Open mike 23/03/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 23rd, 2022 - 93 comments
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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93 comments on “Open mike 23/03/2022 ”

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  1. Blazer 1
    23 March 2022 at 8:27 am

    Whatabout,whataboutry!

    Is it a legitimate component of robust argument or a simpletons response a la 2 wrongs make…a right.

    It was a constant feature of the Key Govt for 9 years-'Labour did it too'.

    It seems to have fallen out of favour with the right these days.

    Those with double standards and full blown hypocrites seem to despise it with a …passion.sad

    Imo if it's fact,it's fact and perfectly…acceptable.

    • JanM 1.1
      23 March 2022 at 8:33 am

      Just because it's a fact doesn't make it relevant.

    • Nic the NZer 1.2
      23 March 2022 at 9:00 am

      This seems off topic even for open mike.

    • Macro 1.3
      23 March 2022 at 10:29 am

      What about you learn a little bit more about the topic before spouting off on something you don't understand. Whataboutism is a variant of the logical fallacy of ad hominem argument where the user accuses the other of hypocrisy without addressing the issue. It is particularly common in the spreading of propaganda by those who wish to draw attention away from an otherwise untenable position.

      • Shanreagh 1.3.1
        23 March 2022 at 11:37 am

        Children use this form of 'argument' often usually ending in tongues being poked out. A simple expression of the inability to marshall thoughts and views to mount an argument of words if you are either the child doing the 'whataboutery' or the unfortunate one trying to argue back.

        Of course harking back to times when something was done differently is fine as long as it is relevant, and the arguer teases out the similarities and differences, pros & cons of the two approaches/times.

      • Blazer 1.3.2
        23 March 2022 at 11:48 am

        Really?

        Whatabout Merriam-Websters definition?

        'The meaning of WHATABOUTISM is the act or practice of responding to an accusation of wrongdoing by claiming that an offense committed by another is similar or worse; also : the response itself —called also whataboutery.'

        • Macro 1.3.2.1
          23 March 2022 at 12:23 pm

          So having looked up the meaning you still can't see the fact that it is a fallacious form of argument, and as Shanreagh also a typical response by kids. Childish.

  3. Patricia Bremner 3
    23 March 2022 at 8:43 am

    Weka, there is an interesting article on Long Covid in the feeds today.

    • Hongi Ika 3.2
      23 March 2022 at 4:49 pm

      Currently suffering from Long Covid evidently takes 8 weeks so only 5 1/2 weeks to go bit like the flu, hopefully gone after 8 weeks. Friends of mine who have had have ardly been affected.

      • Shanreagh 3.2.1
        23 March 2022 at 10:53 pm

        Yes but Long Covid is much more long lasting and pernicious that just 8 weeks. I had heard that it can take up to 8 weeks to recover from Covid.

        Long Covid is what takes place after the body has seemingly dealt with Covid itself. Some after effects, that may or may not have manifested themselves during the infection phase are:

        kidney issues

        cardiac issues

        clotting

        continued neurological issues, memory, brain fog

        This can come about often months after the initial Covid infection such as a heart attack.

        From the article

        • There was evidence that some individuals experienced symptoms that began at the time of the initial infection and that, for others, symptoms arose some time after the initial infection had resolved and that one of the key features was a pattern of remitting/relapsing symptoms;
        • New chronic diseases emerged among those with long COVID, suggesting that it could well be a serious burden on individuals, family and whanau, communities, and the healthcare system well into the future: lung fibrosis, cardiac damage, multi organ damage on MRI, abnormal brain metabolism and cognitive impairment, thrombo-embolism, and questions about diabetes.

        The very best idea is not to get Covid at all, just in case you are the one playing Russian Roulette with Long Covid. It apparently is not related to the severity of the initial illness so you can have a mild infection but still suffer from Long Covid.

    • mauī 3.3
      23 March 2022 at 8:43 pm

      Interestingly, I personally know of a few younger people, all under 40, vaccinated and healthy individuals, who have had a rough time with having covid.

      I find that concerning as I was under the impression that omicron was mild and this group would have the best outcomes.

      • Hongi Ika 3.3.1
        23 March 2022 at 9:04 pm

        Affects people differently I am double jabbed reasonably fit mid 60's, friends who have had it, have just had a sore throat, headache and dry sinus's and the thing is gone within 4-5 days ?

      • Incognito 3.3.2
        23 March 2022 at 9:41 pm

        Adjust your impression.

        • Shanreagh 3.3.2.1
          23 March 2022 at 10:58 pm

          I second Incognito…….

