The US is probably the worst place for that sort of thing.
Not sure if it is leaks from the inside or just a freedom of information thing, but anyone gets arrested for a semi-high profile crime their names, pictures, mental health info’, military info’, pictures of evidence seems to be splashed on the front pages within about 12 hours.
A virulent disease is infecting the brains of our less fortunate citizens:
Spare a thought for these folks who will have a miserable Christmas.
As anyone will know who has stumbled onto a right wing site recently, the virulent brain disease known as “Jacinda Derangement Syndrome” continues to rage amongst National’s hapless supporters.
Here’s a random, and entirely representative, sample from our friends on Kiwiblog yesterday….
Tall Man: You don’t have to have a big tag on your forehead proclaiming yourself to be an idiot…look at ardern the liar, thick as pig shit but she looks almost normal. Thumb up 32 Thumb down 0 9:52AM
Chris2: I’m waiting for Ardern to announce through teary eyes that travelers passing through Gatwick Airport ought to be safe and that she is sorry they did not feel safe. Thumb up 42 Thumb down 9:03AM
burt: She is more likely to ask why they didn’t all get their own individual airforce 757. Thumb up 26 Thumb down 1 9:15AM
Tall Man: …. ardern is a liar
Thumb up 26 Thumb down 2 10:05AM
Prince: Amongst the annual political reviews there are two shiboleths that leave me as bewildered as a New Zealand First voter
1) Ardern has been an international star.
How ? When ? Every leader going to a UN talkfest is taken on a round of late night talk shows, for the benefit of their country’s media. Exactly how and where has Ardern achieved anything on the international stage ? Reading a speech to an empty UN auditorium ? Visiting Nauru and finding no one else there ? Sitting next to Mrs Pence ? Seems to me Ardern and Peters have achieved the remarkable feat of pissing off both the US and China.
Thumb up 87 Thumb down 0 8:08AM
Monique Watson: JA’s frightened. Not necessarily a SLG though that was a timely sledge. I’ve been watching her Question Time responses. Mark my words. Another nail in the coffin of the COL.
Thumb up 59 Thumb down 1 8:20AM
mandk: From an opposition point of view, I think it is a waste of time asking Ardern anything at Question Time. She is quite adept at turning questions into opportunities to grandstand, and she is allowed to get away with not answering the questions put to her. Far better to attack the CoL where it is weakest, and that probably includes most of the Front Bench.
Thumb up 51 Thumb down 0 8:32AM
sooty: Yep. There is too many dumb one’s to worry about Comrade JacinDUH! Leave her there without questions except patsys from her idiots. She can’t just not turn up as much as she wants too.
Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0 12:38PM
Piniwi: Hard as it is to listen to the SLG she often tells more than intended or lets a gem slip out. Or by the selected defense being held on hard to often like a life-support loosing it’s buoyancy. like the “text came AFTER the decision.”
Of bigger concern is acknowledgement of how out of the loop she is when she confesses to only learning about so many in the media. We can only speculate that so much time is wasted creating all her excuses, defending dud decisions and creating word walls leaving little time to do what she should be doing. Another first for the SLG being the first PM to follow rather than lead her Government only keeping up through the Media party.
Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0 1:55PM
Biscuit: Indeed, Prince, if you read the leftist rabble that ‘write’ for the ‘Horrid’, you’d almost believe that Ardern is going to be unanimously proclaimed Trougher in Chief at the Non-United Nations.
Thumb up 47 Thumb down 0 8:24AM
DigNap15: Ha! John Roughan says in todays Herald that most of Ardern’s speeches are forgettable and that she does not really say much worth of note. Is the worm starting to turn?
Thumb up 73 Thumb down 2 8:19AM
KevOB: Speeches? She’s barely liderate. The rest of the COL with rare exceptions r even vurse.
Thumb up 50 Thumb down 1 8:26AM
Biscuit: One can but hope, DigNap! If even a wrong clock can be ‘right’ twice a day, there’s a chance that a ‘newspaper’ like the Horrid might get things ‘right’ once in a while, too!
Thumb up 21 Thumb down 1 8:27AM
Justitia: Ardern is vacuous.
Thumb up 41 Thumb down 0 8:35AM
calendar girl: Yes, she is certainly vacuous in what she projects, as well as being the least intelligent NZ Prime Minister whom I have seen in action during my lifetime.
She also has her “vicious’ streak”, as she showed towards the end of 2018’s final Question Time when she targeted her deliberate personal insult at the Leader of the Opposition:
“…. it’s simple, Simon!”
When, and how, is the Opposition going to repay Ardern in spades for that well-rehearsed personal slight against the National Leader? Bridges – unlike herself – actually has a trained and well-proven intellect that operates (and has operated professionally) at a level to which hers could never aspire.
Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1 3:06PM
IF you read THIS BLOG and look at the coments made about Key when he was you will see as bad – if not worse.
So whats your point?
and for the record – I think the worse I have call Jacinda is C**dy – which I stopped post people getting all upset about it as they interrepted it to be mysgonistic.
I wonder whats the worse you said about Key, English or Bridges is – perhaps you have your own virulent brain disease combined with a wee bit of ‘holier than tho’ and forgetfulness.
Nonsense. Key was rightly attacked for his lying, his repeated harassment of that young woman in an Auckland cafe, and for allowing his parliamentary office to be used as the base for Whaleoil’s scurrilous, illegal campaign of character assassination. You’d know all that, of course, if you had bothered to read Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics.
The National Party’s attacks against Jacinda Ardern, in stark contrast, are rarely anything other than the crudest misogyny and personal ridicule. I left out from that random selection the lengthy thread where a whole lot of these National stooges slung off at her as a “horse” and a “bag of bones.”
The attacks against Clarke Gayford were pathetic enough, but now they are starting to target baby Neve as well.
I guess it’s something we’ll just have to adjust to for the next eight years, at least.
My goodness.
Key Derangement Syndrome is still very strong in Morrissey.
He really should be getting over it by now.
Key left the job of PM 2 years ago.
It is not a National Party campaign. It is the toxic commenters that all too frequently inhabit Kiwiblog.
As I noted the other day David’s posts are pretty much always reasonable. He often gives Jacinda credits for various things she has done. But some of the commenters are extreme. If a particular thread gets besieged by them, it is best to stay away. Sometimes the misogyny is just awful.
The Standard has similar problem. There are a group of commenters who are frequently quite/very abusive. They think National (John Key in particular) are complicit in all sorts of heinous crimes, and are motivated by the basest of motives. And most of it had nothing to do with the waitress. Just about everything John Key did would trigger the abuse. Hence the term “Key derangement syndrome”.
1. In the early days, long before he became PM, I saw first hand on the net sufficient evidence to strongly suggest he had fudged timelines on his CV to cover up some less than lily-white dealings.
All this was many years back and I made links at the time, although they’ve long gone.
2. If you have worked for a large global corporate you will have encountered his type, the senior management surfer who rides from one role to another, making himself look good with short-term actions, but when you look deeper they achieve little of long-term value; and often a trail of damage behind them that doesn’t show up until they’ve moved on.
They’re the big-swinging alpha male in the room, all charm and sociability, but we used to call them ‘suited sharks’, you could never trust them to do anything but serve their own appetites.
I think I made those points and then shut up; events have largely proven me right on the second point at least. But on the whole I agree with you, becoming obsessed with a personality is unseemly at best, and usually counterproductive.
Yep. Some of those comments made by those he used to work with (such as half the time they could barely understand him – the Smiling Assassin Era), are a now a bit hard to find, or his tough solo-mum upbringing – as if I ever wanted to waste my time trying to do so.
When we think of Paula Bennett being the ladder puller upper, Paula really has nothing on Johnny Wideboy
If I dug deeply into my computer files and bookmarks and was so inclined, I could probably still find most of those old links. I am an archivist by nature as well as a pedant … LOL.
Moderating is a significant problem for any blog. I suspect that DF places a very high value on freedom of expression and finds the whole idea of moderating very unappealing.
The cost is that he has to put up with some commenters indulging in their worst natures. And he certainly doesn’t have that problem on his own.
You have essentially stated his policy. Much more light handed than The Standard. Virtually no-one gets banned, unless they are an extreme racist. I know DPF well enough to know he does not share the views of the contributors. His views are in the articles.
He also has the problem of volume. Sometimes his General Debate has 500 comments. Kiwiblog (going by the number of comments) is at least twice as well read as any other blog.
I was “banned for life” 3 times by DPF. Ousted from Keeping Stock as well. Homepaddock too. And now, Pete George’s place 🙂
It’s strange; I’m a polite and reasonable sort of guy.
I want arguments attacked, not people. As an example it will be unacceptable to call someone a moron, but it will be acceptable to say their argument is moronic. That may seem a fine distinction, but an important one. However don’t try and push the distinction to breaking point. If you say that someone’s argument has the integrity of a syphilitic pygmy (for example), then that would find you with a warning or strike.
There is greater latitude when it comes to public figures such as MPs. They can and should be criticised, but not to a degree when it is just nasty abuse.
Virtually no-one gets banned, unless they are an extreme racist.
If you don’t think the constant stream of brutal, demeaning and disgusting attacks against Māori, Aboriginal Australians, African-Americans, Arabs, Somalis, Palestinians, “Pakis”, and many other groups is not “extreme racist” then you must move in some horribly insalubrious circles.
Oh that’s right—you were in cabinet with John Banks and John “Hone” Carter, weren’t you! Compared to them, even the vilest ranter on Kiwiblog is Albert Schweitzer.
I’ve never visited the site @ Wayne, but would many of those 500 comments be visits and revisits by MSM journalists and opinionistas preparing for their weekend spots on Television current affairs programmes or weekdays with a Mora.
HE, (the Farrar) is the voice of reason for that ‘moderate’ center right.
The guy is truly exceptional, you’d have to agree, despite the overwhelming impediments he’s had to overcom. And the most reliable of statistics – in terms of visits to his site, verify that (going forward).
I’ve been researching various penguin species though, and I can’t seem to identify him. He doesn’t fit your Emperor, your Yellow Eyed (though he comes close), or Northern Rockhopper, or most of the other ‘types’).
