The cray cray level of this campaign level has been dialed up a few notches. Cunliffe convincingly bet Key in the first debate. It may be that Key was distracted by rumors that a Judith Collins staffer had approached Winston Peters to discuss the possibility of NZ First supporting a Collins led government.
Key always talks about stable government. If the rumor is true National is in turmoil.
Winstons time is nigh, revenge is a dish etc etc. Keys delivery was terrible and the albatross that is collins was nailed on. Hope those unemployment numbers key and DC disagreed on get some air as the flat out ‘no they aren’t ‘ from JK shows an out of touch wilfully deceptive trader man in action.
Hosking was better than expected but still not up to the task of being even, it’s just not in his nature.
“New Zealand First Tauranga candidate Clayton Mitchell said his party was now in a strong position: “We are now in a position to negotiate with National and get what we are after and that is what is best for New Zealand.””
I am only guessing, but the person who spoke to Winston Peters sounds like David Farrar.
.
In the last few days his research company was including Bill English in a list of “preferred Prime Minister” where Bill was the only person not currently a party leader. Why would he have done that?
.
Winston was approached before the Orivada scandal when Collins was in her ascendency, and Whaleoil/Farrar were trying to “help” her. I doubt that there was anything wrong in what he did (it sounds like the typical leadership plotting that happens in many parties), and I also doubt that Collins was aware of what he was doing.
.
Farrar is extremely aware of the power of information, and getting information on possible replacements for John Key – Judith Collins earlier this year, and Bill English now would feed this. Or it may simply have been an attempt to “get to know” Winston, in a personal desire to have connections with all the important political players.
This is what Farrar says about the person who spoke to Winston Peters: (from kiwiblog)
I’m 95% certain I know who Peters is referring to. He is
not an MP. He is not an official of the National Party. And
he is not close to Judith Collins. In fact I don’t think he has
had a conversation with her in almost three years!!! I’ve
had more conversations with Winston Peters in the last two
years than this person has had with Judith Collins, so does
that mean if I say something, it can be seen as being on
behalf of Winston Peters?
Which still leaves open the possibility that the person was Farrar himself.
Mickey .. maybe worth noting this was prior to the main Oravida scandal, according to Winston on TV3 this morning. And Winston is willing to swear an affidavit no less.
…and now that we have witnessed the insulting treatment dished out to Mr Cunliffe/Labour all year by the media with their ongoing fantastical, ‘don’t-just-report-the-story-make-it-up’ questioning of whether the Labour caucus should ditch their leader, I am exceedingly interested to see whether the media are going to play the questioning over the National leadership for as long and hard as they have done so with Labour.
[lprent: From the behaviour it appears that some security patch from a few days ago doesn’t like odd punctuation, like .. and ://. I will probably have to limp through to the weekend before I have time to find and fix it. ]
Agree, I have been contacted by 2 non political, middle of the road voters this morning saying “Wow, David Cunliffe was amazing, why haven’t we seen him like this before”, which I think is really interesting.
The fact that people haven’t seen much of the real Cunliffe is an indictment on our MSM media who have sucked up to their “insiders” and have made sure that DC doesn’t get any favourable coverage.
I think the other biggie here is that National always knew that David Cunliffe would look good in the debates, that is why they have been on a concerted attack against him ever since he was voted Leader (helped by some self serving Labour insiders)…they have been affective given where Labour polls are currently.
Perhaps the other point is that Nicky Hagar’s Dirty Politics book has exposed Key’s main tool: nasty attack lines. Without his nasty attack lines Key has had to try and use facts and policies, and consequently looks weak…”facts and policies” aren’t exactly National’s strengths.
But you should not be surprised Weka. Colin and company are very white and very reactionary in their policies. They also bat shit crazy enough, to attract the bitter nasty right wing nut jobs.
I thought Richard Prosser from NZ First would be more their kind of thing:
“Richard Prosser said young men who were Muslim, “look like a Muslim” or came from a Muslim country should not be permitted to fly on “western” airlines, in an article he wrote for Investigate magazine.”
No Rosie – the extreme authoritarian right are not just Muslim haters – oh no. They have a special kind of hate in their hearts for everyone who is not white, and thinking straight like them.
He doesn’t generate enough money to pay for his tea and sugar from his blog in all likelihood. The money comes from Corporates and the National Party as per whaledump.
Slater said he would be telling police he believed Kim Dotcom was involved in the hacking due to “the fact that he was gloating, the fact that he’s made comments prior to this happening, a whole lot of other stuff”.
Gloating as signifier of guilt? Does that mean half the country was part of the hacking?
What’s more significant is that Slater waited until now to go to the cops. My guess is he didn’t lay a complaint about the original hack because he didn’t want anyone with a badge knowing what he was up to, whereas now we all know he’s got very little to lose.
I got the impression he laid the complaint previously from Israel, but is only just now meeting with the police because he’s just back in the country. Don’t know when the complaint was laid though.
BlogWatch columnist Peter Fowler looks at the controversy around the song “Kill the PM” and how misinformation about NZ On Air spread quickly through blogs and reader comments online.
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I’m gonna get you, too
Another one bites the dust
I thought Ferguson did well to follow up those repeated comments about Peters’ being racist and that he was “the last person” she would have contacted with the question about whether she could work with him in a coalition.
She floundered around saying ‘that’s up to John Key’ but Ferguson reminded her that it was also up to her (she could decline to be a minister in such a Cabinet or government, for example).
No. She didn’t say that it was “a Labour Party website”, she said that it was The Labour Party Website. Even worse. Either she is being deliberately misleading or she is pig-ignorant. Either would make her equally unfit to be police minister.
Cyber bullying what a joke – a difference of opinion and butting of heads – yes. I think I’ve clashed with a few people here. But does that mean I carry on clashing with them, loss respect for them and hold a grudge – Hell no. Politics on the left is passionate and people get heated – and say silly things -I should know, I’ve done it a few times. But, we know what we want at the end of the day is a better society, that works for everyone – even if we disagree what form and shape that should take now and into the future. If at times sound rough, tough, and a bit abusive – it is the medium not the message.
However attacking opponents who lie, and keep repeating the same lies over and over and push and ideological line which is anti-human, selfish and self indulgent. Well maybe Collins is right – because for some strange reason logic, or well formed rhetoric with these individuals does not work. No matter how many facts, figures or truths you put to them, they will always come back with the lie, the repetition, and the rigid ideological defence. I then point out the character flaws – if that is cyber bulling – then I’m a cyber bully.
