Nice to see a media site pointing out the obvious that we have to do things differently. They even point the finger at media commentators, although they don't promise to change.
We won't get change (to long term thinking) unless politicians are rewarded for it. While tax cuts and high house prices are talked about as good things pollies will not stick their necks out.
We have the most coherent, centralising, long-reaching, deep-interventionist government we have had since Muldoon.
Government is not the problem.
The problem is in an exceptionally low-ambition rent-seeking large business community, together with most of our available capital tied up in real estate.
When does calling for something to stop become a way of prolonging it? And how much of a coincidence that this appears after a couple of weeks in which Luxon is revealed as a far right goose? (Note: link is paywalled. Just happen to have picked up the neighbour's paper copy today)
C'mon now its not like there were many alternatives to Foster
There was no Rennie, Joseph and Brown or Robertson option
The brains trust had no other choice because, as we all know, unless you've been in the ABS coaching set up you can't possibly be an international coach
Positive Rugby .Foster was anointed he hadn't had any experience at coaching winning teams or overseas for that matter. Scott Robertson beat a very strong Blues team by not kicking the ball away keeping the ball not allowing the opposing team to score.Foster played right into Ireland's strengths ,who invented the Gary Owen the high ball.Ireland dominated upfront even though they had a lighter pack.Foster has to go now he is out of his depth out of ideas ,Schmit or Robertson .Foster should never have been coach.Had Jacho Pyper been the ref Ireland would have been down to 13 for much of the second half .Saying all this this is a reality check a year out from the World Cup usually in the year running up to the world cup the Allblacks thrash everyone then loose the important ones .
Cheers
Just shifted jobs ,(onwards and upwards hopefully) after 4 1/2 years for some scheming miserable fuckers , thank God for labour laws I'd hate to think how they'd treat people if given free reign.
Career wise it was worth it, it got me to this job, but after all that time they used a change in my situation to screw me out of some income , went full bully ,threatening dismissal due to a brain fart I had, and then doubled the work load and expected me to do it alone for the same money ,
I remember you writing here about a pending job change quite some time back and I’m glad to hear that it has finally happened (i.e. you made it happen, I presume). Good luck with the job and I hope your family is doing better for it; a shit job tends to spill over into the home …
Talking of ‘wisdom’. A revealing interveiw on Q&A this morning with Nanaia Mahuta. I especially recommend her response to the accusations concerning members of her family. Will link when and if it becomes available.
thanks Anne for alerting us to this site about the Nanaia Mahuta interview.
When asked about her family, Mahuta talked about the trolling she had received about this. She looked visibly disressed by this. So I am sorry she has received trolling and been the subject of hurtful things. That is never acceptable.
However Mahuta failed to answer adequately the questions around her family and conflict of interests and unfortunately Jack Tame didn't ask more specific questions and got side track about the trolling.
There are definitely questions about Mahutas family being awarded contracts or public money, that should be questioned very assertively.
Mahuta's husband who has a criminal conviction of assault on a woman has been awarded contracts. I bring this up because someone with a criminal conviction of assault against a female will have a great deal of difficultly getting employment.
I think it would be fair to ask why he/his company was given a contract in suicide prevention (he has no quallifications in this). and waste management?
Her sister has also received appointments and so to have some of her nephews.
Happy to provide links on request with more details.
A close friend of mine is a retired lawyer and familiar with the details on this. His answer is that we are looking at two completely different world views here. In one nepotism is considered a problem – in the other it is a virtue.
The entity I work for has a government business group. It operates under strict ethical rules. If perchance as a member of that group I found myself negotiating with a government official who also happened to be a relative – I would have to immediately withdraw from that discussion. And fully document the circumstances to my manager. Failure to follow these rules to the letter would almost certainly result in my dismissal.
And this would apply even if both of us were highly qualified and experienced in the contract or area concerned.
Which tends to erase a lot of issues that don't apply to the Pākehā demographic majority, but do apply to a colonised, historically marginalised and much smaller indigenous community, especially in roles that pertain directly to specialist cultural knowledge only available in that community.
So all I have to do is declare that only Maori possess the proper cultural knowledge on waste management in an industrial society – and automatically only brown faces need apply for the role. And the rules around proximity can be set aside because all Maori are related.
The NZ public sector procurement requirements and outcomes make it very, very hard not to hire Maori to deliver Maori outcomes. That's particularly the case in Education and Health, but it's all through the system now: water, Tertiary education, media procurement, public health, Justice, secondary education, SSC, Conservation, Transport, and on and on.
I am reading you correctly? Are you saying that if everything gets defined in terms of Maori outcomes – as part of the decolonising mantra – then skills and experience have become secondary to cultural considerations across much of the public sector.
It's a shade more subtle than that, but the effect is that Maori get hired to deliver Maori outcomes. There's even official names for them: for some it's Broader Outcomes, or Pa Harakeke, or Progressive Procurement, or Te Akutai, and on and on.
Even in the big infrastructure bids one needs to specify who is being hired for achieving these Broader Outcomes. It’s so common now as to be ordinary, and seriously you can’t win the bid without them.
This is opposition gold ,Labour is on the backlash of out of control inflation ,a housing crisis,Labour shotrages,a health system under huge strain,food shortages ,5 waters etc.Mahuta needs to go she is the focal point of incompatency.But her going won"t save Labour the economy isn't going to recover by next winter and NZ is traditionally a National voting country .Which will mean austerity and block of cheese tax cuts for the swing voters.
….or… there are 775,836 people in Aotearoa who identify as Māori, most of whom exist within large extended families, of whom only a certain proportion have the capital and resources to rise in the educational and political sphere. Inevitably for appointments where being Māori is an important qualification people are going to be related.
You get exactly the same thing with Pākehā in the provinces but apparently that's not a problem for some reason…
I can accept there is a limited pool of talent to choose from in many cases all across public service in NZ, and that getting the right people into a role can be challenging.
But frankly I don't care how experienced or suitable you are for a role – in my view being an immediate family member is an automatic disqualification.
Well the global corporation I have been associated with most of my working life holds to a higher standard. Hell we will reprimand someone who expenses a $20 meal for their immediate manager by accident.
New Zealand remains within the top two least corrupt countries in the world and has done for over a decade.
Not sure if there's many global corporates who will expose their records in how they win bids to the kind of scrutiny states get, particularly small ones.
I think you'll find on closer examination that your joint isn't as pure as the driven snow that you're making out. Business is business.
On the contrary I know of two instance where people resigned rather than expose themselves to corrupt practice. And those are just the ones I know about. And the corporate will openly walk away from such business if necessary. I can point to one instance in Italy in just the past few months. But not all corruption involves bribes or obvious personal benefit, sometimes it can just be a case of taking a shortcut on paperwork, testing or certifying procedures – even when they seem quite logical or innocent.
Every 12 months everyone must undergo a mandatory ethics training course and must pass the exam which features notoriously tricky and often subtle case examples that are not easy. And you only get three shots at obtaining a 100% score or you're down the road. We have let very senior people go just for this.
And that is just for normal commercial business. The govt business team is another whole world I don't want to even think about.
So if that global company is an oil or oil related company which buy off govts ,ignore human rights, womens rights ,enviromental destruction no problems there.But a $20 meal not ok sounds like hypocritical gaslighting.
I'm not claiming perfection – that would be insane because nothing human ever is or will be. But the idea that big global corps routinely and actively pursue corrupt business practice no longer lines up with reality.
I cannot speak for all of them of course, but the ground has definitely shifted in the past two decades on this.
RL Oh you mean since when Clinton pardoned Marc Rich (for a small payment to the Clinton Foundation) and Rich's partners spun off to form Glencore who pleaded guilty last month to bribery,
Reaching back into the 90's. I am sure you can scour the net for many instances – but what you will not find are any shock horror articles on all the time a corporation did the right thing and it never made the news.
Again I am not claiming perfection – that would be insane. But I am saying that if you has lived and worked within or adjacent to these big corporates most of your working life you would have a more nuanced view. Defining and promoting strong ethical behaviour is a central part of the corporate game that it simply wasn't 20-30 years ago.
For example this sort of entity was simply not a thing 20 years ago.
That may well be an argument for Tipa Mahuta's appointment (though I shouldn't have thought that she was the best qualified candidate for both the Maori Advisory Group for 3 Waters and the Maori Health Authority).
But it's hard to believe that the most qualified candidates for 3 out of the 5 members of the advisory group on waste management were Mahua relatives. Especially as none of them appear to have any significant waste management experience or credentials. If all that is required is a te ao Maori perspective, there are plenty of non-Mahua-whanau candidates which can offer that qualification.
Well, I've done a quick check and can't find any relevant waste management experience for any of them on sites like Linked in which include CV, etc.
No one, not even the journalists supporting Mahuta, have been saying things like 'X's experience in Y, makes them a highly logical candidate for Z group'.
Do you have any evidence that they do have relevant experience in waste management? I'm not questioning Te ao Maori credentials – but plenty of other candidates have those….
Tamaoko Ormsby's waste minimization experience (the only one of the 3 with any listed) seems to be limited to refurbishing laptops for a school during Covid lockdown.
Both he and Waimirirangi are listed as having provided waste minimization training services. [This kind of thing is usually a tick box exercise for government departments and corporates bidding for government contracts… it rarely means much]
The waste management qualifications and experience of the 3 (such as they are) seem heavily duplicated. You could argue that 1 representative from the 'coal face' could be justified – but more than that – especially from a single family seems highly unbalanced.
Compared to the highly relevant qualifications of Jacqui Forbes and Teina Boasa – the other 2 members of the panel – they look pretty inadequate.
The relevant experience in: "waste, circular economy thinking and mātauranga Māori." – are certainly not limited to the Mahuta whanau – and would be fairly widespread across many different iwi.
The Ministry admit that they selectively approached individuals, rather than advertising or approaching a range of iwi.
Again, not questioning the Ormsbys Te ao Maori credentials – but pointing out that these are shared by a wide range of Maori from different whanau and iwi. It is difficult to see what made 3 members of the same family the ideal candidates.
What? I've provided the links, as requested, and the OIA.
And pointed out that the 3 Ormsbys have little waste management experience.