I wonder if he might not be some sort of exceptional freak derivative of the Royal (Holier Than Thou) species. Or has he fooled us all and is in fact a wolf dressed up in a penguin’s clothing.
I wonder @ Wayne….could you pontificate a little, and provide us all with an opinion as to what makes this little penguin such a reasonable, affable and well-liked little fella
Yes James we did say stuff about key, but most often on this blog people back up what they say with some sort of evidence. Morrissey quotes from kiwi blog appear to be the ignorant putting down someone in power with no actual eg of why they think that way. It could not be used as evidence in court.
Many on here myself included called John k a prick and worse, but it would be in response to say him pulling a waitresses pony tail or denying their was a housing crisis.
Or not even justify himself Millay. Key would just lie. Remember how he said about the waitress “yeah I gave her a couple of bottles of wine and she said yeah all good”. Or words to that effect.
I hope those people are not my neighbours. Possibly their spitefulness spills over (or from?) to the National MPs who are known for their spitefullness like P Bennett, Collins, Bridges, that gardening woman, and more.
Possibly. Do you have any neighbours that sit around all day listening to talk radio, and never read anything more challenging than a Big Mac wrapper?
Possibly their spitefulness spills over (or from?) to the National MPs who are known for their spitefullness like P Bennett, Collins, Bridges, that gardening woman, and more.
They take their lead from the National Party/talk radio complex.
I like to believe in the best of people but some are just cunts, take Moz for example…his long time paramour Longhair is outed and he discards him like yesterday’s paper.
I think those hate filled vile comments illustrate the important place kiwiblog has become. Without it I suspect some of those unhinged folk could be wandering the streets causing mayhem.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Standard admins, posters and commenters. I know I haven’t been posting as much as I should, but I always read what people have to say, some of it good, some not so good.
And Morrissey – I don’t know why you go on Kiwiblog. The comments there are as depressing as duck.
One final word. If you are at a family Xmas gathering and someone starts running Jacinda down, you need to defend her honour at all costs.
The sad gits are the ones who join in those witless disparaging comments. They’re a small minority, however, and in normal company usually have to keep their diseased thoughts to themselves.
There are going to be hordes of right wing Gammon and their dolled up wives at every Xmas gathering complaining about how Jacinda is going to raid their retirement nest egg and give it all to the ‘poor’. They need to be put in their place accordingly.
Generally a bad idea to turn a family Christmas event into a political bunfight. Stay away from it. Only in jest, and even then only if you know it will be safe to do so.
Well if there was a “Tall Man” (probably a 5 foot loser with short mans syndrome) in my family calling Jacinda Ardern “thick as pig shit” I certainly wouldn’t let it go unchallenged.
Me either – they’d get the message pretty sharpish. Stand up for your values millsy and don’t let wankers bully good people. Be strong and don’t cower in fear like some.
Why put your family first, Bob McKoskrie does that and I wouldn’t want to share his lack of values. Some family would be worth disowning. Personally if I’m related to any of the regular RWNJ who come here with the sole reason to cast shade on the government I would happily drop them from any family gatherings. Just because you’re related to someone doesn’t mean you have to like them.
2. Check with any women present first; they may have put a lot of effort in and have an opinion on the likely outcome of your political re-education efforts.
No, RBO, you don’t always agree with family, but if you love your partner you stand the rellies for their sake, and you keep constant and just agree to disagree. Change the subject to how much work has been done by family to get the party started.
Dancing is good, or choose where you sit or stand carefully with a view to harmony. Tell yourself to count blessings, quietly, jacinda being one of them.Do something kind or thoughtful. Be glad to be alive.Be grateful all the family are there.
For those facing a first Christmas without someone. Kia kaha, this will be the worst year. Be kind most of all to yourself. Think of those faced with sudden loss, and hug your children, partner or friends.
Life is short and should be shared. Happy holiday season to you all.
I’m getting a new hip in my Santa sack, I hope you are getting in something you need in yours. Cheers.
ROFL – certainly is hard work and needs an understanding of what a billion is!
Even using the US definition of a thousand million (1,000,000,000), her calculations are out by a couple of 00s; much more using the UK definition of a million millions (1,000,000,000,000)! Dream on ….
While I’ve long been aware that to some people a billion is 10^12, I’ve never actually come across anyone using billion that way, it’s always meant 10^9.
Yes, if there’s been the slightest possibility of that miscommunication I’ve checked; I’ve seen too many cockups in my engineering career from units and definitions misunderstandings.
I have rechecked and now realise that the UK definition I used, while technically the correct old UK definition, has largely been overtaken by use of the US definition – for example, according to the Oxford Living Dictionary
You don’t appear to know too many pure mathematicians.
Any Professor of PURE Mathematics would happily tell you that 1 was a first approximation for infinity.
Well they are not going to get it from the Dems! And the Mexicans sure as hell arn’t going to pay, and The Chump has so many investigations to defend, that he has to employ an army of lawyers, so he’s not gonna pay, and despite constant assurances from Huckabee-Sanders that they have all the money they need – (But not enuf to pay Govt employees over xmas) there is no money in the bank to “BUILD THE WALL!” 🙁
So the Trumpkins are going to fund a little https://fundly.com/build-the-trump-wall-foundation https://www.fundthewall.com/
The guy behind #GoFundTheWall didn't mention the right-wing sites he owned that were banned by Facebook two months ago, or his Fight4FreeSpeech group (also accepting donations!) in his GoFundMe for the wall.
If you’re going to do the authoritarian thug thing, you do it away from prying eyes.
/
“I am extremely alarmed by the announcement by the Nicaraguan Government that it has told two key human rights institutions set up by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) to leave the country.
[…]
In addition, the Government has said it will no longer accept visits by the IACHR itself.
Coupled with the parallel clamp-down on independent media, including last weekend’s raids on media outlets, the net result is a country where civil society is in danger of being shut out altogether, and international organizations are also struggling to keep operating.
lurcher1948 said:
“Fellow poster beware when you go out on the turps,it happens….drive safely and keep posting,
Yesterday I went to a Christmas party. I had a few beers, followed by a few cocktails, followed by a few shots….
I still had the sense to know that I was over the limit. That’s when I decided to do what I have never done before: I took a cab home.
Sure enough, there was a police road block on the way home, and since it was a cab, they waved it past. I arrived home safely without incident. This was both a great relief and a surprise because I had never driven a cab before. I don’t even know where I got it from and, now that it is in my garage, I don’t know what to do with it.”
Yours being the last cab off the rank, Alwyn (for this political term anyway).
Have a merry Christmas, ol’ curmudgeon (he’s our curmudgeon and therefore, special 🙂
One Christmas eve in Melbourne, in a time long ago, magic elves spirited a tree onto the mainmast of a ship.
“Not me, not me” said all the elves, when plod arrived Christmas morning.
(The Myers sign on the big concrete pot, sort of giving the game away).
“Get it down” said plod.
“Not safe” said the elves. “The pot, and tree, are too big to move”.
Plod walked away, after his Christmas beer was drunk, Shaking his head
Two weeks later, in NZ, we bribed a mobile crane driver, with even more beer, of course, to get it down
I must have been one of the culprits, but to this day, I cannot remember how we got it up there. We certainly couldn’t, and wouldn’t, have done it sober.
In today’s more puritan times, we would have all been sacked, for not following the procedure, and not filling in the checklist!
Some of us will keep doing it over the Christmas to New Year period, Pucky, giving us the advantage over part-timers like you 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and may your embarrassing crush desert you before the 2019 year gets under way.
I expect a year of poetic output of epic proportions worthy of your paramour!
In an epic along the lines of the Táin or The Cattle Raid of Cooley. Queen Iudhaith Collaínns ní Cruisheer wants the services of a stud bull and decides to rent one from a neighbouring powerful magnate but the deal turns sour when it is found out by the owner, Sean Cí, that she would have stolen it anyway to “get it”. After a long row, in which Queen Iudhaith is banished to the benches at the back of the Great Hall, the trichotillomaniacal Cí abdicates and Liam Shasanna of Diptonnaigh captures the great bull.
War ensues, and the young hero, Pu Cuíllish óg Rogaínn, fights many battles singlehanded to win her favours. Amongst his adversaries whom he vanquishes is the queen of the Fairies, Paúllauch Ban Neitt, and the mercenary Machus M’Cheil who he kills with his legendary spear, Seamus Bolga.
A three day single handed combat with the chief, Simbhon Brighe, is complicated by the intervention of Pu Cuíllish’s charioteer, Seamus-Leoigh Rossaig, whose dealings with the underworld have given him special information that could cause Brighe’s doughty bodyguard to desert him.
However, Queen Iudhaith’s overseas alliances trump the charioteer Seamus-Leoigh and the saga ends with a new order restored thanks to the heroic exploits of Pu Cuíllish óg Rogaínn and the rightful accession by Queen Iudhaith Collaínns ní Cruisheer to the leadership of the aptly named Sinn Faíl.
Kia ora Newshub I do support MPI having more tools to help control our fisheries conservation and keep themselves safe while preforming there duties .
With kevin spacey some people have a view that’s not acceptable they don’t think we can figure out the motive behind ones actions like someone else in the Media.
Those are cool words our Queen said in her Christmas speech Ka pai.
I do agree that hogget meat is better than lamb to eat and we should market that fact about our sheep meat it would be better for the environment to export me higher value hogget meat.
Helping refugees is, cool Idea
CHOSE LOVE I would use that to help the poor people If we have a branch here in Aotearoa many thanks to the organisers of this brilliant Idea.
Our Coalition government has achieved a lot of good deeds so far Ka pai. Ka kite ano P.S On the Farm with our Tamariki and Mokopunas
In what has been one of her most important diplomatic mission, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has opened the door for a visit to Beijing by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins later this year. Such a mission is regarded as vital with a new Prime Minister Li Qiang settling into office. ...
Saturday morning, we went to Albert Park.We were there to show support, to challenge words of demonisation.To repeat those words from Michèle A’Court:Making them sound “other” is a technique used by racists and homophobes to dehumanise whole groups of people who “aren’t like them”. If you dehumanise people, it is ...
Too Strong For The Law’s Web: But, if the USA is too big to punish, why isn’t the Russian Federation? Russia’s economy may be roughly the size of Italy’s, but it’s nuclear arsenal is more than capable of laying human civilisation to waste. Threatening to arrest Vladimir Putin - especially when ...
