New Govt. negotiations are heading for week six…the media channels would be beside themselves if it were the Labour/Green/TPM group in discussion–though odds are it would have been resolved by now anyway.
“Arch negotiator”, “I ran an Airline”–Mr Luxury Baldrick Luxon–has proven to be a non event. The big money backers of NZ Nats and Act must be in constant face palm mode. They want to shaft the working class to keep the wealth flowing in their direction, but bungler Luxon has not delivered yet.
Labour, Green and TPM need to become an opposition force now. The election result will not change, but an articulated position from the Parliamentary opposition will assist fightback from unions, NGOs and communities.
Luxon won on the back of a very negative mood fostered by a very well funded and sophisticated social media campaign run by Topham Guerin. His personal numbers are terrible and National's share of the vote wasn't a ringing endorsement of his party. He has to contend with a aggressive ACT party which sees a path to greater power in stoking GOP style culture and race wars and a NZ First led by what to me looks like an increasingly senile Winston Peters who has elevated tilting at windmills and cultivating fringe merchants from something doe for effect to being the point.
So he is discovering in real time that how you get to power has consequences on how you try to run the country.
Either he'll concede some massively divisive culture war moment for the sake of unity and power (a la Davind Cameron) and probably lose heavily next time or he'll cobble together something and limp along – I reckon Willis will roll him on the back of terrible poll numbers around February 2026.
Luxon is there because the voters put him there. Unfortunately in politics we only get what the fickle electorate serves up and it certainly appears the electorate can be easily swayed by influences such as a complicit media, almost at will……..
To say Luxon "won" is not really accurate. Luxon got 38.1-English got 44.4 in 2017 and could not form a government.
You only win/lose if you can/can't cobble together a working majority, so Luxon has yet to win because even now we don't know that Winston will agree to work with Luxon and Seymour though this appears to be odds-on.
Pedro Sanchez in Spain is a winner, in fact he has pulled a rabbit out of the hat to form his coalition government this week and boy are the establishment pissed. This has cheered me up immensely. Sanchez has asked for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza -good man.
“Shortly before the vote, Mr Sánchez linked attempts to question the legitimacy of his new government to part of a global trend. He referred to the presence of former Fox News TV anchor Tucker Carlson at a recent protest outside the Socialist Party headquarters in Madrid.
"We've seen it in the United States, in Brazil and other parts of the world where there is a political right and political far right who do not accept the result of elections," he said.”
A lot of people still seem to view elections as FPP even when they are run under another system, torys particularly seem fond of “winner takes all”.
"The conservative Popular Party won elections in July, but leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo failed to form a majority"
The BBC really doesn't understand the partly PR system in Spain. As lprent says below, only Sanchez "won" as he is the only one who was able to form a majority government.
To say Luxon “won” is not really accurate. Luxon got 38.1-English got 44.4 in 2017 and could not form a government.
Yep. You ‘win’ if you can convince the Governor General that, as PM, you can form a majority in parliament for confidence and supply vote. Then you have to deliver because one of the first votes in parliament is going to be a C&S vote.
That GG convincing requires credible assurances from any other party or even leaders of factions of a governing party, that they won’t disrupt the process of governing.
It can be as part of a coalition, or just support in C&S votes.
Brownlee sounded petulant essentially agreeing with Hipkins sending out a call for a Gaza cease-fire but chiding him for "jumping the gun" (perhaps not his best turn of phrase).
Looking more likely in the UN exchanges that Qatar and the US have negotiated a 5-day ceasefire in return for the kidnapped citizens. Sure needs to happen.
I think that Qatar and the US (pathetically) refuse to call it a ceasefire but rather call it a humanitarian pause.
The NZ Jewish Council guy on Morning Report used the argument that there should be no ceasefire until the hostages are returned. This is nonesense and simply an excuse to keep bombing. It amounts to "Let us kill another 10,000 Palestinians because 200 hostages have not been returned". A ceasefire would enable much more positive negotiations around the hostages. Meanwhile the hostages themselves are put in danger by the IDF attacks on Gaza.
The NZ Jewish Council guy sounded mean but a pause+hostages deal looks close.
The Muslim association guy refusing to confirm Hamas was a terrorist organisation – which I would have thought uncontroversial – was also shall we say odd.
Geriatric Brownlee finally makes a decision to put NZ's position on the Israeli /Palestine conflict complaining Labour jumped the gun.National have had all the time to make a decision but sat on their hands and only made a statement after chippy chipped in complaining National were doing nothing.Same at the pacific forum Brownlee didn't get up to speed.Luxon is rinsing and repeating his boring constant reheated same old same old story.From the man who claims to be the expert negotiator.Sounds more like Trumpish narcissism. The news media will get stuck into him if all he can do is avoiding questions like he did in the election.it is what it is .The treaty poll that Seymour wants luxon should say Epsom will no longer be an option.Winston probably is siding with Seymour.Looks like it's going to be a tough 3 years.Could be an early Election.Winstons last stand will turn to Custertard.Luxons has painted himself into a corner. National have treated Winston badly in the past so Winston is making them squirm.
Unfortunately the "news media" are owned by the very backers of Luxon and Seymour……don't expect any in depth revelations, it will all be glossed over and sanitised for the sheeple consumption…
Remember money doesn’t just talk it often swears, especially in politics…….
Israel's lengthy and prolific tentacles together with Western establishment tendency to favour right-wing solutions? Best not to get too off-side with them.
So Labour's ceasefire stance is not conditional on the hostages being released as Brownlee said. Rather Labour is asking the hostages to be released as well. Corin Dann should have been aware of this and picked him up on it.
Not too many years ago, a couple of Israeli spies came to NZ in order to obtain NZ passports by illegal means. The PM of the day, Helen Clark was – quite rightly – extremely displeased. The two culprits were brought to justice and spent a short time in a NZ prison before heading back to their homeland. It was noted at the time that this practice was likely far more widespread than just NZ.
However, it is to be hoped that the NZ experience forced Israel to accept that 'the passport' is recognition of a nation’s sovereignty and is to be respected. To use it as a rite of passage by people for possible nefarious purposes is what was shameful my friend.
Over the years I have had numerous Jewish friends both in NZ and in Britain. I have also lived and worked with them. They are no more responsible for what is done in their name as most Palestinians are not responsible for what Hamas has done in theirs.
Apparently what it won’t save us from is Winston wanting to pervert the justice system. It appears that his revenge intention is just that – and is one of the 3 sticking points to a coalition agreement.
A reduced rate of super – yes (he will will want 66 per cent maintained as the base)
National's plan to open up sale of all homes over $2m to foreigners – yes
Freezing MW (ACT wants this not National) – yes
What might he block
Asset sales uncertain (Rail/Kiwibank are probably safe from sale).
State House sales (he does not oppose people buying the home they live in – this occurred 1996-1998, when he accepted market rents) otherwise uncertain
Small increases in MW uncertain – he might call for CPI rate increases
I'd read that he was concerned at the lack of planning for a sufficient number of aged care places.
One answer to that problem is community housing and sharing support – with meals and health checks/care providers. So people can stay in that environment
Government payment AS for places of those without ownership and others buying a place.
Taking business off the Oz bloodsuckers (right of occupancy) would be smart government action (savings and keeping value domestically rather than profits offshore).
Even more fun…. I have outlasted then both by nearly four weeks……. so far…. work in progress.
