“New papers reveal just how much the Government conceded to Warner Bros. to ensure the Hobbit movies were made in New Zealand.
The papers, obtained under the Official Information Act, also show the Government was less than forthcoming with the public about the reasons for changing employment law to keep the Hollywood studio happy.
The Government did a deal with Warners in October 2010 to ensure the movies were made in this country, amid fears a dispute with actors would force them to be made elsewhere. But the papers reveal an agreement had already been signed ending the dispute and the Government knew that.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly says at the time, the Government blamed the dispute for the law changes …”
I wonder if it is time to review the complaint of privilege made against Brownlee for misleading the house? Brownlee claimed on October 26 2010 that the boycott was the main cause of the uncertainty over The Hobbit
And I wonder if this will cause Gosman to review the strongly held views he had on the dispute?
The facts were revealed shortly after the whole affair, I remember reading it in The Standard. The MSM of course were not interested. From then on whenever I mention their names I have called them Scumbag Jackson and Scumbag Taylor, and then explain why.
The euthanasia debate in Dunedin last night was to a packed theatre, and all speakers made very worthwhile contributions on a difficult and touchy issue – “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: A Discussion We Need to Have”.
I hope the video will be made available, it will be a good reference for the ongoing discussions.
I’ve seen and heard little of Maryan Street as an MP, but she came across well promoting her proposed “end of life choices” private member’s Bill.
Waiting for the apology due to Helen Kelly from Peter Jackson, Paul Holmes, John Key, Richard Taylor and 99% of the New Zealand news media, as she is proved right over the secret Key Govt/Warner Bros deals, now some of the official papers have been released. The actors’ union issue was settled before the anti-union campaign, such as the stage managed march in Wellington, even got under way.
All credit to Helen Kelly maintaining her dignity throughout this thoroughly despicable situation. I hear The Hobbit has been given poor reviews. Divine justice perhaps!
A relatively innocuous entertaining little fantasy book has been tainted for good by Lord Jackson’s greed–two movies from one slim volume? Geddowda here…..
Lord J can park his Hobbits where the sun don’t shine, up his Sopwith Camel’s exhaust perhaps.
Well done Helen Kelly and Actors members. Shame on the techies and ‘Cur’ Richard Taylor.
An appology won’t be coming any time soon, if this article is anything to go by. Confusing article, with the authors striving to skew the arguments in Brownlee’s favour.
But surely this is damning! Who gives a business entity, in the middle of an indiustrial dispute, copies of cabinet notes on the issue?
The documents show Kiwi director Sir Peter Jackson, who received personal post-Cabinet briefings from Brownlee, rated the union vetting of foreign actors as one of only two “key issues” in the debate.
Days before Prime Minister John Key announced a deal had been cut with Warners to keep The Hobbit production in New Zealand, Sir Peter emailed Brownlee’s office about visas for foreign actors.
[…]
Sir Peter received a quick response to his email which informed him that Brownlee planned to speak with Warners the following day about “what decisions have been made”.
“We have and can continue to give Warners a guarantee that we will back casting decisions through immigration processes. In the end, the New Zealand Government – and not any other party – will determine who can enter the country.”
Sir Peter said this was “news they [Warners] have been waiting for” which he would pass on to Los Angeles immediately.
Besides the status of self-employed contractors – which dominated public debate at the time of the dispute – “vetting” of foreign actors by Actors’ Equity was the other “key issue” he raised.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said “the immigration issue” had been “kept hidden” as part of discussions with Warners.
“Alongside the change in [employment] law, the $30m [in tax credits], they agreed to remove opportunity for New Zealand performers to work,” Kelly said.
“New Zealanders wouldn’t have liked to know that our borders were being opened up … what is the benefit to New Zealand? [Actors’ Equity] were working to have some standards around immigration in the industry.”
This sentence is written as if what Brownlee says is fact:
New Zealand’s dynamic and vibrant film industry was “built off the back of the genius of Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop and the many people that work for their organisations”.
No matter that Brownlee ignores all the work by people who made other significant movies and TV programmes, from Shortland Street (whatever you think of it, it has been a training ground for many in the industry – ditto for the Xena-Hercules-Spartacus productions, and movies like Whale Rider, Utu, Goodbye Porkpie, Smash Palace, The Navigator, Desperate Remedies, In My father’s Den, Sione’s Wedding, etc, etc…. etc, etc)
Sad to see that so many people in the insecure film industry were happy to be participants in attacks on their own job security, such as in that professionally run march through Wellington against worker’s rights, after the dispute between actors and producers had been settled.
Reckon it’s about time he Trottered off somewhere nice and quiet and shut the fuck up about everything for a long time. And take that useless prick Pagani too.
Unfortunately, this seems to have gathered a bit of momentum. Which seems completely crazy, given how far it is until the election and that another leadership change would be tantamount to an admission that they haven’t got a fucking clue.
Which reminds me, has anyone seen Irish since this?
