How come I haven’t heard the term ACC once this election? I thought the imminent sale of ACC due to the NACT party division of spoils would have been an election issue.
Because the MSM are a bunch of nat lackeys, you also haven’t heard dick about brash and banks being heavily involved in Hulich whos chief just pleaded guilty to kiwi saver fraud.
Recall the total rollicking Parker got for a minor indiscretion which amounted to nothing yet the wealthy old has beens get no scrutiny at all.
But hey when you can produce a budget with billions worth of holes, as rod oram restated, and get no sustained questioning or focused analysis what do you expect.
Between this engineered distraction and another pisshead sportsman the media are far too busy for all that other stuff that determines our futures.
Well Lionel I’m guessing the only way for people to understand what you on the left have always seen is if they all suddenly became paranoid and one eyed
The Maori Party’s close friend, ACT, is making a comeback after sitting down and having a cup of tea with John Key.
ACT has always held deeply racist views and even though there’s been a
change of leader from Rodney Hide to Don Brash, nothing has changed.
In fact after John Banks’ rant on ‘The Nation’ it would seem that under Brash they are returning to the old National dogma of kicking people with brown skin in the guts. And what’s worse is that the Maori Party has said they will work with them in the future.
Here’s what Banks had to say about Maori and Pacific Island youth: “We are all victims of crime. If we continue the bankrupt response of just paying young Polynesian, young Maori men in South Auckland, the dole to sit in front of TV, smoke marijuana, watch pornography and plan more drug offending, more burglaries, then we are going to have them coming through our windows regardless if we live in Epsom or anywhere else in Greater Auckland. We have to deal with the root cause of law and order.”
“How on earth can the Maori Party work with people who think like that” said Mr Harawira.
“ACT puts the boot into Maori and Pasifika and the Maori Party says nothing and just meekly hands them the keys to running the country!”
“It’s a sad day when the Maori Party sacrifices their people’s needs just to get into government with a redneck like John Banks and his ACT buddies.
“MANA have made it abundantly clear that we will not work with a party that hates Maori and Pacific Island people. The Maori Party might be Maori in name, but their ongoing relationship with ACT shows them up for what they are – a party desperate for power at any cost”
Just love Banks….to hum some Dead Kennedy’s numbers “kill kill kill kill kill the poor”…..or perhaps with a subtle change of lyric ..”Aukalofa uber alles, uber alles Aukalofa…”
If there was just one quality we should expect from a person who has the power to commit a country to war, it is that person has grown beyond the school common room debater.
Having a he said/he said mentality is not what we need to look after our interests.
I wonder if he has ever engaged in philosophical discussions with “thinkers”. I wonder if he has “met” people like the Chief Justice. I wonder what these people really think of him.
Something extremely fishy is going on with the Crafar farms. Normally, applications take up to 50 to 70 working days to process. It has now been seven months since Shanghai Pengxins lodged it’s application. Ministers dont seem to know who is responsible. The natural conclusion is that the Chinese have bought the farms, Key knowing the political fallout, has shelved the announcement until after the election.
There was a post recently about donations made to the Nats by some very Chinese sounding people – of course very unlikely to be connected to this issue, surely!
Genorosity builds good will, good will is the backbone of any economy.
As NZ falls farther behind despite having evrything going for it, Key
demands that everyone who declines a drug test lose access to the
basics od living.
There is no genersity in Key’s National party, that’s why we aren’t
getting ahead. Well that’s not entirely true Key is very generous
when it comes to statements about his own prowess.
Fair and balanced.
I’d like to say the above case was a rarity but it is not. It is common in the North. Conservative pākehā women tend to get these jobs. My partner was a polling clerk one year in the Far North, and when the others found out she was not a tory got the cold shoulder for the day.
These bags misinformed and kept people waiting, were rude and racist to Māori voters and just nasty towards those they assumed (based on stereotyping of appearance) were ‘greenie’ pākehā. If you observe any such behaviour ask for their names and take it further as Hone and Mana are doing.
Should old people get the pension if they do dope?
Should govt employees be fired on the spot?
How about cheif execs whose companys take
government contracts.
One law for the elite another for the powerless.
“I’d urge anyone who wants to protect our coasts from an even worse oil spill than that which we saw in Tauranga, to sign this petition. By doing so, they’ll also be doing something positive about the climate crisis that this planet is facing,” said Lawless.
As usual the left are raging aginst the dying of the light instead of doing something.
Still that is the natural order of things – the left insulting their betters and the right making the rules for the left to live by. Roll on the election.
