Well I wouldn’t like to suggest that theres been a lot more strikes and suggested strike actions since a change of government happened but it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out
These things are relative. They were infinitely better than the then government, and offered some prospect of justice for Dotcom for the abuses he suffered at the hands of the Key kleptocracy.
But as a booster for that sleazy pack of scum you feel threatened by anyone not succumbing to illegal shit like armed raids on an unarmed household.
Make a point gosman, your attempts to put words in peoples mouths is really disengious, as well as tiresome. It really is quite a dishonest way to have a discussion.
I agree with Adam about “Are you saying..? Is your belief..? Stop framing the argument through another’s supposed view, Gosman. It’s boring and a waste of our time.
Such is the life of the ideoligically aligned NaCT Party spin meister – on duty from dawn til dusk and overnight.
I’ve seen Harcourt’s Real Estate agents who’ve given up for less. (At least they had a questioning mind – going forward)
I asked a question to clarify this point “…and offered some prospect of justice for Dotcom for the abuses he suffered at the hands of the Key kleptocracy”.
Perhaps you can give your interpretation on what this means given that to me it suggests one of the points of the party was to counter the legal proceedings Dotcom was facing at the time.
Really, you don’t do it all the time? You don’t ask questions to put words in peoples mouths? Then you never get all huffy when someone points out your dishonest way of debating?
Seriously gosman, you got a couple of day ban for that diengious style of yours. I see you still doing it.
These are the same fools that took about a decade to come round on Zaoui – they’re not about to risk anything for Dotcom.
But as I said – Key abused the powers of his office, illegally spying on and seizing Dotcom’s property, with the intention of facilitating an illegal prosecution by US interests.
Why are you such a pathetic apologist for Key, Gosman? That was the shit the Nazis pulled to glom Jewish wealth – not something to tolerate for a heartbeat – but you did.
I’ve never been a rah rah for Key. If you’ve followed my comments on this blog you should know this. I just think he was better than the left wing alternatives as evidenced by the current rabble in power.
You never called him on any of his numerous dishonesties or abuses of power – but you want to call the coalition on not helping Dotcom? That’s a double standard too far.
I criticised Key all the time. I just criticised him for different things to what you generally criticised him for. In some areas we might have had common cause but certainly not on the Dotcom issue. I personally don’t think there was any political interference in the Dotcom case. If there was then it would be very serious and as such I would expect it to be a priority of the current government to sort out. Given they aren’t doing this it would tend to support my view rather than yours.
If there was then it would be very serious and as such I would expect it to be a priority of the current government to sort out. Given they aren’t doing this it would tend to support my view rather than yours.
No, it actually doesn’t. There’s several possible meanings two of which are:
1. There’s simply no evidence of wrong doing despite the prima facie evidence that there was. This doesn’t mean that wrong didn’t happen – just that the evidence to prove it doesn’t exist.
2. The present government is following the ‘legal’ position that governments aren’t responsible for what happens under their watch in government departments because they’re not supposed to get involved in day to day operations.
3. They actually believe that Key et al did nothing wrong.
“illegal shit like armed raids on an unarmed household”
I had almost forgotten about that. Not surprising I suppose that one tends to forget things that were actually more than 10 years ago.
It was certainly absolutely disgraceful behaviour by the Police and Government of the time.
What was the Government so worried about? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_New_Zealand_police_raids
No. The raids were in 2007. You must be thinking about something else. 2012 was when the trials took place and only a few people ended up being charged and there were guilty verdicts on only a few trivial arms offenses.
Then in 2013 the raids were found to be illegal and in 2014 the poor old Police Commissioner had to go and apologise for them.
The responsible politicians were by then keeping well out of the way. The one who was ultimately responsible for the disgraceful activities had by then fled the country and was tucked away in New York. Never did admit to doing anything wrong and never apologised.
You aren’t talking about the same thing are you?
I was talking about the dreadful affair in the Urewera area. They were certainly the worst case of Police behaviour in my lifetime, with the possible exception of 1951.
If you had read my link you should have realised that.
But you really don’t read properly do you? Why do you worry about minor affairs and ignore the serious misbehaviour?
You see why you are known as an idiot yet?
You are the only one in this thread talking about the terror raids. You started by replying to Stuart Munro who was making the point that the police raided Dotcom’s home all military style for no good reason.
Not a damned thing. It was a quid pro quo for a trade deal they’ve wanted forever – and, as with Jenny taking the tariffs off, achieved precisely nothing.
Except to crush NZ’s emerging cyberlocker sector, and destroy Dotcom’s life and NZ’s reputation as a law abiding country.
Kim Dotcom’s home was raided on 20th January 2012. I would have thought that even a Fifty Cent Army member such as yourself would be able to figure out that 2012 is less than ten years before 2018.
There once was the member for Papakura,
Whose husband worked for Orivida
When hubbys milk was delayed
She didn’t care if NZ paid
She went and dined to ensure “hey no problem”
Now if this sorry tale you doubt.
Its time to to read all about…
For dirty politics was the book
That showed Judith as a crook
sometimes love is blind as a…………………………..
Sorry PR…..just have to tell you the bad news on your crush
Jude’s past is decidedly muckish
She needs service from someone named…
Dammit!
Completely dried up!
(stumped – gotta give you some credit for that…I suppose…)
Tuned into NR politics at 11 this morning. Seems Hooten was also reliving the times, start a rant on how unstable Peters is. Like any analyst worth his salt can see Labour learnt the lesson, National deputy rolled his leader and Peters has been living off the victimhood every since. Every time Hooten re tells this piece of propaganda I swear NZF jumps in the polls.
“Every time Hooten re tells this piece of propaganda I swear NZF jumps in the polls.”.
Is that what is doing it? I have been at a loss to understand how Winston First could possibly still be up at the 2.4% they are in the Newshub/Reid poll. On their behaviour they should be under 1%. Below ACT in fact.
Keep quiet Hooton. Let Winnie sink beneath the surface of the swamp.
James. The issue is really over the underfunding of Health, over the last 9 years. Sadly some innocents who tried to manage the deficits were hurt. And more sadly some losers try to make capital out of the mess left behind.
You are like those who revel in someone else’s car wreck
You may say that is the issue – but this *is* and issue in its own right. All you are doing is deflecting by refusing to discuss this issue in its own right.
Considering Clark’s response towards the end of the article, it would appear either that you didn’t read it to the end, or that you are simply happy to give everyone except him the benefit of any doubt, because he is a Labour politician. Neither would surprise me in the slightest.
Oh look – the arsonists attacking the fire-fighters again.
The usual attack lines are:
– you’re not putting it out fast enough
– it’s not as big as you say it is (i.e. I only lit a small fire)
– Why are you getting angry and mean and hurting my feelings
National – vandalism on a grand scale since 1949.
I am not convinced the people (indicating many) disagree at all… I think Seymour is being kept afloat by just a tiny number of people with way too much money… #DWTSNZ is not a popularity contest, it is a rich person contest… who has the most $$$ to waste
Yep. I’ll tell you why.
They don’t vote for Seymour – it could be anybody. They vote to give National an extra, unearned vote in Parliament from a pretend party.
When I decided to research and write about Slater and his associates, I knew I was taking a personal risk. They were well known for personal attacks and smears. They have hurt many people. I expected retaliation. But I knew what I was taking on and felt strongly that this boil needed lancing. I did not expect the most difficult and time consuming repercussions would come from the police.
Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree. The message would have been ‘sent’ in such a way it could not be traced back to the then PM or his office, but police at a senior level would have been in no doubt what they were expected to do.
It was a case of political interference at the highest level, and we all know it was not the only time it happened during the reign of the last government. It also happened under the Muldoon regime – probably to an even greater degree.
I expected you to drop in with something along that line.
