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Open Mike 20/09/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 20th, 2018 - 134 comments
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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 …

134 comments on “Open Mike 20/09/2018 ”

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  1. Ad 1
    20 September 2018 at 6:49 am

    You have to be a real political anorak to give a damn about some emails being released, but the longer Curran refuses to let her Prime Minister off the hook, the worse this is going to get. As Claire Trevett notes:

    “The hiring of Handley and then scrapping his appointment before he even began is the messiest mishap of the new Government so far.

    The best Labour can hope for is to deal with the fallout efficiently and without being cute about it.

    Labour had no doubt hoped the Handley episode would be tidied away with the departure of Curran.

    But as long as the contents of those emails remain a secret so too will the suspicion the Prime Minister is somehow involved, or there is something else damaging in there.”

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12128004

    C’mon Curran, release the emails; you can’t fall any further.

    • James 1.1
      20 September 2018 at 7:02 am

      Most open and transparent government ever.

      Sure does look if they have something to hide.

      And you don’t have to be a political anorak- people can see how unprofessionaly Cindys government is handling this – it matters.

      • soddenleaf 1.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 2:50 pm

        Media should move on. Curren resigned. It’s the media stupid. Take Massay uni, a club wanting to invite Brash, the vc said no.NOt about bRushes freespeach since he got a gig quick smart, and how hilarious, 150 years at still fat in the head old white guy still thinks they are a victim like he has ever had a speach problem.

        So M assay did not deny freespeach, just restricted association on their property, the stink would have been Brash meeting said club just outside the campus demanding his right of association, which of course expose how farfetched the whole story was. Farrier turdblossum fails to ignited and blows back on him.

    • Pete George 1.2
      20 September 2018 at 7:16 am

      It’s out of Curran’s hands.

      Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Mr Speaker, my office has received a number of Official Information Act (OIA) requests, including from the Opposition, and is working on a response to those. We will release that information in accordance with the provisions of the Act once it has been compiled and once it has been processed.

      Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The text that I received, again, as I said, was in April. I did not directly reply to that text message on that day or engage with him on the CTO role. On the CTO role, I did not engage with Mr Handley via text message.

      Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Mr Speaker, as I acknowledged the very moment I was asked this question, I have known Mr Handley for a number of years and have had correspondence with him for a number of years.

      Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Mr Speaker, as a consequence of the member’s question, I have had my office check. Mr Handley sent me an unsolicited email to my private email on 7 June, which I did not open and which I did not reply to. I’m advised by my staff that it informed me that he’d submitted an application for the role. But, again, it was not something I opened, saw, or replied to.

      Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Minister of State Services): Mr Speaker, as I informed your office, this will be a slightly longer than normal answer. There are three email exchanges. The first: on 11 August, where Derek Handley emails Clare Curran about the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) position and questions about the role of the CTO, including resourcing for the role and potential conflicts of interest. On 14 August, Clare Curran replies to that email, confirming a call to discuss these matters. On 15 August, Derek Handley replies to that, confirming times for the call.

      The second exchange: on 19 August, Clare Curran emails Derek Handley regarding logistics around the next step on the process of appointment, including the content of any public statements that might be made, and refers to contract discussions with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). On 20 August, Derek Handley responds to that email to Clare Curran about those issues, including the contact he has had with DIA and management of conflicts of interest.

      The third exchange: on 21 August, Clare Curran emails Derek Handley regarding issues that would be on the work plan of the CTO and attaches some relevant background documents on those issues. On the same day, Derek Handley responds to Clare Curran, acknowledging the material and referring to the discussions that he is having with DIA.

      I have sought and received an assurance from the former Minister that these email exchanges will be made available for release subject to the normal Official Information Act (OIA) processes.

      So this saga is going to stretch out for a month or two at least.

      • Ad 1.2.1
        20 September 2018 at 7:54 am

        The OIA is such a cowardly defence from the Labour team.

        Curran is the receiver and author of the emails, so they are fully her gift to provide.

        The Archives people have not even determined if they warrant being official information.

        Curran needs to lance this pus out today.

  2. Sanctuary 2
    20 September 2018 at 7:00 am

    “…You have to be a real political anorak…”

    or a political journalist who needs to create copy every day and who only has the 120 member unicameral parliament of small uncorrupt, and reasonably well run country to work with.

    Seriously, these guys would publish an article on the meaning of a discarded chippies packet in the corridor if they thought they could get away with it.

    • Ed 2.1
      20 September 2018 at 7:09 am

      Well, the corporate media could be addressing issues like child poverty, obesity, suicide, depression, unemployment, employment conditions, pay scales, foreign ownership A LOT MORE.
      You know all the problems caused by the imposition of neoliberal capitalism on this country.
      But they won’t.
      They are paid puppets of the establishment.

      • mauī 2.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 7:49 am

        That was very clear yesterday when the lamestream rated covering an odious ACT leaders right to speak above talking about our amazing suffrage history.

    • Ffloyd 2.2
      20 September 2018 at 9:49 am

      I’d be quite interested in the meaning of a discarded chippiespacket. Far more do than Currans emails which I am sure will bring the Govt down.Sarc. Would also be interested in an inquiry into Gerry Brownlees bullying phone call to young Accountant. Double standards from Dim SIM.

      • Chuck 2.2.1
        20 September 2018 at 10:00 am

        “Would also be interested in an inquiry into Gerry Brownlees bullying phone call to young Accountant.”

        It was not an accountant, the phone call was to a law firm and one of the lawyers there.

  3. Dennis Frank 3
    20 September 2018 at 7:26 am

    Tamihere reckons the govt is “Labour-led because they have 46 seats compared with New Zealand First’s nine.” https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12127921

    Big is good? Such fpp thinking is just silly when applied to an MMP coalition. He can’t seem to grasp the parity relation. We have a Labour PM and that’s the sole basis for any valid claim that Labour is leading, a claim that loses plausibility every time she doesn’t lead when necessary.

    He makes this interesting point: “there is no doubt that Winston coming into 2020 will play the Māori card. You can put your money on it. The question is what will the Māori members of the Labour Party do?” Depends how he plays it.