How does that equate to walking back? I am certainly questioning the hiring of the 3 Mahuta whanau members. From the OIA response, it seems that any relevant qualifications they have would be easily found in other Maori candidates.
And, for the Min of the Environment to openly admit approaching specific individuals, rather than seeking the best candidate, is pretty close to corruption in my book.
So your answer seems to be saying, doesn't matter if it's corrupt, or it's probably nepotism – hey, all of the public sector does it. Nothing to see here, move right along.
I wouldn't find that acceptable from a right wing government, and I don't find it acceptable from a left-wing one either.
I've seen plenty of ring-fencing to look at hiring someone with a specific skill set, or a specific experience profile. This is the first time I've seen that skill set effectively being 'whanau of the Minister'.
I am with Bella on this. I accept what you are saying is true, but at the same time I get the sad feeling you have normalised sub-par and shoddy standards because they are indeed so commonplace.
Bill English was indeed a senior Minister for many years – but I do not recall the exact context of these contracts you refer to. Or why you think they were problematic.
Finally, when National was in power in 2012, the Ministry of Education gave a very senior role to Apryll Parata, the sister of the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata. Concern was expressed by the then Labour Education spokesperson, who warned: “There is a perceived conflict of interest. People will draw all sorts of conclusions given the proximity of the appointment.” And that spokesperson was Nanaia Mahuta.
Well that was 10 years ago. Now we are decolonising there will be different rules for different people I should imagine.
If you don't think it's necissary to accommodate indigenous reality in situations directlty relating to indigenous matters, perhaps don't live in a colony with a history of oppression and borderline genocide and clutch your pearls over ethics and objectivity.
What colony? New Zealand has been an independent nation for almost 120 years now. And Maori have been fully legal citizens since 1840 with full male suffrage from around 1870. Before even all white males.
As for genocide – that happened in the Musket Wars before 1840. And it wasn't 'borderline' either.
As for genocide – that happened in the Musket Wars before 1840. And it wasn't 'borderline' either.
Shhhhh, RL, hush your mouth ! … those are the wars that dare not speak their name among polite (if totally clueless) Upper-Middle Pakeha Woke Society ! Spoils the highly paternalistic Noble Savage Romanticism.
Three decades of horrendous massacres, truly brutal genocidal violence, at least 20k dead (vs about 2k in the New Zealand Wars), tens of thousands enslaved, sadistic torture common, cannibalism, massive upheaval, iwi massacred, many others permanently driven from their nga rohe.
Looks increasingly like the affluent, flatulent Che Guevara beret-wearing Professional New Middle Classes – desperate for an aura of radical-chic while ensuring a highly privileged lifestyle for themselves – are intent on throwing fundamental ethics & morals out the window as they build the Brave New (deeply anti-democratic) World of He Puapua.
Narcissistic to the core … yet so utterly bereft of wisdom.
Having skim read He Puapua one of the enduring sentences I remember was the policy will mean transformational constitiutional change. Given this how come Labour didn't campaign on this?
How dare they think they can role out "transformation" to our constitutional arrangements by stealth
Stealth is very much the preferred modus operandi of Critical Theory cult members within the Professional New Middle Class … together with their unprincipled & rather cowardly fellow-travellers … they're nothing if not profoundly anti-democratic. Essentially the same elitist tactics & mindset as the Rogernomes.
Self-interested authoritarians perpetually going through this ludicrous charade of ostentatious moral posturing in a wildly unconvincing attempt to justify their power-grab.
Yes. The parallel with the disastrous Rogernome debacle is a pretty good one.
Lange was the charming, eloquent and acceptable public face of a government that imposed an extremist 'transformational' economic change on this country by stealth. Because so many people believed in Lange, the real power in Cabinet were able to operate with impunity until far too late.
Well this govt is much the same. Sure the PR optics are a lot more skilled, the circumstances are quite different – but essentially I see Ardern as the acceptable and popular face of a govt that is imposing transformational political change on this country by stealth as well. Probable outcome will not be any happier in my view.
And ably assisted by a woeful opposition. As a friend of mine said recently – when you are reduced to considering Seymour as the only sane alternative you know something has gone badly wrong.
I suspect that even without the developing economic situation this issue would see this administration lose the next election despite the attempt at stealth and an acceptable face.
And yet it's blindingly self-evident that there are huge structural, institutional, health, carceral, and economic disparities. No? So what's the basis for that? As for genocide, that applies to culture as well, and the litany of bad Crown legislation and neglect around that extends well into the twentieth century.
The public sector has gone through this for over 20 years with women and tilting the scales of hiring. The state has the right to give effect to the policy it wants through hiring.
I'm not aware that preferential hiring practices – to increase numbers of women and various ethnic minorities – were equivalent to nepotism.
There are plenty of Maori candidates (or women candidates, or Pasifika candidates, etc.) without employing family members.
Of course, there are cases where family members of politicians have nationally (and sometimes internationally) recognized levels of expertise – which make them the best candidate for a particular job – and that is why there is an elaborate Cabinet Manual procedure to deal with that situation.
The question being asked of the Mahuta family is were they unquestionably the best candidate/s for the job/s?
If the family are not the best candidates, then there is undoubtably a fault in the hiring process. We don't know what that fault is. It might be incompetence, it might be political capture, it might be nepotism, – it might be something else.
Populuxe of course it is necessary to accommodate indigenous reality in situations relating to indigeous matters. But the Mahuta family are not the only ones who can provid the "indigenous reality".
Or if you are proposing that our system that serves to see our govt officials are not guilty of corruption, should not be applied to Maori?
No I wasn't Populuxe 1. But as a citizen, I would like to see the information about the process, why Ormsby was chosen over other consultants and I think Mike King would like to know as well.
I think this is reasonable.
Unfortunately what I do know about suicide prevention is there seems to be little if anything we can do (although in the UK when they changed household gas to be less toxic, the suicide rate fell. To do with removing the means and easy access, slows people down).
"Maybe if he didn't go out of his way to antagonize the public service in the media and got his paper work in on time"
Naughty Mike. Not getting his paper work in on time and antagonizing the people in the public service (the people the tax payer pays to deliver outcomes).
Well no wonder mental health is such a shit show if that's what it takes to get public money. Too bad Mike got results and shamed the Ministry of Health by doing so
There is nothing balanced in that article. I have given up on expecting balance from Bryce Edwards. He might have valid points but he obscures them by sprinkling in words like "controversially pushing through Parliament".
Any "platform" run by Sean Plunkett has no claim to balance. Randomly choosing another article about the census brings up words like "inept" which show the author's bias.
I am sorry; whether there is a valid point in the articles becomes irrelevant when the language devolves to propaganda.
I read that the Minister had no decision-making role in those other contracts; all declared and managed via the standard public service conflicts of interest process. Not seen the interview. Did it say otherwise?
And no, I am not going to visit Mr Plunket's lavishly-funded right-wing site to see the reckons of his band of merry rejects from other media.
It is well understood that in cases of conflict of interest – perception is what matters most of all. Mahuta will have no doubt scrupulously followed the rules – but that does not eradicate the core problem here.
Ah yes, but if in fact, Nanaia Mahuta was scrupulously honest and the contracts done by the book, then that "perception" is what needs to be scrutinised: was it manufactured, whipped-up by oppositional factions in a manner other than "under ordinary circumstances" – that is, was the issue "played" (answer, YES) and has the "perception" aspect of conflict of interest issues here been gamed. Again, YES.
For me Robert, the perception is many of her relatives have gained lucrative contracts, especially her husband across a range of policy areas. Has Mr Ormsby managed to get contracts through other ministers? Private enterprize? I don't know but its a bad look and the look is nepotism. Remeber the outcry about Bil English wife, who is a GP, and her group did some work on Bill English pet mental health project. Yes it was right that questions were asked about this.
Mr Ormsby has been awarded a lot of govt money and it is unclear what he brings to the table and why it is superior to other potential contractors.
Barry, I more or less agree about the Platform, although Plunketts interview of Denis O'Reily was a good example of where he allowed O'REily to make his points and he acknowledged his points.
Surely though if there are valid points in the articles, then it can't quite be written off as propoganda
No Incognito, I wasn't challenged by Barry. He didn't say, prove your point that Bryce is balanced or where is your evidence for this. Barry has expressed his view. Fine by me.
I think both you and Sacha have misunderstood whose coincidence it was, probably I was clear enough. I meant it was a coincidence I found what David S said.
I have no doubt Seymour targeted his tweat after Nanaia's inteview. That is the sort of time politicians do. They release info in a targeted way. I am sure it was deliberate
I meant it was a coincidence I found what David S said.
There’s no coincidence as such on the internet and you already said that you’d used Google to find material on the topic. Whenever you go online you leave tracks & prints and Google and SM, for example, use these to their advantage (aka to make more money).
Just to clarify Sacha, I meant it was a coincidence that I found Seymour's tweet.
I only posted on this issue today as Anne put up a comment about how Nanaia was on Q and A and was impressive when Jack T brought up about her family.
I was interested and watched the interview. Like I commented earlier, I am very sorry she ha s been on the end of some nasty trolling. But I was wanting to hear more and have Nanaia asked more about the fact that so many of her family members including her husband have been awarded Govt contracts or positions. Jack didn't actually asks questions about this but focussed on the trolling.
So I commented here on what I was aware of about Mahuta and her family contracts. I googled to find links to her husband being awarded some sort of contract for suicide prevention. To my knowledge he has no background in mental health and suicide prevention. I came across David S tweat which was today. I suspect Seymour released this information today after the Mahuta interview. That is what a politician would do.
I was referring to the coindence that I came across this material today. I don't follow David S
You and me do not have the information to answer those questions, do we. As with most public procurement exercises. Need a higher standard than some agitation by righties to justify further discussion.
Sacha, you get the prize for the most new age attempt to shut anyone down.
So I need to not want to know stuff about Mahutas husband and the mental health contract, cause it want give me satisfaction in life? Is that what you are saying.
I am allowed to want to have information about what public money has been spent on. Whether it may or may not give me life satisfaction is entirely irrelevant.
Jack started that part of the interview, by saying "your family".