I have seen eleven governments fall in New Zealand and voted Labour 19 times, twice for myself. I have lived 48 years under National, and 27 under Labour.
In my voting lifetime I have seen four Labour-led governments and four National-led governments,
And as we change governments in 2023 what do we remember of those governments? Which changed our lives? Which do we remember positively and which PMs do we respect?
WINZ already acting like the Tory fucks have directed them to beat down on the poor and disabled.
Three days trying to call them to get a client emergency dental work, and at every hour we call, they hang up the phone. (four days if you count calling on Saturday)
Edit: Before some dick says go to the web site – we did and they told us to call the 0800 number.
MSD/WINZ do not require much direction to put people through their sadistic maze, their deep culture since the 80s is to punish the ‘underserving’ vulnerable. Full entitlements are not explained, mobile phones and internet access required–keep enough data while unemployed or poor? yeah right…MSD are world experts at “losing” previously supplied documents, and not having a “record of that call”…
The legislation is still based on the 1964 Social Security Act, from a time of often single earner families, married, with kids. Now in the era of single carers and blended families, they still spy on people’s social media and encourage dobbers regarding relationship status. Benefits should be personal to holder regardless of who you live with. Labour managed that for a second tier middle class COVID benefit.
I don’t need to go on adam, I totally get your situation, I know many in the North seeking urgent assistance for food or health issues that have just got the runaround. My partner has been an unemployed and beneficiary advocate previously, and one of the disturbing things is that a number of case managers etc. are bloody PSA union members.
I remember having a lot of fun with some WINZ flunky who rang me at my office trying to track down a refugee friend of mine for whom I had done some advocacy work in the past. She had moved to Australia and the WINZ guy was saying that she owed them some money and did I have her address.
I said that it did not matter whether I had her address or not, that I was going to treat him in exactly the same way that WINZ had treated me when I had rung them to try and make a booking to take her in to see them the week after she was discharged from hospital. They quoted the Privacy Act at me and said that she had to ring them, or I had to have her with me when I rang for the appointment.
I told the WINZ guy that I would give him some very important information about her which might help him. The information was that most Ethiopian people of her culture do not have family names (surnames) which pass down through the generations. The last name drops off in every generation. Accordingly, he should not waste his time looking at telephone directories in the city he thought she had moved to in order to find the same family name.
Yes the stories abound. Friend of mine in wheel chair for years, on dialysis, who knitted small items on a rig with his one good hand for his Church store to feel useful, was dragged into a WINZ meeting and told to make better efforts to be work ready or sanctions would apply!
His carer asked the new case manager “have you got eyes?”…“read his health records?”…my friend was in tears, luckily a manager who knew him intervened and the family appointed a strong advocate to be present in any future dealings.
I wrote to WINZ in the 1990s at a time when I was looking after my elderly mother who had dementia, and told them that I was well aware they had me under surveillance and there are witnesses (there was one), and I knew who it was who had reported me to them and if I saw those two 'perfed' police officers once more there would be consequences. There was silence and no… I did not see them again.
It was in the days of Christine Rankin of "dob a beneficiary a day" fame.
Work and Income was founded on October 1 1998 and Rankin was its first head. A culmination of her 20 year career there.
Short skirts big earings – all the better to hear of any entrapment into unapproved sexual activity. It was an inference that the poor were being divided into two groups – deserving and undeserving.
They had already begun to contract out services to faith based groups by that time.
Keep an eye on Luxon's plan to install outside contractor management over those under 25 on a benefit – it is a compendium to the easy hire and fire rule (screening out unionists and testing pliability).
This goes back to early 20th C business thinking about workforce management/quality control. And onto the American regime since then – faith based provider term limit welfare and a high prison population etc.
Short skirts big earings – all the better to hear of any entrapment into unapproved sexual activity.
You forgot to mention the boobs almost falling out of her tops. It was as if she was taunting the less fortunate… I'm important and sex is okay for people like me, but woe betide you sniveling slobs if you think you can have sex and a benefit as well.
Didn’t hear this during the campaign from…anyone.
By trying to wind shadow the opposition, Labour smeared itself and its good work in shit. Chippy has a lot of work to clean up in the Education sector, which obscured the excellent work done on apprenticeships and other non-university training. Perhaps it comes as a surprise that some ministers and policies had beefed implemented more successfully, despite what the opposition and their expensive PR people said.
The reset and focus on cut backs and how terrible the cost of living was ignored the ways that things were much better for a lot of people because of government action.
Max Rashbrooke is no cheerleader for Labour. He managed to save this column until after the election and focuses on the work done by ‘many governments’ and how the areas like truancy were ‘National’s focus on this should improve this result.’
However, in a way that almost takes the piss, topic after topic of progress ‘could reverse under the new government.’
Lament and bang your head against a wall, that our current crop of politicians don’t at all look like leaders.
This is what happens when cults interfere in politics. Who can forget the Herald picture of the dozen or so well fed Pakeha blokes from the Exclusive Brethren sitting around a table admitting that they had been behind an anonymous leaflet drop targeting Labour and the Green Party?
Argentina has already tried the US dollar as currency – they defaulted on their debt last time. Climate change denial and libertarian economics, with a soft sport for a past junta – OK and supported by Bolsonaro and Trump.
As one bolt hole for those of former regimes closes another one opens up. It's so post 1945.
With inflation running in excess 140%pa I imagine the average Argentinian is willing to try anything different…whether they get the difference they want may be another story.
Baby boomers are getting older, retiring and spending less.
Retail is going to have to get used to the fact that the golden days of two incomes, mortgage paid off, no children at home big spenders are over.
This coupled with on-line shopping, building large shopping malls away from the CBD and increased recyling through facebook, etc means many retail outlets will close.
The young have low wages and high rents so they can't spend much either.
Bloody babies, who needs em? The sacred duty of young "females" is to make old dudes like him richer. Unfortunately, when he needs healthcare workers in future to wipe his arse when he's in a retirement home, they'll import long-suffering Filipinos to do it.
Luxton making that comment to the media didn't feel like it had been approved by Peters and so it appears. Winston Peters would never allow a person with which he is negotiating to make 'significant milestone' announcements without him.
"The conservative Popular Party won elections in July, but leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo failed to form a majority"
The BBC really doesn't understand the partly PR system in Spain. As lprent says below, only Sanchez "won" as he is the only one who was able to form a majority government.
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As part of its coalition agreement, the climate-change denier National government promised its climate-change denier coalition partners a review of our agricultural methane reduction target. Today they announced the members of their "independent" review, and released its terms of reference. I'm not familiar with the academic records of the panel, ...
And you can see it in the way they look at youFeel it in the way they treat youAlways the last to knowAlways the first to leaveJust let them walk all over youLaugh through the punches and the painLet the life-blood drain away from youThey're right, you're wrongOK, first things ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk Astrong majority of registered voters support certain policies aimed at tackling climate change, according to recent research by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (the publisher of this site) and the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason ...
Finally, Julian Assange is free after 12 years of confinement, much of it spent while under the threat of rendition to the US to face charges carrying a term of 175 years in prison. Yet ultimately, Assange has not been set free because the charges (of espionage and conspiracy to ...
A note to readers This satirical post is based on this document. Received from Auckland Transport under a LGOIMA request. the document reveals the ranking process used by the working group for the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP). It shows how the RLTP working group (Auckland Transport, KiwiRail, NZTA/Waka Kotahi, and ...