And silly question – why do the hard right always fall into rapid vicarious political correctness as a defence? As they seem to be the ones who say – political correctness is mad http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/tag/political_correctness
Interesting comment from Wayne Hope and Claire Robinson (Claire was angry too) on RNZ re last nights debate, both reckon that the debate has “cemented Cunliffe in as leader of the Labour Party post election”
Cunliffe will be so pleased since, like, a week ago, he confirmed he’d be around for 2017 election win or lose. Not a reassuring statement for leader to say going into a hard-win election, but I’m sure someone somewhere knows what it really means.
OxyContin is one of the worst drugs ever invented. Period, if you have anyone use this drug for an extended period, you will know what I mean. I have advocated people off it to marijuana. Yeah pot can male you a bit spacey, but Oxy makes you dumb, incompetent and lifeless.
Why am I not surprised by this wonder piece of investigative journalist by Lee Fang.
In the States and here the gangs see Oxy as a good way to make money. Can we please grow up, and treat marijuana as a health issue – not a criminal one.
The Standard spellcheck tells me Cunliffe is actually spelled Conifer. Do I want to add to dictionary? No, I like the idea that there might be a David Conifer somewhere planning a secret coup from his corner of the forest.
I suspect I’ve been hacked by a blogger close to The Green Party, to boost their support. Every time I write Booo Cunliffe! It’ll come up as Booo Conifer! and gardeners everywhere will be steeled in their resolve to vote Greens, just to teach me a lesson. Sneaky people, those Greens.
[lprent: Or you could just add Cunliffe to your spell checker?
Jeepers comments falling like the black-hole-memory of dirtkey.
Go John, Go IMP, Go left, Go Labour, Go Greens Go you bloody beaut go!!!
“Internet-Mana would have four MPs in Parliament including veteran activist John Minto, if its support in the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey were translated to an election result.”
I think key will be doing a midnight flit when he loses the election. There must be ton of dirt he hasn’t been able to shred or bury yet. No way will he be able to stay in NZ. Could be more stuff to come from whaledump yet. Collins might let us all know what she has on him. I wonder if he has broken his pledge not to drink alcohol until the election is over? I thought last night that he looked like a meerkat looking for a way out. He looked like a man without a plan. Aloha John key!!
He looked like he was well and truly over the whole circus.
What’s in it for JK now? He’s been the PM for 6 years, in his eyes (and many others) been fairly successful at it, but where to from here? Whats the upside for JK? All the good stuff has been sold, Chch assets will be stripped shortly, Auckland’s stuff can’t be got at. He’ll get his “Sir John” and the CV will be complete.
The faeces are awfully close to the fan and I got the distinct impression JK feels it’s not worth the risk hanging around to find out where it’ll spray.
JK been successful at spin and shining the turd blossom. He’s done nothing about housing, he’s lived off earnings from the ChCh and the Year of the Dragon Chinese Birth boom. The core problem with the NZ economy is the tax system rewards building a business as much as buying and selling homes! Think about that, which would you rather do to get wealthy, sit on your hands counting up the rental takings or have to use you noggings to fight world competition for profits.
But wait its got worse. The GFC caused world national banks to print money, zero interest loans, and for life nor money Key can’t get it into his scrawny tiny economic head that cashed up foreign buyers get to out buy Kiwis. Sure if they stay fairs fair, but that’s not whats happening, absent owners of farmland and homes isn’t good for out economy, as that capital Key says he wants to attract goes straight into the non-productive housing market, or into raw production and offshoring of the added value chain. Its pretty much absymal from a right of center commerical point of view, unsaleable you’d think. But Key’s not going for the intelligent vote, he’s after the I want my tax cut because I don’t know were taxation comes from brigade. Tax cuts eventually reach a limit where they start eating the economy rather than revving it. Where the tax cut winners start sending their money overseas, or worse, pay more to buy into homes and assets!!!! due to foreigner bidding up the prices. Its reckless economics, breed from a time of luxury when cheap high density fuels got year on year cheaper.
He will have made multi-millions out of NZ in his supposedly blind Aldgate Trust. Would not surprise me at all to discover down the track both Key and English gained multiples from the govt guarantee of SCF and its subsequent collapse.
Why isn’t the Serious Fraud Office asking more question ?
I noted the following:
*Key noteably surprised at start when Hosking pushed him hard for an answer – put him off and he never recovered, JK was expecting usual patsy questions and had no where to hide. No answers without his team in his ear, it showed.
*Hosking still a plonker albeit reasonably even handed (for him)
* Cunliffe truly impressive, Ive not seen this man before.
*TVNZ poll obvious bullshit.
Give us more of this Cunliffe please.
Well done David Cunliffe. My impression of you hadn’t been very good, but the debate last night changed has my mind and reading Dirty Politics has cemented my vote against Key and Collins. It’s time for a change of government – you have my vote. Best of luck for the election.
Will be interesting to hear Key’s slant on the prospects of John Minto.
John Minto earned his hatred by the Right through his involvement in the 1981 tour.
Of course he has been in the forefront of many movements since, but none that
would earn him the “opprobrium” of ’81. Only those “living” at the that time carry those feelings.
Key will have to be careful how he comments, because it may just identify his position in the 1981 spectrum… “Oh, I can’t really remember.” Yeah Right.
Perhaps the MSM might Key what he thinks of the possibility of John Minto getting into parliament.
Undecided.
… and your point is?
The Link and discussion I have commented on is John Minto.
Last I heard was that he is standing for Mana/IP.
Where does my comment mention Labour or any other parties?
(Unless of course your comment has been linked to my post 21 in error, in which case my apologies).
Quite the opposite, kiwi-guy. John Minto was not overly popular with the Soviet aligned Socialist Unity Party. Does your knowledge come from reading Whalespew and Kiwibog?
Communities are coalesce around and through the act of gift giving. Whether benefits street, or Broadway where the currency is a mention, a good review. In Tory circles the currency is the recital of the neo-liberal myth, tax cuts. Tax cuts are the gift the Tories are gifting to each other. They honestly believe that with yet another tax cut they will be better off. Its just one giant cult.