Anne started this thread off today by recomending Q and A "talking of wisdom a revealing interview on Q and A this morning with Nanaia . I especially recommned her response to the accusations concerning members of her fmaily"
So as I had read about Nanaia's relatives getting contracts, I watched the programme in order to listen to her side of the story. But actually she didn't respond about the accusations of nepotism (except for a stock politicians sentence). She talked about the trolling.
I think it is important our politicians are grilled aobut any perceived conflicts of interests. Like many on this site, I screamed and complained over the Judith Collins and Orivida affair. I can's see why people wouldn't want to know more about what has happened that so many of Mahutas relatives have ended up with govt contracts.
I've deleted your quote that has no links. Honestly beyond me why I have to keep explaining this.
If you copy and paste, you *have to link as well. This is fundamental to robust debate. Linking means people can see the quote in context (almost always improves understanding), can check for mistakes or skewing in arguments, and in the case of something like twitter, often replies or quote tweets will answer questions that arise here.
Thanks Weka. And when I thought about it, I think I didn't want to be posting a link that belonged to David Seymour, that was my motivation. But no excuse and completely my bad
Mahuta says she followed and kept to Cabinet protocols throughout. I believe her. It follows then, that she can't be justifiably be punished, only unjustly punished, which in my opinion, is what is happening here.
Jack started that part of the interview, by saying "your family".
Anne started this thread off today by recomending Q and A "talking of wisdom a revealing interview on Q and A this morning with Nanaia . I especially recommned her response to the accusations concerning members of her fmaily"
So as I had read about Nanaia's relatives getting contracts, I watched the programme in order to listen to her side of the story. But actually she didn't respond about the accusations of nepotism (except for a stock politicians sentence). She talked about the trolling.
I think it is important our politicians are grilled aobut any perceived conflicts of interests. Like many on this site, I screamed and complained over the Judith Collins and Orivida affair. I can see why people wouldn't want to know more about what has happened that so many of Mahutas relatives have ended up with govt contracts.
This is not the first media story about the matter in the last week or two. Q&A is pitched at politics-followers, so they would expect their audience to already know at least some of the details.
How is Mahuta being punished? Do you mean by the trolls. Well of course that shouldn't be happening.
But it isn't punishing someone for the media to ask probing questions about this, nor for Seymour to release info that she didn't follow cabinet procedures to manage the conflict over her niece and He Puapua (if he is correct.)
… nor for Seymour to release info that she didn't follow cabinet procedures to manage the conflict over her niece and He Puapua (if he is correct.)
Do you believe Seymour or Mahuta?
Given Seymour’s history lying about misrepresenting facts, I suggest it is Mahuta who is telling the truth. She has so much more to lose by lying. Every procedure was correctly followed to the letter of the law – and I suspect some more.
Don’t know who I believe more Anne. Ideally I would want some journalist to investigate Seymour’s statement and find out whether he can substantiate it. If it’s not true Mahuta can always send him a lawyers letter.
Tbh I am suspious as to why so many of NM relatives have been given jobs or offered contracts in Ministries where she is the Minister.
I am particularly bother by the suicide prevention money her husband got. He has no background in mental health and there is limited evidence about what strategies reduce suicide. Even the recent research showing roughly a quarter of people who die by suicide have excessive blood alcohol levels. The alcohol will of course will lead to greater impulsively, but other than clinicians advising depressed people not to drink, there is an obvious intervention from this information.
The Mahuta family is a large family you know. They are at the top of the Maori chain so it isn't surprising there are several of them who have held down or are holding down government appointed positions. Brains, together with other skills, tend to be handed down through the family line.
The subject under discussion has nothing to do with suicide prevention but if you are going to tag it on, then you need to provide a link so we know what you're talking about. Chances are her husband is the 'chief cook and bottle-washer' who sought the finance for a suicide prevention programme among Maori, but the treatment will be carried out by Maori professionals in that field. That's just a guess of course.
So you mean if we disagree with your position we are practising hypocrisy.
So your queries sneers and position is "Perception is everything"
That is not the case in law and in the handbook, but that won't stop your slurs
Nanaia Mahuta has integrity and has dealt with some very difficult political and personal situations with dignity and grace. Two qualities totally lacking in some of the men trying to sway perceptions of her, and those trolling her.
Mike King asks the questions about why Mahutas husband was funded for suicide prevention. If I was Mike I would want to know to. He has worked his guts out to provide a service with little govt support.
I do think Nanaia comes across with grace and she may well have done a fantastic job. But that doesn't mean she shouldn't be open to scrutiny. Does it?
This story about Mahutas hamily appointments has been shut down in the msm, other than a brief flurry by the Herald. Cause to be honest, imo this is not a nothing to see here situation.
We are talking about multiply family members being given contracts and appointments, including her husband. Who as Mike King points out was given money for suicide prevention when he has no quals in mental health. What did Ormsby do with this money? What was achieved?
Your link tells us nothing about the background to the grant awarded to a company belonging to Nanaia's husband. I note it is for the princely sum of $28,000.
You seem to have a lot of enthusiasm for the MSM dirt diggers to keep digging for more dirt (and) to keep the story alive. AFAIK, nothing new has come to light yet and you’ll just have to wait till OIA requests come in and get drip-fed on SM and/or until the internal enquiry at the Ministry has been completed.
It is a handy smear for the racist thread of the big organised campaign against 3 Waters. No doubt the righties will keep stirring it up, plus whatever useful idiots help them out.
Yes, but it is now used as a dirty indiscriminate weapon against just about anything with the M-word in it, not to mention Co-Governance. This is not limited to coming from the Right only, as plenty of comments on this site can attest. Many pretend-Lefties pay only lip-service to empowerment of the segments of our society that continue to fall behind in many ways according to many metrics & indices. The lazy labels and low pot shots come hard and fast from both directions. Any debate and genuine engagement are on the back-foot from the outset because of the polarising language and narratives around. No one seems to be capable and/or willing to have a serious conversation about a long-term vision for Aotearoa-New Zealand, and this vacuum is fertile soil for radicalising elements and their agendas when the going gets tough, as is happening at present. Watch out for more DP and Trumpian-style politics here over the next year and a bit.
To be fair, we have a big vacuum in progressive vision and I do not expect most people to know the context before they enter the low-barrier public discourse. Broad church, etc.
This country has only just started grappling with our colonial past recently.
Thank you. Same point we have already discussed. Mike King expects expertise in suicide prevention, but..
A spokesperson for the Department of Māori Development said that expertise in suicide prevention was not required of those receiving money from the fund.
I am interested in the truth Incognito, not defending any politician whether or not they do a good interview, whether they are Labour, National or whatever party.
This website was in uproar (rightly so ) about Collins and Orivida.
Mahuta has numerous relatives getting contracts/positions where she is involved. Her husband, her sister, two nephews and a niece.
I believe that most people would say that they’re interested in the truth, so that’s neither here nor there.
I see this as a relatively minor issue and I expect we’ll get some answers in future. If it were as big some like to make it out to be then I think it likely that Mahuta would have lost her portfolios for breaching the rules, possibly just temporary as a symbolic gesture more than anything.
Labour cannot afford this lingering and hanging over them for too long, because it has a disproportionally large negative impact on a whole load of things that they want to achieve before the General Election. They would therefore want to neutralise this as soon and as much as they can, which again brings be back to Mahuta who’s still standing and going strong and getting the full support of the Labour Party.
In short, people see what they want to see and making up things to fill in the gaps (aka lack of info and answers). This is not seeking the truth but confirmation bias, pure and simple. The MSM know that without new info they cannot keep running these stories on confirmation bias of some of their readership alone.
You talk about being interested in the truth Anker yet you have already passed judgement on Nanaia Mahuta and members of her family with no actual evidence to back up the claims. As far as I can tell it is all hearsay and innuendo with most of it coming from right wing politicians such as Seymour and Brown. It is then being picked up by tabloid journos who exaggerate and embroider them for political and click-baiting purposes.
I've already told you that it is not surprising there are various members of the Mahuta family who have received contracts of one sort or another. They are a bright and talented family. How about checking how many other Maori dynasties of note have also been the recipient of contract arrangements down the years with the Crown.
"no one seems capable of and/or willing to have a serious conversation about a long term vision for Aotearoa"
I think that is what Seymour is proposing that we have a debate about cogovernance and a way forward.
RE the link from Anne . Hav e you watched it? Jack asks one question about the nepotism and Mahuta gives a cliched answer like "all procedures were followed" and that's it.
As I said earlier, I watch Q and A not out of some enthusiam to "dig dirt" but I geniunely wanted to hear what was said. The interviewer gave Nanaia a free pass on the rumours of nepotism. She could have clarifed further, but she didn't. So in my mind there are unasnwered questions.
I honestly hadn't given a lot of thought to the nepotism rumours, although they looked very suspious to me. I read what Mike King said and I thought no wonder he is pissed. He got a whole service for mental health up and running with sfa from the govt and he's letting us know about a contract Mr Ormsy got for suicide preventation and he is asking a lot of questions.
You think what Seymour is proposing is not what he and ACT are about, so why don’t you check first before you make assumptions and jump to conclusions. Hint: ACT has already rejected Co-Governance and wants a Referendum to put it to rest for at least a number of years.
My guess is you’d vote against a whole raft of policies because of your ‘suspicions’, which coincidentally align very nicely with ACT.
As to the answer Mahuta gave, which is the same as the PM and Government have given, is correct & true. It has to be because Mahuta would have received at least a Yellow Card otherwise.
You can keep looking for smoke as much as you like but it won’t start a fire nor will it fire a gun.
Nanaia Mahuta has integrity and has dealt with some very difficult political and personal situations with dignity and grace.
So true. Has anyone witnessed an instance where Nanaia has not responded with dignity? Never. She's light years ahead of her detractors.
As for the psychological abuse and the trolling… only those who have been on the receiving end can fully comprehend the huge amount of damage caused, not only to the target but often to their families and others around them. It can send the victim into a spiral of terror… afraid to leave their homes for fear of what might happen to them. The threats can be both overt and covert.
