Open mike 25/01/2014

Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, January 25th, 2014 - 123 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

openmike

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step right up to the mike …

And for those living in Dunedin local standardnistas are meeting at 1pm at the bandstand in the Dunedin Botanics.

123 comments on “Open mike 25/01/2014 ”

  1. let’s go kiwi..!

    ..a little bit of ‘clean’..

    ..to get yr morning bouncing..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm3UGftvCRo

    ..tally-ho…!

    (how could you not love that sir douglas quintet organ-styling..?

    ..eh..?..)

    phillip ure..

  2. millsy 2

    Anyone got any inside info on what will be in DC’s speech?

    Its going to have to be good, given that the other guy has raised the bar — even though these reforms are little more than creating a few more job titles and salary packages (For this plan to even remotely be able to work, EP’s need to have more independence, and be able to employ their own staff to help them, and be able spend time equally at each school).

    • QoT 2.1

      It’s weird, millsy, because under Shearer you couldn’t move for senior Labour MPs leaking things to Patrick Gower, and now Cunliffe’s in control they seem to be running a tight ship. It’s a mystery for the ages.

      • alwyn 2.1.1

        I think it is much simpler than that.
        Did you ever happen to see the 1972 film “The Candidate” starring Robert Redford?
        If you did you will remember the last line when, after winning, Redford comes out with the rather panic-stricken question “What do we do now?”.
        He obviously didn’t have any idea. Perhaps we should accept that Cunliffe is in exactly the same situation after winning the Labour Party leadership. Not having the slightest idea what to do he hasn’t come up with what he is going to say in his speech yet. If even David doesn’t know what will come out of his mouth , how could anyone else, and therefore how could anything leak? He is simply going to wing it and hope he doesn’t sound too foolish.

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 2.1.1.1

          Weak Alwyn – yet top marks for imaginative skills

        • QoT 2.1.1.2

          Yes. When we don’t know in advance what David Cunliffe is going to say in his speech, despite him posting to the Standard and setting out what kind of announcements the speech is going to contain (http://thestandard.org.nz/david-cunliffe-on-the-state-of-the-nation/) we have two options:

          a) his office have a basic grasp of building anticipation and information security
          b) literally no one has any idea what to say and Cunliffe and his advisors think the best way to use his first speech of an election year is to ad lib.

          And b) is absolutely the most likely scenario. 🙄

          (Of course the hilarious thing is that Cunliffe probably could adlib a decent speech if he had to.)

          • alwyn 2.1.1.2.1

            I must admit I thought that what was in this link was simply a big thank you for the ideas he got in the previous post in the Standard where he, clearly not having any ideas of his own, was pleading for people to suggest something, anything, that he could say.

            Why someone who knew what he believed in, and therefore would know what he wanted to say, should have to plead for suggestions a few days before he had to give his speech shows desperation to me.

            I am quite sure he will prove to be quite capable with an adlib speech. Any link to reality will, of course, be entirely coincidental. Like his CV in fact. If there is one thing his time in a junior role with the Boston Group would have taught him it would have been how to utter reams of rubbish.

            • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 2.1.1.2.1.1

              Lolz – You’ve got some comedian talents there too, Alwyn, you clever wee thing!

              psst [I suggest humoring it, its grasp on reality appears tenuous]

            • QoT 2.1.1.2.1.2

              Any link to reality will, of course, be entirely coincidental.

              Aw shit, my irony meter just exploded. Those things aren’t cheap you know!

        • North 2.1.1.3

          Yeah Alwyn, utter wishful thinking rubbish. Not a thing to commend it. Don’t take time out from licking Keys’ arse Alwyn. While your tongue is forked I doubt that it’s the 5,000 miles long it will need to be when your predominant (in your mind) alter-ego buggers off to Hawaii without so much as a goodbye. Leaving you in pathetic tears for all that could have been. If only the ponce had acknowledged you.

    • Ron 2.2

      He hasn’t raised the bar at all. In fact there is no likely hood of National ever carrying out this policy. First it only applies if they are re-elected, which seems unlikely. In the remote event they are re-elected there can be a myriad of reasons why the policy will not be exactly what they offered in Key’s speech.
      No incoming government will be obliged to go ahead with a national election promise.
      I would not hold my breath if I was a teacher/principal etc

      • newsense 2.2.1

        I love this from John Armstong:

        Key, no doubt, will want to be remembered as a “change agent” – one who took the people with him. Witness this week’s announcements on lifting school performance through salary hikes for the best teachers and principals.

        like Billy T on learning Japanese- you need to then get amnesia so you first forget everything you who about him…

        • newsense 2.2.1.1

          wait I should have read all the way through! Armstrong for Epsom…

          Or was the surprise a manufactured excuse seized upon by some as another opportunity to express indignation at what might seem to be more evidence of the Prime Minister’s increasing willingness to flout principles he previously espoused?

          I’m not even sure what this means. The surprise was an excuse was an opportunity was an expression was indignation was evidence of Key’s having other principles.

          There are mitigating factors in Key’s defence. The Labour Party may love Opposition – as an exercise in masochism at least.

          National in contrast has a bodice-ripping lust for power

          I’m beginning to think John Armstrong has had a very very good week. All this while PM Winston just watches.