Only blind bats can’t see what everyone else with an ounce of knowledge, grey matter and maybe past personal experiences can see. You mate are such a bat.
James’s ability to forgive the wrongs of the Key administration rivals that of Christian martyrs – it’s just a shame his hypocrisy excludes everyone else.
If this was indeed the case it is a gross abuse of the political system Anne. What is the current government doing to look in to it and ensure it doesn’t happen again?
Indeed it was a gross abuse of the system Gosman. But when you have a police hierarchy acquiescing to the govt. on the matter and a MSM too lily-livered to investigate properly – and a large section of the voting population who neither understood the issue nor bothered to read the book – then there was little could be done about it. What is worse Key went on TV and radio… blatantly lied and the MSM let him off the hook.
I expect this government will eventually take measures to try an ensure nothing like it could happen again, but they have rather more important matters like housing, health and education to attend to first.
Btw, the Winston Peters saga re- his superannuation over-payments is another case in point. This time it was ‘senior bureaucrats’ who leaked the information to two former cabinet ministers which was also an abuse of their power and position.
Agreed, in the light of the Police’s fulsome apology (and tax payer-funded compensation) to Nicky Hager, ideally the Police and/or politicians will:
(1) Investigate both why and how senior police justified their illegal activities at the time, and
(2) Work towards ensuring that such abuses of power don’t reoccur.
The apology was great, but more analysis is required to avoid repeats. The Urewera ‘anti-terrorism’ raids are another example of abuse of police power, although any political motives were less obvious.
When the Kennedys hit the White House JFK’s brother Bob set off to try and put a lid on organised crime. Minor in the grand scheme of things, but there was immense media/public interest and concern.
They introduced a raft of new legislation full of fishhooks designed to snare the Tony Sopranos of the headlines.
These US laws never went away. Dotcom finds himself on Federal charges of racketeering. His problems are bigger than pinching a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Mega started to pay cash to the people that uploaded the most content to their ‘Download Anything Here’ site. In doing so, he fell foul of those same laws that were put in place to collar Gotti et al.
When the final curtain comes down….I don’t think the FBI lose very often.
Right, so after all that went down in Dirty Politics Gosman (7.2.1.1.3), involving the previous National government, you are saying the onus lies with this government to look into it to make sure it doesn’t happen again?
And what about those National MPs and supporters involved in DP? One incident even involved a Labour public servant being threatened! How about making sure these thugs are held accountable for their part? Their accountability just might prevent a similar occurrence taking place!
Oh that’s right, National doesn’t do accountability does it?
Ummm… I’m asking the same question as you. Why doesn’t the current Government ensure those responsible are held to account? It is in their power you realise don’t You?
You know, Gosman, like you, I would prefer to see the current government take steps to prevent any recurrence of the Dirty Politics situation. You know what, though? The best way to make that work would be if the senior National Party figures involved were to unpack their dirty dirty laundry, own up and explain all the ins and outs of what they did and who enabled it to work as it did. If you were to advocate for that, give your vote to those opposing National, and encourage all your friends and acquaintances to do the same, you might have something to say. Until then, all you are doing is being a cock.
““Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree.”
“zero evidence”
Dishonest people tend to know how to avoid detection.
Emails? Nah.
Witnesses? Nah.
Letters? Nah.
Discussions? Nah.
However, a short sharp verbal discussion in an isolated space to a person with powerl? Yeah.
Put the teacup saga and the Rawshark saga and the Dirty Politics saga together and 1 + 1= 2. Aha.
do people here get paid to engage gosman, wayne, james and the others ?
How much and where does one apply, i know a few people who would happily fling shit about to make some cash. cause thats all it is, flinging shit about stinking the joint up for shits n giggles.
@sabine
Here are a couple of places you could start.
jacinda.ardern@#parliament.govt.nz
winston.peters@#parliament.govt.nz
You may have to wait rather a long time for a reply from the first though.
I am also not sure whether the second one is still used. I heard a rumour that since the Unfortunate Event at Parliament last year he has changed his address to
tsar.winston.first@#bellamys.bar
I’d stick to enquiring to Winston of course. He has an absolute veto over any Government appointment and he doesn’t take kindly to people who don’t appear to understand his total control of all matters.
Did you actually read those two sentences before you hit submit? I certainly hope so because your juxtaposing them gave me the best laugh I’ve had all day and I love the thought that it was deliberate.
Winston changing his living style because he is pregnant?
The mind boggles.
The mind boggles all right, boggles that you didn’t get it, couldn’t get the reference and that anyone could be that stupid as to flaunt a blind stupidity matching their blind partisanship.
That’s nice dear. I’m sorry that your dyspepsia is bothering you though.
Why don’t you cut back on the booze and try a nice warm cup of Milo instead?
I’m sure it will cure your heartburn and you will feel much better.
Or not. Perhaps you just like being an arsehole.
Admit it alwyn, the joke went right over your head. Instead of copping to that (the whole personal responsibility thing, which by the way you keep banging on about – funny never applies to you though), you went the whole personal attack.
For those struggling in small terminological tidal pools on the beach of the sea of “liberal” – between neo-liberal, classical liberal, liberal liberals and social liberals, libertarians, and others smashed across the ideological foreshore the foreshore by the Trump-sized tsunami – take comfort that yours is not the only group wondering why the sea is receding:
Good morning Newshub Rodger enjoyed his time on Dancing with the Stars.
trump is a muppet were are the immigrants in Europe that his country created to go into the Sea I can see his grubby hands on Alot of thing happening to tangata who oppose his dumb ass views going down the man loves have all the levers he got and he doesn’t give a shit about who gets hurt in the process of his vendettas.
Ka pai Duncan the reffs are only human so they make mistakes they are part of the foundation of ATOEAROA Rugby And the All Blacks most of them are voluntary doing the job. Ka kite ano
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While the economy is on pause under lockdown, the government is beginning to plan how to cope with the post-lockdown, post-tourism, post-export education world we will eventually find ourselves in. They're planning a lot of infrastructure spending as economic stimulus, and have asked for proposals which can start the moment ...
It's my distraction, setting up tiny scenes to photograph. I've got stuck on the Babushka dolls for now. Something about their bubble shape. Something about their never changing, smiling features, suggesting persistent equanimity. Can we get through everything that is being thrown at us and keep at least a tiny ...
. . March 31: Day six of living in lock-down… This time I managed to sleep a little longer and the alarm woke me at the pre-set time: 6.55am. Then remembered I was working a later shift and could’ve slept in. Oh well, there are things to do at home. ...
Image credit:Diamond Harbour School Blogs I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is unexpectedly missing or ...
Yesterday's Horizon poll showing support for a "Yes" vote in this year's cannabis referendum sliding into the majority for the first time in a year looked like good news for reformers – and it probably is. But the result warrants some scrutiny.The poll is the fifth in a series commissioned ...
For almost a week now, every one of us who isn’t an essential worker has been confined to their bubble. We are allowed to go shopping for groceries, to visit the doctor, and to get a bit of exercise if we stay local. The reason we are doing this is ...
The Covid-19 saga will no doubt produce many twists and turns for us before it is finally brought to an end. But one thing it has shown us – and what comfort it should bring us – is that our country’s government is in good hands. I am not thinking ...
In the absence of a vaccine or a cure for a deadly disease, staying home in your bubble is what you do, the concept is not new. To the best of my knowledge last time we did this in NZ was for polio, in the years before a vaccine came ...
The following statement was released on March 28 by the National Network on Cuba, a coalition of 40 groups, based in the United States. In recent weeks, Cuba has deployed hundreds of medical providers to over a dozen countries in Europe, Asia, as well as to their neighbors in Latin ...
While New Zealand is at Alert Level 4, we're making sure that New Zealanders are kept informed and up to date with all the latest developments of the Government's COVID-19 response. It's been a shortened week because of Easter, so we're bringing you our weekly wrap a day early. ...