Nobody likes a fascist, except other fascist’s of course. Thankfully they were completely outnumbered in Auckland last Saturday when a supposed advocate for women’s rights, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker, tried to give a public speech about how transgender people are worthy of persecution.You can understand why Parker and her ...
On Friday I sent out a newsletter called Posie Parker vs Transgender Rights to provide information about the visit to our shores of Ms Parker. I attempted to show there were multiple points of view but on balance my sympathies were strongly with the counter protest group standing up for ...
Brian Easton writes – Evaluating the recent crashes of Silicon Valley Bank in the US and Credit Suisse in Switzerland plus two other banks (perhaps more by the time you read this) needs to begin with a review of the inevitable instability in the financial sector. The financial sector ...
Oh, the irony. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull has made a career out of inciting public hostility against the trans community, only to find herself on the receiving end of public hostility at her Auckland rally. In a further case of karmic justice, the people who brought her into the country ended up ...
In 1972, British soldiers tortured a false confession out of Liam Holden, resulting in him being given Britain's last death sentence. While it was commuted to life imprisonment, Holden was wrongly imprisoned for 17 years. Now, the courts have finally recognised that it was torture: In 1973 Liam Holden ...
Taxpayers are not only subsidising already-very-profitable private banks via the cheap ‘Funding For Lending’ loans that helped pumped up house prices in 2021, but are also paying the banks upwards of $2 billion a year in interest for cash kept with the Reserve Bank. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: ...
This weekend saw a showdown between two tribes of contemporary gender politics: those in favour of progressing transgender rights versus women wishing to defend their spaces. It’s a debate with huge passion, outrage and consequences. The figure at the centre of the clash was the British “trans-exclusionary radical feminist” Posie ...
Tomorrow the Auckland Transport board meet again. Here are some of the highlights from their board papers. The open session starts at 9am and can be watched on this Teams link. Closed Session The closed session is typically where the most interesting items are discussed. Items for Approval ...
Mutual Support: Democracy in New Zealand will not be saved by pitting Pakeha against Māori, but by joining together with every other citizen who still understands the meaning of working together to build something good that will last. Call that co-governance if you like, or call it something else – ...
Imagine being a great big business success enjoying your lavish Waiheke island property with infinity pool and ballroom and riparian rights and heli-pad. Sweeeet. But imagine, also, having to take orders from some little bureaucratic oik about how often you can land a chopper on it.I can’t, really, but it ...
Hi,New Zealand’s Life megachurch has confirmed to Webworm it was paid $10,000 by Hillsong for investigating Brian Houston’s sexual misconduct allegations.Following Webworm publishing this piece about the $10,000 payment, Life’s Corporate Communications Manager Phil Irons has confirmed what it was for:Paul [de Jong] was engaged by Hillsong to assist in ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Mar 19, 2023 thru Sat, Mar 25, 2023. Story of the Week Q&A: IPCC wraps up its most in-depth assessment of climate change The final part of the world’s most comprehensive assessment of ...
by Daphna Whitmore I thought the #LetWomenSpeak meeting would be a good time to talk about free speech and why it is important for the left. Then the mob stampeded the open-air gathering and no one got to speak. Here’s what I was had prepared. Today I want to talk ...
By Don Franks Today my friend Ani O’Briien went to a meeting in Auckland and wrote: “No sooner had Kellie-Jay Keen Minshull arrived at the Rotunda, a protestor (who had managed to get past the barrier) ran at her and threw a red substance all over her and a security ...
Jonathan Milne, managing editor for Newsroom Pro, has expressed his indignation about the outcome of a court decision yesterday in an article headed Posie Parker wins the beautiful freedom to make an ugly argument.Newsroom Pro laments: High Court Justice David Gendall has regretfully allowed an outspoken anti-trans activist to enter New ...
imagine my surprise this week when the National Party, in their infinite wisdom, decided to release an education policy. As you can imagine, this got us so riled up here in the office that we dusted off our Windows XP laptop, waiting 17 hours for all the updates to be ...
Come on Jess thought Mr Evans come on. He watched the large clock on the wall tick closer to 8:40am. Come on girl.In two minutes he had to submit the class attendance report and with Jess having already been late once that term it’d mean an automatic visit from the ...
This week’s UN IPCC report warned climate emissions will need to be cut by almost half by 2030, if warming is to be limited to 1.5°C. Bronwyn Hayward points out in The Hoon podcast how far behind NZ’s government and councils are now on climate action compared to the rest ...
Chris Hipkins, after he became prime minister, committed to defeating the cost-of- living crisis. He proceeded to make a bonfire of policies that were at the heart of Jacinda Ardern’s administration. But, as Richard Prebble pointed out this week, “the government has not just U-turned, it has repudiated the ...
There are some wellness, crystal-gazing, holistic spiritual guidance types in my disaster-hit coastal community who insist that the power of positive thinking will overcome the physical and material damages incurred by the community. They object to restrictions on road travel … Continue reading → ...
Evaluating the recent crashes of Silicon Valley Bank in the US and Credit Suisse in Switzerland plus two other banks (perhaps more by the time you read this) needs to begin with a review of the inevitable instability in the financial sector. The financial sector is inherently unstable, like military ...
1. We see here new police minister Ginny Andersen. Which larger than life NZ political figure was her great-uncle?a. Rob Muldoonb. Bill Andersenc. Richard John Seddond. Norman Kirk2. We see here archival footage of Ginny Andersen coming out of her electorate office to ask ex-tobacco lobbyist Chris Bishop if he ...
Buzz from the Beehive Stuart Nash, speaking as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, one of his remaining portfolios after he was dropped down the Hipkins Government batting order, has drawn attention to the blue economy and its potential. Nash says the government is investing in the blue economy, or – ...
Photo by Josh Mills on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for the next hour, including:The runs on Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank on the west coast of the United States that forced the ...
Roundup is back! We skipped last week’s Friday post due to a shortage of person-power – did you notice? Lots going on out there… Our header image this week shows a green street that just happens to be Queen St, by @chamfy from Twitter. This week (and last) in ...
After threatening Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of consequences if he dared to bar her entry, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull has been given her visa, regardless. This will enable her to hold rallies in Auckland and Wellington this weekend, and spread her messages of hostility against an already marginalised trans community. Neo-Nazis may, ...
* Bryce Edwards writes – The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as ...
Boomers voted him in, but Brown’s Trumpish moments might spook Aucklanders worried about what a change to National nationally might mean. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR:Auckland MayorWayne Brown has become our version of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, except without any of the insatiable appetite for media appearances. He ...
The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as part of its Aukus pact with the ...
Recently you might have heard of a person called Posie Parker and her visit to Aotearoa. Perhaps you’re not quite sure what it’s all about. So let’s start with who this person is, why their visit is controversial, and what on earth a TERF is.Posie Parker is the super villain ...
The chair of Parliament’s Select Committee looking at the Government’s resource management legislation wants the bills sent back for more public consultation. The proposal would effectively kill any chance of the bills making it into law before the election. Green MP, Eugenie Sage, stressing that she was speaking as ...
Open access notables The United States experienced some historical low temperature records during the just-concluded winter. It's a reminder that climate and weather are quite noisy; with regard to our warming climate,, as with a road ascending a mountain range we may steadily change our conditions but with lots of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The Nanny State has scored some wins (or claimed them) in the past day or two but it faltered when it came to protecting Kiwi citizens from being savaged by one woman armed with a sharp tongue. The wins are recorded by triumphant ministers on the ...
Sometimes you see your friends making the case so well on social media you think: just copy and share.On acceptance and decency, from Michèle A’CourtA notable thing about anti-trans people is they way they talk about transgender women and men as though they are strangers “over there” when in fact ...
Not that long ago, things were looking pretty good for climate change policy in Aotearoa. We finally had an ETS, and while it was full of pork and subsidies, it was delivering high and ever-rising carbon prices, sending a clear message to polluters to clean up or shut down. And ...
Comparing (and switching) electricity providers has become easier, but bundling power up with broadband and/or gas makes it more challenging. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The Kākā TL;DR: The new Consumer Advocacy Council set up as a result of the Labour Government’s Electricity Price Review in 2019 has called on either ...
Hokitika-based Westland Milk Products has put the heat on dairy giant Fonterra with a $120m profit turnaround in 2022, driven by record sales. Westland paid its suppliers a 10c premium above the forecast Fonterra price per kilo, contributing $535m to the West Coast and Canterbury economies. The dairy ...
* Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public ...
New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and ...
This is a guest post by accessibility and sustainable transport advocate Tim Adriaansen It originally appeared here. A friend calls you and asks for your help. They tell you that while out and about nearby, they slipped over and landed arms-first. Now their wrist is swollen, hurting like ...
Floating offshore wind turbines offer incredible opportunities to capture powerful winds far out at sea. By unlocking this wind energy potential, they could be a key weapon in our arsenal in the fight against climate change. But how developed are these climate fighting clean energy giants? And why do I ...
Over the past two or three weeks, a procession of Maori iwi and hapu in a series of little-noticed appearances before two Select Committees have been asking for more say for Maori over resource management decisions along the co-governance lines of Three Waters. Their submissions and appearances run counter ...
The decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue war crimes arrest warrants for the Russian President and the Russia Children Ombudsman may have been welcomed by the ideologically committed but otherwise seems to have been greeted with widespread cynicism (see Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants ...
Let’s say you’re clasping your drink at a wedding, or a 40th, or a King’s Birthday Weekend family reunion and Drunk Uncle Kevin has just got going.He’s in an expansive frame of mind because we’re finally rid of that silly girl. But he wants to ask an honest question about ...
National Party leader Christopher Luxon may be feeling glum about his poll ratings, but he could be tapping into a rich political vein in describing the current state of education as “alarming”. Luxon said educational achievement has been declining, with a recent NCEA pilot exposing just how far it has ...
Way Beyond Reform: Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have no more interest in remaining permanent members of “New Zealand’s” House of Representatives than did Lenin and Trotsky in remaining permanent members of Tsar Nicolas II’s “democratically-elected” Duma. Like the Bolsheviks, Te Pāti Māori is a party of revolutionaries – not reformists.THE CROWN ...
