But there’s also proof that Eddie doesn’t know how to admit something graciously:
The fact that I knew Dunne was being a duplicitous son of a bitch in avoiding (save once) giving an express opinion on National’s asset sales programme does not mitigate the fact he was refusing to be open about it.
That’s pretty hissy- and again proven to be wrong. Plus he made an accusation claimed as fact that has no facts to back it up.
And he made yet another accusation:
You know this, Pete. You ran the UF line and repeatedly refused to express support National’s asset sales programme on this site.
I’ll leave my exact words elsewhere (and have also compiled Eddie’s exact words) because there’s a risk using them here: “Eddie” digs dirt deeper
I’m still waiting for Eddie to operate to the same standards he demanded of me under threat, to front up with proof.
IrishBill: Yes, Eddie was wrong but it’s a blog, pete, I think you’re losing perspective. I’m tempted to give you a week off so you can go out, get some sun and have a think about whether spending every waking hour you have on the blogz is the healthiest way to spend your life. However I think that’s choice you need to make for yourself.
The only thing I am acknowledging is that in the mass of poorly prepared and worded soundbites that is the United Follicle policy it is possible he sort of said that he would support the sale of some of our most important strategic assets.
Jumping up and down about what he did or did not sort of say is a waste of time as the important point is that he will be complicit in one of the most stupid decisions a New Zealand Government ever makes.
And your gloating and “gocha politics” that you are engaging in is not endearing. Try debating the big issues.
Pete. From the first part of your link. (The rest being scurrilous bullshit) The posts here are opinions. Opinions can be wrong. Opinions can (and often are) based on taking available facts and constructing conclusions from them. That’s an entirely legitimate and natural process. And if a pertinent fact is overlooked, then the opinion will be mistaken. And if said pertinent fact is brought up in comments, then the reader can alter their judgement of the original opinion (and consequently their own opinion) accordingly.
It’s called a learning process.
Attempting to smear authors because their opinions haven’t taken all available facts into account (as though they should be aware of all available facts!) is fucking ridiculous and would be a reasonable cause for a ban being applied (imo).
But just you carry right on with that there crusade, why don’t you?
“You ran the UF line and repeatedly refused to express support National’s asset sales programme on this site” doesn’t sound like an opinion to me. It’s a very specific accusation. With no facts.
And it’s not me trying to smear an author.
Can you clarify what you think would be “reasonable cause for a ban”?
Pete. I’m not known for applying bans willy-nilly. I’m kind of tolerant…maybe even over tolerant. Your link was nothing but scurrilous b/s. At the point you allow your self-rightiousness to ‘bleed’ that shit over onto the site proper, then under the ‘policy’ and ‘about’ criteria, your gone.
You have read the ‘policy’ and ‘about’, haven’t you?
Oops. Seems a less than ‘over- tolerant’ moderator was on-line. Oh well.
The issue is whether the general public was mislead by Peter Dunne regarding his stance on asset sales prior to the last election… and from an outside perspective, they most definitely were:
Provided we never move to sell Kiwibank, Radio NZ or our water resources, we would be prepared to support that policy.
~ Peter Dunne October 30, 2011
Much of New Zealand’s water resource is being included in National’s MOM privatisation model and the Māori Council has lodged a claim in the Waitangi Tribunal relating to the rights to the water used by the companies on the block.
It’s quite amusing how you go to great lengths claiming that Eddie and Zetetic don’t provide evidence for a couple of statements (that are in themselves hardly Earth-shattering), then segue into some rather strong insinuations about their identities with no evidence apart from a reference to somebody else referencing some unsubstantiated hearsay from “about the blogosphere. It’s quite clear that the identity speculation, and not honest fact-checking, was your aim all along – a fairly clumsy post, really.
The difference is that I’m just some idle Joe with no real connection to politics, reading your nonsense and scratching my head, wheareas you’re a wannabe lawmaker putting up a blog post and linking to it proudly as though it were some kind of revelation.
It depends on who’s behind those “opinions”. If those opinions are just personal views, then there’s little accountability. But if an identity was a front for a political organisation, or a part of a political organisation, then acountability matters.
If I found that United Future had anything like an operation that promoted deliberate distortions or lies and tried to smear other MPs and parties using anonymous indentities purporting to be personal opinions, and kept that secret, I’d be very annoyed, and I’d do something about it.
I’d be surprised if members of other parties didn’t think similarly. The Greens, for example, reacted quickly and properly when a party member in Hamilton promoted his wife’s story to media without disclosing his connections.
Bearing in mind the insinuations contained in the link you put up this morning and reading your comment in that light, I’ve one gentle suggestion for you. Fuck off and read the ‘about’ link and the ‘policy’ links on this page..
Pompous git much, Pete? Last time I looked, The Standard authors were under no obligation to do anything, especially not at the behest of a Tory tool like yourself. Still, it was great to see you sweat and have to work for a change to justify your party’s support of National’s most unpopular policy.
If you are that confident of your position, Pete, why don’t we test your presence here democratically? You ask a lot of inane questions, so why not ask a pertinent one for a change and see if the readership believe you should be allowed to continue to poison this site?
Pete. The treatment you were subjected to was atrocious – I’m no fan of people ‘ganging up’ on commenters. And the bar that you were asked to clear to avoid being banned was ludicrous. (There are many, many assertions made in comments that are not backed by indesputable hard evidence and to apply that bar across the board would see a number of commentators disappear.)
