And good old Tracey Watkins at stuff seems to be implying that the opposition tried to make a joke of it in parliament and that failed.
So that’s the new spin line – others are trying to make a joke of it to embarass the great key.
Tracey looks like she needs to understand that this is a harassment & employment issue not a joke.
Just goes to confirm that as usual I am correct and in touch with real New Zealand. All these posts about a ponytail and National go up in the latest poll.
The Left keep making the same mistakes over and over. Sure the PM was a bit goofy but that’s not a hanging charge. It actually can be a bit endearing. Every green shoot is seen here as the arrival of a harvest but it just turns out to be another weed. i tell you, You will have a chance when Honest John retires in 2026.
Just goes to confirm that as usual I am correct and in touch with real New Zealand. All these posts about a ponytail and National go up in the latest poll.
The Left keep making the same mistakes over and over. Sure the PM was a bit goofy but that’s not a hanging charge. It actually can be a bit endearing. Every green shoot is seen here as the arrival of a harvest but it just turns out to be another weed. i tell you, You will have a chance when Honest John retires in 2026.
lolz, so many lies in one paragraph. You are earning your astroturf dollars today fisiani.
Jesus Fishy have you not got it through your thick head your ‘honest’ John is just a creepy person who if he was not PM would have been arrested and charged already so STFU and just admit it there are 2 rules. One rule for us and no rules for the rich and powerful. More Fishy Bullshit.
Hilarious. The way you parody the poll which barely covered the period of the hair ugging/fondling. Excellent. “Honest John”, is just the finniest phrase ever. Thanx
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“Your ‘editorial’ sounds like a PR advice to Key and the National party! You guys are supposed to be the fourth estate, a pillar of democracy to hold the government to account and not act as their PR mouth piece!”
Example:
[‘He would be wise to continue chastising himself whenever the subject is raised on his return from overseas. If supporters make light of it around him, he should not for a moment join in. It was not funny, and not just another of the fun-loving political risks he has taken over the years.]
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There are over 100 comments. A sample of the other comments I liked :
“If his popularity doesn’t fall it says more about 49% of kiwis than it says about him.”
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“Just as Mrs Thatcher was PM for ten years despite the viciousness of her policies so Key will continue so long as his supporters prefer market capitalism to social justice.”
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Voltaire said that “the British are free every five years and the use they make of their freedom proves they deserve to be slaves”. Same seems to apply to NZ.
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“Not sure how much this gov’t needs to worry. In a country where it’s already hard for victims of rape and abuse to come forward, National supporters have made it clear that they’ll excuse a lot if a powerful person decides to apologise at a time of their choosing.
If the political and social status quo are at risk Key supporters will favour the perpetrator. Money before values as per usual.
Seven times hair pulled. Manager said the victim didn’t like it. Wife told him to stop. Victim tried social media and appealing to his handlers. But no. Consent be damned. As long as you decide to apologise at some stage and give a gift (who cares if she even drinks the wine or not) it’s okay. So much for personal freedom and responsibility.”
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“Are there any other body parts you’d like to add to the list of things rich white men should feel free to touch as they wish without consent and despite admonishment and protest?”
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“The fact his wife was with him has saved the day”
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“Another fan piece from the unnamed press speaking opinion as though its fact. Please dont be so arrogant as to speak for the wider pubic. Your assertion that most fair minded people came to his defence, and therefore only rapid PC lefties and communists took issue with a grown man pulling the hair of a girl is just plain wrong.
I suppose that should be expected of the Herald though. I mean this is the paper that published an exclusive interview with the ‘victim’ taken under dubious circumstances and published without consent.
Gotta preserve that cult of personality though right?”
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3. And here is a reminder of the battle of the RMA and how Environment Minister Amy Adams threatens to block councils from making their own local rules (readying for the TPPA).
“Adams to block councils from own rules http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10892985
NZF epitomises to me the old conservative NZ, it has a compassionate side, but it is contradictory (xenophobia)… the compassion and empathy which is lacking from the true Right. They are waiting for more money to be made, and then “we” can afford to be compassionate, but not til then, never til then (and they never give us the magical number we need to reach).
That same ISDS clause is in the TPPA, which means any action local or central government takes that may impact on a company’s actual or even potential profits could leave us open to being sued for billions of dollars in an offshore tribunal.
This clause would make it very difficult for our government to act in New Zealand’s best interests if they constantly have to guess whether a proposed change will leave them open to being sued.
The number of these investment disputes being lodged is increasing annually, so the threat of New Zealand facing one of these disputes under the TPPA is highly likely.
Amy Adams has contracted the crooked eye mutation…. check the photo
this is something I have noticed over many a year in our activities…. people who cannot be trusted develop an angled look, skewed eyes, as they try their best to deceive the gullible.
Nick Smith is the classic – the most deceitful of the lot. Nothing he says is ever the truth. He clearly doesn’t sleep straight at night and his eyes have followed suit during the day.
Now Amy Adams has developed the same skewed vision – she must have higher aims …
I hear what you are saying but NOT acting plays into that strategy too, by scaring people to not exercise their rights. Those who want to believe she is an extreme left wing activist already do… a meme started by extreme right wing activists.
@les …for the Rightwing just an employee worker advocating for belonging to a union is evidence of ” being a shit stirring left winger”
…time this mentality was changed back again in New Zealand …it is a fascist mentality….unions are there to protect and advocate for the rights of workers and a good employer will recognise this and support union membership
…and for Amanda Bailey the union taking on the legal bills of the fight will be a load of economic worry off her shoulders
Yikes. If I understood that correctly (and it reads a bit ambiguous), she approached UNITE with an intent to go after the PM and her employers? This is about to go bad, fast. Bad for her, I mean. No way is a frontal assault going to succeed, personally, for her. No way. For some, in similar-but-less-extreme situations it would – I’m not suggesting others should not assert their rights in the usual way – but not in this situation. If she wants to attempt to drag John Key and others down for a certain kill now she has her teeth in (a reckless and self-sabotaging but not impossible goal), drop the union approach and give up silence in favour of her existing methods. In the very least, all she needs is a twitter account: she has to say what’s happened since we last heard from her to make her do this. In my understanding of “how thing go” – and I’m not saying I’m right about everything – to strike now like this would be an error. Before this, she’d already “won”. Sounds like some of the story is missing from the above TDB post. In good faith, and I expect the same from her, I wish her all the best.
Charles. you are surely not suggesting that a worker, having been repeatedly offended against in her workplace then betrayed by her employers, should not seek advice and support from a Union?
This whole, sad saga has been about abuse of power and privilege by the Prime Minister, arguably the most powerful person in Aotearoa at the moment and a waitperson. Then, to cap it off, between the waitperson and the NZ Herald, ably assisted by her employers. To whom should she turn for advice, support and redress?
The harm to Amanda has been forgotten by many of the players in this debacle but not by most at this blog and by other bloggers on a variety of platforms. She has kept a low profile while others have attacked her credibility, her motives and minimised the truth of what happened to her.
To urge her to waive her right to appropriate support and advice providedby people whose role it is, is shameful.
It isn’t a matter of left against right, it is about righting a wrong, redressing the power imbalance and holding the Prime Minister and his acolytes to the same standards that would apply to you or me.
And Charles, Amanda Bailey is perfectly capable of making her own decisions about the best way forward for herself and she has chosen to seek Union representation, and they have agreed to assist her with her case. Your criticism of her decision comes across as quite patronising.
Don’t underestimate her ability to know what is best for herself.
You raise an interesting point, in a boring ideological way i.e. does she know what she is doing?
So there are two possible answers:
1) Yes, and as far as the observing public is concerned, she is nothing more than a politician. Good luck to her.
or
2) No. She has a greater appreciation for her abilities than her actions would suggest.
If she isn’t a politician, I haven’t underestimated her ability at all – she’s overestimated her’s. It’s called conceit: good for a short bluff, but useless against an establishment issue. If she is a politician, she’s not going to be one for long, having made an error that most wannabe or frustrated politicians often make. I’m not much of a guy for ideology, since I have age and experience, so save the vague feminist lines for someone who cares. This is a discussion blog. People have opinons on many things, they don’t filter them through you for approval first.
So let’s look at possible answer number 2:
Asking a slow-moving, out-of-date, reluctant-to-advance, idea of a union to combat an entrenched establishment issue is like tying yourself to a post in no-man’s lands and shooting from the hip, in a frontal assault of enemy positions. She’s dog tucker.
So what could she do? What has she already done, that now we must see as an intuitive “correct response”? Use modern technology and systems (blogs, twitter etc) to move fast, supply details from her perspective, edited by no one, sustaining momentum in her favour, control the dialogue, for her own interests, strike when the moment is best for her view.
Either way, the moment where she could run away has passed. Now she has to play it out to the end. Even if she was a mediocre politician, she’d be better off controlling her own ending and not worry about the implications for others.
More false premises. The Unite Union, far from being the hide-bound dinosaur of your characterisation, was formed in 2000.
That said, the fact remains that individual workers can increase their negotiating power by working together, whether you think it’s fashionable or not.
So, on the one hand she should have stood up for herself right at the beginning and said “NO” tot he PM but on the other hand she should shrink back down on the other hand to show she is not politically motivated?
Holy fuck Charles, you really have got it in for Amanda Bailey and unions.
You come across as nothing than a concern tra la la la la lol lol lol.
I’m going to take a leaf of Bronagh Key’s book and say “leave the poor girl alone!”.
Furthermore, clearly you know nothing of the functioning of modern unions as you refer to Unite Union as “a slow-moving, out-of-date, reluctant-to-advance, idea of a union”.
“you are surely not suggesting that a worker, having been repeatedly offended against in her workplace then betrayed by her employers, should not seek advice and support from a Union?”
Look, seriously, if you didn’t read my post, and don’t make any attempt to understand what I’m saying, what is the point? You’re saying things that don’t relate to me or my post.
So to be clear, you are advocating an ongoing and legally toothless trial by media rather than following clearly laid out protocols of engagement for addressing wrongdoing in her place of employment?
Tautoko Hateatea. I think involving the union, a workers’ organisation, is far preferable to attempting to take her own case through either the courts or the HRC. We maximise our chances of success when we use our own organisations.
Thats great news veutoviper. It’s good to hear that Amanda Baliey sought their support and they will assist her. I’m sure she has received a lot of support from different quarters – the Unite representation will provide a formal structure to existing support and move her forward legally.
All the best Amanda.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 4
We’ve always been a conservative people, Gormless – seeing nothing wrong in denigrating those who are “lower” than the ruling class (eg women, children, other races) – hence the prevalence of sexual abuse in our society.
I tried having a conversation with two other women about the ponytail affair the other day – one, much older, said PM’s behaviour was normal, it used to happen to her when she was younger and in employment. The other, middle-aged, didn’t want to know about the young girls’ hair being fondled. These reactions are, I venture to say, fairly typical among NZers.
And if people have been supporters of the PM – seeing him as a nice bloke – then they’ll not want to change their minds easily.
We have a very difficult task ahead of us to turn that sort of thinking around.
My experience over the weekend was that when women were told he had fondled a girls hair, they were far less accepting of the behaviour, but that they didn’t know about that reflects poorly on the media. And the framing of it as anything other than an unacceptable intrusion on one level and assault on another.
People don’t like to be made fools of, as you say. So admitting we are wrong about something is much harder than creating justifications or rationalisations for hanging on to our thinking. Hence “there is no alternative) works as a rationalisation (albeit seriously flawed).
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 4.2.1.1
https://twitter.com/lqpharriet/status/590650852911800320 “
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Watch the reaction of the woman ( probably mother of the child?) in yellow. Her facial expression changes as she turns to Key and gestures with her hand as if to say, ‘cut that out’, ‘stop touching’ or something like that. What do you think?