These types of people – who often also physically stalk their prey – have in the past been given a free pass with little to no consequences. It is time for such offences to be given a much higher level of priority, and the punishments increased to fit the level of abuse committed.
Incognito i think it is abundantly clear where Seymour and Act stand on co governance. But what they are saying is lets have the debate and a referendum. Unlike Labour who never mentioned He Puapua or campaigned on it in the last election.
I am now quite suspious of Labour (I am a party member by the way), because of how they have done so much by stealth. The gender self ID bill, three waters (never campaigned on it or looked at other options) the Rotorua Bill which Tamati Coffey championed (which David Parker quashed because he said it went against the Bill of Rights) and the He Puapua document (which talks about transforming our constitutional arrangemnts. That flew below the radar before the last election.
I think it is reasonable to by suspious of Mahuta given so many family appointments when she was a Minister. Two contracts to her husband in fields he has no qualifications for.
In 2016, an exhausted John Key told wife Bronagh: “I’m certain it’s my last year”. She said she would back him “100 per cent'' if he went for a fourth term. “But if you do go please tell me you won’t go back.” This exclusive extract from the book Blue Blood by senior Stuff journalist Andrea Vance reveals how that conversation set in train events that would lead to Key’s shock resignation, and plunge the party into a bloody leadership crisis.
Just goes to show the business background of long corporate lunch breaks and golf course deals is no prerequisite for a career in politics.
"I've gambled on the money trading markets" and "I ran an airline" means shit when you're expected to actually do some work for the first time in your pampered little life.
Jordan Peterson is an Narcisist a Misogynist a fossil who is a regular know it all that don't impress me at all , no science behind his theories just anecdotes.A man who is trying to take us back to the 1950's when it was a mans world and Men had all the answers .Very popular in the far right with his simplistic remedies.
Like, you wouldn't be so fucking thick as to have read this obviously absurd line on twitter and assumed it was real, would you? Gee I wonder what other bullshit you swallow regularly from the same sources.
The funny thing about Peterson is that no-one EVER criticises anything he's actually said.
Leave the Intersectionals alone … they may be inadvertently regurgitating embarrassingly weak satire … but it's their truth … which is just as valid as ours. Putting aside the fact that “truth” itself is a yucky patriarchal settler-colonist construct designed to oppress pregnant men of colour.
As so often, despite displaying the trademark pomposity & self-satisfaction of the former Public Address cadre, you've managed to get things totally arse about face. Falling for any old invective against one of irrational Wokedom's key hate-figures (in this case, a patently obvious – if banal – parody) is very much the tin foil hat territory here, sweetness.
Now if you could answer this with an erudite little bon mot, I’m sure those of equal pretention will find themselves utterly enchanted.
The problems referenced apply to NZ as well, and explain why most of the infrastructure devleopment we are putting in to fix the housing crisis is unsustainable.
Political antagonism and shortfalls of deep thinking and analysis by parliamentary select committees do not lead to robust decisions. Outside Parliament, political commentators in the newspapers “are just so overtly political and partisan, it's not helpful”.
“These are complex multidimensional issues, which require more than shallow, political or partisan argument. And that's what we're not good at,” he [Peter Gluckman] says.
Gluckman was to scared to mention this when he was John Keys lackey but better late than never! Did Key do anything longterm yes he cut health funding police funding education funding all had longterm consequences. Nothing will change politics is a popularity contest every 3 years so no longterm solutions will happen, balance books buy votes, balance the books buy votes and on it goes.
Your comment is laughable and pathetic at the same time. Say what you like about Gluckman but he’s never been anybody’s lackey. You can join the other group of commenters here who like to shoot the messenger instead of adding something constructive and of real substance to the commentary here.
I'm sure they can all see the writing on the wall – petrol prices are not coming down, and the hit when the subsidy ran out would be painful to the voting population.
I expect to see it extended again in January (unless I'm wrong and petrol prices are indeed dropping) – until after the election.
Oh yes. She's too good for many Kiwis. That's why she is continuously being undermined – including by some regulars here. Tall poppy syndrome in full flight!
Better be careful. They'll be coming for you next. Mind you I think you can handle it with good humour n'all.
There must be some incriminating shit in those texts.
The Secret Service’s account about how text messages from the day before and the day of the Capitol attack were erased has shifted several times, the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security told the House January 6 select committee at a briefing on Friday.
At one point, the explanation from the Secret Service for the lost texts was because of software upgrades, the inspector general told the panel, while at another point, the explanation was because of device replacements.
The inspector general also said that though the secret service opted to have his office do a review of the agency’s response to the Capitol attack in lieu of conducting after-action reports, it then stonewalled the review by slow-walking production of materials.
[…]
In the letter, the inspector general said that certain Secret Service texts from 5 January and 6 January 2021 were erased amid a “device replacement program” even after he had requested the messages for his internal inquiry.
The Secret Service has disputed that, saying in a statement that data on some phones were lost as part of a pre-planned “system migration” in January 2021, and that Cuffari’s initial request for communications came weeks later in late February 2021.
But the select committee questioned the Secret Service’s emphasis on that date, the participants said, and noted in the subpoena letter that the request for electronic communications in fact first came from Congress, ten days after the Capitol attack.
The congressional request from 16 January 2021 addressed to multiple executive branch agencies – including the Homeland Security Department, which oversees the Secret Service – was for all materials referring or relating to the riot.
At a minimum, if you have been found to have destroyed evidence, the judge may draw or the jury may be told it can draw an inference that the materials you destroyed were harmful to your case.
In plain English, destroyed evidence can be held against people in certain circumstances.
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
Citizen Science writes – Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
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“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
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The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300637193/new-zealand-can-we-fix-it-not-unless-politicians-grow-up
Nice to see a media site pointing out the obvious that we have to do things differently. They even point the finger at media commentators, although they don't promise to change.
We won't get change (to long term thinking) unless politicians are rewarded for it. While tax cuts and high house prices are talked about as good things pollies will not stick their necks out.
We have the most coherent, centralising, long-reaching, deep-interventionist government we have had since Muldoon.
Government is not the problem.
The problem is in an exceptionally low-ambition rent-seeking large business community, together with most of our available capital tied up in real estate.
When does calling for something to stop become a way of prolonging it? And how much of a coincidence that this appears after a couple of weeks in which Luxon is revealed as a far right goose? (Note: link is paywalled. Just happen to have picked up the neighbour's paper copy today)
Fizzer Foster flops…again..high jump.
Just keeps creating records this guy…first series loss at home for 27 years!
C'mon now its not like there were many alternatives to Foster
There was no Rennie, Joseph and Brown or Robertson option
The brains trust had no other choice because, as we all know, unless you've been in the ABS coaching set up you can't possibly be an international coach
This may or may not be sarcasm
Positive Rugby .Foster was anointed he hadn't had any experience at coaching winning teams or overseas for that matter. Scott Robertson beat a very strong Blues team by not kicking the ball away keeping the ball not allowing the opposing team to score.Foster played right into Ireland's strengths ,who invented the Gary Owen the high ball.Ireland dominated upfront even though they had a lighter pack.Foster has to go now he is out of his depth out of ideas ,Schmit or Robertson .Foster should never have been coach.Had Jacho Pyper been the ref Ireland would have been down to 13 for much of the second half .Saying all this this is a reality check a year out from the World Cup usually in the year running up to the world cup the Allblacks thrash everyone then loose the important ones .
Testing 123
nice to see you back.
Cheers
I hope life has been treating you well.
Cheers
Just shifted jobs ,(onwards and upwards hopefully) after 4 1/2 years for some scheming miserable fuckers , thank God for labour laws I'd hate to think how they'd treat people if given free reign.
That sounds like no fun at all. Hope things get back on track for you.
Giving people a little power quickly reveals their true character.
Career wise it was worth it, it got me to this job, but after all that time they used a change in my situation to screw me out of some income , went full bully ,threatening dismissal due to a brain fart I had, and then doubled the work load and expected me to do it alone for the same money ,
And Rich people wonder why us workers hate them .
Rich people often obtain to more power than their character deserves, but they are not alone in this. The resentful poor can be just as ugly.
Good work getting out.
I remember you writing here about a pending job change quite some time back and I’m glad to hear that it has finally happened (i.e. you made it happen, I presume). Good luck with the job and I hope your family is doing better for it; a shit job tends to spill over into the home …
Missed your little pearls of wisdom bwaghorn.
Talking of ‘wisdom’. A revealing interveiw on Q&A this morning with Nanaia Mahuta. I especially recommend her response to the accusations concerning members of her family. Will link when and if it becomes available.
Who me ,wise ??? If only you knew, 😅😅😅
Would you prefer your witty one liners? 🙂
Hope you won through bwaghorn. Cheers. Some firms are @#&$$!!
thanks Anne for alerting us to this site about the Nanaia Mahuta interview.
When asked about her family, Mahuta talked about the trolling she had received about this. She looked visibly disressed by this. So I am sorry she has received trolling and been the subject of hurtful things. That is never acceptable.
However Mahuta failed to answer adequately the questions around her family and conflict of interests and unfortunately Jack Tame didn't ask more specific questions and got side track about the trolling.
There are definitely questions about Mahutas family being awarded contracts or public money, that should be questioned very assertively.
Mahuta's husband who has a criminal conviction of assault on a woman has been awarded contracts. I bring this up because someone with a criminal conviction of assault against a female will have a great deal of difficultly getting employment.
I think it would be fair to ask why he/his company was given a contract in suicide prevention (he has no quallifications in this). and waste management?
Her sister has also received appointments and so to have some of her nephews.
Happy to provide links on request with more details.
A close friend of mine is a retired lawyer and familiar with the details on this. His answer is that we are looking at two completely different world views here. In one nepotism is considered a problem – in the other it is a virtue.
Hence Mahuta's distress at being called on it.
If her family members are the best qualified for the roles/contracts then so be it
If they're not or if there's people equally qualified then of course people will be looking sideways at what's happening
The entity I work for has a government business group. It operates under strict ethical rules. If perchance as a member of that group I found myself negotiating with a government official who also happened to be a relative – I would have to immediately withdraw from that discussion. And fully document the circumstances to my manager. Failure to follow these rules to the letter would almost certainly result in my dismissal.