Earlier this week, the Prime Minister informed the nation that the Easter Bunny (and the Tooth Fairy!) were deemed essential workers. However, she made it clear that, due to the restrictions we are all facing at COVID-19 Alert Level 4, the Easter Bunny may find it tricky to get to ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Ron Mark, Minister of Defence Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Ron Mark today announced that New Zealand will provide a further package of assistance to Vanuatu, to support the response to Tropical Cyclone Harold. “Tropical ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that New Zealand will enter into transit arrangements with a range of countries to make it easier for each other’s citizens to get home. “There are millions of people around the world stranded ...
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Government has striven to provide calm, clear and consistent communication, including daily press conference updates from the Prime Minister. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says getting New Zealanders back home and other travellers out of the country is "a nightmare for our embassies, consuls, and staff around the world".Speaking to NewstalkZB's Mike Hosking, the Foreign Minister said that he gave a clear message to people travelling overseas that they ...
The domestic travel ban has been lifted for stranded foreign tourists trying to get to international airports to fly home, after the Coalition Government announced a plan to help the tens of thousands of foreigners stranded here. Foreign Minister Rt. Hon. Winston Peters spoke with RNZ's Susie Ferguson said foreign ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters believes the country is rediscovering its resilience and self-reliance through its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.He says he is heartened that the mass majority of New Zealanders are following lockdown rules and that the government looking at the future, including paying to keep much ...
New Zealand can emulate the success of the US after the Great Depression by exploiting our own resources to turn the economy around quickly, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. Mr. Peters told Magic Talk that New Zealand has an opportunity to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic a "superior, ...
All 45 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel are either on their way back to New Zealand, or already in the country, according to Defence Minister Ron Mark."Twenty-eight personnel arrived back in New Zealand last week and are in isolation at the Royal New Zealand Air Force base in ...
The COVID-19 situation in New Zealand is moving fast - and to avoid what we've seen overseas - the Government's response must be to move fast too. We're committed to keeping New Zealanders safe and well-informed every step of the way. ...
We know people are feeling anxious about COVID-19. While the situation is serious, New Zealand has a world-class health system and we’re well-prepared to keep New Zealanders safe. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is encouraging New Zealanders overseas to stay where they are amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are reaching a point where the best option for most New Zealanders offshore is to shelter in place, by preparing to safely stay where they are.” "This includes following the instructions ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters is encouraging the tens of thousands of New Zealanders travelling overseas to consider sheltering in place, in light of COVID-19. “Since 18 March, we have been warning New Zealanders offshore that the window for flying ...
The Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson has announced that urgent maintenance of turf and care for plants in non-plantation nurseries will soon be able to go ahead under Level 4 restrictions. “The Government has agreed that urgent upkeep and maintenance of biological assets will be able to go ahead ...
E tangi ana a Taranaki iwi, e tangi ana te ao Māori, otirā e tangi ana te motu. Mōu katoa ngā roimata e riringi whānui ana, mōu katoa ngā mihi. E te kaikōkiri i te reo Māori, e Te Huirangi, takoto mai. Takoto mai me te mōhio ko ngā ...
Today is day 15 of Alert Level 4 lockdown. And at the halfway mark I have no hesitation in saying, that what New Zealanders have done over the last two weeks is huge. In the face of the greatest threat to human health we have seen in over a century, ...
All driver licences, WoFs, CoFs, and some vehicle certifications, that expired on or after 1 January 2020 will be valid for up to six months from 10 April 2020, Transport Minister Phil Twyford has announced. “People shouldn’t have to worry about getting fined for having an expired document if driving ...
The Government has today released the report from the Public Inquiry into the Earthquake Commission chaired by Dame Silvia Cartwright. Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission Grant Robertson says the Government wants to learn from people’s experiences following the Canterbury earthquakes and other recent natural disasters. “Dame Silvia’s report documents ...
The Government has extended by two weeks till April 27 the amount of time priority groups, such as health workers and those aged over 65, have to get their flu vaccine before it is made available to the wider public. This year’s vaccination campaign is a key component of the ...
Communities stepping up to help New Zealanders stay at home to break the transmission of COVID-19 and save lives have received Government support, said Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni. “Delivering groceries for the elderly who can’t shop online, providing data packs for low income families to keep them connected, and being ...
Across New Zealand 120 sites are taking samples to be tested for COVID-19. 68 community based assessment centres (CBACs) have been established to take samples from people with COVID-19 symptoms. Alongside this, 52 other centres including designated general practices, swabbing centres, and mobile clinics are now testing people for ...
The Ministry of Education is working with partners to develop a package of options so that students can learn at home when Term 2 begins on 15 April, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. Supports are also being prepared for households with children under five, to help parents and whānau ...
Māori Television to begin educational te reo programmes Ki te Ao Mārama – a new online learning space Thousands of hard copy learning packs ready for distribution Helpdesk and advice service for kōhanga, kura and wharekura Television, the internet and hard copy learning packs are some of the ways whānau ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced an initial package of support to help the people and the Government of Vanuatu respond to the impact of Tropical Cyclone Harold. “Our Pacific neighbours have been hit by a Category 5 Cyclone at the same time as dealing with the economic impacts ...
Tourism New Zealand to lead work reimagining the way tourism operates in post-COVID-19 world. Ministers to review International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy investment plan. The Government, industry and business are working together to develop a plan for how tourism will operate in a post-COVID-19 world, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis ...
More New Zealanders are taking up the chance to work in horticulture as the sector keeps New Zealanders fed and in jobs during the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown. “Our horticulture sector has long been one of New Zealand’s export star performers, contributing around $6 billion a year to our ...
The Provincial Development Unit is working through applications and projects to see where Provincial Growth Fund money can be repurposed for initiatives deemed more critical to fighting the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. “We need to be throwing everything we have at ...
The Government’s wage subsidy to protect jobs and keep workers and businesses connected during the lockdown has now supported over a million New Zealanders, with $6.6 billion already paid out. “We’re supporting businesses to pay wages, and stay connected with their workers so that we are all in a better ...
The Government is stepping up efforts to help protect New Zealand’s Pacific communities in the fight against COVID-19. Cabinet has agreed that $17 million will be allocated to support a COVID-19 Pacific Response Package, which will: Support Pacific health and disability services facing increased demand; Ramp up public health messaging ...
“Yesterday evening the Health Minister advised me of his trip to a beach during the lockdown and offered his resignation,” Jacinda Ardern said. “Under normal conditions I would sack the Minister of Health. What he did was wrong, and there are no excuses. “But right now, my priority is our ...
Last night as part of my preparation for the Epidemic Response Committee, I provided the Prime Minister with a complete picture of my activity outside my home during Alert Level 4. That included the fact that on the first weekend of the Alert Level 4 lockdown I drove my family ...
A range of support is being rolled out across New Zealand to help people look after their mental health during COVID-19 Health Minister David Clark said this morning. “COVID-19 has brought a lot of uncertainty into our lives and many of us will be feeling some level of distress or ...
The New Zealand Government has made arrangements to charter a flight for New Zealanders stranded in Peru to depart the country, following agreement with the Chilean government to allow the necessary transit through Chile, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced today. “Like many travellers around the world at the moment, ...
Hospital preparations for COVID-19 are well advanced says Health Minister David Clark. “Hospitals across New Zealand are repurposing buildings and training staff to get ready for COVID-19 patients. This gives me confidence that we are well prepared for any potential increase in COVID-19 patients needing hospital level care,” said David ...
The Government will be introducing legislation to make changes to the Companies Act to help companies facing insolvency due to COVID-19 to remain viable and keep New Zealanders in jobs. The temporary changes include: Giving directors of companies facing significant liquidity problems because of COVID-19 a ‘safe harbour’ from insolvency ...