Relax, everyone. He is fine. I was momentarily concerned that he had been replaced with a doppelganger, but, after reading the post, I am pretty sure it is him.
Shearer is fucking awful on tv. And not much better in parliament.
How likeable he is, whether he has the common touch or a million other things is irrelevent if he comes across as unprepared, stumbling over his words or vague.
Key, in my opinion, is a half-wit with a smile and a wave. But he can present himself. And the 15-30 secs on the news each night is all the heaving masses see, and they like it.
OK, I just don’t get it! Why do Standardistas all hate Trotter and Shearer? I’ve already seen for myself, and mentioned here (to a resounding silence!) how Shearer’s words are distorted… both by the msn (no surprises there!) and Standardistas, which makes me sad.
Now, that Bowalley Road has finally loaded (I wish I could afford broadband!) I see that Trotter is writing against Shearer… So, WTF? Most here hate Trotter, and they also hate Shearer and call them both right wing, which is pretty insulting. So, what gives?
Like Trotter, the Stuff article mentioned indications of some disquiet amongst Labour people/Caucus. But the Stuff article was written by Tracy Watkins who is no friend to Labour or the left.
I don’t know how much insider knowledge Bomber is using, when writing some of the explicit tensions within Labour.
I was a cautious supporter of Shearer as leader, and I have to say, that I am a little bit worried about his tendency to take the Labour party down the Blairite road, however a leadership change now would be futile. Labour can choose Robertson (who IMO is better off in a number 2 type position), and then what happens when Labour doesnt rise in the polls? Jacinda Ardern? Andrew Little, Trevor Mallard? The last thing Labour needs is a revolving door leadership. And anyway, the god-botherers will have a field day with Robertson as leader.I can imagine Family First and the Society for Protection of Commnity Standards denigrating him almost every day about hot gay orgies in the beehive, and ‘gay propaganda’ in our schools.
Anyway, I dont know what you lot are on, but I have/had no faith in David Cunliffe’s ability to stick to Labour principles as a hypothetical leader. Firstly, he signed up to National’s purging of the public service, just before the election, and secondly, a few years ago, as Health Minister, he said in an interview that he had private health insurance. IMO any health minister who has private health insurance is not that all committed to a public health service in this country.
Frankly I’d be pretty surprised if anyone in the Labour caucus didn’t have private health insurance. Our public hospitals are dangerous. Certainly those medical professionals who work in public health (and can afford it) go private.
I’d love to see Labour representatives who weren’t part of the elite. People who live as most of us do. Our public hospitals would be miles safer if those who made the funding and other decisons about them (and their families) were forced to rely on them with no special treatment within them.
But that’s a pipe dream. Labour stopped representing the people a long time ago.
Our public hospitals are dangerous. Certainly those medical professionals who work in public health (and can afford it) go private.
That is absolutely not true. Thanks to my GP getting ahead of herself, I have had to spend longer at Auckland City Hospital this year than I have for a long time. The only danger I have found there is that the place is a maze, it always takes me a long time to find my way out!
My son is a health professional, he works at Welly Hospital on Ward 6 South (Cardiothoracic) and he does not have, and does not want to have health insurance. It’s not necessary. I have complete confidence in the public system as do my son and his colleagues.
That’s nice Vicky.
But certainly not my experience – quite the reverse.
I’ll have to take your word for it that your son and his colleagues have “complete faith” in the public health system. The many health professionals I know certainly do not.
Btw – might pay to watch the amount of detail you are giving in your comments – assuming you want you and your son to remain anonymous.
Welcome to Vicky’s world, js, where her personal experience is absolutely universal and pointing out it isn’t makes you a gigantic Christian-bashing bully or something.
Btw – might pay to watch the amount of detail you are giving in your comments – assuming you want you and your son to remain anonymous.
I am not that fussed, really! L., is not the only male nurse on 6 South, (and I do know that they all have faith in the system, being part of it and all! 🙂 ) I am sorry your experience has been otherwise, but ours (including my sisters and their kids) has been excellent…
Pay no attention to QoT, after all that’s what she desperately craves – attention! Hence her total lack of useful contribution to the discussion, just her/his usual bitchery against me… 😀
And pay no attention to Vicky32, after all that’s what she desperately craves – seeing as how she’s the one who *frequently* refers to me in comment threads I haven’t participated in, and continues to find it ~hilarious~ to try baiting me by pretending she doesn’t know what gender I identify as.
I had the opportunity recently to hear David Shearer speak again. He is a genuinely lovely man, as Phil Goff was before him. His speech was similar to his candidate speech back in November. His back story is impressive (we heard it yet again). For someone who has led teams delivering aid to war torn countries, you would expect his manner to be considered and measured. It is. You would also expect some fire in his belly on certain issues, because lets face it, we are staring down the barrel at some huge changes which will affect New Zealand for ever. But his approach is a softly, softly one. At times it can be painful to hear, as you want him to stop waffling and say something inspirational.