Would be interesting if a journalist were to talk to that lady about the incident.
Watching it again it’s clear that the mother simply talks to Key, which doesn’t mean she was comfortable with what happened but there is nothing there to suggest she told him off or had any visible reaction. Would like to see it in slow motion though.
Ok, this one works. You are right. Although it is not clear, would be interesting to hear what the woman in yellow has to say now after this recent exposure of Key’s propensity for pony tails.
2.52 A Minister of the Crown, while holding a ministerial warrant, acts in a number of different capacities:
in a ministerial capacity, making decisions, and determining and promoting policy within particular portfolios;
in a political capacity as a member of Parliament, representing a constituency or particular community of interest; in a personal capacity.
2.53 In all these roles and at all times, Ministers are expected to act lawfully and to behave in a way that upholds, and is seen to uphold, the highest ethical standards. Ultimately, Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister for their behaviour.
2.54 Holding ministerial office is regarded as a full-time occupation and is remunerated as such. Accordingly:
accepting additional payment for doing anything that could be regarded as a ministerial function is not permissible;
accepting payment for any other activities requires the prior approval of the Prime Minister.”
It is sad because it means many NZers still don’t understand that sexual violence and abuse is on a continuum of behaviour.
That the so-called “small stuff” matters in terms of how girls see themselves and how they will or won’t become susceptible to victimization by others. That some men and women in this country think that men behaving poorly toward females doesn’t make any difference.
That you see it as something to be glib about is just sad.
Oh and that our expectations of our Leaders have never been lower.
“The poll of 750 eligible voters was taken between April 17 to 26. The party votes are of decided voters only. Undecideds were 11.8 per cent.”
Half conducted before the revelation of his treatment of women and half after but they don’t seem to have taken the opportunity (gilt-edged) to provide the data in those two time periods to establish any effect.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 4.5.1
Course not. I am a righty. We are all really stupid. We love it when all you highly intellectual lefties sneer at us. This is why we vote for you in droves. It is why David Cunliffe (the sneeriest of the lot) is regarded as a national treasure.
Keep up the good work.
(And Tracey: I admire your work on inventing an entirely new system of punctuation above. My simple mind cannot begin to grasp it).
t is sad because it means many NZers still don’t understand that sexual violence and abuse is on a continuum of behaviour.
That the so-called “small stuff” matters in terms of how girls see themselves and how they will or won’t become susceptible to victimization by others. That some men and women in this country think that men behaving poorly toward females doesn’t make any difference.
That you see it as something to be glib about is just sad.
Oh and that our expectations of our Leaders have never been lower.
“The poll of 750 eligible voters was taken between April 17 to 26. The party votes are of decided voters only. Undecideds were 11.8 per cent.”
Half conducted before the revelation of his treatment of women and half after but they don’t seem to have taken the opportunity (gilt-edged) to provide the data in those two time periods to establish any effect.
“Half conducted before the revelation of his treatment of women and half after but they don’t seem to have taken the opportunity (gilt-edged) to provide the data in those two time periods to establish any effect.”
Just to highlight this further – half of the stated polling time before the event, and half after.
Since polling is demographic sampling based system, usually more than half of the responses will be found before the halfway point of the polling time. The remaining time is used to track down and fill in the holes of their sample so that it fits as closely as possible with their demographic model of the electorate.
So more than half of the responses will have come from before the event.
The fact that they are now reporting it as if the entire poll were after the event is very misleading.
To be fair, I didn’t read them as reporting it as though the entire poll were done post hair pull BUT I do think there was a golden opportunity from a polling perspective to gauge just how much incidents like this impact given they had a point of comparison to exactly the same questions with this event in between.
Half of the poll was conducted before the news broke that he had repeatedly pulled the ponytail of a waitress at a Parnell cafe despite her annoyance, and half of the poll was conducted after it.
Just more propup the National PM as much as possible spin from the NZHerald as there’s absolutely no way that there’s been time for the full effects to filter through yet never mind at the time the poll was taken.
I thought that, too, Draco. Just waiting for the PM to return to NZ, and to Parliament, and to see whether this ponytail story continues to be aired, or just gets quietly dropped by MSM.
+1 Draco. And how will the poll influence what people think now? Actually not the poll so much as the Herald’s leading them with their headline and pov.
When the two companies running the pits went bust, the council was left with a gigantic hole. Nationwide, the unfunded liabilities counted so far amount to £469m. That’s likely to be just the beginning.
This is a price we pay for limited liability. Why should the people who own and run these companies be allowed to walk away with millions, while shrugging off the costs they leave behind? Limited liability is one of our social silences: a giant gift to corporations that we won’t even discuss.
We’re seeing similar here as well with the farmers causing massive damage to our water ways and us having to pay to clean up after them. I’m sure that there are other industries and businesses which make significant profits that would disappear if they actually had to pay for the damage that they do.
Not just the farmers, Draco – but also the remnants of mining here. I don’t know about coal, but goldmining has left huge dangerous scars in various places.
The govt recently did a $3m-odd clean-up of an old mine towering over Te Aroha to prevent it collapsing on top of that rural town, and it also announced a few months back that it was going to clean up another old mine in the south because leaching from it was starting to contaminate waterways being used to irrigate new dairy farms . Haven’t got the links to these – but both stories were in the Herald a while back, and I put them up on the Puhipuhi Mining Action Group facebook page.
Please let me tell my story of sexual harrasement.
I was working in Los Angeles mid 2000’s, operating machinery in a factory of about 10 staff. 3 employees started throwing made-up balls around the factory, which i complained to management about on numerous occasions. Finally after weeks of complaining they got them to stop this dangerous practice. After that, these 3 employees started yelling out sexual comments towards me, ie; faggot, homo, pounta( excuse spelling, but means bitch in spanish). I AGAIN complained to management, which they did nothing about it. I endured this for about 9 mths. Then one day i had enough and walked out during working hours. I was quiet distraught over all of this. My wife called them to say how i was feeling over all of this. My employer said to her if i was to come back within 3 days all would be sorted. So i did. On entry to work i was immediatly sacked. To cut a long story short, i got a lawyer, they settled out of court, I recieved $US 55k plus $15k wages/hol pay.
So i can really feel how this waitress must be feeling over her sexual harassment.
Sexual Harassment can take many forms, and yes i am male.
She MUST get legal advice.
Thanks Rosie, it was a depressing time of my life, my wife was a rock, dont think i could have made it through without her.
Amanda will need great support to get her through this.
It will be a tough time for her. I commend her courage. She must follow this through all the way. The majority of the country will give the support she needs. We all know she will do the right thing.
“The poll of 750 eligible voters was taken between April 17 to 26. The party votes are of decided voters only. Undecideds were 11.8 per cent. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 per cent.”
It’s kind of sad that behaviour such as recently revealed makes no difference to his popularity. It means we still live in the environment I lived in as a child, where a popular ordinary bloke personna could mask so much more. In my case a sexual predator. Everyone loved “Uncle Steve”. Generous, funny, always ready to help.
To repeat – I am not saying key is a paedophile, I am saying he doesn’t treat women well, sees them as part of the world to be at his beck and call for his purposes. This is not what we need in our leaders if we genuinely want to address sexual violence toward women and children (in particular) and in rarer case toward men.
He was in flagrant disregard of another person PR, for months. cos he was having fun to further his own agenda.
He is the man who has the responsibility to enforce the “highest ethical standards” of ALL ministers of the Cabinet Manual,
He is the figurehead of our our law-making body but he is saying “the law and people’s right to be respected doesn’t matter if he is having fun” … overlooking that the other person in the equation was NOT having fun.
He does not get it… and that should concern you and anyone who gives a shit about our laws, the standards of our elected representatives and those who will see his behaviour and set it as the bar for their own. Cos they will, mark my words, many people watching that took it as vindication for their own behaviours. We have a gender pay gap for a reason PR, most of the decision-making about wages and salaries are made by men in NZ and they simply value women less.
He took/forced the resignation of Aaron Gilmore for less…
If you look at Key’s interactions and his touching… it is almost exclusively touching women and girls… hand shakes with boys/men. It’s not about abuse per se, it;s about respect and how he views the different genders in front of him. He is not an ordinary bloke, he is the Prime Minister of NZ.
“cos he was having fun to further his own agenda.”
I don’t think he was trying to further his own agenda. In fact it seems like he was trying to “not be the prime minister” and act like a “normal person” might. Which shows he’s rather delusional.
you really do like to paint the best in people eh Lanth? That’s a good thing usually but I fear you misunerstand the makeup of John Key (and many of his enterage for that matter)
I simply choose to see political opponents as human beings and interpret their actions as if they’re merely human. I don’t assume ulterior motives behind every action like some people do.
Don’t ascribe to malice what can easily be explained by stupidity.
Thanks I am good as gold. I used my story to show that hair plays a part in some peoples behaviour (for the worse) and that “grooming” takes many forms. 1 in 3/4 women reportedly experience sexual abuse in NZ. We ought to be mortified. Even if were 1 in 5/6 would that be better? It is about respect and seeing women as at the beck and call of mens behaviours, be they “playful” or more sinister. For me, it is mostly about role modelling and our PM’s excuses have just told many boys and men that girls/women over react and dont know how to have fun…
If the nats tried that method of picking a leader, they have no chance of getting a decent leader and a pretty fair chance of getting a creep, a moron, and/or an alleged [suppression order]…
Or it just suggests that between the fujimo tories like you, alienating a full quarter of the electorate from the system entirely, and the old “some of the people all of the time” results of constant lying (like comparing apples with oranges) and dirty politics, a shit government can keep its claws in power.
I’ve done better in that our net worth has increased quite nicely and our standard of living has increased as well plus what we owe has dropped
we’ve nearly finished renovating our home and we’ll be renting that out when we move into our new home which will be finished building by (hopefully) Christmas
While we may not “love” our jobs they do have some very good positives so all in all we’ve never had it better then we do now
Do keep up, PR. 30% plus for Labour means a change of government. That’s the minimum target, anything beyond that is a welcome bonus. And even the Herald’s bogus poll can’t undo the damage Dunnokeyo is doing to himself. That ‘landslide’ win last year could have been a shock loss if National missed out on even 1% of their actual party vote. And every photo of Key fondling children’s hair has an effect on his chances of dragging National over the line one more time. The man’s a weirdo, and that fact won’t go away.
How do you figure that or does this include some inside knowledge of what Winstons going to do? Because that worked out really well for Labour last time didn’t it
If you see Key’s retirement as harbouring a new Government that suggests you don’t think it is anything in particular they have implemented that has made the difference, but his popularity per se?
Well no I just think that Key is so popular that once he leaves it’ll be hard to replace him (at first) plus after 4 terms of National NZ will vote in Labour no matter who they have in charge
I don’t think the leadership of Labour is going to be the problem, when he’s going up against a popular weirdo. The issue is going to be over policy that ignites the public interest and launching it at the right time.
Puckish Rogue, you put the line about “Labour dropping below 30%” into the post where you linked to the Herald Digi-Poll. Now you claim you were referring to the latest Roy Morgan poll.
The latest Roy Morgan covers April 6-19 and has no relevance to discussion on the impact of the PM admitting he repeatedly accosted a waitress.