Buzz from the Beehive Auckland was wiped off the map, when Education Minister Jan Tinetti delivered her speech of welcome as host of the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers “here in Tāmaki Makaurau”. But – fair to say – a reference was made later in the speech to a ...
Morning mate, how you going?Well, I was watching the news last night and they announced this scientific report on Climate Change. But before they got to it they had a story about the new All Blacks coach.Sounds like important news. It’s a bit of a worry really.Yeah, they were talking ...
Always a bailout: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Government would fully guarantee all savers in all smaller US banks if needed. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: No wonder an entire generation of investors are used to ‘buying the dip’ and ‘holding on for dear life’. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ...
Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in Guyon Espiner’s in-depth series published by RNZ. Two of Espiner’s research exposés ...
Yesterday afternoon it rained and traffic around the region ground to a halt, once again highlighting why it is so important that our city gets on with improving the alternatives to driving. For additional irony, this happened on the same day the IPCC synthesis report landed, putting the focus on ...
The Beginning: Anti-Co-Governance agitator, Julian Batchelor, addresses the Dargaville stop of his travelling roadshow across New Zealand . Fascism almost always starts small. Sadly, it doesn’t always stay that way. Especially when the Left helps it to grow.THERE IS A DREADFUL LOGIC to the growth of fascism. To begin with, it ...
Hi,From an incredibly rainy day in Los Angeles, I just wanted to check in. I guess this is the day Trump may or may not end up in cuffs? I’m attempting a somewhat slower, less frenzied week. I’ve had Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record on non-stop, and it’s been a ...
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 ...
RNZ has been shining their torch into corners where lobbyists lurk and asking such questions as: Do we like the look of this?and Is this as democratic as it could be?These are most certainly questions worth asking, and every bit as valid as, say:Are weshortchanged democratically by the way ...
RNZ has continued its look at the role of lobbyists by taking a closer look at the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Andrew Kirton. He used to work for liquor companies, opposing (among other things) a container refund scheme which would have required them to take responsibility for their own ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has left for Beijing for the first ministerial visit to China since 2019. Mahuta is to meet China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang where she might have to call on all the diplomatic skills at her command. Almost certainly she will face questions on what role ...
TL;DR:The Opportunities Party’s Leader Raf Manji is hopeful the party’s new Teal Card, a type of Gold card for under 30s, will be popular with students, and not just in his Ilam electorate where students make up more than a quarter of the voters and where Manji is confident ...
When I was a kid New Zealand was actually pretty green. We didn’t really have plastic. The fruit and veges came in a cardboard box, the meat was wrapped in paper, milk came in a glass bottle, and even rubbish sacks were made of paper. Today if you sit down ...
Looking back through the names of our Police Ministers down the years, the job has either been done by once or future party Bigfoots – Syd Holland, Richard Prebble, Juduth Collins, Chris Hipkins – or by far lesser lights like Keith Allen, Frank Gill, Ben Couch, Allen McCready, Clem Simich, ...
Chris Trotter writes – The Crown is a fickle friend. Any political movement deemed to be colourful but inconsequential is generally permitted to go about its business unmolested. The Crown’s media, RNZ and TVNZ, may even “celebrate” its existence (presumably as proof of Democracy’s broad-minded acceptance of diversity). ...
Four out of the five people who have held the top role of Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff since 2017 have been lobbyists. That’s a fact that should worry anyone who believes vested interests shouldn’t have a place at the centre of decision making. Chris Hipkins’ newly appointed Chief of ...
Feedback on Auckland Council’s draft 2023/24 budget closes on March 28th. You can read the consultation document here, and provide feedback here. Auckland Council is currently consulting on what is one of its most important ever Annual Plans – the ‘budget’ of what it will spend money on between July ...
by Molten Moira from Motueka If you want to be a woman let me tell you what to do Get a piece of paper and a biro tooWrite down your new identification And boom! You’re now a woman of this nationSpelled W O M A Na real trans woman that isAs opposed ...
Buzz from the Beehive New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti is hosting the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers for three days from today, welcoming Education Ministers and senior officials from 18 Pacific Island countries and territories, and from Australia. Here’s hoping they have brought translators with them – or ...
Let’s say you’ve come all the way from His Majesty’s United Kingdom to share with the folk of Australia and New Zealand your antipathy towards certain other human beings. And let’s say you call yourself a women’s rights activist.And let’s say 99 out of 100 people who listen to you ...
James Shaw gave the Green party's annual "state of the planet" address over the weekend, in which he expressed frustration with Labour for not doing enough on climate change. His solution is to elect more Green MPs, so they have more power within any government arrangement, and can hold Labour ...
RNZ this morning has the first story another investigative series by Guyon Espiner, this time into political lobbying. The first story focuses on lobbying by government agencies, specifically transpower, Pharmac, and assorted universities, and how they use lobbyists to manipulate public opinion and gather intelligence on the Ministers who oversee ...
Nick Matzke writes – Dear NZ Herald, I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. I teach evolutionary biology, but I also have long experience in science education and (especially) political attempts to insert pseudoscience into science curricula in ...
MINISTER DAVIDSON MUST RESIGN AFTER 'VIOLENCE' COMMENTS Marama Davidson should stand down as ‘Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence’ for the clear and outrageous statement she made at the Posie Parker protest that ‘white straight men’ are the cause of violence. Her offensive, racist, and sexist remarks ...
In response to Newshub and Amelia Wade’s obvious and ham-fisted attempt at a typical and predicted political hit job. As any politically aware reporter would know, any Cabinet subcommittee has a duty and obligation as a part of any government to respond to any UN declaration, in this case ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for the invitation to speak with you today and in your busy lives turning up to this meeting. Forty five years ago, in Howick, often described as racist, and where few Maori lived because it had been a ‘Fencible’ settlement at the time of the Anglo-Maori ...
The Green Party has marked the National Party’s new education policy and given it a fail, especially for its failure to address the underlying drivers of school performance. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised in their State of the Planet speech today. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party after the election must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised today. ...
You will never truly understand, from the pictures you’ve seen in the newspapers or on the six o-clock news, the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
We’re boosting incomes and helping ease cost of living pressures on Kiwis through a range of bread and butter support measures that will see pensioners, students, families, and those on main benefits better off from the start of next month. ...
The error Labour Ministers made by stopping work on a beverage container return scheme will be reversed by the Greens at the earliest opportunity as part of the next Government. ...
“Cabinet needs to do better - and today has shown exactly why we need Green Ministers in cabinet, so we can prioritise action to cut climate pollution and support people to make ends meet,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. ...
Biggest increase in food prices for over three decades shows the need for an excess profit tax on corporations to help people put food on the table. ...
The Green Party has today launched a submission guide to help Aucklanders give crucial input and prevent potentially disastrous Auckland Council budget proposals. ...
With calls growing for inquiries and action on bank profits, the Greens say the Government has all the information it needs to act now and put a levy on banks. ...
The Government has introduced the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill to further support the recovery and rebuild from the recent severe weather events in the North Island. “We know from our experiences following the Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes that it will take some time before we completely understand the ...
Further assistance is now available to businesses impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, with Customs able to offer payment plans and to remit late-payments, Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri has announced. “This is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to assist economic recovery in the regions,” Meka Whaitiri said. “Cabinet has approved the ...
More than 41,000 sole parent families will be better off with a median gain of $20 a week Law change estimated to help lift up to 14,000 children out of poverty Child support payments will be passed on directly to people receiving a sole parent rate of main benefit, making ...
A major investment by Government-owned New Zealand Green Investment Finance towards electrifying the public bus fleet is being welcomed by Climate Change Minister James Shaw. “Today’s announcement that NZGIF has signed a $50 million financing deal with Kinetic, the biggest bus operator in Australasia, to further decarbonise public transport is ...
A world-leading payments system is expected to provide a significant cash flow boost for Kiwi innovators, Minister of Research, Science, and Innovation Ayesha Verrall says. Announcing that applications for ‘in-year’ payments of the Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI) were open, Ayesha Verrall said it represented a win for businesses ...
Minister of Transport Michael Wood joined crowds of keen cyclists and walkers this morning to celebrate the completion of the Te Awa shared path in Hamilton. “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, greener, and more efficient for now and future generations to come,” Michael ...
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has delivered the Crown apology to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua for its historic breaches of Te Tiriti of Waitangi today. The ceremony was held at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton, hosted by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua, with several hundred ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has concluded her visit to China, the first by a New Zealand Foreign Minister since 2018. The Minister met her counterpart, newly appointed State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, who also hosted a working dinner. This was the first engagement between the two ...
World-class satellite positioning services that will support much safer search and rescue, boost precision farming, and help safety on construction sites through greater accuracy are a significant step closer today, says Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor. Damien O’Connor marked the start of construction on New Zealand’s first uplink centre for ...
Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointment of Christopher John Dellabarca of Wellington, Dr Katie Jane Elkin of Wellington, Caroline Mary Hickman of Napier, Ngaroma Tahana of Rotorua, Tania Rose Williams Blyth of Hamilton and Nicola Jan Wills of Wellington as District Court Judges. Chris Dellabarca Mr Dellabarca commenced his ...
A new Government-backed project will help ocean-related businesses in the Nelson Tasman region to accelerate their growth and boost jobs. “The Nelson Tasman region is home to more than 400 blue economy businesses, accounting for more than 30 percent of New Zealand’s economic activity in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing,” ...
After three years of COVID-19 disruptions schools are finally settling down and National want to throw that all in the air with major disruption to learning and underinvestment. “National’s education policy lacks the very thing teachers, parents and students need after a tough couple of years, certainty and stability,” Education ...
People aged over 50 with innovative business ideas will now be able to receive support to advance their ideas to the next stage of development, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen said today. “Seniors have some great entrepreneurial ideas, and this programme will give them the support to take that next ...
A cross government target for relevant government procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded. The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated ...
77,000 fewer children living in low income households on the after-housing-costs primary measure since Labour took office Eight of the nine child poverty measures have seen a statistically significant reduction since 2018. All nine have reduced 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018 Measures taken by the Government during ...