[lprent: It appears you are just a troll from the way you write rather mindless comments with no content of interest. You are also doing fire and forget trolling. You should go and find a blog that caters to that – try the sewer. Banned permanently. ]
He has been doing these weird-arse comments on a fire and forget basis. I was thinking about leaving him in the mix for a comedy angle. But since he never responds to anything, I figured that dealing with someone in a semi-catatonic state wasn’t particularly useful.
Added to auto-spam which silently swallows comments. Any bets on if he will
A. Notice that his comments don’t get published
Or
B. Start crying about freedom of speech
Just a quick question, I thought labour and it’s supporters we’re going to fight this election on policy? Your front page has one article on a small policy, the rest is all attacks on national and key?
[lprent: Why are you asking us? We aren’t the Labour party and certainly don’t follow their strategies (the authors would lynch me). Try http://labour.org.nz or http://blog.labour.org.nz.
Of course your comment could be construed as a simple attempt at self-matyrdom (as is outlined in ourpolicy). In which case let me know and I will assist to the best of my humble abilities. ]
ahh originality, the hallmark of a cutting witticism.
seeing as you’re so bored i would have thought that you could have enlivened your otherwise bleak existence with thinking up something truly offensive.
Nothing new under the sun TR, my concern for your mental health took precedence. Consider it a little bit of kindly ennui. If I really wanted to offend I would have in the bleakest manner.
well lprent, seeing as how the commentators and posters here crowed about the announcement, ( http://thestandard.org.nz/campaigning-on-policy-what-a-concept/ ) i would have though it would be a focus of the site seeing as while the site isn’t labour affiliated, the site certainly supports them.
i love it when you get tetchy about these things, it shows someone hit a sore spot.
[lprent: I am not responsible for the opinions of others on this site, just my own. However I am responsible for handling attacks on this site – and that is one of the more common ones. I get ‘tetchy’ whenever anyone tries to link the site to a political party, regardless who it is from.
There has been rather too much of it over the years from all sides and I have long since lost any sense of humor about it. From the idiots inside Labour getting upset about what a author on a ‘Labour blog’ writes about their pet ideas. Usually that is when they are compared unfavorably with the Greens. From the dribbling right wing trolls who are stupid enough to believe that Whaleoil lies less often then Key. Usually I just give educational bans for a few months. But you usually don’t strike me as too much of an idiot. .
Still it appears you didn’t take the warning seriously. Have an educational ban for 4 weeks so I can emphasize how little humor I have retained on this topic. ]
oh come on, it’s just a question? I know you aren’t responsible for others as they aren’t responsible for you. it’s why i actually quite like this site, as if i needed any more reminders of the folly of man. But i did ask “the standard” as a matter of course as there was a definite deviation there. good to see a positive policy focus reappearing on the front page. that was what my comment related to, the sheer preponderance of attack material on the front page, and the front page only. I don’t troll stupidly, i try and show a little insight about things i speak on.
So what’s going to happen when all the druggies get their meagre dole income removed? Do you think this will make them think “hmmm, better get a job then”, or will it make them think “hmmm, new scam needed – let me think ….”?
NZ National party tweeted that they grant permission for the tape to be released. Not sure that’s significant as it’s Key who’s laid the complaint with Police.
Storming out of a press conference is not the behaviour of a confident candidate. It’s the behaviour of someone who’s seriously rattled.
FTA:
New Zealand Herald reporter Derek Cheng called the response “extraordinary”, and Scoop’s Lyndon Hood tweeted: “The last National leader who walked out of a press conference in the late election period ended up leading ACT.”
Actions speak louder than words – sez a lot about the nature of the guy, that things aren’t going to plan and he’s panicking. Shit we’ve been saying this dudes shonkey for years – NZs starting to wake up, hope it’s not too late.
Sort of like Phil Goff not being briefed about the Israeli spies. Sort of like Phil Goff saying CGT wouldnt appeal to labour if they were an incoming government, sort of like Phil Goff lieing about Helen Clark having DPS in parliament, would you like me to dig a few more out?
Jackal, it is not Goff’s word against Tuckers. The documentation for the meeting of March 14 shows the topic as the 3rd item on the agenda. Again, on the 6th of April, the documents show that Goff actually raised questions regarding the issue. Ergo, to say he was not briefed is a lie.
Do an OIA and see for yourself.
Secondly, are you saying that Goff gets to “change his mind”? Not a liberty extended to John Key by many bloggers on this site.
Thirdly, the DPS thing is worth mentioning about as much as vto’s springbok tour, and tranzrail shares. So I guess I agree with you on that.
