Not a witch hunt Ed just msm getting their money’s worth from a topical story.
That so many commenters and authors here have moaned that it is a hit job,dirty politics etc is also somewhat trite in that if the shoe was on the other foot there would have been a number of authors here more than happy to put the boot in.
This will be a salutory lesson to the new MPs in parliament that their past and present will always be there for the public to pick over.
Bullsh*t, Stunned mullet. This business is nothing more than nasty mud-throwing. “Topical story” it is not; Ed is correct. It’s a witch hunt. In this day and age. Shameful.
…and yet there was an article here and in the msm not so long ago about a nat member of Chinese origin that sparked considerable bigotry and howling from sections of the commenteriat.
We are lucky in Nz that most of the population don’t really bother too much with politics as the partisan hackery displayed at this and other blogs is reminiscent of the shambolic political partisan hypocrisy on display daily in the USA.
There was and remains a major question about said MP of Chinese origin caused by his concealment of his relationship with China’s spying apparatus: if it comes to a question of a conflict between China’s interests and New Zealand’s interests, where will his loyalties and priorities really lie?
In contrast, the hit on Ghahraman is that she didn’t go out of her way to highlight some aspects of her past work that simpletons with a reactionary view of how justice should work would find objectionable. She didn’t conceal those facts, she simply didn’t highlight them. So far there has been nothing come up to raise a question about her loyalties or integrity.
See eds comment at 3.1 below, re Kirsty Johnston reported on Twitter.
To clear things up: I interviewed @golrizghahraman about six weeks before the election, we openly discussed her time in Rwanda as a defence intern. It (like much of her story) didn’t make my final story due to space. ’
To my mind, being open about it in an interview falls in the category of not concealing. When the story came out without those bits and Ghahraman didn’t ask for a correction or supplement to give those facts the same prominence, that falls in the category of not highlighting.
Can you imagine what would happen if a person went to a newspaper and said “I don’t believe you talked enough about this aspect of my life – I want you to give me the space so that it can be reported on”.
The newspaper would rightly say – “it’s out decision what goes into the newspaper, if you want your say then consider an ad and we may run it.”. (After they have finished laughing their heads off.)
Consider the jam-packed life this women has lead – how could she know which aspect of it that has been left out is going to be bought up by RWNJ’s.
And if Kirsty Johnson can’t say what is going to be newsworthy then who can? There must be few people who could outskill her.
In this specific instance, had Ghahraman gone back to Johnson with something like “I really think it’s important that a story like that includes the fact I was working for the defence, so it doesn’t appear I’m hiding something unsavoury that can get turned into a political attack”, I’d be surprised if that request didn’t get favourable consideration.
But really, she had already put the information out there in enough places for anyone to find if they cared to look. So any criticism of Ghahraman based on the idea she tried to hide her work for the defence is utter bullshit in my opinion. Particularly since she appears to have been forthright in her answers when asked. In stark contrast to most politicians questioned on a potentially uncomfortable topic.
…the hit on Ghahraman is that she didn’t go out of her way to highlight some aspects of her past work that simpletons with a reactionary view of how justice should work would find objectionable.
Thank you. So succinctly and accurately summed up that I nicked it for my own blog (with link to the original).
…and yet there was an article here and in the msm not so long ago about a nat member of Chinese origin…
…who used to work for Chinese military intelligence and for all we know still does; who is still a member of the Chinese Communist Party; and who spent half his maiden speech praising the Chinese government. I find those compelling reasons for suspicion that the bloke is actually representing the Chinese government rather than National voters. The only bigotry and howling in evidence is about a human rights lawyer, not a spook.
Poll:
Do you think that Newshub is peopled by idiots?
Will they have one like that? Their poll is sort of bewildering, stunning, unbelievable, inexplicable, dumb, stupid, negative, vacuous, destructive. And bleak.
Also another poll, “should the Herald be put to sleep due to being too ancient to be relevant to the NZ public apart from to Brash types.” (ACT now on 1%).
That so many commenters and authors here have moaned that it is a hit job,dirty politics etc is also somewhat trite in that if the shoe was on the other foot there would have been a number of authors here more than happy to put the boot in.
If the boot was on the other foot? I wonder how that would even happen. First, the Greens would have to be running a dirty politics operation; second, National would need a human rights lawyer among its MPs. Chances of either of those approximate to 0.
Nope. It’s a hit job.
Garner and Richardson and similar types hate her because she’s smart, left-wing, female, non-white, articulate and wants to do good in the world. The last one really winds them up because it shows up their own shallow, self-interested wallowing in comfort.
And they are also horribly internally conflicted because she’s attractive at the same time and they find themselves hating something they fancy. This makes them even more idiotic and irrational.
I regard them as like a t*rd that won’t flush away – obscene and embarrassing.
The media ceases to be your friend when you’re in government. This is only the start of the media fun and games. BM is right, a better strategy is needed than just crying wolf about “Dirty Politics”.
Are you kidding me? The media habitually fellate the nats inside or outside government. Tories need to be overwhelmingly incompetent before the media start to feed on them. As in Brash incompetent. But if they don’t get a leftie scalp every year or so, the media get pissy.
And the fact that the nats had a well-established conduit from their leader’s office, through supposedly independent bloggers and into the msm… one wonders where they got this latest lie from.
McFlock you are totally correct about media fellating the natz in or out of government. I have noticed a trend recently. If labour is looking at making fairly major political decisions, the article nearly always adds a response from blinglish, as if his input validates or is more valid than the new governments. They just have to keep as much of the spotlight on him as they can!
Journalists should seek and publish contrary opinions next to one another.
Too often they simply re-publish press releases without seeking rebuttal at all.
So, for example, we get Steven Joyce running his mouth, presented as though what he says can be trusted, and the journalist involved doesn’t so much as pick up a calculator, let alone ask for third-party corroboration.
This laziness does them no favours: “Finance Minister cannot do sums” makes a far better story than “Finance Minister says opposition cannot do sums.”
Seriously?! The media were on crusade to get National at the end. It was a never ending series of “got ya” attempts.
I am seeing a parallel with Key and Ardern. Both started off as media darlings. The media loved Key at the beginning but turned on him in the end. The same will happen with Ardern. Other politicians are fair game from the get go though.
For ever gotcha attempt against the nats (and those were mostly the result of national infighting) in the final year, there were two against Labour and/or the greens – and it’s funny how tory bloggers and commenters always had an inkling that someone on the leftish was going to have difficulties. Maybe a post by slater parroted by one of his lickspittles who comment here, usually the previous evening to prime the pump.
Ardern is not a “media darling”. The media hype that up to make it look like she’s getting a free ride, but it’s damning with shallow praise while inventing shortcomings in substance. So far they’ve got nothing, so they repeat things like “gosh, they repeated exactly what they initially said, so they’re backtracking on the number of trees”-style lies.
You reckon? Key was getting it with both barrels with the “Dirty Politics” non-event. Key’s self-inflicted stupidity with his hair pulling episode also saw some serious heat. Arderns ride has been gentle at best in comparison. The media have yet to go to town on her, which they will rightly or wrongly.
Key got some criticism from the MSM for dirty politics came out, but that’s how hard he had to try to get stick from them: it required a book that documented, step by step, the full dirty politics machine coming from the Beehive (and then the cops turning over the author’s place) simply to get bad emough that he had to throw a minion under the bus.
Similarly, the media were pissed when the cops executed search warrants over the audio recording of a public cup of tea.
Key had to work to get media criticism. Ardern simply just has to give an update on how a policy is going, and the farcical allegations of backtracking are dutifully reported.
To Garibaldi @ 6:43
“Dirty Politics” ended up being a non-event as Joe/Jane public got sick & bored of the MSM ramming it down people’s throats 24/7. Add the Fat German to the mix and all it achieved was to shake complacent Nats to the polls securing outright victory on the night. These days, shouting “Dirty Politics” at everything is on the same level as Trump shouting “Fake News” at everything.
His positioning is that it’s ok to to attack the government because Labour did it too. The corollary is that it’s ok for Labour to use dirty politics, stats manipulation, public service hit-jobs, and to obfuscate the transparency of government because that’s what National did.
I expect to hear only messages of congratulations from BM and other RWNJs if and when this happens.
this is what National copped for the last nines years
No it’s not.
1. The MSM were most definitely cheer-leading for National
2. Nothing that was levelled against National was a made up smear as this is
3. Dirty Politics shows that made up smears is National’s Modus Operandi
The left needs to put on its big boy/big girl pants…
Actually, that would be National and other RWNJs having to own up to their smear machines – or held to account and jailed.
So Why is there no Poll asking people about J Key’s lies about the American spy programme being finished and replaced. That continued for a year!! A whopper!!
Papers have just been “discovered” But the silence is deafening!! It is all “Look at this fudging by a green.”
Very selective. What about the Nat DHB Waikato chief executive debacle?
It’s more we need a better kind of media – hence the need to RNZ+.
Also, basically, the government need to start leading the news agenda in their own way – with more positive, honest stories, that will engage the general public in a democratic way.
What would a ‘democratic media’ in NZ look like Ed? How would it work?
How do you create a ‘democratic media’ in a country like NZ without using authoritarian, essentially undemocratic methods to bring it into existence? e.g. preventing private ownership of media platforms (I presume that this is what you mean when you refer to it not being owned by the finance industry) – which raises the question as to how it would be funded?
…essentially undemocratic methods to bring it into existence? e.g. preventing private ownership of media platforms…
Private ownership is anti-democratic itself due to its effect of removing power and wealth from the people.
In fact, it’s authoritarian and even dictatorial.
– which raises the question as to how it would be funded?
The government, being the issuer of the NZ$, can afford all resources in the country. In fact, they already own all the resources in the country.
It’s really not a question of funding at all. It never has been. It’s a question of the lies told to make people believe that all wealth flows from the rich.
“Deputy PM suing journalist for something they repeated which was true. Is this what the msm is going to be like under this government?”
It may have been true but how did these “journalists” become privvy to Peters’s private information? That’s the point you’re missing.