    He makes much of NZF’s wins in the budget, accuses Winston of dictatorship, and then “If Winston and Shane do not pull their heads in, there has to be a confrontation and Prime Minister Ardern will have to say enough is enough.” I agree, call their bluff when necessary, but she must be aware that Winston may have deliberately provoked her to get an early election. No grounds for this scenario currently!

    • Chris T 3.1
      20 September 2018 at 7:42 am

      Ardern has already caved to Winston and started saying “Coalition govt” instead of “Labour lead govt” since his hissy fit.

      Sad really

      No more Labour government wiki pages

      Seems like, at least for a while they will be all “## National government of NZ” or “## Mingle/Jumble government of NZ”

      • Ankerrawshark 3.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 9:06 am

        Chris what a sentimental thing you must be if a name change makes you feel sad.

        I prefer to save my sadness for things that really impact people such as homelessness……………….but who am I to invalidate what you feel

      • Muttonbird 3.1.2
        20 September 2018 at 9:09 am

        In time it will be referred to as the Labour-led coalition, or the Labour-NZF coalition.

        It has to be called something.

  5. Ad 5
    20 September 2018 at 8:01 am

    “Tourism remains the saviour of New Zealand’s external accounts, which in June continued the trend of deterioration started in 2017.
    In December 2016, the current account deficit hit a low of 2.2% of GDP. That has now climbed to 3.3% of GDP.

    Without the services balance, particularly the tourism returns, the deficit would have climbed to 5.1% in the three months ended June, BNZ head of research Stephen Toplis said.

    ”The good news is we expect the services balance to remain solidly in surplus for the foreseeable future. The bad news is we do not see it growing significantly from here, particularly as growth in inbound tourism is increasingly capacity-constrained.”

    Driving the balance further into the red had been the weakness experienced in New Zealand exports. By his estimate, goods export volumes were only 0.3% higher in the June quarter than they were a year earlier.

    In stark contrast, import volumes soared 8.4%.” – BNZ Head of Research Stephen Toplis, quoted in ODT.

    Capacity constraints are a welcome kind of challenge for the New Zealand government and for businesses to grapple with. (He also neglected to mention that dairy as a commodity set is unrecoverable).

    It was also excellent to hear Otago cheery growers (RNZ this morning) will be doubling their production and don’t know where to get the future staff.

    Among Prime Minister Ardern’s string of bon mots about the economy in her speech on the weekend, enhancing wealth while dealing with increasing constraints to whole industries was absent.

    There lots of areas in which they are successfully working, but this is a real unaddressed biggie.

    • OnceWasTim 6.1
      20 September 2018 at 8:41 am

      Once again @ Muttonbird – agree. Ross Bell is a very sensible chap, though I’m not sure his
      “”This has been the biggest scam New Zealand has ever seen,” is exactly true.
      Immigration scams leading to exploitation and what is effectively people trafficking are just as evil, and they’ve been the result of ten years of bad policy, its implementation and (lack of) enforcement. It’s only now its GRADUALLY being taken more seriously, although there are some pretty simple things that could be done immediately

      • Muttonbird 6.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 8:47 am

        Perhaps. Both are evil in any case. Summarily prosecuting, convicting, and sentencing social housing tenants without offering defence or recourse on the one hand, and encouraging a fearful, cheap workforce for the benefit of their business friends on the other.

        • Gabby 6.1.1.1
          20 September 2018 at 9:29 am

          C’mon man, due process is for finance company directors.

        • OnceWasTim 6.1.1.2
          20 September 2018 at 9:53 am

          I see Andrew McKenzie still has his job too!

          • Muttonbird 6.1.1.2.1
            20 September 2018 at 10:01 am

            Amazing that he’s untouchable yet Bridges is baying for the blood of Jan Thomas.

            And let’s get this straight: Jan Thomas didn’t want a reactionary crank racist doing an unpaid gig on campus, and McKenzie kicked 800 social housing tenants onto the streets unlawfully.

            • OnceWasTim 6.1.1.2.1.1
              20 September 2018 at 10:18 am

              Yep.
              Once again, I was hoping Chris Hipkins review of the public service gets to cover issues such as these. So far I’m not that hopeful.
              Sure as shit it ain’t what it used to be (in terms of ethical behaviour, codes of conduct, etc.) Sure – it was never perfect, but there are now so many departments and Munstries that are absolutely dysfunctional – they do not serve a public or a functioning democracy.
              I doubt any of them (for example) have had any sanction over the use of Thompson and bloody Clark.

          • Gabby 6.1.1.2.2
            20 September 2018 at 7:28 pm

            Andy does have an exceptionally shiny, well covered arse.

    • Ankerrawshark 6.2
      20 September 2018 at 9:12 am

      Just out of interest Chris do you feel sad re what the Salvation Army is saying about meth evictions and stat housing tenants? Or have you used up all your sadness on a name change?

      • Chris T 6.2.1
        20 September 2018 at 10:16 am

        I think the way the tenants were treated was disgusting.

        The Nats had an excuse to start off with as that is the levels they were given to work with, but as it looked more and more like the levels at which it is dangerous were utter shit, there should have been a “Hang on a sec’. Stoppp!!! put all action on tenants on hold till we work this out”

    • ianmac 6.3
      20 September 2018 at 9:14 am

      Don’t know why you bothered Muttonbird. Hardly news that National uses dirty tricks to manipulate public opinion. 🙂

      • Draco T Bastard 6.3.1
        20 September 2018 at 12:01 pm

        But it is something that needs to be shown all the time else people will forget that National are evil.

  7. Ngungukai 7
    20 September 2018 at 8:45 am

    Interested to know if there was any Political Involvement or Direction given with regards to the search of Nicky Hagar’s house by the NZ Police ?

    The IPCA Police Enquiry should uncover whether there was any political involvement in this incident ?

    • Muttonbird 7.1
      20 September 2018 at 8:49 am

      It’ll be outside the terms. Hager’s lawyer appears to be focussed on uncovering police individuals who acted illegally. That’ll be where it stops – unless one of them tells all…

    • Gabby 7.2
      20 September 2018 at 7:26 pm

      You have an interesting view of the purpose of the IPCA.