The Government’s plan to cushion the blow of COVID-19 by supporting incomes, jobs and businesses, and position the economy to recover has been backed by another international report. International credit rating agency Moody’s today reaffirmed its highest Aaa credit rating on New Zealand, saying the economy is expected to remain ...
The Government has stepped in to support vital air links to our offshore islands, the Chatham Islands, Great Barrier Island and Motiti Island, Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today. “As part of our $600 million support package to minimise the impacts of COVID-19 on the aviation sector, the Government has ...
National sports organisations have been given certainty of funding to ensure they can remain viable through the COVID-19 pandemic, Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson announced today. “The global spread of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on sport and recreation in New Zealand, including the cancellation or postponement of ...
Changes have been made to allow butchers to process pork, only for supply to supermarkets or other processors or retailers that are open, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has announced. “We carefully weighed the risk of allowing butchers to open their shops for retail customers, but the risk of spreading COVID-19 ...
Essential workers who take leave from work to comply with public health guidance are being supported with a leave scheme to ensure they will continue to receive income, say the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Iain Lees-Galloway and Minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni. A number of essential businesses ...
A Government WhatsApp channel has been launched to help make information more easily accessible and shareable in the fight against COVID-19. Govt.NZ, which is free to use on any mobile device, will carry information and news for the public, businesses, healthcare providers, not for profits and local government. It can ...
The Government has announced a plan to enable the safe, orderly exit of tens of thousands of stranded foreign nationals from New Zealand during the current COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters has said. “When we moved into lockdown a week ago, the ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says the Government is delivering on its commitment to support general practice doctors and nurses, and pharmacies on the front-line of our fight against COVID-19. "For us to overcome COVID-19, we need community health services such as general practice and community pharmacy to step up ...
Justice Susan Thomas has been appointed Chief High Court Judge, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. She replaces Justice Geoffrey Venning who has resigned from the position. David Parker paid tribute to Justice Venning, who he said had stewarded the High Court very capably over the last five years. “On behalf ...
Businesses can start applying to their banks for loans under the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme set up to support the New Zealand economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re moving quickly to protect New Zealand businesses, jobs and the economy during this unprecedented global economic shock,” Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. ...
Work is underway looking at measures to speed up consents for development and infrastructure projects during the recovery from COVID 19, to provide jobs and stimulate our economy. Environment Minister David Parker said the COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global crisis that will have a wide ranging and lasting impact ...
Advance payments will be made to transport construction industry contractors to retain the workforce and ensure it is ready to quickly gear up to build projects which will be vital to New Zealand’s COVID-19 economic recovery, Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today. He said keeping the workforce required to build ...
The Government has tasked a group of industry leaders to seek out infrastructure projects that are ready to start as soon as the construction industry returns to normal to reduce the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford and Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones say. The Infrastructure ...
Work to scale up the health system in preparation for COVID-19 was today outlined by Health Minister David Clark, as he reported back to the new Epidemic Response Committee. “We are well placed to contain the spread of COVID-19. We have taken early and decisive action at our borders, and ...
The Government is refining its COVID-19 essential business guidance to include the distribution of news publications for communities which are hard to reach. The Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media, Kris Faafoi, said the move was in recognition of the importance for New Zealanders who might be harder to ...
The Government is ensuring supermarkets can open on Easter Sunday so we can buy groceries, but stay closed on Good Friday allowing workers to take a break. This provides a balanced approach and ensures we avoid large queues that two days closure may cause. “Supermarkets will be able to open ...
Following the successful conclusion of the Building Partner Capacity (BPC) mission at Taji, New Zealand defence personnel are returning to New Zealand from Iraq, in accordance with the Cabinet decision made in June 2019, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Ron Mark announced today. “New Zealand is very ...
The State of National Emergency to help stop the spread of COVID-19 has been extended for a further seven days, Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare said. The initial declaration on March 25 lasted seven days and can be extended as many times as necessary. “Since we went into isolation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Michelle Grattan talks with MPs Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Victoria), Fiona Martin (Reid, NSW), Clare O’Neil (Hotham, Victoria) and Helen Haines (Indi, Victoria) about how they do their job during the pandemic. They discuss the operation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nic Geard, Senior Lecturer, School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne; Senior Research Fellow, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne Following the emergence and rapid spread of COVID-19, several countries have succeeded in bringing local outbreaks under ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin Today’s chart shows the per capita level of testing performed in a number of countries. While the highest testing rate shown is Norway, we should note that Iceland has tested over eight percent of its population; too high to show on this chart. A ...
By RNZ News New Zealand has recorded just 29 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, but the prime minister says a decision on changing the alert level will only be made two days before the lockdown ends. It is the fourth day in a row there ...
The Guardian’s Pacific Project disaster video.By the Pacific Project Tropical Cyclone Harold lashed the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, ripping off roofs and downing telecommunications, before moving towards Fiji and Tonga. The powerful cyclone made landfall on Monday in Sana province, an island north of Vanuatu’s capital Port ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elyse Methven, Lecturer in Law, University of Technology Sydney The message to everyone during the coronavirus pandemic is to stay at home and only leave if you really need to for, say, food, health care or exercise. Police now have powers to ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Pat MacFie from Manaaki.This week we have another special podcast highlighting some of ...
NZ First leader Winston Peters today said he wants the election held on November 21, Radio NZ reported. He says he believes the health system would be under the pump in September with the winter flu season and the country potentially still dealing with the impacts of Covid-19. Prime Minister ...
New Zealand Rock Lobster (crayfish) are once again heading to China with the first small consignment being airfreighted last week. It was one of the first primary industry sectors in New Zealand to be affected by Covid-19, and as we now know, the sledgehammer that hit this industry was just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Bloomfield, Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia Lockdown measures aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 should actually help cut the cases of flu this year. That’s because keeping people apart to reduce the spread of coronavirus ...
New modelling from Te Pūnaha Matatini projects the impact of the lockdown, and what our next steps could be, Marc Daalder reports New figures from a team of mathematicians and scientists modelling the way Covid-19 could affect New Zealand indicate the lockdown has significantly dampened the spread of the virus. ...
Bernard Hickey talks to Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr about the latest retail spending data and the Reserve Bank's call for banks to step up as market-makers for corporate and local government bonds. In their latest daily 'Bernard Zooms out to lunch with Jarrod' video, Bernard Hickey and Jarrod ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Georgie Russell, Senior Lecturer, Deakin University This Easter will be especially challenging, with family isolation and many parents under financial strain, or other stressors. So, many parents will be looking to restore some sense of “normality” by welcoming the Easter bunny into ...
The Beths’ live-streamed concert yesterday showed that even in lockdown, music isn’t dead. Here’s why it worked, and where you can see Kiwis live streaming for the next week.Yesterday at 9am, Liz Stokes put a giant pineapple mask over her head and played the Animal Crossing theme on a trumpet ...
New Conservative Leader Leighton Baker has lived in and around the Waimakariri district since 1992 and is revelling in the opportunity to represent the electorate in Parliament after the 2020 general election. “Waimakariri is a diverse district with a strong ...
“Hard-hit councils, who oversee half this country’s public infrastructure, require financial support from central government that is tied to shared priorities through Urban Growth Partnerships,” says Paul Blair CEO of Infrastructure New Zealand. ...
Airways may close seven of its regional air traffic control towers because of a collapse in traveller numbers. The services under review are provided at Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Rotorua and Invercargill Airport as well as the airfield flight information services provided at Kapiti Coast Airport and Milford Sound ...
Proposals to expand the role of local councils into climate change mitigation under the Resource Management Act would add confusion, complexity and duplication, according to the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand (PEPANZ) and ...