This whole thing was a Dirty Politics smear and it was facilitated by those so-called journalists. That is what an undemocratic media looks like James if you need a comparison.
@James That was a Dirty Trick that cost the Nats the election…..despite all the howls from journalists saying Peters is threatening freedom of speech by investigating how the pension leak got out, I think the NZ public has a right to know what transpired here……doubtless English and Joyce were up to their neck in it.
Deputy PM suing journalist for something they repeated which was true.
That doesn’t mean that they should have repeated it. It was private information and not in the Public Interest.
Then there was the fact that it was WINZ’ mistake which wasn’t made clear or even hinted at. In fact, IIRC, it was made out to be Winston purposefully rorting the system.
And at that point there it becomes a calculated smear.
Now, I happen to think that people who engage in a calculated smear, especially to influence an election, should be held to account.
“Peters is doing that for her – suing journalist for something they repeated which was true.”
On that note then answer this;
Do you believe everything journalist say do you???
You asked “Is this what the msm is going to be like under this government?”
As to the jouranists he is suing;
In this case they pejured themselves by soliting “private documents”
Do you believe in our human rights to privacy?
You are a National supporter, we note, and I guess you believe it was fundermentally right for John Key to allow us all to be exposed to wide ranging survielllence by a back door system to the foriegn NSA as he did allow this, so you maybe have no concerns for privacy rights for all then???
Don’t call bigots “rednecks”. The most vicious bigots in New Zealand are people like Garth “The Knife” McVicar, Don Brash, Leighton Smith, Mike Hosking, and John Ansell—other than the Knife Man, they’ve never done a day of hard work in the sun between them.
Yes if he – a Law Commissioner – could not see that how an International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda run by the UN would involve Judges, Prosecutors, and Defence….then he is not fit to be a Law Commissioner.
The statement on the Green web site was entirely accurate. It was he and his ilk who are the ones being duplicitous.
That’s a fair comment in his case, he normally is pretty reasonable, and on occasion some people in my opinion do react disproportionately to what he says simply because of who he was.
But he tried to overegg what was basically a reasonable description on a party bio page. He also overegged comments people made here about Turei as being “completely uncritical”. And he’s been commenting here long enough to know that anyone referring to a dataserver as a conscious entity risks a ban.
And if Macro significantly misrepresented what Wayne said (I don’t think they did), it was far less significant than the degree to which wayne misrepresented the party bio issue. As far as I am aware, nobody has presented a single interview where she in any way concealed what her various roles were. Literally the only instances I’ve seen tories present were her brief party bio paragragph (which is at worst ambiguous, but she probably did authorise the final version), and news articles that use their own words and own shoddy editing to describe what she did. The raw material she provided them, however, was open, honest, and explicit.
He has a history of posting reasonably, and I agree he gets attacked for who he is and what his politics are. But in the past four or five months something changed, and now he often comes across as trolling or astroturfing. That’s what he was doing the other day when he got banned. If we wants to align himself with the Dirty Politics crowd he’ll need to be more careful in how he expresses himself.
The issue is not whether Golriz Ghahraman can defend criminals, even of the very worst kind. It is whether she represented herself correctly on the Green website and on various interviews. Giving an impression, or indeed saying directly that she was motivated to prosecute the worst human rights offenders, when that is not in fact the whole truth is bound to lead to difficulty. That is especially so when defending the oppressed has been virtually her whole reason to become an MP.
my bold
By saying that she was not represented herself correctly is in effect saying that the statement on the website is duplicitous. This representation of the statement by Mapp can only be construed as such if this statement was in anyway untrue
Her studies at Oxford, and work as a lawyer for the United Nations and in New Zealand, have focused on enforcing human rights and holding governments to account. Golriz has lived and worked in Africa, The Hague and Cambodia putting on trial world leaders for abusing their power, and restoring communities after war and human rights atrocities, particularly empowering women engaged in peace and justice initiatives.
Indeed in Cambodia she acted for the prosecution.
Her work in Africa and The Hague and Cambodia was under the auspices of the UN. In Rwanda under the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The need for defence advocates in criminal proceedings is well understood and should be obvious to a Law Commissioner. So his call that the statement was duplicitous was itself duplicitous. The Green website statement was entirely factual and calling it ambiguous was simply false (and he would have known that).
Soper tells us “…Well a series of photos have been sent to me,…”
Who by Bazza? Quinn? Farrar? Slater? What a complete prick. He is abusing his position to shameless launder dirty politics into the Herald. The old bastard really has no excuse. He is as dirty as Slater and twice as compromised.
Soper should Google Mervyn Thompson, and pray modern young woman are not as radical as their mums and aunts.
It wouldn’t be interesting to find out what information compromises Soper so much that he can be relied on to so reliably write hit pieces for his owners.
And make du Plessis Allen toe the part line as well.
Soper in his workplace has displayed extreme temper tantrums worse than a two year old. Thoroughly nasty individual. For him to be doing character assassinations on others is total hypocrisy.
Well maybe (applying Soper’s own standards) we should ask his former partners what they think of him.
But even though he isn’t, we’re above all that yes?
I’m just watching Garner’s aggressive and disrespectful inquisition of Golriz now. His demeanour has been cold and harsh throughout. What a contrast with his adulation yesterday of that shepherd-killing coke snorting groper.
Fuck! How time flies. A fairly accurate description then as it is now.
But we should watch out. Tuff guy PQ has taken to Twitter, and before you know it, the poor ‘widdle’ MAN will be accusing ebery1 of bullying blub de blub blub blub
Agree 200% Morrisey I saw this disgusting inquisition, It is a pity that prat Garner does not show the same “gotcha” enthusiasm with English over the Todd Barclay affair and the Chinese Spy they have in the National party. Just two items that come to mind. I am sure there are many more if they wanted to get stuck into something.
Last week it was the Refugees on Manus and the offer to resettle 150 per year here. This week it’s to be Golriz..
What piece of vile, redneck hatred, bias, and bile will they dream up for next week?
It sounds like they are at least reliable in their standard of choice for subject and method. So good to check on to see the latest visceral sacrifice and blood letting. Drs Noooooo.
Absolutely spot on there Ed (1). It is a witch hunt and a vicious one at that, against a strong successful woman. Golriz and others like her it seems, is for some reason deemed a threat by middle aged/old, bigoted white men!
Next, the ducking stool will be brought out, demonstrating how backwards NZ is becoming in its mindset!
Mary_A…….”[Golriz] deemed a threat by middle aged/old, bigoted white men!” Add ‘narcissistic’. That’s why I try very hard to avoid both Garner and Hosking……their appalling narcissism.
The thing to remember about Soper, Garner, Richardson, Hoskings etc is their influence is in freefall. No one listens or reads them who isn’t looking for confirmation bias. The Murdoch press in alliance with the Blairite chattering classes couldn’t stop Corbyn and here the constant barrrage of attacks on Labour didn’t stop them being able to form the government after the last election.
Under FPP systems old and angry white men and what they represent have clung on to their influence because they can still command pluralities in marginal electorates. Under MMP the last election exposed their electoral bankruptcy in NZ. The National party strategy of driving NZ First and the Greens out of parliament so casually racist white folk can rule unimpeded by pesky upstart refugee lawyers from Iran didn’t work and will never work as demographics change.
But the old white men’s bile becomes more concentrated and more charged as time goes on. If they explode some day, watch out, the effects will be destructive.
Kirsty Johnston reported this on Twitter.
She doesn’t seem impressed by her editors.
‘The story was supposed to be part of a pre-election series, but we used it when she was elected. Call me naive but I assumed getting defence experience was normal, not a big deal, and there were other more relevant things to include’
‘To clear things up: I interviewed @golrizghahraman about six weeks before the election, we openly discussed her time in Rwanda as a defence intern. It (like much of her story) didn’t make my final story due to space. ’
Genocide was committed by both sides in Rwanda. Genocide was done by the USA in Vietnam. Genocide is being done in many places, such as Myanmar and Palestine and with the Kurds. Yet it is such an emotive word it is avoided when the narrative doesn’t suit the West.
This Golriz business is a superb example of DP at work. A storm in a tea cup is inflated into a major confrontation by well coordinated media dickheads without a brain between the lot of them. Shame on them and their employers.
They, the media dickheads, have brains all right, the problem is that they are diseased, in an advanced state of breakdown and so presenting skewed thoughts.
Peters, aged 72, is also alleging in an unorthodox draft Statement of Claim filed with the High Court at Auckland that prominent Newshub political reporter Lloyd Burr is a “National Party political activist”.
…
He also wants money from one of the country’s top civil servants, the head of the Ministry of Social Development, Brendan Boyle.
…
In the draft Statement of Claim filed on Monday, Peters seems to be challenging the legality of the past (and previous) governments’ ‘No Surprises’ policy where civil servants were expected to brief ministers on politically controversial matters.
He calls “unlawful” the actions of Boyle, in telling two ministers about Peters’ super overpayment. He claims Boyle “knew or was reckless if he did not know” that the two ministers Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett “would utilise the intended plaintiff’s private MSD information for political purposes including discrediting the intended plaintiff in the forthcoming general election”.
“If”, Peters’ draft claim goes on, “the no surprises policy is lawful” then Boyle breached it in any case.
…
Peters calls the group of National ministers and staffers, which also included Steven Joyce, English’s chief of staff Wayne Eagleson and party communications officer Clark Hennessy, by a made-up title, the National Party Re-election Committee and gives it the acronym NPRC throughout his document.
He claims this “NPRC”, once informed by Boyle, would attempt to use what Peters has previously labelled a “mystery” error to “discredit him with the intent of reducing [Peters’] party vote to below five percent and to prevent him from winning the electoral seat of Northland”.
…
On the media’s reporting of the story, Peters alleges the “NPRC” arranged to leak the fact of his overpayment “to the media by use of journalists who were part-of and/or sympathetic to the National Party campaign to be re-elected — or alternatively would be reckless as to their obligations” when they knew of the payments.
Sir John Key’s story of how and why he canned a “mass surveillance” programme are at odds with official papers detailing development of the “Speargun” project.