  8. ianmac 8
    20 September 2018 at 9:09 am

    I seem to remember that Helen Clark once made a remark about the economy which caused a flare up in a similar way to that for which Jacinda was criticised the other day. Funny the things you remember in the middle of the night.

  9. Chuck 9
    20 September 2018 at 9:16 am

    “Peters is a team player only if he’s in charge of the team. He might behave himself for a while, but in time his natural belligerence and contrarianism will assert itself.”

    Which leads to this happening…

    “NZ First has now jammed several sticks into the spokes of Labour and the Greens, to the teeth-grinding frustration of the Left. The Government is looking shambolic and there must be doubts about its ability to run a full term.”

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/107201479/my-shameful-confession-i-voted-for-winston-and-now-i-apologise

    Karl du Fresne has explained the dynamics well, and the reason Winston received his 7% on election night. And why going into coalition with him is like walking through a minefield.

    • Ankerrawshark 9.1
      20 September 2018 at 9:28 am

      Just more spin against the coalition govt by msm..

      Anyway who gives a flying f about who Karl (I chose the wrong ice cream flavour boo hoo) voted for. He needs to be given a wheel barrow and do something useful for a change. Try to help out with the coalitions kiwi build building houses

      Btw chuck 1055

    • Ankerrawshark 9.2
      20 September 2018 at 9:33 am

      100% Doug. Trouble is Nats have nothing.

      Loved the comment by someone earlier about msm would focus on an empty chip packet

      Msm = bunch of villagers + group think = gossip

      • veutoviper 9.2.1
        20 September 2018 at 9:46 am

        Presumably this appeared here by accident as it appears to be a repeat of a reply to 11 below. Not a criticism; I was just confused for a moment until I realised the situation so thought I would clarify for others.

    • veutoviper 9.3
      20 September 2018 at 9:39 am

      Being Karl du Fresne, I was not going to bother to read it as I have read his ‘work’ too many times in the past and he is highly predictable.

      But I decided I would read it. I have, and my initial thoughts proved right. This article is predictable as always, several days behind the ace ball, out of date like Fresne, and a complete waste of time.

      I did get one good laugh from a very quick look at the comments which were also predictably the usual Stuff comments. But the one that made me laugh said words to the effect that the writer voted for NZF in the hope NZF would get rid of those “part-Maoris”.

      The writer should have checked who they were voting for. Of the nine NZF MPs, six (2/3rds) are part-Maoris. LOLs.

  10. SaveNZ 10
    20 September 2018 at 9:21 am

    Another day another scam being exposed of fake jobs and residency applications.

    Indian woman faces deportation after losing more than $30k to ‘parasite’ scammers
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/366859/indian-woman-faces-deportation-after-losing-more-than-30k-to-parasite-scammers

    And this is the type of people that are coming here. Handley is out of a job (but at lease compensated). So in a country that could be attracting the best and brightest, nope we seem to be selecting for scammers and people who contribute to the scams and people with such low skills in areas like IT that they are not employable under normal measures. (IT is desperate for people with skills at the top end not bottom end, like everything bottom end skills are generally obsolete) .

    In my view our future is pretty bleak in NZ for our kids of that continues (Auckland is already 50% migrants and more and more scammers being attracted here) because nobody is interested in stopping our country turning into one full of fucked up scamming parasites.

    The really smart migrants go to the US and UK for study, NZ has developed a Rogernomics system to get the educationally challenged students here and their road to residency through Internet cafe style jobs and fake jobs.

    The problem is, long term, what the fuck is gonna happen to the smart people who already can’t get a job with the low wages and scams – ummm leave and so whose gonna pay the taxes and support the unemployable in their 20’s?

    … cos all these people on those fake Internet cafe jobs qualify for welfare eventually and what happens when the fake job ends and they have residency, but if they couldn’t get a legitimate job before, they clearly can’t after and the kiwis have to support and house yet fake employee whose given tens of thousands to another scammer for their expansion here which our government is completely uninterested in stopping and addressing, presumably because they agree with it.

    Note the difference with human trafficking, migration fraud and so forth with no action from government compared to the swamp house owned by Aven Raj that has the council. all media and Phil Twyford rushing over to condemn it as third world….

    It seems third world migration frauds don’t get the same headlines or attention…

  11. Doogs 11
    20 September 2018 at 9:22 am

    I just have to say with regard to the argie-bargie currently going on in Parliament between the 2 sides in the House – minutiae!

    Led by Bridges, the carefully framed and seriously delivered series of questions from the Nat side are in essence simply niggly and akin to a small dog snapping at the heels of someone it doesn’t like. There is no substance. There is no genuine expression of information required. These people are simply trying to bore holes below the waterline in the fond hope that this will be enough to scupper the coalition (Labour-led, of course).

    It was my fond hope that, having been beaten and relegated to the opposition benches, National would hunker down, look for new policy, criticise the coalition for its policies which they don’t believe in and promote their own answers, through policy statements, to generate some support for what THEY would do if they were in power.

    But oh no! They have turned into an aggressive little Pomeranian yap-yapping at the government’s heels about minutiae that are, in the grand scheme of things, quite irrelevant to bettering NZ for all its citizens. I know why they are doing it. It’s like the kid who can’t get a break, who has no ideas and resorts to foot-tripping or firing water pistols to get some reaction.

    The National Party is devoid of ideas for improving the lives of ordinary NZers. They have a droit de seigneur attitude to governing – it’s their right, they have been cheated, this government should not be there, our 42% is more valid, etc, etc, etc.

    Until they grow up, understand MMP, start talking about their own policies, and behave like adults in the House, then they won’t be 42% for much longer. The reason they are getting the traction they are is down to unthinking tribalism in part, and the rest is people who listen with half an ear, think with half a brain and take far too much notice of a slanted MSM that is not serving us a well as it might.

    • Ankerrawshark 11.1
      20 September 2018 at 9:31 am

      100% Doug. Trouble is Nats have nothing.

      Loved the comment by someone earlier about msm would focus on an empty chip packet

      Msm = bunch of villagers + group think = gossip.

