Open Mike 29/11/2017

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, November 29th, 2017 - 174 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

174 comments on “Open Mike 29/11/2017 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Ed 1
    29 November 2017 at 6:22 am

    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

    • Stunned mullet 1.1
      29 November 2017 at 6:31 am

      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.

      • Robert Guyton 1.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 6:38 am

        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.

        • Stunned mullet 1.1.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 6:52 am

          …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.

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.1.1
            29 November 2017 at 6:57 am

            Do you mean the man who trained spies? How were discussions around that a witch-hunt? What bigotry was shown?

          • Andre 1.1.1.1.2
            29 November 2017 at 7:06 am

            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.

            • dv 1.1.1.1.2.1
              29 November 2017 at 7:35 am

              simply didn’t highlight them

              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. ’

              • Andre …
                29 November 2017 at 7:40 am

                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.

                • mpledger …
                  29 November 2017 at 9:14 am

                  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.

                  • Rosemary McDonald …
                    29 November 2017 at 11:32 am

                    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

                  • Andre …
                    29 November 2017 at 6:04 pm

                    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.

            • Psycho Milt 1.1.1.1.2.2
              29 November 2017 at 9:47 am

              …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).

          • Psycho Milt 1.1.1.1.3
            29 November 2017 at 7:36 am

            …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.

        • Pete 1.1.1.2
          29 November 2017 at 8:52 am

          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.

          • savenz 1.1.1.2.1
            29 November 2017 at 9:40 am

            +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%).

          • OncewasTim 1.1.1.2.2
            29 November 2017 at 11:38 am

            Or even another:
            Do you think our commercial media, subsidised through mechanisms such as the platinum fund, are doing the public a service?

      • Ed 1.1.2
        29 November 2017 at 6:44 am

        Your comment is shameful.
        And unsurprising.

      • Psycho Milt 1.1.3
        29 November 2017 at 7:32 am

        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.

      • AB 1.1.4
        29 November 2017 at 10:05 am

        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.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.5
        29 November 2017 at 12:22 pm

        Not a witch hunt Ed just msm getting their money’s worth from a topical story.

        No, it’s a witch hunt designed to undermine our duly elected government. Basically, typical Dirty Politics from the RWNJs.

        • BM 1.1.5.1
          29 November 2017 at 12:27 pm

          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.

          • marty mars 1.1.5.1.1
            29 November 2017 at 12:43 pm

            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.

            • McGrath 1.1.5.1.1.1
              29 November 2017 at 12:48 pm

              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”.

              • McFlock …
                29 November 2017 at 1:01 pm

                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.

                • Loop …
                  29 November 2017 at 2:07 pm

                  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!

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    29 November 2017 at 3:56 pm

                    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.”

                • McGrath …
                  29 November 2017 at 2:58 pm

                  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.

                  • marty mars …
                    29 November 2017 at 3:07 pm

                    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.

                  • McFlock …
                    29 November 2017 at 3:12 pm

                    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.

                    • McGrath …
                      29 November 2017 at 3:53 pm

                      “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.

                    • garibaldi …
                      29 November 2017 at 6:43 pm

                      To McGrath @ 3:53…..”Non event”? You’re obviously still on planet Key .Read the book .

                    • McFlock …
                      29 November 2017 at 6:55 pm

                      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.

                    • McGrath …
                      29 November 2017 at 10:00 pm

                      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.

            • Johan 1.1.5.1.1.2
              29 November 2017 at 4:38 pm

              BM is definitely a loser for trying to justify RWNJs disgraceful behaviour while in opposition.

              • Muttonbird …
                29 November 2017 at 4:49 pm

                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.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.5.1.2
            29 November 2017 at 2:08 pm

            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.

      • patricia bremner 1.1.6
        29 November 2017 at 2:46 pm

        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?

        • BM 1.1.6.1
          29 November 2017 at 5:46 pm

          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.

    • tc 1.2
      29 November 2017 at 6:40 am

      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.

      • Ed 1.2.1
        29 November 2017 at 6:46 am

        There are really lovely people out there…..

        • tc 1.2.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 6:53 am

          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.

          • Ed 1.2.1.1.1
            29 November 2017 at 6:59 am

            Yes we need a democratic media,not one owned by the finance industry.

            • Carolyn_Nth 1.2.1.1.1.1
              29 November 2017 at 7:07 am

              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.

            • Grantoc 1.2.1.1.1.2
              29 November 2017 at 9:00 am

              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?

              • Draco T Bastard …
                29 November 2017 at 12:51 pm

                …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.

          • James 1.2.1.1.2
            29 November 2017 at 8:47 am

            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?