          Omicron is not mild. People can have a less severe infection but others can be very badly affected. It was very sad/bad that this myth of 'mild' Omicron was able to get such a hold here as I think it may have made some people less careful, thinking that it is just a cold, something mild……

          It is very infectious and that means more people have the possibility of getting it and more people will run the risk with possibly having Long Covid.

        • mauī 3.3.2.2
          24 March 2022 at 7:09 pm

          I'm happy to stick with the South African Medical Association "mild" impression, and my own anecdotal evidence at this stage.

          https://twitter.com/EssexPR/status/1470007687475773449

          • Incognito 3.3.2.2.1
            24 March 2022 at 8:17 pm

            Of course, you would. Find somebody who uses the words “mild” and “Omicron” in the same sentence, compare with your anecdotal ‘evidence’, and out comes your impression. What could go wrong? How could you go wrong?

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    23 March 2022 at 8:59 am

    Three more years of center-left governance in Canada, conservatives bitch & moan: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60837941

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal minority government has reached a deal with the New Democratic Party (NDP) to stay in power until 2025. In exchange, the Liberals will support the left-leaning NDP on several of the party's key priorities in parliament. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Mr Trudeau said that the deal – which he termed a "supply and confidence" agreement – begins today and will continue through the end of Canada's current parliament in 2025.

    The deal differs to a coalition, where parties share power. Instead, the Liberals – who failed to win a majority in the past two elections – will continue to govern as a minority, but with assurances the NDP will support them in confidence votes.

    While Mr Trudeau predicted that the two parties would continue to disagree in some areas, he said they had identified some key policy areas in which they share similar objectives, including healthcare, housing and the environment.

    The deal differs to a coalition, where parties share power. Instead, the Liberals – who failed to win a majority in the past two elections – will continue to govern as a minority, but with assurances the NDP will support them in confidence votes.

    Last year, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh ruled out a formal agreement with the Liberals, but said that he was willing to support Mr Trudeau. At a separate news conference on Tuesday, Mr Singh said that his party views the agreement as the best way to "help people", particularly when it comes to developing a national dental care programme for low-income Canadians and a national prescription drug programme, and on issues like climate and housing.

    Ahead of Mr Trudeau's announcement, Candice Bergen, leader of Canada's Conservative Party, slammed the Liberal-NDP agreement as a "callous attempt by Trudeau to hold on to power". "This is little more than backdoor socialism," she said in a statement. "This is an NDP-Liberal attempt at government by blackmail. Nation-building is replaced by vote-buying; secret deal-making over parliamentary debate; and opportunism over accountability."

    It's actually normal democracy. Hysterical tossing diverse strawmen framings at media is unlikely to impress anyone…

  5. Bearded Git 5
    23 March 2022 at 9:12 am

    No Dennis, don't you understand-it is "backdoor socialism".smileysmileysmiley

    The agreement was always going to happen when the election results were called on the night. Singh (leader of the left-leaning NDP, and who seems to be a popular leader) got 18% in the election but only 25 seats. Trudeau's Liberals got 33% but got 160 seats. It follows that, given 170 seats are needed to form a government, the NDP were bound to have influence.

    The Conservatives got 34% but only 119 seats.

    It looks like a poor electoral system compared with MMP.

    • Dennis Frank 5.1
      23 March 2022 at 9:28 am

      smiley I guess the proof of that pudding will be in the eating, eh? Given they both seem to see an overlap of interests, and thus political common ground, we'll eventually get legislation that is genuinely progressive.

      Whether that is socialist or not will be open to interpretation. Justin will feel that it will happen only over his dead liberal body, of course. I was quite impressed by his political autobiography – he's a principled fella, just insufficiently audacious for me. Similar to Ardern. So I expect a govt just like ours…

    • Hongi Ika 5.2
      23 March 2022 at 4:51 pm

      Just like here in NZ with Winnie and NZF ?

  6. Nic the NZer 6
    23 March 2022 at 9:57 am

    Bomber performs full blown Olympic grade pommel horse routine over a shark.

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/03/23/labour-can-not-dodge-an-independent-inquiry-into-how-mallard-incited-parliament-lawn-protest/

    His editor clearly selected the headline claiming that the protest was about Mallard from the beginning, so we can't hold Martin responsible for the headline. During the opinion this is walked back to Trevor incited them for 3 weeks straight before the police saw the the protesters driven before them and listened to the lamentation of their women.