Grant was at the meeting too. He politely interrupting David when he felt he could make a better, more positive contribution. It gave the impression that Shearer is not his own man.
Right now we need strong leadership to counter attack the never ending calamities that the Key government is foisting on this country. Every day there is a new one.
The Labour Caucus was wrong when they chose Shearer/Robinson. Time to own up and have another leadership challenge. For the sake of the Party. This time ensure that the broad membership have a role in the decision making. We were not heard the last time…despite the obvious choice that was presented to us at the leadership candidate meetings.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 6.1
I totally agree with your sentiments Molly Polly – I rejoined the party ‘again’ last year, hoping for a better result. I was extremely disappointed with the leadership change. I still am firmly of the opinion that David Cunliffe should be the leader – the present leadership is simply not functioning and the polls are reflecting this malaise. My renewal invoice is sitting my my unpaid accounts and I’m not about to renew my membership at present – I’m very disillusioned with the state of politics in our country at present, but I’m also worried about the attitude of my fellow citizens to what this government is doing – if they think the direction we’re hurtling towards is OK, well, I’m left pretty speechless.
Wow Jilly Bee, you could be my doppelganger! This is my situation exactly! I even made the effort to attend and hear the ‘candidates’, with Cunliffe and Mahuta my definite choice. I recently donated to Stand UP, from a link on the Standard. Had I been sure of Labour my money would have gone to them.
+1 and me too – joined for the first time after Goff and Cunliffe’s showing during the election campaign, but my renewal notice is still sitting in the ‘to do’ file – disappointed, I am.
This is interesting – aren’t we (women) a target market for Shearer? to stop us swooning over the god of masculinity that is Key?
Or maybe we already vote left so don’t really figure in the calculations.
We are not swinging voters…we are tribal Labour and have been for ever and probably always will be because we share the same Labour values. Despite the leadership change, I really wanted Shearer to prove that my instincts were wrong. Right now it feels like a slow motion train wreck in action…and has done so for sometime. I’m sick of pretending that everything is wonderful and by some miracle it’s going to come right. With the right leader it will…so I’m hanging in there.
“…Dr Schellinck, who runs a company called Focal Research Consultants, is regarded as a world expert in mining information from loyalty cards as a means of better understanding those who use them.”
So focal research is more about data mining than solving problem gambling – although being a smart man Dr Schellinck and his cohorts know that this kind of information gathering is not so popular with the public when used in other environments like analysing peoples supermarket purchases.
Why? because principally this kind of technology has been used to maximise revenue for the client/ vendor.
The answer for Focal Research? get involved in gambling research and tobacco control measures meanwhile continuing to promote the invasive information gathering technologies which would otherwise face reasonable resistance. Voilà: transformed into ‘the good guys’
There appears to be a movement afoot which in the spirit of ‘pre-crime’ is attempting to label or typecast people though behavioural analysis techniques. It is concerning to see that the focus is on perceived failings/ shortcomings of the individual rather than on creating a society and environments which create healthy people. Proponents for this kind of approach claim the power of the clairvoyant and adopt the fervour of the zealot when it comes to identifying problem people, but are conspicuously silent on the issue of problem environments and the impact of the problem values of neo- liberalism.
The 90 minute assessment conducted on three-year-olds appeared to predict future problem gambling as well as much more complex behavioural assessments, the study said. […]
Toddlers who exhibited a lack of emotional control were also more prone to poor physical health, criminality and alcohol and other substance abuse, the study said.”
No pressure kids, but you had better do well on that test, otherwise you might find in hard to escape the box that you get put in.
Moody pre-schoolers, problem gamblers Trumpets the Herald today – pushing exactly the kind of attitude which is later singled out for criticism in the article:
Associate Professor Peter Adams, of the Auckland University Centre for Gambling Studies, said there was a risk the gambling industry would use the research to claim availability of gambling was “less of an issue than what happens under the bonnet of the person”.
“I would argue that with any risk factors, the environment is a key factor as to whether it becomes problematic.”
What is ‘normal’ exactly? Studies have shown that consumerism and advertising create a perpetual state of dissatisfaction and anxiety. Relative social status via monetary wealth and its trappings underpin many people’s perception of worth or happiness – consciously or unconsciously. Is it ‘normal’ to adapt to these conditions or more ‘normal’ to struggle with them? A functional analysis of individual adaption points to the capacity to thrive in a given set of circumstances – but at what point to we look beyond the individuals’ capacity and on to the capacity of the circumstances/ society to create thriving lives?
The predictive power of behavioural analysis has obvious limitations, and the risks of sweeping generalisations are great. In our eagerness to understand problems let us not forget to examine the assumptions and values of our society and the environments that we have created for people. Nothing exists in isolation.
Yes Gos, there is method in their madness and its your money. And like the fool you are you blithely turn your stupid eye elsewhere as the finance gang who back the Republicans, the Nats and the rest of the thieving classes take your money and mine. Being an idiot is one thing, getting done in the pocket by your own “mates” is stupendously Darwinian.