          • bad12 2.2.1.1.1

            That column was a bit bizaare from Armstrong, He doesn’t seem to know whether He is supposed to be kissing Slippery upon the nether regions or caning Him,(the editor of that particular rag will probably put Him right later),

            Perhaps the author has had a medication change, the prose has certainly changed from the usual dull monotone…

          • North 2.2.1.1.2

            Armstrong’s a riot !

  3. millsy 3

    By the way, I note that one of the charter schools due to start lessons this year — the Christian one that plans to teach kids that homosexuals should be exterminated and the earth was created by magic spells — plans to provide its students with stationery and uniforms — something that would be unthinkable in a state school.

    • karol 3.1

      Do you know the name of the school?

    • karol 3.2

      Looking for the school – it’s hard to tell if this article is actually a piss take – but, it is for real. The school that is the biggest problem seems to be this one:

      C-Me Mentoring Foundation Trust is a trades mentoring programme from South Auckland providing pre-apprenticeship training in Auckland secondary schools (but is not itself a school at present). Its CEO, John Kotoisuva, is a former Destiny Party Te Atatu candidate. His on-line profile states that ‘John Kotoisuva is standing against gay cabinet minister Chris Carter’. This is all shaping up so well: an establishment to train students to be soldiers and police; a trades mentoring programme headed by an anti-homosexual Destiny-aligned political candidate; and both organisations headed by males – excellent. What satisfactions are to follow?

      As confirmed by this article by Craig Young of gaynz:

      When it came down to it, though, only three fundamentalist applicants were successful. These were Mangere’s “Rise Up Trust” in Mangere, South Auckland, which assuringly states that it will stick to the New Zealand curriculum and only hire registered teachers. Of concern is that one of the board members of the Rise Up Trust is Moko Ngaro, wife to conservative Christian National List MP Alfred Ngaro. The second successful applicant will run a South Auckland Middle School and states that it will be “inclusive,” use registered teachers only … and teach “applied Christian values.” Of particular concern is the third successful conservative Christian applicant, the C-ME Mentoring Trust, whose CEO, John Kotoisuva, was a former candidate for the defunct antigay Destiny Party Te Atatu seat, running against then-Labour MP Chris Carter before the latter left Parliament. It will provide trades training. Mr Kotoisuva has stated that he has since left Destiny Church, which ran the Destiny Party.

      However, it should be noted that these three mean that sixty percent of the first charter school initiatives are run by fundamentalist churches or individuals, although none have stated that they will teach creationist pseudo-science.

    • joe90 3.3

      The accelerated christian education (A.C.E.) curriculum is here, next up, responsive education solutions?.

      The more than 17,000 students in the Responsive Education Solutions charter system will learn in their history classes that some residents of the Philippines were “pagans in various levels of civilization.” They’ll read in a history textbook that feminism forced women to turn to the government as a “surrogate husband.

      http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/01/creationism_in_texas_public_schools_undermining_the_charter_movement.single.html

  4. Molly 4

    Te Ururoa Flavell in this mornings Herald: Maori Party open to Labour

    “We have generally got the message that our people are not comfortable with the relationship with National.”

    Can only say – Took you long enough. Still don’t believe you.

    • Molly 4.1

      Edit function not working to fix up link…

      [Fixed – MS]

    • Colonial Viper 4.2

      Exactly. Totally venal and mendacious.

    • freedom 4.3

      and this wierd comment from Sharples yesterday …

      ” When asked whether it was time for the Maori Party to move away from National, Sharples conceded “it probably is”.

      “I think we’ve already started to be honest,” he said. ” /blockquote>
      (file in ‘things politicians should never say?’)

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9644043/Key-Maori-better-off-under-National

      • bad12 4.3.1

        Indeed, having dragged themselves from the rarified air of the Parliament and it’s surrounds onto the Marae at Ratana Pa, Sharples and Flavell will have ‘got’ the message loud and clear in a 100 subtle and not so subtle ways,

        As Slippery the Prime Minister has started the election year with the ‘dance of desperation’ spurning one overly well publicized future coalition policy in favor of NZFirst, the Maori Party having spent 5 and a bit years locked in the embrace of what is anathema to most of it’s supporters, should i say ex supporters, have come to the belated realization that the band has stopped playing, and for them,the dance is all but over…

    • QoT 4.4

      I think that might be third-co-leader-speak for “what do you think I’ve being telling Pita and Tariana for the past five fucking years?”

      • Pasupial 4.4.1

        QoT

        Surely, for the first couple of years Flavell would have been more; “we’ve got to get rid of Hone – he’s not the right kind of Maori for our Party”. I took it as more of a; “now Tariana’s gone we can finally try to patch up this anti-labour feud that she saddled us with”. A justifiable grudge; given just how great a height Labour shat on their maori caucus with the Seabed & Foreshore Act.

        • Will@Welly 4.4.1.1

          Flavell coveted Hone’s job, that’s why Hone had to go. For that reason, never the two shall meet – Maori and Mana.
          Maori could “patch” things up with Labour, but I think the Maori Party life span is now terminal – too much betrayal. Sitting in a waka while the “big fella” is drilling holes in the waka is not smart.

      • Lanthanide 4.4.2

        If true, makes me wonder if the MP – Mana rift would be healed once Pita and Tariana fuck off.