The issue blew up in the final days of the 2014 election with Key claiming the programme was long-dead and had been replaced by a benign cyber-security system called Cortex.
Key always claimed the Speargun project to tap New Zealand’s internet cable was stopped in March 2013.
But new documents show development of Speargun continued after the time he had said he ordered a halt – apparently because the scheme was “too broad”.
Instead, they show Speargun wasn’t actually stopped until after Key was told in a secret briefing that details were likely to become public because they could be in the trove of secrets taken by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Wow, geez am so glad he quit being PM, is such a liar, and with stories like this coming out, once again one wonders what were his real reasons for quitting, because the… resigning for family reasons or health is such a bogus excuse, used often by Catholic priests when they have committed heinous crimes.
“The NZ Herald has found – after three years of refusals and information going missing – that the former Prime Minister’s version of events doesn’t match that of documents created at the time.”
His ‘Sir’ needs to be removed ASAP and he probably needs to be jailed for lying to the people of NZ as a public servant (Unfortunately, that latter doesn’t appear to be a crime despite it being immoral).
Brent Edwards was talking about freedom of the Press on Morning Report today. I I agree with him that freedom of the Press is important to a healthy democracy but so are journalists not being agents of Dirty Politics and the media not engaging in hatchet jobs and witch hunts.
Absolutely agree G A. That is just what I said to my husband when I heard this, this morning. Our so called media is getting too precious by half.Why do they think that they can print any unsubstantiated and highly inflammatory garbage they like and not get pulled up on it. Key has gone. Time they realized it and learned how to be real journalists and not just purveyors of their own opinions.
A wife pushes her husband, he falls, and dies.
Coroner and others accept her version of events, no charges are laid.
Five years later, the guilt is too much and the wife confesses.
The wife (Susan Mouat), is now appealing her sentence of home detention.
It gets curiouser, Susan Mouat had 16 convictions, mostly for violence and threatening against her husband, Bruce Mouat.
Unless he was violent when he was drunk… often family violence results in convictions of the abused as well as abuser as they file charges against each other.
From personal ‘at-the-coal-face’ observations throughout the years since Home D was introduced, the availability of Home D is more impacted by how well off you are than by gender. Generally the well off can propose a Home D address which ticks all the Corrections/Police boxes. The poor so frequently can’t. “Off to jail with you poor person!” Same applies to electronically monitored bail.
The Labour and national spokesman on breakfast look like they were having a good debate before going on camera. I no I’m not using my Maori spelling correctly but ha everyone gets it I already had a lecture from my wife . We got 2 mokos for 2 days I take my hat off to you Lady’s for all the hard work in razeing our mokos they keep me busy. Ka pai
Wikipedia is again calling for money, and suggesting to me that you might just give $3 which if everyone did would provide all they need for yonks. I don’t know just what it costs, but it must cost a lot in hardware, software, and particularly time, and they do a hell of a good job.
Those of us who treasure the ability to have open facts easily accessible, which are moderated and checked by people with integrity who care for high standards of information and clear thinking, please give them some dough. And we should do it regularly. I can’t afford much but if I keep pumping in some then this boon to us all will keep going. Also with The Standard.
We have to do what we say, we want democracy, we support democracy, we can’t just sit at a keyboard and say so, we can’t just demonstrate and protest, we need all of our input of those who will do more than just lift a finger to a key and drop it.
We need ongoing commitment, money, etc. to keep the good institutions, entities formed going, have to keep them from dropping away. They are hard to start, to build, to refine, to nip and tuck, expand here limit there, fit for purpose, they must be treasured and kept running. We need respect for each other, disagree and discuss, learn and amend, with some backslapping and congratulations, praise now and then. And we should always keep in mind and know, that always we will be a minority. Keep the yeast working in the loaf etc. Let’s do it.
Today at the Swiss Press Club in Geneva, 21st Century Wire Associate Editor Vanessa Beeley presented a dossier on the dubious UK-backed NGO known as the ‘White Helmets’ which included up-to-date information on their links to al Qaeda affiliates in Syria, as well as exposing the western propaganda organisation’s many bogus claims, including having ‘saved 99,220 lives‘ since the western-funded construct based in Turkey was created in late 2013.
Despite the efforts of alleged ‘free speech’ advocate NGO Reporters Without Borders to shut this event down, Swiss Press Club head Guy Mettan went ahead as scheduled. Reports Without Borders even went as far as to draft a formal complaint demanding the event be cancelled, alongside protestations by UK-based ‘Syrian opposition’ group Syria Campaign.
Cripes who to believe these days? I saw an image of white helmets supposedly doing good and thought positively about them, now it sounds as if they are a plant or a device to appear and be well regarded.
Then the Reporters without Borders – what are they? Are they like the one I looked at yesterday the Veritas outfit in the USA, so busy trying to prove wrongdoing in the media, that they will use wrongdoing to get quotes that they can manipulate for their own ends.
Do lots of young-ish people think that you can make up morality and ethics as you go along simply based on expediency at the time?
I don’t think it is necessarily the youngish people at fault, but those with an agenda, i.e. NATO, Israel, Saudi, UK, US.
“In 2007 the IAEA promoted false information about Israel’s bombing of a supposed nuclear reactor in Syria, burying clear evidence that the site was in fact not a reactor. Claims that a sarin gas attack last April was carried out by the Assad regime are similarly dubious. Just as the false claims of “weapons of mass destruction” against Iraq were used to initiate a war that destroyed Iraq, these claims seem aimed at taking down two more of Israel’s perceived enemies, Syria and Iran.”
Oh, and you’re awfully charitable to Project Veritas. Right-wing sliming operation is closer to the mark. They get their videos and then very selectively edit them to create the appearance of something that just isn’t there.
Personally, I tend towards suspicion of any of these alternative sources. If it looks like they’ve actually got an interesting story, then I’ll go to the effort to research the source, and start looking for corroboration from other more reliable sources.
So to take the White Helmets story as an example, the people making allegations about close links between the White Helmets and terrorists pretty much all trace back to RT (Russian government propaganda), Eva Bartlett and Vanessa Beeley (in turned linked to RT and InfoWars) etc. They make claims that appear to have been reliably debunked (such as claiming that a number of rescue videos showing a child named Aya are actually staged using the same child, debunked by closely looking at the child who is clearly different). The alternative view, that the White Helmets are more or less what they claim to be (with a layer of glossing themselves up on top), appears to be corroborated by the likes of Medecins sans Frontieres, so I find that view a fair bit more credible.
On the relatively rare occasions one of the likes of NYT, WaPo, TheGuardian, CNN etc really do get a major story badly wrong (such as Iraq WMDs in 2003), one or more of the others will be presenting the counterview (in 2003 that was the reports of Hans Blix the UN weapons inspector working in Iraq, carried by most of those outlets at the same time).
Should ban it outright. Foreign investment is just another word for future profits going offshore. I’d like to see a maximum percentage (say 15%) only of assets in any area being owned offshore from commercial property to forestry.
Also a yearly tax on those holding assets offshore but sure under the trade agreements that’s not possible because they are all designed to keep the neoliberal model going and not worry about trifle’s like local jobs or wealth or smaller countries becoming banana republics.
Should ban it outright. Foreign investment is just another word for future profits going offshore. I’d like to see a maximum percentage (say 15%) only of assets in any area being owned offshore from commercial property to forestry.
Should ban foreign ownership outright as it just makes the people of NZ serfs to foreign owners.
Also a yearly tax on those holding assets offshore but sure under the trade agreements that’s not possible because they are all designed to keep the neoliberal model going and not worry about trifle’s like local jobs or wealth or smaller countries becoming banana republics.
True as we’ve been informed many times that FTAs prevent the banning of foreign ownership. Which means that these FTAs are all about forcing trade rather than free-trade.
Hey if we could become a banana republic we might get somewhere. We might have animals and pohutukawas die off with changes from climate and multi million people movement, but when it gets warmer we could start growing our own bananas and have another export crop. We wouldn’t be able to sell them to each other because that would upset the import business of some monopoly foreign corporation but hey you can’t have everything. When you are as small as NZ on the world stage, we can always find a dear little mousehole to creep into, so to speak.
To all the people out there that are trying to give up smoking here is some information on our human anatomy when one has high blood pressure this is a result of the food we eat the stresss that we have in our lives and a oppressed culture in my view. So what happens is high blood pressure puts more strain on one’s blood vessels and what happens when a system is under pressure well something burst and that is not good if one of your blood vessels bust in your brain that is a stroke and if you survive that you could be in a state of being totally immobile someone will have to wash you everything you do now will have to be done by a care worker.
So I say again look at your mokos and no that you are the only one who will care and teach your mokos right from wrong
E.C.T.Go to the doctors and get your blood pressure checked an get the medication to lower your blood pressure to safe levels. I have had to dubble my blood pressure medication because of all the wasted attention that they are giving me. I notice that with my blood pressure back down to normal levels I’m not sweating no were as much as I use to
And I feel a lot better high blood pressure can cause a lot of health problems I no a lot of people who do not go to a doctor and a few that have passed that are of the same era as me and thats not good Ka pai
Neighbour died early because of emphysema. Was sucking in little ‘sips’ of air at the end. The lungs are so important and we take them for granted I reckon.
BP is one of the most important health measures (as long as you measure it regularly and don’t freak out just because you had a spike that day).
Years ago, when I was still young, I was working 80 or hundred hour weeks for a short period. Had a few hours off, so watched that night’s episode of buffy. Felt a drip-drip-drip, had a spontaneous nosebleed. Veins popping in my head is not good, thinks I, so go to the doctor. The nose was fine. But my 180/120 blood pressure was very close to being hospitalised out of general principle. After lots of tests, the nephrology folk decided that although my lifestyle wasn’t pristine, the main reason my blood pressure was high was “well, it just is”.
So that was the first thing to break as I aged and, frankly, modern medicine is about the only reason I’m alive today. Although I do find it fascinating what drives it up and down at each visit to the doc.