Deputy Prime Minister Kamikamica; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Tēnā koutou katoa, ni sa bula vinaka saka, namaste. Deputy Prime Minister, a very warm welcome to Aotearoa. I trust you have been enjoying your time here and thank you for joining us here today. To all delegates who have travelled to be ...
$2.9 million convertible loan for Scapegrace Distillery to meet growing national and international demand $4.5m underwrite to support Silverlight Studios’ project to establish a film studio in Wanaka Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library to be official opened tomorrow with support of $3m from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood has today launched the first national EV (electric vehicle) charging strategy, Charging Our Future, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. “Our vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, ...
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched the Love Better campaign in a world-leading approach to family harm prevention. Love Better will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to dealing with hurt. “Over 1,200 young kiwis told ...
Hon Rino Tirikatene, Minister for Courts, welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s appointment of Dr Garry Clearwater as New Zealand’s first Chief Clinical Advisor working with the Coroners Court. “This appointment is significant for the Coroners Court and New Zealand’s wider coronial system.” Minister Tirikatene said. Through Budget 2022, the Government ...
The Government via the Cyclone Taskforce is working with local government and insurance companies to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. “The Taskforce, led by Sir Brian Roche, has been working with insurance companies to undertake an assessment of high-risk areas so we can ...
E te huia kaimanawa, ko Ngāpuhi e whakahari ana i tau aupikinga ki te tihi o te maunga. Ko te Ao Māori hoki e whakanui ana i a koe te whakaihu waka o te reo Māori i roto i te Ao Ture. (To the prized treasure, it is Ngāpuhi who ...
113,400 exits into work in the year to June 2022 Young people are moving off Benefit faster than after the Global Financial Crisis Two reports released today by the Ministry of Social Development show the Government’s investment in the COVID-19 response helped drive record numbers of people off Benefits and ...
The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
The Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...
Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
A requiem for Shiv and Tom, who would like to make love one last time (but can’t).Major spoilers follow for the first episode of Succession’s fourth season. Her eyes flared. His voice wobbled. “Do you want to… talk?” said Tom Wambsgans, the corporate ladder-climbing schmuck who could see his ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute Shutterstock Labor and the Greens have reached a compromise on the safeguard mechanism after months of tense negotiations, giving the government the numbers it needs to pass the bill into law. Greens leader ...
Wayne Brown vowed to stop new roading projects until existing ones finish - and to unclog the city centre's streets - but he now finds himself enthusiastically backing new upheaval for the key crossroad of Victoria St A $50 million beautification project for CBD's Victoria St - which will disrupt businesses from ...
The Green Party co-leader says she was in shock from being hit by a motorcycle, and her comments about white men committing violence should have been clearer. ...
The prime minister has labelled comments made by one of his ministers over the weekend as inappropriate, and revealed his office asked her to walk them back. Marama Davidson, co-leader of the Green Party and a minister, was captured on video ahead of a rally against anti-trans speaker Posie Parker ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Becky Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney Shutterstock On Friday, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) updated its review of proposed reforms to the regulation of nicotine vaping products. It reported the federal government is now “actively ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam John, Senior Lecturer in Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Since it was founded in 2016, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) company Neuralink has had its moments in biotech news. Whether it was the time Musk promised ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. The ‘Young Elderly’ are in essence the post-war baby-boomers. An average young elderly person in these charts was born around 1950 to 1952. The charts look at ‘quarterly excess deaths’, so do not show week-by-week fluctuations in deaths. For example, data ...
The co-leader of the Green Party has clarified comments she made at Saturday’s counter-protest against anti-trans speaker Posie Parker. Caught on camera by a representative for the conspiracy theorist website Counterspin, Marama Davidson claimed: “I am the prevention violence minister, and I know who causes violence in the world, and ...
A friendly reminder that your best intentions of promoting a New Zealand-made film are not actually supporting the artists behind it.For many of us, documenting our day or sharing highlights of our week is a common occurrence on social media. For some, that meant uploading full scenes onto TikTok ...
After two and a half weeks, the Auckland Arts Festival comes to a close with another eclectic week. Sam Brooks reviews (with assistance from Shanti Mathias).The headline show of the week was undoubtedly The Unruly Tourists, which has had more coverage than any opera I can think of in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yu Tao, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, The University of Western Australia State Library of Western Australia Does the discovery of a Ming Dynasty Buddha sculpture found near Shark Bay in remote Western Australia “rewrite history” and suggest the Chinese ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.Getty Images Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appears to be a defining moment in the evolution of the post-Cold War world. In particular, it is highlighting problems that do ...
If you saw the demonstration at Pasifika Festival – or if you’ve just always wanted to know how it’s done – here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing your own umu oven.A Sāmoan umu is an above-ground oven of hot volcanic rocks. Traditionally, an umu was laid out three times ...
The official Covid-19 death toll has risen by 33 this week, bumping the total to 2,662. The Ministry of Health’s latest update reports 76 new Covid-attributed deaths, but the overall death toll rises by 33 when adjusted to include non-Covid and other unrelated deaths. The daily average number of new ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock Global warming has led to higher summer temperatures across Sydney over the past 30 years. However, our data analysis shows very hot summer days are ...
Two of the best games of the Super Rugby Aupiki season were saved for finals weekend in Hamilton. Alice Soper recaps.Third/fourth playoff: Blues vs Hurricanes Poua Sometimes a bronze playoff can be a bit of a flop. Still in recovery from the disappointment of missing out on the ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: The Ugly stoking of a culture war in election year This weekend saw a showdown between two tribes of contemporary gender politics: those in favour of progressing transgender rights versus women wishing to defend their spaces. It’s a debate with huge passion, outrage and ...
One of New Zealand’s spy agencies foiled three possible terror events on our shores, it’s been revealed. The Security and Intelligence select committee met today, with bosses from the SIS and GCSB facing questions from MPs including prime minister Chris Hipkins. It was during this hearing that Andrew Hampton, the ...
An anonymous lawyer for children explains what she does, and why it matters. I’m a lawyer who is appointed by courts to represent children in cases where there are concerns about their safety or where the court thinks it necessary. In almost all cases involving disputes around the care of ...
As banks face scrutiny over the size of their profits, it’s been revealed the finance minister looked at a possible “bank tax”. The Herald’s Jenée Tibshraeny reported this morning that Grant Robertson asked for advice from the Reserve Bank on whether it would be possible to save the Crown money ...
The Green Party has announced Neelu Jennings as the candidate for Hutt South. Neelu Jennings is a disabled disability advocate and former athlete. The mother of two aims to use her platform to call for a fair and inclusive Aotearoa where disabled ...
Marama Davidson should stand down as ‘Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence’ for the clear and outrageous statement she made at the Posie Parker protest that ‘white straight men’ are the cause of violence. Her offensive, racist, ...
ColensoBBDO has been appointed as the new creative agency of record by pay-gap advocacy group MindTheGap to bring renewed attention to the issue of gender and ethnic pay gaps within New Zealand businesses and government. In the 50 years since the Equal ...
Thousands of women across the country are joining Facebook groups that seek to answer one simple question. This article contains reference to domestic violence and emotional abuse, please take care.A quick scroll through the biggest “Do We Have The Same Boyfriend” Facebook group in the country reveals a sea ...
Bluebridge’s Connemara ferry was back in service yesterday after a mechanical issue caused a string of cancellations on Saturday. It was the third time Connemara had broken down in less than two months of service, according to the NZ Herald. “We understand this is very disruptive to our customers’ travel plans ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marie-Claire Seeley, PhD Candidate, Australian Dysautonomia and Arrhythmia Research Collaborative, University of Adelaide Shutterstock There is growing interest in a connective tissue condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. As more adults are diagnosed with autism, some might not be aware their history ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hattie, Professor, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock In 2008, I published my book Visible Learning, which aimed to explain what works best to help student learning. At the time, others claimed it was the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Naylor, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Massey University Getty Images As New Zealand considers how to better prepare for a future affected by climate change, the insurance sector needs to be part the discussion on where and how we build ...
The scenes that unfolded at Auckland’s Albert Park on Saturday morning were, according to counter-protesters, largely peaceful and non-violent. British anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen Minshull (or Posie Parker) fled New Zealand after her attempts to host a rally in Auckland city were stopped by thousands of protesters. Keen-Minshull has claimed ...
He’s got one of the most prestigious journalism careers in the country, but RNZ’s Guyon Espiner is not slowing down anytime soon. His new series “Mate, Comrade, Brother” on political lobbying in New Zealand has already exposed a number of troubling incidents. He sits down with Duncan Greive to discuss why he ...
Posie Parker said she wanted to ‘speak up for women’. Hundreds of protesters spoke up for trans rights instead, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.A day of anger and joy ...
The foreign minister has returned from a visit to China saying the relationship is very important and complex, requiring "continual management" to make sure the two countries do not lose sight of each others' views and perspectives. ...
Shock but not surprise – that’s how an Auckland woman reacted to a racist depiction of a black person up for sale at a Mt Eden auction house Diana Phillips felt "immediate straight-up fury" on seeing a racist caricature of a black person for sale in the window of a Mt ...
The inquiry into forestry slash destruction in Tairāwhiti, and review of the Emissions Trading Scheme, should prioritise the state of the planet not the balance sheets of global corporations, writes Dame Anne Salmond. Over the past few weeks, New Zealanders have been exposed to shocking images of local landscapes ravaged ...
Exclusive: A new report into the cultural and economic benefits of Shortland Street shows its power – but as with any good soap, trouble is coming. Duncan Greive reports on its findings.When Shortland Street debuted in 1992, no one could have predicted what it would become. NZ on Air, ...
Keep calm and charge up: an etiquette guide for those wanting to use public EV chargers without leaving a trail of chaos in their wake. It looks like a petrol pump. It is like a petrol pump. But this one doesn’t have any fossil fuels flowing out the hose. Electric ...
The explosive opening chapter of a new novel Identity remains secretA thirty-nine-year-old Point Heed businessman and father of two convicted for possession and distribution of child pornography has been granted permanent name suppression. Bridget’s throat caught. Point Heed: lovely, leafy Point Heed. Her neighbourhood. It was ...