I remember all the BS about the world cooling as well. I’m just glad that I’m opened minded enough to listen to the actualdata rather than cling to misreporting from journalists.
No, “that blog” is where to go if you want to have real discussions about:
a) climate change isn’t happening
b) climate change has always happened, so what
c) climate change is a conspiracy to force world government on us
d) all science on climate change, evolution and birth certificates is a fraud
Good to see that the Office of the Ombudsman released papers on the Warner Bros which now vindicates Helen Kelly. Cabinet papers need to be released on the Sky City tendering process for a national convention centre.
John(the convicted)Banks raving about the ‘urgent’ need to raise the age of National Superannuation to 67,
(Yeah sure John you and Slippery have removed all the small change outta the pockets of the Have Nots to pay for the Haves obscene tax cuts and deliberately f**ked the economy while you did that, now you want the working poor who cannot save for their retirement to work even longer to cover up the mess),
I wonder where it comes from this absolutely Bullshit call to raise the age of eligibility for the Pension,
Oh thats right,from the Treasury Wonks who have got what figures right in their economic predictions recently,
Raising the age of eligibility for the Pension is simply more of the intergenerational theft that the neo-libs seem to find so attractive as economic policy,and, what the hell Phill Goff was doing going into the 2011 election campaign promising to do such I will never be able to figure out,
Looking at all the distractions on various threads (and yes, I’m guilty of buying into them and perpetuating them from time to time), it strikes me as an idea to have a ‘Side Issues’ post alongside ‘Open Mike’ that posters could move meandering off topic discussions to. Some of them do have merit. But aren’t relevent to the post.
Absently thinking. Or maybe in future posts I put up (if it’s technically possible within the edit options) I’ll just shift off topic discussions that pop up to ‘Open Mike’
I thought ‘Open Mike’ was here for the random discussions to take place and save on the other ‘Posts’ being hijacked and dragged of topic,
Doing such,dragging discussion away from the actual topic is one of the ‘tricks’ used by the ‘right’ to shut down discussion and/or criticism of National’s policy,although in the past few days there has been so much ‘bad news’ from within the present Government the few commentor’s from the ‘right’ have been inundated by the flood and being essentially lazy havnt been able to muster the energy to hijack all the Posted threads,
I think Open Mike does a good and I quite enjoy having to read the whole thing to get into what various people are thinking at any given time…
Doing such,dragging discussion away from the actual topic is one of the ‘tricks’ used by the ‘right’ to shut down discussion and/or..
I guess I’m just playing with ways that might shut down any ‘shutting down’ while leaving the moved discussion/debate/argument in tact. And yes, ‘Open Mike’ functions well.
Sounds sensible line to take Bill. The archival material will be denser on the subject. I have asked for the occasional post to be deleted after copying it and shifting it to the right area. If I got shifted to Open Mike when off topic I guess I couldn’t complain. Would you shift the ‘flame wars’ too?
Firstly I don’t know if editing/moderating functions will allow for the shifting of comments from one post heading to another easily. And the last thing I want to do is ‘play’ with the functions to find out 🙂 . I’m only kind of playing with possible possibilties as it were. And I definately wouldn’t want to mess with someones elses post and the comments it attracts.
But if parts of a thread go ‘off track’, either through misdirection or irrelevent argument, then I reckon it’s it would be quite reasonable for authors (where they have moderating/editing powers) to shift those sections of the thread elsewhere…Open Mike or another dedicated post heading…so that relevent comments don’t get crowded out.
It kind of depends in part on the actual nature of the post too. Sometimes it matters less than other times and I’d have no problem foot noting any post I did with a red amber or green ‘flag’ so that commenters were aware of the desired level of focus for their comments .
And sure, a comment that is going awry could be edited so the commenter was alerted that they either had to produce a follow up comment to bring things back on track or have it moved.
About now I would like to take a minute of reflection and perhaps to ask of the Prime Minister ”Hows it hanging there Slippery” ”Still the job of ya dreams mate,or is it all starting to look like some sort of Friday night horror”,
Have to say,hang in there Slippery mate dont lose ya bottle just yet,hell just when you manage to smother the insane internal power rush fueled fighting and backstabbing in your own mob someone else shoves something ugly in the works likely to bring down a Government,
Stay with us wont you Slippery, watch as that other John whines,weasels,and,weakens into tears of abject failure beaten upon the alter of His own dishonesty until He slinks in disgrace from the gaze of us all,
Know one thing Mr Prime Minister the same fate awaits you…
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Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
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:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track 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 publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
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 publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
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This from Radio New Zealand:
“New papers reveal just how much the Government conceded to Warner Bros. to ensure the Hobbit movies were made in New Zealand.
The papers, obtained under the Official Information Act, also show the Government was less than forthcoming with the public about the reasons for changing employment law to keep the Hollywood studio happy.