  5. karol 5

    NZ Herald journo refuses to provide Crown Law with his notes from his interviews with Kim Dotcom

    • Colonial Viper 5.1

      I’m waiting to see if and when NZ starts overt attacks on journalists, I.e. following the lead of the US and UK.

    • alwyn 5.2

      I wonder whether Russel Norman will ever tell us what he discussed with Dotcom, and what offers he put up as to what the Green Party would get for him if he didn’t put together a party that would be most likely to cost the Green Party votes?
      Promise of NZ citizenship? A guarantee of no extradition from NZ? Permission to buy his mansion?
      Russel would probably offer anything to get KD out of the way.

      • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 5.2.1

        Oh dear me, no Alwyn you’ve got your notions all mixed up again; it is John Key who carries on doing shady deals behind the scenes and his party is the National party – you have appeared to have got your copy and pasting all wrong here.

      • bad12 5.2.2

        Ah smell the fear of the Green Party alwyn exhibits as the realization that young born to vote National voters in safe Tory electorates are increasingly splitting their votes electorate to National and that all important Party Vote to the Green Party sinks in,

        Never mind alwyn a 40% National vote in 2014 will get you a very effective number of MP’s to form an effective opposition from…

        • alwyn 5.2.2.1

          Oh dear bad12. I wonder if you distort the numbers, although in the opposite direction, when talking about opponents of the Greens as you do when talking about the Greens themselves?
          You managed to turn a 58% rise in the Green vote into “doubled” a few days ago, didn’t you?

          Stretching the numbers by as much, but in the opposite direction, when talking about the National vote would imply that the real Nat vote will be (40 * 2 / 1.58) % next election.
          This is about 51% which sounds about right. Gosh, that means being in Government again, doesn’t it?

          • bad12 5.2.2.1.1

            Your flights of fancy while laughable are probably going to see you have to double the dose of anti-depressants later in 2014,

            That was brilliant tho or your part, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in such a spectacular manner has me having a little chortle every time you post a comment to me,

            ”The Green Party vote has ‘only’ risen by 58% between elections 2008 and 2011 in the Auckland electorates held by National”, now that is funny…

      • QoT 5.2.3

        Spinning like the Brooklyn turbine in a southerly today, alwyn.

        The myth that the Internet Party would cost the Greens significant votes interests me. We do all remember it’s headed by a man who gave John Banks $50,000, right?

        • alwyn 5.2.3.1

          Oh yes, I remember that, although probably not as well as John.

          I am not suggesting that Kim Dotcom has any Green interests at all. Indeed he is probably one of the more spectacular consumers in New Zealand.

          I do think however that if he did start the “Internet Party” the natural group of supporters it would attract would be the younger, technically savvy, voters, or those who choose not to vote at all. I would expect the first type of voter to be a larger proportion of Green voters than they are of the general population. Thus it would seem that an Internet Party could take a disproportionate number of voters from the Greens in comparison to other parties.

          The Herald story did suggest, when reporting Norman’s visit, that Norman considered that “Dotcom would be competing for votes (with the Green Party)” and directly quotes him as saying “I tried to talk him out of setting up his party”. He would appear to be of the views I am suggesting, if those quotes are accurate.

          • One Anonymous Knucklehead 5.2.3.1.1

            He would appear to have these views, to anyone who read the article the same way you’re reading it. It’s called “bias”, and renders your opinion utterly worthless, as if the fact of your bad faith hadn’t done so already.

            • alwyn 5.2.3.1.1.1

              “bias” you say?
              Pray tell me, how else can you interpret a statement that says “I tried to talk him out of setting up his party” as anything other than “I tried to talk him out of setting up his party” and that it means I don’t want him to set up a party? You must have a phenomenal imagination.

              I will admit he didn’t give a direct quote that he feared the Internet Party would steal votes from the Greens. It is hard to see any other interpretation but perhaps you can provide an “unbiased” one? I doubt that, saintlier older brother of Mother Terasa though he may be, he was worried that it would affect the National Party vote and cause votes for the right to be wasted. Somehow I think my opinion that he thought it would reduce the Green Party vote is the only rational one.

              • karol

                This is what Norman is reported to have said, Newstalkzb:

                Greens co-leader Russel Norman says he visited Kim Dotcom’s Coatesville home twice at the end of last year.

                “it was more about the policy commonality and obviously there’d been the rumours about Kim Dotcoms party, and we weren’t keen for him to start his own party.”

                Mr Norman’s concerned that instead of keeping National out of government, Dotcom’s Internet Party might instead split the vote on the left.

                That is the view of some standardistas. It doesn’t mean Norman thinks KDC will take Green votes. Could be from any of the “left” parties, including Labour.

                PS: On searching for the report, I see that it is KB, WO, and other right wing blogs that are trying to spin it that Norman thought the IntP would take Green votes particularly.

                • alwyn

                  I read the first report of the affair in the Herald, not from Farrar or Slater.

                  The Herald’s report seemed to be that he was worried about the Greens, but there aren’t any of the New Zealand papers that are unambiguous, or particularly accurate in their reports. That applies to their stories about ALL parties by the way. If only we had a paper that was as good as “The Australian” in this country. Papers like the Times, Telegraph, Mail or Guardian would be heaven.

