Open mike 20/09/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 20th, 2022 - 80 comments
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80 comments on “Open mike 20/09/2022 ”

  1. Adrian Thornton 1

    Amid Tributes to Queen Elizabeth, Deadly Legacy of British Colonialism Cannot Be Ignored….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD8eMpmlkhI

    • Tiger Mountain 1.1

      A YouTube clip I can relate to Adrian. Many of us have not said much while the Monarchial circus has done its ceremonial thing. Some out of basic decency for the deceased, and others sensing that many people, even the politicised, had some regard for whatever reason for QEII.

      Indigenous people around the world have already weighed in on the reality of their post colonial fallout thanks to British Imperialist actions under the “Butchers Apron” flag. As the sentiment fades political reality will kick back in. UK strikes will be back on, and a number of countries will have a Republican debate.

      • Jenny are we there yet 1.1.1

        The aristocracy do have their uses.

        Several Judges on the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal published dissenting opinions on the Tribunal' military police prosecutors refusal to bring charges of war crimes against the Japanese emperor Hirohito.

        General MacArthur and his military and political advisers considered Hirohito useful to their occupation of Japan.

        The Japanese imperialists thought the same of the Chinese Emperor Puyi keeping him on as their puppet ruler of China.

        The German Nazis would probably have made the same use of King Edward.

        King Edward spent the entire period of the war living a life of luxury in nazi occupied France. There can be little doubt that if Germany had conquered England, Edward VIII would have been reinstalled as Monarch at the head of a puppet nazi government.

        King Edward the Nazi:

        ….the extent of his betrayal could never be fully verified due to the secrecy of the Royal Archives.

        …..30 archives all over the world that are open. Intelligence reports and German, Spanish and Russian documents show members of the British royal family were indeed far closer to Nazi Germany than has previously been recognised….

        ……The Soviet intelligence services were convinced of the Duke of Windsor’s treachery when war broke out. It is probable that they had an informer on his staff. In 1940 they reported that he was conducting negotiations with Hitler to form a new English government and conclude a peace with Germany contingent on a military alliance against the USSR.

        Even more evidence of Windsor’s treachery was hidden in Spanish archives. Like his relative Coburg, the Duke of Windsor was anti-Semitic. In June 1940 Don Javier Bermejillo, a Spanish diplomat and old friend of Windsor – he had known him since the 1920s – reported a conversation he had had with the Duke to his superiors.

        Bermejillo reported that the Duke of Windsor blamed “the Jews, the Reds and the Foreign Office for the war”. Windsor added that he would like to put Anthony Eden and other British politicians “up against a wall”. Bermejillo stated that Windsor had already made similar remarks about the Reds and the Jews to him long before he became King in 1936. In another conversation on June 25 1940 Bermejillo reported that Windsor stressed if one bombed England effectively this could bring peace. Bermejillo concluded that the Duke of Windsor seemed very much to hope that this would occur: “He wants peace at any price.” This report went to Franco and was then passed on to the Germans. The bombing of Britain started on 10 July.

        https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/world-history/former-king-wanted-england-bombed-and-anglo-german-alliance-archives-reveal

        • Jenny are we there yet 1.1.1.1

          '

          "…..Windsor stressed if one bombed England effectively this could bring peace."

          Sounds a lot like something a modern Putin troll doll would argue in reference to Ukraine

  2. higherstandard 2

    Nice to see the usual suspects livers and gall bladders are working well.

  3. Bearded Git 3

    I watched 3 minutes of video clip highlights of the funeral this morning…that was more than enough.

  4. Ad 4

    Well the NZHerald and TV1 didn't seem to cover it, but the big conference on NZ business and climate change had pretty useful papers and leaders at it.

    Climate Change Commission chair Dr Rod Carr calls for reform of emissions trading scheme | RNZ News

    Dr Rod Carr calls for reform of emissions trading scheme | Otago Daily Times Online News (odt.co.nz)

    Sometimes the timing just doesn't work. But the content was very good.

  5. Descendant Of Smith 5

    The problem is not one of not understanding the negative aspects of the British legacy. The problem is that nothing sensible yet has convinced me that changing to a republic will make things better than they are now.

    It doesn't help that a majority of the vocal supporters of moving to a republic seem to be just anti-treaty wallies. The American disaster of vested interested and money talks doesn't endear me to the notion of a republic either.

    Fundamentally I can see no good reason why we would want to hand an individual more power than our hereditary monarch currently has and if the purpose to to give a president more power than the monarch currently has, which is sweet FA, then what is the point and what are the powers that we would like a president to have?

    The fact is is that our parliament makes all the decisions in reality and they handed themselves – Labour and National together – the right to do this some years back.

    Nor do I think joyfully about having to elect a president and all the nonsense that goes with that. The only point seems to be to stick someone up on a pedestal and hail Caesar.

    Seriously what would be the point of becoming a republic apart from making a pious but ultimately quixotic statement to say we are no longer part of the commonwealth?

    • Ad 5.1

      Post going up shortly

    • solkta 5.2

      I have not heard anybody say that we should leave the Commonwealth when we become a republic. When people say this i just take it that they haven't actually looked into the issue and are just being ignorant.

