Open mike 18/10/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 18th, 2020 - 66 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

66 comments on “Open mike 18/10/2020 ”

  1. Stuart Munro 1

    I admire the courage, wisdom and leadership, as well as the calm, compassion and respect for others, she has shown in these challenging times. ~ The Dalai Lama

    Now comes the hard part – alloying the base metals of NZ's poorly governed peoples into something brighter and stronger.

    But she may have an easier task than National – tasked to rebuild with a tired crew of deadwood who survived on the list, while what little youth and talent they had fell away.

  2. Ad 2

    I barely have a voice this morning.

  3. WeTheBleeple 3

    My faith in NZ'ers is restored somewhat. They actually were paying attention. – General election.

    My faith in campaigning and the power of grassroots has been restored – Chloe Swarbrick.

    Now, will the PM who preaches teamwork discard her previous partners? I'd like to think no.

    When will we know?

    • Sacha 3.1

      Now, will the PM who preaches teamwork discard her previous partners

      She is not the only one who gets a say in that. Are there still some FPP mindsets amongst those who do?

  4. ScottGN 4

    Got everything I wanted last night.

    Labour majority.

    Greens winning AKL Central, which if they work hard could become a real stronghold and they’ll never have to worry about the bloody threshold again. And defying the MMP curse of small parties in government and growing their vote.

    Māori Party back and perhaps another seat on the list, I’d like to see Debbie Ngarewa-Packer in the parliament.

    And National really, really trounced. That hasn’t happened enough in my lifetime.

  5. ScottGN 5

    Gerry doing a mea culpa on NatRad right now for his dumbarse Covid conspiracy comments. My morning is just getting better and better.

  6. Anker 6
    • Yes feels great this morning. Best possible outcome ever!

    Did anyone else watching one get sick of Niki Kayes poor me, the boys are hurting stance? Ok a tough night for her, but it was all about how hard it was fort them. Her commentary was all “when you get a broad swing like this” as if it was some random event. Gerry was working so hard and everyone else in Nats so much talent. Woe is me! They just can’t take a lot of personal responsibility can they. She ran the coup that ended up being part of the train wreck…….

    but maybe a poor choice of guest by TVNZ………Liam Hehir a Tory, had some worthy commentary.

    iswitched to three a couple of times, but it looked a bit nasty over there with Pagani (who someone on the Standard reprted)she thought labour would end up with 43%

    • Wensleydale 6.1

      I can't watch anything involving Josie Pagani. She's a professional Job's comforter and annoys the crap out of me.

  7. bwaghorn 7

    Well done excellent result

    Right you fuckers you got no excuses now . You've had 3 years, nzf is gone, get to work .

  8. NZJester 8

    Was that jacket David Seymour had on when he arrived via boat a life jacket or just a wet weather jacket?

    If it was not an inflatable life jacket then he should be called out for lack of boat safety.

  9. Gabby 9

    Is there a job Kelv can do? Minister of Racing? Minister of Defence But Don't Touch A Bloody Thing?

  10. weka 10

    my faith in the MSM restored. I hope their ratings trash the opposition's.

    https://twitter.com/VodBox_IO/status/1317413558108352512

  11. mikesh 11

    In this election I split my vote, giving my electorate vote to Jessica Hammond (TOP), and my party vote to the Green Party. It was gratifying to see Jessica finish 3rd behind Labour and National, as in 2017, with 3800 odd votes (2017 – 2800 odd) a 33% increase. I suspect, though I haven't yet looked at other electorates, that TOP may have maintained its support in the electorates but lost party vote support. Probably many TOP supporters, like me, would have given their party vote to other parties on the assumption that TOP would not score 5% anyway.

  12. Phillip ure 12

    I think I have come up with an appropriate soundtrack for the visuals of the inevitable slow-mo media parade of the losers…it is the chorus from the recently released (and an instant stone-cold classic..b.t.w…) from local artist Reb Fountain..it's called 'don't you know who I am..?'..and I would submit it strikes just the right note of plaintive incredulity ..

  13. Anne 14

    Dr. Bloomfield is fronting a special announcement at 1 pm – 10 mins away.

    • Ed 14.1

      From Ashley’s briefing.

      1 community case. Port worker.