That’s interesting on why the job has not been taken. One reason could be lack of advertising or nowadays with so much insecure work, many are reluctant to move their lives away because anyone can lose their job within 90 days… or get no compensation if anything goes wrong.
Lessons for NZ deforesting (Landcorp selling off land into foreign ownership as we speak as well as clearing for dairy), damming for irrigation for Dairy in drought areas, continuing pollution of our lakes and rivers and giving water away virtually for free across conservation land to be sold offshore.
“The Amazon effect: how deforestation is starving São Paulo of water
A drought two years ago triggered fighting, looting and official ‘states of calamity’ across the metropolis, with the army preparing to send in troops. Now, new warnings suggest it could happen again – and point to a surprising culprit”
I have already told the story of how my teeth got accidentally knocked out with a hammer while someone was killing a opposum. Well here’s another story on my first day at high school Yes I made it to high school I had to sow up some old pants and the uniform was a bit small I had plastic wing tip shoes and purple socks I did not know my socks were purple I found out from this elder girl who called me captain purple an said my socks were purple lol I told her we’re to go as I did not no I was colour blind and still though they were blue later on that day someone was trying to bull me while I was swimming in the school pool and when I told him we’re to go I spat my teeth out in the pool I got a m8 to help me find they but the bell rang and he went to class so 1 hour later I found my teeth and joined him I class. We fast forward a couple of years and my crew m8 made a mistake on a fishing boat I ended up in the drink the skipper just about had a heart attack as they turn around to pull me out of the sea I said a couple of foul words and spat my teeth out lol never going to find those. Ka pai
Big claim coming up next year. The analysis and information on this one will be epic – what was lost will be found, will be shared and will move us toward tino rangatiratanga.
Below from fbook.
KAUPAPA INQUIRY 2018
The Mana Wahine claim is set down to be heard by the Waitangi Tribunal in early 2018 as per the memorandum issued on 16 November 2017 by Chief Judge Issac.
“Claims alleging prejudice to Māori women arising from Crown Treaty breaches have been set down for separate inquiry in the kaupapa programme. The claims relate mainly to the status and treatment of wāhine Māori, in both historical and modern times. The claims allege that the Crown has failed to protect the rangatiratanga of Māori women and their right to non-discrimination on grounds of gender, with serious prejudicial consequences for their social, economic, cultural and spiritual well-being and their access to leadership roles”
One possible claim would be hard to deal with. I remember hearing about this Maori woman of standing who took a pakeha husband. She married him and her ancestral land went with her, and became her husband’s estate under pakeha law at that time. When he divorced her, he owned all her people’s lands and their resources at his disposal. This was about the time of the whaling so must have been early on. Anyway the tribe lost much. It would be sad if it was true and it did happen. How to recover that or reasonable compensation?
Interesting because The Economist is the neoliberal’s Pravda:
(They insist on calling it ‘liberalism’, which is in economic history, more or less correct, but it gets wrongly associated with liberal social progressivism when in fact it’s a monoculturalist, assimilationist ideology… but that’s another story)
The very elites that have devoted so much energy to rigging the system for their own advantage did little to address Britain’s fundamental problems, and have frequently compounded them. A disproportionate share of Britain’s wealth goes into feeding the housing industry rather than into starting businesses. A third of British firms have seen no growth in productivity since 2000. The north-east and Wales are some of the poorest regions in northern Europe. No wonder 52% of the British population took the chance offered by the referendum to give the finger to their betters.
One wonders whether any of the nat’s very own blue dragon donors received any warnings.
Turnbull government ministers have questioned the loyalty of the strife-prone Labor senator Sam Dastyari to Australia after a report that he tipped off a Chinese political donor that his phone was probably being tapped by security agencies.
Fairfax Media reported on Wednesday that Dastyari had warned the Chinese Communist party-linked political donor Huang Xiangmo last year that his phone was probably tapped by government agencies, including the US government.
Some pundits have Nikki Kaye as a possible future National leader. I think she has the key attributes.
Today in the House the answer to her prime question showed what a smart-arse she is.
Mind you, trying to turn something like whether kids can start school before they’re 5 into the issue of the century, is a challenge. Except to those who think saying kids can’t start before they’re 5 is the crime of the century.
If you saw Ms Kaye you might understand.
“Hon NIKKI KAYE to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by his statement in relation to changing the age at which children can start school that it is “not unusual for a Minister or Government to state its intention” on an issue before going through the Cabinet process; if so, why?”
She was trying to be smart and continue the implication to cretins that Hipkins was up to no good, was out of order and consequently not up to the job.
The initial answer was that Kaye as Minister had done the same thing with a $37million announcement which hadn’t gone through the due process she thinks Hipkins should have used.
The ‘list’ would only have to say “Something serious and meaningful not mindless politicking which merely accentuates the dumb things National did and the way they acted in Government and the churlish childish state they are in now.”
Witness witless Simon Bridges today (and just about every day) too.
Thank you. I was astounded at Ms Kaye’s performance. I can understand her wanting to hold Hipkins to account and have him justify his approach but to do it and so openly expose herself?
I read there’s 8000 odd Air BNBs booked in Auckland for the summer period. Queenstown has moved to restrict temporary Air BNB providers because these places are sitting idle all year when families could be living in them.
I’d be very happy if this government threw Air BNB out of the country altogether until such time as we had enough houses for people and until such time as we moved away from amateur landlordism as a vehicle to retirement.
My read was that many houses were empty for 10 months of the year in the middle of an accomodation problem. That and the obvious lobbying from the hotel industry in Queenstown wanting Air BNB providers to be treated the same as hotel accomodation providers.
It’s the same argument for Uber. The model is unsustainable, in Uber’s case because only students and part timers will be able to drive for those low wages and are they able to meet transport regulation requirements? In AirBNB’s case because it takes too much housing off the market, empty for 10 months of the year.
I used Uber a couple of times in Chiang Mai – THB100 instead of THB300 for a tuktuk which is fine. Uber drivers wouldn’t pick up in tourist areas though.
I used Air BNB once in Sydney for my family (I didn’t go). They were in an apartment block in Freshwater Beach and had to pretend they were family members if questioned by other members of the community. Hardly a pleasant experience.
The point is when you have providers doing business (in AirBNB’s case) which affects the housing stock and the neighbours then you’re always going to get problems.
My question: Is Lloyd Burr a National Party activist? He was certainly privy to information delivered by senior National Party ministers and/or senior government aligned public service officials in the formation of his story.
Nothing wrong with a scapegoat.
It will serve as a message to the other National Party activists working in the media; Garner, Hosking, Soper, du Plessis Allen, Richardson, Trevett, ……
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
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. ...
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 ...
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. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
The witchhunt continues.
What a revolting media we have. Shall not watch how bully boys Garner and Richardson handle the story.
There is a nasty underbelly to this country.
‘Poll: Do you think Golriz Ghahraman and the Green Party have misled the public about her past role as a human rights lawyer?’
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2017/11/poll-do-you-think-golriz-ghahraman-and-the-green-party-have-misled-the-public-about-her-past-role-as-a-human-rights-lawyer.html
Not a witch hunt Ed just msm getting their money’s worth from a topical story.
That so many commenters and authors here have moaned that it is a hit job,dirty politics etc is also somewhat trite in that if the shoe was on the other foot there would have been a number of authors here more than happy to put the boot in.
This will be a salutory lesson to the new MPs in parliament that their past and present will always be there for the public to pick over.
Bullsh*t, Stunned mullet. This business is nothing more than nasty mud-throwing. “Topical story” it is not; Ed is correct. It’s a witch hunt. In this day and age. Shameful.
…and yet there was an article here and in the msm not so long ago about a nat member of Chinese origin that sparked considerable bigotry and howling from sections of the commenteriat.
We are lucky in Nz that most of the population don’t really bother too much with politics as the partisan hackery displayed at this and other blogs is reminiscent of the shambolic political partisan hypocrisy on display daily in the USA.
Do you mean the man who trained spies? How were discussions around that a witch-hunt? What bigotry was shown?
There was and remains a major question about said MP of Chinese origin caused by his concealment of his relationship with China’s spying apparatus: if it comes to a question of a conflict between China’s interests and New Zealand’s interests, where will his loyalties and priorities really lie?
In contrast, the hit on Ghahraman is that she didn’t go out of her way to highlight some aspects of her past work that simpletons with a reactionary view of how justice should work would find objectionable. She didn’t conceal those facts, she simply didn’t highlight them. So far there has been nothing come up to raise a question about her loyalties or integrity.
To my mind, being open about it in an interview falls in the category of not concealing. When the story came out without those bits and Ghahraman didn’t ask for a correction or supplement to give those facts the same prominence, that falls in the category of not highlighting.
Your categories may vary.
Can you imagine what would happen if a person went to a newspaper and said “I don’t believe you talked enough about this aspect of my life – I want you to give me the space so that it can be reported on”.
The newspaper would rightly say – “it’s out decision what goes into the newspaper, if you want your say then consider an ad and we may run it.”. (After they have finished laughing their heads off.)
Consider the jam-packed life this women has lead – how could she know which aspect of it that has been left out is going to be bought up by RWNJ’s.
And if Kirsty Johnson can’t say what is going to be newsworthy then who can? There must be few people who could outskill her.
And if Kirsty Johnson can’t say what is going to be newsworthy then who can? There must be few people who could outskill her.”
+1000000
As a general comment, I reckon you’re spot on.
In this specific instance, had Ghahraman gone back to Johnson with something like “I really think it’s important that a story like that includes the fact I was working for the defence, so it doesn’t appear I’m hiding something unsavoury that can get turned into a political attack”, I’d be surprised if that request didn’t get favourable consideration.
But really, she had already put the information out there in enough places for anyone to find if they cared to look. So any criticism of Ghahraman based on the idea she tried to hide her work for the defence is utter bullshit in my opinion. Particularly since she appears to have been forthright in her answers when asked. In stark contrast to most politicians questioned on a potentially uncomfortable topic.
…the hit on Ghahraman is that she didn’t go out of her way to highlight some aspects of her past work that simpletons with a reactionary view of how justice should work would find objectionable.