The Government did a deal with Warners in October 2010 to ensure the movies were made in this country, amid fears a dispute with actors would force them to be made elsewhere. But the papers reveal an agreement had already been signed ending the dispute and the Government knew that.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly says at the time, the Government blamed the dispute for the law changes …”
I wonder if it is time to review the complaint of privilege made against Brownlee for misleading the house? Brownlee claimed on October 26 2010 that the boycott was the main cause of the uncertainty over The Hobbit
And I wonder if this will cause Gosman to review the strongly held views he had on the dispute?
My God.
Every day and week something new emerges where we have been lied to, deceived, subjected to hypocrisy, etc.
Is this lot worse than I recall Clark and her lot by a country mile? It certanly seems like an entirely new universe.
Yeah but Helen once signed her name on a painting. Pretty serious stuff.
The facts were revealed shortly after the whole affair, I remember reading it in The Standard. The MSM of course were not interested. From then on whenever I mention their names I have called them Scumbag Jackson and Scumbag Taylor, and then explain why.
Peter Jackson should share a cell with Rod Petricevic.
It is the exact same thing – lying to the public in order to gain pecuniary advantage.
Someone please establish this is not the case…
The euthanasia debate in Dunedin last night was to a packed theatre, and all speakers made very worthwhile contributions on a difficult and touchy issue – “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: A Discussion We Need to Have”.
I hope the video will be made available, it will be a good reference for the ongoing discussions.
I’ve seen and heard little of Maryan Street as an MP, but she came across well promoting her proposed “end of life choices” private member’s Bill.
This was a great discussion and initiative – the euthanasia discussion begins.
Waiting for the apology due to Helen Kelly from Peter Jackson, Paul Holmes, John Key, Richard Taylor and 99% of the New Zealand news media, as she is proved right over the secret Key Govt/Warner Bros deals, now some of the official papers have been released. The actors’ union issue was settled before the anti-union campaign, such as the stage managed march in Wellington, even got under way.
+ 1
All credit to Helen Kelly maintaining her dignity throughout this thoroughly despicable situation. I hear The Hobbit has been given poor reviews. Divine justice perhaps!
A relatively innocuous entertaining little fantasy book has been tainted for good by Lord Jackson’s greed–two movies from one slim volume? Geddowda here…..
Lord J can park his Hobbits where the sun don’t shine, up his Sopwith Camel’s exhaust perhaps.
Well done Helen Kelly and Actors members. Shame on the techies and ‘Cur’ Richard Taylor.
An appology won’t be coming any time soon, if this article is anything to go by. Confusing article, with the authors striving to skew the arguments in Brownlee’s favour.
But surely this is damning! Who gives a business entity, in the middle of an indiustrial dispute, copies of cabinet notes on the issue?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6815199/Brownlee-defends-Governments-Hobbit-moves
This sentence is written as if what Brownlee says is fact:
No matter that Brownlee ignores all the work by people who made other significant movies and TV programmes, from Shortland Street (whatever you think of it, it has been a training ground for many in the industry – ditto for the Xena-Hercules-Spartacus productions, and movies like Whale Rider, Utu, Goodbye Porkpie, Smash Palace, The Navigator, Desperate Remedies, In My father’s Den, Sione’s Wedding, etc, etc…. etc, etc)
Goodbye Pork Pie — classic Kiwi movie. Its like opening a pre-1984 time capsule.
Way better than Jackson’s early works, which are quite frankly unwatchable by anyone outside boys in their mid-to-late teens.
I get this really strong urge to revisit Goodbye Pork Pie every couple of years.
Never gets old.
Sad to see that so many people in the insecure film industry were happy to be participants in attacks on their own job security, such as in that professionally run march through Wellington against worker’s rights, after the dispute between actors and producers had been settled.
Doubly sad that it was followed by the foreign crew restriction being lifted as well. I wonder if they feel slightly used.
Oh dear:
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/unfortunate-experiment.html
Oh ffs.
Reckon it’s about time he Trottered off somewhere nice and quiet and shut the fuck up about everything for a long time. And take that useless prick Pagani too.
You referring to Trotter or Shearer there felix?
The one who appears in the media and talks about politics.
Definitely not Shearer then
😆
Unfortunately, this seems to have gathered a bit of momentum. Which seems completely crazy, given how far it is until the election and that another leadership change would be tantamount to an admission that they haven’t got a fucking clue.
Which reminds me, has anyone seen Irish since this?
http://thestandard.org.nz/reading-the-tea-leaves/comment-page-1/#comment-461401
I am getting a bit worried about him.
Relax, everyone. He is fine. I was momentarily concerned that he had been replaced with a doppelganger, but, after reading the post, I am pretty sure it is him.
I’m with Trotter on this one.
Shearer is fucking awful on tv. And not much better in parliament.
How likeable he is, whether he has the common touch or a million other things is irrelevent if he comes across as unprepared, stumbling over his words or vague.