  7. Francesca 7
    23 March 2022 at 10:02 am

    Time to buckle up I think

    Things may be about to heat up

    US Navy Deploys Carrier Strike Group in Med to Implement Ukraine No-Fly Zone If Biden Gives Order

    https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010102000435/US-Navy-Deplys-Carrier-Srike-Grp-in-Med-Implemen-Ukraine-N-Fly-Zne-If

    In a string of Sunday show interviews, U.S. and global security officials also said potential NATO topics include the prospect of deploying a peacekeeping force in Ukraine and the chances of Russian-Ukrainian peace talks. They again warned Russia against the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/20/war-ukraine-nato-discuss-more-support-against-russian-invasion/7112857001/

    Article 4 has been triggered (on the day of the invasion)

    Biden will attend the NATO summit on Thursday (our Friday?)

    And again, the threats from Stoltenberg and Sullivan if chemical weapons are used Perfect time for a last ditch attempt by Zelensky to trigger direct western intervention

    Chemical weapon use at this stage would benefit the Ukrainians, not the Russians

    • Barfly 7.1
      23 March 2022 at 10:25 am

      Read the article "no fly zone " is not a quote it's an interpretation of the USA's actions by by an Iranian News Site – that is a stupendously long stretch.

    • Sanctuary 7.2
      23 March 2022 at 11:29 am

      The carrier Harry S Truman (not the "USS Truman") has been in the Mediterranean since December and it's flying deterrence missions along with other NATO partners. There is no particular indication that it is preparing for offensive action, although an aircraft carrier is a powerful ship.

      "…Chemical weapon use at this stage would benefit the Ukrainians, not the Russians…"

      Clearly you've had a lot to think about since you were evicted from Parliament’s front lawn.

      • Francesca 7.2.1
        23 March 2022 at 11:41 am

        Your "intelligence" is faulty.

        Nowhere near Wellington , ridiculously obedient to all the scanning in, mask wearing, vax etc

        Sorry to disappoint your crude assumptions

    • Foreign waka 7.3
      23 March 2022 at 5:39 pm

      Obviously, no matter what side anyone is on no one seem to notice that, if you don't allow your enemy to save face thigs escalate to levels not wanted or anticipated. And to be honest, Zelensky is an actor, so he plays a role and gets applauded for it. I view this with unease which does not mean that I support the invasion. Just the scenario seem to be "odd".

  8. Dennis Frank 8
    23 March 2022 at 10:22 am

    For a generation now, third-way centrism as political praxis has been defeating the left – if you correlate the left with socialism. Yet…

    A 2018 Gallup poll showed 51% of young Americans felt positively about the term socialism

    https://areomagazine.com/2022/03/14/practical-politics-meagan-day-and-micah-uetrichts-bigger-than-bernie/

    Our PM has described herself as socialist along with a bunch of her Labour caucus colleagues (according to a media report I cited here a week or two back). I presume the reason our media has never cited evidence she's telling the truth is due to no journos being able to find any. So why are liberals continuing to pretend that they are really socialists? It's a baffling question which the above linked essay may throw some light on.

    the Corbyn campaign in the UK is often compared to Sanders’: both were left-of-centre campaigns that unexpectedly gained popularity in 2016 and seemed on the cusp of victory by the late 2010s—and both ended up disappointing. A helpful analysis of the Corbyn campaign is Leo Panitch’s and Colin Leys’ recent book, Searching for Socialism: The Project of the Labour New Left from Benn to Corbyn.

    They point out that Corbyn was handicapped by significant elite hostility from within the Labour party, but also by being unable to attract both the support of Labour voters who were newer to the party (many of whom were highly educated, London-centred and anti-Brexit) and Labour’s historically core voters (many of whom are blue collar, heartland-centred, and pro-Brexit). They also note that this experience exposed a deep divide on the left—between its liberal, internationalist wing (which is often more focused on cultural than economic issues) and its economically egalitarian base, many of whose members hold conservative views on social issues such as national identity and immigration. The American left is handicapped by similar divides

    As usual nowadays the writers fail to get to the guts of the issue: how perceptions of common ground can be framed to bridge the divide. Liberals defend the status quo via practical politics whilst pretending to make progress. Leftists could control a center-left govt that actually delivers progress if they learnt how to combine liberal pragmatism with know-how can-do expertise – instead of just criticising centrists for lack of ideological commitment – thus becoming winners rather than losers.

    • Ad 8.1
      23 March 2022 at 11:47 am

      Leave the inadequacies of the writers behind.

      We managed the balance just fine here for 3 terms under Helen Clark.

      Budget 2022 will give a strong indication of whether we will do it for 3 terms again.

  9. Muttonbird 9
    23 March 2022 at 10:23 am

    Jong Kee runs the well worn announcement to an announcement meme, inferring those in cabinet are actors interested in "maximum theatre", rather than the wellbeing of New Zealand's most vulnerable.