TL;DR: Six things from Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy I think are worth noting on the morning of Thursday, June 27:The NZIER has estimated almost a third of new spending in Budget 2024 will have worsened the Government’s Paris agreement climate liability, which Treasury has already estimated at up to $23.7 billion. ...
Hi,Four days ago New Zealand pop royalty Brooke Fraser broke yet another record — largest attendance for a Kiwi solo artist at her Spark Arena gig.She was joined on stage by the Auckland Philharmonia orchestra, Radio New Zealand gushing that it was “hard to pick a singular high point of ...
Whenever people make the perfectly sensible suggestion that the world could solve its problems by taxing billionaires, the latter's stooges flood the zone with claims it would never work. Apparently billionaires are so inherently criminal that they would evade such taxes, laundering their money and hiding it in criminal jurisdictions ...
Breathe.Inhale deeply through your nose, and hold it.Open your mouth slightly. Exhale slowly, feel the breath passing over your lips.Hear it. You’re alive.Statistically, if the last government hadn’t taken the actions it did, about twenty of you, even in my small audience, would be dead now. If I do a ...
TL;DR: Electricity affordability is a growing concern for households and small businesses, despite falling generation costs for solar and wind, a survey has found.Meanwhile, Stats NZ is forecasting more than a third of 19-29 year olds will stay living at home within the next two decades, no doubt because of ...
This is a guest post by Darren Davis, reposted with his kind permission. It originally appeared on his excellent blog Adventures in Transitland, which we warmly encourage you to check out.Aotearoa has one of the worst road safety records in the developed world. Australia is doing quite a bit ...
The audio in today’s newsletter contains a conversation I had last year with journalist Elizabeth Williamson, author of an incredibly moving book on Sandy Hook. We talked America, conspiracies, and Alex Jones. It’s been gathering dust for reasons we’ll get to, but I wanted to share our conversation today. ...
The anti Three Waters campaign which seemed so simple during the election campaign is now bogged down in a Select Committee as submitter after submitter raises issues with the replacement legislation. The so-called “Local Water Done Well” has now morphed into the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill, which ...
Without warning or discussion, the Whānau Ora commissioning agencies were recently told they must retender for their contracts. “The Minister for Whānau Ora, Tama Potaka needs to provide evidence and a copy of their policy changes and rationale, then sit down to consult with the board of Whānau Ora.” Says ...
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is our biggest city and one of the most diverse in the world. This week our Labour team was out and about across Auckland to meet with businesses, educators, innovators, students, community groups, apprentices, housing providers and more. ...
In the Government’s scramble to sell their failed boot camps, we’ve had the Police Minister contradict the Prime Minister, officials correcting and warning Ministers, and a Children’s Minister missing in action, said children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
“It’s all well and good to want to ensure development opportunities, but unless the Government fronts with infrastructure money, councils are limited in what they can offer by ways of expansion,” says Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
While today’s announcement shows some support for bolstering urban density, it will not be enough to turn the tide on a status quo of urban sprawl. ...
The government’s failure to invest in flood protection and emergency relief will be felt for generations to come says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Te Tai Rāwhiti, Tākuta Ferris. “It was only three months ago that councils were calling for the government to help invest in flood protection. Cyclone Gabrielle ...
Mema Paremata mō te Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi, says the government is subscribing the Rotorua Housing Crisis to a privatisation fast-track. The comments come after 100-homes have been placed on hold whilst Kāinga Ora conduct a review. “With a quick text message to one of their rich mates, this government has ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding that the Māori Development Minister move quickly to prevent a financial restructure announced by Whakaata Māori yesterday. "Minister Potaka must immediately intervene and recommit funding to Whakaata Māori. A 25% reduction is cutting Whakaata Māori at their knees; we cannot accept that," said broadcast spokesperson, ...
National has come up with yet another way to make driving a car more expensive – this time adding more costs to sit a driver licence, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
Correspondence released under the Official Information Act reveals the Government’s boot camp concept is not backed by the military that is expected to run it. ...
The Government is risking the wellbeing of vulnerable children across Aotearoa who benefit from services like counselling, intensive family support, parent programmes and early intervention, as they claw back funding. ...
Thousands of people have taken to the streets and voiced their concerns about National’s destructive and undemocratic Fast Track Approvals Bill. Add your voice and tell National why this legislation needs to be stopped in its tracks. ...
Celebrating Matariki as a public holiday over the past two years has made sure everyone gets to spend some extra time with friends and family, as well as the chance to learn more about what makes this time of year meaningful. ...
The Government needs to be transparent about the cuts they are making to hospital infrastructure, so that cities are clear on the health resources they will have into the future. ...
Our students deserve access to fresh, healthy food to fuel their busy school days and lives.That’s why Labour introduced the Ka Ora, Ka Ako healthy school lunch programme. Teachers, parents, principals and health experts all saw the benefits of it. ...
The new Covid-19 Inquiry we campaigned and fought for will start in November.The current Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response will be divided into two phases. ‘Phase Two’ of the inquiry will start from November 2024 and will be the independent, full scale, and public inquiry we ...
“Today’s announcement is simply a repeat of the Government rejecting decades of evidence and expert advice, as they forcibly try to turn marketing slogans into policy,” said children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
“I am relieved Pharmac will be funded more to buy medicines for Kiwis. It is important that decisions on which drugs get funded remain independent from politics,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
The Green Party welcomes the announcement of more funding for cancer treatments and medicines, however, calls for more to be done to address the severe health inequities that come with cancer. ...
Frivolous check-ins with beneficiaries are the Government’s latest plan to find excuses to punish those on the Job Seeker allowance and add to the stigma they face. ...
The grounding of the Aratere Interislander Ferry is a wake-up call to the Coalition Government; they need to front up with a realistic long term solution to moving people and freight between our islands. ...
New Zealanders need and deserve a strong public health system. Throughout the country, we need to ensure hospitals, clinics and community providers have the resources needed to provide the best level of care. ...
Victims of family violence could fall through the gaps in New Zealand, as Police stop responding to some call outs and the Government chooses to prioritise other things. ...
The lack of bids at today’s ETS auction is a sad indictment on this Government's staggering indifference to the climate crisis and their lack of a plan. ...
“I am deeply disappointed in the National Party's budget. Their broken promises and cuts to essential services, including health, education, and support for vulnerable groups, will have long-lasting negative impacts” – Raymor, Auckland ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has today thanked the outgoing Secretary for Education. Iona Holsted was appointed in 2016 and has spent eight years in the role after being reappointed in May 2021. Her term comes to an end later this year. “I acknowledge Iona’s distinguished public service to New Zealand ...
Associate Health Minister for Pharmac David Seymour says today’s announcement that Pharmac is opening consultation on new cancer medicines is great news for Kiwi cancer patients and their families. “As a result of the coalition Government’s $604 million funding boost, consultation is able to start today for the first two ...
A half-century after pursuing self-government, Niue can count on New Zealand’s steadfast partnership and support, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Niue share a unique bond, forged over 50 years of free association,” Mr Peters says. “We are looking forward to working together to continue advancing Niue’s ...
Acting Internal Affairs Minister David Seymour says wait times for passports are reducing, as the Department of Internal Affairs (the Department) reports the highest ever monthly figure for digital uptake in passport applications. “As of Friday 5 July, the passport application queue has reduced by 34.4 per cent - a ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is getting on with the Government’s first seven Roads of National Significance (RoNS) projects expected to begin procurement, enabling works and construction in the next three years. “Delivering on commitments in our coalition agreements, we are moving ...