I’m comfortable that in the next Roy Morgan poll Labour will still be under 30 and Winston will be necck and neck with Little as 2nd most preferred PM (behind Key of course)
In amongst everything else, some good news about things that are working and changing for the better. I don’t think we can yet understand truly how influential Nicholas has been on addressing rape culture, but it will become more and more obvious over time. That she is recognised by something as mainstream as this award suggests we have come a long way despite there still being a long way to go. I think about what it was like for rape survivors when she first spoke out, compared to now. The impact on society is significant and it’s these cultural shifts that give me hope we can achieve other ones.
Louise Nicholas awarded the Governor-General’s Anzac of the Year Award
Rape survivors’ advocate Louise Nicholas has been given this year’s Anzac of the Year award.
The prize is for someone who has demonstrated extraordinary courage, compassion, comradeship and commitment in the service of others.
It was great honour and privilege to receive the award, but the war was not won, she said.
“It represents the struggles, fights and battles every survivor goes through in New Zealand. Every survivor stands with me and we’ll keep soldiering on together like our Anzacs did 100 years ago.”
Mateparae said: “Louise’s personal experience of harm and trauma has resulted in an ongoing commitment to help victims of sexual assault and to enable affirmative cultural change.
“Her decision to shine a spotlight on a dangerous culture that existed in some pockets of one of our most trusted organisations was a fight not just for herself but for other women.”
Courage indeed. Many people just don’t understand the bravery required to lay a complaint, to go through the Courts let alone for their family and friends to know the very personal aspects of their lives, then factor in taking on the ultimate bastion of authority, the Police. The allegations of “slut” and so on. Now imagine you are a child…
Louise’s courages astounds me everytime I re-read her story. Her advocacy of others. BUT John Key will be knighted before she gets awared a damehood or is made one of the 20 greatest living NZers (currently held by one Prince Philip of Greece)
As to female war heroes. Has anyone mentioned Ettie Rout? That woman stood head and shoulders above everyone as she sacrificed her ‘good’ name for the welfare of soldiers she held to be brothers.
She gathered a group of nurses wanting to serve in WW1 who went to Egypt, against government wishes. Later she stood alone to protect those men going to the fighting from being destroyed by the sexually transmitted disease syphillis.
In fronting up with condoms to prevent infection from the brain eating disease, she shocked right-minded society and angered the wives in New Zealand who did not believe their husbands would consider having sex while away at the war. The government behaved in a shoddy and disreputable way. Though her efforts did result in them adopting her safety kit, they never acknowledged her, probably because of pressure from disgusted leading ‘nice’ women.
By June 1917, having realised the venereal disease problem was still very bad and that the New Zealand Medical Corps had not adopted prophylactic measures, she went to London to push it into doing so. Researching among the foremost doctors in this new field, she combined the work of several to produce her own prophylactic kit, containing calomel ointment, condoms and Condy’s crystals (potassium permanganate). She sold these at the New Zealand Medical Soldiers Club, which she set up at Hornchurch near the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital.
distribution to soldiers going on leave. Ettie Rout received no credit for her role in the kit’s development and adoption, and for the duration of the war the cabinet banned her from New Zealand newspapers under the War Regulations. Mention of her brought a possible £100 fine after one of her letters, suggesting kits and hygienic brothels, had been published in the New Zealand Times. .. The Te Ara biography will astound you as to her achievements. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3r31/rout-ettie-annie
She came back to NZ in 1936 but apparently was shunned by former colleagues and friends, left and sent a message announcing that she had died at sea. and is buried in Avarua, Rarotonga. A wonderful woman, who displayed the best characteristics of the new country, but the hypocritical mores of the time would not accept her. She said it was hard to be born before her time. http://www.nzedge.com/ettie-rout/
Jane Tolerton has written an award winning book about Ettie Rout. Tolerton, Jane is a biographer, journalist and educator. Her published books range in subject matter from a biography of Ettie Rout, to a book documenting the experiences of soldiers of World War I, and another focused on women of the swinging sixties. Ettie: A Life of Ettie Rout (1992) won the New Zealand Book Award for non-fiction in 1993. Tolerton’s journalism awards include the Dulux News Award and the Crown Prize for Historical Journalism.http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/Writers/Profiles/Tolerton,%20Jane
edited
of COURSE it is! It’s a shame some (supposedly of the left) in their bid to come across as ‘fair and balanced’, prepared to compromise/meet half-way (all those supposedly good things) can’t see the bleeding bloody obvious at times.
Personally I think John Key’s biggest achievement is that he’s been able to fool so many for so long… but then not so surprising really when treats and trinkets are on offer to those prepared to worship at the Corporate Altar
“Sanders has been an outspoken critic of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal the Obama administration is negotiating with 11 Pacific countries. Sanders is also a critic of the controversial Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which struck down corporate campaign contribution limits. Sanders has tried to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the decision.
While Clinton is heavily favored over Sanders, the Vermont senator’s entry in the race will provide a platform for Democrats to criticize Clinton from the left. Sanders’ presence could also highlight a divide between progressive and moderate Democrats.
Before assuming office in the Senate in 2007, Sanders represented Vermont in the U.S. House for 16 years. He is the longest serving independent member of Congress.”
He is the most left wing member of the US Congress and is not a member of the Democratic Party but caucuses with them.
He also refuses all campaign contributions from corporate donors. All of his top donors are unions and individual small donations. He is an ardent critic of the TPP, billionaire class, etc.
I doubt he would ever win the nomination, but it’ll make the debates a lot more interesting and ideologically diverse. Things will actually be debated.
in that context, I’d take “poor” to mean “suffering the misfortune of happening to have a feature that you find ‘tantalizing’ and being powerless to stop your subsequent harassment”.
I think it shows Bronagh could see what Key wouldnt, that at best the girl was not enjoying it and Bronagh could see that she didnt feel she could take on the PM….
Key’s career was in a very male dominated occupation. Interaction with women would have been mainly social, not professional…
While I quite enjoy reading your comments and getting your take on things (you’re not rabidly one-eyed like the vast majority on here) I have to disagree with you and say I don’t believe it is a sacking offence or that John Key should stand down
Prince Harry’s visit schedule for next month has been released and surprise, surprise it involves a lot of military events. Key couldn’t hope for better motivation on the war on “terror”.
As soon as he arrives he pretty much heads straight “to the National War Memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony.”
He spends a full day at Linton Army Camp “The Linton Military Camp just south of Palmerston North is on Wednesday’s agenda, where Prince Harry will participate in a number of activities with the Army, including learning the Army’s own haka.”
Goes to Whanganui “and visit the War Memorial Centre.”
[1] ‘Mr Key met His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh.
Afterwards, Radio New Zealand reported that he did not specifically raise the issue of women’s rights.” [Read : ‘I did not have enough guts to do so’]
“No, I went into the wider issue of human rights. I think that’s the appropriate way to handle it,” Mr Key told media.’
[2] “Mr Key said his meeting went well, although he could not categorically say whether a free trade deal would get over the line.” [Read : ‘My mission wasn’t a success’] ]
“he did not specifically raise the issue of women’s rights”
Yeah well on Planet Key, women who complain about their bodies being controlled by men are probably lefties with no sense of humour.
And as he said the other day, the Saudis only strip rights from their own women. If his wife and his grandma are both happy to chuck the sheets on this week then why can’t the Saudi women do as they’re told?
How long has Saudi Arabia been trading with the West? Hundreds of years? I only ask cos apparently trading with the West will make them see that women’s rights matter and beheading is wrong.
Saudi Arabia has only existed since 1932. Before Ibn Saud took control with support from the British and the Wahabi clerics, the area had been slowly modernising. The hegemony of the House of Saud and their support from the US and Britain put an end to that.
According to Key, NZ troop deployment isn’t newsworthy, his precise words : “”I just don’t see it as newsworthy,” he told reporters afterwards. “You guys might, but I don’t. I mean, they have to fly through somewhere. That’s the base they use going into Baghdad, so pffft.”
I thought the reason the NZ public weren’t to be told about troop movements was all about the vital security precautions required to keep our troops safe. Now it’s just because the PM doesn’t consider it’s newsworthy?
On a side note, very odd new format TV3 has adopted for displaying video. If you want to replay the video you have to reload the page as the video, once completed, vanishes and is replaced with a ‘related videos’ selection which does not include the video first screened.
In Q7 today, Ron Mark had Simon Bridges dancing on what must be a very busy pin head, what with Key and English piloting their Spruce Goose Surplus onto the same.
He thinks he’s being hilarious there as well. I think he’s cracking under the pressure and will do a Nixon soon. As he flies off to Hawaii, he’ll say “You guys don’t deserve me any more.”
Falling exports and rising imports have led to the largest annual trade deficit since July 2009, the Green Party said today.
Statistics New Zealand Overseas Merchandise Trade figures for March show there was an annual trade deficit of $2.4 billion for the year ended March 2015. This was the largest annual trade deficit since the year ended July 2009, driven by falling whole milk powder exports to China and declines in oil exports.
“A large fall in the value of our milk powder exports to China has highlighted the real vulnerability of National’s one-trick economy,” said Green Party trade and investment spokesperson James Shaw.
“The falling value of milk powder exports to China has contributed to the largest yearly trade deficit since 2009.
“After six years in Government, National has failed to diversify our export sector away from a few basic, low value-added commodities.
“High value-added manufactured exports are, in contrast, holding their own, but still only account for a fifth of all exports.
“High value-added manufactured exports and import substitution are a key part of the economic transformation New Zealand needs to build a resilient, prosperous economy and create well-paid jobs.
“The Green Party will focus on adding more value to our exports. We should be exporting high-value, high-tech goods made from the resources that we produce,” Mr Shaw said.
I think a purge is on at Media Work’s Radio Live, in the evenings Mitch Harris, with his blues and rhythm and blues music and a super guy with leftish leanings has vanished off the airways in the 10pm – 1am slot, Paul Henry occupies the 7pm-8pm slot with highlights of his morning show so now we have to suffer him at both ends of the day, Karen Hay and Andrew Fagan previously on the 7pm – 10pm slot are now no longer, a compassionate couple with big hearts, Andrew has vanished, I was told it was his choice but I wonder about this, Karen, in her new time of 8pm -midnight I listened to last night – where it used to be an open forum and people chatted about what was happening all over the country – usual current affairs types of things – truckies phoned in, there were regular talk backers each evening, lots of humour, muso’s phoned in about old top hits and Andrew had his fabulous boat night from time to time, its now a strict type of format with sound bites on subjects like classic cars etc – no open forum so to speak, (another Graeme Hill Variety Wireless type boring set up) I had to suffer listening to a chiropractor giving advice to folk about their posture and bad backs – with so many important things happening to this country and we get advice for our posture – it was just awful. It used to be great to end the day hearing people rightfully having their say about the state of the country but I think our poor Karen has been sanitised and been told to be a good girl and keep politics off the airways. I predict Willie Jackson will be the next to go and Alison Mau will rule the afternoon airwaves. In the mornings there is the insufferable redneck Shaun Plunkett who is just too rude to be on the air and Duncan Garner is like a chipmunk on steroids and gives me a headache.
So Radio Live, my faithful old station will now no longer be listened to by me – I wonder how many other people will just give up – Weldon and his Christie have done a right hatchet job on the station, the PM will be sighing with relief. Has anybody else notice the musical chairs that has been going on? We did get David Slack for 3 weeks standing in for Karen while the new arrangements were going on and he was great but we probably won’t see him anymore either. Its the pits MSM, I flagged the Herald after the last election – the sun is going down on little ol’ NZ that’s for sure.
Has anybody else noticed the changes with the station??
I hope Tracey I didn’t give the impression that I actually listen to Paul Henry – the man is in insane – its just the fact they have tucked him in for an hour in the evenings with his highlights on top of his hogging the early mornings as well – I just enjoy left leaning talk back hosts with a love of the blues and big hearts who listen to our heartland and the terrible things that are going down on a daily basis. NZ is going to the dogs.