            • Grey Area 1.2.1.1.2.1
              29 November 2017 at 9:13 am

              “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.

            • Bearded Git 1.2.1.1.2.2
              29 November 2017 at 9:41 am

              @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.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.2.3
              29 November 2017 at 12:55 pm

              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.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1.1.2.4
              29 November 2017 at 4:02 pm

              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.

            • cleangreen 1.2.1.1.2.5
              29 November 2017 at 8:38 pm

              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???

        • Stunned mullet 1.2.1.2
          29 November 2017 at 6:54 am

          Yes there are. You should get off the Internet and chat to more of them face to face.

      • Morrissey 1.2.2
        29 November 2017 at 7:38 am

        …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.

        • rhinocrates 1.2.2.1
          29 November 2017 at 11:56 am

          I would add Mapp to that list – the mask definitely slipped yesterday.

          • Macro 1.2.2.1.1
            29 November 2017 at 2:35 pm

            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.

            • Stunned mullet 1.2.2.1.1.1
              29 November 2017 at 5:50 pm

              You have completely misrepresented what Wayne Mapp said.

              https://thestandard.org.nz/thank-you-golriz/#comment-1420071

              • Muttonbird …
                29 November 2017 at 5:55 pm

                It’s too late for Wayne. He didn’t read the rules.

                • Stunned mullet …
                  29 November 2017 at 6:17 pm

                  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.

                  • McFlock …
                    29 November 2017 at 6:39 pm

                    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.

                  • weka …
                    29 November 2017 at 11:59 pm

                    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.

              • Macro …
                29 November 2017 at 10:38 pm

                This is what Mapp wrote:

                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).

          • marty mars 1.2.2.1.2
            29 November 2017 at 5:35 pm

            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.

    • Ed 1.3
      29 November 2017 at 7:06 am

      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.

      • Sanctuary 1.3.1
        29 November 2017 at 7:18 am

        “…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.

        • Ed 1.3.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 7:54 am

          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.

          • Reality 1.3.1.1.1
            29 November 2017 at 10:17 am

            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.

            • Muttonbird 1.3.1.1.1.1
              29 November 2017 at 5:38 pm

              I’ve heard Lloyd Burr is a preening gallery bully-boy in the parliament precincts also.

          • OncewasTim 1.3.1.1.2
            29 November 2017 at 12:12 pm

            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?

      • Patricia 1.3.2
        29 November 2017 at 7:33 pm

        Seems to me that it might be open season on high profile Green Party women.

    • Morrissey 1.4
      29 November 2017 at 7:24 am

      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.

    • Macro 1.5
      29 November 2017 at 8:58 am

      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?

      • greywarshark 1.5.1
        29 November 2017 at 11:19 am

        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.

    • mary_a 1.6
      29 November 2017 at 3:51 pm

      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!

      • North 1.6.1
        29 November 2017 at 9:59 pm

        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.

  2. Sanctuary 2
    29 November 2017 at 7:13 am

    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.

    • greywarshark 2.1
      29 November 2017 at 11:21 am

      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.

  3. dv 3
    29 November 2017 at 7:16 am

    BUT she TOLD a reporter before the election of her involvement.
    BUT it was edited out because of space requirements!!!!!

    So who hid what??????

    • Ed 3.1
      29 November 2017 at 7:21 am

      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. ’

      • dv 3.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 7:29 am

        Thanks ed, for the reference. Could not find it again.

        • garibaldi 3.1.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 8:40 am

          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.

          • greywarshark 3.1.1.1.1
            29 November 2017 at 11:24 am

            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.

    • James 3.2
      29 November 2017 at 8:48 am

      In every paper ?

    • mauī 3.3
      29 November 2017 at 9:38 am

      It’s also on her publicly available online CV. Not exactly hard for anyone to find.

  4. Carolyn_Nth 4
    29 November 2017 at 7:17 am

    Interesting extra charges being brought by Peters against some Nats and Lloyd Burr, regarding his super over-payment.

    Newsroom reports:

    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.

  5. Carolyn_Nth 5
    29 November 2017 at 7:36 am

    Whoa! NZ Herald’s David Fisher on John Key’s lies about the Moment of Truth, and still won the election that followed.

    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.

    • Cinny 5.1
      29 November 2017 at 9:02 am

      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.”

    • Draco T Bastard 5.2
      29 November 2017 at 2:21 pm

      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).

      • cleangreen 5.2.1
        29 November 2017 at 8:50 pm

        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.

  6. Ed 6
    29 November 2017 at 7:38 am

    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?

    • Carolyn_Nth 6.1
      29 November 2017 at 7:47 am

      Except for some egs, as above: David Fisher; Kirsty Johnston.