As New Zealand enters its third week of Covid-19 lockdown, a just released set of modelling provides a flare of light at the end of the tunnel, reports Toby Manhire.On a day that the active case number decreased, it finds that “While New Zealand case numbers remain low, tracing, testing, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael L. Brown, Director of the Centre for Philosophy of the Sciences and Lecturer at the School of Philosophy, Australian National University As they released the modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic behind Australia’s social isolation policies this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison ...
The latest in our new series of charts, graphics and data visualisations by Chris McDowall.This work is entirely funded by the generosity of The Spinoff MembersThese posts collate the most recent statistics and present them as charts and maps. The Ministry of Health typically publishes data updates in the early ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jim Tognolini, Director, Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment, University of Sydney Following a meeting with states and territories, federal education minister, Dan Tehan said year 12 students were a priority, and were being sent a clear signal: “There will be no ...
The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) is calling for an equal extension to all licencing regimes, following the Government’s announcement today offering motorists a six-month licencing grace period. COLFO says that like motorists, licenced ...
Dear Minister Jones, Firstly, let me introduce myself. My name is Adrian. I am an employee in the forestry industry, a Future Forester, a graduate of Canterbury University and, albeit very small, a forest owner. ...
As countries in Europe plan a tightrope walk back out of lockdown, the World Health Organisation warns it is too early to relax strict suppression measures in the fight against Covid-19, writes Peter Bale Two weeks into New Zealand's aggressive and early lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19, voices ...
Consumers dramatically changed their spending patterns last month because of Covid-19 and the government ordered lockdown. Official numbers show overall retail spending using electronic cards fell a record seasonally adjusted 3.9 percent on the previous month. Stats NZ senior manager Sue Chapman said spending on eating out and accommodation plunged ...
A new $200,000 business subsidy package is being launched in Christchurch to help those affected by Covid-19. The ChristchurchNZ business support subsidy will offer eligible businesses up to $1000 each to seek professional advice. The scheme - funded by ChristchurchNZ, the city's economic development agency, will support small to medium ...
Large retailers have been quick to apply for government wage subsidies during the Covid-19 lockdown. The Warehouse has received $67.7 million to cover the labour costs of the shutdown of its Red Shed, Torpedo, Noel Leeming, and Warehouse Stationery chains, which between them employ about 11,000 staff. "The receipt of ...
A new report Quantifying the wellbeing costs of Covid-19 by the New Zealand Initiative shows how an economic hit of about 6.1% of GDP would be justified if it meant saving 33,600 lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. The figures, compiled by research fellow ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of people to live under strict lockdown conditions, but the psychology of human behaviour predicts they will find it harder to stick to the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Smillie, Associate Professor, University of Melbourne The coronavirus pandemic has caused tens of thousands of deaths around the world and pushed major economies into a tailspin. Beyond those impacts, almost all of us will face psychological challenges – trying to maintain ...
We asked Tony Baird, of Newsroom foundation supporter Vodafone NZ, to provide some insights into how New Zealanders have been using online and their smartphones during the first fortnight of lockdown. At Vodafone NZ, we entered new territory in this lockdown as New Zealanders have been turning to their smartphones and devices ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has launched a new campaign to temporarily reduce the remuneration of politicians, senior bureaucrats, and council bosses to match those voluntary and involuntary efforts in the private sector where pay is being ...
Analysis by Keith RankinWhat is Mercantilism?Keith Rankin. Mercantilism is the form of public policy that was dominant in Europe – especially Northern Europe – in the ‘early modern’ period; meaning in the period loosely between 1500 and 1800 (sixteenth to eighteenth centuries). In a political sense it ...
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says legislative changes to driver licensing and vehicle certification requirements coming into effect tomorrow (10 April) will help drivers and vehicle owners safely navigate through the COVID-19 lockdown period and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Woolaston, Lawyer, Queensland University of Technology Never before have we seen how the human use of wildlife can yield such catastrophe, as we have with COVID-19. The current available evidence indicates COVID-19 was first transmitted in a wildlife market in Wuhan. ...
In a week alone there was an increase of about 10,000 people now relying on welfare to get by. As the number of benefit recipients rapidly increases as a result of COVID-19, Auckland Action Against Poverty is calling on the Government to urgently lift benefits ...
CEAC stands alongside Forest & Bird, Greenpeace, WWF-New Zealand, Generation Zero, EDS and Ecologic letter to Jacinda Ardern calling on the Government to transform the New Zealand economy to tackle climate change, save native species, improve freshwater ...
Better Public Media welcomes the announcement that the Ministry of Education will fund Television New Zealand and Māori Television to provide up to six hours daily of educational content for our children and students, beginning next week. It is ...
It’s OK if you don’t come out of lockdown with abs.We are living through the worst global pandemic since the Spanish Flu in 1918 and the beginning of an economic calamity that has already claimed the jobs of millions of workers the world over. Hospitals are full, schools are closed and many countries are in ...
One thing is abundantly clear, when this lock down is over, many tourism related businesses will be reliant on Domestic Tourism to stay afloat. But what will that mean from a Freedom Camping point of view? While it has been true, that many towns ...
The Government has announced that all incoming travellers will be quarantined away from their homes and families for a 14 day period, after a public campaign that received widespread support The Government has bowed to a public campaign led by epidemiologists and the National Party to have all returning New Zealanders ...
How is Covid-19 spreading within the country? Newsroom is collating information as it's available to paint a picture of what's happening.The following charts are based on numbers shared at the daily press conference. These may vary from the full day's numbers released in the Ministry of Health's spreadsheet ...
New Zealand is has joined the ranks of countries experiencing a wave of sabotage attempts against mobile networks as false claims about 5G go viral, Marc Daalder reports Spark, 2degrees, Vodafone and the Rural Connectivity Group have all experienced threats or actual attempts of sabotage of cell towers in recent ...
Air traffic control closure sends COVID-19 shockwaves through regional airports Seven regional airports are shocked that Airways NZ, the national air traffic management organisation, wants to discuss the removal of air traffic control at their facilities ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters wants an election on November 21st. Peters told RNZ he fought for that originally as it's his long held position that summer elections are better. ...
The national lockdown was justifiable to protect the nation's intensive care capacity. But any prolonged lockdown and border closure will cause economic issues that lead to broader, indirect problems for our health and wellbeing, writes Professor Grant Guilford. In a caring society it is right that we do our utmost ...
She’s not a teacher or a fluent speaker – she just wants to practise with you. Join Leonie Hayden as she works through the first four weeks of Scotty Morrison’s Māori Made Easy.Yesterday we were counting things, today we’re counting people. We have different ways of counting each because people aren’t ...
A news item by Māni Dunlop, Māori News Director, has been posted on the RNZ website under the heading Government urged to put Māori at forefront of Covid-19 planning. “Forefront” means the position of greatest importance or prominence. One implication to be drawn from the headline, therefore. is that Māori ...
Women’s Rights Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo is encouraging women to seek help immediately if they find themselves in an abusive situation during the COVID-19 isolation. Often, people who were already in an abusive situation will likely ...
COMMENTARY:By Georgie Bright, Australia associate director of Human Rights Watch Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the fragile health system in Papua New Guinea was underfunded and overwhelmed, with high rates of malaria, tuberculosis, and diabetes among its population of more than eight million. Access to hospitals is extremely ...
New home owners will pay tens of thousands of dollars more on their mortgage if they accept a six-month mortgage 'holiday' option. That’s money going to the banks. But should lender and borrower be sharing the pain? There’s always a nagging worry about holidays. They are fun while they last, but ...
An Auckland bus driver tells Leonie Hayden what it’s like to operate under alert level four, and the struggle to secure a safer work environment.Mike moved to New Zealand in 2001. “I’m a Kiwi now,” he says, “and a die-hard unionist.” He’s employed by a large New Zealand bus company ...