What was the clark/DPS one? don’t recall that. The others don’t seem to be actual evidence of uttering something known at the time to be an outright untruth. Claiming not to remember a conversation had 2 days before at a significant pr event is utter bullshit.
McFlock, didnt even have to wait 48 hours for this one:
Goff has said that Key’s walking out is “unprecedented in my time in politics. I can’t remember a Prime Minister going back to Muldoon that was so brittle that they couldn’t take the heat of answering valid questions from the news media. That’s his job.”
That would be another Phil Goff lie, since Helen Clark walked out on a news conference in 2007 when she was being interviewed with John Howard, and in 2002, when in a rage, she walked out on ABC interviewer David Hardaker. That’d be brittle then Phil? Way to hang out and dry!
And sorry, I cut and pasted this from an earlier response I made.
Now with video: Key’s feeble attempt to reset the agenda today. http://t.co/OzY6yoJ9
If – as some have speculated – this teapot stuff has been a Nat distraction scheme all along, Key’s face today shows just how badly it backfired on them.
I bet Peter’s will come out with something spectacular. he’s going to plaster Brash. I don’t like Peter’s but one has to admitt he’s certainly on the ball when somebody is on the back foot. Im picking that he will crush Brash.
Yeah, that’s the bit that really pisses me off. We should have a ban on exporting raw resources especially when we’ve just had a natural disaster and will them ourselves.
Greens gets hit with the backlash over signage because the leader was a member of the Greens. Speculation that they may lose votes. Surely not.
But wait on. If someone was a member of National and did some bad stuff, would that be sheeted home to Key or National? Doubt it.
Farrar or Whaleoil get a free pass to dabble in whatever they like. Huh!
How about Bank’s racist spiel?
The EPA had not authorized the use of Corexit 9500, it simply fit into an existing section of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) authorized its use, meaning there’s no proper oversight involved…
“But I think think you also need to take account of the fact that the prison population is dropping for the first time since the 1930s and that Corrections has a bit of money we might be able to filch across.”
This was in response to being told by Police Association president Greg O’Connor that holding police budgets at current levels was already having adverse affects on police operations.
Phase one: Reallocate Corrections funding to police ops.
Phase two: Keep on creating/ aprehending and imprisoning more crims with punitive legal changes/ measures and tougher sentences.
Phase three: Claim that there is insufficient space in existing prisons and no budget to build more
Eventual outcome: public private partnerships for prisons in NZ – the Nats plan all along.
Make no mistake, keeping people in prison is big business in places like the US – there is no labour like slave labour, and no govt contract sweeter than a PPP.
Here’s a private conversation, one I am having in my head…
Twilight…how many of you are parents of 12-14 year old girls having meltdowns over the midnight screening tonight of ‘Part 1’? Our’s slept on the roof of our two story house in response to our ‘no, you can’t go, it’s a school night, and no, you can’t have the day off tomorrow because movies aren’t a good reason to have a day off school, and no, you can’t hang out with all your friends whose parents don’t mind their 13 year old’s going to the movies at midnight and having the day off…..
What’s with the cinema’s and their 12.05am screening times aimed at 13 year olds on a Thursday night? What’s with parents who think it’s ok to have 13 years olds out till 2am in the morning on a school night….my daughter’s 7 closest friends are all going – and yes, I checked.
Anyone who is prepared to sleep on the roof because their parents quite rightly wouldn’t let them go to a lame vampire movie in the middle of the night needs their head read anyway..
Ah the joys of young teens – just like 2 year-olds, but bigger… and better at emotional blackmail 😉 It used to bug me that businesses and peer groups pressured them to pressure me too. The good news is they apologise for being such brats when they’re older 😉
The Greens work bloody hard to gain credibility with the voting public then some idiot goes and undoes all that work in the space of one night by vandalising National Party billboards. Thanks mate, you probably cost the Greens thousands of votes because of your stupidity. Its like those idiots in the ‘Workers Party’ who think that burning flags and generally being disrespectful at ANZAC Day parades are going to launch a robust debate on NZ’s role in global conflicts and attitude to war and militarism in general.
I know the Greens abhor lynching, but they need to make an exception for this guy.
I would say these people might be inclined to be equally pissed off:
Denise Roche, Holly Walker, Julie Anne Genter and Mojo Mathers.
Or, as they are alternatively known, Green list candidates 11-14. I’m sure it’s entirely co-incidental that a reckless action by a thoughtless guy has damaged the career prospects of 5 women.