    • Anne 11.2
      20 September 2018 at 9:38 am

      It’s time the government parties started badgering the Nats for the result of the leaking investigation on the grounds that it is in the public’s interest… since they accused Labour of doing the leaking.

      Give em a dollop of their own medicine.

      • Doogs 11.2.1
        20 September 2018 at 9:45 am

        Nice as that might be Anne, it would be stooping to their level, and the coalition (Labour-led, of course) is showing fine restraint in not doing so. I really hope they continue to be the adults in the room.

      • chris73 11.2.2
        20 September 2018 at 10:20 am

        Not a good idea considering how much Labours fingers are, potentially, all over the Dirty Politics of the leaking

        • ankerawshark 11.2.2.1
          20 September 2018 at 10:42 am

          Chris 73…..Labour’s fingers are potentiallly all over the leaking…………..a party political broadcast from the National Party.

          • chris73 11.2.2.1.1
            20 September 2018 at 11:01 am

            Thanks to T. Mallard we’ll never will we, thanks Trev

            • McFlock 11.2.2.1.1.1
              20 September 2018 at 7:28 pm

              Hey, when the nats report back that they checked each other’s emails and did a proper investigation and found it probably wasn’t one of them, Mallard will have to start it up again.

          • arkie 11.2.2.1.2
            20 September 2018 at 12:41 pm

            Chris73 is a infowars viewer, his connection with reality is tenuous at best. Unless he has taken his BrainForcePlus™ nutraceutical supplement (contains Soy) then he can connect 3 improbable thing before breakfast.

            • chris73 11.2.2.1.2.1
              20 September 2018 at 6:21 pm

              I’d imagine Ed probably eats a lot of soy but I don’t, I do have a beard though

              (Faith Goldie pops up as well 😉 )

        • Sacha 11.2.2.2
          20 September 2018 at 11:11 am

          You cling to that fantasy. We all know by now that the leak is from inside the Nats.

          • chris73 11.2.2.2.1
            20 September 2018 at 11:28 am

            Actually we don’t know that, thats the problem. I want to know the details so whoever did it (or helped) can suffer the consequences of their actions

            Its similar to the NZ Labour Youth Sex Scandal. We all know the, alleged, perpetrator is linked to Labour possibly through family connections but until the truth comes out we can only speculate

            Don’t you want to know who it is so they can be dealt with appropriately?

            • ankerawshark 11.2.2.2.1.1
              20 September 2018 at 12:13 pm

              Court process will deal with offender at Labour Youth summit.

              I must admit I have curiousity about which caucus member leaked, but beyond that I neither care, nor need to know. Why I was very skeptical about the mental health claims of the leaker, I rather err on the side of caution.

            • SpaceMonkey 11.2.2.2.1.2
              20 September 2018 at 12:44 pm

              I think it’s a pretty good assumption given how quiet Simon’s gone over it.

            • McFlock 11.2.2.2.1.3
              20 September 2018 at 1:01 pm

              We don’t need to deal with the labyouth guy. Isn’t the matter before the courts? That is the appropriate course of action.

              But as for the nat leaker – either a nat leaked to the media directly, or a nat leaked to someone else who leaked to the media. Between what happened in caucus and the expenses only going to the nats in that format, the root source is almost certainly within the nat caucus.

              • chris73 …
                20 September 2018 at 1:24 pm

                Yeah but Woodn’t be interesting if the, alleged, perp was related to someone high up because then it wouldn’t be a case of handling it poorly, it’d be a cover up

                • McFlock …
                  20 September 2018 at 1:44 pm

                  I’m not sure that “stopping salivating tories from speculating about coverups” is a reasonable or even achievable objective for breaching name suppression of a defendent.

                  • chris73 …
                    20 September 2018 at 2:04 pm

                    Thats what happens in the absence of transparency isn’t it

                    So who do you think the leaker was?

                    • arkie …
                      20 September 2018 at 2:14 pm

                      Obama and the Globalists

                    • chris73 …
                      20 September 2018 at 2:17 pm

                      I’ve never heard of that group, are they any good?

                    • Muttonbird …
                      20 September 2018 at 2:18 pm

                      This is a total farce. The police know and so do a lot lot of other people, I imagine, including Bridges.

                      Bridges’ daft enquiries are nothing but theatre and the longer it goes without a conclusion, the worse he is going to look.

                      And you can bet that if it were government related he would have said so by now. He’s that desperate.

                    • chris73 …
                      20 September 2018 at 2:38 pm

                      Got any proof? No? Pure speculation

                    • arkie …
                      20 September 2018 at 2:40 pm

                      Pretty sure Paul Joseph Watson and PrisonPlanet.com have supplied the proof.

                    • McFlock …
                      20 September 2018 at 2:55 pm

                      Who do I think leaked nat caucus room secrets and the travel expenses?
                      Almost certainly a nat.
                      Beyond that, I don’t care. The knives are out in that room, and soimon shat himself into a corner. Long may it last.

                      Maybe I’m a bit rare in not being much of a panty-sniffer, poking my nose into random places in the guise of “transparency”. But I just don’t get the thrill. I’ve enough shit on in real life without speculating more into existence.

                    • chris73 …
                      20 September 2018 at 3:56 pm

                      “Almost certainly a nat.”

                      You don’t know for sure but you think its a Nat and thats why I want more transparency , not less so we can have less idle speculation

                    • McFlock …
                      20 September 2018 at 4:53 pm

                      You don’t know for sure but you think its a Nat and thats why I want more transparency , not less so we can have less idle speculation

                      It’s not “idle speculation”.

                      At least one of the leaked pieces of information was privvy only to people in the nat caucus room. All pieces of information that were leaked were available to people in the nat caucus room.

                      Sure, you’re going for the hail Mary pass that the nats will exonerate themselves and Mallard will discover one of his staffers had done something naughty and repeated gossip to cover their arse. The other one has bells on.

    • veutoviper 11.3
      20 September 2018 at 9:58 am

      Well said, Doog. Actually I am pleased that the Bridges-led National opposition are showing themselves for what they are – and I am sure that they will be losing voters through taking this approach.