I often listen (listened) to Radio Live. Karyn Hay and occasional appearances by David Slack are the only ones worth listening to. Dont give up on those 2
Barbara. Karyn is quite fearless and is well worth supporting. I am not so keen on the new magazine type format but she is doing something on the TPP soon so that will be worth a listen and you can at least get a left point of view across on her show. She needs support IMO.
addendum:
“According to MediaWorks’ filings with the Companies Office, Oaktree vehicle Tokyo Opportunities B.V. has acquired the 21.9 per cent stake in the company held by Westpac New Zealand and the 14.6 per cent percent held by Royal Bank of Scotland.
The move leaves Oaktree holding a clear majority of 77.8 per cent of shares.”
At a quick count that 20 impotent posts about a Ponytail and not a bit of gloss has rubbed off. The more this keeps going the more you make Key a beloved martyr. Already people are saying , 100 years since WW1 and up to 20,000 dead in Nepal and the Left think the most important issue is a ponytail.
[lprent: What you are looking at are posts by individuals.
There are people who think “left”. Just as there are people like me who are kind of cruel when they remind people what our site about says.
We write here in our personal capacities and the opinions that are expressed on the blog are individual unless expressly stated otherwise (see the policy). We do not write on behalf of any organization.
Which means that they don’t speak for “the Left” or any other great conspiracy fantasy you like to jerk off on.
Banned two months for making the same damn mistake yet again and making me repeat myself almost as much as you do. ]
The first NZ home with a 9 star energy rating and no power bill; we review the 1 ⭐️restaurant reviewer. Plus what you've raised for Nepal.— Campbell Live (@CampbellLiveNZ) April 29, 2015
The first NZ home with a 9 star energy rating and no power bill; we review the 1 ⭐️restaurant reviewer. Plus what you've raised for Nepal.— Campbell Live (@CampbellLiveNZ) April 29, 2015
If you'd like to contribute to the Nepalese, please text NEPAL to 2923 to make a $3 donation. Every dollar will help UNICEFs work in Nepal.— Campbell Live (@CampbellLiveNZ) April 28, 2015
More casual behaviour by our creepy PM
Unbelievable.
‘Kiwi troops in Iraq: John Key accused of dangerous ‘chatter”
Key has also been slated for telling Dubai media about the troop movements when the Government appeared to have a deliberate policy of keeping its domestic audience in New Zealand in the dark.
In an interview with a local Dubai paper, Key confirmed some of the 143 personnel joining the fight against Islamic State are in the Gulf State but when questioned over his failure to disclose that to New Zealand media said that was because he considered it was “not newsworthy”.
Asked on Wednesday to confirm the information, NZDF would only say that personnel had been travelling to the Middle East in advance of deploying into Iraq but would not go into further detail.
“We have been very clear that for reasons of operational security and in order to keep our soldiers as safe as possible, we won’t be going into detail on travel arrangements We intend to let the public know when the full contingent is safely deployed,” NZDF said in a statement.
When quizzed by New Zealand journalists in Riyadh on Wednesday, Key was vague. He said they were “transiting” but couldn’t say exactly for how long.
“They go in tranches, it’s not big news, that’ s just a transit stop-over point so the probability of them being there for a few days is quite high,” he said. “I’m guessing some of them are there…but not in massive numbers. Some are in Baghdad or in [Iraq]’s] Taji [base] and some are back in New Zealand…I just don’t think it is new news that they have a transit stop. It’s like saying I go to London and I stop off in LA.”
“At his weekly press conference last Monday Key told reporters: “The defence forces view to us is if we say the exact day they leave and therefore the exact day they arrive they perceive, for whatever reasons…that puts a slight increase in risk on their safety. So I’ve got no option but to accept that.”
Labour foreign affairs spokesman David Shearer accused Key of “a frightening lack of judgement in disclosing to an Arabic media outlet that Kiwi troops are in the UAE awaiting deployment to Iraq”.
“At the same time the Prime Minister is telling us that disclosing operational details could be a security risk he is being loose-lipped on the world stage.
“This is the umpteenth time New Zealanders have learned about details of the Iraqi deployment from international media.
“Only last month Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee was forced to concede that a number of Kiwi troops had gone to Australia for joint training ahead of the deployment after it was reported in that country’s media.
“It seems the Government is using secrecy as a convenient smokescreen to not answer questions about a deployment that is unpopular and futile.
NZ First MP Ron Mark said Key’s “sloppy and thoughtless remarks” were a risk to both New Zealand and Australian forces going into Iraq.
——–
Apart from his rudeness in informing the Dubai journalists rather than the NZ journalists, Key has been dangerously casual here hasn’t he!
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Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
Didn’t know fisiani wrote the Herald’s editorials.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11440009
What little credibility this rag had is fast disappearing.
And good old Tracey Watkins at stuff seems to be implying that the opposition tried to make a joke of it in parliament and that failed.
So that’s the new spin line – others are trying to make a joke of it to embarass the great key.
Tracey looks like she needs to understand that this is a harassment & employment issue not a joke.
That is a very strange, contradictory editorial.
Just goes to confirm that as usual I am correct and in touch with real New Zealand. All these posts about a ponytail and National go up in the latest poll.
The Left keep making the same mistakes over and over. Sure the PM was a bit goofy but that’s not a hanging charge. It actually can be a bit endearing. Every green shoot is seen here as the arrival of a harvest but it just turns out to be another weed. i tell you, You will have a chance when Honest John retires in 2026.
This is why New Zealand is in the poop: it’s full of people just as vapid as fisiani
Just goes to confirm that as usual I am correct and in touch with real New Zealand. All these posts about a ponytail and National go up in the latest poll.
The Left keep making the same mistakes over and over. Sure the PM was a bit goofy but that’s not a hanging charge. It actually can be a bit endearing. Every green shoot is seen here as the arrival of a harvest but it just turns out to be another weed. i tell you, You will have a chance when Honest John retires in 2026.
lolz, so many lies in one paragraph. You are earning your astroturf dollars today fisiani.
Jesus Fishy have you not got it through your thick head your ‘honest’ John is just a creepy person who if he was not PM would have been arrested and charged already so STFU and just admit it there are 2 rules. One rule for us and no rules for the rich and powerful. More Fishy Bullshit.
Hilarious. The way you parody the poll which barely covered the period of the hair ugging/fondling. Excellent. “Honest John”, is just the finniest phrase ever. Thanx
I made this comment there:
—————
“Your ‘editorial’ sounds like a PR advice to Key and the National party! You guys are supposed to be the fourth estate, a pillar of democracy to hold the government to account and not act as their PR mouth piece!”
Example:
[‘He would be wise to continue chastising himself whenever the subject is raised on his return from overseas. If supporters make light of it around him, he should not for a moment join in. It was not funny, and not just another of the fun-loving political risks he has taken over the years.]
————-
There are over 100 comments. A sample of the other comments I liked :
“If his popularity doesn’t fall it says more about 49% of kiwis than it says about him.”
————-
“Just as Mrs Thatcher was PM for ten years despite the viciousness of her policies so Key will continue so long as his supporters prefer market capitalism to social justice.”
————–
Voltaire said that “the British are free every five years and the use they make of their freedom proves they deserve to be slaves”. Same seems to apply to NZ.
————–
“Not sure how much this gov’t needs to worry. In a country where it’s already hard for victims of rape and abuse to come forward, National supporters have made it clear that they’ll excuse a lot if a powerful person decides to apologise at a time of their choosing.
If the political and social status quo are at risk Key supporters will favour the perpetrator. Money before values as per usual.
Seven times hair pulled. Manager said the victim didn’t like it. Wife told him to stop. Victim tried social media and appealing to his handlers. But no. Consent be damned. As long as you decide to apologise at some stage and give a gift (who cares if she even drinks the wine or not) it’s okay. So much for personal freedom and responsibility.”
————–
“Are there any other body parts you’d like to add to the list of things rich white men should feel free to touch as they wish without consent and despite admonishment and protest?”
————
“The fact his wife was with him has saved the day”
—————–
“Another fan piece from the unnamed press speaking opinion as though its fact. Please dont be so arrogant as to speak for the wider pubic. Your assertion that most fair minded people came to his defence, and therefore only rapid PC lefties and communists took issue with a grown man pulling the hair of a girl is just plain wrong.
I suppose that should be expected of the Herald though. I mean this is the paper that published an exclusive interview with the ‘victim’ taken under dubious circumstances and published without consent.
Gotta preserve that cult of personality though right?”
————
TPPA
1. This article explains how the Investor State Dispute Settlement System transfers
sovereignty of the citizens to corporations.
“Corporations get a special channel of their own for enforcement of rules written by their representatives at the negotiating table. Labor, environment and other stakeholders don’t get that in TPP. This is how TPP will increase corporate power over governments and working people.”
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/04/28/how-tpp-increases-corporate-power-vs-government-and-us
2. Listen to the people, Tim Groser.
Palmerston North has become the 10th local council in New Zealand to tell the Government to protect the ability to make local decisions for communities rather than lose that right because of terms in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/68109770/palmerston-north-joins-other-councils-stating-what-they-want-from-the-tppa-
3. And here is a reminder of the battle of the RMA and how Environment Minister Amy Adams threatens to block councils from making their own local rules (readying for the TPPA).
“Adams to block councils from own rules
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10892985
NZ First PMB pulled from Ballot to deal with “trojan” provisions of proposed TPP
http://nzfirst.org.nz/news/nz-first-fighting-tppa-new-bill
Go New Zealand First and Winston Peters….certainly showing up the Labour Party!
….and to the Left of the Labour Party yet again!
Hmmm… not sure I could bring myself to write that NZF is left of anything… 😉
certainly Lefter and more proactive on the TPPA issue than the NZLP…which is sitting on the fence as usual
….and in the past certainly more Left than the Rogernomics Neolib sell off all state assets Labour Party
NZ First is a weird mixture, but on some issues they are to the left of Labour. This is an indictment of the Labour Party, not praise of NZ First.
I hear you…
NZF epitomises to me the old conservative NZ, it has a compassionate side, but it is contradictory (xenophobia)… the compassion and empathy which is lacking from the true Right. They are waiting for more money to be made, and then “we” can afford to be compassionate, but not til then, never til then (and they never give us the magical number we need to reach).
This is another good article on the TPPA:
Amy Adams has contracted the crooked eye mutation…. check the photo
this is something I have noticed over many a year in our activities…. people who cannot be trusted develop an angled look, skewed eyes, as they try their best to deceive the gullible.
Nick Smith is the classic – the most deceitful of the lot. Nothing he says is ever the truth. He clearly doesn’t sleep straight at night and his eyes have followed suit during the day.
Now Amy Adams has developed the same skewed vision – she must have higher aims …
Just up on The Daily Blog – Unite Union will be representing Amanda Bailey in taking action.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/29/unite-union-take-up-amanda-baileys-case/
Good.
two pieces of good news to begin the morning .. thanks !
this will play into the rights hands though as evidence of her being a shit stirring left winger.
I hear what you are saying but NOT acting plays into that strategy too, by scaring people to not exercise their rights. Those who want to believe she is an extreme left wing activist already do… a meme started by extreme right wing activists.
@les …for the Rightwing just an employee worker advocating for belonging to a union is evidence of ” being a shit stirring left winger”
…time this mentality was changed back again in New Zealand …it is a fascist mentality….unions are there to protect and advocate for the rights of workers and a good employer will recognise this and support union membership
…and for Amanda Bailey the union taking on the legal bills of the fight will be a load of economic worry off her shoulders
Because only people who vote left belong to unions 🙄
Some people think that, yes.