While I laughed at the billboards when I first saw them, I’m not laughing about who arranged it. I think Russel and Meteria handled the situation the best they could, and its really not that big a deal in the scheme of things, but yeah I will be incredibly pissed if it has any effect on the magic 10%.
PUNTING NEWS
English, Ryall or Brownlee to lead Opposition?
If, as looks increasingly likely, John “Rick Perry” Key’s dissembling and surly inability to intelligently explain himself leads to his party’s demise in ten days’ time, who will succeed him after the ritual bloodletting?
At Daisycutter Sports Inc. they’re running a book on this. Latest odds are…..
Bill “Double Dipton” English 4/1
Gerry “Two Tons” Brownlee 5/1
Tony “Dull but Dependable” Ryall 7/1
Paula “Puttin’ on the Poundage” Bennett 10/1
Judith “Crusher” Collins 12/1
Simon “The Handsome Halfwit” Bridges 30/1
Hekia “Errrrr, Ummmm, Ahhhh” Parata 33/1
Wayne “Fuckwit” Mapp 100/1
How do you like that? National’s campaign bus can drive into a parked car… and they just say that the dent was there already. They then get the Police to break into the parked car to shift it out of the way, even though it wasn’t illegally parked… then they just drive off…
For those few still on at this time of the morning (mostly our offshore brethren), the delays on the site are due to optimizing some of the data that runs the site. Both overweight images and the database which is somewhat non-optimal.
It is chewing up more CPU than I anticipated. But of course this is also why I started it at 0100.
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Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
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 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
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A warning – suicide is discussed in this podcast New Zealand’s own long-running soap Shortland Street doesn’t hesitate to kill off its much-loved characters. But would TVNZ dare to kill off our favourite soap? That’s the fear as times get tough in television – even though it’s been pointed out ...
Essay: If the Crown harms children, how do you hold it accountable? Analysis by Aaron Smale in light of the Waitangi Tribunal court decision. The post The Crown versus Māori Children appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan resistance leader has condemned the United Nations role in allowing Indonesia to “integrate” the Melanesian Pacific region in what is claimed to be an “egregious act of inhumanity” on 1 May 1963. In an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Organisasi Papua Merdeka-OPM ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A key part of the Albanese government’s political strategy is to fill the news cycle with its presence and messaging. Ministers are deployed to the maximum, even when they’ve little to say. This week ...
Recent extreme weather events showed the importance of a well-functioning insurance system, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs minister Andrew Bayly. ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
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By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priestley Habru, PhD candidate, public diplomacy, University of Adelaide Former foreign minister Jeremiah Manele has been elected the next prime minister of Solomon Islands, defeating the opposition leader, Matthew Wale, in a vote in parliament. The result is a mixed bag for ...
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How come I haven’t heard the term ACC once this election? I thought the imminent sale of ACC due to the NACT party division of spoils would have been an election issue.
Because the MSM are a bunch of nat lackeys, you also haven’t heard dick about brash and banks being heavily involved in Hulich whos chief just pleaded guilty to kiwi saver fraud.
Recall the total rollicking Parker got for a minor indiscretion which amounted to nothing yet the wealthy old has beens get no scrutiny at all.
But hey when you can produce a budget with billions worth of holes, as rod oram restated, and get no sustained questioning or focused analysis what do you expect.
Between this engineered distraction and another pisshead sportsman the media are far too busy for all that other stuff that determines our futures.
Yes, I think Labour and the Greens have keeping ACC, and maybe improving it on their election policies. But the MSM haven’t taken much/any notice.
Is that the same ACC that National said was nearly bankrupt and then returned record returns?
Yep, the one that they want to sell off to their rich mates so that they can become even bigger parasites on us.
Occupy Dunedin grapples with basic concepts of democracy and popular support – consensus of convenience?
Since when do a bunch of drop kicks (sorry protestors and activists) give two hoots about popular support?
What’s the bet that Key will invent an important day trip to Aus to be seen with Obama?
Ha I have just heard Winston call Key a “young turkey” on National Radio.
This election is getting really interesting. “That nice Mr Key” may be a slogan consigned to history.
The arrogance of Key ridiculing the elderly and discussion the deposing of Brash so close to the assembled media is breathtaking.
Hopefully swing voters are now understanding what us on the left have always seen.
All you seem to be seeing here Greg is made up bullshit. Or have you heard the recording?
Have a look around you Petey. Reports are everywhere. And Key has not denied any of them and claims he cannot remember exactly what he said.
Is it compulsory for United Follicle candidates to run cover for Key?