      Wednesday 14th – working in New Plymouth, stayed in motel. Ship he worked on is en route to Napier.
      Returned home to Auckland.
      Thursday 15th – at home in Auckland.

      A reminder there is no room for complacency.

  14. SPC 16

    As for ASB and Kaikoura Fish and Chip Shop naming rights to Eden Park.

    1. A fisherman is home from the sea with food for newsmedia.

    2. You can read the results of the election in fish and chip wrapping paper before the test starts.

    (some people know how to do this)

    3. The plan is to hunt the deer in the electorate headlights for the cull swing comes for them

    4. In the north where the young mother is PM bares her breasts within Fin’ish fashion, whereas in the south another seeks to return to her place as head of her party down under in a place where the Maori word for fish and head have something to do with a grandmothers jaw bone and leaving someone behind to take care of the older women so they are safe.

    5. Sometimes different colours involve different accents, but only here are we free, old and young, of COVID.

    And so in the end, it came down to how many stars/tries were awarded, to determine the winner in the day. The end.

    PS The journalist knows it is all about narrative and being the one who prevails as heroic resilient character of the story by its end.

  15. swordfish 17

    .

    A few Questions for you avant-garde Auckland Types with your fancy Post-modern Hairdos (if you'd be so kind as to reply at your earliest convenience)

    I'm thinking of looking at the geography of the Vote (incl the swing). Amongst other things, I want to break Auckland down into its constituent regions … (1) Central/City …… (2) East …… (3) West …… (4) South …… (5) North Shore.

    Q1: Where the hell does Panmure-Otahuhu go ? I've tentatively stuck it under Central/City … but seems a liitle bit East & a little bit South as well.

    Q2: Upper HarbourNorth Shore or West ? … (have it under NS at moment)

    Q3: Whangaparaoa .. include in NS ? … otherwise would need to go under Upper NI Provincial

    Q4: Papakura = presumably South ? (given overwhelming majority of voters in this seat are located in southern extreme of Urban Auckland). But clearly larger rural component than other Auckland seats.

    Throw this parochial old Wellingtonian a friggin bone for Chrissakes ! Or I’ll have the Rozzers onto ya.

    • Ed 17.1

      Looking forward to your fascinating and enlightening breakdown of the data.

    • Muttonbird 17.2

      Panmure-Otahuhu is mine. We used to be Maungakiekie before the boundary change. If demographics are the most important criteria I’d say the following.

      Panmure-Otahuhu = South Auckland.
      Partly geographically, but almost wholly demographically. The bit that is East is Panmure and Glen Innes. They are slowly being gentrified but still loads of state housing there.

      Upper Harbour = North Shore
      Load of new housing there, particularly in the area which crosses into West Auckland. It capture Massey but this is a small part.

      Whangaparaoa = North Shore
      It’s a well developed suburb and an extension of the Northern suburbs rather than an independent regional entity.

      Papakura = East Auckland
      It is mostly wealthy rural Clevedon which is where Collins gets her support from.

      • swordfish 17.2.1

        Cheers, M … appreciate the help.

      • roblogic 17.2.2

        Hmm Papakura is geographically way south. Collins also gets support from the flash new developments at Karaka and thereabouts. But the old town centre is still very South Auckland and not benefiting from the new money

        • Muttonbird 17.2.2.1

          Might have had a case for that before the last boundary change but the Papakura electorate is now rural despite the 'old town centre'. The 'old town centre' will have less and less significance in the future with a lot of new developments slated for the areas south and west of Papakura itself.

    • Molly 17.3

      Hi swordfish,

      Hate to disagree with any other Standardista this morning, while still celebrating, but was brought up in Maungarei (Mt Wellington) and consider it to be central Auckland rather than South, although Otahuhu would be considered South, Panmure definitely not. Maungakiekie is One Tree Hill, and more Penrose/Green Lane.

      Papakura is also another place I've called home, and it is definitely South. However, as Muttonbird says, there is a lot of money in certain parts of Papakura, and that money does not like hearing it said that they live in South Auckland.

      South Auckland apparently is a state of mind. Primarily, where the brown and poor are located, despite geographic location. Which is why you are bizarrely told that Panmure is south, while Papakura, located further south – is not. (The geographical spread of Papakura does go east, but the population spread is predominantly south.)