                  It is my own opinion that the people that might vote for a Dotcom party are currently more likely to be Green voters by the way. I don’t get that opinion from KB or WO, even if they might think the same.

                  Where do you think he would pick up votes from?

                  • karol

                    KDC? From libertarians, the young who don’t necessarily vote. Possibly some disaffected centrist/right leaning, sometime Labour voters.

                    • alwyn

                      I will admit that the Libertarians had not occured to me but I see what you mean. That does seem a pretty good fit for their views, at least as I know them.

                      On the other hand, looking at the 2011 election results, I don’t think that is going to help him very much. I just looked at the 2011 results and the Libertarianz Party got 1,595 votes. That was less than 14% of the Legalise Cannabis Party vote (11,738) and only just ahead of the Alliance Party (1209) in last place.

                      I still think that Green voters would be a likely source though. Certainly the young who don’t vote would be prospects but I can’t see too many Labour people. You would, of course, be much closer to, and much more likely to know about them.

                    • karol

                      Many libertarians vote ACT, some don’t vote at all. Both Mana and Labour have talked of trying to attract the (current) non-voters. This is also the block that the IntP would have some appeal for.

                      I’m not a member of any party, and currently vote Green Party. I see them as tending to be more left than the current Labour caucus. So i don’t think they’d have much appeal to the same people who’d be attracted to the IntP.

                      I understand KDC has more appeal to young men with a bit of a leaning to digital games with a more traditional masculine style. The Greens appeal more to women and more new agey,* type men, rather than macho gamers, IMO.

                      *Maybe not the right description – maybe just less of the traditional kind of masculinity, and into a different kind of digital culture than KDC.

                      In understand Norman’s worry about KDC splititng the left. The Greens would much prefer a Labour-led governent. If Labour is drained of votes, then the Greens stand to lose out on being a supprot partner.

  6. get angry..and then plan to vote to/for real change..

    ..don’t forget..we have mmp..

    ..we can have our revolution at the ballot-box..

    the ‘obscene-lifestyles’ of the ‘super-rich’..

    http://www.alternet.org/economy/super-rich-cnbc

    phillip ure..

  7. bad12 7

    Colin Who???? after months of talking up Colin’s balloon the Herald online has suddenly taken the vows of silence as far as Colin’s Conservatives are concerned, we have to assume i suppose that after months of blowing up the balloon with a torrent of media hype across the television and print media the dismal poll results have resulted in all the media and politicians involved not having the energy to get it up any more,

    Flavor of the day now is Winston Peters and NZFirst, with all 3 political commentators in today’s Herald online devoting all their column inches on the possibility of a NZFirst/National coalition resulting from the 2014 election, we all could b forgiven a brief flash of intuitive fantasy here where we see the editor of the Herald’s door fly open as fresh off of the phone with National HQ, the command is yelled into the news room, NZFirst, i want copy on NZFirst and in unison the hacks intone ‘yes master,’

    Right, not a very up to date flash of intuitive fantasy that one, ‘the commands’ of the editor these days more likely to have been delivered via email,

    Armstrong this morning flies off into the realms of fantasy Himself, speculating wildly that Winston Peters having already tasted the sugar rush of various Cabinet positions might well have to be placated in a coalition deal with National by being made Prime Minister,

    i have for quite some time considered this particular Jonolist to not quite be in control of all His faculties, that’s a speculation that Armstrong Himself seems happy to provide no evidence which would lead anyone to a contrary view…

  8. mickysavage 8

    The charges against Len Brown have been thrown out. Judge Emma Aitken had ruled that since McCready did not get the Attorney General’s permission there was no authority to start the prosecution. Under section 106 of the Crimes Act 1961 prior permission is required.

    Will this be the end of the matter?

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/234187/court-throws-out-brown-prosecution

    • bad12 8.1

      Apparently not MickySavage, the Court refused to proceed with this case because for a allegation of ‘corruption’ to proceed the, (ahaha i have forgotten the actual Title, Help!!!),damn this is going to make the comment messy, whats Findlayson’s position???,

      Anyway for an allegation of corruption to proceed someone ‘on high’ has to give permission, a little legal nicety that Graham Mac seemed to have missed befor filing this prosecution,

      This of course begs the question, the law favoring the rich and powerful???, a point could be made here that the judicial system in cases of at least ‘corruption’ is then open to political interference if in fact the permission has to be sought from the likes of Findlayson,

      In general this is just the first little fish hook that has derailed Graham Mac and the upcoming Banks trial will reveal a few more of them to Him as will this case He is attempting against Len Brown if it gets the go ahead to proceed to court,

      Being able to read the relevant ACT surrounding an alleged crime is only a small part of the ‘game’ of justice, having the dough to hire the smartest legal eagle having a big part of deciding the winner or loser,

      i think Graham Mac is a bit out of His depth and i also think He knows it…

      • bad12 8.1.1

        Lolz, should have read the link befor my fingers got to feverishly typing, to proceed with the Len Brown case Graham Mac must seek the permission of the Attorney General,(which He has indicated He will do)…

        • dv 8.1.1.1

          But it is an odd oversight seeing he has already been successful re Banks, in which he will have had to get the permission of the AG
          (May be he didn’t write it in the correct form as per Findlaysons needs)

          • mickysavage 8.1.1.1.1

            A charge of corruption needs AG approval, a charge of filing a false electoral return does not.