Thank you. So succinctly and accurately summed up that I nicked it for my own blog (with link to the original).
…and yet there was an article here and in the msm not so long ago about a nat member of Chinese origin…
…who used to work for Chinese military intelligence and for all we know still does; who is still a member of the Chinese Communist Party; and who spent half his maiden speech praising the Chinese government. I find those compelling reasons for suspicion that the bloke is actually representing the Chinese government rather than National voters. The only bigotry and howling in evidence is about a human rights lawyer, not a spook.
Poll:
Do you think that Newshub is peopled by idiots?
Will they have one like that? Their poll is sort of bewildering, stunning, unbelievable, inexplicable, dumb, stupid, negative, vacuous, destructive. And bleak.
And the saddest thing it is what we now expect.
+1 Pete.
Also another poll, “should the Herald be put to sleep due to being too ancient to be relevant to the NZ public apart from to Brash types.” (ACT now on 1%).
Or even another:
Do you think our commercial media, subsidised through mechanisms such as the platinum fund, are doing the public a service?
Your comment is shameful.
And unsurprising.
That so many commenters and authors here have moaned that it is a hit job,dirty politics etc is also somewhat trite in that if the shoe was on the other foot there would have been a number of authors here more than happy to put the boot in.
If the boot was on the other foot? I wonder how that would even happen. First, the Greens would have to be running a dirty politics operation; second, National would need a human rights lawyer among its MPs. Chances of either of those approximate to 0.
Nope. It’s a hit job.
Garner and Richardson and similar types hate her because she’s smart, left-wing, female, non-white, articulate and wants to do good in the world. The last one really winds them up because it shows up their own shallow, self-interested wallowing in comfort.
And they are also horribly internally conflicted because she’s attractive at the same time and they find themselves hating something they fancy. This makes them even more idiotic and irrational.
I regard them as like a t*rd that won’t flush away – obscene and embarrassing.
No, it’s a witch hunt designed to undermine our duly elected government. Basically, typical Dirty Politics from the RWNJs.
For fucks sake man, this is what National copped for the last nines years, it’s part of being in government, it comes with the territory.
The left needs to put on its big boy/big girl pants and deal with it otherwise it’s one term if they’re lucky.
Rubbish drongo the gnats NEVER had to put up with this bullshit.
This is dirty politics run by dirty smearers. You cannot handle how fucken scummy your side is – deal with it loser.
The media ceases to be your friend when you’re in government. This is only the start of the media fun and games. BM is right, a better strategy is needed than just crying wolf about “Dirty Politics”.
Are you kidding me? The media habitually fellate the nats inside or outside government. Tories need to be overwhelmingly incompetent before the media start to feed on them. As in Brash incompetent. But if they don’t get a leftie scalp every year or so, the media get pissy.
And the fact that the nats had a well-established conduit from their leader’s office, through supposedly independent bloggers and into the msm… one wonders where they got this latest lie from.
McFlock you are totally correct about media fellating the natz in or out of government. I have noticed a trend recently. If labour is looking at making fairly major political decisions, the article nearly always adds a response from blinglish, as if his input validates or is more valid than the new governments. They just have to keep as much of the spotlight on him as they can!
Journalists should seek and publish contrary opinions next to one another.
Too often they simply re-publish press releases without seeking rebuttal at all.
So, for example, we get Steven Joyce running his mouth, presented as though what he says can be trusted, and the journalist involved doesn’t so much as pick up a calculator, let alone ask for third-party corroboration.
This laziness does them no favours: “Finance Minister cannot do sums” makes a far better story than “Finance Minister says opposition cannot do sums.”
Seriously?! The media were on crusade to get National at the end. It was a never ending series of “got ya” attempts.
I am seeing a parallel with Key and Ardern. Both started off as media darlings. The media loved Key at the beginning but turned on him in the end. The same will happen with Ardern. Other politicians are fair game from the get go though.
Lol you are dreaming buddy and trying to rewrite history. Key is a joke comparred to Jacinda. He is not even in the same league.
Key never had it as bad as Ardern has it now.
For ever gotcha attempt against the nats (and those were mostly the result of national infighting) in the final year, there were two against Labour and/or the greens – and it’s funny how tory bloggers and commenters always had an inkling that someone on the leftish was going to have difficulties. Maybe a post by slater parroted by one of his lickspittles who comment here, usually the previous evening to prime the pump.
Ardern is not a “media darling”. The media hype that up to make it look like she’s getting a free ride, but it’s damning with shallow praise while inventing shortcomings in substance. So far they’ve got nothing, so they repeat things like “gosh, they repeated exactly what they initially said, so they’re backtracking on the number of trees”-style lies.
“Key never had it as bad as Ardern has it now”
You reckon? Key was getting it with both barrels with the “Dirty Politics” non-event. Key’s self-inflicted stupidity with his hair pulling episode also saw some serious heat. Arderns ride has been gentle at best in comparison. The media have yet to go to town on her, which they will rightly or wrongly.
To McGrath @ 3:53…..”Non event”? You’re obviously still on planet Key .Read the book .
Key got some criticism from the MSM for dirty politics came out, but that’s how hard he had to try to get stick from them: it required a book that documented, step by step, the full dirty politics machine coming from the Beehive (and then the cops turning over the author’s place) simply to get bad emough that he had to throw a minion under the bus.
Similarly, the media were pissed when the cops executed search warrants over the audio recording of a public cup of tea.
Key had to work to get media criticism. Ardern simply just has to give an update on how a policy is going, and the farcical allegations of backtracking are dutifully reported.
To Garibaldi @ 6:43
“Dirty Politics” ended up being a non-event as Joe/Jane public got sick & bored of the MSM ramming it down people’s throats 24/7. Add the Fat German to the mix and all it achieved was to shake complacent Nats to the polls securing outright victory on the night. These days, shouting “Dirty Politics” at everything is on the same level as Trump shouting “Fake News” at everything.
BM is definitely a loser for trying to justify RWNJs disgraceful behaviour while in opposition.
His positioning is that it’s ok to to attack the government because Labour did it too. The corollary is that it’s ok for Labour to use dirty politics, stats manipulation, public service hit-jobs, and to obfuscate the transparency of government because that’s what National did.
I expect to hear only messages of congratulations from BM and other RWNJs if and when this happens.
To Muttonbird:
touché
No it’s not.
1. The MSM were most definitely cheer-leading for National
2. Nothing that was levelled against National was a made up smear as this is
3. Dirty Politics shows that made up smears is National’s Modus Operandi
Actually, that would be National and other RWNJs having to own up to their smear machines – or held to account and jailed.
or held to account and jailed.
Lol, you’re such a clown.
More of a dunderwhelp I’d say.
Why?
These people are always saying that people should take responsibility for their actions.
In this case their actions happened to be a calculated smear that’s actually illegal (defamatory) and has legal consequences.
So Why is there no Poll asking people about J Key’s lies about the American spy programme being finished and replaced. That continued for a year!! A whopper!!
Papers have just been “discovered” But the silence is deafening!! It is all “Look at this fudging by a green.”
Very selective. What about the Nat DHB Waikato chief executive debacle?
Key’s no longer in politics, it’s like dredging up dirt on Helen Clark.
Both, yesterdays people who no longer hold the publics interest.
Demographics Ed, they’re playing to their sports jock red neck audience.
The smears are working, as they keep it in the limelight, so they’ll not stop anytime soon.
It’s what happens when there’s no enforceable regulations fining broadcasters for this irresponsible behaviour.
Richardson’s role is to play himself, a misogynist egocentric opinionated ex sports jock.
There are really lovely people out there…..
Sure are Ed and they mostly don’t watch these egotists on tv3.
Curran needs to bring the hammer down on the MSM as it’s cowboys and shills are negatively impacting open discourse.
Yes we need a democratic media,not one owned by the finance industry.
It’s more we need a better kind of media – hence the need to RNZ+.
Also, basically, the government need to start leading the news agenda in their own way – with more positive, honest stories, that will engage the general public in a democratic way.
The airwaves are part of the commons.
Take them back from the finance industry.
What would a ‘democratic media’ in NZ look like Ed? How would it work?
How do you create a ‘democratic media’ in a country like NZ without using authoritarian, essentially undemocratic methods to bring it into existence? e.g. preventing private ownership of media platforms (I presume that this is what you mean when you refer to it not being owned by the finance industry) – which raises the question as to how it would be funded?
Private ownership is anti-democratic itself due to its effect of removing power and wealth from the people.
In fact, it’s authoritarian and even dictatorial.
The government, being the issuer of the NZ$, can afford all resources in the country. In fact, they already own all the resources in the country.
It’s really not a question of funding at all. It never has been. It’s a question of the lies told to make people believe that all wealth flows from the rich.
Peters is doing that for her – trying to get monies from journalists for publishing the details of hisbover payments.
Deputy PM suing journalist for something they repeated which was true. Is this what the msm is going to be like under this government?
“Deputy PM suing journalist for something they repeated which was true. Is this what the msm is going to be like under this government?”
It may have been true but how did these “journalists” become privvy to Peters’s private information? That’s the point you’re missing.
This whole thing was a Dirty Politics smear and it was facilitated by those so-called journalists. That is what an undemocratic media looks like James if you need a comparison.
@James That was a Dirty Trick that cost the Nats the election…..despite all the howls from journalists saying Peters is threatening freedom of speech by investigating how the pension leak got out, I think the NZ public has a right to know what transpired here……doubtless English and Joyce were up to their neck in it.
That doesn’t mean that they should have repeated it. It was private information and not in the Public Interest.
Then there was the fact that it was WINZ’ mistake which wasn’t made clear or even hinted at. In fact, IIRC, it was made out to be Winston purposefully rorting the system.
And at that point there it becomes a calculated smear.
Now, I happen to think that people who engage in a calculated smear, especially to influence an election, should be held to account.
James, think of some of the things I could* repeat about you which are true, which nonetheless might breach your privacy.
Imagine if I were to do this with malice. Would you consider that a crime? Are you cuddling up to crims, James?
*if I knew anything about you other than what I can read here.
James are you that gullible?