      • Muttonbird 17.3.1

        I think I explained this, Molly. I weighted the descriptions demographically rather than geographically. For the purposes of the intent of electorate capture, Panmure and most of Glen Innes are definitely South Auckland.

        You may have been brought up under Maungarei but I live here right now. I know who my neighbours are.

        Here's Papakura in 2020. One thing it is not is South Auckland!

        Though I am happy to re-advise Swordfish Papakura should probably go into his ‘Upper NI Provincial’ category. In fact it would be a better fit than East Auckland.

        Re-enforcing that, this map excludes Papakura entirely from Auckland Metro.

        • Molly 17.3.1.1

          If you go further south than Papakura, as you have it – then you are in Waikato.

          The majority of the population of Papakura are South Aucklanders. The majority of the people who would refer to themselves as East, are probably living east, but are still in the minority when it comes to population.

          As for the living here now, comment…

          Great, but all sports codes and school competitions etc were with other central/East Auckland schools and groups. The differentiation you speak of existing presently, is due to snobbery and gentrification. The estuary divided Panmure/central from Pakuranga/East. But Mt Wellington was never considered South. Otahuhu was, but just because it was located after Mt Wellington highway joined the Southern Motorway. Your concept ignores history, and is based on feels.

          (PS. Glad you found out you live in Maungarei, and not Maungakiekie. Will make finding your way around easier. )

          WTF does demographically mean in this context?

          • Muttonbird 17.3.1.1.1

            Rubbish. The new Papakura boundaries capture a huge rural area as you can see. Swordfish will no doubt be able to tell us from booth breakdowns where Collins got her support from – I'm picking most of it was from Clevedon/Whitford way. As shown above at least one graphic does not even include Papakura as part of Auckland.

            Frankly, I don't think you have much of an idea what Auckland looks like now and appear completely lost on the new electorate boundaries. I explained this also but perhaps you didn't bother reading it; in 2017 we lived in Maungakiekie electorate, in 2020 we live in Panmure-Otahuhu electorate, same house…in Mt Wellington/Maungarei.

            A note for you; while both Mt Wellington/Maungarei and One Tree Hill/Maungakiekie describe suburbs of Auckland, only one is also the name of an electorate.

            • Molly 17.3.1.1.1.1

              " The new Papakura boundaries capture a huge rural area as you can see. "

              Which follows much of the previous Papakura District Council and Manukau District boundaries. Both were considered south Auckland authorities. Still doesn't mean that the majority of the population live there. I would say that most of them are located close to the Southern motorway. There is a cohort of people who quite rightly, although they are in the Papakura electorate would consider themselves East. Because they are east geographically. But the majority would be located in the southern part of the electorate.

              Swordfish, was asking whether we considered Panmure/Otahuhu south. I don't because I thought south was a location rather than a demographic. South always started at the crossroads of Mt Wellington highway and the southern motorway. Everything else was considered central. That remains true, despite boundary changes. Maungakiekie is definitely central, and so is Maungarei. Otahuhu on the other hand is the traditional beginning of South Auckland so there is a crossover of that electorate boundary. But looking at your map, I would still consider the bulk of it to be central.

              You however, referred to areas being "demographically" south, and that is something that I'm not going to touch with a bargepole as it that perspective that makes you believe that Papakura only only East because Judith Collins and Whitford.

              BTW, South Aucklanders are very used to being left out of Auckland maps. The Wikipedia entry is not alone in ignoring vast swathes and populations of Auckland.

              • Muttonbird

                Following your logic Otahuhu, Papatoetoe, and Otara are central Auckland.

                News to me and I expect news to people who live there.

                • Molly

                  Following your logic Otahuhu, Papatoetoe, and Otara are central Auckland.

                  No. Your reading comprehension is failing:

                  "South always started at the crossroads of Mt Wellington highway and the southern motorway. Everything else was considered central. "

                  I said the electorate boundary seems to encompass both, but that Panmure/Mt Wellington was central – not south.

                  BTW, still don’t understand what you mean by “demographically” South Auckland as opposed to geographically. Care to elaborate?

                  (Maungakiekie and Maungarei are also primarily the names of two of Auckland’s volcanic cones. Both in central Auckland.)

                  • Muttonbird

                    Nope, it's you who can't read.

                    Swordfish wanted to know where to place the new electorate Panmure-Otahuhu for his research: Central, East, or South Auckland. I rightly said South Auckland.