          • bad12 8.1.1.1.2

            i think that Graham Mac was successful with the Banks prosecution because the Judge had direct evidence from both SkyCity and Dotcom over the events surrounding the ‘donations’, and, if my memory serves me right Banks chose at the hearing not to produce any evidence to refute that evidence…

      • Penny Bright 8.1.2

        Shortly I will provide a link to Graham McCready’s legal documents, and my affidavit in support, and you will be able to read it for yourselves.

        [As these documents have not (yet) been filed, this is not subjudice.]

        Personally, I think he’s done a great job.

        Penny Bright

        • bad12 8.1.2.1

          Penny Bright, do you have direct knowledge that SkyCity gave ‘anything’ to Len Brown as any form of ‘payment’ for Brown supporting the convention center,

          We are all entitled to think that free rooms and convention center support looks a bit dodgy, and it does, but, i thunk it therefore it is, or, i have attended a number of international conventions on identifying corruption is not Evidence a judge would find sufficient to convict Brown of anything,

          If you cannot provide evidence from the SkyCity employee who authorized or gave the free or upgraded rooms to Brown on the basis that this was payment for Browns support of the convention center, and just as importantly, that Brown knew that the freebies and upgrades were being given specifically for the support Brown gave to the convention center then you have No Evidence a judge will find sufficient to convict Brown of anything,

          The above paragraph is in fact the test applied by the Court to the Phillip field case which only succeeded because those who gave their their free labour to Field gave evidence that both they and Field ‘Knew’ why they were providing such labour for free…

    • Penny Bright 8.2

      Nope.

      More later …………..

      Penny Bright

  9. Bill 9

    Really like the wee addition to the front of today’s open mike. 😉 Nice thinking, whoever did it. If you haven’t noticed it yet, scroll up, be there and bring others along.

  10. bad12 10

    A gem of what looks like actual information from this mornings Herald online, it appears that Winston ”any program from government directed solely at Maori is separatism” Peters has met at least once with the Mana Party leader Hone Harawira to discuss the alarming rates of prostate cancer among Maori men,(some might call it an epidemic),

    i have to wonder if Winston seeking out Hone on this issue is simply one of gathering support for a screening program for Maori men in particular, or, is Peters being cunning/dishonest here perhaps seeking the help of the Mana Party to front this issue while allowing Him,(Peters),to still push the ‘separatist’ line when it comes to other programs directed at Maori…

  11. chris73 11

    Judging by the threads just recently National have set the cat among the pigeons with it education announcement (and getting the support of the unions)

    They must be doing something right

    • Ron 11.1

      According to news item National shouted the heads of various education unions to a freebie trip to Singapore and Hong Kong to study their education systems. Doesn’t take much to get union leaders on side does it. If I was a teacher/principal I would be looking for new heads of my union.

      • chris73 11.1.1

        John Keys a smart guy

        • bad12 11.1.1.1

          One man’s ‘smart guy’ is another’s ‘corrupt a/hole’…

          • chris73 11.1.1.1.1

            The ends justifies the means

            • Tim 11.1.1.1.1.1

              ….. said the deluded, protesting his innocence as he was about to meet his end.
              They do put themselves out there though aye C73, then squeal like stuffed pigs when it looks like its all turning to shit.

              (no doubt some algorithm has just kicked in – either technical, or in the mind of some jack-booted philistine)

              (Btw…. Finlayson’s just gorjiss in black and leather aye!)

              • North

                Then what did Naida Glavish, president is she of the Maori Party, say just yesterday ? We won’t talk to Hone because he won’t deal with National. WTF x 20 ???

                Seems like Naida, the fine person from the toll exchange “Kia Ora” days has completely forgotten those days. Just look at what the KMP (Kupapa Maori Party) and ShonKey Python does to peoples’ heads ! Terrible it is. Ne’er mind. Their deserved extinction looms. No worries.

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 11.1.1.2

          @ Chris73

          It is not smart to continue pushing for the short-term interests of a few at the expense of many – this ideology continually shows itself to be a catastrophic failure – and any person stating that is a smart thing to do needs to take off their blinkers and start seeing what is going on and thinking clearly.

          The system that you are advantaged by, Chris73, will collapse entirely if your type of blinkered ‘thinking’ is persisted in.

          • chris73 11.1.1.2.1

            I just think its amusing that the unions are supportive of this and its the Greens and Labour that are against it which will bite them in the backside because parents especially swing voters will support it as well

            • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 11.1.1.2.1.1

              You omit to address the point I made Chris73. If you persist in ‘living in fantasy land’ your advantages will be lost.

            • Anne 11.1.1.2.1.2

              The union leaders in their unedifying haste have shown some support for yet another step along the pathway of privatised education, but they seem to have gone a bit quiet. Could it be that many of their members have bawled them out for being thick headed fools? Or worse…

  12. chris73 12

    https://www.labour.org.nz/media/education-announcement-underwhelming

    And Cunliffes answer is “we’ll do the same but more”

    • Zorr 12.1

      Oh… did I miss Cunliffe’s State of the Nation speech?