Yikes. If I understood that correctly (and it reads a bit ambiguous), she approached UNITE with an intent to go after the PM and her employers? This is about to go bad, fast. Bad for her, I mean. No way is a frontal assault going to succeed, personally, for her. No way. For some, in similar-but-less-extreme situations it would – I’m not suggesting others should not assert their rights in the usual way – but not in this situation. If she wants to attempt to drag John Key and others down for a certain kill now she has her teeth in (a reckless and self-sabotaging but not impossible goal), drop the union approach and give up silence in favour of her existing methods. In the very least, all she needs is a twitter account: she has to say what’s happened since we last heard from her to make her do this. In my understanding of “how thing go” – and I’m not saying I’m right about everything – to strike now like this would be an error. Before this, she’d already “won”. Sounds like some of the story is missing from the above TDB post. In good faith, and I expect the same from her, I wish her all the best.
Charles. you are surely not suggesting that a worker, having been repeatedly offended against in her workplace then betrayed by her employers, should not seek advice and support from a Union?
This whole, sad saga has been about abuse of power and privilege by the Prime Minister, arguably the most powerful person in Aotearoa at the moment and a waitperson. Then, to cap it off, between the waitperson and the NZ Herald, ably assisted by her employers. To whom should she turn for advice, support and redress?
The harm to Amanda has been forgotten by many of the players in this debacle but not by most at this blog and by other bloggers on a variety of platforms. She has kept a low profile while others have attacked her credibility, her motives and minimised the truth of what happened to her.
To urge her to waive her right to appropriate support and advice providedby people whose role it is, is shameful.
It isn’t a matter of left against right, it is about righting a wrong, redressing the power imbalance and holding the Prime Minister and his acolytes to the same standards that would apply to you or me.
+1 Hateatea.
And Charles, Amanda Bailey is perfectly capable of making her own decisions about the best way forward for herself and she has chosen to seek Union representation, and they have agreed to assist her with her case. Your criticism of her decision comes across as quite patronising.
Don’t underestimate her ability to know what is best for herself.
You raise an interesting point, in a boring ideological way i.e. does she know what she is doing?
So there are two possible answers:
1) Yes, and as far as the observing public is concerned, she is nothing more than a politician. Good luck to her.
or
2) No. She has a greater appreciation for her abilities than her actions would suggest.
If she isn’t a politician, I haven’t underestimated her ability at all – she’s overestimated her’s. It’s called conceit: good for a short bluff, but useless against an establishment issue. If she is a politician, she’s not going to be one for long, having made an error that most wannabe or frustrated politicians often make. I’m not much of a guy for ideology, since I have age and experience, so save the vague feminist lines for someone who cares. This is a discussion blog. People have opinons on many things, they don’t filter them through you for approval first.
So let’s look at possible answer number 2:
Asking a slow-moving, out-of-date, reluctant-to-advance, idea of a union to combat an entrenched establishment issue is like tying yourself to a post in no-man’s lands and shooting from the hip, in a frontal assault of enemy positions. She’s dog tucker.
So what could she do? What has she already done, that now we must see as an intuitive “correct response”? Use modern technology and systems (blogs, twitter etc) to move fast, supply details from her perspective, edited by no one, sustaining momentum in her favour, control the dialogue, for her own interests, strike when the moment is best for her view.
Either way, the moment where she could run away has passed. Now she has to play it out to the end. Even if she was a mediocre politician, she’d be better off controlling her own ending and not worry about the implications for others.
More false premises. The Unite Union, far from being the hide-bound dinosaur of your characterisation, was formed in 2000.
That said, the fact remains that individual workers can increase their negotiating power by working together, whether you think it’s fashionable or not.
No evidence she is “going after Key”, just protecting her employment rights. Most workers can’t afford private lawyers, whereas unions are affordable.
So, on the one hand she should have stood up for herself right at the beginning and said “NO” tot he PM but on the other hand she should shrink back down on the other hand to show she is not politically motivated?
Wow, just wow.
Holy fuck Charles, you really have got it in for Amanda Bailey and unions.
You come across as nothing than a concern tra la la la la lol lol lol.
I’m going to take a leaf of Bronagh Key’s book and say “leave the poor girl alone!”.
Furthermore, clearly you know nothing of the functioning of modern unions as you refer to Unite Union as “a slow-moving, out-of-date, reluctant-to-advance, idea of a union”.
You haven’t been keeping up have you?
“you are surely not suggesting that a worker, having been repeatedly offended against in her workplace then betrayed by her employers, should not seek advice and support from a Union?”
Look, seriously, if you didn’t read my post, and don’t make any attempt to understand what I’m saying, what is the point? You’re saying things that don’t relate to me or my post.
So to be clear, you are advocating an ongoing and legally toothless trial by media rather than following clearly laid out protocols of engagement for addressing wrongdoing in her place of employment?
Tautoko Hateatea. I think involving the union, a workers’ organisation, is far preferable to attempting to take her own case through either the courts or the HRC. We maximise our chances of success when we use our own organisations.
Your argument is based on a false premise. I question whether you actually read the piece at TDB.
No mention of “going after” anybody, let alone Mr. Tuggy, nor any suggestion of a “frontal assault” – whatever that means.
Note the threatening language Charles uses when he says things are about to go bad, fast, for Amanda.
The message from #TeamKey is clear. Anyone speaking out about anything we do will suffer the full force of our clobbering machine.
They’re not even trying to hide their nastiness anymore.
+1. Exactly how I interpret his comments as well.
Yep. I pretty much got that charles was saying that she should be a good little girl and shutup.
…OR ELSE.
Thats great news veutoviper. It’s good to hear that Amanda Baliey sought their support and they will assist her. I’m sure she has received a lot of support from different quarters – the Unite representation will provide a formal structure to existing support and move her forward legally.
All the best Amanda.
Fark!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11440058
The people are stupid.
Herald digi-poll?
We’ve always been a conservative people, Gormless – seeing nothing wrong in denigrating those who are “lower” than the ruling class (eg women, children, other races) – hence the prevalence of sexual abuse in our society.
I tried having a conversation with two other women about the ponytail affair the other day – one, much older, said PM’s behaviour was normal, it used to happen to her when she was younger and in employment. The other, middle-aged, didn’t want to know about the young girls’ hair being fondled. These reactions are, I venture to say, fairly typical among NZers.
And if people have been supporters of the PM – seeing him as a nice bloke – then they’ll not want to change their minds easily.
We have a very difficult task ahead of us to turn that sort of thinking around.
My experience over the weekend was that when women were told he had fondled a girls hair, they were far less accepting of the behaviour, but that they didn’t know about that reflects poorly on the media. And the framing of it as anything other than an unacceptable intrusion on one level and assault on another.
People don’t like to be made fools of, as you say. So admitting we are wrong about something is much harder than creating justifications or rationalisations for hanging on to our thinking. Hence “there is no alternative) works as a rationalisation (albeit seriously flawed).
“Fondled”?
Yes. You still not reading everything Gormless?
Not reading is the problem ,people I’ve talked to are under the impression it was once or twice and he apologized and she said no drama.
Yes, they not only don’t know all the details of the Bailey instance but are oblivious to the fondling of a child’s hair.
here you go gormless – here’s one – you want more – there’s more
https://twitter.com/lqpharriet/status/590650852911800320
knock yourself out
@CnrJoe : “there’s more
https://twitter.com/lqpharriet/status/590650852911800320 “
————
Watch the reaction of the woman ( probably mother of the child?) in yellow. Her facial expression changes as she turns to Key and gestures with her hand as if to say, ‘cut that out’, ‘stop touching’ or something like that. What do you think?
Would be interesting if a journalist were to talk to that lady about the incident.
If you watch the full clip instead of the gif, it looks different.
Link to full clip please.
http://thestandard.org.nz/reaction-to-harassed-waitress-story/#comment-1003706
Watching it again it’s clear that the mother simply talks to Key, which doesn’t mean she was comfortable with what happened but there is nothing there to suggest she told him off or had any visible reaction. Would like to see it in slow motion though.
I don’t see anything to suggest the mum was looking or feeling anything. Interestingly, he shook hands with the young boy…
Thanks.
I’m not sure the mother(?) even noticed.
Yes – I agree, Clemgeopin – I too thought that was the mother starting to object to the PM pulling her daughter’s hair.
It’s a gif. You can’t tell what she is doing. Full clip here
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-29042015/#comment-1007486
Weka, that link does not take me anywhere. May be faulty. Can you check please.
I followed the links ok just now. It links to this one, which has the tv3 link and instructions on where the clip is.
http://thestandard.org.nz/reaction-to-harassed-waitress-story/#comment-1003706
Ok, this one works. You are right. Although it is not clear, would be interesting to hear what the woman in yellow has to say now after this recent exposure of Key’s propensity for pony tails.
titter…
“Conduct of Ministers
2.52 A Minister of the Crown, while holding a ministerial warrant, acts in a number of different capacities:
in a ministerial capacity, making decisions, and determining and promoting policy within particular portfolios;
in a political capacity as a member of Parliament, representing a constituency or particular community of interest;
in a personal capacity.
2.53 In all these roles and at all times, Ministers are expected to act lawfully and to behave in a way that upholds, and is seen to uphold, the highest ethical standards. Ultimately, Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister for their behaviour.
2.54 Holding ministerial office is regarded as a full-time occupation and is remunerated as such. Accordingly:
accepting additional payment for doing anything that could be regarded as a ministerial function is not permissible;
accepting payment for any other activities requires the prior approval of the Prime Minister.”
..titter..
Democracy is hilarious
easy to spot genuine commenters tho aye?
If only we elected the judiciary you right wingers would be able to indulge yourselves completely.
That they find it something to be amused about is really sad. Even sadder, both of them may have daughters…
It is sad because it means many NZers still don’t understand that sexual violence and abuse is on a continuum of behaviour.
That the so-called “small stuff” matters in terms of how girls see themselves and how they will or won’t become susceptible to victimization by others. That some men and women in this country think that men behaving poorly toward females doesn’t make any difference.
That you see it as something to be glib about is just sad.
Oh and that our expectations of our Leaders have never been lower.
“The poll of 750 eligible voters was taken between April 17 to 26. The party votes are of decided voters only. Undecideds were 11.8 per cent.”
Half conducted before the revelation of his treatment of women and half after but they don’t seem to have taken the opportunity (gilt-edged) to provide the data in those two time periods to establish any effect.
The left: telling people they are stupid since ages ago. Ever wondered why no-one likes them?
If you think Tracey’s comment is calling anyone stupid, you’re not very bright.
Good one.
I know you still don’t really get it, but thanks.
thanks felix. ?
It’s funny because lefties are clever and righties are dumb. Labour’s next election slogan: Vote for us, dummies!
Still haven’t read Tracey’s comment then.
He. like others before him, hasn’t even read all the facts surrounding the Key and the Hair issue.
best way to keep reality (with, as Colbert said, its well-known liberal bias) from threatening his worldview.
There is very little imperical evidence of Gormless being bright in his thoughts on this matter.
Course not. I am a righty. We are all really stupid. We love it when all you highly intellectual lefties sneer at us. This is why we vote for you in droves. It is why David Cunliffe (the sneeriest of the lot) is regarded as a national treasure.
Keep up the good work.
(And Tracey: I admire your work on inventing an entirely new system of punctuation above. My simple mind cannot begin to grasp it).
Can you point to the part of Tracey’s comment that says righties are all stupid?
Cos you keep repeating it as if you’re talking about what others are saying, but as far as I can tell it’s only you saying it.