The Coalition Government is building for roll growth and easing pressure in Auckland’s school system, by committing to the construction of a new primary school, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. As part of Budget 24’s $456 million injection into school property growth, a new primary school (years 1-6) will be ...
Dr Shane Reti's speech to Iwi-Maori Partnership Boards, Thursday 4 July 2024 Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te tau Celebrate the rising of Matariki Celebrate the rising of the lord of the skies Celebrate the rising ...
Kia Ora Koutou, Tena Koutou, Good Morning. Thank you Mahaki Albert for the warm welcome. Thank you, Prime Minister, and thank you everyone for coming today. When I look around the room this morning, I see many of our hard-working mental health and addictions workforce from NGO and Community groups, ...
An independent expert advisory panel has been appointed to review the Public Works Act to make it easier to build infrastructure, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk has announced. “The short, sharp review demonstrates the Government’s commitment to progressing critical infrastructure projects and reducing excessive regulatory and legislative barriers, so ...
A trip to Australia next week to meet mining sector operators and investors will signal New Zealand is once again open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The visit is also an opportunity to build relationships with Australian state and federal counterparts and learn from their experiences as New ...
New Zealand’s ability to engage with key trading partners is set to grow further with 20 scholarships awarded for groups to gain education experiences across Asia and Latin America, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. Of the 20 scholarships, 12 have been awarded to groups travelling for study ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed progress on Northwest Rapid Transit, as the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) confirms next steps on the preferred option, a busway alongside State Highway 16 from Brigham Creek to Auckland City Centre. “The Government is committed to a rapid transit system that will support urban development, ...
Reflecting the Government’s priority to improve the public services Kiwis rely on, including mental health care, Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey has today announced five mental health and addiction targets. “The targets reflect my priorities to increase access to mental health and addiction support, grow the mental health and addiction ...
The first round of the government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund is set to open for applications later this month, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “The Fund will support new and innovative initiatives that are focussed on increasing access to better mental health support, ...
Speech to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand - 4 July 202 AcknowledgementsGood morning. Can I acknowledge Jen Baird and the team from REINZ. It’s good to be here with you this morning.IntroductionThis morning I’d like to talk to you about the Coalition Government’s plan to fix our housing crisis and ...
New Zealand and Nauru are deepening their relationship, including on economic resilience and education, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Nauru have a warm, long-standing relationship, and we are strengthening our engagement through enhanced political, security, and development cooperation,” Mr Peters says. “The good functioning ...
The Government will establish ambitious new housing growth targets for New Zealand’s cities, while taking steps to make it easier to expand both up and out, says Housing and Resource Management Act (RMA) Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Our Going for Housing Growth policy focuses on the fundamentals that have led ...
Increasing the recreational daily catch limit for kina around the northeastern North Island and a new special permit to remove kina will help tackle kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Kina barrens are areas of rocky reef where healthy kelp forests have been consumed by an overpopulation ...
The Government has marked a major milestone for rural connectivity at the official opening of the 500th RCG mobile tower in Anawhata today, Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Rural, rugged and remote, like many of the 500 towers delivered, RCG worked alongside community stakeholders to deliver better connectivity for Anawhata ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today released the updated Endeavour Fund Investment Plan – the Government’s $55 million per annum fund for science and research. “Endeavour is the Government’s largest contestable fund investing in science and research. It is crucial that this investment aligns with this Government’s priority ...
Work on a critical minerals list and a stocktake of New Zealand’s known mineral potential is underway and will be key to enabling a strategic, considered approach to developing the country’s resources and strengthening mineral resilience, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. Together, the list and the stocktake will identify the ...
The Government is providing a further $500,000 to the Wairoa Mayoral Relief Fund to help the community following flooding last week, Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced during a visit to the district today. “I have been back on the ground in Wairoa today to get a further ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will visit the United States from 9-12 July. Mr Luxon will begin his visit by building New Zealand’s profile with politicians in Washington DC, meeting members of the US Administration and of Congress. “The United States is the world’s largest economy and our second biggest trading partner. It ...
The Coalition Government is delivering consistency in student assessment, giving parents certainty on how their child’s doing at school, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Currently, the first glimpse at student achievement is when children sit NCEA. It’s far too late to learn in Year 10 or 11 if they have ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has confirmed that cervical screening will continue to be free for women with higher risk of cervical cancer. “Our Government is committed to achieving better cancer outcomes for New Zealanders, and screening programmes are critical to getting an early diagnosis and timely treatment,” says Dr ...
The board of Kāinga Ora – Homes & Community has been refreshed and Ministers have issued a new Letter of Expectations demanding better financial performance, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says.“Earlier this year we released the report of the independent review into Kāinga Ora led by Sir Bill English, which found ...
New Zealand and Solomon Islands are boosting their partnership in areas aimed at enhancing security and prosperity, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. “Solomon Islands is a very important Pacific partner for New Zealand, and we are pleased to be findings ways to do more together for mutual benefit,” Mr ...
New Zealand today concluded a groundbreaking trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland, to remove tariffs on hundreds of products that benefit sustainability and the environment, Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “The Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) opens up commercial opportunities for New Zealand businesses ...
New Zealand and Australia have highlighted their strong commitment to Solomon Islands aviation and economic development through the handover of the upgraded Seghe Airfield today. “The upgrade of the Seghe Airfield runway in Western Province will enable flights to operate under all weather conditions, making operations safer and more ...
The Government is rolling out changes to the driver licencing system to tackle the unacceptable wait times facing New Zealanders trying to sit their driver licence tests across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Since the previous government’s decision last year to remove re-sit fees for theory and practical ...
Around 11,000 singers from 40 countries will be taking to the stage in Auckland next week for the 13th World Choir Games, generating important economic and cultural benefits for the supercity, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “It’s the biggest choral competition and festival in the world, so I’m absolutely ...
A reservation over the Kermadec Arc preventing the granting or extending of minerals prospecting, exploration, and mining permits will be extended for 18 months from 5 July, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones’ declaration, enabled under the Crown Minerals Act 1991, will extend consecutive existing reservations, the latest of ...
The Government is taking immediate action to support New Zealand’s media and content production sectors, while it develops a long-term reform programme, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Firstly, the Government will progress the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill with amendments, to support our local media companies to earn ...
Tākina Puanga, mānawatia a Matariki, mānawatia te huinga whetū! Congratulations to Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Puku o te Ika a Māui on winning this year’s national secondary schools kapa haka competition Te Huinga Whetū, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. “It was great to hear the stage rumbling ...
The coalition Government's latest Action Plan will have a strong focus on making Kiwis safer and restoring law and order, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced. “The Government I lead is one of action and we are already making meaningful changes that will keep Kiwis safe in their homes, workplaces ...
A successful second quarter Action Plan shows the coalition Government has continued to build on the momentum of its first 100 days, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Our Government Action Plan was laser-focused on rebuilding the economy and reducing the cost of living, restoring law and order, and delivering better ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour is glad to see the Natural Hazards Insurance Act come into force today, further protecting homeowners’ rights after a natural hazard event and seeing the Earthquake Commission (EQC) become the Natural Hazards Commission. “The Government is committed to ensuring Kiwis continue to get reliable insurance ...
Restoring the brightline test to two years will help increase the supply of residential property putting downward pressure on rent, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “From 1 July, the brightline test will replace the five and ten-year periods with a more balanced two-year period. “Every day, New Zealanders are struggling ...