Why would we elect someone so forgetful to be our PM?
True dat.
Don’t need to hear the recording. The writing is on the wall.
Well Lionel I’m guessing the only way for people to understand what you on the left have always seen is if they all suddenly became paranoid and one eyed
Too weird chris73 even for you.
MANA MEDIA RELEASE
15 November 2011
The Maori Party’s close friend, ACT, is making a comeback after sitting down and having a cup of tea with John Key.
ACT has always held deeply racist views and even though there’s been a
change of leader from Rodney Hide to Don Brash, nothing has changed.
In fact after John Banks’ rant on ‘The Nation’ it would seem that under Brash they are returning to the old National dogma of kicking people with brown skin in the guts. And what’s worse is that the Maori Party has said they will work with them in the future.
Here’s what Banks had to say about Maori and Pacific Island youth: “We are all victims of crime. If we continue the bankrupt response of just paying young Polynesian, young Maori men in South Auckland, the dole to sit in front of TV, smoke marijuana, watch pornography and plan more drug offending, more burglaries, then we are going to have them coming through our windows regardless if we live in Epsom or anywhere else in Greater Auckland. We have to deal with the root cause of law and order.”
“How on earth can the Maori Party work with people who think like that” said Mr Harawira.
“ACT puts the boot into Maori and Pasifika and the Maori Party says nothing and just meekly hands them the keys to running the country!”
“It’s a sad day when the Maori Party sacrifices their people’s needs just to get into government with a redneck like John Banks and his ACT buddies.
“MANA have made it abundantly clear that we will not work with a party that hates Maori and Pacific Island people. The Maori Party might be Maori in name, but their ongoing relationship with ACT shows them up for what they are – a party desperate for power at any cost”
Peter Verschaffelt
Media Liaison
Email media@mana.net.nz Web http://mana.net.nz
Mana are going to have to be very careful who they call racist.
The “white motherfucker” remarks have not been forgotten.
Just love Banks….to hum some Dead Kennedy’s numbers “kill kill kill kill kill the poor”…..or perhaps with a subtle change of lyric ..”Aukalofa uber alles, uber alles Aukalofa…”
If there was just one quality we should expect from a person who has the power to commit a country to war, it is that person has grown beyond the school common room debater.
Having a he said/he said mentality is not what we need to look after our interests.
I wonder if he has ever engaged in philosophical discussions with “thinkers”. I wonder if he has “met” people like the Chief Justice. I wonder what these people really think of him.
Something extremely fishy is going on with the Crafar farms. Normally, applications take up to 50 to 70 working days to process. It has now been seven months since Shanghai Pengxins lodged it’s application. Ministers dont seem to know who is responsible. The natural conclusion is that the Chinese have bought the farms, Key knowing the political fallout, has shelved the announcement until after the election.
http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/the-crafar-farms-why-the-delay-from-the-oio/
There was a post recently about donations made to the Nats by some very Chinese sounding people – of course very unlikely to be connected to this issue, surely!
Genorosity builds good will, good will is the backbone of any economy.
As NZ falls farther behind despite having evrything going for it, Key
demands that everyone who declines a drug test lose access to the
basics od living.
There is no genersity in Key’s National party, that’s why we aren’t
getting ahead. Well that’s not entirely true Key is very generous
when it comes to statements about his own prowess.
Fair and balanced.
http://mana.net.nz/press-releases/electoral-commission-racism-condemned/
I’d like to say the above case was a rarity but it is not. It is common in the North. Conservative pākehā women tend to get these jobs. My partner was a polling clerk one year in the Far North, and when the others found out she was not a tory got the cold shoulder for the day.
These bags misinformed and kept people waiting, were rude and racist to Māori voters and just nasty towards those they assumed (based on stereotyping of appearance) were ‘greenie’ pākehā. If you observe any such behaviour ask for their names and take it further as Hone and Mana are doing.
Should old people get the pension if they do dope?
Should govt employees be fired on the spot?
How about cheif execs whose companys take
government contracts.
One law for the elite another for the powerless.
Lucy Lawless Fights Deep Sea Drilling
“I’d urge anyone who wants to protect our coasts from an even worse oil spill than that which we saw in Tauranga, to sign this petition. By doing so, they’ll also be doing something positive about the climate crisis that this planet is facing,” said Lawless.
As usual the left are raging aginst the dying of the light instead of doing something.
Still that is the natural order of things – the left insulting their betters and the right making the rules for the left to live by. Roll on the election.