Humanity, creates collectively, the wealth we now all enjoy. Humanity, underwrites it, with its own lives if necessary, since our freedom to trade comes from our willingness to stand up and defend ourselves against dictators. Even the act of getting up in the morning to a timetable, commuting to work, embracing a common language, common laws, defending one law for all (no three strikes tying the hands of judges), all are gifts to good order, and generate the underlying fabric that makes wealth possible. Yes, staying within the white line while driving is a cooperative social act that has wealth connotations. So when some desperately weak minded Tory jumps up with their mythology of tax cuts, how they worked hard for what they gotten, I just shake my head. How long before people start pissing in the collective well, how much collective inertia is built up due to good people worrying they may be making Tories richer.
Well arguable it happens a lot in NZ, when some kiwis aggressively need to pounce on perceived weakness, is to my mind nothing more than the break down of the social compact. What are gangs? but more of the same notion extolled by National supporters who believe seizing wealth is the right of the strong. The weak should pay more taxes, which is essentially what they mean when they want tax cut (Keys tax cuts raised GST on the poorest).
So yeah, extolling private schools as better, or Key as competent, is yet another way for Tories to be seen as good Tories and has actually nothing to do with the actualities of the matter. Its a profit cult after all.
Dear Old Duffer Armstrong – obviously feeling better today after the discomfort of having to call Cunliffe the victor in last night’s debate – renewed tra-la-la love affair with TheGodKey this morning. You up’n’at’em John ! And good lad……don’t mention that bloody debate again. People might think it relevant enough to question your perennial negative framing of Cunliffe.
Judith Collin’s interview with Suzy Ferguson this a.m. was interesting: firstly because her head was suddenly above the parapet and secondly for the blanket denials: the first unusual recently, the second par for the course.
Of greater interest, I think, is the reason she has now re-appeared in the arena. It goes like this: she claimed that she is unable to comment further about any of the matters relating to her outing of the civil servant (just business card details, nothing more) because – wait for it – everything relating to the information stolen from a blogger’s website is with the police who are “making a serious investigation” and that therefore any further comments would constitute interference with their investigation. And she wouldn’t want Suzy to accuse her of that, would she?
The complainant is, of course, Cam Slater, back for a spot of fishing in the politcal pool. The happy conjunction of events ( Cam comes back, lays a complaint, Judith is free to walk again in the sunlight shielded by a hint of sub judice sunblock) is indeed fortuitous and in no way a plan. No smoke and mirrors here at all.
Does anyone know if the Police have acutally accepted Slater’s complaint?
(Ref RNZ website MR download, between 5-8 mins in.)
the utter contempt our justice minister is showing is frightening… Everything she and key do just further proves the strategies outlined in dirty politics
“Jackman spoke out on the advice of public relations consultant Carrick Graham, who advised her to tell her story quickly to circumvent any pending court order.
Graham said he had a client a few years ago who “faced pretty extreme suppression orders and that limited greatly my ability to help her in the media. I just said to her ‘it’s best to go out there early”‘. Neither case involved children.”
As exciting as the politics is, the big question for me this morning is whether phil will change his commenting syntax, or be willing to let his comments sit in the spam filter for variable amounts of time before appearing. Quite a fascinating dilemma.
A picture tweeted by ‘Caniwikiwi’ who tweeted it to Max Rashbrooke (and retweeted by Laila Harre) starkly showing the systemic racism in existence in New Zealand by comparing Maori, Pacific Island and Pakeha incomes between 1988 & 2013. 🙁
That’s not “systemic racism”, whatever ‘systemic’ is suppose to mean, its low skilled work that is in decline as most of those jobs went to Asia over that period. Glut of low skilled workers = flat or declining wages.
But in real terms basically EVERYONE on a salary or wage has flatlined i.e not even keeping pace with real inflation eg housing.
Oh well Kiwi_Guy, in case you have returned to read responses.
Your first comment indicated you didn’t understand what ‘systemic’ was and had you looked that word up, it may have given you a clue as to what ‘systemic racism’ was.
In my words: Systemic Racism is where disadvantages are embedded within the system, causing poor outcomes for those races that it affects. i.e a person of that race will have a harder time getting any of the benefits that the system is supposed to provide to all because there are inbuilt obstacles to them doing so. Places people of that race at a disadvantage to those who are not of that race.
It might lead, for example, to the people of that race, overall, being paid less than those of other races.
I made an error in comment @ 30: It was not Max Rashbrooke who tweeted that, it was ‘Caniwikiwi’ who tweeted it to Max Rashbrooke. (Sorry, Caniwikiwi, if you are reading! )
The Roy Morgan poll looking at what are the election issues the public are interested in makes heartening reading for the left. The top issue is inequality. Then the economy, then unemployment and job security. There’s lots there that the left can get its teeth into.
National staffer ministry of Social Development writing messages on WO, “Comments linked to the ministry’s computer systems included saying “people who are so stupid (already being poor, they then have children) should not be allowed to vote”. Other comments included attacks on Muslim immigrants, unions and Labour leader David Cunliffe.” A few right wingers on these blogs have suddenly gone silent, makes me wonder.
The vast majority of NZers would agree that people who can’t afford children but go ahead and have them on the tax payers tab are indeed stupid – in fact they would probably offer some more colourful descriptions.
This is one reason maybe that Nats haven’t taken much of a hit from the Dirty Politics fallout (yet).
The vast majority of NZers would agree that people who can’t put together a coherent argument without resorting to talkback memes are indeed stupid– in fact they would probably offer some more colourful descriptions.
You are toxic like the rest of the “Progressives”.
You want to see the reason the NZ public won’t touch you with a barge pole even after Dirty Politics, go take a look in the mirror.
Oh, and ask that manhater Ms Rogers what the NZ public would think of a Labour activists with Twitbook friends called “Cuntess van Mankiller”. What a bunch of crazy losers.
[lprent: OK, you really are a stupid wonder. Banned for attacking an author personally. Guess you never read the policy. I guess that being an ignorant dropped is just cool eh? Get your jollies that way huh? Just another limp fuckwit ]
The funniest thing last night was Steven Joyce tweeting his outrage that Cunliffe was talking over Key – that piece of hypocrisy was almost as funny as Michele Boag, when talking of Judith Collins and Slater’s friendship, saying “My Grandmother always told me, if you lay down with dogs, you’re going to get up with fleas” !! Those dear old Natz, always good for a laugh!!
Amazing, Cunliffe wins last nights debate hands down and both TV1 and TV3 News find stories to attack Labour. Labour needs to check details on TV1’s Vote Compass and check whether it can be manipulated, if its a net driven survey then Id guess Nat Members are playing it.