                    You didn't give an answer and went on to confuse electorates and suburbs.

                    frown

                    • Molly

                      “You didn’t give an answer and went on to confuse electorates and suburbs.”
                      Yes, fair enough… But you were giving these electorates designations that already exist within Auckland, and I disagreed with you in the way you definitively made those choices.

                      The Panmure/Otahuhu electorate crosses the boundaries of Central and South Auckland. Designating it only South Auckland is a choice. But the same choice can be made for designating it only central. Why can't we just say the distinction is arbitrary?

                      Calling Papakura only east is a problem. Because although it involves people who would consider themselves South Aucklanders there are others that would recoil in horror at that designation. Both groups are right, there are some in the Papakura electorate that live in East Auckland, but I would say the majority live South.

                      In actual fact, I agree with DTB (on the other thread) that the distinction is probably pointless. The diversity of lived experiences of those within both electorates are most likely immense. What data or information is going to be found by the grouping?

                    • Muttonbird

                      Ok. The reason I'm certain Panmure-Otahuhu should be placed in South Auckland for the purposes of Swordfish's research is the suburbs which incorporate this new electorate are Papatoetoe, Otara, Otahuhu, industrial Westfield, largely industrial Mt Wellington, Panmure, and Pt England.

                      The demographic of these suburbs are about the same, low income worker families, beneficiaries, and state house residents.

                      I looked at the Electoral Commission website to find out what factors a boundary review takes into account. I wanted to show that household income is a factor where possible. It doesn't say that explicitly but the Representation Commission does consider factors such as communities of interest.

                      I actually found the Electoral Commission's info on this pretty useless because to me it's obvious electorate boundaries are drawn where possible to contain similar socio-economic peoples.

                      This makes sense because their elected representative is likely to be able to satisfy the interests of most people within an electorate rather than having to juggle competing interests.

                      This is not always possible while also satisfying their main objective which appears to be ensuring all electorates contain the same number of people, about 65,000. That I guess is why anomalies occur such as having to put some low income families in Papakura in the same electorate as horse breeding Karaka and lifestyle block owning Clevedon.

  16. Pat 18

    Excellent interview with former central banker this morning on RNZ…was cut off this morning by Judith Collins stand up…the link isnt cut short.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018768894/punk-economist-the-most-prudent-thing-to-do-now-is-spend

    and I hope all Labour MPs are listening to what he has to say

  17. joe90 19

    Dude's a fuckwit.

    https://twitter.com/TonyStuart55/status/1317619063409967104

    And it names Wanganui National Party member Tony Stuart as the man behind the Keeping Stock political blog.

    When contacted by the Chronicle yesterday, Mr Stuart confirmed it was true. Keeping Stock is a right-wing blog and Mr Stuart is also frequently on Twitter under the same name.

    He was named in the New Zealand Herald's list of tweeters to follow throughout the election.

    However since then, Mr Stuart has deactivated his @Inventory2 Twitter account.

    Keeping Stock's tagline is "an eclectic mix of some of the finer things in life – politics, sport, music, humour and God", and Mr Stuart has been writing the blog for seven years, as a hobby.

    He said he was considering its future in the wake of the Dirty Politics furore. Until Hager's book, the name behind the blog had been anonymous, which Mr Stuart said was for personal reasons.

    There was no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Keeping Stock's behalf and Mr Stuart said he didn't engage with politicians to get information for his blog.

    Keeping Stock's brief mention in Dirty Politics comes on page 50 after Cameron Slater posted the name and contact details of public servant Simon Pleasants on his Whale Oil blog. Mr Stuart wrote two comments under that post which read "Superb work Cam!" and "I wonder if Mr Pleasants will get a less-than-pleasant invitation to have a wee chat with his boss sometime this morning … "

    The Whale Oil blog accused Mr Pleasants of working on behalf of the Labour Party while a public servant.