“Peters is doing that for her – suing journalist for something they repeated which was true.”
On that note then answer this;
Do you believe everything journalist say do you???
You asked “Is this what the msm is going to be like under this government?”
As to the jouranists he is suing;
In this case they pejured themselves by soliting “private documents”
Do you believe in our human rights to privacy?
You are a National supporter, we note, and I guess you believe it was fundermentally right for John Key to allow us all to be exposed to wide ranging survielllence by a back door system to the foriegn NSA as he did allow this, so you maybe have no concerns for privacy rights for all then???
Yes there are. You should get off the Internet and chat to more of them face to face.
Fortunately the people I chat to don’t speak about Golriz like you.
I only bump into such ghastly views here.
How do I speak about Golriz ?
…their sports jock red neck audience
Don’t call bigots “rednecks”. The most vicious bigots in New Zealand are people like Garth “The Knife” McVicar, Don Brash, Leighton Smith, Mike Hosking, and John Ansell—other than the Knife Man, they’ve never done a day of hard work in the sun between them.
I would add Mapp to that list – the mask definitely slipped yesterday.
Yes if he – a Law Commissioner – could not see that how an International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda run by the UN would involve Judges, Prosecutors, and Defence….then he is not fit to be a Law Commissioner.
The statement on the Green web site was entirely accurate. It was he and his ilk who are the ones being duplicitous.
You have completely misrepresented what Wayne Mapp said.
https://thestandard.org.nz/thank-you-golriz/#comment-1420071
It’s too late for Wayne. He didn’t read the rules.
i have no idea if he did or didn’t read the rules.
In my opinion he often posts quite reasonably and is often subjected to abuse by other commenters for no other reason than who he is.
That’s a fair comment in his case, he normally is pretty reasonable, and on occasion some people in my opinion do react disproportionately to what he says simply because of who he was.
But he tried to overegg what was basically a reasonable description on a party bio page. He also overegged comments people made here about Turei as being “completely uncritical”. And he’s been commenting here long enough to know that anyone referring to a dataserver as a conscious entity risks a ban.
And if Macro significantly misrepresented what Wayne said (I don’t think they did), it was far less significant than the degree to which wayne misrepresented the party bio issue. As far as I am aware, nobody has presented a single interview where she in any way concealed what her various roles were. Literally the only instances I’ve seen tories present were her brief party bio paragragph (which is at worst ambiguous, but she probably did authorise the final version), and news articles that use their own words and own shoddy editing to describe what she did. The raw material she provided them, however, was open, honest, and explicit.
He has a history of posting reasonably, and I agree he gets attacked for who he is and what his politics are. But in the past four or five months something changed, and now he often comes across as trolling or astroturfing. That’s what he was doing the other day when he got banned. If we wants to align himself with the Dirty Politics crowd he’ll need to be more careful in how he expresses himself.
This is what Mapp wrote:
my bold
By saying that she was not represented herself correctly is in effect saying that the statement on the website is duplicitous. This representation of the statement by Mapp can only be construed as such if this statement was in anyway untrue
Indeed in Cambodia she acted for the prosecution.
Her work in Africa and The Hague and Cambodia was under the auspices of the UN. In Rwanda under the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The need for defence advocates in criminal proceedings is well understood and should be obvious to a Law Commissioner. So his call that the statement was duplicitous was itself duplicitous. The Green website statement was entirely factual and calling it ambiguous was simply false (and he would have known that).
Yep. I get very offended by his spin and it disappoints me to see how low he is in his assertions of known and proven untruths.
And now bully boy Soper joins in.
There is now quite a long list of old rich men ready to put the boot in….
Such balanced coverage from our awful media.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11949313
This sooooooo smells of dirty politics.
“…This sooooooo smells of dirty politics…”
Soper tells us “…Well a series of photos have been sent to me,…”
Who by Bazza? Quinn? Farrar? Slater? What a complete prick. He is abusing his position to shameless launder dirty politics into the Herald. The old bastard really has no excuse. He is as dirty as Slater and twice as compromised.
Soper should Google Mervyn Thompson, and pray modern young woman are not as radical as their mums and aunts.
It wouldn’t be interesting to find out what information compromises Soper so much that he can be relied on to so reliably write hit pieces for his owners.
And make du Plessis Allen toe the part line as well.
Soper in his workplace has displayed extreme temper tantrums worse than a two year old. Thoroughly nasty individual. For him to be doing character assassinations on others is total hypocrisy.
I’ve heard Lloyd Burr is a preening gallery bully-boy in the parliament precincts also.
Well maybe (applying Soper’s own standards) we should ask his former partners what they think of him.
But even though he isn’t, we’re above all that yes?
Seems to me that it might be open season on high profile Green Party women.
I’m just watching Garner’s aggressive and disrespectful inquisition of Golriz now. His demeanour has been cold and harsh throughout. What a contrast with his adulation yesterday of that shepherd-killing coke snorting groper.
Transcript coming up.
Couldn’t bear to watch
Re Phil Quin, I had occasion to comment on that waste of space exactly one year ago….
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30112016/#comment-1267800
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15092015/#comment-1071091
Fuck! How time flies. A fairly accurate description then as it is now.
But we should watch out. Tuff guy PQ has taken to Twitter, and before you know it, the poor ‘widdle’ MAN will be accusing ebery1 of bullying blub de blub blub blub
Agree 200% Morrisey I saw this disgusting inquisition, It is a pity that prat Garner does not show the same “gotcha” enthusiasm with English over the Todd Barclay affair and the Chinese Spy they have in the National party. Just two items that come to mind. I am sure there are many more if they wanted to get stuck into something.
He’s got that ghoul Don Brash on after 8 o’clock. The contrast in tone will be instructive.
Last week it was the Refugees on Manus and the offer to resettle 150 per year here. This week it’s to be Golriz..
What piece of vile, redneck hatred, bias, and bile will they dream up for next week?
It sounds like they are at least reliable in their standard of choice for subject and method. So good to check on to see the latest visceral sacrifice and blood letting. Drs Noooooo.
Absolutely spot on there Ed (1). It is a witch hunt and a vicious one at that, against a strong successful woman. Golriz and others like her it seems, is for some reason deemed a threat by middle aged/old, bigoted white men!
Next, the ducking stool will be brought out, demonstrating how backwards NZ is becoming in its mindset!
Mary_A…….”[Golriz] deemed a threat by middle aged/old, bigoted white men!” Add ‘narcissistic’. That’s why I try very hard to avoid both Garner and Hosking……their appalling narcissism.
The thing to remember about Soper, Garner, Richardson, Hoskings etc is their influence is in freefall. No one listens or reads them who isn’t looking for confirmation bias. The Murdoch press in alliance with the Blairite chattering classes couldn’t stop Corbyn and here the constant barrrage of attacks on Labour didn’t stop them being able to form the government after the last election.
Under FPP systems old and angry white men and what they represent have clung on to their influence because they can still command pluralities in marginal electorates. Under MMP the last election exposed their electoral bankruptcy in NZ. The National party strategy of driving NZ First and the Greens out of parliament so casually racist white folk can rule unimpeded by pesky upstart refugee lawyers from Iran didn’t work and will never work as demographics change.
But the old white men’s bile becomes more concentrated and more charged as time goes on. If they explode some day, watch out, the effects will be destructive.
BUT she TOLD a reporter before the election of her involvement.
BUT it was edited out because of space requirements!!!!!
So who hid what??????
Kirsty Johnston reported this on Twitter.
She doesn’t seem impressed by her editors.
‘The story was supposed to be part of a pre-election series, but we used it when she was elected. Call me naive but I assumed getting defence experience was normal, not a big deal, and there were other more relevant things to include’
‘To clear things up: I interviewed @golrizghahraman about six weeks before the election, we openly discussed her time in Rwanda as a defence intern. It (like much of her story) didn’t make my final story due to space. ’
Thanks ed, for the reference. Could not find it again.
Genocide was committed by both sides in Rwanda. Genocide was done by the USA in Vietnam. Genocide is being done in many places, such as Myanmar and Palestine and with the Kurds. Yet it is such an emotive word it is avoided when the narrative doesn’t suit the West.
This Golriz business is a superb example of DP at work. A storm in a tea cup is inflated into a major confrontation by well coordinated media dickheads without a brain between the lot of them. Shame on them and their employers.
They, the media dickheads, have brains all right, the problem is that they are diseased, in an advanced state of breakdown and so presenting skewed thoughts.
Gosh, “dickheads”. I guess you don’t want to be leader either.
In every paper ?
HUH
It
her editors
It’s also on her publicly available online CV. Not exactly hard for anyone to find.
Interesting extra charges being brought by Peters against some Nats and Lloyd Burr, regarding his super over-payment.
Newsroom reports:
Whoa! NZ Herald’s David Fisher on John Key’s lies about the Moment of Truth, and still won the election that followed.
Wow, geez am so glad he quit being PM, is such a liar, and with stories like this coming out, once again one wonders what were his real reasons for quitting, because the… resigning for family reasons or health is such a bogus excuse, used often by Catholic priests when they have committed heinous crimes.
“The NZ Herald has found – after three years of refusals and information going missing – that the former Prime Minister’s version of events doesn’t match that of documents created at the time.”
So a good percentage of New Zealanders voted for a liar, and indeed worshipped those lies.
Something is deeply worrying about our society at a sociological level.
adam
+1
Agreed.
I’d posit that 100% of nzers who voted did so for a liar.
And you’d be wrong.
Most people don’t lie most of the time. They may be in error but that’s not the same as lying.
John Key, and many other National MPs, deliberately lied.
His ‘Sir’ needs to be removed ASAP and he probably needs to be jailed for lying to the people of NZ as a public servant (Unfortunately, that latter doesn’t appear to be a crime despite it being immoral).
Yes Draco exactly,
I stand in support to have Sir removed from this dispicable man as he has been proven to be untrustworthy and honest at every turn.
Defrock the man.
There is such a fuss made of our ‘free’press but as every arm of our media is an uncritical propaganda outlet for neoliberalism, how is it democratic?