But you know what? Time to drop it Pete. Let it go.
If there’s to be voting, then I vote in favour of Pete. He can be annoying but so can lots of people. Doesn’t make him the devil.
And he provides lots of opportunities for disagreement. And sometimes he brings up interesting things that others have missed. And he acknowledges clean players across the spectrum from where he sits. And I like stirrers. And god loves a trier.
You got lucky, Pete. Don’t try to pretend it was anything more.
You personally couldn’t produce evidence that Peter Dunne said he would support National’s proposed asset sales. Insider did it for you.
You personally could not prove what your own party leader’s position on a major issue was, and then you try to say that the voting public knew exactly what that position was.
Obviously Peter Dunne’s position was not widely known if it was that hard to find media coverage of it. But that’s partly because the media don’t cover United Future very much because no one cares what they think about anything.
The media were panting about how Key was going to govern alone and no one expected Dunne to end up as the sole tipping vote in the asset sales fiasco.
There’s a lesson here for the journos about not counting their chickens, and one for you about not pushing your luck. And probably one for the voters of Ohariu about not voting for a National party pollie in drag to try and rort the electoral system by possibly sneaking in a few extra MPs.
I’m glad the Commerce Commission is investigating Sky. The limited coverage of sport on free-to-air TV has pretty much killed off the interest in watching sports that I once had.
The Commerce Commission is being urged to widen its investigation into Sky Television to include the pay-TV network’s dealings with taxpayer-funded national sport organisations.
Labour MP Clare Curran and former deputy prime minister Jim Anderton both expressed strong concern to the Sunday Star-Times about “rapacious” demands Sky enforces on sports bodies for coverage of their events, and its monopoly of the broadcast market.
The pair said Sky’s actions were undermining New Zealand’s ability to secure major international sporting events.
In recent years, Sky has begun demanding fees from national sports organisations to broadcast their events.
Sport should be a leisure activity and available to all to participate in and watch. The way capitalism turns everything into a market commodity undermines the community good.
I’d rather see and participate in less professionally-honed, and less globalised sports events than the way it’s become professionalised, pricing the less well-off out of the market.
Broadcast media also worked as a community focus in the early-to-mid 20th century. Commodification has gone hand-in-hand with the fragmentation of communities.
I agree, I used to be a huge rugby fan and go to eden park pretty often. Since sky taking over all rights to the game I hardly know whose doing well and whose not so have zero interest in going to a match.
Sky is stopping you actually going to the games? I know they are good but I didn’t realize they were that good. But, of course, the government should stop them.
Tony O’Brien, SKY’s lobbyist will be doing the rounds to ensure Ministers quash any proper analysis of SKY ‘s utter monopoly in NZ. Sport is just the start, quality TV drama is next (already well on the way to getting a monopoly there) and then they’ll set their sights on news… so when will a government act?
All the more reason for Wellington based folk to come along to the SAVE TVNZ7 PUBLIC MEETING
Local MP Grant Robertson will be hosting a public meeting to talk about the future of public broadcasting in New Zealand. Its tomorrow Monday 21st May, 7pm, at the Wesley Church Hall on Taranaki Street.
The meeting will be moderated by Wallace Chapman and speakers include Clare Curran, Tom Frewen, Sue Kedgley and Dr Peter Thompson.
I see that Senate Communications will be selling our assets. It’s a co-incidence of course that Jenny Shipley pops up again in connection with one of the partners as does Bill English, Skycity and John Banks. Quite a few of their staff also seem to be ex-Domnion Post staff.
They seem to get a fair bit of government work they do.
Raphael Hilbron – Partner
A former journalist, Raphael worked for The Dominion newspaper and in various public sector roles before moving into politics where he worked as a press secretary in former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley’s office.
David Cormack
While at University, David was an intern in then opposition MP Bill English’s office, doing research, media releases and general administrative duties.’
Scott Campbell
Before joining Senate, Scott was General Manager of SKYCITY’s Corporate Communications, where he was responsible for building and maintaining the company’s reputation with key stakeholders, including the media, politicians, iwi and opinion leaders.
Prior to this, Scott was employed by then Auckland City Mayor John Banks, as his Media and Communications Advisor for the Super City elections.
Thing is this is nothing at all new, as most here will realise. The tertiary systems are where the most likely to brown nose sycophants are found and given their roles and responsibilities into the wider programme, certainly in the are where the public and private services cross over..
Why do we see so much interchanging between the same companies, people involved, then back to the private sector they go, or of to join the jolly alongside the ex ministers and the like. Troughers and sycophants travel together and follow each other around, hence why the revolving doors…
Frankly its all rather nauseating that these people and their hangers on, end up having such negative impacts on the vast majority, and it is what needs to stop!
Pete’s got a week ban. However having looked at the thread he was gloating about I’ve decided it’s time to moderate a little harder for a while – as annoying as Pete is it’s more annoying to me to see commenters descend into sustained abuse rather than debate. I’ve no intention of allowing the TS comment threads become as unpleasant and unwelcoming as Kiwiblog’s.
Pete got banned for making shit up about authors. Anyone who does that gets time out. As you well know. However, before he stepped over the mark he got grief that I think was out of line and I intend to do something about that.
where did he make something up? on another blog? pretty tough new standard you are imposing, especially if you are planning on consistency. Given Eddie and Zetectic are anonymous its going to be a bit hard to enforce.