Both news managed to say that Labour had back tracked on the sale to foreigners, which is a story about the “benefit that a foreign buyer brings” when they purchase. I think the question the media need to be asking is, given this requirement is already in our legislation, how are so many foreigners managing to purchase land without bringing any obvious benefits other than paying more than locals can afford. Labour are just going to make sure that this is happening, which is good government.
I switched from tv1 to tv3 and then turned my tv off in disgust. They are too stupid to realise that around 50% of the public vote for the left and most wont be impressed at their bias. I really hope Labour does something to make this scummy media account for their unprofessional bias.
Anyone else notice that Key has been musing about the possibility of running a minority government in the same fashion that his mate Stephen Harper has done in Canada. Such governments are common in Canada both at the federal and provincial level. Opposition parties vote for the Speech from the Throne (mostly because their electoral support is low and/or fractured and they don’t wish to further antagonize the electorate by fruitlessly sending everyone back to the polls) and thereafter the government negotiates all legislation through the House until the opposition parties decide a more propitious time has arrived for another election or the minority government believes it has enough backing on a particular issue which warrants the calling of another election that it hopes might deliver a majority. At which point a confidence vote is contrived and the government falls. Governments rarely go full term and needless to say there’s plenty of potential for legislative timidity from the minority government that’s clinging to power. There’s no reason I guess why we couldn’t have this system in NZ except that unlike us, Canada (and Australia) are federal systems with provincial/state governments and have bicameral systems with an upper house to act as legislative backstop. Also given that all governments in NZ since at least the Second World War have commanded a majority in the House of Reps a significant change of thinking would be required from the Governor General to facilitate such a government in NZ.
For Key and National to even have been posing the possibility of this sort of minority government surely demonstrates a stunning retreat of ambition for this election on their part.
(sorry about the wordy post).
Have just been to a political meeting – a debate between the local youth council and the three main candidates in Kaikoura – National’s Stuart Smith, Labour’s Jannette Walker and Green’s List MP Stefan Browning.
A question about child poverty was answered by Stuart Nash Smith – his opening claim that the ‘poverty gap is actually closing’ was met by a roar of derision; he compounded his stupidity by saying ‘the statistics prove it’ which caused another wave of laughter – and then he made my night – by saying ‘statistics don’t lie’. The hall erupted. This clearly upset some right-wingers and when Jannette Walker was replying to the child poverty question someone bellowed ‘tell the parents to stop smoking and drinking’. She proceeded to tear them up for bog paper – she’s got guts and she has real passion.
Stuart Smith is just a bland suit – deeply unimpressive to anyone other than those who are walking round in a permanent blue haze – and I’m not at all sure he understands the nature of the electorate south of Blenheim. It’s a lot more marginal than the Nats thought it would be when they booted out Colin King.
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Photo by Josh Mills on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for the next hour, including:The runs on Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank on the west coast of the United States that forced the ...
Roundup is back! We skipped last week’s Friday post due to a shortage of person-power – did you notice? Lots going on out there… Our header image this week shows a green street that just happens to be Queen St, by @chamfy from Twitter. This week (and last) in ...
After threatening Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of consequences if he dared to bar her entry, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull has been given her visa, regardless. This will enable her to hold rallies in Auckland and Wellington this weekend, and spread her messages of hostility against an already marginalised trans community. Neo-Nazis may, ...
* Bryce Edwards writes – The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as ...
Boomers voted him in, but Brown’s Trumpish moments might spook Aucklanders worried about what a change to National nationally might mean. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR:Auckland MayorWayne Brown has become our version of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, except without any of the insatiable appetite for media appearances. He ...
The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as part of its Aukus pact with the ...
Recently you might have heard of a person called Posie Parker and her visit to Aotearoa. Perhaps you’re not quite sure what it’s all about. So let’s start with who this person is, why their visit is controversial, and what on earth a TERF is.Posie Parker is the super villain ...
The chair of Parliament’s Select Committee looking at the Government’s resource management legislation wants the bills sent back for more public consultation. The proposal would effectively kill any chance of the bills making it into law before the election. Green MP, Eugenie Sage, stressing that she was speaking as ...
Open access notables The United States experienced some historical low temperature records during the just-concluded winter. It's a reminder that climate and weather are quite noisy; with regard to our warming climate,, as with a road ascending a mountain range we may steadily change our conditions but with lots of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The Nanny State has scored some wins (or claimed them) in the past day or two but it faltered when it came to protecting Kiwi citizens from being savaged by one woman armed with a sharp tongue. The wins are recorded by triumphant ministers on the ...
Sometimes you see your friends making the case so well on social media you think: just copy and share.On acceptance and decency, from Michèle A’CourtA notable thing about anti-trans people is they way they talk about transgender women and men as though they are strangers “over there” when in fact ...
Not that long ago, things were looking pretty good for climate change policy in Aotearoa. We finally had an ETS, and while it was full of pork and subsidies, it was delivering high and ever-rising carbon prices, sending a clear message to polluters to clean up or shut down. And ...
Comparing (and switching) electricity providers has become easier, but bundling power up with broadband and/or gas makes it more challenging. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The Kākā TL;DR: The new Consumer Advocacy Council set up as a result of the Labour Government’s Electricity Price Review in 2019 has called on either ...
Hokitika-based Westland Milk Products has put the heat on dairy giant Fonterra with a $120m profit turnaround in 2022, driven by record sales. Westland paid its suppliers a 10c premium above the forecast Fonterra price per kilo, contributing $535m to the West Coast and Canterbury economies. The dairy ...
* Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public ...
New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and ...
This is a guest post by accessibility and sustainable transport advocate Tim Adriaansen It originally appeared here. A friend calls you and asks for your help. They tell you that while out and about nearby, they slipped over and landed arms-first. Now their wrist is swollen, hurting like ...
Floating offshore wind turbines offer incredible opportunities to capture powerful winds far out at sea. By unlocking this wind energy potential, they could be a key weapon in our arsenal in the fight against climate change. But how developed are these climate fighting clean energy giants? And why do I ...
Over the past two or three weeks, a procession of Maori iwi and hapu in a series of little-noticed appearances before two Select Committees have been asking for more say for Maori over resource management decisions along the co-governance lines of Three Waters. Their submissions and appearances run counter ...
The decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue war crimes arrest warrants for the Russian President and the Russia Children Ombudsman may have been welcomed by the ideologically committed but otherwise seems to have been greeted with widespread cynicism (see Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants ...