    Mr Stuart said he would look at the future of the blog in the coming weeks.

    https://web.archive.org/web/20140820194640/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11312020

  18. swordfish 20

    .
    So … Wellington

    Wellington (Greater)

    Lab …. Green …. L+G ……….. Nat …. ACT …. N+A …. NZF

    52.6% ……. 15.7% …… 68.3% ………… 18.9% ….. 5.6% …… 24.5% …… 2.1%

    Constituent Regions

    City

    48.5% ……. 22.6% …….71.1% …………17.2% ……5.1% …….22.3% ….. 1.7%

    Hutt

    56.4% …….. 8.1% ……. 64.5% ………….21.3% …. 6.1% …… 27.4% …… 2.7%

    Porirua

    57.8% …….. 9.6% …….. 67.4% ……….. 19.3% ….. 5.9% …… 25.2% ….. 2.3%

    • swordfish 20.1

      Auckland

      Lab …. Green …. L+G ……… Nat …. ACT…. N+A …. NZF

      48.8% ……. 7.6% ……. 56.4% ………. 29.7% …. 7.6% ……37.3% …… 2.1%

      .

      Constituent Regions

      Central/City

      49.5% …… 14.0% ……. 63.5% …….. 23.7% ….. 6.7% …… 30.4% …… 2.0%

      East

      39.3% …….. 6.2% ……. 45.5% ……… 39.4% …. 10.0% ….. 49.4% …… 1.7%

      West

      56.9% …….. 8.8% …….. 65.7% …….. 21.6% …… 5.6% …… 27.2% ….. 2.5%

      South

      60.3% …….. 3.7% …….. 64.0% …….. 24.0% …… 4.8% …… 28.8% ….. 2.8%.

      North Shore

      42.9% ……… 6.3% ……. 49.2% …….. 34.8% …… 9.2% …… 44.0% …… 1.9%

  19. AUSTRINGER 21

    Shipley,of all their leaders changes, got their worst ever ballot box. John Key,was asked once, what politician inspired you to dare be Prime Minister, he replied Jenny Shipley.

  20. sumsuch 23

    Why are there only 40 odd comments here? There's no spirit on the left for these people. I didn't even see spirit on the part of Matamata Jacinda. The BBC has tagged her even. 'Be kind' but leave the neediest behind.

    The Left should speak up. Not only is it true but it's the thing you cu-rmudgeons treasure most, politic.

    • Incognito 23.1

      314 comments today, this one not included.

      • sumsuch 23.1.1

        Did you do a communications degree?

        • Incognito 23.1.1.1

          I went to school and learned counting at a young age.

          • sumsuch 23.1.1.1.1

            Why do you defend them — the 'art of the possible' from '84 over the rationality of the necessary? When the former will sink us in 8 years. It's just our present comfort. 90 % of the West agrees with you.

            Letters columns. It pays you and your missus.

            20 years on you'll be doing Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'. and I will have had a reasonably long life of the utmost comfort.

            • Incognito 23.1.1.1.1.1

              angry What are going on about now?? You’re starting to sound like a troll-bot.

              • sumsuch

                I've just mentioned your and Bowalley's overactive oversight, it killing the Left in preference for a not particularly Left party. Martyn doesn't moderate at all these days.

                Lprent maybe wouldn't have got "The Road' reference, You're another CV kid like Jacinda and Grant. So you'll go far, except there is no far anymore — see 'The Road ' reference.

                The Left is dead about this victory. Nil excitement.

                • Incognito

                  You seem a confused person who’s conflating quite a number of things and people.

                  All TS Authors and Moderators act as volunteers on this site and spend their free time to their best ability on making it work as well as possible. The whole platform is free to anyone to comment as long as they stick to the simple and lenient rules set out in the site’s Policy.

                  If you have an issue with Moderation, take it up with Lprent or leave TS for TDB.

                  Lastly, before you start criticising people whom you don’t know from a bar of soap you may want to give some pause to your assumptions as they could easily morph into assertions and/or personal attacks that you cannot back up nor defend.

                  • sumsuch

                    You just seem shallow and ignorant to me, befitting some younger crawler. Just my impression. Maybe you're an old cove who doesn't know anything. Seen plenty of'm.

                    I'm certain there's something technical in the above para that can get me kicked off so as to maintain your pure, and rapidly diminishing, 'Left'. The endless but slightly worthwhile footnotery TS is known for.

                    • Incognito

                      A number of years ago I came across The Standard for information. I decided to hang around because it was and is such a rewarding place for those who’d like to learn and educate themselves. I’m still learning much here, almost every day.