He posted the link here. It would be inconsistent to ignore that – or should I not moderate otherwise polite commenters who link to hate sites, porn, site advertising timeshare apartments or other things we don’t directly allow in the threads here?
Now, could you please explain how the anonymity of some authors affects the enforceability of my moderating policy? Because I don’t follow your argument at all.
I accept I was tiptoeing a line so accept the ban, it’s your right and it doen’t seem unfair in the circumstances. I dispute some of the facts but that’s irrelevant.
“I accept I was tiptoeing a line so accept the ban, it’s your right and it doen’t seem unfair in the circumstances.” PG on TS at 11.06.
“Authors making shit up is acceptable there (they do it with impunity), speaking openly and honestly is abused and banned.” PG on KB ten minutes earlier.
IrishBill: Pete’s taking a week off now. Let’s let this one go, eh?
It appears to me he got banned twice for being annoyingly correct rather than any real offence. Plenty on here have had their motives questioned and their funding with not a murmur of a ban. Plenty have done so on other blogs without bans. I think you’re a bit trigger happy iun this case
I’m pretty sure I banned him for attacking authors on their anonymity rather than their argument. As has been policy for a long time. Now, what “truth” were you referring to?
With the clowns in charge readying themselves to head down their own ideological path this article about teacher evaluation seems to be particularly relevant.
What is the Labour leadership doing (wrong) ?
Today’s Sunday Star Times, who are one of our greatest supporters, has only Green MP’s on their pages, again.
Where are our leaders ?
Does anyone think that Collins needs to be replaced as the Minister of ACC due to there being an unhealthy culture at ACC?
Part of the unhealthy culture is a minister being so focused on her own personal issues connected with an ACC complainant that I feel the minister is being distracted. We saw the very unhealthy culture within the police regarding sexual misconduct and the then Police Minister King did not muck about when an individual was being silenced by a government department. Then sadly when Collins was the Minister of Police the Bazley recommendations were not prioritised.
The unhealthy culture inside ACC began with the change of government in Nov.2008. Up until then it was a govt. run agency whose sole focus was to help people recoup their physical and/or mental health after an accident or traumatic experience – exactly as was envisaged by Geoffrey Palmer. Now with the change of emphasis its’ slowly drifting towards yet another money grubbing privately owned insurance company. At least that is what it will end up being… unless we have a change of government in 2014.
I remember the same process taking place at WINZ during the 1990s with the change of culture being lead by the dreadful Christine Rankin. Fortunately the change of govt. in Nov.1999 saw the end of that woman – at least as the CEO of a govt. agency. It’s interesting that both Rankin and her mate, Paula Bennett were recipients of help and a leg-up when they were young and having it tough. As soon as they grabbed the reins of power it became a… pox on all you welfare bludgers and if you dare to complain, we’ll make trouble for you!
Anne, I also support your assessment although I believe that the present culture in ACC in particular goes back well beyond 2008 but perhaps came to the fore (again) in 2008. I worked for a govt agency (and was indirectly involved in overseeing ACC and cleaning up the mess resulting from the introduction and then closing down of competition from private providers) in the first half of the 2000s. IMO this episode had resulted in a loss of direction from the original concepts of the ACC scheme and a culture within the organisation of seeing the organisation as a private provider of insurance and separate from the public service per se etc. This was evidenced by the glossy public documents (Annual Reports, Statements of Intent etc) and the expenditure on these and other internal things, and the attitudes of senior management and staff. I also saw this in the attitudes of many ex-staff I met in other jobs/govt agencies etc. subsequently – that is that ACC was private sector rather than public sector – and this attitude carried over by some ex-ACC personnel to some very core public sector organisations and their reason for being.
Re-WINZ, I also recall the things I heard and saw under the Rankin administration – enough said!
who read michael laws colum today.
first he bleated about not being slected for training college.
I wonder why?
they obviously saw something.
then he made a plea for hekia parata.
then he finsished off by saying that at last teachers would be accountable.
nothing about pupils.
anywhere else in the world people jump at the chance for education but here we have to cajole and pander to the hoi polooi while the smart kids just get on with it.
Michael laws doesn’t fool me.
the euducATION SYSTEM IS JUST ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR NATIONAL PARTY PATRONAGE.
i.e paying off their mates.
hekia parata and her pals.
nevermind.
this nightmasre will all be over in 2014 and the education system returned to people who can at least read and write.
A 5.9 earthquake in Italy has killed at least 3 people, and that follows others in different regions of Italy.
It happened at 04.00, 3 hours ago plus change as I write… http://www3.lastampa.it/cronache/sezioni/articolo/lstp/454872/
Equally important, a bomb blast at a school in Brindisi, has killed a 16 year old girl and injured 6 other people. What I want to know is, why was such an horrific event ignored by the NZ media? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18128170
(I would have known nothing about it, if not for Facebook! Friends of mine had memorials for Melissa Bassi.)
The bombing is thought to have been perpetrated by the Italian mafia. Ironically the school, is named after Francesca Morvillo Falcone, who was also killed by the mafia 20 years ago.
Oh, thanks Carol, that’s good to know… (I rely on radio, and not even Radio NZ mentioned it that I am aware of.)
Listening to One News at the minute, it’s just started, but I hope they mention the earthquake, even in passing! Not so far, but it’s only 5 minutes in, and both 3 News and One news seem to prioritise local news – very local so far!