And this would apply even if both of us were highly qualified and experienced in the contract or area concerned.
Which tends to erase a lot of issues that don't apply to the Pākehā demographic majority, but do apply to a colonised, historically marginalised and much smaller indigenous community, especially in roles that pertain directly to specialist cultural knowledge only available in that community.
So all I have to do is declare that only Maori possess the proper cultural knowledge on waste management in an industrial society – and automatically only brown faces need apply for the role. And the rules around proximity can be set aside because all Maori are related.
It's a cute trick really.
The NZ public sector procurement requirements and outcomes make it very, very hard not to hire Maori to deliver Maori outcomes. That's particularly the case in Education and Health, but it's all through the system now: water, Tertiary education, media procurement, public health, Justice, secondary education, SSC, Conservation, Transport, and on and on.
I am reading you correctly? Are you saying that if everything gets defined in terms of Maori outcomes – as part of the decolonising mantra – then skills and experience have become secondary to cultural considerations across much of the public sector.
It's a shade more subtle than that, but the effect is that Maori get hired to deliver Maori outcomes. There's even official names for them: for some it's Broader Outcomes, or Pa Harakeke, or Progressive Procurement, or Te Akutai, and on and on.
Even in the big infrastructure bids one needs to specify who is being hired for achieving these Broader Outcomes. It’s so common now as to be ordinary, and seriously you can’t win the bid without them.
This approach should be the one used with government money.
Lordie great in principle but what can I say except 'Welcome to Wellington'.
The consultant contracts that people got – and get – by being mates you used to work with, are just part of beltway life especially since 2017.
You could swim the Terrace in jam.
This is opposition gold ,Labour is on the backlash of out of control inflation ,a housing crisis,Labour shotrages,a health system under huge strain,food shortages ,5 waters etc.Mahuta needs to go she is the focal point of incompatency.But her going won"t save Labour the economy isn't going to recover by next winter and NZ is traditionally a National voting country .Which will mean austerity and block of cheese tax cuts for the swing voters.
There is zero chance the Maori caucus will allow Mahuta to go anywhere. Even less than zero if Labour ever wanted to get in with Te Maori Party.
Labour has lower-hanging fruit to take out than that.
….or… there are 775,836 people in Aotearoa who identify as Māori, most of whom exist within large extended families, of whom only a certain proportion have the capital and resources to rise in the educational and political sphere. Inevitably for appointments where being Māori is an important qualification people are going to be related.
You get exactly the same thing with Pākehā in the provinces but apparently that's not a problem for some reason…
I can accept there is a limited pool of talent to choose from in many cases all across public service in NZ, and that getting the right people into a role can be challenging.
But frankly I don't care how experienced or suitable you are for a role – in my view being an immediate family member is an automatic disqualification.
It's really not. It's just a thing you declare.
Pretty hard to do business in this country otherwise.
Well the global corporation I have been associated with most of my working life holds to a higher standard. Hell we will reprimand someone who expenses a $20 meal for their immediate manager by accident.
Yes that's a key difference between a global corporation and a small state.
Certainly doesn't make the global corporate more virtuous.
And you will find that global corporate doesn't get hired by small states unless it figures that out. Many of them do.
OK so next time someone here talks about predatory and corrupt global capitalism I can safely ignore then.
New Zealand remains within the top two least corrupt countries in the world and has done for over a decade.
Not sure if there's many global corporates who will expose their records in how they win bids to the kind of scrutiny states get, particularly small ones.
I think you'll find on closer examination that your joint isn't as pure as the driven snow that you're making out. Business is business.
On the contrary I know of two instance where people resigned rather than expose themselves to corrupt practice. And those are just the ones I know about. And the corporate will openly walk away from such business if necessary. I can point to one instance in Italy in just the past few months. But not all corruption involves bribes or obvious personal benefit, sometimes it can just be a case of taking a shortcut on paperwork, testing or certifying procedures – even when they seem quite logical or innocent.
Every 12 months everyone must undergo a mandatory ethics training course and must pass the exam which features notoriously tricky and often subtle case examples that are not easy. And you only get three shots at obtaining a 100% score or you're down the road. We have let very senior people go just for this.
And that is just for normal commercial business. The govt business team is another whole world I don't want to even think about.
Government business teams are born with snorkels.
So if that global company is an oil or oil related company which buy off govts ,ignore human rights, womens rights ,enviromental destruction no problems there.But a $20 meal not ok sounds like hypocritical gaslighting.
You need to update; this isn't the 80's anymore.
I'm not claiming perfection – that would be insane because nothing human ever is or will be. But the idea that big global corps routinely and actively pursue corrupt business practice no longer lines up with reality.
I cannot speak for all of them of course, but the ground has definitely shifted in the past two decades on this.
RL Oh you mean since when Clinton pardoned Marc Rich (for a small payment to the Clinton Foundation) and Rich's partners spun off to form Glencore who pleaded guilty last month to bribery,
https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/status/1529221948198162432?cxt=HHwWgMCo0c_Q8bgqAAAA
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jun/21/glencore-african-oil-operations
Reaching back into the 90's. I am sure you can scour the net for many instances – but what you will not find are any shock horror articles on all the time a corporation did the right thing and it never made the news.
Again I am not claiming perfection – that would be insane. But I am saying that if you has lived and worked within or adjacent to these big corporates most of your working life you would have a more nuanced view. Defining and promoting strong ethical behaviour is a central part of the corporate game that it simply wasn't 20-30 years ago.
For example this sort of entity was simply not a thing 20 years ago.
https://ethisphere.com/
That may well be an argument for Tipa Mahuta's appointment (though I shouldn't have thought that she was the best qualified candidate for both the Maori Advisory Group for 3 Waters and the Maori Health Authority).
But it's hard to believe that the most qualified candidates for 3 out of the 5 members of the advisory group on waste management were Mahua relatives. Especially as none of them appear to have any significant waste management experience or credentials. If all that is required is a te ao Maori perspective, there are plenty of non-Mahua-whanau candidates which can offer that qualification.
It is hard to believe. So is your claim true?
Well, I've done a quick check and can't find any relevant waste management experience for any of them on sites like Linked in which include CV, etc.
No one, not even the journalists supporting Mahuta, have been saying things like 'X's experience in Y, makes them a highly logical candidate for Z group'.
Do you have any evidence that they do have relevant experience in waste management? I'm not questioning Te ao Maori credentials – but plenty of other candidates have those….
Well you haven't provided any links for your claims, so can you at least show what are the hiring criteria you're evaluating from?
I don't know that I can link from Linked in – but I'll try….
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gannin-ormsby-9571a0171/?originalSubdomain=nz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/waiormsby/?originalSubdomain=nz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamokoormsby/?originalSubdomain=nz
Here's the OIA response on the establishment of the group
https://environment.govt.nz/assets/OIA/Files/OIAD-277-Response.pdf
Tamaoko Ormsby's waste minimization experience (the only one of the 3 with any listed) seems to be limited to refurbishing laptops for a school during Covid lockdown.
Both he and Waimirirangi are listed as having provided waste minimization training services. [This kind of thing is usually a tick box exercise for government departments and corporates bidding for government contracts… it rarely means much]
The waste management qualifications and experience of the 3 (such as they are) seem heavily duplicated. You could argue that 1 representative from the 'coal face' could be justified – but more than that – especially from a single family seems highly unbalanced.
Compared to the highly relevant qualifications of Jacqui Forbes and Teina Boasa – the other 2 members of the panel – they look pretty inadequate.
The relevant experience in: "waste, circular economy thinking and mātauranga Māori." – are certainly not limited to the Mahuta whanau – and would be fairly widespread across many different iwi.
The Ministry admit that they selectively approached individuals, rather than advertising or approaching a range of iwi.
Again, not questioning the Ormsbys Te ao Maori credentials – but pointing out that these are shared by a wide range of Maori from different whanau and iwi. It is difficult to see what made 3 members of the same family the ideal candidates.
So you've stated that you're not questioning the hiring of the person itself.
Well great walkback there.
This is what a slur looks like.
Hey top work.
What? I've provided the links, as requested, and the OIA.
And pointed out that the 3 Ormsbys have little waste management experience.
How does that equate to walking back? I am certainly questioning the hiring of the 3 Mahuta whanau members. From the OIA response, it seems that any relevant qualifications they have would be easily found in other Maori candidates.
And, for the Min of the Environment to openly admit approaching specific individuals, rather than seeking the best candidate, is pretty close to corruption in my book.
Plenty of hires are ringfenced in the public service.
And in the private sector as well.
In fact in NZ it's one of the most common ways to hire.
Just says you don't understand how the public sector hire.
So your answer seems to be saying, doesn't matter if it's corrupt, or it's probably nepotism – hey, all of the public sector does it. Nothing to see here, move right along.
I wouldn't find that acceptable from a right wing government, and I don't find it acceptable from a left-wing one either.
I've seen plenty of ring-fencing to look at hiring someone with a specific skill set, or a specific experience profile. This is the first time I've seen that skill set effectively being 'whanau of the Minister'.
No I am saying that it is common hiring policy throughout the public service, and you have been taken in by raw political spin.
It is also quite common for key hires to have direct political lineage. There are whole vetting committees in DPMC and Cabinet for them.
I am with Bella on this. I accept what you are saying is true, but at the same time I get the sad feeling you have normalised sub-par and shoddy standards because they are indeed so commonplace.
"No I am saying that it is common hiring policy throughout the public service, and you have been taken in by raw political spin.
It is also quite common for key hires to have direct political lineage. There are whole vetting committees in DPMC and Cabinet for them."
Top comment, that, Ad.
Not sure how your friend's theory applies to, say, the health contracts appointed to Dr Mary English, for example.
Bill English was indeed a senior Minister for many years – but I do not recall the exact context of these contracts you refer to. Or why you think they were problematic.
https://theplatform.kiwi/opinions/government-appointments-under-scrutiny
This is quite a balanced take on the issue of Mahuta and family conflict of interests.
https://theplatform.kiwi/opinions/three-of-minister-s-family-members-paid-usd90k-for-role-in-expert-ropu
And more about the contracts Mahutas family have been awarded
Well that was 10 years ago. Now we are decolonising there will be different rules for different people I should imagine.