The 1pm briefing has become appointment viewing. But it is no substitute for transparent, timely information, even in such extraordinary times, writes Newshub investigations reporter Michael Morrah in this post originally published on Newshub.Like all journalists in New Zealand right now, I’ve been covering stories day after day, all of ...
The Chair of the Earthquake Commission, Sir Michael Cullen, has welcomed Dame Silvia Cartwright’s Report of the Public Inquiry into the Earthquake Commission, released today. “The Report lays out clearly the challenges faced by EQC in responding to ...
With 14 days before the lockdown period is - for now - set to end, big questions remain about how the country is going to be able to stamp out flareups of Covid-19. ...
Environmental groups from across New Zealand have written to the Prime Minister urging the Government to restore Aotearoa in the economic recovery after lockdown. Forest & Bird, Greenpeace, WWF-New Zealand, Generation Zero, EDS and Ecologic ...
We've published a Controller update on Government spending in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On 25 March 2020, Parliament passed legislation in response to the pandemic authorising the Government to spend up to $52 billion in addition ...
‘It is sobering watching what a country can do if it wants to. Having been told for so long that nothing is possible. These are strange times down the back of the bus, John.’Read more Lockdown Letters here.Dear John KeatsFunny that it’s had to come to this. But when I think ...
By Kelly Vacala in Suva Fiji disaster authorities have lifted movement restrictions imposed yesterday during the height of Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold have been lifted and both Queens and Kings highways are open. However, Covid-19 restrictions remain. Category 5 Harold is now heading for Tonga after leaving a trail ...
The Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education will be taking questions from the opposition in the Epidemic Response Committee meeting. ...
Today’s EQC report urges the country’s natural disaster insurer to prepare for the next “big one”. David Williams reports The Canterbury earthquakes killed 185 people, and damaged 180,000 houses, some of which still haven’t been adequately repaired. Or re-repaired. But they also did something else. They shook people’s confidence in the ...
KiwiSaver funds invested solely in ethical companies are outperforming other funds amidst market volatility. An analysis of returns for the first quarter of 2020 shows growth funds were on average down more than 12 percent, but growth funds that were ethically invested lost on under 8 percent. Conservative and balanced ...
An Auckland small business owner says he's paying full price for broadband in an empty factory and it is not fair. Steve has been wrangling with Spark for days arguing it should share in the pain of thousands of its customers. He runs a small manufacturing business with a handful ...
Paywave limits will increase to $200 to reduce physical contact with PIN pads during the Covid-19 pandemic. Previously only transactions of $80 or less were able to be completed without a PIN using a contactless card. After a pilot, Payments NZ will progressively roll out the new higher contactless payment ...
The Overstory, the winnner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, is an engulfing, worldview-shifting novel about climate catastrophe and hope, writes Susan Wardell. (Photographs are from a photo essay on kauri dieback by Michelle Hyslop; captions by Andrea Ewing). The year before last, I spent the month of January hugging ...
US death toll jumps 779 in a day; WTO warns global trade could drop by 13-33%; Trump says WHO biased towards China; WHO boss says finger-pointing just results in 'many more body bags'US toll surges: The United States is standing out in the Coid-19 numbers count with more than ...
By Sri Krishnamurthi, contributing editor of Pacific Media Watch After some weeks of heavy criticism of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape’s government amid the Covid-19 pandemic, support for the administration has come from a surprising quarter – one of the media. Scott Waide is the Lae bureau ...
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The lockdown may be set to end in two weeks but region-based restrictions are still likely to be in place by the time of the general election, Justice Minister Andrew Little says. ...
Open Mike 18/06/2018 
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https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/104785300/thousands-of-government-department-employees-to-vote-on-coordinated-strike-action
MBIE and IRD voting on strike action apparently.
Well I wouldn’t like to suggest that theres been a lot more strikes and suggested strike actions since a change of government happened but it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out
A lot of pent-up frustration and low wage increases for the best part of 10 years will do that.
My thoughts as well Craig.
I suspect it is because at last they have a government that might listen to their concerns
That and won’t try to criminalise them as well.
It is time to reclaim some balance in New Zealand industrial relations after getting hammered by employers since 1991.
Increased industrial action is a positive sign. Workers no longer standing for tiny wage increases and bully boy tactics from employers
Norway wants to start commercial electric airplane flights:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-17/tesla-loving-nation-now-wants-to-be-a-pioneer-in-electric-planes
Norway is the largest exporter of oil and gas in Europe, but they also plan to cut emissions by 40%.
Helpfully they have few ethical quandaries about their continued economic, environmental and social success.
They are not claiming long-haul electric flights will ever be viable, just the short ones to start with.
http://www.elections.org.nz/news-media/cancellation-party-registration-0
End of a political party
I can’t see many people being sad about this
There were a lot on here who thought they were fantastic.
As opposed to the joke they were.
At least they helped kill off mana.
These things are relative. They were infinitely better than the then government, and offered some prospect of justice for Dotcom for the abuses he suffered at the hands of the Key kleptocracy.
But as a booster for that sleazy pack of scum you feel threatened by anyone not succumbing to illegal shit like armed raids on an unarmed household.
Are you claiming the party was a means for Dotcom to avoid due process in the legal system?
Make a point gosman, your attempts to put words in peoples mouths is really disengious, as well as tiresome. It really is quite a dishonest way to have a discussion.
I agree with Adam about “Are you saying..? Is your belief..? Stop framing the argument through another’s supposed view, Gosman. It’s boring and a waste of our time.
Such is the life of the ideoligically aligned NaCT Party spin meister – on duty from dawn til dusk and overnight.
I’ve seen Harcourt’s Real Estate agents who’ve given up for less. (At least they had a questioning mind – going forward)
I asked a question to clarify this point “…and offered some prospect of justice for Dotcom for the abuses he suffered at the hands of the Key kleptocracy”.
Perhaps you can give your interpretation on what this means given that to me it suggests one of the points of the party was to counter the legal proceedings Dotcom was facing at the time.
Really, you don’t do it all the time? You don’t ask questions to put words in peoples mouths? Then you never get all huffy when someone points out your dishonest way of debating?
Seriously gosman, you got a couple of day ban for that diengious style of yours. I see you still doing it.
“Huffy”
And no, perhaps I won’t. Adam’s right.
Certainly not – as subsequent court rulings showed, he was illegally denied it.
If he was illegally denied it what is the current government doing about it considering they could intervene?
You would have to ask them, Gosman.
Dawn raids don’t seem to be part of it however.
How about you go after the guilty and leave the bystanders alone for a change.
How about you start asking the hard questions of the side that you support for a change?
These are the same fools that took about a decade to come round on Zaoui – they’re not about to risk anything for Dotcom.
But as I said – Key abused the powers of his office, illegally spying on and seizing Dotcom’s property, with the intention of facilitating an illegal prosecution by US interests.
Why are you such a pathetic apologist for Key, Gosman? That was the shit the Nazis pulled to glom Jewish wealth – not something to tolerate for a heartbeat – but you did.
I’ve never been a rah rah for Key. If you’ve followed my comments on this blog you should know this. I just think he was better than the left wing alternatives as evidenced by the current rabble in power.
You never called him on any of his numerous dishonesties or abuses of power – but you want to call the coalition on not helping Dotcom? That’s a double standard too far.
I criticised Key all the time. I just criticised him for different things to what you generally criticised him for. In some areas we might have had common cause but certainly not on the Dotcom issue. I personally don’t think there was any political interference in the Dotcom case. If there was then it would be very serious and as such I would expect it to be a priority of the current government to sort out. Given they aren’t doing this it would tend to support my view rather than yours.
“all the time” eh.
So you’ll be able to cite a couple – I don’t recall any.
No, it actually doesn’t. There’s several possible meanings two of which are:
1. There’s simply no evidence of wrong doing despite the prima facie evidence that there was. This doesn’t mean that wrong didn’t happen – just that the evidence to prove it doesn’t exist.