      I am also pleased that Ardern et al are not retaliating and instead, basically called their bluff over the last day or so with the Crown Maori agency agreement and announcement, the increased refugee announcement etc.

      But just one thing … Last week we had Bridges et Co compared to Bichon Frise (h/t lprent) and this week, Pomeranians!

      Please, please leave the dogs out of this – all dogs and their breeds are far, far better and more intelligent!

      VV – Leader of the Coalition to Ban the Defamation of Dogs (CBDD) – (or any other animals).

  12. greywarshark 12
    20 September 2018 at 9:58 am

    Regionally interested people could catch hold of this tree planting plan and get their region going to have young people trained in horticulture, silviculture and fit and keen and ready to take on jobs in tree planting and care in the future.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018663348/native-trees-enough-to-meet-demand
    Chief Executive of New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated Matthew Dolan talks Kathryn Ryan through concerns over supplying enough native seedlings for the One Billion Trees programme.

    A greater proportion of indigenous trees are to be planted in the Minster for Regional Economic Development’s plan, thanks to a $240m funding boost from the Provincial Growth Fund. MPI’s forestry service Te Uru Rākau is talking with industry body NZPPI about helping nurseries respond to the demand.

    But NZPPI says while Shane Jones’ ten year programme is an exciting opportunity for native tree nurseries, the challenge will be scaling up.

    Robert Guyton has worked as a young man planting on steep slopes and says it is very hard. The speaker in this radionz interview referred to some possible automation to assist in moving the project forward. I am sure it has some place in the chain of activity to getting the trees in the ground and beyond. Perhaps Robert you could give your comments or write a piece about what will have to be largely plantation-type planting for most of it, with steep and erosion prone land to be eternal forest (no cutting), what firebreaks, whether less resinous trees than pine would result in less fire risk etc. We should also be planting trees for harvesting for our own wood needs, utilising species from other lands with special properties (Tasmanian hardwoods I have heard of, stone pine? for pinenuts), mixed tree and crop or grazing paddocks on farms also. This would help conserve water from evaporation, give animals a tree and shadow for refuge from the hot sun (with the trunk protected, and of nontoxic type).

    Following up on this ambitious and necessary project could be an ongoing feature for TS so that we apply our minds to both political theatre and the real-world problems we want dealt with at the ‘coalface’. Looking through information available about forestry on the internet there is info about pine and native forestry but to get the best results, a simple dichotomy on species like this would not give outcomes that were optimal.

  13. SaveNZ 13
    20 September 2018 at 11:05 am

    From Bryan Gould… food for thought.

    “The body of the petition sets out the case for change. It takes as its starting point the almost incredible fact – one still contested by many supposed experts, although confirmed by detailed studies produced by the Bank of England and other central banks – that around 97% of our money has been created, not by the government, but by the commercial banks, which create the money by simply making a bank entry in the accounts of those to whom they lend money, usually on mortgage.

    The banks, of course, charge interest on the money they thereby create ex nihilo (or out of nothing) and it is the interest they charge that produces their huge profits of billions of dollars which they then send back, in most cases, to Australia.

    What is really astonishing about this state of affairs is that the money supply – one of the key elements in determining our economic success or otherwise – is almost entirely controlled, not by our government or the Reserve Bank, but by foreign-owned commercial banks which operate entirely for profit and are in no way accountable to the New Zealand public.”

    http://www.bryangould.com/a-new-monetary-policy-needed/

  14. Cynical Jester 14
    20 September 2018 at 11:39 am

    I had a dream where Jacinda Ardern spoke about class issues last night. … I mean I knew it was a dream when someone from Labour was talking about poverty without using the word child before it, in my dream the coalition govt outlined a target, actual policies that were designed to lower inequality and share the wealth and a timeline. In my dream the people of New Zealand celebrated a government that was willing to lead on the issues and fight for the majority rather than a minority and the media reported on this fairly and balanced….

    Only in a dream land would labour have transformational policies and the guts to implement them and the media be fair and balanced in their reporting.

    Back to reality, virtue signaling, tweaks and vague promises

    • SaveNZ 14.1
      20 September 2018 at 11:45 am

      What policies do you think Labour need to put in to lower inequality and share the wealth, fight for the majority rather than a minority and how to get the media reported on this fairly and balanced?

  15. You_Fool 15
    20 September 2018 at 12:12 pm

    The tax working group interim report is out

    https://taxworkinggroup.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2018-09/twg-interim-report-sep18_1.pdf

    Looks like is going to recommend a CGT, but will provide some options for how that will work in final report due next feb. Also looks like will recommend better environmental taxes, which is awesome, esp. in regards to getting the cost of using natural eco-systems into the cost of what we do and make. No finacial transactions tax, no sugar tax (unless the govt. really really wants it) and probably tweaks to the lower tax-rates and thresholds.

    Seems all sensible stuff, nothing to outrageous and appears to be what most normal thinking NZers want…. a better, fairer tax system, not one designed for the benefit of the few

    • AB 15.1
      20 September 2018 at 12:48 pm

      Pleased to see that the recommendation is that tax on income from realised capital gain should be integrated with normal income tax – no separate CGT at a fixed rate.
      The equity argument for this is unassailable. Plus, it means that if we raise income tax rates on those with high incomes (as we should), we effectively raise the tax rate on their income from capital as well.
      Excellent start – now if only they would recommend gradually dropping and ultimately eliminating the regressive GST.

    • Chuck 15.2
      20 September 2018 at 3:24 pm

      “Cullen himself – to the frustration of some ministers I expect – has talked of”

      “advantages and disadvantages”, shades of grey, and nothing in tax being a “no brainer”.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/107221853/tax-working-group-may-prove-a-frustration-for-labour

      I don’t think the tax working group will be united in there final recommendation/s.

      It will come down to how much political capital does Jacinda still have in 2020.

  16. Muttonbird 16
    20 September 2018 at 12:23 pm

    So GDP up 1% for the quarter. In Mike Hosking’s language that’s 4% annually which has got to be better than anything John Key achieved.