Let’s say you’re clasping your drink at a wedding, or a 40th, or a King’s Birthday Weekend family reunion and Drunk Uncle Kevin has just got going.He’s in an expansive frame of mind because we’re finally rid of that silly girl. But he wants to ask an honest question about ...
National Party leader Christopher Luxon may be feeling glum about his poll ratings, but he could be tapping into a rich political vein in describing the current state of education as “alarming”. Luxon said educational achievement has been declining, with a recent NCEA pilot exposing just how far it has ...
Way Beyond Reform: Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have no more interest in remaining permanent members of “New Zealand’s” House of Representatives than did Lenin and Trotsky in remaining permanent members of Tsar Nicolas II’s “democratically-elected” Duma. Like the Bolsheviks, Te Pāti Māori is a party of revolutionaries – not reformists.THE CROWN ...
Buzz from the Beehive Auckland was wiped off the map, when Education Minister Jan Tinetti delivered her speech of welcome as host of the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers “here in Tāmaki Makaurau”. But – fair to say – a reference was made later in the speech to a ...
Morning mate, how you going?Well, I was watching the news last night and they announced this scientific report on Climate Change. But before they got to it they had a story about the new All Blacks coach.Sounds like important news. It’s a bit of a worry really.Yeah, they were talking ...
Always a bailout: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Government would fully guarantee all savers in all smaller US banks if needed. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: No wonder an entire generation of investors are used to ‘buying the dip’ and ‘holding on for dear life’. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ...
Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in Guyon Espiner’s in-depth series published by RNZ. Two of Espiner’s research exposés ...
Yesterday afternoon it rained and traffic around the region ground to a halt, once again highlighting why it is so important that our city gets on with improving the alternatives to driving. For additional irony, this happened on the same day the IPCC synthesis report landed, putting the focus on ...
The Beginning: Anti-Co-Governance agitator, Julian Batchelor, addresses the Dargaville stop of his travelling roadshow across New Zealand . Fascism almost always starts small. Sadly, it doesn’t always stay that way. Especially when the Left helps it to grow.THERE IS A DREADFUL LOGIC to the growth of fascism. To begin with, it ...
Hi,From an incredibly rainy day in Los Angeles, I just wanted to check in. I guess this is the day Trump may or may not end up in cuffs? I’m attempting a somewhat slower, less frenzied week. I’ve had Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record on non-stop, and it’s been a ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
RNZ has been shining their torch into corners where lobbyists lurk and asking such questions as: Do we like the look of this?and Is this as democratic as it could be?These are most certainly questions worth asking, and every bit as valid as, say:Are weshortchanged democratically by the way ...
RNZ has continued its look at the role of lobbyists by taking a closer look at the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Andrew Kirton. He used to work for liquor companies, opposing (among other things) a container refund scheme which would have required them to take responsibility for their own ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has left for Beijing for the first ministerial visit to China since 2019. Mahuta is to meet China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang where she might have to call on all the diplomatic skills at her command. Almost certainly she will face questions on what role ...
TL;DR:The Opportunities Party’s Leader Raf Manji is hopeful the party’s new Teal Card, a type of Gold card for under 30s, will be popular with students, and not just in his Ilam electorate where students make up more than a quarter of the voters and where Manji is confident ...
When I was a kid New Zealand was actually pretty green. We didn’t really have plastic. The fruit and veges came in a cardboard box, the meat was wrapped in paper, milk came in a glass bottle, and even rubbish sacks were made of paper. Today if you sit down ...
Looking back through the names of our Police Ministers down the years, the job has either been done by once or future party Bigfoots – Syd Holland, Richard Prebble, Juduth Collins, Chris Hipkins – or by far lesser lights like Keith Allen, Frank Gill, Ben Couch, Allen McCready, Clem Simich, ...
Chris Trotter writes – The Crown is a fickle friend. Any political movement deemed to be colourful but inconsequential is generally permitted to go about its business unmolested. The Crown’s media, RNZ and TVNZ, may even “celebrate” its existence (presumably as proof of Democracy’s broad-minded acceptance of diversity). ...
Four out of the five people who have held the top role of Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff since 2017 have been lobbyists. That’s a fact that should worry anyone who believes vested interests shouldn’t have a place at the centre of decision making. Chris Hipkins’ newly appointed Chief of ...
Feedback on Auckland Council’s draft 2023/24 budget closes on March 28th. You can read the consultation document here, and provide feedback here. Auckland Council is currently consulting on what is one of its most important ever Annual Plans – the ‘budget’ of what it will spend money on between July ...
by Molten Moira from Motueka If you want to be a woman let me tell you what to do Get a piece of paper and a biro tooWrite down your new identification And boom! You’re now a woman of this nationSpelled W O M A Na real trans woman that isAs opposed ...
Buzz from the Beehive New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti is hosting the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers for three days from today, welcoming Education Ministers and senior officials from 18 Pacific Island countries and territories, and from Australia. Here’s hoping they have brought translators with them – or ...
Let’s say you’ve come all the way from His Majesty’s United Kingdom to share with the folk of Australia and New Zealand your antipathy towards certain other human beings. And let’s say you call yourself a women’s rights activist.And let’s say 99 out of 100 people who listen to you ...
James Shaw gave the Green party's annual "state of the planet" address over the weekend, in which he expressed frustration with Labour for not doing enough on climate change. His solution is to elect more Green MPs, so they have more power within any government arrangement, and can hold Labour ...
RNZ this morning has the first story another investigative series by Guyon Espiner, this time into political lobbying. The first story focuses on lobbying by government agencies, specifically transpower, Pharmac, and assorted universities, and how they use lobbyists to manipulate public opinion and gather intelligence on the Ministers who oversee ...
Nick Matzke writes – Dear NZ Herald, I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. I teach evolutionary biology, but I also have long experience in science education and (especially) political attempts to insert pseudoscience into science curricula in ...
MINISTER DAVIDSON MUST RESIGN AFTER 'VIOLENCE' COMMENTS Marama Davidson should stand down as ‘Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence’ for the clear and outrageous statement she made at the Posie Parker protest that ‘white straight men’ are the cause of violence. Her offensive, racist, and sexist remarks ...