Councils, iwi, businesses and community organisations with infrastructure projects that support regional priorities are invited to apply for funding from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, which opened today. “The Coalition Government is focused on growing the economy. We are doing everything we can to enable an export-led recovery, regional prosperity and ...
Kia ora koutou katoa – it’s a pleasure to join you here at Tōtara Haumaru on Auckland’s North Shore I would like to begin by acknowledging the many hands, over many years, that have been involved in the creation of this wonderful new facility Tōtara Haumaru, particularly those who are ...
Taxpayers have also been on the hook for Tana's salary to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars as this investigation dragged on for month after month. ...
The Coalition today released Science under threat, a report which provides for the first time a full picture of the Government’s spending cuts, and the perspectives of the science community about the damage to the New Zealand’s science and research ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Olympic Games are big affairs that require massive infrastructure projects to build the various stadiums and venues. Many of the sports have specific requirements – fake whitewater and rocks ...
A shallow landslide for Keir Starmer, and a boilover in France, where the left and centre rally against the far-right Rally. Toby Manhire calls Henry Cooke to find out what it all means. In the final days before the UK election on Thursday, the Sun called for a change ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today launching a nationwide search and rescue effort for Green Party MP Darlene Tana following reporting that the MP has been missing in action for more than half of the current Parliamentary term. Taxpayers’ Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University Jonathan Borba/Pexels Mitochondria are tiny structures in cells that convert the food we eat into the energy our cells need to function. ...
An abrupt change from National renewed focus on the contentious relationship between big tech and the news media. One company should be exempt, writes Duncan Greive. After months of appearing somewhere between agnostic and hostile to the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, which it inherited from Labour after winning the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Romain Fathi, Senior Lecturer, School of History, ANU / Chercheur Associé at the Centre d’Histoire de Sciences Po, Australian National University Today’s French elections’ results are everything except what predictions had forecast. Only days ago, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party was ...
On Saturday, the Taxpayers’ Union launched a tool allowing people to write to Ministers Paul Goldsmith, Winston Peters and the Prime Minister. Over 5,500 New Zealanders have since sent letters calling for the Bill to be scrapped. ...
Tatau Urutahi shared leader, Julia Whaipooti will express concerns to the UN body that New Zealand is backsliding on its Te Tiriti and international human rights obligations regarding Indigenous peoples. ...
New Zealand used to be a country of vibrant synthetic striped polyprop. Then we got boring – and discovered merino. It’s full of holes now, and getting saggy, but Emily Lane refuses to get rid of her favourite zip-up polyprop jumper. “I got it before I went overseas for my ...
The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko has appointed Sarah Sinclair as independent chair of its review into the Northland power outage after a transmission tower fell on 20 June. ...
Poor-quality, cramped and ugly as hell – but Duncan Greive was thrilled to live in a shoebox apartment.In your early twenties you don’t think too hard about what’s going on around you, it just is. We didn’t know it, but in 2005, Auckland city was in the last boom ...
The government’s proposal to increase speed limits will lead to more deaths and serious injuries on our roads, according to experts. In the latest Briefing from the Public Health Communication Centre the University of Canterbury’s Professor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karinna Saxby, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne Policies designed to ensure Indigenous Australians have equitable access to medicines aren’t being accessed uniformly across the nation, our research shows. We mapped where Indigenous Australians ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asma Aziz, Senior Lecturer in Power Engineering, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock Keeping the lights on in Australia is a complex task. Enough capacity must be ensured everywhere in the country, at every moment. Surplus in one location won’t solve shortages in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Tham, Research fellow, Victoria University Next month, thousands of students and their families will find out whether they have been offered a place in Year 7 at a selective high school in New South Wales. Selective schools dominate the top ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Connie Zheng, Associate Professor in Human Resource Management at UniSA Business, University of South Australia Studio Romantic/Shutterstock Being “ghosted” – cut off from all communications without an explanation – isn’t a pleasant experience in any situation. So when you’re in ...
Ipsos, one of the world's leading market research companies, releases the 2024 Crime & Law Enforcement Monitor, a 31-country survey which tracks peoples’ perception of crime in their country and local area. ...
On the Suicide Reduction Trust, a viral marketing campaign, and a court hearing. A special edition of The Bulletin by Stewart Sowman-Lund. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A prize too good to be true Back in April, I spent some time looking into a fledgling ...
Analysis - Luxon's first US visit as prime minister coincides with scepticism over Biden's re-election bid, and an international rules-based order under growing strain. ...
Thirty years ago, Sandringham wasn’t known for Indian food at all. What will it look like in another three decades? It would be entirely possible to pass through Sandringham in a car or bus and not notice anything unique about the section of shops in this central Auckland suburb ...
Courtenay Place is dead. Long live Courtenay Precinct. Windbag is The Spinoff’s Wellington issues column, written by Wellington editor Joel MacManus. It’s made possible thanks to the support of The Spinoff Members. It was dreary and dark, the traffic on Cambridge Terrace was impatient. Then, out of the corner of ...
Another Palmerston North Poem At the heart of the fertile Manawatū plainon the banks of the beautiful river same-named,emerging from cattle, golf courses and gorselies the resplendent city of Palmerston North. The people are friendly, without malice or guile.They’ll check out your muffler with gold-filling smiles.If the metal is precious ...
There’s some fear in the air in Tauranga as the country’s fifth-largest city gets ready to vote in the council election on July 20.Tauranga City councillors were replaced with commissioners in 2020 after a tumultuous year. Now it’s almost time for a mayor and councillors to return. “There is a ...
As MPs consider a proposal to make the subject mandatory for law students, groups say tikanga is an important part of legal practice The post Tikanga law criticisms ‘antiquated’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Before there was Dame Val, another shot-putting Val wowed the athletics world. Sandwiched between the Dame Yvette Williams and Dame Valerie Adams eras, Valerie Young (née Sloper) won her fair share of medals, too. The winner of an unprecedented 37 New Zealand titles, Young won five Commonwealth Games gold medals ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra The Australian Labor Party’s solidarity pledge is being widely sledged in the wake of Western Australian Senator Fatima Payman’s resignation from caucus. But ...
Today marks the 115th day since Green MP Darleen Tana was suspended from caucus amid allegations she is linked to migrant exploitation at her husband's company. ...
Opinion: In 1912, Lottie and Howard moved into their new family home in Mount Albert, which Howard, a handy kind of fellow, had finished building just in time for the birth of their third child, my grandmother. Like most inner suburbs of the time, Mount Albert was effectively an urban ...
Refreshments King Luxon sails on the great seas And watches with interest As the rudder falls off his Royal Barge. He calls for the Shipwrights And the salty board members of KiwiRail. “A refresh is required,” says the King, As the salty board members walk the plank With a pike ...
It was sleek, it was shiny, it was very, very purple: Tara Ward tuned into the very first ThreeNews, the new 6pm bulletin replacing Newshub. Yesterday was a big day for the news. First came the end of AM, then the last First News bulletin on Sky Open (featuring an ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Shaw, Professor of Politics, Massey University Getty Images At first glance, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has just put in a performance for the ages in the British general election. The incoming prime minister controls a comfortable parliamentary majority, Tory ...
Fourteen years of Conservative government has formally ended. The Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, has achieved a ‘landslide’ for only the third time in its one-hundred-year history. General elections are significant moments in the life of nations. They are points where we can, if we are lucky, stand back ...