Have you finished reading her comment yet?
I was talking about your comment, Felix. You know, when you said I couldn’t understand your (arguably too) brilliant joke. Because I am stupid!
Nah, I meant you still didn’t understand Tracey’s comment, the one you replied to implying sarcastically that she was calling righties stupid.
I see you still don’t get it. Have you read it yet?
t is sad because it means many NZers still don’t understand that sexual violence and abuse is on a continuum of behaviour.
That the so-called “small stuff” matters in terms of how girls see themselves and how they will or won’t become susceptible to victimization by others. That some men and women in this country think that men behaving poorly toward females doesn’t make any difference.
That you see it as something to be glib about is just sad.
Oh and that our expectations of our Leaders have never been lower.
“The poll of 750 eligible voters was taken between April 17 to 26. The party votes are of decided voters only. Undecideds were 11.8 per cent.”
Half conducted before the revelation of his treatment of women and half after but they don’t seem to have taken the opportunity (gilt-edged) to provide the data in those two time periods to establish any effect.
empirical
Thanks, Scotty. I couldn’t get it to look right no matter what I did. 😀
Well put, Tracey.
“Half conducted before the revelation of his treatment of women and half after but they don’t seem to have taken the opportunity (gilt-edged) to provide the data in those two time periods to establish any effect.”
Just to highlight this further – half of the stated polling time before the event, and half after.
Since polling is demographic sampling based system, usually more than half of the responses will be found before the halfway point of the polling time. The remaining time is used to track down and fill in the holes of their sample so that it fits as closely as possible with their demographic model of the electorate.
So more than half of the responses will have come from before the event.
The fact that they are now reporting it as if the entire poll were after the event is very misleading.
To be fair, I didn’t read them as reporting it as though the entire poll were done post hair pull BUT I do think there was a golden opportunity from a polling perspective to gauge just how much incidents like this impact given they had a point of comparison to exactly the same questions with this event in between.
Just more propup the National PM as much as possible spin from the NZHerald as there’s absolutely no way that there’s been time for the full effects to filter through yet never mind at the time the poll was taken.
I thought that, too, Draco. Just waiting for the PM to return to NZ, and to Parliament, and to see whether this ponytail story continues to be aired, or just gets quietly dropped by MSM.
+1 Draco. And how will the poll influence what people think now? Actually not the poll so much as the Herald’s leading them with their headline and pov.
Yeah, It’s the NZHerald trying to lead people to what they want them to think.
Just in case you missed the fact that the ANC, are now a very odd fish indeed.
Remember the war they have going on?
http://libcom.org/news/south-africas-war-drc-has-rhodes-passed-baton-28042015
Big Coal’s big scam: scar the land for proft, then let others pay to clean up
We’re seeing similar here as well with the farmers causing massive damage to our water ways and us having to pay to clean up after them. I’m sure that there are other industries and businesses which make significant profits that would disappear if they actually had to pay for the damage that they do.
Not just the farmers, Draco – but also the remnants of mining here. I don’t know about coal, but goldmining has left huge dangerous scars in various places.
The govt recently did a $3m-odd clean-up of an old mine towering over Te Aroha to prevent it collapsing on top of that rural town, and it also announced a few months back that it was going to clean up another old mine in the south because leaching from it was starting to contaminate waterways being used to irrigate new dairy farms . Haven’t got the links to these – but both stories were in the Herald a while back, and I put them up on the Puhipuhi Mining Action Group facebook page.
Waihi town
Mobil and the tank farm on the Auckland waterfront is another great example.
see Key’s granma here,
https://twitter.com/barrysoper/status/592951458464542720
This is heartening – http://paxchristiusa.org/2015/04/28/climate-change-final-report-and-call-to-action-from-jesuit-universities-climate-change-conference/
nz anglican church has told fund managers to pull the churchs funds from fossil fuel related stocks
That is good news
Good morning. I have just heard that 260 girls have been rescued from Boko haram, Nigeria. Brilliant news.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32506942
Nearly 300 rescued, but necessarily the ones from the Chibok school.
Not from Chibok school, unfortunately, still a great result, just heard.
Excellent news! Will watch Al Jazeera tonight to get the story. They have a focus on Boko Haram that we don’t get with our local news.
sckiwiddevil….great news!
very good news… so it is possible…
Please let me tell my story of sexual harrasement.
I was working in Los Angeles mid 2000’s, operating machinery in a factory of about 10 staff. 3 employees started throwing made-up balls around the factory, which i complained to management about on numerous occasions. Finally after weeks of complaining they got them to stop this dangerous practice. After that, these 3 employees started yelling out sexual comments towards me, ie; faggot, homo, pounta( excuse spelling, but means bitch in spanish). I AGAIN complained to management, which they did nothing about it. I endured this for about 9 mths. Then one day i had enough and walked out during working hours. I was quiet distraught over all of this. My wife called them to say how i was feeling over all of this. My employer said to her if i was to come back within 3 days all would be sorted. So i did. On entry to work i was immediatly sacked. To cut a long story short, i got a lawyer, they settled out of court, I recieved $US 55k plus $15k wages/hol pay.
So i can really feel how this waitress must be feeling over her sexual harassment.
Sexual Harassment can take many forms, and yes i am male.
She MUST get legal advice.
Thanks, always encouraging to hear stories with good outcomes.
Thanks for sharing. the 2000’s were not the dark ages…
Thank you sckiwireddevil. I’m sorry you endured such harassment but good to hear that you were successful in seeking redress.
Sadly there will too many people who know what it feels like to be in Amanda Bailey’s shoes.
Giving support to Amanda means giving support to all those who have been affected in a similar way in the workplace.
Kia Ora.
Thanks Rosie, it was a depressing time of my life, my wife was a rock, dont think i could have made it through without her.
Amanda will need great support to get her through this.
It will be a tough time for her. I commend her courage. She must follow this through all the way. The majority of the country will give the support she needs. We all know she will do the right thing.
I also commend Amanda’s courage and also believe the majority of the country will be behind her 🙂
One day we may see the head line
“Justice for Amanda”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11440058
Well, well, well should Little start watching over his back? Labour dropping below 30% and Winston gaining on preferrede PM…not the best result really
Not to worry though its only one poll
No worries, its only the NAT rag.
“The poll of 750 eligible voters was taken between April 17 to 26. The party votes are of decided voters only. Undecideds were 11.8 per cent. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 per cent.”
Exactly so nothing to worry about, everythings going according to plan
It’s kind of sad that behaviour such as recently revealed makes no difference to his popularity. It means we still live in the environment I lived in as a child, where a popular ordinary bloke personna could mask so much more. In my case a sexual predator. Everyone loved “Uncle Steve”. Generous, funny, always ready to help.
To repeat – I am not saying key is a paedophile, I am saying he doesn’t treat women well, sees them as part of the world to be at his beck and call for his purposes. This is not what we need in our leaders if we genuinely want to address sexual violence toward women and children (in particular) and in rarer case toward men.
I’m sorry for what happened to you but do you think Key should resign over this?
Yes, I do.
He was in flagrant disregard of another person PR, for months. cos he was having fun to further his own agenda.
He is the man who has the responsibility to enforce the “highest ethical standards” of ALL ministers of the Cabinet Manual,
He is the figurehead of our our law-making body but he is saying “the law and people’s right to be respected doesn’t matter if he is having fun” … overlooking that the other person in the equation was NOT having fun.
He does not get it… and that should concern you and anyone who gives a shit about our laws, the standards of our elected representatives and those who will see his behaviour and set it as the bar for their own. Cos they will, mark my words, many people watching that took it as vindication for their own behaviours. We have a gender pay gap for a reason PR, most of the decision-making about wages and salaries are made by men in NZ and they simply value women less.
He took/forced the resignation of Aaron Gilmore for less…
If you look at Key’s interactions and his touching… it is almost exclusively touching women and girls… hand shakes with boys/men. It’s not about abuse per se, it;s about respect and how he views the different genders in front of him. He is not an ordinary bloke, he is the Prime Minister of NZ.
Yes I do also, or at least be prosecuted for his actions, hence, he will be sacked as a result.
“cos he was having fun to further his own agenda.”
I don’t think he was trying to further his own agenda. In fact it seems like he was trying to “not be the prime minister” and act like a “normal person” might. Which shows he’s rather delusional.
I disagree, I think it’s part of his ordinary bloke” personna. Delberately trained to behave in a familiar and ordinary bloke way.
absolutely – see below. With Dear John, there’s ALWAYS an agenda – if only to further (as you say) his persona.
Sociopathic or what!
you really do like to paint the best in people eh Lanth? That’s a good thing usually but I fear you misunerstand the makeup of John Key (and many of his enterage for that matter)
I simply choose to see political opponents as human beings and interpret their actions as if they’re merely human. I don’t assume ulterior motives behind every action like some people do.
Don’t ascribe to malice what can easily be explained by stupidity.
which of course are not mutually exclusive, and neither of which are necessarily attributes of a bloody sociopath
Rubbish. You made an assumption right here… ” it seems like he was trying to “not be the prime minister” and act like a “normal person” might”.
Why would you think that and not some other think?
+1, your last paragraph…..Stay strong.
Thanks I am good as gold. I used my story to show that hair plays a part in some peoples behaviour (for the worse) and that “grooming” takes many forms. 1 in 3/4 women reportedly experience sexual abuse in NZ. We ought to be mortified. Even if were 1 in 5/6 would that be better? It is about respect and seeing women as at the beck and call of mens behaviours, be they “playful” or more sinister. For me, it is mostly about role modelling and our PM’s excuses have just told many boys and men that girls/women over react and dont know how to have fun…
What other silly lagniappe (pronounced lan-yap) you going to offer today Puckish Rogue?
Oh wait, we’re not buying it…
dropping?
You fucking liar. That poll says both labour and the nats have increased 2.8% since the previous poll.
Apples with apples, except when it suits you, eh…
I was referring to the latest Roy Morgan poll
http://www.roymorgan.com/morganpoll/new-zealand/voting-intention-summary
like I said, apples with apples except when it suits you.
Hey don’t blame me that once again the Labour party have chosen a dud (sorry the unions have chosen a dud)
Seriously the Labour party would have a better chance of getting a decent leader if they stuck everyones name in a hat and chose a name at random
lol
If the nats tried that method of picking a leader, they have no chance of getting a decent leader and a pretty fair chance of getting a creep, a moron, and/or an alleged [suppression order]…
In power since 2008 and still looking a good bet for 2017 but hey its not like thats important or anything
So, longevity is your yardstick for good governance?
Well speaking for myself I’ve done better since Nationals been in power and its been the same for everyone else I know
However longevity does suggest that enough people also think Key/National are doing a good job
Or it just suggests that between the fujimo tories like you, alienating a full quarter of the electorate from the system entirely, and the old “some of the people all of the time” results of constant lying (like comparing apples with oranges) and dirty politics, a shit government can keep its claws in power.
Could you be more specific about what you mean by “done better”?
Apart from a redundancy in 2009 our household is in exactly the same financial position under this Government as the 1999 to 2008 government.
I say this as a small business owner (self employed) and a partner employed by a charity.
I’ve done better in that our net worth has increased quite nicely and our standard of living has increased as well plus what we owe has dropped
we’ve nearly finished renovating our home and we’ll be renting that out when we move into our new home which will be finished building by (hopefully) Christmas
While we may not “love” our jobs they do have some very good positives so all in all we’ve never had it better then we do now
” our net worth has increased quite nicely and our standard of living has increased ”
How does the rate of improvement relate, say, to 2000 to 2008?
Are you in Auckland?
How old are you now?
How does the rate of improvement relate, say, to 2000 to 2008?