Thank you Carol… Excellent news, both of those things… my faith is nearly restored! I suppose the moral is, one must look online… 🙂
(The one time I don’t watch (listen to) 3 News! Much though I don’t like it, for years we lived in a valley in Mt Eden and couldn’t get TV1, so I got used to 3 News, hard habit to break)
Well, neither story has stayed at the top of the websites for long – not seen as more important than the celebrity news etc. (excluding RNZ re- that celeb news comment).
19 minutes in, One News mentions the bombing at the school. Now they’re talking about Syria and China, 30 seconds for each overseas story. Well done! In the previous segment, the USA got 5 minutes to itself. Typische!
Use Powershop. If you’ve got a smart meter, you get automated readings *every day* that you can check on their website – so you can see how much electricity you used yesterday or last week, remember what you did that day and work out ways to improve your power usage. In Christchurch there is a 5c rebate for power used on weekends between 7am and 5pm or something like that.
If you’re interested I could refer you as a ‘mate’, and I’d get $25 rebate and you’d get $50.
I looked online at my power use a while back. It told me what I already knew – the most obvious implication was that I use more electricity on the days when I’m not working than when I am going out to work, and I know what I do that uses electricity.
Lanthanide and Carol, I think we are reasonably aware of what causes our energy use and tracking that is useful up to a point. However if a power company suddenly lifts charges from 10.28 cents / kWh to 14.00 cents, as Just Energy has done, energy saving can only do so much. I will definitely look at Powershop next if Meridian disappoints again.
I guess none of this would have happened if power supply had remained a state controlled strategic asset.
I made that comment because you were complaining about only getting meter reads once or twice a year. If you’ve got a smart meter with powershop then it doesn’t matter. Although having said that I believe other providers will also make use of smart meters if they’re available.
My impression is that successive governments have pushed expenditure from central to local government, but that this has increased in recent years, particularly regarding responsibility for roading. Labour had a fairly clear view that local decisions should be made by local communities, National has the view that cetnral government rules; local government is their to do their bidding.
I am surprised there has been little comment about this issue – perhaps National is right in thinking that local government problems don’t affect “National” government, so why not shift / blame problems to local government.
Risildo, that may be so but it just means Genesis is much worse than Just Energy not that Just Energy is the cheapest. We only noticed the increase in our last bill because the notification just informed us that there would be a rise, but not how much. I think a 25% increase is irresponsible and unjustifiable.
Louis Crimp – what a rat-faced unpleasant little man who seems to have made his money from living off the gambling of people who he despises. He looks so shifty – not an adornment to the city.
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Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
Essay: If the Crown harms children, how do you hold it accountable? Analysis by Aaron Smale in light of the Waitangi Tribunal court decision. The post The Crown versus Māori Children appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
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A warning – suicide is discussed in this podcast New Zealand’s own long-running soap Shortland Street doesn’t hesitate to kill off its much-loved characters. But would TVNZ dare to kill off our favourite soap? That’s the fear as times get tough in television – even though it’s been pointed out ...
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan resistance leader has condemned the United Nations role in allowing Indonesia to “integrate” the Melanesian Pacific region in what is claimed to be an “egregious act of inhumanity” on 1 May 1963. In an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Organisasi Papua Merdeka-OPM ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A key part of the Albanese government’s political strategy is to fill the news cycle with its presence and messaging. Ministers are deployed to the maximum, even when they’ve little to say. This week ...
Recent extreme weather events showed the importance of a well-functioning insurance system, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs minister Andrew Bayly. ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priestley Habru, PhD candidate, public diplomacy, University of Adelaide Former foreign minister Jeremiah Manele has been elected the next prime minister of Solomon Islands, defeating the opposition leader, Matthew Wale, in a vote in parliament. The result is a mixed bag for ...
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Yesterday, after proof was provided, Eddie accepted he and Zetetic were wrong in their accusations against Dunne and UF on asset sales.
There’s more proof: http://thestandard.org.nz/dunne-angry/comment-page-1/#comment-473563
But there’s also proof that Eddie doesn’t know how to admit something graciously:
That’s pretty hissy- and again proven to be wrong. Plus he made an accusation claimed as fact that has no facts to back it up.
And he made yet another accusation:
I’ll leave my exact words elsewhere (and have also compiled Eddie’s exact words) because there’s a risk using them here: “Eddie” digs dirt deeper
I’m still waiting for Eddie to operate to the same standards he demanded of me under threat, to front up with proof.
IrishBill: Yes, Eddie was wrong but it’s a blog, pete, I think you’re losing perspective. I’m tempted to give you a week off so you can go out, get some sun and have a think about whether spending every waking hour you have on the blogz is the healthiest way to spend your life. However I think that’s choice you need to make for yourself.
There is nothing worse than being a gloater Pete.
So are you also willing to admit that you are occasionally wrong?
Yes, I’m willing to admit I am sometimes wrong. But I try to avoid admitting I’m wrong and then repeating making factless assertions.
I’m not gloating, I’m simply asking for Eddie to be held to account like he held me to account.
Are you willing to admit that people in politics should be held to account?
Held to account?
For what Petey?
The only thing I am acknowledging is that in the mass of poorly prepared and worded soundbites that is the United Follicle policy it is possible he sort of said that he would support the sale of some of our most important strategic assets.
Jumping up and down about what he did or did not sort of say is a waste of time as the important point is that he will be complicit in one of the most stupid decisions a New Zealand Government ever makes.