Opinion: Make it click – seatbelts save lives. Regulations requiring safety features within vehicles, such as seatbelts, anti-lock braking systems and airbags, have dramatically improved safety for drivers and passengers, and it’s difficult to imagine any government abandoning those regulations, much less removing safety features that have already been installed. ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman reflects on the end (for now) of the news cycle about the news. You’d be forgiven for getting a bit tired of hearing about the news while watching the news. The media is in the unique position of both serving as an all-seeing eye on behalf of ...
Hayley was in her first year of teaching and term time was killing her. She had always loved children, and liked explaining things, and believed she had above average levels of patience. But being a teacher had little to do with sharing knowledge. It was crowd control. Hayley alternated between ...
Brooke Fraser’s homecoming show was a hit – the ‘Something in the Water’ star performed with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra late last month. Her show reportedly drew the biggest ever crowd for a New Zealand solo artist at Spark Arena. But the audience was drawn from more than just Fraser ...
Alex Casey chats to Antonia Murphy, whose experience opening an ethical brothel in Northland became the subject of Three’s award-winning new comedy-drama Madam. The incensed motel guest rang the manager, concerned that there was prostitution going on in the room next door. “There was just so much sex!” they barked ...
P Digsss, frontman of the genre-bending Shapeshifter, shares the tunes he keeps on repeat for the perfect weekend.You don’t need a special scenario to enjoy the musical stylings of Shapeshifter – in fact, it might just be what you need to make the weekend perfect. Just ask their frontman ...
The comedian and writer takes us through her life in television, including the legacy of Flight of the Conchords and watching Breaking Bad with her grandfather. Comedian Kura Turuwhenua came over-prepared for her first day in the writers room of Only in Aotearoa: Wāhine Edition. “My job was supposed to ...
A stack of brilliant novels for children are out this year. Ten authors tell us why they write for kids, and what their books offer grown-ups, too.Aotearoa’s legacy of great children’s novels is a hefty one: Margaret Mahy, Maurice Gee, David Hill, Sherryl Jordan, Kate De Goldi, Elizabeth Knox, ...
The stakes are incredibly high for New Zealand’s biggest news media company as it takes on a transformational challenge.On Wednesday evening, Sinead Boucher and Juliet Peterson sat on stage at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Auckland’s Aotea Centre, under a bright green screen headlined “it’s giving power couple ...
Drinking wasn’t just a pastime, it was my profession – and it got way out of control. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.When I talk about my former life in Auckland, it’s hard not to talk about booze. Every neighbourhood had its ...
Full back: Christopher Luxon. Luxo is the helmsman of the team and that’s due to the fact the last helmsman we had, with all due respect to Chippy, was absolute rubbish. Critics say that Luxo lacks anything resembling a good idea. But he’s always keen to stomp around the field ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The 650 United Kingdom House of Commons seats are elected by first past the post (FPTP), in which the candidate with the ...
Alex Casey watches the final episode of Newshub, as Three farewells 34 years of making TV news.It is July 5, and there are three big news stories coming up on Newshub. Life-saving cancer drugs have been funded, the United Kingdom has voted Labour in an historic landslide, and Newshub ...
Analysis - The minister sets out his plan to solve the housing crisis and a survey shows business confidence crashing as more companies go into liquidation, Peter Wilson writes. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Wellings, Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations, Monash University This is a historic moment in British politics. It’s a huge win for Labour. It’s a historic loss for the Conservatives. It also seems to have been the product of one ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne People living in southern Australia won’t have failed to notice how cold it is. Frosty nights and chilly days have been the weather for many of us since the start of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University benjamas11/Shutterstock There are renewed calls this week for the Australian government to implement a range of measures aimed at improving our diets. These include restrictions on junk food advertising, improvements to food ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane McMahon, Research Associate, Discipline of Archaeology, University of Sydney Thalia Nitz/University of Sydney To date, little has been known about people living in north-western Saudi Arabia during the Neolithic – the period traditionally defined by the shift to humans controlling ...
New Govt. negotiations are heading for week six…the media channels would be beside themselves if it were the Labour/Green/TPM group in discussion–though odds are it would have been resolved by now anyway.
“Arch negotiator”, “I ran an Airline”–Mr Luxury Baldrick Luxon–has proven to be a non event. The big money backers of NZ Nats and Act must be in constant face palm mode. They want to shaft the working class to keep the wealth flowing in their direction, but bungler Luxon has not delivered yet.
Labour, Green and TPM need to become an opposition force now. The election result will not change, but an articulated position from the Parliamentary opposition will assist fightback from unions, NGOs and communities.
Luxon won on the back of a very negative mood fostered by a very well funded and sophisticated social media campaign run by Topham Guerin. His personal numbers are terrible and National's share of the vote wasn't a ringing endorsement of his party. He has to contend with a aggressive ACT party which sees a path to greater power in stoking GOP style culture and race wars and a NZ First led by what to me looks like an increasingly senile Winston Peters who has elevated tilting at windmills and cultivating fringe merchants from something doe for effect to being the point.
So he is discovering in real time that how you get to power has consequences on how you try to run the country.
Either he'll concede some massively divisive culture war moment for the sake of unity and power (a la Davind Cameron) and probably lose heavily next time or he'll cobble together something and limp along – I reckon Willis will roll him on the back of terrible poll numbers around February 2026.
Luxon is there because the voters put him there. Unfortunately in politics we only get what the fickle electorate serves up and it certainly appears the electorate can be easily swayed by influences such as a complicit media, almost at will……..
To say Luxon "won" is not really accurate. Luxon got 38.1-English got 44.4 in 2017 and could not form a government.
You only win/lose if you can/can't cobble together a working majority, so Luxon has yet to win because even now we don't know that Winston will agree to work with Luxon and Seymour though this appears to be odds-on.
Pedro Sanchez in Spain is a winner, in fact he has pulled a rabbit out of the hat to form his coalition government this week and boy are the establishment pissed. This has cheered me up immensely. Sanchez has asked for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza -good man.
Yes tough road ahead for Mr Sánchez…
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67436378
“Shortly before the vote, Mr Sánchez linked attempts to question the legitimacy of his new government to part of a global trend. He referred to the presence of former Fox News TV anchor Tucker Carlson at a recent protest outside the Socialist Party headquarters in Madrid.
"We've seen it in the United States, in Brazil and other parts of the world where there is a political right and political far right who do not accept the result of elections," he said.”
A lot of people still seem to view elections as FPP even when they are run under another system, torys particularly seem fond of “winner takes all”.
From your link Tiger:
"The conservative Popular Party won elections in July, but leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo failed to form a majority"
The BBC really doesn't understand the partly PR system in Spain. As lprent says below, only Sanchez "won" as he is the only one who was able to form a majority government.
Exactly. You and lprent are right.
Yep. You ‘win’ if you can convince the Governor General that, as PM, you can form a majority in parliament for confidence and supply vote. Then you have to deliver because one of the first votes in parliament is going to be a C&S vote.
That GG convincing requires credible assurances from any other party or even leaders of factions of a governing party, that they won’t disrupt the process of governing.
It can be as part of a coalition, or just support in C&S votes.
Just had a wee ironic chuckle.
In my lunch break I clicked on a stuff article about govt. nogotiations @ Luxons house.
Blank screen comes up with a message "…took too long to respond".