– I really can’t put a figure on that sorry
Are you in Auckland?
– Christchurch
How old are you now?
– Early 40s
Yes it can be hard to put figures on vague ideas that you just made up 🙄
What is your definition of “decent”PR?
1.conforming with generally accepted standards of respectable or moral behaviour.
“a decent clean-living individual”
2. of an acceptable standard; satisfactory.
Decent in this case means someone that can lift Labour to near 40% of the vote
Do keep up, PR. 30% plus for Labour means a change of government. That’s the minimum target, anything beyond that is a welcome bonus. And even the Herald’s bogus poll can’t undo the damage Dunnokeyo is doing to himself. That ‘landslide’ win last year could have been a shock loss if National missed out on even 1% of their actual party vote. And every photo of Key fondling children’s hair has an effect on his chances of dragging National over the line one more time. The man’s a weirdo, and that fact won’t go away.
How do you figure that or does this include some inside knowledge of what Winstons going to do? Because that worked out really well for Labour last time didn’t it
lol I like it when you guys get panicky.
Dr Mapp is the one who has spent weeks investigating Winston and NZ first… of course when challenged it instantly changed to an “observation”.
Yes Felix we’re panicking, just like in 2008 when John Key went up against HC and 2011 against PG and 2014 (after seeing off DS) against DC
You mistake panick for the dawning realisation that Little doesn’t have the charisma to sway the population of NZ
But if it makes you feel better just remember that Key will probably retire after 4 terms in power and then Labour will get in
If you see Key’s retirement as harbouring a new Government that suggests you don’t think it is anything in particular they have implemented that has made the difference, but his popularity per se?
Well no I just think that Key is so popular that once he leaves it’ll be hard to replace him (at first) plus after 4 terms of National NZ will vote in Labour no matter who they have in charge
If you’re not panicking then why so worried about Winston all of a sudden?
Just learned how to count?
I don’t think the leadership of Labour is going to be the problem, when he’s going up against a popular weirdo. The issue is going to be over policy that ignites the public interest and launching it at the right time.
so nothing in normal use of the word then.
Puckish Rogue, you put the line about “Labour dropping below 30%” into the post where you linked to the Herald Digi-Poll. Now you claim you were referring to the latest Roy Morgan poll.
The latest Roy Morgan covers April 6-19 and has no relevance to discussion on the impact of the PM admitting he repeatedly accosted a waitress.
I’m comfortable that in the next Roy Morgan poll Labour will still be under 30 and Winston will be necck and neck with Little as 2nd most preferred PM (behind Key of course)
I have little interest whether you are comfortable with it or not.
I simply highlighted the mendacious nature of your postings.
In amongst everything else, some good news about things that are working and changing for the better. I don’t think we can yet understand truly how influential Nicholas has been on addressing rape culture, but it will become more and more obvious over time. That she is recognised by something as mainstream as this award suggests we have come a long way despite there still being a long way to go. I think about what it was like for rape survivors when she first spoke out, compared to now. The impact on society is significant and it’s these cultural shifts that give me hope we can achieve other ones.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/68002140/Louise-Nicholas-awarded-the-Governor-Generals-Anzac-of-the-Year-Award
Courage indeed. Many people just don’t understand the bravery required to lay a complaint, to go through the Courts let alone for their family and friends to know the very personal aspects of their lives, then factor in taking on the ultimate bastion of authority, the Police. The allegations of “slut” and so on. Now imagine you are a child…
Louise’s courages astounds me everytime I re-read her story. Her advocacy of others. BUT John Key will be knighted before she gets awared a damehood or is made one of the 20 greatest living NZers (currently held by one Prince Philip of Greece)
Yes indeed. I met Louise once – at a function. Such a quiet unassuming woman but what a big punch she landed when her story finally came out !!
+ 100 weka, Tracey and jenny kirk.
Her courage and conviction is astounding and she has achieved so much. She is a true hero. My respect for her is immense.
and how amazing to see her experiences and work placed in reference to war heros. That’s been a long time coming for rape survivors.
YES!
As to female war heroes. Has anyone mentioned Ettie Rout? That woman stood head and shoulders above everyone as she sacrificed her ‘good’ name for the welfare of soldiers she held to be brothers.
She gathered a group of nurses wanting to serve in WW1 who went to Egypt, against government wishes. Later she stood alone to protect those men going to the fighting from being destroyed by the sexually transmitted disease syphillis.
In fronting up with condoms to prevent infection from the brain eating disease, she shocked right-minded society and angered the wives in New Zealand who did not believe their husbands would consider having sex while away at the war. The government behaved in a shoddy and disreputable way. Though her efforts did result in them adopting her safety kit, they never acknowledged her, probably because of pressure from disgusted leading ‘nice’ women.
By June 1917, having realised the venereal disease problem was still very bad and that the New Zealand Medical Corps had not adopted prophylactic measures, she went to London to push it into doing so. Researching among the foremost doctors in this new field, she combined the work of several to produce her own prophylactic kit, containing calomel ointment, condoms and Condy’s crystals (potassium permanganate). She sold these at the New Zealand Medical Soldiers Club, which she set up at Hornchurch near the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital.
distribution to soldiers going on leave. Ettie Rout received no credit for her role in the kit’s development and adoption, and for the duration of the war the cabinet banned her from New Zealand newspapers under the War Regulations. Mention of her brought a possible £100 fine after one of her letters, suggesting kits and hygienic brothels, had been published in the New Zealand Times. .. The Te Ara biography will astound you as to her achievements. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3r31/rout-ettie-annie
She came back to NZ in 1936 but apparently was shunned by former colleagues and friends, left and sent a message announcing that she had died at sea. and is buried in Avarua, Rarotonga. A wonderful woman, who displayed the best characteristics of the new country, but the hypocritical mores of the time would not accept her. She said it was hard to be born before her time.
http://www.nzedge.com/ettie-rout/
Jane Tolerton has written an award winning book about Ettie Rout.
Tolerton, Jane is a biographer, journalist and educator. Her published books range in subject matter from a biography of Ettie Rout, to a book documenting the experiences of soldiers of World War I, and another focused on women of the swinging sixties. Ettie: A Life of Ettie Rout (1992) won the New Zealand Book Award for non-fiction in 1993. Tolerton’s journalism awards include the Dulux News Award and the Crown Prize for Historical Journalism. http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/Writers/Profiles/Tolerton,%20Jane
edited
Donkey knighted?, It will be a sad, sad day in the history of NZ if that even comes close. Lets pray Tracey that NEVER happens.
Frankly, I believe it is one reason he is PM…
of COURSE it is! It’s a shame some (supposedly of the left) in their bid to come across as ‘fair and balanced’, prepared to compromise/meet half-way (all those supposedly good things) can’t see the bleeding bloody obvious at times.
Personally I think John Key’s biggest achievement is that he’s been able to fool so many for so long… but then not so surprising really when treats and trinkets are on offer to those prepared to worship at the Corporate Altar
She deserves recognition.
Bernie Sanders, an independent US senator and democratic socialist, will be seeking the nomination for US Democratic Party candidate.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/28/bernie-sanders-presidential-campaign_n_7165270.html
“Sanders has been an outspoken critic of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal the Obama administration is negotiating with 11 Pacific countries. Sanders is also a critic of the controversial Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which struck down corporate campaign contribution limits. Sanders has tried to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the decision.
While Clinton is heavily favored over Sanders, the Vermont senator’s entry in the race will provide a platform for Democrats to criticize Clinton from the left. Sanders’ presence could also highlight a divide between progressive and moderate Democrats.
Before assuming office in the Senate in 2007, Sanders represented Vermont in the U.S. House for 16 years. He is the longest serving independent member of Congress.”
He is the most left wing member of the US Congress and is not a member of the Democratic Party but caucuses with them.
He also refuses all campaign contributions from corporate donors. All of his top donors are unions and individual small donations. He is an ardent critic of the TPP, billionaire class, etc.
I doubt he would ever win the nomination, but it’ll make the debates a lot more interesting and ideologically diverse. Things will actually be debated.
“Leave the poor girl alone!”
Quote of the Year
Yeah, her comment to her ”husband” sounds a tad condescending, dont think she needed to say ”poor”.
in that context, I’d take “poor” to mean “suffering the misfortune of happening to have a feature that you find ‘tantalizing’ and being powerless to stop your subsequent harassment”.
I think it shows Bronagh could see what Key wouldnt, that at best the girl was not enjoying it and Bronagh could see that she didnt feel she could take on the PM….
Key’s career was in a very male dominated occupation. Interaction with women would have been mainly social, not professional…
Sounds about right
but no excuse for his behaviour as taxpayer funded PM of the country.
While I quite enjoy reading your comments and getting your take on things (you’re not rabidly one-eyed like the vast majority on here) I have to disagree with you and say I don’t believe it is a sacking offence or that John Key should stand down
I presume that’s based on you not believing he did anything illegal.
Prince Harry’s visit schedule for next month has been released and surprise, surprise it involves a lot of military events. Key couldn’t hope for better motivation on the war on “terror”.
As soon as he arrives he pretty much heads straight “to the National War Memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony.”
He spends a full day at Linton Army Camp “The Linton Military Camp just south of Palmerston North is on Wednesday’s agenda, where Prince Harry will participate in a number of activities with the Army, including learning the Army’s own haka.”
Goes to Whanganui “and visit the War Memorial Centre.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68124879/a-royal-itinerary-prince-harrys-nz-visit
Yes how strange a military officer and veteren would visit a military camp and memorial
Stranger that we will have to pay for it…
Free propaganda.
What’s strange is that he’s even coming here. Contrary to what the RWNJs believe we’re not a colony any more.
Key is gutless and fails in Saudi :
[1] ‘Mr Key met His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh.
Afterwards, Radio New Zealand reported that he did not specifically raise the issue of women’s rights.” [Read : ‘I did not have enough guts to do so’]
“No, I went into the wider issue of human rights. I think that’s the appropriate way to handle it,” Mr Key told media.’
[2] “Mr Key said his meeting went well, although he could not categorically say whether a free trade deal would get over the line.” [Read : ‘My mission wasn’t a success’] ]
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11440304
“he did not specifically raise the issue of women’s rights”
Yeah well on Planet Key, women who complain about their bodies being controlled by men are probably lefties with no sense of humour.
And as he said the other day, the Saudis only strip rights from their own women. If his wife and his grandma are both happy to chuck the sheets on this week then why can’t the Saudi women do as they’re told?
Shit felix…
cutting to the chase indeed…
How long has Saudi Arabia been trading with the West? Hundreds of years? I only ask cos apparently trading with the West will make them see that women’s rights matter and beheading is wrong.
Saudi Arabia has only existed since 1932. Before Ibn Saud took control with support from the British and the Wahabi clerics, the area had been slowly modernising. The hegemony of the House of Saud and their support from the US and Britain put an end to that.
I apologise. They have only had 7 decades of trading with the West to be influenced to change their attitudes toward women and people’s heads.
@ felix : ” If his wife and his grandma are both happy”
‘grandma’? What is that about?
Comment made by a twitter about a picture of Boag in a scarf and glasses.
Poor choice of words on my part. Boag is more like his Evil Fairy Godmother 😉
After the dismal failure of neo-liberalism to foresee the global financial crisis, let alone have answers to how to fix it, Keynes has made a comeback; but his 21st century acolytes disagree on what constitute Keynes’ key ideas:
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/what-is-keynesianism-in-the-21st-century/
Phil
According to Key, NZ troop deployment isn’t newsworthy, his precise words : “”I just don’t see it as newsworthy,” he told reporters afterwards. “You guys might, but I don’t. I mean, they have to fly through somewhere. That’s the base they use going into Baghdad, so pffft.”