If you don't think it's necissary to accommodate indigenous reality in situations directlty relating to indigenous matters, perhaps don't live in a colony with a history of oppression and borderline genocide and clutch your pearls over ethics and objectivity.
What colony? New Zealand has been an independent nation for almost 120 years now. And Maori have been fully legal citizens since 1840 with full male suffrage from around 1870. Before even all white males.
As for genocide – that happened in the Musket Wars before 1840. And it wasn't 'borderline' either.
Shhhhh, RL, hush your mouth ! … those are the wars that dare not speak their name among polite (if totally clueless) Upper-Middle Pakeha Woke Society ! Spoils the highly paternalistic Noble Savage Romanticism.
Three decades of horrendous massacres, truly brutal genocidal violence, at least 20k dead (vs about 2k in the New Zealand Wars), tens of thousands enslaved, sadistic torture common, cannibalism, massive upheaval, iwi massacred, many others permanently driven from their nga rohe.
Looks increasingly like the affluent, flatulent Che Guevara beret-wearing Professional New Middle Classes – desperate for an aura of radical-chic while ensuring a highly privileged lifestyle for themselves – are intent on throwing fundamental ethics & morals out the window as they build the Brave New (deeply anti-democratic) World of He Puapua.
Narcissistic to the core … yet so utterly bereft of wisdom.
Agree Swordfish.
Having skim read He Puapua one of the enduring sentences I remember was the policy will mean transformational constitiutional change. Given this how come Labour didn't campaign on this?
How dare they think they can role out "transformation" to our constitutional arrangements by stealth
.
Stealth is very much the preferred modus operandi of Critical Theory cult members within the Professional New Middle Class … together with their unprincipled & rather cowardly fellow-travellers … they're nothing if not profoundly anti-democratic. Essentially the same elitist tactics & mindset as the Rogernomes.
Self-interested authoritarians perpetually going through this ludicrous charade of ostentatious moral posturing in a wildly unconvincing attempt to justify their power-grab.
Yes. The parallel with the disastrous Rogernome debacle is a pretty good one.
Lange was the charming, eloquent and acceptable public face of a government that imposed an extremist 'transformational' economic change on this country by stealth. Because so many people believed in Lange, the real power in Cabinet were able to operate with impunity until far too late.
Well this govt is much the same. Sure the PR optics are a lot more skilled, the circumstances are quite different – but essentially I see Ardern as the acceptable and popular face of a govt that is imposing transformational political change on this country by stealth as well. Probable outcome will not be any happier in my view.
And ably assisted by a woeful opposition. As a friend of mine said recently – when you are reduced to considering Seymour as the only sane alternative you know something has gone badly wrong.
Probably because they were worried about bigots getting upset over any challenge to the status quo.
I suspect that even without the developing economic situation this issue would see this administration lose the next election despite the attempt at stealth and an acceptable face.
And yet it's blindingly self-evident that there are huge structural, institutional, health, carceral, and economic disparities. No? So what's the basis for that? As for genocide, that applies to culture as well, and the litany of bad Crown legislation and neglect around that extends well into the twentieth century.
Relax.
The public sector has gone through this for over 20 years with women and tilting the scales of hiring. The state has the right to give effect to the policy it wants through hiring.
So that's what it does.
I'm not aware that preferential hiring practices – to increase numbers of women and various ethnic minorities – were equivalent to nepotism.
There are plenty of Maori candidates (or women candidates, or Pasifika candidates, etc.) without employing family members.
Of course, there are cases where family members of politicians have nationally (and sometimes internationally) recognized levels of expertise – which make them the best candidate for a particular job – and that is why there is an elaborate Cabinet Manual procedure to deal with that situation.
The question being asked of the Mahuta family is were they unquestionably the best candidate/s for the job/s?
No, the question is whether there is a fault in the hiring process in this particular contract.
Unless there is a particularly good smoking gun fault to be shown, the rest is pure politics.
If the family are not the best candidates, then there is undoubtably a fault in the hiring process. We don't know what that fault is. It might be incompetence, it might be political capture, it might be nepotism, – it might be something else.
You don't know what the fault is, still?
But there's a series of mights? That's it?
Take a minute on how you sound and look.
Exactly Belladonna.
yes and no Ad. This is about nepotism. Not positive discrimination
Populuxe of course it is necessary to accommodate indigenous reality in situations relating to indigeous matters. But the Mahuta family are not the only ones who can provid the "indigenous reality".
Or if you are proposing that our system that serves to see our govt officials are not guilty of corruption, should not be applied to Maori?
How would you know? Were you involved with recruitment and assessed all the available options?
No I wasn't Populuxe 1. But as a citizen, I would like to see the information about the process, why Ormsby was chosen over other consultants and I think Mike King would like to know as well.
I think this is reasonable.
Unfortunately what I do know about suicide prevention is there seems to be little if anything we can do (although in the UK when they changed household gas to be less toxic, the suicide rate fell. To do with removing the means and easy access, slows people down).
Maybe he didn't go out of his way to antagonise the public service in the media and got his paperwork in on time?
"Maybe if he didn't go out of his way to antagonize the public service in the media and got his paper work in on time"
Naughty Mike. Not getting his paper work in on time and antagonizing the people in the public service (the people the tax payer pays to deliver outcomes).
Well no wonder mental health is such a shit show if that's what it takes to get public money. Too bad Mike got results and shamed the Ministry of Health by doing so
There is nothing balanced in that article. I have given up on expecting balance from Bryce Edwards. He might have valid points but he obscures them by sprinkling in words like "controversially pushing through Parliament".
Any "platform" run by Sean Plunkett has no claim to balance. Randomly choosing another article about the census brings up words like "inept" which show the author's bias.
I am sorry; whether there is a valid point in the articles becomes irrelevant when the language devolves to propaganda.
100+ Barry
I read that the Minister had no decision-making role in those other contracts; all declared and managed via the standard public service conflicts of interest process. Not seen the interview. Did it say otherwise?
And no, I am not going to visit Mr Plunket's lavishly-funded right-wing site to see the reckons of his band of merry rejects from other media.
It is well understood that in cases of conflict of interest – perception is what matters most of all. Mahuta will have no doubt scrupulously followed the rules – but that does not eradicate the core problem here.
True.
Ah yes, but if in fact, Nanaia Mahuta was scrupulously honest and the contracts done by the book, then that "perception" is what needs to be scrutinised: was it manufactured, whipped-up by oppositional factions in a manner other than "under ordinary circumstances" – that is, was the issue "played" (answer, YES) and has the "perception" aspect of conflict of interest issues here been gamed. Again, YES.
🙂
That is so true Robert!
And look who made the claims. David Seymore and Simeon Brown. A more insipid pair of nasties among the current crop of pollies would be hard to find.
Oh, I dunno – Brownlee's still there, isn't he? And Woodhouse. There will be others, champing at the bit…
You were too quick. I changed the wording. 😛
Brownlee and Woodhouse are yesterday's media flavour.
For me Robert, the perception is many of her relatives have gained lucrative contracts, especially her husband across a range of policy areas. Has Mr Ormsby managed to get contracts through other ministers? Private enterprize? I don't know but its a bad look and the look is nepotism. Remeber the outcry about Bil English wife, who is a GP, and her group did some work on Bill English pet mental health project. Yes it was right that questions were asked about this.
Mr Ormsby has been awarded a lot of govt money and it is unclear what he brings to the table and why it is superior to other potential contractors.
You mean the nasty slanted suggestions by right wing nut bars of course/sarc
Q&A interview with Mahuta (5m): https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/07/17/mahuta-hits-back-at-toxic-trolling-after-nepotism-accusations/
Barry, I more or less agree about the Platform, although Plunketts interview of Denis O'Reily was a good example of where he allowed O'REily to make his points and he acknowledged his points.
Surely though if there are valid points in the articles, then it can't quite be written off as propoganda
You seem to have a very ‘quaint’ idea of what propaganda is and what and when it is not. Do you still own a B & W TV, by any chance?
Stop patronizing me Incognito.
Why don’t you tell us your understanding of what is propaganda? Is it merely a bunch of lies?
You were challenged by barry @ 4.3.2.2.3 (https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17-07-2022/#comment-1900478) on your claim that the article you linked to was “balanced”; propaganda is not balanced by definition.
No Incognito, I wasn't challenged by Barry. He didn't say, prove your point that Bryce is balanced or where is your evidence for this. Barry has expressed his view. Fine by me.
He challenged your opinion, which is what we do here on this site. Anyway, no point challenging you on the finer points of propaganda.
Yes Mahuta is right to hit back at trolls, but that doesn't answer the questions about nepotism.
Interestingly today (and coincidentially) David Seymor has tweated
[unlinked quote deleted] Nainaia is her aunty.
If this is true and Mahuta didn't excuse herself from the appointment process, it is very damming and I think Nainias job will be on the line.
BTW I only came acorss Seymours tweat because I was looking for the link about Ormsby and the suicide prevention project he received public funds for.
Bless.
David must have thought, "Was stumbling upon this material serendipity? Sure!" before hitting the "publish/attack" button.
I think both you and Sacha have misunderstood whose coincidence it was, probably I was clear enough. I meant it was a coincidence I found what David S said.
I have no doubt Seymour targeted his tweat after Nanaia's inteview. That is the sort of time politicians do. They release info in a targeted way. I am sure it was deliberate
There’s no coincidence as such on the internet and you already said that you’d used Google to find material on the topic. Whenever you go online you leave tracks & prints and Google and SM, for example, use these to their advantage (aka to make more money).
Just to clarify Sacha, I meant it was a coincidence that I found Seymour's tweet.
I only posted on this issue today as Anne put up a comment about how Nanaia was on Q and A and was impressive when Jack T brought up about her family.
I was interested and watched the interview. Like I commented earlier, I am very sorry she ha s been on the end of some nasty trolling. But I was wanting to hear more and have Nanaia asked more about the fact that so many of her family members including her husband have been awarded Govt contracts or positions. Jack didn't actually asks questions about this but focussed on the trolling.