Brownlee sounded petulant essentially agreeing with Hipkins sending out a call for a Gaza cease-fire but chiding him for "jumping the gun" (perhaps not his best turn of phrase).
Looking more likely in the UN exchanges that Qatar and the US have negotiated a 5-day ceasefire in return for the kidnapped citizens. Sure needs to happen.
I think that Qatar and the US (pathetically) refuse to call it a ceasefire but rather call it a humanitarian pause.
The NZ Jewish Council guy on Morning Report used the argument that there should be no ceasefire until the hostages are returned. This is nonesense and simply an excuse to keep bombing. It amounts to "Let us kill another 10,000 Palestinians because 200 hostages have not been returned". A ceasefire would enable much more positive negotiations around the hostages. Meanwhile the hostages themselves are put in danger by the IDF attacks on Gaza.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018916062
The NZ Jewish Council guy sounded mean but a pause+hostages deal looks close.
The Muslim association guy refusing to confirm Hamas was a terrorist organisation – which I would have thought uncontroversial – was also shall we say odd.
I would guess it would involve all children and their parents. I would doubt it would be all.
Otherwise those who needed medical care and the elders.
There might be talks about access to remaining hostages and or verification about whether they are alive or not.
Geriatric Brownlee finally makes a decision to put NZ's position on the Israeli /Palestine conflict complaining Labour jumped the gun.National have had all the time to make a decision but sat on their hands and only made a statement after chippy chipped in complaining National were doing nothing.Same at the pacific forum Brownlee didn't get up to speed.Luxon is rinsing and repeating his boring constant reheated same old same old story.From the man who claims to be the expert negotiator.Sounds more like Trumpish narcissism. The news media will get stuck into him if all he can do is avoiding questions like he did in the election.it is what it is .The treaty poll that Seymour wants luxon should say Epsom will no longer be an option.Winston probably is siding with Seymour.Looks like it's going to be a tough 3 years.Could be an early Election.Winstons last stand will turn to Custertard.Luxons has painted himself into a corner. National have treated Winston badly in the past so Winston is making them squirm.
Unfortunately the "news media" are owned by the very backers of Luxon and Seymour……don't expect any in depth revelations, it will all be glossed over and sanitised for the sheeple consumption…
Remember money doesn’t just talk it often swears, especially in politics…….
Why does Ingrid Hipkiss feel the need to suffix any comment crticial of Israel with… "Of course, the IDF say..?"
Obviously it's terrified self-protection, donning the armour of perceived 'balance'.
Or to put it another way:
Israel's lengthy and prolific tentacles together with Western establishment tendency to favour right-wing solutions? Best not to get too off-side with them.
Case in point:
Brownlee is misrepresenting what Hipkins said. Unsurprising:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/502803/israel-gaza-ceasefire-call-will-not-help-until-certain-conditions-met-national
What Hipkins did say (see link below above link)
So Labour's ceasefire stance is not conditional on the hostages being released as Brownlee said. Rather Labour is asking the hostages to be released as well. Corin Dann should have been aware of this and picked him up on it.
Brownlee starts with a lie-the Nats are back.
I’m hoping you are ignorant as to why your comment could be seen as quite problematic? If not and it is deliberate then shame on you.
??
The first was tongue in cheek and the second was a link to a news item. You are reading into it something that is not there. 🙄
"Israel's lengthy and prolific tentacles…"
I'm reading into it exactly what it says
Not too many years ago, a couple of Israeli spies came to NZ in order to obtain NZ passports by illegal means. The PM of the day, Helen Clark was – quite rightly – extremely displeased. The two culprits were brought to justice and spent a short time in a NZ prison before heading back to their homeland. It was noted at the time that this practice was likely far more widespread than just NZ.
However, it is to be hoped that the NZ experience forced Israel to accept that 'the passport' is recognition of a nation’s sovereignty and is to be respected. To use it as a rite of passage by people for possible nefarious purposes is what was shameful my friend.
Over the years I have had numerous Jewish friends both in NZ and in Britain. I have also lived and worked with them. They are no more responsible for what is done in their name as most Palestinians are not responsible for what Hamas has done in theirs.
For someone who has spent a life in deodorants Luxon really is stink.
Mr strong and stable is really Mr slow and painful.
So Capt Chris Hipkins is starting over with a blank sheet.
I suggest he writes on it…'if you don't like my principles…I do have…others'!(G.Marx)
If a politician has a good idea of where they want to go, then their ways and means can – and should be – flexible.
His 'good idea' was to be National lite'.
How many 'good ideas' does….one need/deserve?
Send that message to Winston Blazer. He of the many Rodeo Horses for Courses.
Well… what will Winston's presence save us from?
Asset sales
Frozen minimum wage increases
State housing sales
Cuts to superannuation increases
An increase to the Superannuation age
Anyone got more?
That would be enough to be considered a win for reason. Trouble is what he may trade that for would be a win for 'feelings'
Probably foreign land purchases?
There is foreign investment now – decided on a case by case basis.
Apparently what it won’t save us from is Winston wanting to pervert the justice system. It appears that his revenge intention is just that – and is one of the 3 sticking points to a coalition agreement.
What will he block
An increase in super age – yes
A reduced rate of super – yes (he will will want 66 per cent maintained as the base)
National's plan to open up sale of all homes over $2m to foreigners – yes
Freezing MW (ACT wants this not National) – yes
What might he block
Asset sales uncertain (Rail/Kiwibank are probably safe from sale).
State House sales (he does not oppose people buying the home they live in – this occurred 1996-1998, when he accepted market rents) otherwise uncertain
Small increases in MW uncertain – he might call for CPI rate increases
I read somewhere he wants retirement villages for over 65 renters of which there will be many in the years to come.
If he can get that over the line I'll probably forgive him for most things.
Sounds good, I.might need one yet,
I'd read that he was concerned at the lack of planning for a sufficient number of aged care places.
One answer to that problem is community housing and sharing support – with meals and health checks/care providers. So people can stay in that environment
Government payment AS for places of those without ownership and others buying a place.
Taking business off the Oz bloodsuckers (right of occupancy) would be smart government action (savings and keeping value domestically rather than profits offshore).
Fun fact of the day:
The Soviet Union came into being 7th November, 1917 and ceased to exist 26th December 1991. It lasted 74 years and 49 days.
The People's Republic of China came into existence on the 1st October 1949 and has lasted 74 years and fifty days.
As of today, the PRC has existed longer than the USSR.
Even more fun…. I have outlasted then both by nearly four weeks……. so far…. work in progress.
I have seen eleven governments fall in New Zealand and voted Labour 19 times, twice for myself. I have lived 48 years under National, and 27 under Labour.
In my voting lifetime I have seen four Labour-led governments and four National-led governments,
And as we change governments in 2023 what do we remember of those governments? Which changed our lives? Which do we remember positively and which PMs do we respect?
WINZ already acting like the Tory fucks have directed them to beat down on the poor and disabled.
Three days trying to call them to get a client emergency dental work, and at every hour we call, they hang up the phone. (four days if you count calling on Saturday)
Edit: Before some dick says go to the web site – we did and they told us to call the 0800 number.