In response to Newshub and Amelia Wade’s obvious and ham-fisted attempt at a typical and predicted political hit job. As any politically aware reporter would know, any Cabinet subcommittee has a duty and obligation as a part of any government to respond to any UN declaration, in this case ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for the invitation to speak with you today and in your busy lives turning up to this meeting. Forty five years ago, in Howick, often described as racist, and where few Maori lived because it had been a ‘Fencible’ settlement at the time of the Anglo-Maori ...
The Green Party has marked the National Party’s new education policy and given it a fail, especially for its failure to address the underlying drivers of school performance. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised in their State of the Planet speech today. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party after the election must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised today. ...
You will never truly understand, from the pictures you’ve seen in the newspapers or on the six o-clock news, the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
We’re boosting incomes and helping ease cost of living pressures on Kiwis through a range of bread and butter support measures that will see pensioners, students, families, and those on main benefits better off from the start of next month. ...
The error Labour Ministers made by stopping work on a beverage container return scheme will be reversed by the Greens at the earliest opportunity as part of the next Government. ...
“Cabinet needs to do better - and today has shown exactly why we need Green Ministers in cabinet, so we can prioritise action to cut climate pollution and support people to make ends meet,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. ...
Biggest increase in food prices for over three decades shows the need for an excess profit tax on corporations to help people put food on the table. ...
The Green Party has today launched a submission guide to help Aucklanders give crucial input and prevent potentially disastrous Auckland Council budget proposals. ...
With calls growing for inquiries and action on bank profits, the Greens say the Government has all the information it needs to act now and put a levy on banks. ...
The Government has introduced the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill to further support the recovery and rebuild from the recent severe weather events in the North Island. “We know from our experiences following the Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes that it will take some time before we completely understand the ...
Further assistance is now available to businesses impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, with Customs able to offer payment plans and to remit late-payments, Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri has announced. “This is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to assist economic recovery in the regions,” Meka Whaitiri said. “Cabinet has approved the ...
More than 41,000 sole parent families will be better off with a median gain of $20 a week Law change estimated to help lift up to 14,000 children out of poverty Child support payments will be passed on directly to people receiving a sole parent rate of main benefit, making ...
A major investment by Government-owned New Zealand Green Investment Finance towards electrifying the public bus fleet is being welcomed by Climate Change Minister James Shaw. “Today’s announcement that NZGIF has signed a $50 million financing deal with Kinetic, the biggest bus operator in Australasia, to further decarbonise public transport is ...
A world-leading payments system is expected to provide a significant cash flow boost for Kiwi innovators, Minister of Research, Science, and Innovation Ayesha Verrall says. Announcing that applications for ‘in-year’ payments of the Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI) were open, Ayesha Verrall said it represented a win for businesses ...
Minister of Transport Michael Wood joined crowds of keen cyclists and walkers this morning to celebrate the completion of the Te Awa shared path in Hamilton. “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, greener, and more efficient for now and future generations to come,” Michael ...
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has delivered the Crown apology to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua for its historic breaches of Te Tiriti of Waitangi today. The ceremony was held at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton, hosted by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua, with several hundred ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has concluded her visit to China, the first by a New Zealand Foreign Minister since 2018. The Minister met her counterpart, newly appointed State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, who also hosted a working dinner. This was the first engagement between the two ...
World-class satellite positioning services that will support much safer search and rescue, boost precision farming, and help safety on construction sites through greater accuracy are a significant step closer today, says Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor. Damien O’Connor marked the start of construction on New Zealand’s first uplink centre for ...
Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointment of Christopher John Dellabarca of Wellington, Dr Katie Jane Elkin of Wellington, Caroline Mary Hickman of Napier, Ngaroma Tahana of Rotorua, Tania Rose Williams Blyth of Hamilton and Nicola Jan Wills of Wellington as District Court Judges. Chris Dellabarca Mr Dellabarca commenced his ...
A new Government-backed project will help ocean-related businesses in the Nelson Tasman region to accelerate their growth and boost jobs. “The Nelson Tasman region is home to more than 400 blue economy businesses, accounting for more than 30 percent of New Zealand’s economic activity in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing,” ...
After three years of COVID-19 disruptions schools are finally settling down and National want to throw that all in the air with major disruption to learning and underinvestment. “National’s education policy lacks the very thing teachers, parents and students need after a tough couple of years, certainty and stability,” Education ...
People aged over 50 with innovative business ideas will now be able to receive support to advance their ideas to the next stage of development, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen said today. “Seniors have some great entrepreneurial ideas, and this programme will give them the support to take that next ...
A cross government target for relevant government procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded. The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated ...
77,000 fewer children living in low income households on the after-housing-costs primary measure since Labour took office Eight of the nine child poverty measures have seen a statistically significant reduction since 2018. All nine have reduced 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018 Measures taken by the Government during ...
Deputy Prime Minister Kamikamica; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Tēnā koutou katoa, ni sa bula vinaka saka, namaste. Deputy Prime Minister, a very warm welcome to Aotearoa. I trust you have been enjoying your time here and thank you for joining us here today. To all delegates who have travelled to be ...
$2.9 million convertible loan for Scapegrace Distillery to meet growing national and international demand $4.5m underwrite to support Silverlight Studios’ project to establish a film studio in Wanaka Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library to be official opened tomorrow with support of $3m from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood has today launched the first national EV (electric vehicle) charging strategy, Charging Our Future, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. “Our vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, ...
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched the Love Better campaign in a world-leading approach to family harm prevention. Love Better will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to dealing with hurt. “Over 1,200 young kiwis told ...
Hon Rino Tirikatene, Minister for Courts, welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s appointment of Dr Garry Clearwater as New Zealand’s first Chief Clinical Advisor working with the Coroners Court. “This appointment is significant for the Coroners Court and New Zealand’s wider coronial system.” Minister Tirikatene said. Through Budget 2022, the Government ...
The Government via the Cyclone Taskforce is working with local government and insurance companies to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. “The Taskforce, led by Sir Brian Roche, has been working with insurance companies to undertake an assessment of high-risk areas so we can ...
E te huia kaimanawa, ko Ngāpuhi e whakahari ana i tau aupikinga ki te tihi o te maunga. Ko te Ao Māori hoki e whakanui ana i a koe te whakaihu waka o te reo Māori i roto i te Ao Ture. (To the prized treasure, it is Ngāpuhi who ...
113,400 exits into work in the year to June 2022 Young people are moving off Benefit faster than after the Global Financial Crisis Two reports released today by the Ministry of Social Development show the Government’s investment in the COVID-19 response helped drive record numbers of people off Benefits and ...