    Forestry bumped up agriculture 4.2% – must be all those trees being planted, eh? Seriously though, Kiwibuild and NZFs focus on reviving forestry in the regions is going to be massive for this sector in the coming years. And trees are nice – nicer than cows.

    Mining down 20%. Well, boo hoo.

    I see Amy Adams was all doom and gloom though, and Farrar will be avoiding this news like the plague.

    Why can’t these people be happy?

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/09/gdp-up-1-percent-largest-quarterly-rise-in-two-years.html

    Oh, and the Reserve Bank channelling the National Party dooms-dayers in being out by 100%.

    • Ad 16.1
      20 September 2018 at 1:21 pm

      They’ll complain about growth constraints. As will the Reserve Bank.

      Hope we get to 4.0% headline unemployment and push more wage and salary bumps.

      Great news for nz and the government.

      • Muttonbird 16.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 1:35 pm

        The Reserve Bank couldn’t hit the side of a barn.

        And growth constraints might be infrastructure (National’s fault), workers (hordes of them are still falling out of the sky), and maybe the cessation of irrigation projects (boo hoo).

        Looks all good to me.

    • Fireblade 16.2
      20 September 2018 at 1:56 pm

      Those GDP numbers must be incorrect. The government must me manipulating the figures, bribing officials or something, because Simon and Amy said GDP would slow and business has no confidence and and……..fuck it, I give up

    • greywarshark 16.3
      20 September 2018 at 2:00 pm

      I’m coming out in nostalgic songs – I don’t know whether it is catching but the tunes and words are. Muttonbird says – Why can’t these people be happy?

      I want to be happy – here’s an old version and one we would love to sing if National could only settle to make the country happy and themselves try to be happy too.

      We would even dance along with David Seymour (I think) if we could all get into line dancing (for the rural people), tangos (for the city slickers) or even the Gay Gordons for those embedded in the past.
      (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aDJGvFSVOQ

      Here is the Gay Gordons which looks a slightly tipsy image but a lot of fun.
      Notice how the dancers cope with change and manage to dance with different partners all following the same steps and moving in the same direction. A good pattern for us in our politics I think. (If you go onto the Manchester Pride 2016 version you will enjoy the blokes getting stuck in to the Gay Gordons too. I’m impressed by their chutzpah.)
      (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEmTLioBpi0

  17. Muttonbird 17
    20 September 2018 at 1:50 pm

    The corrupt and malevolent Judith Collins is on the attack again.

    But

    Mr Twyford called on Paula Bennett and the ministers responsible for HNZ at the time to apologise, saying Ms Bennett had “gloated” in the media about evicting tenants.

    Sorry Phil. I can’t see that evil cow, Paula Bennett, apologising to anyone, ever.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/09/govt-compensating-crooks-national-doubles-down-on-state-house-evictions.html

  18. Pete 18
    20 September 2018 at 1:53 pm

    Victims of wrongful eviction from Housing NZ houses are being compensated.

    Which brings the expected sort of response from one of life’s true humanitarians.
    Judith Collins said that with people on waiting lists it was “not the time to be saying come back and cook up your meth.”

    The scummy behaviour of the initial action getting scummy support with scummy comments from a scummy politician.

    • McFlock 19.1
      20 September 2018 at 4:05 pm

      I get the distinct impression that the former minister followed the Gordon Ramsay/Malcolm Tucker school of staff interaction.

      Totally unacceptable behaviour.

      • chris73 19.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 4:13 pm

        Indeed, its funny on TV but not so much in real life

        • McFlock 19.1.1.1
          20 September 2018 at 4:34 pm

          Especially as they put work into new and original uses of the word “fuck” for the TV shows, lol.

          Saw a list of Ramsay’s ones recently: “you’ve put so much fucking oil in this that the fucking yanks are going to invade it!” lol

    • mac1 19.2
      20 September 2018 at 4:10 pm

      Now what was that about being weak and distracted?

      Clear decision and also showing compassion. Taken in a timely fashion.

      Now what could that be contrasted with today?

      Stupidity in Parliament from Ms Collins hating on P users and getting a lawyer’s rebuke from Minister Little about onus of proof and being innocent until found guilty – something Mark Mitchell is supporting in the House as a concept concerning military discipline as I write.

      The Minister of Housing acknowledging that the previous government and department has got it wrong for years over the science and the consequential wrong treatment of Housing tenants for alleged “P” use, and making the appropriate apology and rectification.

      Asinine questioning from the MP for Kaikoura to Minister Little, using that well-known tag to a question “And if not, why not” when asking the Minister whether he had wrongly briefed Cabinet on a contractual issue. Little dropped his jaw in astonishment at the stupidity of the tail to the question.

      How to act appropriately, or not. What happens when standards are breached. A salutary day displaying a contrast in propriety and effective leadership.

  20. Chuck 20
    20 September 2018 at 4:07 pm

    “Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has fired embattled MP Meka Whaitiri as a minister.”

    Seems that assaulting a staffer is not that high up in Jacinda’s list of naughty things to do.

    Whaitiri should have been properly sacked. Weak and indecisive leadership by Jacinda.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/107248175/prime-minister-announces-decision-on-meka-whaitiri-inquiry

  21. Chuck 21
    20 September 2018 at 4:33 pm

    The report has served its purpose.

    Decisive = Ardern facing down Whaitiri at the time of the incident (look me in the eyes and tell me what occurred). A few days to a week at most for the decision to be made.

    Weak = Whaitiri is still a Labour MP.

    • Anne 21.1
      20 September 2018 at 4:57 pm

      Weak = Whaitiri is still a Labour MP.

      That is the fairness side of her character. C’mon Chuck, you’re usually a fairly reasonable rwnj who knows the difference between what is right and what is wrong.

      It is only right she be given a chance to ‘rehabilitate’ herself. Other PMs on both sides of the house have exercised that prerogative over errant ministers. It usually works.

      • Chuck 21.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 5:23 pm

        “It is only right she be given a chance to ‘rehabilitate’ herself.”

        I may have agreed with you Anne if it was something out of the blue.

        However, Whaitri has form…it has been a revolving door for staff at Whaitri office (I think 6 in less than a year). That tells me she has form and either cannot or will not change her personal trait to bully and intimidate.