      Oh wait… today appears to be Saturday and Monday is another 2 days away.
      Also, I don’t get how reading that makes you think Cunliffe is going to say the same shite as Dunnokeyo? It looks like he is setting himself up to have education as one of the planks in a central announcement of combating poverty as a primary cause of national concerns such as poor student achievement.

  13. bad12 15

    Also from the Herald online, it appears that Slippery and His National Government have so far spent 700 million dollars on buying up property on the proposed route(s) of Roads of No Significance,

    Thanks for the info Granny Herald but that’s what i would call shallow journalism and on a planet far far away named Competent Journalism a major newspaper would have as a matter of course assigned a reporter to trawl through the property records seeking any pattern of previous sales of this particular land involved and looking for political connections of the individual or companies involved in prior sales…

    • Draco T Bastard 15.1

      +1

    • alwyn 15.2

      Well, you are little bit closer to reality with this number that you usually are with your claims.

      Still not accurate of course, but I guess to think that there is no difference between the $700 million you claim and the $600 million that is the number your source, the Herald says is fairly typical for a Green Party enthusiast. Most of their MPs numbers are much, much further off.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11191751

      • bad12 15.2.1

        Lolz alwyn can i run all my comments past you for fact checking befor i post them, you could correct any spelling mistakes i make while your at it…

        • alwyn 15.2.1.1

          Oh, you’re not completely incompetent bad12. You only have two spelling mistakes and three cases where you have used a lower case i instead of an upper case I in that line and a half. You should also put a full stop after alwyn and start a new sentence with a capital C. A new sentence at “you could correct” would also be better English.
          (God I hope I haven’t got any mistakes in this. The second you make remarks like this you screw up.)

          • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 15.2.1.1.1

            Yep you are correct there, Alwyn:

            It should be: “…you have used a lower case ‘i’ instead of an upper case ‘I’ in that line and a half.”

            And your name should start with a capital.

            [Now it’s my turn… 🙂 ]

            • alwyn 15.2.1.1.1.1

              Damn. God wasn’t looking out for me. Yes it should be ‘i’ and ‘I’.

              No, of course he shouldn’t have used a capital letter for alwyn. If I choose to use a lower case letter he should do so whan he is typing my pseudonym. To do otherwise would be an error on his part.

              You could rightly object if I chose to call you BluLeopard etc couldn’t you?
              e e cummings would agree with me.

              • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill)

                I think you will find it is Blue Leopard – interesting re the non-capital pseudonym though, – I have usually capitalized all names out of some type of [perhaps] misguided respect – but that is a good point – in fact the only good point you’ve made all day – well done you! 😀

                • alwyn

                  Of course it is! why do you think I left off the “e”, capitalised it, and ran the words together?
                  They are all mistakes because you choose to use “blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill)” and, although I wish it wasn’t quite so long, I should use it the way you enter it if I am going to refer to you.

                  On the other hand I have seen many, many variations of Lanthanide, all by him/her so I don’t worry to much about not using the version used for any particular comment.
                  It is an element name of course, so perhaps the person concerned should pay proper respect to the official name “Lanthanide”?

                  • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill)

                    When that bill is reversed I will change back to ‘blue leopard’ – and the sooner that occurs the better -I added it as a reminder not to let that bill get forgotten about (for myself and others) !

                    I don’t care if people shorten my pseudonym or spell it with capitals

                    It is amusing re spelling one’s own name incorrectly though!

          • bad12 15.2.1.1.2

            Pffft, talk about pedantic, and if you think i would bother looking for any mistake in your script you must be as loose upstairs as i believe you to be,

            If it’s readable, including anyone’s comments, then it’s alright with me…

            • alwyn 15.2.1.1.2.1

              Oh, but I thought you were offering me a job, and would pay me for picking up your errors?
              After all, you asked me if I would do it. At a dollar an error I thought I might make quite a nice piece of pocket money.

              Meanwhile, back to the battle.

  14. Te Reo Putake 16

    More desperation from Dunnokeyo:

    During a stopover in Feilding, on his way to the annual political power meet in Ratana yesterday, Mr Key questioned Mr Lees-Galloway’s aptitude, saying he walked into a seat made safe by former Palmerston North MPs such as Steve Maharey.

    “He’s largely been a beneficiary of the fact that it’s been a Labour stronghold rather than [him being] an outstanding performer in Parliament,” Mr Key said.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9649902/Prime-Minister-takes-aim-at-MPs-performance

    Funny that. When John Banks asked Key what the chances of winning Palmy were during the infamous Epsom cuppa, he replied that Lees Galloway “bloody worked hard last time…he knocked on a lot of doors for a year, so I’d be surprised…”.

    Just for the record, Iain not only won, he substantially increased his majority and as one of the organisers of DC’s successful campaign, he has been promoted to a whip’s role, which I’m told he’s performing well in. National have also jumped on the ILG bandwagon in parliament, nicking policies he’s promoted around cigarette advertising and drunk driving.

    National’s underwhelming response is to put up newbie backbench list MP Joanne Hayes as their candidate in Palmy. No, I’d never heard of her, either. Pffft.