[lprent: It appears you are just a troll from the way you write rather mindless comments with no content of interest. You are also doing fire and forget trolling. You should go and find a blog that caters to that – try the sewer. Banned permanently. ]
Are you taking the piss or is that just a fuckwit comment?
The TAB are offering odds of $1.01 on that Mark is a fuckwit. No second dividend.
He has been doing these weird-arse comments on a fire and forget basis. I was thinking about leaving him in the mix for a comedy angle. But since he never responds to anything, I figured that dealing with someone in a semi-catatonic state wasn’t particularly useful.
Added to auto-spam which silently swallows comments. Any bets on if he will
A. Notice that his comments don’t get published
Or
B. Start crying about freedom of speech
Haha I’m helping to erect several more Labour hoardings this weekend, as well as get another 500 flyers out into the electorate.
Roll on the election.
kweewee has turned into the worlds biggest whinger.
he should loosen his underpants and stop using socks with the tight gaiters.
Just a quick question, I thought labour and it’s supporters we’re going to fight this election on policy? Your front page has one article on a small policy, the rest is all attacks on national and key?
[lprent: Why are you asking us? We aren’t the Labour party and certainly don’t follow their strategies (the authors would lynch me). Try http://labour.org.nz or http://blog.labour.org.nz.
Of course your comment could be construed as a simple attempt at self-matyrdom (as is outlined in our policy). In which case let me know and I will assist to the best of my humble abilities. ]
You thought….good one TR, did it hurt?
ahh originality, the hallmark of a cutting witticism.
seeing as you’re so bored i would have thought that you could have enlivened your otherwise bleak existence with thinking up something truly offensive.
Nothing new under the sun TR, my concern for your mental health took precedence. Consider it a little bit of kindly ennui. If I really wanted to offend I would have in the bleakest manner.
well lprent, seeing as how the commentators and posters here crowed about the announcement, ( http://thestandard.org.nz/campaigning-on-policy-what-a-concept/ ) i would have though it would be a focus of the site seeing as while the site isn’t labour affiliated, the site certainly supports them.
i love it when you get tetchy about these things, it shows someone hit a sore spot.
[lprent: I am not responsible for the opinions of others on this site, just my own. However I am responsible for handling attacks on this site – and that is one of the more common ones. I get ‘tetchy’ whenever anyone tries to link the site to a political party, regardless who it is from.
There has been rather too much of it over the years from all sides and I have long since lost any sense of humor about it. From the idiots inside Labour getting upset about what a author on a ‘Labour blog’ writes about their pet ideas. Usually that is when they are compared unfavorably with the Greens. From the dribbling right wing trolls who are stupid enough to believe that Whaleoil lies less often then Key. Usually I just give educational bans for a few months. But you usually don’t strike me as too much of an idiot. .
Still it appears you didn’t take the warning seriously. Have an educational ban for 4 weeks so I can emphasize how little humor I have retained on this topic. ]
I don’t see what the problem is with congratulating Labour for fighting on policies, and yet this blog running stories on other events?
If anything, it means because Labour is focussing on the policies, this blog has to pick up the slack on the other aspects.
oh come on, it’s just a question? I know you aren’t responsible for others as they aren’t responsible for you. it’s why i actually quite like this site, as if i needed any more reminders of the folly of man. But i did ask “the standard” as a matter of course as there was a definite deviation there. good to see a positive policy focus reappearing on the front page. that was what my comment related to, the sheer preponderance of attack material on the front page, and the front page only. I don’t troll stupidly, i try and show a little insight about things i speak on.
hey tr.
do a john kweewee and call the cops!
So what’s going to happen when all the druggies get their meagre dole income removed? Do you think this will make them think “hmmm, better get a job then”, or will it make them think “hmmm, new scam needed – let me think ….”?
Key storms out of media conference
Prime Minister John Key has refused to answer reporters’ questions about the ‘tea tape’ and stormed out of a press conference in Wellington.
Jackal beats me to it!
NZ National party tweeted that they grant permission for the tape to be released. Not sure that’s significant as it’s Key who’s laid the complaint with Police.
Pretty sure that’s a parody account.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell 🙂
Definitely a parody. Look at some of their other tweets:
http://twitter.com/#!/NZNational
Should have checked that huh! Some pretty good tweets there though.
More like ran away with his dignity in tatters. It was not a good look.
The wheels are really falling off. Not a good look for Key and National at all: http://www.3news.co.nz/Teapot-tape-Key-storms-out-of-media-conference/tabid/419/articleID/232920/Default.aspx
Storming out of a press conference is not the behaviour of a confident candidate. It’s the behaviour of someone who’s seriously rattled.