The explosive opening chapter of a new novel Identity remains secretA thirty-nine-year-old Point Heed businessman and father of two convicted for possession and distribution of child pornography has been granted permanent name suppression. Bridget’s throat caught. Point Heed: lovely, leafy Point Heed. Her neighbourhood. It was ...
The explosive opening chapter of a new novel Identity remains secretA thirty-nine-year-old Point Heed businessman and father of two convicted for possession and distribution of child pornography has been granted permanent name suppression. Bridget’s throat caught. Point Heed: lovely, leafy Point Heed. Her neighbourhood. It was ...
Watch video: In part 5 of our video series, The Way Forward, Rod Oram looks at big new ideas that can lead our response to climate change and improve sustainability. If we humans are to stand any chance of a liveable future, we must transform everything we do so ...
The Government's Emissions Trading Scheme incentivises the planting of pine forest. But a company looking to cash in on the scheme has left a farm on the East Coast prone to significant erosion within months of taking over. Aaron Smale reports. Satellite images of a former sheep station on the East Coast show a stark ...
Newsroom's Nikki Mandow went hunting for organisations run using a co-governance model and found some have been doing it quietly for years. No power grab, no stolen assets. The Detail hears from leaders of these bodies about what co-governance looks like in practice, and asks - does it work? For Bob ...
Loading...(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. ...
By Johnny Blades, RNZ The House journalist An increased appetite to learn te reo Māori among members and staff from different parts of the Parliamentary system means the work of Parliament’s Māori Language Service is in demand more than ever. Compared to several years ago there’s now also significantly more acknowledgement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Strategy, Government and Alliances, Western Sydney University Dean Lewins/AAP Sometimes defeat can come with small victories. In his NSW election concession speech, defeated Liberal-National Coalition Premier Dominic Perrottet remarked the campaign had been a “race to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Mikey Burnet Byelections for leaders are rather like steeplechases for horses: there is always the risk of serious injury. Ahead of the 2018 super-Saturday contests, Bill Shorten had an impatient Anthony Albanese ...
National Party leader Christopher Luxon says a controversial British activist has the right to free speech in New Zealand, following the clash at Auckland's counter protest on Saturday. ...
The Queer Endurance / Defiance group had organised this rally for trans acceptance and reproductive rights as soon as they heard Posie Parker planned to come to Wellington. And while the anti-trans campaigner never ended up making it to the nation’s capital after her failed Auckland event, around 3,000 members ...
ANALYSIS:By Nicholas Khoo, University of Otago Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating’s recent strident criticism of the A$368 billion nuclear-powered submarine deal announced under the AUKUS security pactwill have little effect on Australian policy. Canberra’s deepening level of security cooperation is underpinned by a deep political consensus. But the ...
RNZ News British gender activist Posie Parker has left New Zealand, calling it the “worst place for women she has ever visited”. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, shared a photo on social media showing her being escorted by police through Auckland Airport. She left her rally at Albert ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff (right) is now the only non-Labor leader at federal or state level.Mick Tsikas/AAP When Dominic Perrottet gave a gracious concession speech after ...
Hundreds of people have gathered by Christchurch’s Bridge of Remembrance to show support for the trans community in the wake of anti-transgender activist Posie Parker’s brief visit to Aotearoa. Bubbles filled the air against a backdrop of trans rights flags and hundreds of signs of support for the LGBTQIA+ community, ...
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 Dean Lewins/AAPThis article was updated March 26. With 36% of enrolled voters counted in today’s New South Wales ...
Coated in two spices and ready in five minutes. Easy as.I first heard of marsala chicken when I moved to New Zealand as a 15-year-old. The dish confused me as it didn’t have any spices in it except for garlic. In my head I had confused it with the ...
Author Marty Smith writes from her home, the flood-damaged region of Hawke’s Bay, excavating the extraordinary facets of life amid a disaster.Wednesday 22 February 22, eight days after the flood.It’s easy to drive down Puketitiri Rd: diggers cleared silt and slips on the second day. Looters slide at ...
My trainer said she was happier than she’d ever been. I wanted that.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Illustrations by Note: This essay discusses and describes disordered eating. Please take care.Just 10 burpees to go.I threw myself against the carpet. ...
Bard Billot on the bumbling BaronRace for the Polls Baron Luxon speeds across the polar wastes aboard his electric blue jet sled “Titanic.” The sky is cloudless and the way is clear and the Baron is well in the lead. In his toasty warm fine mink cossack hat ...
Māori women are the backbone of the Warriors and always have been, writes Briar Pomana.Since before I can remember, my mum has been a Warriors fan. Her and other wāhine Māori I know are some of the staunchest supporters out and, in my opinion, are the true face of ...
Reports have described the protest held at Albert Park on Saturday as angry, chaotic and ugly. This attendee found it to be joyful, life-affirming and full of love.Climbing the stairs up to Saturday’s counter-rally where anti-trans activist Posie Parker was meant to speak, my husband and I were hit ...
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 Dean Lewins/AAP With 36% of enrolled voters counted in today’s New South Wales state election, the Poll Bludger’s results currently ...
A former entertainment mecca in the middle of Auckland is up for grabs. The problem? It’s been run into the ground. Have you got spare cash sitting around? Do you want to buy something grand, something special? How does a nine-storey complex covering 3,486 square metres in the middle of ...
Posey Parker appeared in Auckland today for a brief few moments, but it was clear that she was going to have a hard time being heard above thousands of people exercising their own right to free speech The streets of Auckland’s city centre were thick today with the noise of tubas, ...
OF all the talk relating to name supression in NZ of late – Here is a great example of why its not a bad idea:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/23/press-christmas-drone-suspects-gatwick-media
This poor couple had their lives turned upside down – and photos and area that the live published – and it turns out it might not be them at all.
The US is probably the worst place for that sort of thing.
Not sure if it is leaks from the inside or just a freedom of information thing, but anyone gets arrested for a semi-high profile crime their names, pictures, mental health info’, military info’, pictures of evidence seems to be splashed on the front pages within about 12 hours.
She is a free for all
The US media, a joke mostly, anyone who loves freedom would not watch the uniform bullshit that passes a news… …yet they do.
Hmm i wonder if the same can be said about the “chinese hackers”
James really agree with you on this one.
The only way to have innocent until proven guilty is to have full automatic name and photo suppression until the end of the trial and any appeals.
Agree. Trial by media is rarely fair or balanced.
Once found guilty however, name suppression should only occur for the protection of the victims privacy.
Especially for white collar crimes.
Absolutely agree, it protects us all.
A virulent disease is infecting the brains of our less fortunate citizens:
Spare a thought for these folks who will have a miserable Christmas.
As anyone will know who has stumbled onto a right wing site recently, the virulent brain disease known as “Jacinda Derangement Syndrome” continues to rage amongst National’s hapless supporters.
Here’s a random, and entirely representative, sample from our friends on Kiwiblog yesterday….
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/12/general_debate_23_december_2018.html
Tall Man: You don’t have to have a big tag on your forehead proclaiming yourself to be an idiot…look at ardern the liar, thick as pig shit but she looks almost normal. Thumb up 32 Thumb down 0 9:52AM
Chris2: I’m waiting for Ardern to announce through teary eyes that travelers passing through Gatwick Airport ought to be safe and that she is sorry they did not feel safe. Thumb up 42 Thumb down 9:03AM
burt: She is more likely to ask why they didn’t all get their own individual airforce 757. Thumb up 26 Thumb down 1 9:15AM
igm: Chris2: I am awaiting her reply to this disgusting carry-on. This is what happens when ferals are paid to breed, and she has increased the incentive because it stops poverdy . . . what a fucken disgrace she is!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/109484033/synthetic-cannabis-smoking-mum-slammed-for-reprehensible-act-of-self-interest
Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0 12:44PM
Tall Man: …. ardern is a liar
Thumb up 26 Thumb down 2 10:05AM
Prince: Amongst the annual political reviews there are two shiboleths that leave me as bewildered as a New Zealand First voter
1) Ardern has been an international star.
How ? When ? Every leader going to a UN talkfest is taken on a round of late night talk shows, for the benefit of their country’s media. Exactly how and where has Ardern achieved anything on the international stage ? Reading a speech to an empty UN auditorium ? Visiting Nauru and finding no one else there ? Sitting next to Mrs Pence ? Seems to me Ardern and Peters have achieved the remarkable feat of pissing off both the US and China.
Thumb up 87 Thumb down 0 8:08AM
Monique Watson: JA’s frightened. Not necessarily a SLG though that was a timely sledge. I’ve been watching her Question Time responses. Mark my words. Another nail in the coffin of the COL.
Thumb up 59 Thumb down 1 8:20AM
mandk: From an opposition point of view, I think it is a waste of time asking Ardern anything at Question Time. She is quite adept at turning questions into opportunities to grandstand, and she is allowed to get away with not answering the questions put to her. Far better to attack the CoL where it is weakest, and that probably includes most of the Front Bench.
Thumb up 51 Thumb down 0 8:32AM
sooty: Yep. There is too many dumb one’s to worry about Comrade JacinDUH! Leave her there without questions except patsys from her idiots. She can’t just not turn up as much as she wants too.
Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0 12:38PM
Piniwi: Hard as it is to listen to the SLG she often tells more than intended or lets a gem slip out. Or by the selected defense being held on hard to often like a life-support loosing it’s buoyancy. like the “text came AFTER the decision.”
Of bigger concern is acknowledgement of how out of the loop she is when she confesses to only learning about so many in the media. We can only speculate that so much time is wasted creating all her excuses, defending dud decisions and creating word walls leaving little time to do what she should be doing. Another first for the SLG being the first PM to follow rather than lead her Government only keeping up through the Media party.
Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0 1:55PM
Biscuit: Indeed, Prince, if you read the leftist rabble that ‘write’ for the ‘Horrid’, you’d almost believe that Ardern is going to be unanimously proclaimed Trougher in Chief at the Non-United Nations.
Thumb up 47 Thumb down 0 8:24AM
DigNap15: Ha! John Roughan says in todays Herald that most of Ardern’s speeches are forgettable and that she does not really say much worth of note. Is the worm starting to turn?
Thumb up 73 Thumb down 2 8:19AM
KevOB: Speeches? She’s barely liderate. The rest of the COL with rare exceptions r even vurse.