2. The present government is following the ‘legal’ position that governments aren’t responsible for what happens under their watch in government departments because they’re not supposed to get involved in day to day operations.
3. They actually believe that Key et al did nothing wrong.
“illegal shit like armed raids on an unarmed household”
I had almost forgotten about that. Not surprising I suppose that one tends to forget things that were actually more than 10 years ago.
It was certainly absolutely disgraceful behaviour by the Police and Government of the time.
What was the Government so worried about?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_New_Zealand_police_raids
Dotcom’s home was invaded by armed police in 2012.
No. The raids were in 2007. You must be thinking about something else. 2012 was when the trials took place and only a few people ended up being charged and there were guilty verdicts on only a few trivial arms offenses.
Then in 2013 the raids were found to be illegal and in 2014 the poor old Police Commissioner had to go and apologise for them.
The responsible politicians were by then keeping well out of the way. The one who was ultimately responsible for the disgraceful activities had by then fled the country and was tucked away in New York. Never did admit to doing anything wrong and never apologised.
Dotcom’s home was invaded by armed police in 2012.
Hey Alwyn, everything else you believe is wrong too.
Are you starting to understand why you’re known as a liar yet?
You aren’t talking about the same thing are you?
I was talking about the dreadful affair in the Urewera area. They were certainly the worst case of Police behaviour in my lifetime, with the possible exception of 1951.
If you had read my link you should have realised that.
But you really don’t read properly do you? Why do you worry about minor affairs and ignore the serious misbehaviour?
You see why you are known as an idiot yet?
You are the only one in this thread talking about the terror raids. You started by replying to Stuart Munro who was making the point that the police raided Dotcom’s home all military style for no good reason.
“What was the Government so worried about?”
Not a damned thing. It was a quid pro quo for a trade deal they’ve wanted forever – and, as with Jenny taking the tariffs off, achieved precisely nothing.
Except to crush NZ’s emerging cyberlocker sector, and destroy Dotcom’s life and NZ’s reputation as a law abiding country.
Kim Dotcom’s home was raided on 20th January 2012. I would have thought that even a Fifty Cent Army member such as yourself would be able to figure out that 2012 is less than ten years before 2018.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/simon-bridges
End of a political party
I can’t see many people being sad about this
There were a lot of people who thought they were fantastic
As opposed to the joke they were
At least they helped kill of ACT.
I agree with you on this, it’ll be Judith Time!
Also a poem I just created for Judith, its my best yet:
I think that I shall never see a politician as lovely as Judy
Judy, whose hungry mouth is prest against the earth’s sweet flowing breast (might be a tad sexy)
Judy that looks at God all day, and lifts her motherly arms to pray;
Judy that may in Summer wear a nest of defeated opponents in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. (Thats pretty hot)
Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make Judy
That’s really quite impressive PR – have you considered leading the Conservative Party?
Unfortunately I’m the shy and retiring type so politics wouldn’t suit me 🙂
poetic repartee.
Unfortunately that would make you a perfect leader especially with your unhealthy obsession or crush on Collin’s
Unfortunately I have some ideas that I don’t think the Conservatives would like 🙂
There once was the member for Papakura,
Whose husband worked for Orivida
When hubbys milk was delayed
She didn’t care if NZ paid
She went and dined to ensure “hey no problem”
Now if this sorry tale you doubt.
Its time to to read all about…
For dirty politics was the book
That showed Judith as a crook
sometimes love is blind as a…………………………..
Sorry PR…..just have to tell you the bad news on your crush
Could you do another verse and mention her eyebrows? And you could include some swamp kauri as well, perhaps – lol.
Sorry but inspiration doesn’t come that easy 🙂
Just once a day, Pucky, then you’re spent?
Can’t be that difficult, googling ‘poem’.
Are you suggesting I…plagiarise?
Who ever did you get that idea from 🙂
Fine I’ll prove it then, here’s my magnum opus and you’ll see how similar it is to my other works
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I love Judith
and so should you
I think you’ll find that’s a pretty compelling argument
It could begin; “Up to her eyebrows…”
Up to her eyebrows in muck
Judith is sh*t out of luck…
Up to her eyebrows in mire
Judith should quickly retire…
I like where this is potentially going…
I’m now thinking…
Those eyebrows are in dire need of plucky
Perhaps Jude could call upon …
Dammit! Can’t get the rhyme!
Got me stumped as well
Jude’s past is decidedly muckish
She needs service from someone named…
Dammit!
Completely dried up!
(stumped – gotta give you some credit for that…I suppose…)
The poetry doesn’t seem to be working so I thought I’d “branch” out into comedy writing
Judith’s a never ending source of material for you then.
I think this ‘po em’ has been ‘appropriated’from someone else. Where did you get it from?
Trees
By Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees
Coincidence 🙂
i thought they would get 7%….but the fjk video and the moment of truth stuffed that
Tuned into NR politics at 11 this morning. Seems Hooten was also reliving the times, start a rant on how unstable Peters is. Like any analyst worth his salt can see Labour learnt the lesson, National deputy rolled his leader and Peters has been living off the victimhood every since. Every time Hooten re tells this piece of propaganda I swear NZF jumps in the polls.
“Every time Hooten re tells this piece of propaganda I swear NZF jumps in the polls.”.
Is that what is doing it? I have been at a loss to understand how Winston First could possibly still be up at the 2.4% they are in the Newshub/Reid poll. On their behaviour they should be under 1%. Below ACT in fact.
Keep quiet Hooton. Let Winnie sink beneath the surface of the swamp.
This looks good for minister Clark – not
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12072583
James. The issue is really over the underfunding of Health, over the last 9 years. Sadly some innocents who tried to manage the deficits were hurt. And more sadly some losers try to make capital out of the mess left behind.
You are like those who revel in someone else’s car wreck
You may say that is the issue – but this *is* and issue in its own right. All you are doing is deflecting by refusing to discuss this issue in its own right.
Clark deserves everything he gets on this.
Considering Clark’s response towards the end of the article, it would appear either that you didn’t read it to the end, or that you are simply happy to give everyone except him the benefit of any doubt, because he is a Labour politician. Neither would surprise me in the slightest.
Be interesting to see if details emerge as to what a joy Rabin was to work with jimbo.
Oh look – the arsonists attacking the fire-fighters again.
The usual attack lines are:
– you’re not putting it out fast enough
– it’s not as big as you say it is (i.e. I only lit a small fire)
– Why are you getting angry and mean and hurting my feelings
National – vandalism on a grand scale since 1949.
AB @ 4.2 Thats brilliant and hilarious
The Royal’s first gay wedding! Sweet.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12072467
#stilldon’tcare
Just a strange coincidence I’m sure…
Rodney worst ranked prancer 5 out of 6 weeks.
Seymour worst ranked dead hoofer 6 out of 8 weeks.
ACT leaders, made for shit tv.
“ACT leaders, made for shit tv.”
And yet they keep on getting voted back.
That would indicate that the people disagree with you.
Next you will be telling us WHY they voted the way they did.
Pity, I suppose. Some would vote them back on for comedic value, others for more perverse reasons; bread, circus.
I am not convinced the people (indicating many) disagree at all… I think Seymour is being kept afloat by just a tiny number of people with way too much money… #DWTSNZ is not a popularity contest, it is a rich person contest… who has the most $$$ to waste
Yep. I’ll tell you why.
They don’t vote for Seymour – it could be anybody. They vote to give National an extra, unearned vote in Parliament from a pretend party.
Maybe rugged individualists who ooze ‘Personal Responsibility’ from every pore just don’t do dancing – which is sort of wimpy and collaborative?