FTA:
Did Key just get compared to Brash? Ouch.
Must be something very juicy on tape he is touchy about….did anybody get a photo?
Video up now: http://t.co/OzY6yoJ9
Actions speak louder than words – sez a lot about the nature of the guy, that things aren’t going to plan and he’s panicking. Shit we’ve been saying this dudes shonkey for years – NZs starting to wake up, hope it’s not too late.
Get the lying bastard!
Fucking not recalling his conversations – what a load of complete and utter bullshit. Liar Key liar..
Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar
Can’t recall his time during the ’81 Springbok Tour. Lying bastard.
Can’t recall the number of Tranzrail shares. Lying bastard.
Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar Liar
Can’t recall being a climate change denier.
Said that breaking the BMW contract will cost us when it wouldn’t have.
Said Standard & Poors more likely to downgrade under Labour… etc.
Sort of like Phil Goff not being briefed about the Israeli spies. Sort of like Phil Goff saying CGT wouldnt appeal to labour if they were an incoming government, sort of like Phil Goff lieing about Helen Clark having DPS in parliament, would you like me to dig a few more out?
1. It’s still Goffs word against Tuckers.
2. He’s changed his mind because National has dug NZ into a hole.
3. General Security or Clarks personal DPS… still not worth mentioning.
Jackal, it is not Goff’s word against Tuckers. The documentation for the meeting of March 14 shows the topic as the 3rd item on the agenda. Again, on the 6th of April, the documents show that Goff actually raised questions regarding the issue. Ergo, to say he was not briefed is a lie.
Do an OIA and see for yourself.
Secondly, are you saying that Goff gets to “change his mind”? Not a liberty extended to John Key by many bloggers on this site.
Thirdly, the DPS thing is worth mentioning about as much as vto’s springbok tour, and tranzrail shares. So I guess I agree with you on that.
All your lies are lies, what a surprise. Part of the NAT supporter pattern.
Fell free to even bring one comparable case out.
What was the clark/DPS one? don’t recall that. The others don’t seem to be actual evidence of uttering something known at the time to be an outright untruth. Claiming not to remember a conversation had 2 days before at a significant pr event is utter bullshit.
McFlock, didnt even have to wait 48 hours for this one:
Goff has said that Key’s walking out is “unprecedented in my time in politics. I can’t remember a Prime Minister going back to Muldoon that was so brittle that they couldn’t take the heat of answering valid questions from the news media. That’s his job.”
That would be another Phil Goff lie, since Helen Clark walked out on a news conference in 2007 when she was being interviewed with John Howard, and in 2002, when in a rage, she walked out on ABC interviewer David Hardaker. That’d be brittle then Phil? Way to hang out and dry!
And sorry, I cut and pasted this from an earlier response I made.
And what were the “valid questions” being asked at the time, Vino?
Now with video: Key’s feeble attempt to reset the agenda today. http://t.co/OzY6yoJ9
If – as some have speculated – this teapot stuff has been a Nat distraction scheme all along, Key’s face today shows just how badly it backfired on them.
What’s up with his squinty eye?
Might have a bit of truth stuck in it.
Stress. Immune system down.
And now he’s cancelled a 130 meetup:
https://twitter.com/#!/dchengnzh/status/136598271400476673
As long as Garner gets bored with this by 6pm tonight, he might pull through ok.
Bit of a shame for him that Garner lives for days like this.
lolz
kweewee is a whinger and garner is dickylicker.
they were made for each other.
I bet Peter’s will come out with something spectacular. he’s going to plaster Brash. I don’t like Peter’s but one has to admitt he’s certainly on the ball when somebody is on the back foot. Im picking that he will crush Brash.
New Zealand log exports are heading for another record year.
Greed pushing the price of rebuilding Chch up even more.
What are we doing still exporting raw unprocessed logs. Dumb dumb dumb.
So much for Labour cutting down all the trees. Dumb!
Yeah, that’s the bit that really pisses me off. We should have a ban on exporting raw resources especially when we’ve just had a natural disaster and will them ourselves.
Greens gets hit with the backlash over signage because the leader was a member of the Greens. Speculation that they may lose votes. Surely not.
But wait on. If someone was a member of National and did some bad stuff, would that be sheeted home to Key or National? Doubt it.
Farrar or Whaleoil get a free pass to dabble in whatever they like. Huh!
How about Bank’s racist spiel?