Thumb up 50 Thumb down 1 8:26AM
Biscuit: One can but hope, DigNap! If even a wrong clock can be ‘right’ twice a day, there’s a chance that a ‘newspaper’ like the Horrid might get things ‘right’ once in a while, too!
Thumb up 21 Thumb down 1 8:27AM
Justitia: Ardern is vacuous.
Thumb up 41 Thumb down 0 8:35AM
calendar girl: Yes, she is certainly vacuous in what she projects, as well as being the least intelligent NZ Prime Minister whom I have seen in action during my lifetime.
She also has her “vicious’ streak”, as she showed towards the end of 2018’s final Question Time when she targeted her deliberate personal insult at the Leader of the Opposition:
“…. it’s simple, Simon!”
When, and how, is the Opposition going to repay Ardern in spades for that well-rehearsed personal slight against the National Leader? Bridges – unlike herself – actually has a trained and well-proven intellect that operates (and has operated professionally) at a level to which hers could never aspire.
Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1 3:06PM
RF: Stupid bitch
Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1 6:54PM
….ad nauseam, ad absurdum…
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/12/general_debate_23_december_2018.html
IF you read THIS BLOG and look at the coments made about Key when he was you will see as bad – if not worse.
So whats your point?
and for the record – I think the worse I have call Jacinda is C**dy – which I stopped post people getting all upset about it as they interrepted it to be mysgonistic.
I wonder whats the worse you said about Key, English or Bridges is – perhaps you have your own virulent brain disease combined with a wee bit of ‘holier than tho’ and forgetfulness.
Nonsense. Key was rightly attacked for his lying, his repeated harassment of that young woman in an Auckland cafe, and for allowing his parliamentary office to be used as the base for Whaleoil’s scurrilous, illegal campaign of character assassination. You’d know all that, of course, if you had bothered to read Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics.
The National Party’s attacks against Jacinda Ardern, in stark contrast, are rarely anything other than the crudest misogyny and personal ridicule. I left out from that random selection the lengthy thread where a whole lot of these National stooges slung off at her as a “horse” and a “bag of bones.”
The attacks against Clarke Gayford were pathetic enough, but now they are starting to target baby Neve as well.
I guess it’s something we’ll just have to adjust to for the next eight years, at least.
My goodness.
Key Derangement Syndrome is still very strong in Morrissey.
He really should be getting over it by now.
Key left the job of PM 2 years ago.
Errrr, the subject under review here is the National Party’s hare-brained campaign of ridicule directed against Jacinda Ardern.
It was our good friend james who brought in the unpleasant reminder of that dead-eyed currency speculator.
It is not a National Party campaign. It is the toxic commenters that all too frequently inhabit Kiwiblog.
As I noted the other day David’s posts are pretty much always reasonable. He often gives Jacinda credits for various things she has done. But some of the commenters are extreme. If a particular thread gets besieged by them, it is best to stay away. Sometimes the misogyny is just awful.
The Standard has similar problem. There are a group of commenters who are frequently quite/very abusive. They think National (John Key in particular) are complicit in all sorts of heinous crimes, and are motivated by the basest of motives. And most of it had nothing to do with the waitress. Just about everything John Key did would trigger the abuse. Hence the term “Key derangement syndrome”.
I had two problems with Key.
1. In the early days, long before he became PM, I saw first hand on the net sufficient evidence to strongly suggest he had fudged timelines on his CV to cover up some less than lily-white dealings.
All this was many years back and I made links at the time, although they’ve long gone.
2. If you have worked for a large global corporate you will have encountered his type, the senior management surfer who rides from one role to another, making himself look good with short-term actions, but when you look deeper they achieve little of long-term value; and often a trail of damage behind them that doesn’t show up until they’ve moved on.
They’re the big-swinging alpha male in the room, all charm and sociability, but we used to call them ‘suited sharks’, you could never trust them to do anything but serve their own appetites.
I think I made those points and then shut up; events have largely proven me right on the second point at least. But on the whole I agree with you, becoming obsessed with a personality is unseemly at best, and usually counterproductive.
Yep. Some of those comments made by those he used to work with (such as half the time they could barely understand him – the Smiling Assassin Era), are a now a bit hard to find, or his tough solo-mum upbringing – as if I ever wanted to waste my time trying to do so.
When we think of Paula Bennett being the ladder puller upper, Paula really has nothing on Johnny Wideboy
If I dug deeply into my computer files and bookmarks and was so inclined, I could probably still find most of those old links. I am an archivist by nature as well as a pedant … LOL.
“It is not a National Party campaign. It is the toxic commenters that all too frequently inhabit Kiwiblog.”
If this were true they would have their comments moderated. The lack of moderation suggests their comments are welcome and encouraged.
Moderating is a significant problem for any blog. I suspect that DF places a very high value on freedom of expression and finds the whole idea of moderating very unappealing.
The cost is that he has to put up with some commenters indulging in their worst natures. And he certainly doesn’t have that problem on his own.
Redlogix,
You have essentially stated his policy. Much more light handed than The Standard. Virtually no-one gets banned, unless they are an extreme racist. I know DPF well enough to know he does not share the views of the contributors. His views are in the articles.
He also has the problem of volume. Sometimes his General Debate has 500 comments. Kiwiblog (going by the number of comments) is at least twice as well read as any other blog.
heh … DF damned nearly banned me once. But I have to admit I was being monumentally obnoxious 🙂
I was “banned for life” 3 times by DPF. Ousted from Keeping Stock as well. Homepaddock too. And now, Pete George’s place 🙂
It’s strange; I’m a polite and reasonable sort of guy.
So to summarize; there is moderation at kiwiblog if one is left leaning.
Kiwibank comments policy
Not sticking to the policy then?
Virtually no-one gets banned, unless they are an extreme racist.
If you don’t think the constant stream of brutal, demeaning and disgusting attacks against Māori, Aboriginal Australians, African-Americans, Arabs, Somalis, Palestinians, “Pakis”, and many other groups is not “extreme racist” then you must move in some horribly insalubrious circles.
Oh that’s right—you were in cabinet with John Banks and John “Hone” Carter, weren’t you! Compared to them, even the vilest ranter on Kiwiblog is Albert Schweitzer.
I’ve never visited the site @ Wayne, but would many of those 500 comments be visits and revisits by MSM journalists and opinionistas preparing for their weekend spots on Television current affairs programmes or weekdays with a Mora.
HE, (the Farrar) is the voice of reason for that ‘moderate’ center right.
The guy is truly exceptional, you’d have to agree, despite the overwhelming impediments he’s had to overcom. And the most reliable of statistics – in terms of visits to his site, verify that (going forward).
I’ve been researching various penguin species though, and I can’t seem to identify him. He doesn’t fit your Emperor, your Yellow Eyed (though he comes close), or Northern Rockhopper, or most of the other ‘types’).
I wonder if he might not be some sort of exceptional freak derivative of the Royal (Holier Than Thou) species. Or has he fooled us all and is in fact a wolf dressed up in a penguin’s clothing.
I wonder @ Wayne….could you pontificate a little, and provide us all with an opinion as to what makes this little penguin such a reasonable, affable and well-liked little fella
300 000 children in poverty is not a heinious crime, eh Wayne?
Though, both National and Labour, were complicit
Key is a crook in reality.
Just because his dealings were legal, doesn’t mean they were less damaging.
Farrar’s “Greens to slaughter national cow herds” post wasn’t “reasonable” – straight-out dishonest scare-mongering.
Morrissey didn’t bring Key up, James did
Leave it, FGS – what is today – and tomorrow – again?
Try a little kindness and good will to all men – meaning everyone.
Who the hell are you? The Xmas Police?
Yes James we did say stuff about key, but most often on this blog people back up what they say with some sort of evidence. Morrissey quotes from kiwi blog appear to be the ignorant putting down someone in power with no actual eg of why they think that way. It could not be used as evidence in court.
Many on here myself included called John k a prick and worse, but it would be in response to say him pulling a waitresses pony tail or denying their was a housing crisis.
The thing about the whole ponytail pulling thing was that he never accepted what he did was wrong. He always tried to justify himself.
Or not even justify himself Millay. Key would just lie. Remember how he said about the waitress “yeah I gave her a couple of bottles of wine and she said yeah all good”. Or words to that effect.
[citation needed]
I hope those people are not my neighbours. Possibly their spitefulness spills over (or from?) to the National MPs who are known for their spitefullness like P Bennett, Collins, Bridges, that gardening woman, and more.
I hope those people are not my neighbours.
Possibly. Do you have any neighbours that sit around all day listening to talk radio, and never read anything more challenging than a Big Mac wrapper?
Possibly their spitefulness spills over (or from?) to the National MPs who are known for their spitefullness like P Bennett, Collins, Bridges, that gardening woman, and more.
They take their lead from the National Party/talk radio complex.
For a moment there, I thought you were having a go at satire.
I’ve had many goes at satire, my friend. But that selection of quotes is beyond satire. I just quoted it all verbatim, without adding a single thing.
I like to believe in the best of people but some are just cunts, take Moz for example…his long time paramour Longhair is outed and he discards him like yesterday’s paper.
Nice one Morrisey I think ‘KevOB’ is a classic.
“KevOB: Speeches? She’s barely liderate. The rest of the COL with rare exceptions r even vurse.”
Definitely, the outstanding winner of ‘Brain (if any) Dead Fuckwit of the Year.’
Half crown lol
Kev’s a man of god, too.
I think those hate filled vile comments illustrate the important place kiwiblog has become. Without it I suspect some of those unhinged folk could be wandering the streets causing mayhem.
Indeed – this blog serves a similar purpose.
False equivalence, you fool.
Ah Moz – second rate wit, third rate stenographer and forever the cuckold at the Northcote cottaging party, what would we do without you.
Second rate wit? That’s harsh. I for one could never aspire to the heights of comedy mozzie achieves so effortlessly. Without trying, even.
Thanks, Andre. Appreciate the support.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Oh wait a minute….
So that is where Watson is these days. God she is a poster I cannot stand.
We were on to her back in 2012, when she won a Banksy Award….
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/dum-quote-of-week.html
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Standard admins, posters and commenters. I know I haven’t been posting as much as I should, but I always read what people have to say, some of it good, some not so good.