    • newsense 16.1

      Funny that. When John Banks asked Key what the chances of winning Palmy were during the infamous Epsom cuppa, he replied that Lees Galloway “bloody worked hard last time…he knocked on a lot of doors for a year, so I’d be surprised…”.

      really? brilliant. Pity none of the journalists managed to dig that up yet.

      • alwyn 16.1.1

        Pray, what is the point of this remark?

        It appears to be saying that Lees-Galloway worked very hard to get elected in 2008.
        After all the Epsom cuppa was before the 2011 election and therefore “worked bloody hard LAST time” had to be referring to 2008.

        Now, talking about the 2014 election, Key thimks they have a good chance of winning Palmerston North. All he is saying therefore is that after two full terms the public are going to decide they have had enough of someone who has done very little since he was first elected.

        That certainly seems long enough to put up with a pretty useless MP doesn’t it?

  15. North 17

    Is there a starker example of the emperor with no clothes whistling in the dark ?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9649902/Prime-Minister-takes-aim-at-MPs-performance

  16. Penny Bright 18

    FYI

    24 January 2014 (Sent 3.57pm)

    ‘Open Letter’ – Application for ‘speaking rights’ at the Auckland Council Governing Body meeting to be held on Thursday 30 January 2014, 9.30am Auckland Town Hall.

    Dear Elaine,

    My subject matter will briefly cover:

    WHY WAS ‘DUE PROCESS’ AS OUTLINED IN THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL ‘CODE OF CONDUCT’ (s8 ‘COMPLIANCE’) NOT FOLLOWED?

    Given that Section 8 of the Auckland Council ‘Code of Conduct’, clearly outlines the process to be followed when there are allegations of ‘statutory’ (or ‘non-statutory’ breaches) thereof – why wasn’t it?

    Why was an independent ‘Conduct Review Independent Panel’ not constituted by the Auckland Council Governing Body, based upon their selection of suitably qualified persons, ‘with appropriate skills and knowledge, recommended by the Chief Executive’?

    “8.5. Conduct Review Independent Panel

    The governing body shall constitute a Conduct Review Independent Panel. The members of the Panel will be selected from a list of persons with appropriate skills and knowledge, to be recommended by the Chief Executive. …. ”

    Upon what lawful basis did the (former) CEO, Doug McKay, chose NOT to follow this ‘due process’, but effectively made up his own process and arguably ‘picked his own people’ – Ernst and Young?

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/SiteCollectionDocuments/aboutcouncil/governingbody/codeofconductelectedmembers.pdf

    ………………………………….
    8.8. Responses to Breaches of the Code

    To avoid doubt, a breach of the Code of Conduct does not constitute an offence under the Local Government Act 2002. The exact nature of the action the governing body/local board may take depends on the nature of the breach and whether there are statutory provisions dealing with the breach.

    Where there are statutory provisions:

    breaches relating to members’ interests may render members liable for prosecution by the Auditor-General under the Local Authority (Members’ Interests) Act 1968;breaches which result in the Council suffering financial loss or damage may be reported on by the Auditor-General under the Local Government Act 2002, which may result in the member having to make good the loss or damage;breaches relating to the commission of a criminal offence may leave the elected member liable for criminal prosecution.

    In these cases the governing body or local board may refer an issue to the relevant body, any member of the public may make a complaint to that body, or the Auditor-General or Police may take action of their own initiative.

    Where there are no statutory provisions, the governing body or local board may take the following action:

    censure;
    removal of the elected member from representative type bodies;
    dismissal of the elected member from a position as Chair or Deputy Chair of a committee.
    A decision to apply one or more of these actions requires a resolution to that effect.
    _____________________________________________________________________________

    Penny Bright
    _____________________________________________________________________________

    (Reply received 4.06pm 24 January 2014)

    Dear Penny

    Confirming that I have received your request to speak in public input at the 30 January 2013 Governing Body meeting on the issues outlined in your email below.

    I will progress this and respond further on Tuesday to advise you on the outcome of your request.

    Regards
    Elaine Stephenson | Democracy Advisor |
    Governance Support I Democracy Services
    _____________________________________________________________________________

    Will Mayor Len Brown, as Chair of the Auckland Council Governing Body, grant me speaking rights?

    Upon what lawful basis can he try to decline this application?

    The Auckland Council Governing Body meeting, to be held Thursday, 30 January 2014 at 9.30am, at the Auckland Town Hall, should be FASCINATING……..

    Penny Bright

    • bad12 18.1

      Lolz, probably not Penny Bright, i doubt because your a pain in the butt will be Len’s ‘lawful basis’ for denying your application, but, He will probably be thinking just that while He consults the book of 1001 ways to get the overly fervent off your back for a convenient lawful basis…

      • Penny Bright 18.1.1

        Denying me speaking rights on this matter will simply pour petrol on the fire …….

        There are a number of ‘conflicts of interest’ in the (unlawful?) appointment of Ernst and Young to do this ‘inquiry’, which, in my opinion, effectively helped to shield Mayor Len Brown from prosecution for alleged criminal offending.

        Who did Mayor Len Brown commission to do a (favourable) report on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)?

        Oh – that’s right.