The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
The Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...
Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
A joint force of Indonesian military and police are claiming to have shot dead a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in Central Papua Province on Wednesday last week. Jubi TV Papua reports the joint force was conducting aerial surveillance after a motorcycle taxi driver had been ...
By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific lead digital and social media journalist The Fiji government is signalling that it will not completely tear down the country’s controversial media law which, according to local newsrooms and journalism commentators, has stunted press freedom and development for more than a decade. Ahead of the ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby The production and trafficking of methamphetamine (meth), cocaine and now heroin is on the rise with Pacific countries now becoming what many are calling the “Pacific drug highway”. And Papua New Guinea has over three years seen a plane crash, a hotel laboratory, a ...
A requiem for Shiv and Tom, who would like to make love one last time (but can’t).Major spoilers follow for the first episode of Succession’s fourth season. Her eyes flared. His voice wobbled. “Do you want to… talk?” said Tom Wambsgans, the corporate ladder-climbing schmuck who could see his ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute Shutterstock Labor and the Greens have reached a compromise on the safeguard mechanism after months of tense negotiations, giving the government the numbers it needs to pass the bill into law. Greens leader ...
Wayne Brown vowed to stop new roading projects until existing ones finish - and to unclog the city centre's streets - but he now finds himself enthusiastically backing new upheaval for the key crossroad of Victoria St A $50 million beautification project for CBD's Victoria St - which will disrupt businesses from ...
The Green Party co-leader says she was in shock from being hit by a motorcycle, and her comments about white men committing violence should have been clearer. ...
The prime minister has labelled comments made by one of his ministers over the weekend as inappropriate, and revealed his office asked her to walk them back. Marama Davidson, co-leader of the Green Party and a minister, was captured on video ahead of a rally against anti-trans speaker Posie Parker ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Becky Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney Shutterstock On Friday, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) updated its review of proposed reforms to the regulation of nicotine vaping products. It reported the federal government is now “actively ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam John, Senior Lecturer in Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Since it was founded in 2016, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) company Neuralink has had its moments in biotech news. Whether it was the time Musk promised ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. The ‘Young Elderly’ are in essence the post-war baby-boomers. An average young elderly person in these charts was born around 1950 to 1952. The charts look at ‘quarterly excess deaths’, so do not show week-by-week fluctuations in deaths. For example, data ...
The co-leader of the Green Party has clarified comments she made at Saturday’s counter-protest against anti-trans speaker Posie Parker. Caught on camera by a representative for the conspiracy theorist website Counterspin, Marama Davidson claimed: “I am the prevention violence minister, and I know who causes violence in the world, and ...
A friendly reminder that your best intentions of promoting a New Zealand-made film are not actually supporting the artists behind it.For many of us, documenting our day or sharing highlights of our week is a common occurrence on social media. For some, that meant uploading full scenes onto TikTok ...
After two and a half weeks, the Auckland Arts Festival comes to a close with another eclectic week. Sam Brooks reviews (with assistance from Shanti Mathias).The headline show of the week was undoubtedly The Unruly Tourists, which has had more coverage than any opera I can think of in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yu Tao, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, The University of Western Australia State Library of Western Australia Does the discovery of a Ming Dynasty Buddha sculpture found near Shark Bay in remote Western Australia “rewrite history” and suggest the Chinese ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.Getty Images Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appears to be a defining moment in the evolution of the post-Cold War world. In particular, it is highlighting problems that do ...
If you saw the demonstration at Pasifika Festival – or if you’ve just always wanted to know how it’s done – here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing your own umu oven.A Sāmoan umu is an above-ground oven of hot volcanic rocks. Traditionally, an umu was laid out three times ...
The official Covid-19 death toll has risen by 33 this week, bumping the total to 2,662. The Ministry of Health’s latest update reports 76 new Covid-attributed deaths, but the overall death toll rises by 33 when adjusted to include non-Covid and other unrelated deaths. The daily average number of new ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock Global warming has led to higher summer temperatures across Sydney over the past 30 years. However, our data analysis shows very hot summer days are ...
Two of the best games of the Super Rugby Aupiki season were saved for finals weekend in Hamilton. Alice Soper recaps.Third/fourth playoff: Blues vs Hurricanes Poua Sometimes a bronze playoff can be a bit of a flop. Still in recovery from the disappointment of missing out on the ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: The Ugly stoking of a culture war in election year This weekend saw a showdown between two tribes of contemporary gender politics: those in favour of progressing transgender rights versus women wishing to defend their spaces. It’s a debate with huge passion, outrage and ...
One of New Zealand’s spy agencies foiled three possible terror events on our shores, it’s been revealed. The Security and Intelligence select committee met today, with bosses from the SIS and GCSB facing questions from MPs including prime minister Chris Hipkins. It was during this hearing that Andrew Hampton, the ...
An anonymous lawyer for children explains what she does, and why it matters. I’m a lawyer who is appointed by courts to represent children in cases where there are concerns about their safety or where the court thinks it necessary. In almost all cases involving disputes around the care of ...
As banks face scrutiny over the size of their profits, it’s been revealed the finance minister looked at a possible “bank tax”. The Herald’s Jenée Tibshraeny reported this morning that Grant Robertson asked for advice from the Reserve Bank on whether it would be possible to save the Crown money ...
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The cray cray level of this campaign level has been dialed up a few notches. Cunliffe convincingly bet Key in the first debate. It may be that Key was distracted by rumors that a Judith Collins staffer had approached Winston Peters to discuss the possibility of NZ First supporting a Collins led government.
Key always talks about stable government. If the rumor is true National is in turmoil.
Winstons time is nigh, revenge is a dish etc etc. Keys delivery was terrible and the albatross that is collins was nailed on. Hope those unemployment numbers key and DC disagreed on get some air as the flat out ‘no they aren’t ‘ from JK shows an out of touch wilfully deceptive trader man in action.
Hosking was better than expected but still not up to the task of being even, it’s just not in his nature.
From the BOP times…..
“New Zealand First Tauranga candidate Clayton Mitchell said his party was now in a strong position: “We are now in a position to negotiate with National and get what we are after and that is what is best for New Zealand.””
Winston won’t be too happy at Mitchell negotiating before the election and with the Nats as well.
It’s Tauranga, he has no choice but to say that.
I am only guessing, but the person who spoke to Winston Peters sounds like David Farrar.
.