And Morrissey – I don’t know why you go on Kiwiblog. The comments there are as depressing as duck.
One final word. If you are at a family Xmas gathering and someone starts running Jacinda down, you need to defend her honour at all costs.
“One final word. If you are at a family Xmas gathering and someone starts running Jacinda down, you need to defend her honour at all costs.”
Sad.
The sad gits are the ones who join in those witless disparaging comments. They’re a small minority, however, and in normal company usually have to keep their diseased thoughts to themselves.
On NewstalkZB and the Whaleoil blog, OTOH….
Explain why have we got to defend her honour. Enlighten us?
There are going to be hordes of right wing Gammon and their dolled up wives at every Xmas gathering complaining about how Jacinda is going to raid their retirement nest egg and give it all to the ‘poor’. They need to be put in their place accordingly.
Generally a bad idea to turn a family Christmas event into a political bunfight. Stay away from it. Only in jest, and even then only if you know it will be safe to do so.
millsy … I have to agree with Wayne. Put your family first mate; they’re way more important than politics.
Well if there was a “Tall Man” (probably a 5 foot loser with short mans syndrome) in my family calling Jacinda Ardern “thick as pig shit” I certainly wouldn’t let it go unchallenged.
Me either – they’d get the message pretty sharpish. Stand up for your values millsy and don’t let wankers bully good people. Be strong and don’t cower in fear like some.
Those were the types of people I was referring to. And there will be a lot of people like those.
Why put your family first, Bob McKoskrie does that and I wouldn’t want to share his lack of values. Some family would be worth disowning. Personally if I’m related to any of the regular RWNJ who come here with the sole reason to cast shade on the government I would happily drop them from any family gatherings. Just because you’re related to someone doesn’t mean you have to like them.
Why put your family first, Bob McKoskrie does that and I wouldn’t want to share his lack of values.
Does he though? I heard him pontificating about how “good parents” should be allowed to hit their toddlers with a hair-brush.
Well if you’re going to have a go then:
1. Read this: https://www.abc.net.au/life/how-to-make-christmas-with-the-family-better-for-you-and-them/10588592
2. Check with any women present first; they may have put a lot of effort in and have an opinion on the likely outcome of your political re-education efforts.
Just saying 🙂
No, RBO, you don’t always agree with family, but if you love your partner you stand the rellies for their sake, and you keep constant and just agree to disagree. Change the subject to how much work has been done by family to get the party started.
Dancing is good, or choose where you sit or stand carefully with a view to harmony. Tell yourself to count blessings, quietly, jacinda being one of them.Do something kind or thoughtful. Be glad to be alive.Be grateful all the family are there.
For those facing a first Christmas without someone. Kia kaha, this will be the worst year. Be kind most of all to yourself. Think of those faced with sudden loss, and hug your children, partner or friends.
Life is short and should be shared. Happy holiday season to you all.
I’m getting a new hip in my Santa sack, I hope you are getting in something you need in yours. Cheers.
Some xmas advice from Bill
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152534875267297&id=62507427296
This MAGA business is hard work.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvHrGSwX4AA__CJ.jpg
ROFL – certainly is hard work and needs an understanding of what a billion is!
Even using the US definition of a thousand million (1,000,000,000), her calculations are out by a couple of 00s; much more using the UK definition of a million millions (1,000,000,000,000)! Dream on ….
While I’ve long been aware that to some people a billion is 10^12, I’ve never actually come across anyone using billion that way, it’s always meant 10^9.
Yes, if there’s been the slightest possibility of that miscommunication I’ve checked; I’ve seen too many cockups in my engineering career from units and definitions misunderstandings.
I have rechecked and now realise that the UK definition I used, while technically the correct old UK definition, has largely been overtaken by use of the US definition – for example, according to the Oxford Living Dictionary
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/explore/how-many-is-a-billion/
I can fully understand the moving to a common definition to reduce confusion and cock-ups. Nevertheless I enjoyed the cock-up in the link!
You don’t appear to know too many pure mathematicians.
Any Professor of PURE Mathematics would happily tell you that 1 was a first approximation for infinity.
Well they are not going to get it from the Dems! And the Mexicans sure as hell arn’t going to pay, and The Chump has so many investigations to defend, that he has to employ an army of lawyers, so he’s not gonna pay, and despite constant assurances from Huckabee-Sanders that they have all the money they need – (But not enuf to pay Govt employees over xmas) there is no money in the bank to “BUILD THE WALL!” 🙁
So the Trumpkins are going to fund a little
https://fundly.com/build-the-trump-wall-foundation
https://www.fundthewall.com/
Meanwhile…
https://www.gofundme.com/ladders-to-get-over-trump039s-wall
😂
Thread about the RWNJ behind the con.
Could Hillary not help out? Maybe one section funded by the Clinton Foundation with a little plaque?
Careful, Siobhan, you’ll get the boot if you don’t pay her due homage.
http://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-clobbering-machine-strikes-again.html
Ha ha
If you’re going to do the authoritarian thug thing, you do it away from prying eyes.
/
“I am extremely alarmed by the announcement by the Nicaraguan Government that it has told two key human rights institutions set up by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) to leave the country.
[…]
In addition, the Government has said it will no longer accept visits by the IACHR itself.
Coupled with the parallel clamp-down on independent media, including last weekend’s raids on media outlets, the net result is a country where civil society is in danger of being shut out altogether, and international organizations are also struggling to keep operating.
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24041&LangID=E
lurcher1948 said:
“Fellow poster beware when you go out on the turps,it happens….drive safely and keep posting,
Yesterday I went to a Christmas party. I had a few beers, followed by a few cocktails, followed by a few shots….
I still had the sense to know that I was over the limit. That’s when I decided to do what I have never done before: I took a cab home.
Sure enough, there was a police road block on the way home, and since it was a cab, they waved it past. I arrived home safely without incident. This was both a great relief and a surprise because I had never driven a cab before. I don’t even know where I got it from and, now that it is in my garage, I don’t know what to do with it.”
LOL !
HA Ha Robert. Read it to my family – great hilarity, especially from my two sons who had already celebrated Christmas two days ago.
Brilliant Robert (6) Love it … Many thanks for sharing 🙂
So that is where my taxi got to!
Bring it back immediately. I may need it to get home tonight.
Yours being the last cab off the rank, Alwyn (for this political term anyway).
Have a merry Christmas, ol’ curmudgeon (he’s our curmudgeon and therefore, special 🙂
One Christmas eve in Melbourne, in a time long ago, magic elves spirited a tree onto the mainmast of a ship.
“Not me, not me” said all the elves, when plod arrived Christmas morning.
(The Myers sign on the big concrete pot, sort of giving the game away).
“Get it down” said plod.
“Not safe” said the elves. “The pot, and tree, are too big to move”.
Plod walked away, after his Christmas beer was drunk, Shaking his head
Two weeks later, in NZ, we bribed a mobile crane driver, with even more beer, of course, to get it down
I must have been one of the culprits, but to this day, I cannot remember how we got it up there. We certainly couldn’t, and wouldn’t, have done it sober.
In today’s more puritan times, we would have all been sacked, for not following the procedure, and not filling in the checklist!
Those elves were in high spirits, I’m guessing.
Ski-ing on the piste!
Wishing all contributors to TS the compliments of the season, whether you celebrate the festival of Christmas or not. Take good care and stay safe.
Looking forward to some healthy debate again in 2019.
Meri Kirihimete
Merry Christmas everyone, keep safe and let’s do it all again next year 🙂
Some of us will keep doing it over the Christmas to New Year period, Pucky, giving us the advantage over part-timers like you 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and may your embarrassing crush desert you before the 2019 year gets under way.
Likewise, Merry Christmas to everyone! We may not always agree, but at least we turn up to debate and hopefully learn something from time to time.
Puckish Rogue, Merry Christmas to you too.
I expect a year of poetic output of epic proportions worthy of your paramour!
In an epic along the lines of the Táin or The Cattle Raid of Cooley. Queen Iudhaith Collaínns ní Cruisheer wants the services of a stud bull and decides to rent one from a neighbouring powerful magnate but the deal turns sour when it is found out by the owner, Sean Cí, that she would have stolen it anyway to “get it”. After a long row, in which Queen Iudhaith is banished to the benches at the back of the Great Hall, the trichotillomaniacal Cí abdicates and Liam Shasanna of Diptonnaigh captures the great bull.
War ensues, and the young hero, Pu Cuíllish óg Rogaínn, fights many battles singlehanded to win her favours. Amongst his adversaries whom he vanquishes is the queen of the Fairies, Paúllauch Ban Neitt, and the mercenary Machus M’Cheil who he kills with his legendary spear, Seamus Bolga.
A three day single handed combat with the chief, Simbhon Brighe, is complicated by the intervention of Pu Cuíllish’s charioteer, Seamus-Leoigh Rossaig, whose dealings with the underworld have given him special information that could cause Brighe’s doughty bodyguard to desert him.
However, Queen Iudhaith’s overseas alliances trump the charioteer Seamus-Leoigh and the saga ends with a new order restored thanks to the heroic exploits of Pu Cuíllish óg Rogaínn and the rightful accession by Queen Iudhaith Collaínns ní Cruisheer to the leadership of the aptly named Sinn Faíl.
Slainte.
That’s hard to read with a raging hangover 🙂
I hope you have recovered , PR. I am of an age where I have forgotten the severity of the symptoms, but not the cause…… 🙂
More from the glorious George Galloway. A marvelous man.
Happy Chrismas to to all
Kia ora Newshub I do support MPI having more tools to help control our fisheries conservation and keep themselves safe while preforming there duties .
With kevin spacey some people have a view that’s not acceptable they don’t think we can figure out the motive behind ones actions like someone else in the Media.
Those are cool words our Queen said in her Christmas speech Ka pai.
I do agree that hogget meat is better than lamb to eat and we should market that fact about our sheep meat it would be better for the environment to export me higher value hogget meat.
Helping refugees is, cool Idea
CHOSE LOVE I would use that to help the poor people If we have a branch here in Aotearoa many thanks to the organisers of this brilliant Idea.
Our Coalition government has achieved a lot of good deeds so far Ka pai. Ka kite ano P.S On the Farm with our Tamariki and Mokopunas