    • Grey Area 6.2
      29 November 2017 at 8:03 am

      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

      • Ffloyd 6.2.1
        29 November 2017 at 9:24 am

        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.

      • Ed 6.2.2
        29 November 2017 at 8:33 pm

        Freedom of the press means freedom for the 1% to own the press,
        I don’t want or need that freedom.

  7. gsays 7
    29 November 2017 at 8:34 am

    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

    • Cinny 7.1
      29 November 2017 at 8:58 am

      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.

    • savenz 7.2
      29 November 2017 at 11:02 am

      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.

    • North 7.3
      29 November 2017 at 10:19 pm

      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.

  9. eco maori 9
    29 November 2017 at 9:01 am

    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

  10. greywarshark 10
    29 November 2017 at 10:23 am

    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.

  11. Brigid 11
    29 November 2017 at 11:00 am

    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/

    • greywarshark 11.1
      29 November 2017 at 11:33 am

      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?

      • Brigid 11.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 3:00 pm

        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/

      • Andre 11.1.2
        29 November 2017 at 5:07 pm

        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.

        • greywarshark 11.1.2.1
          29 November 2017 at 5:10 pm

          Really you have hit on the point I was making thank you Andre.

          • Andre 11.1.2.1.1
            29 November 2017 at 5:49 pm

            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).

      • Ed 11.1.3
        29 November 2017 at 8:35 pm

        Believe independent media before the media owned by the finance industry.

    • savenz 12.1
      29 November 2017 at 11:59 am

      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.

      • Draco T Bastard 12.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 3:10 pm

        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.

        • Ed 12.1.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 8:36 pm

          Complete ban needed for our sovereignty.
          And take back land sold to foreigners previously.
          At the price they paid.

      • greywarshark 12.1.2
        29 November 2017 at 4:10 pm

        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.

  14. eco maori 14
    29 November 2017 at 11:35 am

    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

    • greywarshark 14.1
      29 November 2017 at 12:32 pm

      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.

    • McFlock 14.2
      29 November 2017 at 5:58 pm

      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.

  15. savenz 15
    29 November 2017 at 12:02 pm

    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.

  16. savenz 16
    29 November 2017 at 12:14 pm

    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

  17. eco maori 17
    29 November 2017 at 12:20 pm

    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

    • greywarshark 17.1
      29 November 2017 at 12:29 pm

      eco maori
      You’re no toothless warrior and definitely a survivor! Ka pai also

      • Mister Smokey 17.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 1:04 pm

        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!

  18. marty mars 18
    29 November 2017 at 1:06 pm

    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”

    • greywarshark 18.1
      29 November 2017 at 1:40 pm

      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?

  19. rhinocrates 19
    29 November 2017 at 1:28 pm

    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.

  20. joe90 20
    29 November 2017 at 1:41 pm

    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

  21. adam 21
    29 November 2017 at 1:46 pm

    If you have the time 15 minutes. This is quite disturbing video, the prosecution of the J 20.

  22. repateet 22
    29 November 2017 at 2:48 pm

    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.

    • Chris 22.1
      29 November 2017 at 3:40 pm

      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

      • repateet 22.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 4:32 pm

        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.

        • Chris 22.1.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 5:08 pm

          I think you should read the Hansard for the last 25 odd years

          This is hardly a new phenomenon

        • Chris 22.1.1.2
          29 November 2017 at 5:09 pm

          But I do agree it is rather pointless

          • Pete 22.1.1.2.1
            29 November 2017 at 6:43 pm

            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?

            • cleangreen 22.1.1.2.1.1
              29 November 2017 at 8:55 pm

              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.

  23. Zorb6 23
    29 November 2017 at 5:08 pm

    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

    • Muttonbird 23.1
      29 November 2017 at 5:23 pm

      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.

      • weka 23.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 7:19 pm

        “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.

        • Muttonbird 23.1.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 7:29 pm

          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.

        • Muttonbird 23.1.1.2
          29 November 2017 at 7:47 pm

          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.

      • Ed 23.1.2
        29 November 2017 at 8:39 pm

        Evict air BnB and Uber.
        Companies that do not pay their fair share of tax are not welcome.

  24. Muttonbird 24
    29 November 2017 at 5:34 pm

    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

    • Ed 24.1
      29 November 2017 at 6:01 pm

      Lloyd Burr is a National Party activist.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 24.1.1
        29 November 2017 at 7:37 pm

        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.

        • Ed 24.1.1.1
          29 November 2017 at 8:41 pm

          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, ……

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    23 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-07-27T00:10:47+00:00