    He asks, and answers his own question, "why do you have restrictions on anything – the answer is to keep people safe". That's right, and Omicron has killed about 130 people in the last month alone, more than tripling our Covid casualties.

    These people appear invisible to the National Party, old and new.

    If anyone is still in doubt about what New Zealand's Covid response would have looked like had Surge-On been in charge, see his laissez-faire comments to chief fluffer this morning.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-john-key-criticises-government-over-delayed-announcements-jacinda-ardern-set-to-reveal-vaccine-mandate-decisions/Y7Q2IUNO7M3RD5YJ7M75XPKYNY/

    • Barfly 9.1
      23 March 2022 at 10:30 am

      I hope I live longer than Key I have a desire to piss on his grave.

      • theotherpat 9.1.1
        23 March 2022 at 10:43 am

        yes

      • Puckish Rogue 9.1.2
        23 March 2022 at 10:54 am

        Are you charging Sir John Key rent for living in your head?

        • AB 9.1.2.1
          23 March 2022 at 3:50 pm

          There are people on the right who have similar feelings about Helen Clark – and in future will feel the same about Ardern. It's not an exclusively 'left' thing.

          It does raise an interesting question though; are lefties angrier and unhappier? Instinctively there has to be some truth to it – if you think the world needs improving, and that it's actually possible to do so, that's quite an irritation.

          The right on the whole seem happier with the way things are, maybe because it mostly serves them pretty well. There are things to admire about their contentment, but at what point does it become oafishness?

      • James Simpson 9.1.3
        23 March 2022 at 10:55 am

        Wow – this is the level we have descended to.

      • Pataua4life 9.1.4
        23 March 2022 at 11:47 am

        You won't. Been a lefty your stress and torment about the state of the world will drive you to an early grave.

        "Don't worry be happy"

      • Jimmy 9.1.5
        23 March 2022 at 12:17 pm

        Comments like that reflect badly on the person making them. You are probably the sort of person that would throw eggs at politicians too.

        [Why don’t you leave your speculations and assumptions out of it – they only serve to make the other person look bad, but that may be your intention [see what I did there?]. This is how flaming wars start – Incognito]

        • Incognito 9.1.5.1
          23 March 2022 at 12:34 pm

          Mod note

          • Jimmy 9.1.5.1.1
            23 March 2022 at 2:40 pm

            Noted. I assume it was the second sentence only that caused offence.

            • Incognito 9.1.5.1.1.1
              23 March 2022 at 3:04 pm

              I have no idea if it caused any offence because it wasn’t directed at me – it may or may not have. I don’t like people starting flame wars because I’m not a volunteer firefighter here and you are not a pyromaniac, are you?

      • Patricia Bremner 9.1.6
        23 March 2022 at 1:42 pm

        We might have to line updevil but there will probably be a wall to keep the .bottom feeders out.

    • Puckish Rogue 9.2
      23 March 2022 at 10:55 am

      To gain respect you have to first give respect, thats Sir John Key to the likes of you laugh

    • Hongi Ika 9.3
      23 March 2022 at 4:54 pm

      Jong Kee did run one of the World's Leading Merchant Banks and developed NZ into a Rockstar Economy.

  10. Dennis Frank 10
    23 March 2022 at 10:48 am

    Russian army gone to the dogs:

    Russian soldiers eat the best possible nutritious rations of any military, so long as it’s dog food. You can get a flavor of what’s going wrong on the ground in Ukraine from a story Reuters ran 11 years ago. The news agency reported ex-Maj. Igor Matveyev saying: “It’s embarrassing to say, but soldiers here were fed dog food. It was fed to them as stew.” The tins of dog food were covered up with labels reading “premium quality beef.”

    The Ukrainians have found abandoned Russian army vehicles with food rations with “eat by” dates from seven years ago. What is so gloriously ironic is that the man responsible is one of the Kremlin’s favorite gangster cronies, Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as “Putin’s Chef.” With close ties to Russian military intelligence, the GRU, Prigozhin, an ex-convict in Soviet times, has run troll farms and the murderous mercenary unit, the Wagner Group, named after Hitler’s favorite composer. His empire has taken over 90% of the business of supplying food to the Russian army. The Ukrainians have released several videos of starving Russian soldiers scavenging for food. And that’s down to Prigozhin and his boss.

    Investigative journalist Christo Grozev has tweeted, “While Russian soldiers are starving and breaking into Ukrainians’ homes begging for bread, Prigozhin’s ‘not for sale’ military food rations have flooded Russia’s ebay-like sites at $3 a can.”