        • Anne 21.1.1.1
          20 September 2018 at 5:30 pm

          Time will tell Chuck. I’ve known such people in the past and its true… some of them are sociopaths and can’t or won’t change. But she’s got to be given the chance and if she doesn’t… it’ll be curtains for her parliamentary career.

  22. Ffloyd 22
    20 September 2018 at 6:52 pm

    Hey Chuckie. What do you think about GBs abusive terrorising of a young Staffer over the phone in Accounting firm? That ok? Or alleged?

    • mac1 22.1
      20 September 2018 at 7:01 pm

      But but but he’s a man so he can’t be weak and distracted. And anyway we know Gerry didn’t mean it, And he thought he was talking to (sorry, abusing) someone else. And at least he didn’t “show her the stairwell”. And didn’t she know who he is? He’s Gerry the man.

      He’s the guy who can breeze through airport security.

      At least he’s met his match with the new Speaker, as he found today.

  23. eco maori 23
    21 September 2018 at 7:47 am

    Kia ora The Am Show The Bird’s brand sustainable manufactured Shoes is great and there new product a bird shade to wear to block the light so one can sleep on planes .
    They partnered up with Air New Zealand to make and sell there product’s ka pai.
    We need more sustainable products when Te Papatuanuku turns to sustainable prouducts OUR products like wool and wood will commanded a hire price .
    OUR carbon neutral goal’s will benefit Aotearoa farmer’s $$$$$$$$$.
    When you are in another country one should respect there cultures and you will be treated with respect covering tattoos is there culture so be it .
    Eco say’s the Japanese will host a awesome Rugby World Cup it’s been a few year’s in the making ka pai. You no that all of te tangata whenua cultures have been treated like dirt when another culture takes over the law of the whenua.
    I say spending on a social media campaigne to educate the youth on diarydack and pee should be include in that youth are all on social media and this great idea will work .
    I heard that jerry brownly treated some people the same an what there is no one talking about that should he be rolled judith what’s good for a whaine should be the same for te tane.
    The tax working group is just resetting the taxs back to a simler mix to what we had before shonky’s I WILL NOT RAISE GST he did just that after he gave tax cut’s that benefited the wealthy the most will we have a happy society with that system NO.
    There you go Sir Michael Cullen Grant Robertson and the tax working group are doing there homework to make sure any new tax’s are not going to have a negative effect on Aotearoa.
    Mark so you think getting a sweet $1 million dollars a year in captial gain’s is fare mean while that housing shortage denial policy distorted our housing market to make huge gain’s for the wealthy a direct result from shonky’s policy pushed thousands of people under the bridge . Ka kite ano

  24. eco maori 24
    21 September 2018 at 9:08 am

    Eco met this boy the other day he was nervous talking to much he own’s a few house’s he think’s he can fool Eco Maori but know I know that his action’s are being orchestrated by the muppet sandfly’s he is just a puppet of there’s only fooling himself
    Ana to kai P.S I don’t shake people’s hand’s when I know they are puppets.

  25. eco maori 25
    21 September 2018 at 10:45 am

    I see story’s like this all the time trying to change peoples reality on our History for one the settler’s wahine would not have liked it that Maori wahine could own land and they could not . That fact would have upset and influenced settler’s wahine in to protesting about the savages being able to own land that’s how the mind’s worked in those day This would have attracted other wahine to Aotearoa to seek the help rise number’s to get the stupid law’s that ban anyone from there right to vote .Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa Mana is growing to strong for the power’s than be .
    Ka kite ano P.S When I unite Tangata whenua O Aotearoa & our Pacifica cousin’s into one VOICE we will be unstop able voice in Aotearoa Ana to kai link is below.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/107248007/why-new-zealand-was-the-first-country-where-women-won-the-right-to-vote You see in reality it is the Pacific Island cultures that will be the dominant culture in our near future as Maori are a Pacific culture tangata

  26. eco maori 26
    21 September 2018 at 12:00 pm

    I agree with this statement about Britexit link is below ka kite ano

    https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/20/europe/brexit-salzburg-theresa-may-summit-intl/index.html laws have to be made to benefit the many not the few bankers an there M8 like rupert murdoch

  27. eco maori 27
    21 September 2018 at 6:44 pm

    Kia ora Newshub Lets hope that the mokopuna’s of the Carterton school all survive that tragedy .
    Some times one has to given the cold hard facts to get the reality to sink in.
    I don;t put plastic bag in the recycling and we wash the plastic two reason one it smell if you only send it monthly and its easier to be recycled when cleaned .
    There you go the way the court systems work in favour of the wealthy the sea bed mining could open another issue as well we must protect all our taonga from the wealthy money men’s greed.
    trump need’s to get with reality trying to build wall’s in the year 2018 is not intelligent
    he is only pandering to his core supporters and his ego.
    Ka kite ano P.S It is not safe dropping poison out of the sky.

  28. eco maori 28
    21 September 2018 at 7:23 pm

    Kia ora The Crowd Goes wild Hope the Wahine Warriors have a good game on the weekend.
    That was a mean game for the Bay’s Wahine Kia kaha
    The keep or cut there hair is a good cause all the best to Brad I use to have wahine brushing my long hair in the fisherman’s refreshments place in Napier after work long time ago.
    Kai pai Levi getting your hair cut on TV in support of Brad .
    Ka kite ano P,S I keep it cut now

  30. eco maori 30
    22 September 2018 at 8:57 am

    We have DOC & The Anti 1080 at WAR over the issues of 1080 being dropped in our forest . Now any intelligent person know’s that diplomacy and compromising on both side has a much better out come for both side than War as everyone has great losses in a WAR My tipuna new this and always tried to settle there differences with whiriwhiri.
    Most of the Wars that Maori fought before the settlers arrived there was minimal loses of LIFE that’s a fact. .
    So what Eco Maori would do is I would go back to that Great pukapuka The Art Of War and see what it says .
    In this situation Eco say that the state & te tangata should compromise pay a bounty on all the tails in easy access terrain and use 1080 in all the hard place’s to trap right away from te tangata and in this situation they get the public on side the public get to make money and the state get’s its goal of controlling the pest .
    I know that the state will never be able to eliminate pest in Aotearoa we all know the rural communities need more money to its clearly visible of this fact .
    Eco still backs DOC good work with Papatuanuku and her Creatures Many thanks DOC.
    But hay when I see some thing is wrong I will SPEAK up about it . Ka kite ano

  31. eco maori 31
    22 September 2018 at 10:48 am

    I wonder what stupid intimidation game’s the sandfly’s and there puppet’s have planed for ECO MAORI today .