So I commented here on what I was aware of about Mahuta and her family contracts. I googled to find links to her husband being awarded some sort of contract for suicide prevention. To my knowledge he has no background in mental health and suicide prevention. I came across David S tweat which was today. I suspect Seymour released this information today after the Mahuta interview. That is what a politician would do.
I was referring to the coindence that I came across this material today. I don't follow David S
If the contract is for cultural expertise or community engagement, the topic is not always important.
And what came out of community engagement if that is the case?
Why was his company appointed? Surely others can do community engaement?
You and me do not have the information to answer those questions, do we. As with most public procurement exercises. Need a higher standard than some agitation by righties to justify further discussion.
No the link provides no information about what the grant was for and I would like to know
I would like to know lots of things but I have learned that is no guarantee of satisfaction in life.
Sacha, you get the prize for the most new age attempt to shut anyone down.
So I need to not want to know stuff about Mahutas husband and the mental health contract, cause it want give me satisfaction in life? Is that what you are saying.
I am allowed to want to have information about what public money has been spent on. Whether it may or may not give me life satisfaction is entirely irrelevant.
I have a particular interest in suicide
Feel free to submit an OIA, where it will be tested against the public interest. The answer may or may not satisfy you.
" Jack didn't actually asks questions about this…"
Yet you are disappointed Mahuta didn't answer the questions you have in your head?
Curious…
Jack started that part of the interview, by saying "your family".
Anne started this thread off today by recomending Q and A "talking of wisdom a revealing interview on Q and A this morning with Nanaia . I especially recommned her response to the accusations concerning members of her fmaily"
So as I had read about Nanaia's relatives getting contracts, I watched the programme in order to listen to her side of the story. But actually she didn't respond about the accusations of nepotism (except for a stock politicians sentence). She talked about the trolling.
I think it is important our politicians are grilled aobut any perceived conflicts of interests. Like many on this site, I screamed and complained over the Judith Collins and Orivida affair. I can's see why people wouldn't want to know more about what has happened that so many of Mahutas relatives have ended up with govt contracts.
I've deleted your quote that has no links. Honestly beyond me why I have to keep explaining this.
If you copy and paste, you *have to link as well. This is fundamental to robust debate. Linking means people can see the quote in context (almost always improves understanding), can check for mistakes or skewing in arguments, and in the case of something like twitter, often replies or quote tweets will answer questions that arise here.
God so sorry. No excuses. Had said before but will try and do better
with twitter, just cut and paste the URL. The tweet will embed and you get the quote and link in one go.
Thanks Weka. And when I thought about it, I think I didn't want to be posting a link that belonged to David Seymour, that was my motivation. But no excuse and completely my bad
Nanaia Mahuta was very powerful in that interview. I support her 100%.
Backing your own teams hypocrisy 100%.
Mahuta says she followed and kept to Cabinet protocols throughout. I believe her. It follows then, that she can't be justifiably be punished, only unjustly punished, which in my opinion, is what is happening here.
Jack started that part of the interview, by saying "your family".
Anne started this thread off today by recomending Q and A "talking of wisdom a revealing interview on Q and A this morning with Nanaia . I especially recommned her response to the accusations concerning members of her fmaily"
So as I had read about Nanaia's relatives getting contracts, I watched the programme in order to listen to her side of the story. But actually she didn't respond about the accusations of nepotism (except for a stock politicians sentence). She talked about the trolling.
I think it is important our politicians are grilled aobut any perceived conflicts of interests. Like many on this site, I screamed and complained over the Judith Collins and Orivida affair. I can see why people wouldn't want to know more about what has happened that so many of Mahutas relatives have ended up with govt contracts.
This is not the first media story about the matter in the last week or two. Q&A is pitched at politics-followers, so they would expect their audience to already know at least some of the details.
How is Mahuta being punished? Do you mean by the trolls. Well of course that shouldn't be happening.
But it isn't punishing someone for the media to ask probing questions about this, nor for Seymour to release info that she didn't follow cabinet procedures to manage the conflict over her niece and He Puapua (if he is correct.)
Do you believe Seymour or Mahuta?
Given Seymour’s history
lying aboutmisrepresenting facts, I suggest it is Mahuta who is telling the truth. She has so much more to lose by lying. Every procedure was correctly followed to the letter of the law – and I suspect some more.Tbh I am suspious as to why so many of NM relatives have been given jobs or offered contracts in Ministries where she is the Minister.
I am particularly bother by the suicide prevention money her husband got. He has no background in mental health and there is limited evidence about what strategies reduce suicide. Even the recent research showing roughly a quarter of people who die by suicide have excessive blood alcohol levels. The alcohol will of course will lead to greater impulsively, but other than clinicians advising depressed people not to drink, there is an obvious intervention from this information.
The Mahuta family is a large family you know. They are at the top of the Maori chain so it isn't surprising there are several of them who have held down or are holding down government appointed positions. Brains, together with other skills, tend to be handed down through the family line.
The subject under discussion has nothing to do with suicide prevention but if you are going to tag it on, then you need to provide a link so we know what you're talking about. Chances are her husband is the 'chief cook and bottle-washer' who sought the finance for a suicide prevention programme among Maori, but the treatment will be carried out by Maori professionals in that field. That's just a guess of course.
So you mean if we disagree with your position we are practising hypocrisy.
So your queries sneers and position is "Perception is everything"
That is not the case in law and in the handbook, but that won't stop your slurs
Nanaia Mahuta has integrity and has dealt with some very difficult political and personal situations with dignity and grace. Two qualities totally lacking in some of the men trying to sway perceptions of her, and those trolling her.
Mike King asks the questions about why Mahutas husband was funded for suicide prevention. If I was Mike I would want to know to. He has worked his guts out to provide a service with little govt support.
https://chrislynchmedia.com/newsitems/mike-king-what-expertise-nanaia-mahutas-husband-has-in-suicide-prevention.
https://chrislynchmedia.com/newsitems/mike-king-what-expertise-nanaia-mahutas-husband-has-in-suicide-prevention
I do think Nanaia comes across with grace and she may well have done a fantastic job. But that doesn't mean she shouldn't be open to scrutiny. Does it?
This story about Mahutas hamily appointments has been shut down in the msm, other than a brief flurry by the Herald. Cause to be honest, imo this is not a nothing to see here situation.
We are talking about multiply family members being given contracts and appointments, including her husband. Who as Mike King points out was given money for suicide prevention when he has no quals in mental health. What did Ormsby do with this money? What was achieved?
Your link tells us nothing about the background to the grant awarded to a company belonging to Nanaia's husband. I note it is for the princely sum of $28,000.
I think Mike King doth protest too much!
No the link provides no information about what the grant was for and I would like to know
You seem to suffer from a similar selective memory as some of National’s past Leaders. Anne started this thread @ 4.3 (https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17-07-2022/#comment-1900453) with the mention of the interview with Mahuta on Q+A and Sacha @ 4.3.3 (https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17-07-2022/#comment-1900510) provided the link to the interview that aired on 1news. If that’s not MSM then what is?
You seem to have a lot of enthusiasm for the MSM dirt diggers to keep digging for more dirt (and) to keep the story alive. AFAIK, nothing new has come to light yet and you’ll just have to wait till OIA requests come in and get drip-fed on SM and/or until the internal enquiry at the Ministry has been completed.
It is a handy smear for the racist thread of the big organised campaign against 3 Waters. No doubt the righties will keep stirring it up, plus whatever useful idiots help them out.
Yes, but it is now used as a dirty indiscriminate weapon against just about anything with the M-word in it, not to mention Co-Governance. This is not limited to coming from the Right only, as plenty of comments on this site can attest. Many pretend-Lefties pay only lip-service to empowerment of the segments of our society that continue to fall behind in many ways according to many metrics & indices. The lazy labels and low pot shots come hard and fast from both directions. Any debate and genuine engagement are on the back-foot from the outset because of the polarising language and narratives around. No one seems to be capable and/or willing to have a serious conversation about a long-term vision for Aotearoa-New Zealand, and this vacuum is fertile soil for radicalising elements and their agendas when the going gets tough, as is happening at present. Watch out for more DP and Trumpian-style politics here over the next year and a bit.
To be fair, we have a big vacuum in progressive vision and I do not expect most people to know the context before they enter the low-barrier public discourse. Broad church, etc.
This country has only just started grappling with our colonial past recently.
Leading the way are and have been for some time the ACT Party and acolytes (e.g. NZCPR) copying the same imagery Iwi vs Kiwi (https://thestandard.org.nz/how-can-labour-win-in-2023/#comment-1898904).
Just in reply to your request further down for links to Mike King, if you scroll up to my Comment below Patricia B's there are a couple of links.
Let me know if that was what you wanted.
Thank you. Same point we have already discussed. Mike King expects expertise in suicide prevention, but..
https://chrislynchmedia.com/newsitems/mike-king-what-expertise-nanaia-mahutas-husband-has-in-suicide-prevention
I am interested in the truth Incognito, not defending any politician whether or not they do a good interview, whether they are Labour, National or whatever party.
This website was in uproar (rightly so ) about Collins and Orivida.
Mahuta has numerous relatives getting contracts/positions where she is involved. Her husband, her sister, two nephews and a niece.
How? Highly relevant question.
I believe that most people would say that they’re interested in the truth, so that’s neither here nor there.
I see this as a relatively minor issue and I expect we’ll get some answers in future. If it were as big some like to make it out to be then I think it likely that Mahuta would have lost her portfolios for breaching the rules, possibly just temporary as a symbolic gesture more than anything.
Labour cannot afford this lingering and hanging over them for too long, because it has a disproportionally large negative impact on a whole load of things that they want to achieve before the General Election. They would therefore want to neutralise this as soon and as much as they can, which again brings be back to Mahuta who’s still standing and going strong and getting the full support of the Labour Party.
In short, people see what they want to see and making up things to fill in the gaps (aka lack of info and answers). This is not seeking the truth but confirmation bias, pure and simple. The MSM know that without new info they cannot keep running these stories on confirmation bias of some of their readership alone.