Arrogance personified.
Here: http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/key-troop-deployment-not-newsworthy-2015042911#ixzz3YefHNwN3
I thought the reason the NZ public weren’t to be told about troop movements was all about the vital security precautions required to keep our troops safe. Now it’s just because the PM doesn’t consider it’s newsworthy?
On a side note, very odd new format TV3 has adopted for displaying video. If you want to replay the video you have to reload the page as the video, once completed, vanishes and is replaced with a ‘related videos’ selection which does not include the video first screened.
Yup, new lie for BLiP’s list
In Q7 today, Ron Mark had Simon Bridges dancing on what must be a very busy pin head, what with Key and English piloting their Spruce Goose Surplus onto the same.
He thinks he’s being hilarious there as well. I think he’s cracking under the pressure and will do a Nixon soon. As he flies off to Hawaii, he’ll say “You guys don’t deserve me any more.”
A question the reporter could have then asked
‘Are troop deployments really an occasion for such [strained] joviality Mr Key?’
Key and reporters – that’s a symbiotic relationship gone bad.
Best the reporters writer pretty stories about Key if they want to be feed a few more press releases.
Something #ponytailgate bought up is the fact that John Key is still producing his own branded wine at a vineyard he doesn’t know he owns.
I can’t help noticing that the person with his name on this: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/11100583_10152671995581372_1013217086_n.jpg
…thinks he can improve our flag.
What is the date on the wine felix? Is there one? 2013?
Good question 😀
The blue label is the 2014 design, although not necessarily a 2014 vintage: http://www.velocity-creative.com/project/pms-pinot-2014-label
According to the designer:
The back label of the 2014 edition states that it is the sixth edition.
I can only presume that Key went to the designer and asked for something reminiscent of the sharemarket boom of the 80s.
Gerry Brownlee & his conflict of interest with asbestos.
http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/cabinet/ministers/ministers-interests/2013-14
From The Greens on the rockstar economy
“Rock star economy hits rocks
Falling exports and rising imports have led to the largest annual trade deficit since July 2009, the Green Party said today.
Statistics New Zealand Overseas Merchandise Trade figures for March show there was an annual trade deficit of $2.4 billion for the year ended March 2015. This was the largest annual trade deficit since the year ended July 2009, driven by falling whole milk powder exports to China and declines in oil exports.
“A large fall in the value of our milk powder exports to China has highlighted the real vulnerability of National’s one-trick economy,” said Green Party trade and investment spokesperson James Shaw.
“The falling value of milk powder exports to China has contributed to the largest yearly trade deficit since 2009.
“After six years in Government, National has failed to diversify our export sector away from a few basic, low value-added commodities.
“High value-added manufactured exports are, in contrast, holding their own, but still only account for a fifth of all exports.
“High value-added manufactured exports and import substitution are a key part of the economic transformation New Zealand needs to build a resilient, prosperous economy and create well-paid jobs.
“The Green Party will focus on adding more value to our exports. We should be exporting high-value, high-tech goods made from the resources that we produce,” Mr Shaw said.
Link to Statistics New Zealand Overseas Merchandise Trade figures:
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/imports_and_exports/OverseasMerchandiseTrade_MRMar15.aspx
ENDS
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1504/S00378.htm
Thought I would try fondling some female ponytails today in the mall. Apparently its ok for almost half our population.
Barbara
I think a purge is on at Media Work’s Radio Live, in the evenings Mitch Harris, with his blues and rhythm and blues music and a super guy with leftish leanings has vanished off the airways in the 10pm – 1am slot, Paul Henry occupies the 7pm-8pm slot with highlights of his morning show so now we have to suffer him at both ends of the day, Karen Hay and Andrew Fagan previously on the 7pm – 10pm slot are now no longer, a compassionate couple with big hearts, Andrew has vanished, I was told it was his choice but I wonder about this, Karen, in her new time of 8pm -midnight I listened to last night – where it used to be an open forum and people chatted about what was happening all over the country – usual current affairs types of things – truckies phoned in, there were regular talk backers each evening, lots of humour, muso’s phoned in about old top hits and Andrew had his fabulous boat night from time to time, its now a strict type of format with sound bites on subjects like classic cars etc – no open forum so to speak, (another Graeme Hill Variety Wireless type boring set up) I had to suffer listening to a chiropractor giving advice to folk about their posture and bad backs – with so many important things happening to this country and we get advice for our posture – it was just awful. It used to be great to end the day hearing people rightfully having their say about the state of the country but I think our poor Karen has been sanitised and been told to be a good girl and keep politics off the airways. I predict Willie Jackson will be the next to go and Alison Mau will rule the afternoon airwaves. In the mornings there is the insufferable redneck Shaun Plunkett who is just too rude to be on the air and Duncan Garner is like a chipmunk on steroids and gives me a headache.
So Radio Live, my faithful old station will now no longer be listened to by me – I wonder how many other people will just give up – Weldon and his Christie have done a right hatchet job on the station, the PM will be sighing with relief. Has anybody else notice the musical chairs that has been going on? We did get David Slack for 3 weeks standing in for Karen while the new arrangements were going on and he was great but we probably won’t see him anymore either. Its the pits MSM, I flagged the Herald after the last election – the sun is going down on little ol’ NZ that’s for sure.
Has anybody else noticed the changes with the station??
Isnt Radio Live beaming the Paul Henry Show live? Reason enough to dump it methinks?
I hope Tracey I didn’t give the impression that I actually listen to Paul Henry – the man is in insane – its just the fact they have tucked him in for an hour in the evenings with his highlights on top of his hogging the early mornings as well – I just enjoy left leaning talk back hosts with a love of the blues and big hearts who listen to our heartland and the terrible things that are going down on a daily basis. NZ is going to the dogs.
No, you didn’t… Yup, nowhere left to turn
I often listen (listened) to Radio Live. Karyn Hay and occasional appearances by David Slack are the only ones worth listening to. Dont give up on those 2
Barbara. Karyn is quite fearless and is well worth supporting. I am not so keen on the new magazine type format but she is doing something on the TPP soon so that will be worth a listen and you can at least get a left point of view across on her show. She needs support IMO.
they get what they pay for
http://www.linz.govt.nz/regulatory/overseas-investment/decision-summaries-statistics/2013-08/201310035
and they know what they want
I doubt that includes an informed and free thinking populace
addendum:
“According to MediaWorks’ filings with the Companies Office, Oaktree vehicle Tokyo Opportunities B.V. has acquired the 21.9 per cent stake in the company held by Westpac New Zealand and the 14.6 per cent percent held by Royal Bank of Scotland.
The move leaves Oaktree holding a clear majority of 77.8 per cent of shares.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11440500
I agree, RadioLive was never the same when Michael Laws left and when JT was replaced by Ali Mau
Who would’ve thought you’d be a fan of a racist bigot and a rape-apologist.
Listen to Grant Robertson in the general debate a little while ago about :
TPP : The Parnell Ponytail puller!
http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/36688 (5 mins)
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/04/27/making-the-trolls-pay-how-one-uk-company-made-1-million-in-four-days-from-furious-social-justice-warriors/
– Food for thought
Reminds me of this. And yes, you have the same mannerism as the guy in the big black hat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty5bXad0dZI
At a quick count that 20 impotent posts about a Ponytail and not a bit of gloss has rubbed off. The more this keeps going the more you make Key a beloved martyr. Already people are saying , 100 years since WW1 and up to 20,000 dead in Nepal and the Left think the most important issue is a ponytail.
[lprent: What you are looking at are posts by individuals.
There are people who think “left”. Just as there are people like me who are kind of cruel when they remind people what our site about says.
Which means that they don’t speak for “the Left” or any other great conspiracy fantasy you like to jerk off on.
Banned two months for making the same damn mistake yet again and making me repeat myself almost as much as you do. ]
“not a bit of gloss has rubbed off”
I dunno fizzy, it seems like you’re rubbing it off pretty vigourously as you type.
Yes, no consequences for the creep.
‘Ponytail pull saga: Waitress Amanda Bailey looks set to take action.’
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/68133127/ponytail-pull-saga-waitress-amanda-bailey-looks-set-to-take-action
oh good! 2months of higher quality discourse.
Hopefully this link will work?
It’s a photo I took of the charging document, presented for filing today, (29 April 2015) at the Auckland District Court by Graham McCready.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1026691887343503&set=ms.c.eJw1yskJACAMBMCOZI~_Yo~%3B~%3BGRMHvMIQyR9kBAoPFB~_wuhzf8QXWHzAMALgoC.bps.a.852990618046965.1073741825.100000081045781&type=1&theater
Should be coverage on tonight’s TV news …..
Remember how many people thought Graham McCready’s efforts would come to nothing, when he started his private prosecution against John Banks?
The rest is history …….
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
Nope, didn’t work.
Jihm Campbell tweeted:
Campbell Live at 7 on TV3
oops, John
More casual behaviour by our creepy PM
Unbelievable.
‘Kiwi troops in Iraq: John Key accused of dangerous ‘chatter”
Key has also been slated for telling Dubai media about the troop movements when the Government appeared to have a deliberate policy of keeping its domestic audience in New Zealand in the dark.
In an interview with a local Dubai paper, Key confirmed some of the 143 personnel joining the fight against Islamic State are in the Gulf State but when questioned over his failure to disclose that to New Zealand media said that was because he considered it was “not newsworthy”.
Asked on Wednesday to confirm the information, NZDF would only say that personnel had been travelling to the Middle East in advance of deploying into Iraq but would not go into further detail.
“We have been very clear that for reasons of operational security and in order to keep our soldiers as safe as possible, we won’t be going into detail on travel arrangements We intend to let the public know when the full contingent is safely deployed,” NZDF said in a statement.
When quizzed by New Zealand journalists in Riyadh on Wednesday, Key was vague. He said they were “transiting” but couldn’t say exactly for how long.
“They go in tranches, it’s not big news, that’ s just a transit stop-over point so the probability of them being there for a few days is quite high,” he said. “I’m guessing some of them are there…but not in massive numbers. Some are in Baghdad or in [Iraq]’s] Taji [base] and some are back in New Zealand…I just don’t think it is new news that they have a transit stop. It’s like saying I go to London and I stop off in LA.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68147149/kiwi-troops-in-iraq-john-key-accused-of-dangerous-chatter
Yet another example demonstrating that Key is not on our side of the international affairs table.
From the link:
“At his weekly press conference last Monday Key told reporters: “The defence forces view to us is if we say the exact day they leave and therefore the exact day they arrive they perceive, for whatever reasons…that puts a slight increase in risk on their safety. So I’ve got no option but to accept that.”
Labour foreign affairs spokesman David Shearer accused Key of “a frightening lack of judgement in disclosing to an Arabic media outlet that Kiwi troops are in the UAE awaiting deployment to Iraq”.
“At the same time the Prime Minister is telling us that disclosing operational details could be a security risk he is being loose-lipped on the world stage.
“This is the umpteenth time New Zealanders have learned about details of the Iraqi deployment from international media.
“Only last month Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee was forced to concede that a number of Kiwi troops had gone to Australia for joint training ahead of the deployment after it was reported in that country’s media.
“It seems the Government is using secrecy as a convenient smokescreen to not answer questions about a deployment that is unpopular and futile.
NZ First MP Ron Mark said Key’s “sloppy and thoughtless remarks” were a risk to both New Zealand and Australian forces going into Iraq.
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Apart from his rudeness in informing the Dubai journalists rather than the NZ journalists, Key has been dangerously casual here hasn’t he!