  32. eco maori 32
    22 September 2018 at 2:33 pm

    Feel The THUNDER ka kite ano

  33. eco maori 33
    22 September 2018 at 3:09 pm

    craig heatly book no limits Eco Maori says he is just like shonky and they both have
    NO LIMIT’s TO THE DIRTY LYING LOW DOWN THIEVING thing’s they will do to rip other people off .
    He does not care that’s his M8 shonkys policy’s that were designed to full his hip pocket and push the lower classes in Aotearoa under a bridge people working 3 job’s in Auckland just to stay afloat .
    Why is he launching a book to try and lift his m8 national party out of the gutter .
    But sorry it won’t work We all know for someone to make a fortune in such a short time one has to be a big crook they make there own luck with back room deal’s that’s easy for Eco Maori to see.
    He say’s Jacinda is inexperienced well she has been in politics for 9 YEAR’s .
    She has all ready done a better job than shonky but craig find me some one that you think is perfect and Eco Maori will prove that person to be a liar
    Ka kite ano P.S W e know that people who made million’s in the 1980 were ripping the state off buying state asset’s cheap as chips and selling the asset’s for huge mark up that’s a fact Michael fay did with our railway’s link is below

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107284044/millionaire-heatley-rates-ardern-at-book-launch-shared-with-key

  34. eco maori 34
    22 September 2018 at 3:46 pm

    David Parker was in Southland having a meeting with Farmer’s about the environmental concerns he makes a statement that the farmer have not had enough correct laws put in place to stop the few ruining it for the many you see Southland Dairy started booming under shonky rule he did not care about the environment the economy is more important than the environment HOW ELSE CAN ONE EXPLAIN HIS ACTIONS
    The thing about Southland’s topography is most dairy land there is just a few feet above the water level that cause problem’s there.
    Also it’s cold so they have to put more urea on than up North to get there grass growing to feed there cow’s
    A big amount of that ends up in OUR waterways that’s why the waterway’s got so bad so fast.
    So lower the stocking rate lower the amount of fertliser put on farm’s GO Organic I say.
    Fontrra has not delivered to farmer’s the return’s they were promised when it was formed .
    It’s common knowledge that the people milking the cow’s make’s less than the person in a nice warm building pushing button’s with no skill’s get more like $30 a hour
    $25 would be ok I say .
    It would be good to have a pie chart to show how much of fontrra’s money goes into there salaries and management and how much ends up in OUR farmer’s pocket’s .
    Fontrra has been turned into a gravy train for the wealthy executive.
    6000 earn $100. k 24 earn A cool million there you go. Ana to kai.
    Ka kite ano

  35. eco maori 35
    22 September 2018 at 6:44 pm

    Kia ora Newshub Cook’s Endeavour might have been found Is cool but now Te Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa Culture is rising up to its rightful Mana after having colonialist suppressing us for 200 years.
    That’s a shame that all those people in Tanzania have drowned in that ferry sinking Eco gives his condolence to the people who lost there love ones
    Who could be so cruel spraying acid on any thing living a defenseless foul horse its awesome that some people care enough to treat the foul in Britain ka pai.
    There you go the cop’s get it wrong all the time 27 years Dickson was locked up and the real killer confessed they still kept him locked up.
    It took rich golf people to champion his cause and take his case back to court to get him released that’s the reality of the west justice system’s. The killer was most likely a informant
    Wow those fire tornadoes are mean we will have to get use to them if we don’t change our culture and have a culture that thinks about our children’s future over short term profits
    The Women in Black look’s like a AUSSE good film I seen a good TV series OffSpring it’s on Net flicks it give Eco A sore face Id give it a 8
    Ka kite ano P.S Emma Te Ra was shining bright today

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  • He Whenua Taurikura: New Zealand’s first Hui on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism
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  • Speech to inaugural Countering Terrorism Hui
    E aku nui, e aku rahi, Te whaka-kanohi mai o rātou mā, Ru-ruku-tia i runga i te ngākau whakapono, Ru-ruku-tia i runga i te ngākau aroha, Waitaha, Ngāti Mamoe, Ngai Tahu, nāu rā te reo pohiri. Tena tātou katoa. Ki te kotahi te kakaho ka whati, ki te kapuia, e ...
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  • Campaign shines a light on elder abuse
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  • Farewelling sports administrator and philanthropist Sir Eion Edgar
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  • Government to apologise for Dawn Raids
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  • Humanitarian support for Bangladesh and Myanmar
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  • Poroporoaki: Dame Georgina Kamiria Kirby
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    6 days ago

  • Feedback sought on future of housing and urban development
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    6 days ago

  • Clean car package to drive down emissions
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    7 days ago

  • Progress towards simpler process for changing sex on birth certificates
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  • Crown speeds up engagement with takutai moana applicants
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  • Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment (AODT) Court opens
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  • EU and UK FTAs top of list for first ministerial trip since COVID-19
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  • Arihia Bennett to chair Royal Commission Ministerial Advisory Group
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  • Speech to the New Zealand Medical Association General Practitioners' Conference, Rotorua
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  • Karangahape Road upgrades are streets ahead
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  • Speech to APEC business event
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  • Pause on Quarantine Free Travel with Victoria extended
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  • Supplier Diversity Aotearoa Summit: Navigate 2021
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  • Pukemiro School to close
    Pukemiro Primary School near Huntly will close following years of declining roll numbers, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “I’ve consulted with the School Commissioner, and this decision acknowledges the fact that the few remaining students from last term are now settled at other nearby schools. “I want to thank ...
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