                      Moderation is a bit like pest control, i.e. to weed out comments and commenters who make it harder for others to thrive here. This has nothing to do with one’s political leanings but everything with one’s behaviour here. The Standard has no policy to maintain or even advocate for some kind of ideological ‘purity’; it is a pathetic straw man used by those who have no argument or are too lazy to think and put some effort into a constructive criticism.

                      Sniders such as you contribute very little to the commentary here. Depending how (ob)noxious the weed is, it will be dealt with accordingly.

                      It is not my habit to divulge personal information here but for you I’ll make an exception. I chose this book for my reading list of English Literature when I was at secondary school: Hurry on Down by John Wain. It was a prescient choice I can say now in hindsight.

                    • sumsuch

                      But why no reply for that Incognito?

                      I respond to sincerity.

                      Para1: very ,much so.

                      Para2: doesn't wash with me. Your blog has a reputation for over the top command directives. For the 1984 establishment in my personal experience. 'Pest control'. I have zero affect on others, they all ignore me.

                      Para 3: 'sniders'! I love it for the word. And you carry on threatening me, proving my point.

                      You're a bit of a sniffling wonder. There's this thing called social democracy in which I grew up in and for which all the best of my (younger) generation is presenting their chins to reality now.

                      Reason and demo-cracy are the vital reality. All the endless details here are third-ary and more.

                      Don't fight me, I'm (NZ) Scots, we can't be beat and anyway we come entirely self-defeating.

                      As it is, at the moment, you come across as Labour’s future Jamie Lee Ross.

                      [One thing I’ve learned here is that there’s no point arguing with the obnoxious. I’m too soft and tend to give self-digging gravediggers the benefit of doubt and without exception, they start digging harder and deeper. Human stupidity continues to amaze me.

                      Ad paragraph 2:
                      This is not my blog. I’ve already explained I’m merely a volunteer here. Unlike other blogs, this site has clear, simple and lenient rules to encourage robust debate and unlike other sites, this site is serious about that.

                      I have no idea what “the 1984 establishment” has to do with this site or its founders and trustees but if it fits in your view of the world then so be it.

                      You have very little ‘effect’ on others here because you contribute next to nothing here. The upshot is that you won’t be missed 😉

                      Ad paragraph 3:
                      A snider is an obnoxious commenter who makes snide remarks. Like most obnoxious weeds here, you conflate a warning with a threat.

                      I’m not fighting you and nobody is trying to beat you. Moderation is all about making sure that we have robust debate here and that nobody feels excluded because of obnoxious sniders, for example. I tried to give you a warning, several in fact, and the benefit of doubt. You opted to ignore it.

                      You keep calling me names – a “future Jamie Lee Ross”?? – and keep on barking up so many wrong trees that your carbon offset must be larger than that of a medium-size coal-powered electricity generator. You should have read this site’s policy and/or read today’s topical Post A bit about how The Standard works. If you had done either, you would have known that attacking Moderators is a sure fire way of getting banned.

                      Ad paragraph 4:
                      You missed your opportunity to discuss relevant literature. I shared personal information with in good faith and you completely ignored it. That hurts!!

                      Because I’ve already banned a notorious gravedigger tonight, I’ll reserve judgement on you – Incognito]

                    • Incognito []

                      See my Moderation note @ 9:54 PM.

            • PaddyOT 23.1.1.1.1.2

              Tell us your trick sumsuch as to how you'd be avoiding McCarthy's apocalypse? Do you have a special bunker?

              • sumsuch

                Paddy, my major tactic is to have been born 20 years earlier than these terrible present twits.

                I'm too comfort-loving idle to adapt. So, violence. A rightful sentence.

                • PaddyOT

                  How old do you think the present are?

                  Wha is your present political sway and why the violence?

                  What do you think should happen in our political scene ?

                  • sumsuch

                    McCarthy's 'The Road' describes a desperate situation very soon after the most sophisticated of societies. Climate change by the models and the facts always ahead of the forecasts will bring that round in my lifetime. So a violent death by starvation or assault by the other desperate.

                    And in our political scene, more roaring by the Left to match Trump's idiocy for the rich. Except Jacinda raising her voice would be notable. Makes me cry our present hopeless complacence prior to the end of everything.

                    The present twits are Jace and Grant at about 40. Honed to a fine point by Clarkian watchful caution. And many other useful careerists.

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    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    5 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    9 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    10 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    12 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
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