Nick Smith lies again
The EPA had not authorized the use of Corexit 9500, it simply fit into an existing section of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) authorized its use, meaning there’s no proper oversight involved…
Judith Collins is suggesting robbing Peter to pay Paul.
This was in response to being told by Police Association president Greg O’Connor that holding police budgets at current levels was already having adverse affects on police operations.
Phase one: Reallocate Corrections funding to police ops.
Phase two: Keep on creating/ aprehending and imprisoning more crims with punitive legal changes/ measures and tougher sentences.
Phase three: Claim that there is insufficient space in existing prisons and no budget to build more
Eventual outcome: public private partnerships for prisons in NZ – the Nats plan all along.
Make no mistake, keeping people in prison is big business in places like the US – there is no labour like slave labour, and no govt contract sweeter than a PPP.
Here’s a private conversation, one I am having in my head…
Twilight…how many of you are parents of 12-14 year old girls having meltdowns over the midnight screening tonight of ‘Part 1’? Our’s slept on the roof of our two story house in response to our ‘no, you can’t go, it’s a school night, and no, you can’t have the day off tomorrow because movies aren’t a good reason to have a day off school, and no, you can’t hang out with all your friends whose parents don’t mind their 13 year old’s going to the movies at midnight and having the day off…..
What’s with the cinema’s and their 12.05am screening times aimed at 13 year olds on a Thursday night? What’s with parents who think it’s ok to have 13 years olds out till 2am in the morning on a school night….my daughter’s 7 closest friends are all going – and yes, I checked.
Right, got that one off my bosomy chest.
Anyone who is prepared to sleep on the roof because their parents quite rightly wouldn’t let them go to a lame vampire movie in the middle of the night needs their head read anyway..
Staying up all night? Hanging out on the roof?
Maybe your daughter is an actual vampire.
Ah the joys of young teens – just like 2 year-olds, but bigger… and better at emotional blackmail 😉 It used to bug me that businesses and peer groups pressured them to pressure me too. The good news is they apologise for being such brats when they’re older 😉
The Greens work bloody hard to gain credibility with the voting public then some idiot goes and undoes all that work in the space of one night by vandalising National Party billboards. Thanks mate, you probably cost the Greens thousands of votes because of your stupidity. Its like those idiots in the ‘Workers Party’ who think that burning flags and generally being disrespectful at ANZAC Day parades are going to launch a robust debate on NZ’s role in global conflicts and attitude to war and militarism in general.
I know the Greens abhor lynching, but they need to make an exception for this guy.
I would say these people might be inclined to be equally pissed off:
Denise Roche, Holly Walker, Julie Anne Genter and Mojo Mathers.
Or, as they are alternatively known, Green list candidates 11-14. I’m sure it’s entirely co-incidental that a reckless action by a thoughtless guy has damaged the career prospects of 5 women.
While I laughed at the billboards when I first saw them, I’m not laughing about who arranged it. I think Russel and Meteria handled the situation the best they could, and its really not that big a deal in the scheme of things, but yeah I will be incredibly pissed if it has any effect on the magic 10%.
PUNTING NEWS
English, Ryall or Brownlee to lead Opposition?
If, as looks increasingly likely, John “Rick Perry” Key’s dissembling and surly inability to intelligently explain himself leads to his party’s demise in ten days’ time, who will succeed him after the ritual bloodletting?
At Daisycutter Sports Inc. they’re running a book on this. Latest odds are…..
Bill “Double Dipton” English 4/1
Gerry “Two Tons” Brownlee 5/1
Tony “Dull but Dependable” Ryall 7/1
Paula “Puttin’ on the Poundage” Bennett 10/1
Judith “Crusher” Collins 12/1
Simon “The Handsome Halfwit” Bridges 30/1
Hekia “Errrrr, Ummmm, Ahhhh” Parata 33/1
Wayne “Fuckwit” Mapp 100/1
Keys hit and run
How do you like that? National’s campaign bus can drive into a parked car… and they just say that the dent was there already. They then get the Police to break into the parked car to shift it out of the way, even though it wasn’t illegally parked… then they just drive off…
Well, at least the car owner now has a video record to sue the bastards with.
This is worth checking out: Top ten political dummy-spits
Charging a fee to take part in a local political forum, that excludes some candidates, is not supporting good democratic process.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/11/commercial-interests-beat-public.html
For those few still on at this time of the morning (mostly our offshore brethren), the delays on the site are due to optimizing some of the data that runs the site. Both overweight images and the database which is somewhat non-optimal.
It is chewing up more CPU than I anticipated. But of course this is also why I started it at 0100.