Except for some egs, as above: David Fisher; Kirsty Johnston.
Brent Edwards was talking about freedom of the Press on Morning Report today. I I agree with him that freedom of the Press is important to a healthy democracy but so are journalists not being agents of Dirty Politics and the media not engaging in hatchet jobs and witch hunts.
Morning Report
Absolutely agree G A. That is just what I said to my husband when I heard this, this morning. Our so called media is getting too precious by half.Why do they think that they can print any unsubstantiated and highly inflammatory garbage they like and not get pulled up on it. Key has gone. Time they realized it and learned how to be real journalists and not just purveyors of their own opinions.
Freedom of the press means freedom for the 1% to own the press,
I don’t want or need that freedom.
Something isn’t right, or I am missing something.
A wife pushes her husband, he falls, and dies.
Coroner and others accept her version of events, no charges are laid.
Five years later, the guilt is too much and the wife confesses.
The wife (Susan Mouat), is now appealing her sentence of home detention.
It gets curiouser, Susan Mouat had 16 convictions, mostly for violence and threatening against her husband, Bruce Mouat.
I can’t help but feel if the genders were reversed, home detention would not be the sentence imposed.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99305539
Home D is cheaper than jail, that’s the only reason I can think of.
Gender should have nada to do with sentencing, circumstances yes, but gender NO.
Unless he was violent when he was drunk… often family violence results in convictions of the abused as well as abuser as they file charges against each other.
That’s possible, no mention was made of any convictions against the husband.
Alcohol seems to be at the bottom of this story.
From personal ‘at-the-coal-face’ observations throughout the years since Home D was introduced, the availability of Home D is more impacted by how well off you are than by gender. Generally the well off can propose a Home D address which ticks all the Corrections/Police boxes. The poor so frequently can’t. “Off to jail with you poor person!” Same applies to electronically monitored bail.
Ironic quote of the day
“Having your photograph TAKEN with someone like that is not a good idea.”
—Dr. Don Brash, three A.M. show, 8:29 a.m.
http://www.indiannewslink.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/files/Don_Brash_proposes__Boscawen__Brash__Banks_624597890.jpg
More Don Brash photos…
https://static2.stuff.co.nz/1397090092/134/9926134.jpg
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/don-and-monty.jpg
https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/9/k/i/1/s/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.19mp8t.png/1454656985775.jpg
How was Brash with Garner?
Was he frothing on about Waitangi?
The Labour and national spokesman on breakfast look like they were having a good debate before going on camera. I no I’m not using my Maori spelling correctly but ha everyone gets it I already had a lecture from my wife . We got 2 mokos for 2 days I take my hat off to you Lady’s for all the hard work in razeing our mokos they keep me busy. Ka pai
Wikipedia is again calling for money, and suggesting to me that you might just give $3 which if everyone did would provide all they need for yonks. I don’t know just what it costs, but it must cost a lot in hardware, software, and particularly time, and they do a hell of a good job.
Those of us who treasure the ability to have open facts easily accessible, which are moderated and checked by people with integrity who care for high standards of information and clear thinking, please give them some dough. And we should do it regularly. I can’t afford much but if I keep pumping in some then this boon to us all will keep going. Also with The Standard.
We have to do what we say, we want democracy, we support democracy, we can’t just sit at a keyboard and say so, we can’t just demonstrate and protest, we need all of our input of those who will do more than just lift a finger to a key and drop it.
We need ongoing commitment, money, etc. to keep the good institutions, entities formed going, have to keep them from dropping away. They are hard to start, to build, to refine, to nip and tuck, expand here limit there, fit for purpose, they must be treasured and kept running. We need respect for each other, disagree and discuss, learn and amend, with some backslapping and congratulations, praise now and then. And we should always keep in mind and know, that always we will be a minority. Keep the yeast working in the loaf etc. Let’s do it.
Good points greywarshark.
The truth will out.
Today at the Swiss Press Club in Geneva, 21st Century Wire Associate Editor Vanessa Beeley presented a dossier on the dubious UK-backed NGO known as the ‘White Helmets’ which included up-to-date information on their links to al Qaeda affiliates in Syria, as well as exposing the western propaganda organisation’s many bogus claims, including having ‘saved 99,220 lives‘ since the western-funded construct based in Turkey was created in late 2013.
Despite the efforts of alleged ‘free speech’ advocate NGO Reporters Without Borders to shut this event down, Swiss Press Club head Guy Mettan went ahead as scheduled. Reports Without Borders even went as far as to draft a formal complaint demanding the event be cancelled, alongside protestations by UK-based ‘Syrian opposition’ group Syria Campaign.
http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/11/28/vanessa-beeley-presents-new-white-helmets-expose-to-swiss-press-club-geneva/
Cripes who to believe these days? I saw an image of white helmets supposedly doing good and thought positively about them, now it sounds as if they are a plant or a device to appear and be well regarded.
Then the Reporters without Borders – what are they? Are they like the one I looked at yesterday the Veritas outfit in the USA, so busy trying to prove wrongdoing in the media, that they will use wrongdoing to get quotes that they can manipulate for their own ends.
Do lots of young-ish people think that you can make up morality and ethics as you go along simply based on expediency at the time?
I don’t think it is necessarily the youngish people at fault, but those with an agenda, i.e. NATO, Israel, Saudi, UK, US.
“In 2007 the IAEA promoted false information about Israel’s bombing of a supposed nuclear reactor in Syria, burying clear evidence that the site was in fact not a reactor. Claims that a sarin gas attack last April was carried out by the Assad regime are similarly dubious. Just as the false claims of “weapons of mass destruction” against Iraq were used to initiate a war that destroyed Iraq, these claims seem aimed at taking down two more of Israel’s perceived enemies, Syria and Iran.”
https://israelpalestinenews.org/false-claims-syria-lay-groundwork-destroy-israeli-targets/
Hey greywarshark, I recommend you do a bit of research on 21st Century Wire before deciding how much credibility you’re going to give their reports.
Really you have hit on the point I was making thank you Andre.
Oh, and you’re awfully charitable to Project Veritas. Right-wing sliming operation is closer to the mark. They get their videos and then very selectively edit them to create the appearance of something that just isn’t there.
https://www.salon.com/2017/11/28/reminder-james-okeefe-has-a-history-of-failing-to-discredit-journalists/
Personally, I tend towards suspicion of any of these alternative sources. If it looks like they’ve actually got an interesting story, then I’ll go to the effort to research the source, and start looking for corroboration from other more reliable sources.
So to take the White Helmets story as an example, the people making allegations about close links between the White Helmets and terrorists pretty much all trace back to RT (Russian government propaganda), Eva Bartlett and Vanessa Beeley (in turned linked to RT and InfoWars) etc. They make claims that appear to have been reliably debunked (such as claiming that a number of rescue videos showing a child named Aya are actually staged using the same child, debunked by closely looking at the child who is clearly different). The alternative view, that the White Helmets are more or less what they claim to be (with a layer of glossing themselves up on top), appears to be corroborated by the likes of Medecins sans Frontieres, so I find that view a fair bit more credible.
On the relatively rare occasions one of the likes of NYT, WaPo, TheGuardian, CNN etc really do get a major story badly wrong (such as Iraq WMDs in 2003), one or more of the others will be presenting the counterview (in 2003 that was the reports of Hans Blix the UN weapons inspector working in Iraq, carried by most of those outlets at the same time).
Believe independent media before the media owned by the finance industry.
More difficult for foreigners to buy farmland, https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/99349185/government-to-tighten-rules-around-foreign-farm-buyers-from-december-15, seems good
A.
Should ban it outright. Foreign investment is just another word for future profits going offshore. I’d like to see a maximum percentage (say 15%) only of assets in any area being owned offshore from commercial property to forestry.
Also a yearly tax on those holding assets offshore but sure under the trade agreements that’s not possible because they are all designed to keep the neoliberal model going and not worry about trifle’s like local jobs or wealth or smaller countries becoming banana republics.
Should ban foreign ownership outright as it just makes the people of NZ serfs to foreign owners.
True as we’ve been informed many times that FTAs prevent the banning of foreign ownership. Which means that these FTAs are all about forcing trade rather than free-trade.
Complete ban needed for our sovereignty.
And take back land sold to foreigners previously.
At the price they paid.
Hey if we could become a banana republic we might get somewhere. We might have animals and pohutukawas die off with changes from climate and multi million people movement, but when it gets warmer we could start growing our own bananas and have another export crop. We wouldn’t be able to sell them to each other because that would upset the import business of some monopoly foreign corporation but hey you can’t have everything. When you are as small as NZ on the world stage, we can always find a dear little mousehole to creep into, so to speak.
I reckon this guy should get LWOP: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99347887/the-man-with-402-burglary-convictions-gets-another-six-year-jail-term
Life without parole? For that?
Sure, he’s habitual, but they didn’t mention a single case of assault or stuff like that. Even the burglaries seem more pathetic than anything else.
The real problem is how we stop people ending up like him. And that answer isn’t to treat them like shit.
Have you apologised for your comments about Golriz yet?
https://scontent.fakl2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/24129812_1301998639934912_105814741450749955_n.jpg?oh=40887585ecbe2b4e645cfc97bc5f9d75&oe=5A9D5DA7
Not a chance!
To all the people out there that are trying to give up smoking here is some information on our human anatomy when one has high blood pressure this is a result of the food we eat the stresss that we have in our lives and a oppressed culture in my view. So what happens is high blood pressure puts more strain on one’s blood vessels and what happens when a system is under pressure well something burst and that is not good if one of your blood vessels bust in your brain that is a stroke and if you survive that you could be in a state of being totally immobile someone will have to wash you everything you do now will have to be done by a care worker.
So I say again look at your mokos and no that you are the only one who will care and teach your mokos right from wrong
E.C.T.Go to the doctors and get your blood pressure checked an get the medication to lower your blood pressure to safe levels. I have had to dubble my blood pressure medication because of all the wasted attention that they are giving me. I notice that with my blood pressure back down to normal levels I’m not sweating no were as much as I use to
And I feel a lot better high blood pressure can cause a lot of health problems I no a lot of people who do not go to a doctor and a few that have passed that are of the same era as me and thats not good Ka pai
Neighbour died early because of emphysema. Was sucking in little ‘sips’ of air at the end. The lungs are so important and we take them for granted I reckon.