And your gloating and “gocha politics” that you are engaging in is not endearing. Try debating the big issues.
Cry me a river Petey.
Ok, try this then. I think this is a big issue.
Do you think openess and honesty is important in politics and in parties?
IrishBill: You’ve been here long enough to know that making shit up to attack authors is a banning offence. You can take that week off now.
Pete. From the first part of your link. (The rest being scurrilous bullshit) The posts here are opinions. Opinions can be wrong. Opinions can (and often are) based on taking available facts and constructing conclusions from them. That’s an entirely legitimate and natural process. And if a pertinent fact is overlooked, then the opinion will be mistaken. And if said pertinent fact is brought up in comments, then the reader can alter their judgement of the original opinion (and consequently their own opinion) accordingly.
It’s called a learning process.
Attempting to smear authors because their opinions haven’t taken all available facts into account (as though they should be aware of all available facts!) is fucking ridiculous and would be a reasonable cause for a ban being applied (imo).
But just you carry right on with that there crusade, why don’t you?
Bill – that’s if they’re just personal opinions.
“You ran the UF line and repeatedly refused to express support National’s asset sales programme on this site” doesn’t sound like an opinion to me. It’s a very specific accusation. With no facts.
And it’s not me trying to smear an author.
Can you clarify what you think would be “reasonable cause for a ban”?
Pete. I’m not known for applying bans willy-nilly. I’m kind of tolerant…maybe even over tolerant. Your link was nothing but scurrilous b/s. At the point you allow your self-rightiousness to ‘bleed’ that shit over onto the site proper, then under the ‘policy’ and ‘about’ criteria, your gone.
You have read the ‘policy’ and ‘about’, haven’t you?
Oops. Seems a less than ‘over- tolerant’ moderator was on-line. Oh well.
The issue is whether the general public was mislead by Peter Dunne regarding his stance on asset sales prior to the last election… and from an outside perspective, they most definitely were:
Much of New Zealand’s water resource is being included in National’s MOM privatisation model and the Māori Council has lodged a claim in the Waitangi Tribunal relating to the rights to the water used by the companies on the block.
It’s quite amusing how you go to great lengths claiming that Eddie and Zetetic don’t provide evidence for a couple of statements (that are in themselves hardly Earth-shattering), then segue into some rather strong insinuations about their identities with no evidence apart from a reference to somebody else referencing some unsubstantiated hearsay from “about the blogosphere. It’s quite clear that the identity speculation, and not honest fact-checking, was your aim all along – a fairly clumsy post, really.
It’s quite clear that the identity speculation, and not honest fact-checking, was your aim all along
See what you’ve done there? And you’re wrong. Clumsy.
The difference is that I’m just some idle Joe with no real connection to politics, reading your nonsense and scratching my head, wheareas you’re a wannabe lawmaker putting up a blog post and linking to it proudly as though it were some kind of revelation.
w00t
No spam to wade through!
Sometimes wrong or admit sometimes, they’re not the same.
Can we get clarity on that please Petey, perhaps a link to your policy on honesty and admission.
“Are you willing to admit that people in politics should be held to account?”
Are you saying you not understand the difference between somebody blogging political opinions and somebody ‘in politics’?
It depends on who’s behind those “opinions”. If those opinions are just personal views, then there’s little accountability. But if an identity was a front for a political organisation, or a part of a political organisation, then acountability matters.
If I found that United Future had anything like an operation that promoted deliberate distortions or lies and tried to smear other MPs and parties using anonymous indentities purporting to be personal opinions, and kept that secret, I’d be very annoyed, and I’d do something about it.
I’d be surprised if members of other parties didn’t think similarly. The Greens, for example, reacted quickly and properly when a party member in Hamilton promoted his wife’s story to media without disclosing his connections.
Bearing in mind the insinuations contained in the link you put up this morning and reading your comment in that light, I’ve one gentle suggestion for you. Fuck off and read the ‘about’ link and the ‘policy’ links on this page..
Pompous git much, Pete? Last time I looked, The Standard authors were under no obligation to do anything, especially not at the behest of a Tory tool like yourself. Still, it was great to see you sweat and have to work for a change to justify your party’s support of National’s most unpopular policy.
If you are that confident of your position, Pete, why don’t we test your presence here democratically? You ask a lot of inane questions, so why not ask a pertinent one for a change and see if the readership believe you should be allowed to continue to poison this site?
Pete. The treatment you were subjected to was atrocious – I’m no fan of people ‘ganging up’ on commenters. And the bar that you were asked to clear to avoid being banned was ludicrous. (There are many, many assertions made in comments that are not backed by indesputable hard evidence and to apply that bar across the board would see a number of commentators disappear.)
But you know what? Time to drop it Pete. Let it go.
Why bother with this sanctimonious fool? He obliviously has too much time on his hands. Anyone who sees Peter Dunne as a pin-up boy has lost the plot.
+1 he’s a part of the NACT spin machine so nuff said really.
“He obliviously has”
Indeed Yoda ODrees. 🙂
If there’s to be voting, then I vote in favour of Pete. He can be annoying but so can lots of people. Doesn’t make him the devil.
And he provides lots of opportunities for disagreement. And sometimes he brings up interesting things that others have missed. And he acknowledges clean players across the spectrum from where he sits. And I like stirrers. And god loves a trier.