    Irina Borogan and Andrei Soldatov, both investigative journalists and experts on Russia’s security services, suggest that Putin’s paranoia is corroding trust inside the holy of holies, the Russian secret state. They report that the head of the FSB’s foreign intelligence service and its deputy are “being held after allegations of misusing operational funds earmarked for subversive activities and for providing poor intelligence ahead of Russia’s now-stuttering invasion.”

    https://newlinesmag.com/first-person/putins-killing-machine-that-isnt-working/

    • Francesca 10.1
      23 March 2022 at 11:24 am

      Be a little wary of any Bellingcat operative

      • Dennis Frank 10.1.1
        23 March 2022 at 11:44 am

        I've been a little wary of other humans since I was a wee boy. Something about them triggered a primal instinct.

        Bellingcat is an independent international collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists using open source and social media investigation to probe a variety of subjects – from Mexican drug lords and crimes against humanity, to tracking the use of chemical weapons and conflicts worldwide.

        With staff and contributors in more than 20 countries around the world, we operate in a unique field where advanced technology, forensic research, journalism, investigations, transparency and accountability come together. https://www.bellingcat.com/about/

        So yeah, any enterprise dedicated to providing an alternative to the msm ought to make any critical thinker deeply suspicious…

      • joe90 10.1.2
        23 March 2022 at 12:03 pm

        Hmm, who to take seriously…a distinguished investigative journalist with a string of awards for his reporting on human rights abuses, torture and wrongful convictions or an assorted pack of Putin/Assad humping stooges and self styled cit-journos who exploit cadavers and fake IEDs for clicks as they miraculously hitchhike through a war zone.

    • Ad 10.2
      23 March 2022 at 11:52 am

      Finally Iggy Pop gets his moment in the Ukraine war.

      (4) Iggy Pop – Dog Food – YouTube

  11. Puckish Rogue 11
    23 March 2022 at 11:20 am

    What do you get when you take Steven Crowder, a conference hosted by Massey Uni and a paper entitled “Embracing Fatness as Self-Care in the Era of Trump” and add them together, well you get something like this:

  12. Dennis Frank 12
    23 March 2022 at 12:00 pm

    Nick Robinson "spent ten years as political editor for the BBC" according to Wikipedia. His tweet included in this examination of evidence of cluster bomb usage in Ukraine features a Russian MP telling him that Russia doesn't do that – so the Ukrainians may be dropping cluster bombs on themselves.

    Or could be extraterrestrials doing it? Anyway, the photos & technical details identifying them as Russian-made are here: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/rest-of-world/2022/03/11/these-are-the-cluster-munitions-documented-by-ukrainian-civilians/

  13. Jenny how to get there 13
    23 March 2022 at 1:05 pm

    Testing, testing. 123

  14. Puckish Rogue 14
    23 March 2022 at 1:14 pm

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300547908/covid19-nz-government-removes-vaccine-pass-most-vaccine-mandates-and-outdoor-gathering-limit

    'Vaccine mandates will be narrowed to cover only health, aged care, corrections and border workers, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced.'

    Three of those decisions I agree with, one I don't

  15. Woolly Mammoth 15
    23 March 2022 at 1:24 pm

    Does anyone know who funds Bellingcat?

  16. UncookedSelachimorpha 16
    23 March 2022 at 2:17 pm

    Really interesting interview with Zelenskyy just out on DW. 25 minutes long, good to hear his perspective straight from the horse's mouth.

  17. Woolly Mammoth 17
    23 March 2022 at 2:27 pm

    Thanks, Uncooked.

    That disclaimer doesn't exclude intelligence agencies or thinktanks.

    I followed the Skripal case and Bellingcat's annotations thereon. Reads like a thriller script by a fifth-form English class.

  18. Francesca 18
    23 March 2022 at 2:47 pm

    NED does the work that years ago the CIA did covertly, and Bellingcat lists the NED as one of its funders

  19. Blazer 19
    23 March 2022 at 4:58 pm

    The average wage in Ukraine is around $400 a month.

    Known as the most corrupt country in Europe…this story helps explain…why..

    The glamorous wife of a prominent Ukrainian tycoon and politician 'carried £22 million in cash through a refugee border crossing into the EU', it is alleged.

    The money – in US dollars and euros – was spotted by Hungarian customs in the baggage of the spouse of controversial ex-MP Igor Kotvitsky, 52, say reports.

    Ukrainian tycoon's wife 'carried £22 million in cash through a refugee border crossing into the EU' | Daily Mail Online

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  • At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Road photos
    Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
    Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
    Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • A clear warning
    The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
    Buzz  from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example.  This shows National down ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Listening To The Traffic.
    It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
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