MSD/WINZ do not require much direction to put people through their sadistic maze, their deep culture since the 80s is to punish the ‘underserving’ vulnerable. Full entitlements are not explained, mobile phones and internet access required–keep enough data while unemployed or poor? yeah right…MSD are world experts at “losing” previously supplied documents, and not having a “record of that call”…
The legislation is still based on the 1964 Social Security Act, from a time of often single earner families, married, with kids. Now in the era of single carers and blended families, they still spy on people’s social media and encourage dobbers regarding relationship status. Benefits should be personal to holder regardless of who you live with. Labour managed that for a second tier middle class COVID benefit.
I don’t need to go on adam, I totally get your situation, I know many in the North seeking urgent assistance for food or health issues that have just got the runaround. My partner has been an unemployed and beneficiary advocate previously, and one of the disturbing things is that a number of case managers etc. are bloody PSA union members.
I remember having a lot of fun with some WINZ flunky who rang me at my office trying to track down a refugee friend of mine for whom I had done some advocacy work in the past. She had moved to Australia and the WINZ guy was saying that she owed them some money and did I have her address.
I said that it did not matter whether I had her address or not, that I was going to treat him in exactly the same way that WINZ had treated me when I had rung them to try and make a booking to take her in to see them the week after she was discharged from hospital. They quoted the Privacy Act at me and said that she had to ring them, or I had to have her with me when I rang for the appointment.
I told the WINZ guy that I would give him some very important information about her which might help him. The information was that most Ethiopian people of her culture do not have family names (surnames) which pass down through the generations. The last name drops off in every generation. Accordingly, he should not waste his time looking at telephone directories in the city he thought she had moved to in order to find the same family name.
And then I said "goodbye" and hung up.
Yes the stories abound. Friend of mine in wheel chair for years, on dialysis, who knitted small items on a rig with his one good hand for his Church store to feel useful, was dragged into a WINZ meeting and told to make better efforts to be work ready or sanctions would apply!
His carer asked the new case manager “have you got eyes?”…“read his health records?”…my friend was in tears, luckily a manager who knew him intervened and the family appointed a strong advocate to be present in any future dealings.
I wrote to WINZ in the 1990s at a time when I was looking after my elderly mother who had dementia, and told them that I was well aware they had me under surveillance and there are witnesses (there was one), and I knew who it was who had reported me to them and if I saw those two 'perfed' police officers once more there would be consequences. There was silence and no… I did not see them again.
It was in the days of Christine Rankin of "dob a beneficiary a day" fame.
Work and Income was founded on October 1 1998 and Rankin was its first head. A culmination of her 20 year career there.
Short skirts big earings – all the better to hear of any entrapment into unapproved sexual activity. It was an inference that the poor were being divided into two groups – deserving and undeserving.
They had already begun to contract out services to faith based groups by that time.
Keep an eye on Luxon's plan to install outside contractor management over those under 25 on a benefit – it is a compendium to the easy hire and fire rule (screening out unionists and testing pliability).
This goes back to early 20th C business thinking about workforce management/quality control. And onto the American regime since then – faith based provider term limit welfare and a high prison population etc.
You forgot to mention the boobs almost falling out of her tops. It was as if she was taunting the less fortunate… I'm important and sex is okay for people like me, but woe betide you sniveling slobs if you think you can have sex and a benefit as well.
Think about their staff for a moment.
How many want those jobs under a NACT government?
Many are taking unused leave while looking for other jobs.
They will be operating with skeleton staff levels.
ACT will not need to cut their staffing, the trouble will be finding staff.
Didn’t hear this during the campaign from…anyone.
By trying to wind shadow the opposition, Labour smeared itself and its good work in shit. Chippy has a lot of work to clean up in the Education sector, which obscured the excellent work done on apprenticeships and other non-university training. Perhaps it comes as a surprise that some ministers and policies had beefed implemented more successfully, despite what the opposition and their expensive PR people said.
The reset and focus on cut backs and how terrible the cost of living was ignored the ways that things were much better for a lot of people because of government action.
Max Rashbrooke is no cheerleader for Labour. He managed to save this column until after the election and focuses on the work done by ‘many governments’ and how the areas like truancy were ‘National’s focus on this should improve this result.’
However, in a way that almost takes the piss, topic after topic of progress ‘could reverse under the new government.’
Lament and bang your head against a wall, that our current crop of politicians don’t at all look like leaders.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/20-11-2023/12-graphs-that-show-new-zealand-isnt-doing-as-badly-as-you-think
This is what happens when cults interfere in politics. Who can forget the Herald picture of the dozen or so well fed Pakeha blokes from the Exclusive Brethren sitting around a table admitting that they had been behind an anonymous leaflet drop targeting Labour and the Green Party?
https://newsroom.co.nz/2023/11/20/we-prayed-helen-clark-would-fall-out-of-a-plane-brethren-book/?utm_source=Newsroom&utm_campaign=74b30aac5b-Daily_Briefing+20.11.2023&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-74b30aac5b-97863395&mc_cid=74b30aac5b&mc_eid=90ced3872f
The state of it:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/301011504/live-national-mps-gather-for-meetings-at-luxons-home
Be fun on a booze up but not sure he should be navigating captain clutzins blimp
There's still time for Chippy to form a government if Mike Pence does the right thing.
A contender for Caption Contest
A fine figure of a man, the old 80s car dealer look with the trou’ hitched under the slight beer gut…
Argentina those poor bastards.
Javier Milei makes Roger Douglas look like a commie.
But that’s who they’ve just voted in as President.
Argentina and Chile – both drawn towards authoritarians and extreme "free market" (aka looting) types.
Javier Milei sounds awful.
+100 Ad…..Trump…Bolsonaro…..Milei.
Argentina has already tried the US dollar as currency – they defaulted on their debt last time. Climate change denial and libertarian economics, with a soft sport for a past junta – OK and supported by Bolsonaro and Trump.
As one bolt hole for those of former regimes closes another one opens up. It's so post 1945.
With inflation running in excess 140%pa I imagine the average Argentinian is willing to try anything different…whether they get the difference they want may be another story.
Old man welcomes new government, hopes to return to golden age when low-paid workers weren't so thoughtlessly inconvenient …
"We predominantly hire females who go and have babies …"
Rodney Wayne blasts previous government after 'very tough 12 months' | RNZ News
Baby boomers are getting older, retiring and spending less.
Retail is going to have to get used to the fact that the golden days of two incomes, mortgage paid off, no children at home big spenders are over.
This coupled with on-line shopping, building large shopping malls away from the CBD and increased recyling through facebook, etc means many retail outlets will close.
The young have low wages and high rents so they can't spend much either.
You reap what you sow.
Bloody babies, who needs em? The sacred duty of young "females" is to make old dudes like him richer. Unfortunately, when he needs healthcare workers in future to wipe his arse when he's in a retirement home, they'll import long-suffering Filipinos to do it.
Lol. I was just about to post this, but too late:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/301011504/live-luxon-says-significant-milestone-reached-but-peters-pushes-back
Luxton making that comment to the media didn't feel like it had been approved by Peters and so it appears. Winston Peters would never allow a person with which he is negotiating to make 'significant milestone' announcements without him.
Buxton just annoyed him even more.
The Cordis Coalition of Chaos.
They will edit it eventually, so enjoy this spectacular headline fail while you can …
Election 2023: Political commentator says Winston Peters' 'boasting' is 'coming back to bite him' | Newshub
(if confused, read the article. Newshub did not).
From your link Tiger:
"The conservative Popular Party won elections in July, but leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo failed to form a majority"
The BBC really doesn't understand the partly PR system in Spain. As lprent says below, only Sanchez "won" as he is the only one who was able to form a majority government.