/2c
You got lucky, Pete. Don’t try to pretend it was anything more.
You personally couldn’t produce evidence that Peter Dunne said he would support National’s proposed asset sales. Insider did it for you.
You personally could not prove what your own party leader’s position on a major issue was, and then you try to say that the voting public knew exactly what that position was.
Obviously Peter Dunne’s position was not widely known if it was that hard to find media coverage of it. But that’s partly because the media don’t cover United Future very much because no one cares what they think about anything.
The media were panting about how Key was going to govern alone and no one expected Dunne to end up as the sole tipping vote in the asset sales fiasco.
There’s a lesson here for the journos about not counting their chickens, and one for you about not pushing your luck. And probably one for the voters of Ohariu about not voting for a National party pollie in drag to try and rort the electoral system by possibly sneaking in a few extra MPs.
I’m glad the Commerce Commission is investigating Sky. The limited coverage of sport on free-to-air TV has pretty much killed off the interest in watching sports that I once had.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/6953058/Sky-TVs-sports-influence-comes-into-question
Sport should be a leisure activity and available to all to participate in and watch. The way capitalism turns everything into a market commodity undermines the community good.
I’d rather see and participate in less professionally-honed, and less globalised sports events than the way it’s become professionalised, pricing the less well-off out of the market.
Broadcast media also worked as a community focus in the early-to-mid 20th century. Commodification has gone hand-in-hand with the fragmentation of communities.
I agree, I used to be a huge rugby fan and go to eden park pretty often. Since sky taking over all rights to the game I hardly know whose doing well and whose not so have zero interest in going to a match.
Sky is stopping you actually going to the games? I know they are good but I didn’t realize they were that good. But, of course, the government should stop them.
The less you see of something the less you care.
There’s a reason AFL is so popular in Victoria, you can’t help but know what is going on as it is on tv free to air all of the time.
Tony O’Brien, SKY’s lobbyist will be doing the rounds to ensure Ministers quash any proper analysis of SKY ‘s utter monopoly in NZ. Sport is just the start, quality TV drama is next (already well on the way to getting a monopoly there) and then they’ll set their sights on news… so when will a government act?
All the more reason for Wellington based folk to come along to the SAVE TVNZ7 PUBLIC MEETING
Local MP Grant Robertson will be hosting a public meeting to talk about the future of public broadcasting in New Zealand. Its tomorrow Monday 21st May, 7pm, at the Wesley Church Hall on Taranaki Street.
The meeting will be moderated by Wallace Chapman and speakers include Clare Curran, Tom Frewen, Sue Kedgley and Dr Peter Thompson.
Another great video from Peter ‘Potholer’ Sinclair.
This is Not Cool: Murderers, Tyrants, and Madmen
More Sinclair videos.
I see that Senate Communications will be selling our assets. It’s a co-incidence of course that Jenny Shipley pops up again in connection with one of the partners as does Bill English, Skycity and John Banks. Quite a few of their staff also seem to be ex-Domnion Post staff.
They seem to get a fair bit of government work they do.
Raphael Hilbron – Partner
A former journalist, Raphael worked for The Dominion newspaper and in various public sector roles before moving into politics where he worked as a press secretary in former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley’s office.
David Cormack
While at University, David was an intern in then opposition MP Bill English’s office, doing research, media releases and general administrative duties.’
Scott Campbell
Before joining Senate, Scott was General Manager of SKYCITY’s Corporate Communications, where he was responsible for building and maintaining the company’s reputation with key stakeholders, including the media, politicians, iwi and opinion leaders.
Prior to this, Scott was employed by then Auckland City Mayor John Banks, as his Media and Communications Advisor for the Super City elections.
Good information DoS. Makes you think innit!
Nice DoS.
Thing is this is nothing at all new, as most here will realise. The tertiary systems are where the most likely to brown nose sycophants are found and given their roles and responsibilities into the wider programme, certainly in the are where the public and private services cross over..
Why do we see so much interchanging between the same companies, people involved, then back to the private sector they go, or of to join the jolly alongside the ex ministers and the like. Troughers and sycophants travel together and follow each other around, hence why the revolving doors…
Frankly its all rather nauseating that these people and their hangers on, end up having such negative impacts on the vast majority, and it is what needs to stop!
How does Pete G afford to live? Does he get paid per post?
I wish. Like most bloggers and commenters, it costs time and money. But some people are lucky enough to have jobs that pay them to comment on blogs.
And some people arn’t.
But some people are lucky enough to have jobs that pay them to comment on blogs.
Really!? You’re paid to clutter up this blog with your spam?
Am I the only one who thinks there’s something wrong with that?
I see this as a mainly a place for people to discuss political issues in their non-work time.
If you read my comment properly you’ll see I’m not paid. It costs me.
IrishBill: well you’re banned now. Consider me your budgetary salvation.
Not as much as it costs the rest of us.
Why do you need to bury the meaning within a vague and misleading statement? Why not just clearly and directly state the truth?
Is it common practice for the Nats to hire people to spam forums and pages like stuff.co.nz?
I’m sure there must have been a bit of this going on during the elections. Maybe even on both sides.
Thanks irish, how long?
Pete’s got a week ban. However having looked at the thread he was gloating about I’ve decided it’s time to moderate a little harder for a while – as annoying as Pete is it’s more annoying to me to see commenters descend into sustained abuse rather than debate. I’ve no intention of allowing the TS comment threads become as unpleasant and unwelcoming as Kiwiblog’s.