    • Janice 5.3

      I once heard someone say that it is not the power the monarch has, it is the power that is denied to others. Our armed forces, MPs, police, even boy scouts and girl guides swear allegiance to the crown, that won't happen with a politically appointed president. Do they have have to then swear to a bit of rag (flag) that would have to be changed? What about the loyal toast at formal functions, etc?

      • solkta 5.3.1

        Those entities swear allegiance to the New Zealand Crown of which the Queen is the head.In effect they are swearing allegiance to the Governor General as it is this person who actually does the job of Head of State. Can't see it would work any differently without the King.

    • Hunter Thompson II 5.4

      Some good points there. Politicians may see capital in voicing support for a republic, but I can't see any gains from a system that allows people like Nixon and Trump to access the White House and abuse the office.

      Too much scope for pork barrel politics and a handshake behind the barn.

  6. Jenny are we there yet 6

    '

    "There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come"

    Victor Hugo

    nzherald.co.nz

    September 15 at 11:59 AM

    The technology that charges Sydney train travellers will be deactivated from next week "indefinitely" — making train rides free for commuters.

    Why Sydney trains are to be free 'indefinitely'

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/sydney-public-transport-free-indefinitely-in-opal-card-strikes/R2IC3CRW7AKLKSO6SHND2U3FCU/?

    Vote Efeso Collins for free trains

    • O C Smith 6.1

      A vote for Socialism has a cost

    • Jimmy 6.2

      Nothing is free. Someone has to pay.

      • Jenny are we there yet 6.2.1

        Single payer is provenly the most efficient and cost effective way of delivering public services. Public Health Care, Public Education, Public Policing and our country’s Defence Force are all funded by Single Payer.

        Why should public transport be any different?

        Especially when traffic congestion, air pollution, resource use and climate change emissions will all be better addressed with greater use of public transport.

        Addressing these issues is what is called a public good. We will all pay way more in health and environmental costs if these public goods are not addressed.

        The definition of a rich country, is not a country where everyone owns a car, A rich country, is a country where both rich and poor both ride the sub-way.

        • Stuart Munro 6.2.1.1

          both rich and poor both ride the sub-way

          That would be Korea, which not only has the best subway system in the world (it's profitable and cheap too), but also high speed rail which is so cheap and convenient everybody uses it.

        • Graeme 6.2.1.2

          There's also the argument that free public transport is of less cost than expanding the capacity of the roading network.

          We've got $2.00 bus fares in Queenstown because of that dynamic. Increasing the capacity of Frankton Road, the main road into town, was going to be prohibitively expensive and may not even be possible, so NZTA, ORC and QLDC stumped up for effectively free fares

      • Drowsy M. Kram 6.2.2

        Nothing is free.

        Some things are – the air you and I breathe for one – but neolibs are working on it.

        The dystopian business of bottled air

  7. DB Brown 7

    Don't tell me we'll soon be bereft of articles about "Sad Corgies Attend Funeral" or "Eight Legged Surprise Mourner" only to replace such utter journalistic gems with:

    "I blew 2000 sailors and brought a house, so what's stopping you"

    and

    "We put our inheritances in managed funds and a house popped out!"

    Followed by Luxon's sound bite on the latest sound bite.

    I just can't even with our media anymore. Garbage is a bit flattering, I can recycle most of that and put it to some use.

    I'm not going to link the latest swill, none of it deserves linking to.

    • Sabine 7.1

      Well the first story is one of 'sex work is work' and sex work is empowering and blowing 200 sailors got a mortgage and in a house that would be totally fine in todays world.

      As would be putting an inheritance in a managed fund and thus have enough money to buy a house.

      I can't wait for 'blow jobs' being a job advertised by unemployment offices the world over. Oh you don't want to blow 200 dudes in uniform or civvies for money? Here have a 12 week stand down. That'll teach you not only to blow but to suck. 🙂

      The news reflect our times. Some get to suck dicks and others are dicks to be sucked.

    • weka 7.2

      I restrict myself mostly to RNZ and the ODT, with some forays into Stuff and NZH as needed.

  8. Molly 9

    Another expression of solidarity from the "allies". Gap in posting examples not due to lack of current incidents (can't keep up), but for those who can handle it:

    Fred's crime was he had a placard at the Pride march he helped found saying "Gay Not Queer". He believes the use of 'queer' obscures worrying attitudes to child safeguarding.

    https://twitter.com/TwisterFilm/status/1571854465312890882?s=20&t=RSnifNSs0bnBbjOKEfejYA

    • Sabine 9.1

      A leading Gay – as in homosexual, as in sexually attracted to only men, as in no transmen need to apply for sex- icon/elder. 70+ years old. Oh the kindness, the inclusion and the acceptance of diversity.