Interesting read from Nicky Hager on the effects of the police raid on his house: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/06/17/124563/what-an-attack-on-journalism-feels-like
“They also paid damages, which I am regarding cheerfully as a NZ Police Writing Fellowship.”
🙂
Quote from link provided by Booker:
Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree. The message would have been ‘sent’ in such a way it could not be traced back to the then PM or his office, but police at a senior level would have been in no doubt what they were expected to do.
It was a case of political interference at the highest level, and we all know it was not the only time it happened during the reign of the last government. It also happened under the Muldoon regime – probably to an even greater degree.
“Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree.”
As you say with nothing to back it up – zero evidence etc.
But “Of course” it happened right?
Your tin foil hat is slipping.
I expected you to drop in with something along that line.
Only blind bats can’t see what everyone else with an ounce of knowledge, grey matter and maybe past personal experiences can see. You mate are such a bat.
James’s ability to forgive the wrongs of the Key administration rivals that of Christian martyrs – it’s just a shame his hypocrisy excludes everyone else.
Oh he knows it alright – It just suits his politics to lie about it.
If this was indeed the case it is a gross abuse of the political system Anne. What is the current government doing to look in to it and ensure it doesn’t happen again?
Argh, yes Gosman…
The political system is a gross abuse…as are the dominant systems crushing the life and soul from living beings…
No government will.be changing it, as they are beholden and merged to the Westminster System…such that they are indistinguishable from it…
Tell us all about derivatives again…counter party risk and all that…
Perhaps you’re not the same operator of Gosman who pretended to understand economics and finance…
Try anyway…
Indeed it was a gross abuse of the system Gosman. But when you have a police hierarchy acquiescing to the govt. on the matter and a MSM too lily-livered to investigate properly – and a large section of the voting population who neither understood the issue nor bothered to read the book – then there was little could be done about it. What is worse Key went on TV and radio… blatantly lied and the MSM let him off the hook.
I expect this government will eventually take measures to try an ensure nothing like it could happen again, but they have rather more important matters like housing, health and education to attend to first.
Btw, the Winston Peters saga re- his superannuation over-payments is another case in point. This time it was ‘senior bureaucrats’ who leaked the information to two former cabinet ministers which was also an abuse of their power and position.
How would a government ensure nothing like it could happen again?
Agreed, in the light of the Police’s fulsome apology (and tax payer-funded compensation) to Nicky Hager, ideally the Police and/or politicians will:
(1) Investigate both why and how senior police justified their illegal activities at the time, and
(2) Work towards ensuring that such abuses of power don’t reoccur.
The apology was great, but more analysis is required to avoid repeats. The Urewera ‘anti-terrorism’ raids are another example of abuse of police power, although any political motives were less obvious.
What were the political motives in the Dotcom case?
Not familiar with that case. Do you know of any public apology or expression of regret regarding the ‘handling’ of the Dotcom case?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/98549323/kim-dotcom-reaches-settlement-with-police-over-2012-hollywoodstyle-dawn-raid?rm=m
Hmmm, is it all Police forces that are slow learners, or just ours?
Dancing to Uncle Sam’s tune. A call to Key’s people from the FBI hierarchy, ‘Buddies downunder, we need a hand.’
Political parties in the US are funded by the same small clique of elite that own the bulk of the copyright Dotcom was allegedly exploiting.
When the Kennedys hit the White House JFK’s brother Bob set off to try and put a lid on organised crime. Minor in the grand scheme of things, but there was immense media/public interest and concern.
They introduced a raft of new legislation full of fishhooks designed to snare the Tony Sopranos of the headlines.
These US laws never went away. Dotcom finds himself on Federal charges of racketeering. His problems are bigger than pinching a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Mega started to pay cash to the people that uploaded the most content to their ‘Download Anything Here’ site. In doing so, he fell foul of those same laws that were put in place to collar Gotti et al.
When the final curtain comes down….I don’t think the FBI lose very often.
Right, so after all that went down in Dirty Politics Gosman (7.2.1.1.3), involving the previous National government, you are saying the onus lies with this government to look into it to make sure it doesn’t happen again?
And what about those National MPs and supporters involved in DP? One incident even involved a Labour public servant being threatened! How about making sure these thugs are held accountable for their part? Their accountability just might prevent a similar occurrence taking place!
Oh that’s right, National doesn’t do accountability does it?
Ummm… I’m asking the same question as you. Why doesn’t the current Government ensure those responsible are held to account? It is in their power you realise don’t You?
You know, Gosman, like you, I would prefer to see the current government take steps to prevent any recurrence of the Dirty Politics situation. You know what, though? The best way to make that work would be if the senior National Party figures involved were to unpack their dirty dirty laundry, own up and explain all the ins and outs of what they did and who enabled it to work as it did. If you were to advocate for that, give your vote to those opposing National, and encourage all your friends and acquaintances to do the same, you might have something to say. Until then, all you are doing is being a cock.
Gooseman the problem has been solved Key has gone .
““Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree.”
“zero evidence”
Dishonest people tend to know how to avoid detection.
Emails? Nah.
Witnesses? Nah.
Letters? Nah.
Discussions? Nah.
However, a short sharp verbal discussion in an isolated space to a person with powerl? Yeah.
Put the teacup saga and the Rawshark saga and the Dirty Politics saga together and 1 + 1= 2. Aha.
Care to speculate James as to why the police acted in this way
do people here get paid to engage gosman, wayne, james and the others ?
How much and where does one apply, i know a few people who would happily fling shit about to make some cash. cause thats all it is, flinging shit about stinking the joint up for shits n giggles.
@sabine
Here are a couple of places you could start.
jacinda.ardern@#parliament.govt.nz
winston.peters@#parliament.govt.nz
You may have to wait rather a long time for a reply from the first though.
I am also not sure whether the second one is still used. I heard a rumour that since the Unfortunate Event at Parliament last year he has changed his address to
tsar.winston.first@#bellamys.bar
I’d stick to enquiring to Winston of course. He has an absolute veto over any Government appointment and he doesn’t take kindly to people who don’t appear to understand his total control of all matters.
I believe Winston has largely given up drinking and smoking.
Pregnancy calls for good healthy living.
Did you actually read those two sentences before you hit submit? I certainly hope so because your juxtaposing them gave me the best laugh I’ve had all day and I love the thought that it was deliberate.
Winston changing his living style because he is pregnant?
The mind boggles.
The mind boggles all right, boggles that you didn’t get it, couldn’t get the reference and that anyone could be that stupid as to flaunt a blind stupidity matching their blind partisanship.
That’s nice dear. I’m sorry that your dyspepsia is bothering you though.
Why don’t you cut back on the booze and try a nice warm cup of Milo instead?
I’m sure it will cure your heartburn and you will feel much better.
Or not. Perhaps you just like being an arsehole.
Admit it alwyn, the joke went right over your head. Instead of copping to that (the whole personal responsibility thing, which by the way you keep banging on about – funny never applies to you though), you went the whole personal attack.
Boy it’s going to be a long 9 years.
For those struggling in small terminological tidal pools on the beach of the sea of “liberal” – between neo-liberal, classical liberal, liberal liberals and social liberals, libertarians, and others smashed across the ideological foreshore the foreshore by the Trump-sized tsunami – take comfort that yours is not the only group wondering why the sea is receding:
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/16/why-the-classical-liberal-is-making-a-comeback-218667
Good morning Newshub Rodger enjoyed his time on Dancing with the Stars.
trump is a muppet were are the immigrants in Europe that his country created to go into the Sea I can see his grubby hands on Alot of thing happening to tangata who oppose his dumb ass views going down the man loves have all the levers he got and he doesn’t give a shit about who gets hurt in the process of his vendettas.
Ka pai Duncan the reffs are only human so they make mistakes they are part of the foundation of ATOEAROA Rugby And the All Blacks most of them are voluntary doing the job. Ka kite ano