So you are blaming the victim….nice
Pete got banned for making shit up about authors. Anyone who does that gets time out. As you well know. However, before he stepped over the mark he got grief that I think was out of line and I intend to do something about that.
where did he make something up? on another blog? pretty tough new standard you are imposing, especially if you are planning on consistency. Given Eddie and Zetectic are anonymous its going to be a bit hard to enforce.
He posted the link here. It would be inconsistent to ignore that – or should I not moderate otherwise polite commenters who link to hate sites, porn, site advertising timeshare apartments or other things we don’t directly allow in the threads here?
Now, could you please explain how the anonymity of some authors affects the enforceability of my moderating policy? Because I don’t follow your argument at all.
Apart from the link, he’s implied the same things about Eddie and Z in several comments here over the last couple of days.
About 4 times that I’ve noticed.
I accept I was tiptoeing a line so accept the ban, it’s your right and it doen’t seem unfair in the circumstances. I dispute some of the facts but that’s irrelevant.
Tschüss.
“I accept I was tiptoeing a line so accept the ban, it’s your right and it doen’t seem unfair in the circumstances.” PG on TS at 11.06.
“Authors making shit up is acceptable there (they do it with impunity), speaking openly and honestly is abused and banned.” PG on KB ten minutes earlier.
IrishBill: Pete’s taking a week off now. Let’s let this one go, eh?
Will do. Cheers, IB.
Even though I am no fan of PG, why on earth have you banned him? It seems unfair to me.
Speculating on the identities of pseudonymous authors.
Aren’t you banned Pete 🙂
he is now. Truth hurts….
I’m not sure I like what you’re insinuating. Would you care to elucidate on what “truth” you’re talking about?
It appears to me he got banned twice for being annoyingly correct rather than any real offence. Plenty on here have had their motives questioned and their funding with not a murmur of a ban. Plenty have done so on other blogs without bans. I think you’re a bit trigger happy iun this case
I’m pretty sure I banned him for attacking authors on their anonymity rather than their argument. As has been policy for a long time. Now, what “truth” were you referring to?
up against the wall mutha!
With the clowns in charge readying themselves to head down their own ideological path this article about teacher evaluation seems to be particularly relevant.
But they so got national standard so right, so teacher performance pay will be easy peasy
Poor folk. It could mean that a mediocre teacher who did not fail below his expectations would therefore be not a failure.Eh? Disaster!
What is the Labour leadership doing (wrong) ?
Today’s Sunday Star Times, who are one of our greatest supporters, has only Green MP’s on their pages, again.
Where are our leaders ?
Does anyone think that Collins needs to be replaced as the Minister of ACC due to there being an unhealthy culture at ACC?
Part of the unhealthy culture is a minister being so focused on her own personal issues connected with an ACC complainant that I feel the minister is being distracted. We saw the very unhealthy culture within the police regarding sexual misconduct and the then Police Minister King did not muck about when an individual was being silenced by a government department. Then sadly when Collins was the Minister of Police the Bazley recommendations were not prioritised.
The unhealthy culture inside ACC began with the change of government in Nov.2008. Up until then it was a govt. run agency whose sole focus was to help people recoup their physical and/or mental health after an accident or traumatic experience – exactly as was envisaged by Geoffrey Palmer. Now with the change of emphasis its’ slowly drifting towards yet another money grubbing privately owned insurance company. At least that is what it will end up being… unless we have a change of government in 2014.
I remember the same process taking place at WINZ during the 1990s with the change of culture being lead by the dreadful Christine Rankin. Fortunately the change of govt. in Nov.1999 saw the end of that woman – at least as the CEO of a govt. agency. It’s interesting that both Rankin and her mate, Paula Bennett were recipients of help and a leg-up when they were young and having it tough. As soon as they grabbed the reins of power it became a… pox on all you welfare bludgers and if you dare to complain, we’ll make trouble for you!
By the next election it is going to be a toss up between ACC or WINZ having the sickest culture.
Well said Anne
Anne, I also support your assessment although I believe that the present culture in ACC in particular goes back well beyond 2008 but perhaps came to the fore (again) in 2008. I worked for a govt agency (and was indirectly involved in overseeing ACC and cleaning up the mess resulting from the introduction and then closing down of competition from private providers) in the first half of the 2000s. IMO this episode had resulted in a loss of direction from the original concepts of the ACC scheme and a culture within the organisation of seeing the organisation as a private provider of insurance and separate from the public service per se etc. This was evidenced by the glossy public documents (Annual Reports, Statements of Intent etc) and the expenditure on these and other internal things, and the attitudes of senior management and staff. I also saw this in the attitudes of many ex-staff I met in other jobs/govt agencies etc. subsequently – that is that ACC was private sector rather than public sector – and this attitude carried over by some ex-ACC personnel to some very core public sector organisations and their reason for being.
Re-WINZ, I also recall the things I heard and saw under the Rankin administration – enough said!
who read michael laws colum today.
first he bleated about not being slected for training college.
I wonder why?
they obviously saw something.
then he made a plea for hekia parata.
then he finsished off by saying that at last teachers would be accountable.
nothing about pupils.
anywhere else in the world people jump at the chance for education but here we have to cajole and pander to the hoi polooi while the smart kids just get on with it.