Key, in my opinion, is a half-wit with a smile and a wave. But he can present himself. And the 15-30 secs on the news each night is all the heaving masses see, and they like it.
And that is all that matters to the majority.
OK, I just don’t get it! Why do Standardistas all hate Trotter and Shearer? I’ve already seen for myself, and mentioned here (to a resounding silence!) how Shearer’s words are distorted… both by the msn (no surprises there!) and Standardistas, which makes me sad.
Now, that Bowalley Road has finally loaded (I wish I could afford broadband!) I see that Trotter is writing against Shearer… So, WTF? Most here hate Trotter, and they also hate Shearer and call them both right wing, which is pretty insulting. So, what gives?
There seems to be rumours flying around, but I don’t know who is stimulating them. Like Trotter, Bomber also posted on it this morning.
http://www.tumeke.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/destabilization-of-david-shearers.html
Bomber was motivated by this article this morning on Stuff.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6814524/Nash-denies-being-frogmarched-from-office
Like Trotter, the Stuff article mentioned indications of some disquiet amongst Labour people/Caucus. But the Stuff article was written by Tracy Watkins who is no friend to Labour or the left.
I don’t know how much insider knowledge Bomber is using, when writing some of the explicit tensions within Labour.
Who knows?
I was a cautious supporter of Shearer as leader, and I have to say, that I am a little bit worried about his tendency to take the Labour party down the Blairite road, however a leadership change now would be futile. Labour can choose Robertson (who IMO is better off in a number 2 type position), and then what happens when Labour doesnt rise in the polls? Jacinda Ardern? Andrew Little, Trevor Mallard? The last thing Labour needs is a revolving door leadership. And anyway, the god-botherers will have a field day with Robertson as leader.I can imagine Family First and the Society for Protection of Commnity Standards denigrating him almost every day about hot gay orgies in the beehive, and ‘gay propaganda’ in our schools.
Anyway, I dont know what you lot are on, but I have/had no faith in David Cunliffe’s ability to stick to Labour principles as a hypothetical leader. Firstly, he signed up to National’s purging of the public service, just before the election, and secondly, a few years ago, as Health Minister, he said in an interview that he had private health insurance. IMO any health minister who has private health insurance is not that all committed to a public health service in this country.
Frankly I’d be pretty surprised if anyone in the Labour caucus didn’t have private health insurance. Our public hospitals are dangerous. Certainly those medical professionals who work in public health (and can afford it) go private.
I’d love to see Labour representatives who weren’t part of the elite. People who live as most of us do. Our public hospitals would be miles safer if those who made the funding and other decisons about them (and their families) were forced to rely on them with no special treatment within them.
But that’s a pipe dream. Labour stopped representing the people a long time ago.
That is absolutely not true. Thanks to my GP getting ahead of herself, I have had to spend longer at Auckland City Hospital this year than I have for a long time. The only danger I have found there is that the place is a maze, it always takes me a long time to find my way out!
My son is a health professional, he works at Welly Hospital on Ward 6 South (Cardiothoracic) and he does not have, and does not want to have health insurance. It’s not necessary. I have complete confidence in the public system as do my son and his colleagues.
That’s nice Vicky.
But certainly not my experience – quite the reverse.
I’ll have to take your word for it that your son and his colleagues have “complete faith” in the public health system. The many health professionals I know certainly do not.
Btw – might pay to watch the amount of detail you are giving in your comments – assuming you want you and your son to remain anonymous.
Welcome to Vicky’s world, js, where her personal experience is absolutely universal and pointing out it isn’t makes you a gigantic Christian-bashing bully or something.
I am not that fussed, really! L., is not the only male nurse on 6 South, (and I do know that they all have faith in the system, being part of it and all! 🙂 ) I am sorry your experience has been otherwise, but ours (including my sisters and their kids) has been excellent…
Pay no attention to QoT, after all that’s what she desperately craves – attention! Hence her total lack of useful contribution to the discussion, just her/his usual bitchery against me… 😀
And pay no attention to Vicky32, after all that’s what she desperately craves – seeing as how she’s the one who *frequently* refers to me in comment threads I haven’t participated in, and continues to find it ~hilarious~ to try baiting me by pretending she doesn’t know what gender I identify as.
Mmm, and what a delightfully tasteless “look at how au fait I am with NZ political history” reference in the title, too.
I had the opportunity recently to hear David Shearer speak again. He is a genuinely lovely man, as Phil Goff was before him. His speech was similar to his candidate speech back in November. His back story is impressive (we heard it yet again). For someone who has led teams delivering aid to war torn countries, you would expect his manner to be considered and measured. It is. You would also expect some fire in his belly on certain issues, because lets face it, we are staring down the barrel at some huge changes which will affect New Zealand for ever. But his approach is a softly, softly one. At times it can be painful to hear, as you want him to stop waffling and say something inspirational.
Grant was at the meeting too. He politely interrupting David when he felt he could make a better, more positive contribution. It gave the impression that Shearer is not his own man.