BP is one of the most important health measures (as long as you measure it regularly and don’t freak out just because you had a spike that day).
Years ago, when I was still young, I was working 80 or hundred hour weeks for a short period. Had a few hours off, so watched that night’s episode of buffy. Felt a drip-drip-drip, had a spontaneous nosebleed. Veins popping in my head is not good, thinks I, so go to the doctor. The nose was fine. But my 180/120 blood pressure was very close to being hospitalised out of general principle. After lots of tests, the nephrology folk decided that although my lifestyle wasn’t pristine, the main reason my blood pressure was high was “well, it just is”.
So that was the first thing to break as I aged and, frankly, modern medicine is about the only reason I’m alive today. Although I do find it fascinating what drives it up and down at each visit to the doc.
Still no applicants for $150k adventure park job
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/11/still-no-applicants-for-150k-adventure-park-job.html
That’s interesting on why the job has not been taken. One reason could be lack of advertising or nowadays with so much insecure work, many are reluctant to move their lives away because anyone can lose their job within 90 days… or get no compensation if anything goes wrong.
Lessons for NZ deforesting (Landcorp selling off land into foreign ownership as we speak as well as clearing for dairy), damming for irrigation for Dairy in drought areas, continuing pollution of our lakes and rivers and giving water away virtually for free across conservation land to be sold offshore.
“The Amazon effect: how deforestation is starving São Paulo of water
A drought two years ago triggered fighting, looting and official ‘states of calamity’ across the metropolis, with the army preparing to send in troops. Now, new warnings suggest it could happen again – and point to a surprising culprit”
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/28/sao-paulo-water-amazon-deforestation
I have already told the story of how my teeth got accidentally knocked out with a hammer while someone was killing a opposum. Well here’s another story on my first day at high school Yes I made it to high school I had to sow up some old pants and the uniform was a bit small I had plastic wing tip shoes and purple socks I did not know my socks were purple I found out from this elder girl who called me captain purple an said my socks were purple lol I told her we’re to go as I did not no I was colour blind and still though they were blue later on that day someone was trying to bull me while I was swimming in the school pool and when I told him we’re to go I spat my teeth out in the pool I got a m8 to help me find they but the bell rang and he went to class so 1 hour later I found my teeth and joined him I class. We fast forward a couple of years and my crew m8 made a mistake on a fishing boat I ended up in the drink the skipper just about had a heart attack as they turn around to pull me out of the sea I said a couple of foul words and spat my teeth out lol never going to find those. Ka pai
eco maori
You’re no toothless warrior and definitely a survivor! Ka pai also
Eco maori, Greywarshark speaks true and has told ya!
All I’ll say is, keep fishing, catch the right fish one day, and there they’ll be, your clackers, right there on the plate. Ataatanui!
Big claim coming up next year. The analysis and information on this one will be epic – what was lost will be found, will be shared and will move us toward tino rangatiratanga.
Below from fbook.
KAUPAPA INQUIRY 2018
The Mana Wahine claim is set down to be heard by the Waitangi Tribunal in early 2018 as per the memorandum issued on 16 November 2017 by Chief Judge Issac.
“Claims alleging prejudice to Māori women arising from Crown Treaty breaches have been set down for separate inquiry in the kaupapa programme. The claims relate mainly to the status and treatment of wāhine Māori, in both historical and modern times. The claims allege that the Crown has failed to protect the rangatiratanga of Māori women and their right to non-discrimination on grounds of gender, with serious prejudicial consequences for their social, economic, cultural and spiritual well-being and their access to leadership roles”
One possible claim would be hard to deal with. I remember hearing about this Maori woman of standing who took a pakeha husband. She married him and her ancestral land went with her, and became her husband’s estate under pakeha law at that time. When he divorced her, he owned all her people’s lands and their resources at his disposal. This was about the time of the whaling so must have been early on. Anyway the tribe lost much. It would be sad if it was true and it did happen. How to recover that or reasonable compensation?
Seems an unlikely story as the land would need to have been in fee simple title rather than Maori title.
Yes will be amazing once some histories reach the general public – lots of tears coming…
Interesting because The Economist is the neoliberal’s Pravda:
(They insist on calling it ‘liberalism’, which is in economic history, more or less correct, but it gets wrongly associated with liberal social progressivism when in fact it’s a monoculturalist, assimilationist ideology… but that’s another story)
http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21731615-robert-peston-has-not-single-family-member-or-friend-who-voted-brexit-he-aims?fsrc=scn/fb/te/bl/ed/amemberoftheliberaleliteonhistribesfailingshairshirttime
The very elites that have devoted so much energy to rigging the system for their own advantage did little to address Britain’s fundamental problems, and have frequently compounded them. A disproportionate share of Britain’s wealth goes into feeding the housing industry rather than into starting businesses. A third of British firms have seen no growth in productivity since 2000. The north-east and Wales are some of the poorest regions in northern Europe. No wonder 52% of the British population took the chance offered by the referendum to give the finger to their betters.
One wonders whether any of the nat’s very own blue dragon donors received any warnings.
Turnbull government ministers have questioned the loyalty of the strife-prone Labor senator Sam Dastyari to Australia after a report that he tipped off a Chinese political donor that his phone was probably being tapped by security agencies.
Fairfax Media reported on Wednesday that Dastyari had warned the Chinese Communist party-linked political donor Huang Xiangmo last year that his phone was probably tapped by government agencies, including the US government.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/29/sam-dastyaris-loyalty-to-australia-questioned-after-he-tipped-off-chinese-donor
If you have the time 15 minutes. This is quite disturbing video, the prosecution of the J 20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilvrEAh9-cQ&ab_channel=DemocracyNow%21
who are the j20?
The j 20 refers to the date of the arrest, January the 20th.
https://theintercept.com/2017/10/25/trump-inauguration-protest-j20-trial/
Some pundits have Nikki Kaye as a possible future National leader. I think she has the key attributes.
Today in the House the answer to her prime question showed what a smart-arse she is.
Mind you, trying to turn something like whether kids can start school before they’re 5 into the issue of the century, is a challenge. Except to those who think saying kids can’t start before they’re 5 is the crime of the century.
Maybe you could give a list to the opposition on what it is you think is important enough to hold the govt to account on.
And they will have a guide to work with
If you saw Ms Kaye you might understand.
“Hon NIKKI KAYE to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by his statement in relation to changing the age at which children can start school that it is “not unusual for a Minister or Government to state its intention” on an issue before going through the Cabinet process; if so, why?”
She was trying to be smart and continue the implication to cretins that Hipkins was up to no good, was out of order and consequently not up to the job.
The initial answer was that Kaye as Minister had done the same thing with a $37million announcement which hadn’t gone through the due process she thinks Hipkins should have used.
The ‘list’ would only have to say “Something serious and meaningful not mindless politicking which merely accentuates the dumb things National did and the way they acted in Government and the churlish childish state they are in now.”
Witness witless Simon Bridges today (and just about every day) too.
I think you should read the Hansard for the last 25 odd years
This is hardly a new phenomenon
But I do agree it is rather pointless
Thank you. I was astounded at Ms Kaye’s performance. I can understand her wanting to hold Hipkins to account and have him justify his approach but to do it and so openly expose herself?
Agreed Pete,
Niiki Kaye is just another paper tiger tring to show teeth but the act is far less convincing than she thinks.
She should learn “softly sloftly catchie monkey” not the stupid bark of a rabbid dog; – like all her clan on that side of the house.
Rising rents is a huge problem.It seems increasing the accomodation supplement,just fuels a rise.Houses sitting empty,idle land banking,this Govt needs to address the issue,quickly.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11949430
I read there’s 8000 odd Air BNBs booked in Auckland for the summer period. Queenstown has moved to restrict temporary Air BNB providers because these places are sitting idle all year when families could be living in them.
I’d be very happy if this government threw Air BNB out of the country altogether until such time as we had enough houses for people and until such time as we moved away from amateur landlordism as a vehicle to retirement.
“Queenstown has moved to restrict temporary Air BNB providers because these places are sitting idle all year when families could be living in them.”
You sure about that? I thought they were just making people register as a business and pay higher rates.
My read was that many houses were empty for 10 months of the year in the middle of an accomodation problem. That and the obvious lobbying from the hotel industry in Queenstown wanting Air BNB providers to be treated the same as hotel accomodation providers.
It’s the same argument for Uber. The model is unsustainable, in Uber’s case because only students and part timers will be able to drive for those low wages and are they able to meet transport regulation requirements? In AirBNB’s case because it takes too much housing off the market, empty for 10 months of the year.
Are you an Uber and Air BNB user?
I used Uber a couple of times in Chiang Mai – THB100 instead of THB300 for a tuktuk which is fine. Uber drivers wouldn’t pick up in tourist areas though.
I used Air BNB once in Sydney for my family (I didn’t go). They were in an apartment block in Freshwater Beach and had to pretend they were family members if questioned by other members of the community. Hardly a pleasant experience.
The point is when you have providers doing business (in AirBNB’s case) which affects the housing stock and the neighbours then you’re always going to get problems.
It’s not all about getting cheap holidays.
Evict air BnB and Uber.
Companies that do not pay their fair share of tax are not welcome.
My question: Is Lloyd Burr a National Party activist? He was certainly privy to information delivered by senior National Party ministers and/or senior government aligned public service officials in the formation of his story.
Computer says, yes.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/11/winston-peters-told-to-stop-harassing-journalists.html
Lloyd Burr is a National Party activist.
In the event that that is true, his employer is still responsible for ensuring that his work is up to scratch. Peters is making a scapegoat.
Nothing wrong with a scapegoat.
It will serve as a message to the other National Party activists working in the media; Garner, Hosking, Soper, du Plessis Allen, Richardson, Trevett, ……
1000+ Ed. You missed Young though.