of the Flies. It’s become abundantly ...
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, the Catholic Bishops' agency for justice, peace and development, is concerned that the latestchild poverty numbers show that there has been anincrease in material hardship,with 4100 more children living in ...
Dr Bryce Edwards.Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni described this year’s annual benefit increases of 3 per cent as “significant”, and “a way of sharing the wealth”. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also heralded them as the biggest increase to benefits in nine years, if National’s 2015 one-off adjustments are excluded. ...
Is it the kind of headline that will win votes at the general election? “Rock-star reception in Fijian village” followed by a sub-head “Rapturous greeting for Ardern during visit to launch $3m sanitation project”. The reporter (veteran Barry Soper, Newstalk ZB’s political editor) poses the rhetorical question: “Is there any ...
The New Zealand First Foundation received $100,000 in just one week from two rich-listers, whose donations remained secret because the individual payments fell below the disclosure threshold. ...
BusinessNZ says legislation requiring more transparent petrol pricing will probably be well-received, but there are concerns about the market study that prompted it. The Government has announced it is drafting a Fuel Market Bill to introduce requirements ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Andrea Watson, Sparrows CEO and founder, and Simon Yarrow, who leads Callaghan Innovation’s ...
LGNZ say a new report from the Deep South National Science Challenge is a reminder for central government policy makers to step up the pace on progressing a national strategy on climate change adaption. LGNZ is the peak body representing New Zealand’s ...
Art schools are seen by many as beacons of liberalism. But is this the reality? Former Māori student Anna McAllister recounts her fraught journey through an Auckland art school.In high school, the only subjects I was remotely good at were the practical arts. I stayed in the art block during ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Academic Fellow, University of Sydney This week’s decision by Norwegian company Equinor to abandon a A$200 million plan to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight surprised both its critics and backers. Equinor says it abandoned the project off ...
Finance Minister sees serious, short-term impact on economy from Covid-19. He says the Government is able to deliver more general fiscal stimulus and sector-specific help if the economic hit is longer and harder. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has given his first comprehensive update on the economic effects expected from the ...
In response to reports that 30,000 New Zealanders earning over $100,000 are taking superannuation, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Casey Russell says: “It’s clear that many wealthy New Zealanders are collecting superannuation they don’t ...
Fancy a quick trip to Europe without leaving the comfort of your own couch? Tara Ward rounds up the best European drama for your viewing pleasure. Anyone who reckons travel is the only way to expand your mind has never had the pleasure of lying on a couch for three days ...
Child protection social work involves risk. It always will. The right decisions cannot always be made and sometimes it can be a question of choosing between the least damaging alternatives. We have had a long list of child abuse tragedies for over 30 years now – in Aotearoa New Zealand and ...
SFO scrutiny of National and NZ First donations sparked debate about party funding and electoral laws. Now, Transparency International has a warning. ...
Not paying NZ Super out to those on incomes of $100,000 or more would save taxpayers around $608 million. Is it time we shake up who gets paid and what? RNZ‘s Nita Blake-Persen reports.The number of New Zealand retirees getting their superannuation while earning more than $100,000 has topped 30,000, ...
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 contentCoronavirus John Gibb (ODT): Otago academic fears ‘massive’ impact Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Nothing Xenophobic Or Racist About The Chinese ...
Dr Bryce Edwards.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won power in 2017 on the basis of statements such as “My goal is to eradicate child poverty in New Zealand”. The Government’s progress on child poverty will be under scrutiny at this year’s general election, but progress is slow, and many are claiming ...
New Zealand King Salmon has had a better-than-expected first half, driven by record prices for its fish products. The Marlborough-based salmon farmer's net profit rose nearly 38 percent to $20.8 million in the six months to December, with the average sale price up 6.6 percent. However, revenue of $84.2m was ...
Reform of superannuation is overdue, with new figures showing more than 30,000 superannuitants are earning more than $100,000 per year. This number is growing fast as more people keep working past 65. More than 126,000 superannuitants (17% of the total) are earning ...
Funding to give nature a helping hand and support community conservation projects opens this week, with $5.6m available for community-led projects. “The Department of Conservation (DOC) Community Fund enables us to go further and faster in our conservation ...
Police acknowledge the findings of the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) in relation to decision-making in a sexual assault investigation in Palmerston North. The IPCA found that the decision-making was sound, and there was no conflict of interest ...
Thursday, February 27: Greenpeace has published an open letter calling on the organisers of music festival WOMAD to dump oil industry sponsorship. Todd Energy and Austrian oil giant OMV are on the bill again this year, despite persistent criticism from ...
The clash between urban cyclists and car drivers has been brewing for several years now. But pedestrians have been advocating for their rights for far longer, writesNot so long ago, the journalist Bernard Hickey predicted that cyclists vs motorists will become one of the political issues of our age. “We ...
A2 Milk has delivered a strong financial result, with increased sales in its infant nutrition business and with better than expected profit margins. The specialty milk company's net profit rose 21 percent in the six months to December to $184.9m, with an underlying sales margin of 32.6 percent. Sales rose ...
Air New Zealand's half year profit has taken a larger hit than expected, falling 33 percent amid slowing demand for air travel and increased costs. Its net profit was $101 million in the six months ended December, compared with $150m the year before. Costs rose due to price hikes for ...
You might be trying to reduce your carbon footprint in everyday life, but what about in death? Alex Casey talks to Becs Bartells, founder of Outside the Box about creating the perfect cardboard casket. Becs Bartells often forgets she has an empty coffin sitting in the back of her station wagon, ...
As government services shut their doors in communities and drive people to interact online, the wellbeing of New Zealand's most vulnerable people is being diminished, says the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). CAB has released the report 'Face to Face ...
New research from justice advocacy group JustSpeak released today shows that structural bias in policing continues to disproportionately harm Māori and demonstrates the urgent need for transformative change across our justice system. Using the Statistics ...
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An anonymous international student at the University of Auckland grapples with when and how she might return to NZ amid the coronavirus outbreak, and what challenges she will face if she makes it back. I am a Chinese international student at the University of Auckland. Having completed my language course and ...
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Open mike 16/08/2014 
Open mike is your post.
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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 🙂
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Lets try that again
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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