Right now we need strong leadership to counter attack the never ending calamities that the Key government is foisting on this country. Every day there is a new one.
The Labour Caucus was wrong when they chose Shearer/Robinson. Time to own up and have another leadership challenge. For the sake of the Party. This time ensure that the broad membership have a role in the decision making. We were not heard the last time…despite the obvious choice that was presented to us at the leadership candidate meetings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjedLeVGcfE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0CyOAO8y0
I totally agree with your sentiments Molly Polly – I rejoined the party ‘again’ last year, hoping for a better result. I was extremely disappointed with the leadership change. I still am firmly of the opinion that David Cunliffe should be the leader – the present leadership is simply not functioning and the polls are reflecting this malaise. My renewal invoice is sitting my my unpaid accounts and I’m not about to renew my membership at present – I’m very disillusioned with the state of politics in our country at present, but I’m also worried about the attitude of my fellow citizens to what this government is doing – if they think the direction we’re hurtling towards is OK, well, I’m left pretty speechless.
Just add punctuation and so many T-shirt logo possibilities spring to mind using the last four words of your comment Jilly. 😉
+1 😉
Wow Jilly Bee, you could be my doppelganger! This is my situation exactly! I even made the effort to attend and hear the ‘candidates’, with Cunliffe and Mahuta my definite choice. I recently donated to Stand UP, from a link on the Standard. Had I been sure of Labour my money would have gone to them.
+1
+1 and me too – joined for the first time after Goff and Cunliffe’s showing during the election campaign, but my renewal notice is still sitting in the ‘to do’ file – disappointed, I am.
This is interesting – aren’t we (women) a target market for Shearer? to stop us swooning over the god of masculinity that is Key?
Or maybe we already vote left so don’t really figure in the calculations.
We are not swinging voters…we are tribal Labour and have been for ever and probably always will be because we share the same Labour values. Despite the leadership change, I really wanted Shearer to prove that my instincts were wrong. Right now it feels like a slow motion train wreck in action…and has done so for sometime. I’m sick of pretending that everything is wonderful and by some miracle it’s going to come right. With the right leader it will…so I’m hanging in there.
It does not matter who leads the party, any of them. The people we see, are not the people who make the decisions!
Sooner people wake up to it, the better chance this country might have!
Well it seems I was half wrong and half right:
“…Dr Schellinck, who runs a company called Focal Research Consultants, is regarded as a world expert in mining information from loyalty cards as a means of better understanding those who use them.”
So focal research is more about data mining than solving problem gambling – although being a smart man Dr Schellinck and his cohorts know that this kind of information gathering is not so popular with the public when used in other environments like analysing peoples supermarket purchases.
Why? because principally this kind of technology has been used to maximise revenue for the client/ vendor.
The answer for Focal Research? get involved in gambling research and tobacco control measures meanwhile continuing to promote the invasive information gathering technologies which would otherwise face reasonable resistance. Voilà: transformed into ‘the good guys’
There appears to be a movement afoot which in the spirit of ‘pre-crime’ is attempting to label or typecast people though behavioural analysis techniques. It is concerning to see that the focus is on perceived failings/ shortcomings of the individual rather than on creating a society and environments which create healthy people. Proponents for this kind of approach claim the power of the clairvoyant and adopt the fervour of the zealot when it comes to identifying problem people, but are conspicuously silent on the issue of problem environments and the impact of the problem values of neo- liberalism.
An article in Tuesday’s Herald was pushing the predictive power of a 90 minute test:
No pressure kids, but you had better do well on that test, otherwise you might find in hard to escape the box that you get put in.
Moody pre-schoolers, problem gamblers Trumpets the Herald today – pushing exactly the kind of attitude which is later singled out for criticism in the article:
What is ‘normal’ exactly? Studies have shown that consumerism and advertising create a perpetual state of dissatisfaction and anxiety. Relative social status via monetary wealth and its trappings underpin many people’s perception of worth or happiness – consciously or unconsciously. Is it ‘normal’ to adapt to these conditions or more ‘normal’ to struggle with them? A functional analysis of individual adaption points to the capacity to thrive in a given set of circumstances – but at what point to we look beyond the individuals’ capacity and on to the capacity of the circumstances/ society to create thriving lives?
The predictive power of behavioural analysis has obvious limitations, and the risks of sweeping generalisations are great. In our eagerness to understand problems let us not forget to examine the assumptions and values of our society and the environments that we have created for people. Nothing exists in isolation.
http://www.nature.com/news/mexico-passes-climate-change-law-1.10496
Good article in The Economist. It reminded me of some of the debate on here.
http://www.economist.com/node/21553449?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/aretherepublicansmad
Yes Gos, there is method in their madness and its your money. And like the fool you are you blithely turn your stupid eye elsewhere as the finance gang who back the Republicans, the Nats and the rest of the thieving classes take your money and mine. Being an idiot is one thing, getting done in the pocket by your own “mates” is stupendously Darwinian.