Michael laws doesn’t fool me.
the euducATION SYSTEM IS JUST ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR NATIONAL PARTY PATRONAGE.
i.e paying off their mates.
hekia parata and her pals.
nevermind.
this nightmasre will all be over in 2014 and the education system returned to people who can at least read and write.
A 5.9 earthquake in Italy has killed at least 3 people, and that follows others in different regions of Italy.
It happened at 04.00, 3 hours ago plus change as I write…
http://www3.lastampa.it/cronache/sezioni/articolo/lstp/454872/
Equally important, a bomb blast at a school in Brindisi, has killed a 16 year old girl and injured 6 other people. What I want to know is, why was such an horrific event ignored by the NZ media?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18128170
(I would have known nothing about it, if not for Facebook! Friends of mine had memorials for Melissa Bassi.)
The bombing is thought to have been perpetrated by the Italian mafia. Ironically the school, is named after Francesca Morvillo Falcone, who was also killed by the mafia 20 years ago.
There is an article about the (possibly mafia) bombing in Italy on the NZ Herald website. I read it at around 7.30am this morning:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10807065
Oh, thanks Carol, that’s good to know… (I rely on radio, and not even Radio NZ mentioned it that I am aware of.)
Listening to One News at the minute, it’s just started, but I hope they mention the earthquake, even in passing! Not so far, but it’s only 5 minutes in, and both 3 News and One news seem to prioritise local news – very local so far!
Ah, well, I get up early and surf the news online.
TV3 has the Italy bombing coming up after the ad break.
Stuff has something on the quake:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/6954948/Three-die-in-Italy-quake
And radionz online has an article on the quake dated 3.03pm today.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/106260/5-point-9-magnitude-quake-strikes-northern-italy
Thank you Carol… Excellent news, both of those things… my faith is nearly restored! I suppose the moral is, one must look online… 🙂
(The one time I don’t watch (listen to) 3 News! Much though I don’t like it, for years we lived in a valley in Mt Eden and couldn’t get TV1, so I got used to 3 News, hard habit to break)
Well, neither story has stayed at the top of the websites for long – not seen as more important than the celebrity news etc. (excluding RNZ re- that celeb news comment).
That’s very depressing, but sadly not surprising…
19 minutes in, One News mentions the bombing at the school. Now they’re talking about Syria and China, 30 seconds for each overseas story. Well done! In the previous segment, the USA got 5 minutes to itself. Typische!
Louis Crimp – Asshole of the Week
Intent on cutting their own heads off… Act are now derided throughout the land.
Searching for the perfect power company is like searching for the Holy Grail (the Monty Python version) and my coconut shells are wearing down rapidly…
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/power-companies-and-holy-grail.html
Use Powershop. If you’ve got a smart meter, you get automated readings *every day* that you can check on their website – so you can see how much electricity you used yesterday or last week, remember what you did that day and work out ways to improve your power usage. In Christchurch there is a 5c rebate for power used on weekends between 7am and 5pm or something like that.
If you’re interested I could refer you as a ‘mate’, and I’d get $25 rebate and you’d get $50.
Ooh, ooh. I’ll send you a broken glass jar full of genuine bent nails on top of your $50 😉
How about a “buy now” for just the broken jar? I don’t want the nails or the power account but I really really need the jar right this minute.
I looked online at my power use a while back. It told me what I already knew – the most obvious implication was that I use more electricity on the days when I’m not working than when I am going out to work, and I know what I do that uses electricity.
Lanthanide and Carol, I think we are reasonably aware of what causes our energy use and tracking that is useful up to a point. However if a power company suddenly lifts charges from 10.28 cents / kWh to 14.00 cents, as Just Energy has done, energy saving can only do so much. I will definitely look at Powershop next if Meridian disappoints again.
I guess none of this would have happened if power supply had remained a state controlled strategic asset.
I made that comment because you were complaining about only getting meter reads once or twice a year. If you’ve got a smart meter with powershop then it doesn’t matter. Although having said that I believe other providers will also make use of smart meters if they’re available.
That’s helpful Lanthanide. I didn’t know those incentives existed.
I heard the proposals for central government to dictate to local government what rate rises should be, and have now seen this:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1205/S00294/qa-greg-boyed-interviews-david-carter.htm
My impression is that successive governments have pushed expenditure from central to local government, but that this has increased in recent years, particularly regarding responsibility for roading. Labour had a fairly clear view that local decisions should be made by local communities, National has the view that cetnral government rules; local government is their to do their bidding.
I am surprised there has been little comment about this issue – perhaps National is right in thinking that local government problems don’t affect “National” government, so why not shift / blame problems to local government.
I went with Just Energy
They are privately owned
Our power bills are $30 a month less than Genesis
Risildo, that may be so but it just means Genesis is much worse than Just Energy not that Just Energy is the cheapest. We only noticed the increase in our last bill because the notification just informed us that there would be a rise, but not how much. I think a 25% increase is irresponsible and unjustifiable.
Louis Crimp – what a rat-faced unpleasant little man who seems to have made his money from living off the gambling of people who he despises. He looks so shifty – not an adornment to the city.
Southland Times comment – Far from overbrimming with sympathy for the problems of pokie addiction, he wrote to our public opinion column in April referring witheringly to “the suckers who addict themselves to poker machines”.
and
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/6097009/Brand-name-to-go-on-receipt-of-2m (Louis Crimp multimillionaire
and
http://fundypost.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/louis-crimp-man-of-actions.html – Invercargill thoughts