      • Molly 9.1.1

        Unfortunately, his first person account of the Stonewall riots, negates the familiar gender ideology revisionist history of the event, so he must be condemned:

        https://youtu.be/AMr3fCrF32s?t=366

        However, age is no barrier. Here's a UK Labour policy advisor getting in early with Fascist babies:

        https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1571654220532645888?s=20&t=RSnifNSs0bnBbjOKEfejYA

        • Sabine 9.1.1.1

          And yes, the very nice and kind and inclusive non male person shouting at the fascist tiny human is a non male person who works for some Labour MP in the UK. Ahhhh, the kindness of the 'left'. So kind, so gracious, so loving. They did shut down their account and changed their bio. Cause…..i guess people might take offend at persons who work for MPs to be seen and filmed shouting abuse at Ejaculators (we can’t really call that person a birthing body, after all they did only ejaculate) and the result of that ejaculation.

          edit: a better word for non birthing body parent is needed. Ejaculator sounds so biological and biology is so phobic really.

        • Nic the NZer 9.1.1.2

          "Oh, your raising a little fascist as well"

          Unfortunately, Starmers Labour is so unthreatening that this gem is unlikely to make the evening news.

          • Molly 9.1.1.2.1

            Apparently, other Twitter users recognised, and other examples of her abuse and attempts to have people de-platformed have been posted.

            Given her policy advisor position, it was worth posting. This is not an individual without influence.

            • Nic the NZer 9.1.1.2.1.1

              Really, because that sounds like just the kind of thing which would go down as a real zinger on Twitter. Has she considered quiting her day job and posting such tweets full time instead?

      • Molly 9.1.2

        The stunning and brave activist, proudly boasting of his actions on Twitter. (Likely posted while Fred Sargeant was getting his brain scan)

        https://twitter.com/ilovepreserves/status/1572134242737324033?s=20&t=RSnifNSs0bnBbjOKEfejYA

  9. Sacha 10

    Rare vaccination casualty confirmed.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/475109/man-s-death-ruled-a-result-of-rare-reaction-to-covid-19-vaccine

    Coroner Sue Johnson this morning released her first findings into the death, determining the vaccine caused Nairn's death.

    "I find that Rory James Nairn, aged 26, died on 17 November 2021 at … Dunedin. The cause of his death was myocarditis, due to vaccination with the Comirnaty TM Pfizer/BioN Tech Covid-19 vaccine," the coroner said.

  10. Robert Guyton 11

    Uffindell & Luxon; Dodging and Weaving.

    "National is also still refusing to release the “terms of reference” that the party gave to Dew when it employed her to investigate Uffindell. This is very suspicious – because the public is not seriously able to interpret anything about the report’s supposed findings without knowing what she was told to investigate and what she wasn’t allowed to investigate.

    The details of how the investigation was carried out, and it’s parameters are important. We don’t even know who was interviewed. Moir explains this well: “It would be a big call for Dew to conclude Uffindell didn’t do anything wrong at university if the only people she spoke to were friendly allies who support the MP’s version of events. It’s also unknown whether any other allegations surfaced about his time at King’s College or St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton, the school he moved to after being asked to leave King’s College.”"

    https://democracyproject.nz/2022/09/20/bryce-edwards-nationals-unsatisfactory-exoneration-of-sam-uffindell/

    • Peter 11.1

      The terms of reference are important. Investigations directly address those and those only. Which often mean in the wash-up that other pertinent things are parked in the back of the shed out the back.

      Like the Michael Heron QC investigation into the Covid-19 patient privacy breach.

      He chased what he had to chase. That led to Michelle Boag and National MP Hamish Walker both being found responsible for the unauthorised disclosure of the personal information. The findings stated that the motivation for each disclosure was political. Game over.

      His glib treatment of Michael Woodhouse? Did Woodhouse dodge a bullet though a lack of intent and rigour? On the surface the job was done to identify the heart of the issue so the subsidiary became ho-hum?

      Whatever, Woodhouse shut up, disappeared into the background and tried to be inconspicuous. Two weeks after the story broke someone else with an involvement resigned, any participation in the incident removed from reference, wiped off the blackboard. Nikki Kaye.

      https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/assets/SSC-Site-Assets/Investigation-Report-into-COVID-19-active-cases-privacy-breach.pdf

      So, dodging and weaving with Luxon and Uffindell? What's new?

  11. Jimmy 12

    Asked on Tuesday at Parliament if she was a bully, Lorck replied: "I'm working hard to be the best MP I can possibly be". – that doesn't really answer the question.

    "I have a professional leadership coach and together we're working on how I can work to be a better MP," she said. – So obviously her management style needs to change.

    Robertson says Labour MP's management style may come across 'poorly', Lorck responds to bullying claims (msn.com)

    Reporters should ask the same question to Uffindell.

    Perhaps National should now put Ufindell with a professional leadership coach.

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  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
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    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
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    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.
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    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
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
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    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
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    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
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    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
    5 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
    5 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
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    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
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days 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
    3 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
    5 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
    6 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
    19 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. ...
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    23 hours 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
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
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    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
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    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
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    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
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    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
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    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
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    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
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  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
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    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
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    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
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  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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    7 days ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
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    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
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    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
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    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
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    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
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    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
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    1 week ago
  • Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity
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    1 week ago

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