Friday lulz:
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2012/04/how_times_change.html
“I totes remember that!!”
I remember all the BS about the world cooling as well. I’m just glad that I’m opened minded enough to listen to the actual data rather than cling to misreporting from journalists.
But but but it “doesn’t mean it isn’t happening, just that predicting something as complex as climate is very very difficult.”
So this definitely isn’t an invite to have a thread about how climate change isn’t real or anything like that.
Climate change isn’t real or anything like that.
No, “that blog” is where to go if you want to have real discussions about:
a) climate change isn’t happening
b) climate change has always happened, so what
c) climate change is a conspiracy to force world government on us
d) all science on climate change, evolution and birth certificates is a fraud
And that’s the mild arguments.
“All that is necessary for the triump of evil is that good people do nothing.”
http://www.jackkrobinson.com/taking-a-stand/
Scroll down a little.
Good to see that the Office of the Ombudsman released papers on the Warner Bros which now vindicates Helen Kelly. Cabinet papers need to be released on the Sky City tendering process for a national convention centre.
John(the convicted)Banks raving about the ‘urgent’ need to raise the age of National Superannuation to 67,
(Yeah sure John you and Slippery have removed all the small change outta the pockets of the Have Nots to pay for the Haves obscene tax cuts and deliberately f**ked the economy while you did that, now you want the working poor who cannot save for their retirement to work even longer to cover up the mess),
I wonder where it comes from this absolutely Bullshit call to raise the age of eligibility for the Pension,
Oh thats right,from the Treasury Wonks who have got what figures right in their economic predictions recently,
Raising the age of eligibility for the Pension is simply more of the intergenerational theft that the neo-libs seem to find so attractive as economic policy,and, what the hell Phill Goff was doing going into the 2011 election campaign promising to do such I will never be able to figure out,
Looking at all the distractions on various threads (and yes, I’m guilty of buying into them and perpetuating them from time to time), it strikes me as an idea to have a ‘Side Issues’ post alongside ‘Open Mike’ that posters could move meandering off topic discussions to. Some of them do have merit. But aren’t relevent to the post.
Absently thinking. Or maybe in future posts I put up (if it’s technically possible within the edit options) I’ll just shift off topic discussions that pop up to ‘Open Mike’
Any thoughts/suggestions?
I thought ‘Open Mike’ was here for the random discussions to take place and save on the other ‘Posts’ being hijacked and dragged of topic,
Doing such,dragging discussion away from the actual topic is one of the ‘tricks’ used by the ‘right’ to shut down discussion and/or criticism of National’s policy,although in the past few days there has been so much ‘bad news’ from within the present Government the few commentor’s from the ‘right’ have been inundated by the flood and being essentially lazy havnt been able to muster the energy to hijack all the Posted threads,
I think Open Mike does a good and I quite enjoy having to read the whole thing to get into what various people are thinking at any given time…
I guess I’m just playing with ways that might shut down any ‘shutting down’ while leaving the moved discussion/debate/argument in tact. And yes, ‘Open Mike’ functions well.
Sounds sensible line to take Bill. The archival material will be denser on the subject. I have asked for the occasional post to be deleted after copying it and shifting it to the right area. If I got shifted to Open Mike when off topic I guess I couldn’t complain. Would you shift the ‘flame wars’ too?
Firstly I don’t know if editing/moderating functions will allow for the shifting of comments from one post heading to another easily. And the last thing I want to do is ‘play’ with the functions to find out 🙂 . I’m only kind of playing with possible possibilties as it were. And I definately wouldn’t want to mess with someones elses post and the comments it attracts.
But if parts of a thread go ‘off track’, either through misdirection or irrelevent argument, then I reckon it’s it would be quite reasonable for authors (where they have moderating/editing powers) to shift those sections of the thread elsewhere…Open Mike or another dedicated post heading…so that relevent comments don’t get crowded out.
It kind of depends in part on the actual nature of the post too. Sometimes it matters less than other times and I’d have no problem foot noting any post I did with a red amber or green ‘flag’ so that commenters were aware of the desired level of focus for their comments .
And sure, a comment that is going awry could be edited so the commenter was alerted that they either had to produce a follow up comment to bring things back on track or have it moved.
nanananaa
nanananaaaa
hey hey hey
Good Bye Banks.
About now I would like to take a minute of reflection and perhaps to ask of the Prime Minister ”Hows it hanging there Slippery” ”Still the job of ya dreams mate,or is it all starting to look like some sort of Friday night horror”,
Have to say,hang in there Slippery mate dont lose ya bottle just yet,hell just when you manage to smother the insane internal power rush fueled fighting and backstabbing in your own mob someone else shoves something ugly in the works likely to bring down a Government,
Stay with us wont you Slippery, watch as that other John whines,weasels,and,weakens into tears of abject failure beaten upon the alter of His own dishonesty until He slinks in disgrace from the gaze of us all,
Know one thing Mr Prime Minister the same fate awaits you…