You talk about being interested in the truth Anker yet you have already passed judgement on Nanaia Mahuta and members of her family with no actual evidence to back up the claims. As far as I can tell it is all hearsay and innuendo with most of it coming from right wing politicians such as Seymour and Brown. It is then being picked up by tabloid journos who exaggerate and embroider them for political and click-baiting purposes.
I've already told you that it is not surprising there are various members of the Mahuta family who have received contracts of one sort or another. They are a bright and talented family. How about checking how many other Maori dynasties of note have also been the recipient of contract arrangements down the years with the Crown.
"no one seems capable of and/or willing to have a serious conversation about a long term vision for Aotearoa"
I think that is what Seymour is proposing that we have a debate about cogovernance and a way forward.
RE the link from Anne . Hav e you watched it? Jack asks one question about the nepotism and Mahuta gives a cliched answer like "all procedures were followed" and that's it.
As I said earlier, I watch Q and A not out of some enthusiam to "dig dirt" but I geniunely wanted to hear what was said. The interviewer gave Nanaia a free pass on the rumours of nepotism. She could have clarifed further, but she didn't. So in my mind there are unasnwered questions.
I honestly hadn't given a lot of thought to the nepotism rumours, although they looked very suspious to me. I read what Mike King said and I thought no wonder he is pissed. He got a whole service for mental health up and running with sfa from the govt and he's letting us know about a contract Mr Ormsy got for suicide preventation and he is asking a lot of questions.
You think what Seymour is proposing is not what he and ACT are about, so why don’t you check first before you make assumptions and jump to conclusions. Hint: ACT has already rejected Co-Governance and wants a Referendum to put it to rest for at least a number of years.
My guess is you’d vote against a whole raft of policies because of your ‘suspicions’, which coincidentally align very nicely with ACT.
As to the answer Mahuta gave, which is the same as the PM and Government have given, is correct & true. It has to be because Mahuta would have received at least a Yellow Card otherwise.
You can keep looking for smoke as much as you like but it won’t start a fire nor will it fire a gun.
Did Mike King put in a tender in the same round?
Interested – do you have a link?
So true. Has anyone witnessed an instance where Nanaia has not responded with dignity? Never. She's light years ahead of her detractors.
As for the psychological abuse and the trolling… only those who have been on the receiving end can fully comprehend the huge amount of damage caused, not only to the target but often to their families and others around them. It can send the victim into a spiral of terror… afraid to leave their homes for fear of what might happen to them. The threats can be both overt and covert.
These types of people – who often also physically stalk their prey – have in the past been given a free pass with little to no consequences. It is time for such offences to be given a much higher level of priority, and the punishments increased to fit the level of abuse committed.
Incognito i think it is abundantly clear where Seymour and Act stand on co governance. But what they are saying is lets have the debate and a referendum. Unlike Labour who never mentioned He Puapua or campaigned on it in the last election.
I am now quite suspious of Labour (I am a party member by the way), because of how they have done so much by stealth. The gender self ID bill, three waters (never campaigned on it or looked at other options) the Rotorua Bill which Tamati Coffey championed (which David Parker quashed because he said it went against the Bill of Rights) and the He Puapua document (which talks about transforming our constitutional arrangemnts. That flew below the radar before the last election.
I think it is reasonable to by suspious of Mahuta given so many family appointments when she was a Minister. Two contracts to her husband in fields he has no qualifications for.
Interesting comparison between NZ and Australia by two high level experts. Yes, the real experts not the pseudo variety as preferred by some:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/471081/covid-19-how-are-australia-and-nz-managing-the-rising-winter-wave-is-either-getting-it-right
Whitewasher reveals her calling. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300638654/blue-blood-how-the-national-party-went-to-war-with-itself
Key was "exhausted"?
They say maintaining pretence is very tiring.
As are affairs, apparently
Just goes to show the business background of long corporate lunch breaks and golf course deals is no prerequisite for a career in politics.
"I've gambled on the money trading markets" and "I ran an airline" means shit when you're expected to actually do some work for the first time in your pampered little life.
Q&A interview with Vance about her book (9m) https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/07/17/nats-caucus-still-fragile-after-5-years-of-internal-tumult/
Great journalist, poor interviewee 🙂
Oh dear…
https://twitter.com/JasonStrummer/status/1548071157231849481
Makes me very sorry for the female sexual partners in Jordan Peterson's life. Sounds like he's just not very …. adequate….
Jordan Peterson is an Narcisist a Misogynist a fossil who is a regular know it all that don't impress me at all , no science behind his theories just anecdotes.A man who is trying to take us back to the 1950's when it was a mans world and Men had all the answers .Very popular in the far right with his simplistic remedies.
Of course you do realise that's a parody from a youtube voice impersonator called "voiceover shill", right?
(10) Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson discuss the myth of the female orgasm – YouTube
Like, you wouldn't be so fucking thick as to have read this obviously absurd line on twitter and assumed it was real, would you? Gee I wonder what other bullshit you swallow regularly from the same sources.
The funny thing about Peterson is that no-one EVER criticises anything he's actually said.
Babbling
Are you now pretending you weren't gullible enough to fall for that obvious bullshit?
After barking benzo-boy's reckons about women and cosmetics, anything is possible.
Dude's a fucking clown.
Barking indeed.
I have and do and Petersen is still top of my twit list.
The AB's could have done with your help shifting goalposts the other night.
Oh, its a satire Felix? Thanks for the info.
It was a satire on youtube, just a blatant lie by the time it got quoted on twitter as if it were real though.
Leave the Intersectionals alone … they may be inadvertently regurgitating embarrassingly weak satire … but it's their truth … which is just as valid as ours. Putting aside the fact that “truth” itself is a yucky patriarchal settler-colonist construct designed to oppress pregnant men of colour.
Do you have enough tinfoil?
.
As so often, despite displaying the trademark pomposity & self-satisfaction of the former Public Address cadre, you've managed to get things totally arse about face. Falling for any old invective against one of irrational Wokedom's key hate-figures (in this case, a patently obvious – if banal – parody) is very much the tin foil hat territory here, sweetness.
Now if you could answer this with an erudite little bon mot, I’m sure those of equal pretention will find themselves utterly enchanted.
The overly ostentatious vocabulary and excessive italics are a dead giveaway.
lol 100$ Swordfish
A you tube series worth watching.
The problems referenced apply to NZ as well, and explain why most of the infrastructure devleopment we are putting in to fix the housing crisis is unsustainable.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300637193/new-zealand-can-we-fix-it-not-unless-politicians-grow-up
Gluckman was to scared to mention this when he was John Keys lackey but better late than never! Did Key do anything longterm yes he cut health funding police funding education funding all had longterm consequences. Nothing will change politics is a popularity contest every 3 years so no longterm solutions will happen, balance books buy votes, balance the books buy votes and on it goes.
Your comment is laughable and pathetic at the same time. Say what you like about Gluckman but he’s never been anybody’s lackey. You can join the other group of commenters here who like to shoot the messenger instead of adding something constructive and of real substance to the commentary here.
Be lucky if we're not flapping in a puddle by 2050.
(CNN)Two years ago, forecasters in the UK conducted an interesting thought experiment: What will our forecasts look like in 2050?
[…]
"Not actual weather forecast," the Met Office's graphics said. "Examples of plausible weather based on climate projections."
Well, on Monday and Tuesday, the "plausible" becomes reality — 28 years early.
https://twitter.com/SimonLeeWx/status/1547957062000267267
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/15/weather/2050-uk-forecast-comes-true-in-2022/index.html?
Somebody give this guy a shot at permanent PM.
Roberston extends the fuel subsidy through to January next year.
Grant Robertson extends fuel tax cut to January, with fuel relief now costing $1b – NZ Herald
Way to suck the political oxygen out of the room Grant.
Must know the CPI for tomorrows release,getting ahead of the curve with a swerve.
Maybe his advisors though had not told him of the risks with NZ,with regard to the high current account deficit,and the housing corp debt problem.
Canny political move.
I'm sure they can all see the writing on the wall – petrol prices are not coming down, and the hit when the subsidy ran out would be painful to the voting population.
I expect to see it extended again in January (unless I'm wrong and petrol prices are indeed dropping) – until after the election.
Good move, Grant. Great also to have a PM who gives others the platform to announce positive actions: that Jacinda! She's too good!
🙂
Oh yes. She's too good for many Kiwis. That's why she is continuously being undermined – including by some regulars here. Tall poppy syndrome in full flight!
Better be careful. They'll be coming for you next. Mind you I think you can handle it with good humour n'all.
"someone give this guy a shot at permanant PM". Ad your standards are too low
Its a tax cut. not a bad decision, but hardly rocket science
Deleted after they were requested?
There must be some incriminating shit in those texts.
The Secret Service’s account about how text messages from the day before and the day of the Capitol attack were erased has shifted several times, the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security told the House January 6 select committee at a briefing on Friday.
At one point, the explanation from the Secret Service for the lost texts was because of software upgrades, the inspector general told the panel, while at another point, the explanation was because of device replacements.
The inspector general also said that though the secret service opted to have his office do a review of the agency’s response to the Capitol attack in lieu of conducting after-action reports, it then stonewalled the review by slow-walking production of materials.
[…]
In the letter, the inspector general said that certain Secret Service texts from 5 January and 6 January 2021 were erased amid a “device replacement program” even after he had requested the messages for his internal inquiry.
The Secret Service has disputed that, saying in a statement that data on some phones were lost as part of a pre-planned “system migration” in January 2021, and that Cuffari’s initial request for communications came weeks later in late February 2021.
But the select committee questioned the Secret Service’s emphasis on that date, the participants said, and noted in the subpoena letter that the request for electronic communications in fact first came from Congress, ten days after the Capitol attack.
The congressional request from 16 January 2021 addressed to multiple executive branch agencies – including the Homeland Security Department, which oversees the Secret Service – was for all materials referring or relating to the riot.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/16/secret-service-deleted-text-messages-january-6
That's going to hurt in terms of US criminal law (potentially tampering with evidence) and also potentially evidence rules. To quote https://corporate.findlaw.com/litigation-disputes/delete-at-your-peril-preserving-electronic-evidence-during-the.html :
In plain English, destroyed evidence can be held against people in certain circumstances.