        Ernst and Young.

        http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/document/pdf/201348/PPPStudyForAttachmen1.pdf

        Penny Bright

        • bad12 18.1.1.1

          Penny Bright, Cameron Brewer must simply adore your provision of ammunition to Him and the right wing cabal on the Auckland Council…

          • Penny Bright 18.1.1.1.1

            I’ll say it again for the 30,000th time – it’s no longer ‘left’ vs ‘right’ and hasn’t been for the last 30 years since the 1984-87 Labour Government introduced the neo-liberal ‘Rogernomics reforms’.

            In my opinion, it’s the corporate minority vs the public majority (1% vs 99% – as it were), which is why I was so involved in the Occupy Auckland movement.

            In my opinion, those who REALLY run the Auckland region (the unelected Committee for Auckland), much prefer the smiley faces and more personable approaches of those who pretend to serve the community and public interest, because the public tend to trust them more than the nasty, openly divisive ones (like John Banks).

            Yep – I’m sure Cameron Brewer and the ‘right wing cabal’ would have loved it when some of us managed to help get John Banks committed to trial for electoral fraud?

            Sorry that the FACTS are not to your liking ‘bad12’ – but your disapproval isn’t going to stop my ‘blowing the whistle’ and telling the truth.

            I don’t expect some of you to like it.

            So be it.

            Penny Bright

            • bad12 18.1.1.1.1.1

              Well said Penny Bright and i do not disagree with much of what you post here in this ‘comment’ one of few i have seen from you explaining your position and actions as apposed to the usual overly-long dump of ‘stuff’ that is a ‘turn-off’ to wade through,

              While i am on the one hand happy to see Len Brown being made accountable for His actions i do have some disquiet about how far the attempts at seeking this accountability will push the average Auckland head toward the right when it comes to voter choices,

              i do point out above why i believe the current attempt at prosecuting Brown will not succeed and have to point out that i believe that any alternative to Brown voted into the Mayoral position would in fact be a far far worse for the people and the City of Auckland thus the attempts at unseating Len can be seen as attempts to speed up the time where Auckland will find itself with a Mayor of the caliber of a Palino,Brewer, or, Hide,

              i beg to differ on your, there is no left or right, and, hope to see you debate this point further,(how bout a guest post on the subject Penny Bright???), but, the 99% against the 1%???, nah sorry although i ‘see’ the point vis a vis who holds the wealth the 1%, unless you consider all votes to be rigged, are voted into positions of power,(those that represent them in plain English), which ‘more or less’ requires some form of majority,

              i will lastly in a ‘me too me too’ claim to have had a hand in the placing of John Banks befor the High Court for trial, my small contribution was a matter of putting my money where my mouth is, not being a resident of Auckland,

              i tho see a stark difference in the politics of John Banks when compared against those of Len Brown, it’s a pity that you fail to differentiate…

  17. Colonial Viper 19

    Gathering in Dunedin went well 🙂

  18. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 20

    I just came across these ‘Top 10 Media Manipulation Strategies’ and am sharing the link for anyone who hasn’t seen them and is interested.

    Strangely enough they sound familiar.

  19. Anne 21

    I don’t know whether anyone has already mentioned it, but there was a fascinating interview with Professor of Culture and Economy at Loughborough University, England, Graham Murdock on Kim Hill’s show this morning. The subject matter: The problems of surveillance by governments and corporations. It’s a shocking eye opener!

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2583455

    He emphasises ” the privatisation of public sector information on people”. Something we have reason to be very concerned about here in NZ under this government.

    • newsense 21.1

      there was an article in the business papers about the likely success of a software company working in surveillance

  20. ropata 23

    NZ beaten by Australia in Oxfam’s global food index

    NZ is only 23rd in the world for a plentiful, nutritious, healthy and affordable diet according to new Oxfam report. detailed data here

    1: Netherlands
    2: Switzerland
    3: France
    4= Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Denmark
    8= Australia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Italy, Ireland
    13= Iceland, Cyprus, Finland, Norway, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Spain
    21= Japan, USA
    23= New Zealand, Israel

    NZ is also 23rd worst for diabetes and obesity, hooray …

  21. newsense 24

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11191707

    The Herald says that because Len Brown refused to stand down when they told him to he is now fatally comprimised and can’t adovacte for proper public transpo rt for Auckland. Farken hogwash.

  22. newsense 25

    Also this from Fraaaan:

    Typically, Cunliffe qualified his new public support for oil and gas exploration by saying Labour will look at the Norwegian model for regulating the oil and gas industry, including stronger environmental safeguards and steeper taxes. The industry can wear this. It is, after all, in their own commercial interests to ensure they do not have major spills.

    In many respects it is like Cunliffe’s qualified support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Not against the TPP, but wanting to see the fine print to ensure New Zealand’s national interests are looked after in the final deal.

    yes. wanting to see NZ’s interests looked after before signing off one something is the rational thing to do…

    I can’t figure out why we haven’t heard anything about all the things Gordon Campbell writes about:

    this among other columns
    http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2014/01/15/gordon-campbell-on-the-lack-of-incentives-for-anadarko/

    • floyd 25.1

      Ooerr. Fancy wanting to see the fine print to ensure Nzs national interests are looked after in the final deal.

  23. North 27

    The arsehole’s after the pimply Religious Right now…….

    http://news.msn.co.nz/article.aspx?id=8789183

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    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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