In the last few days his research company was including Bill English in a list of “preferred Prime Minister” where Bill was the only person not currently a party leader. Why would he have done that?
.
Winston was approached before the Orivada scandal when Collins was in her ascendency, and Whaleoil/Farrar were trying to “help” her. I doubt that there was anything wrong in what he did (it sounds like the typical leadership plotting that happens in many parties), and I also doubt that Collins was aware of what he was doing.
.
Farrar is extremely aware of the power of information, and getting information on possible replacements for John Key – Judith Collins earlier this year, and Bill English now would feed this. Or it may simply have been an attempt to “get to know” Winston, in a personal desire to have connections with all the important political players.
This is what Farrar says about the person who spoke to Winston Peters: (from kiwiblog)
I’m 95% certain I know who Peters is referring to. He is
not an MP. He is not an official of the National Party. And
he is not close to Judith Collins. In fact I don’t think he has
had a conversation with her in almost three years!!! I’ve
had more conversations with Winston Peters in the last two
years than this person has had with Judith Collins, so does
that mean if I say something, it can be seen as being on
behalf of Winston Peters?
Which still leaves open the possibility that the person was Farrar himself.
He certainly does seem to know a lot about this person. Then again, David Farrar does talk a lot of bullshit.
lolz, how many professional liars are in this conversation now?
gold weka, gold!
yesterday he and his taxpayers union were certain that kill the pm was funded by nz on air…
I was polled by Curia.
They asked us to rate party leaders and then included bill english. He was not listed as a preferred prime minister
Mickey .. maybe worth noting this was prior to the main Oravida scandal, according to Winston on TV3 this morning. And Winston is willing to swear an affidavit no less.
…and now that we have witnessed the insulting treatment dished out to Mr Cunliffe/Labour all year by the media with their ongoing fantastical, ‘don’t-just-report-the-story-make-it-up’ questioning of whether the Labour caucus should ditch their leader, I am exceedingly interested to see whether the media are going to play the questioning over the National leadership for as long and hard as they have done so with Labour.
I wait with bated breath.
Bet key? Beat key? I didn’t see it!
cunnliffe owned key…
Still think Winnie will go with Key Senor Ure?
And I agree with your comment below-Cunliffe beating Key no surprise to those who have watched the 2 closely over the last year
comments still vanishing..
[lprent: From the behaviour it appears that some security patch from a few days ago doesn’t like odd punctuation, like .. and ://. I will probably have to limp through to the weekend before I have time to find and fix it. ]
Ditto.
f.y.i..it’s not the punctuation..
If it’s going to stop Phil from posting illiterate, illegible tosh, can I suggest it’s not a bug, but an upgrade?
imo it is easy to read his postings although I have suggested in the past that he keep it short, sharp and sweet.
Easy to spot and scroll past.
“imo it is easy to read his postings”
For you marty? I assume you are not suggesting for everyone.
Like
lol
To be fair, they have been getting easier to read.
i had high expectations of cunnliffe last nite..
..and that’s ‘cos..thru doing commentaries on q-time..i have probably seen more of cunnliffe in action than most..
..and i had seen many times how well he presents his arguments..how on top of the facts he is when doing this..
..but most of all..how he was able to rattle national/key..and in labour..he was best at that ‘rattling’..
..those observations made then are why i supported cunnliffe to lead labour..
..’cos i knew he wd be able to foot it against key…
..and he didn’t disappoint..
Agree, I have been contacted by 2 non political, middle of the road voters this morning saying “Wow, David Cunliffe was amazing, why haven’t we seen him like this before”, which I think is really interesting.
The fact that people haven’t seen much of the real Cunliffe is an indictment on our MSM media who have sucked up to their “insiders” and have made sure that DC doesn’t get any favourable coverage.
I think the other biggie here is that National always knew that David Cunliffe would look good in the debates, that is why they have been on a concerted attack against him ever since he was voted Leader (helped by some self serving Labour insiders)…they have been affective given where Labour polls are currently.
Perhaps the other point is that Nicky Hagar’s Dirty Politics book has exposed Key’s main tool: nasty attack lines. Without his nasty attack lines Key has had to try and use facts and policies, and consequently looks weak…”facts and policies” aren’t exactly National’s strengths.
Conservative Party is a “Pro White” party supported by the National Front.
http://www.nationalfront.org.nz/?p=1288
Does this make Colin Craig our version of Pauline Hanson?
I think that’s stretching it a bit. I’d want to see Craig’s response.
But you should not be surprised Weka. Colin and company are very white and very reactionary in their policies. They also bat shit crazy enough, to attract the bitter nasty right wing nut jobs.
I’m not surprised that the white supremacists are attracted to the Conservatives, I just thought that a stronger connection was being made.
I thought Richard Prosser from NZ First would be more their kind of thing:
“Richard Prosser said young men who were Muslim, “look like a Muslim” or came from a Muslim country should not be permitted to fly on “western” airlines, in an article he wrote for Investigate magazine.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/8293690/Racist-Prosser-slammed-over-Muslim-comments
And yuck, NF give me the heeby geebies. I remember seeing one of their rallies. It was like swarm of hate.
No Rosie – the extreme authoritarian right are not just Muslim haters – oh no. They have a special kind of hate in their hearts for everyone who is not white, and thinking straight like them.
Oh I know that adam. NF are equal opportunity haters 🙂
National Front supporting =/= Conservatives supporting the National Front
As I recall last election Kyle Chapman was endorsing NZFirst
He trashed Key on every level. Any one who takes those Sort of poles seriously is a fool
What happens to the Whale if he can no longer generate $ from his blog? Back to the bene?
He doesn’t generate enough money to pay for his tea and sugar from his blog in all likelihood. The money comes from Corporates and the National Party as per whaledump.
sugar daddy ?
Comments vanishing here too. Another try:
Poisonous wingnut cancer closer to being publicly identified. Every single action taken by this filth while betraying New Zealand should be investigated and prosecuted where appropriate.
Does anyone seriously expect this trash gave neutral advice?
I loved this,
Slater said he would be telling police he believed Kim Dotcom was involved in the hacking due to “the fact that he was gloating, the fact that he’s made comments prior to this happening, a whole lot of other stuff”.
Gloating as signifier of guilt? Does that mean half the country was part of the hacking?
What’s more significant is that Slater waited until now to go to the cops. My guess is he didn’t lay a complaint about the original hack because he didn’t want anyone with a badge knowing what he was up to, whereas now we all know he’s got very little to lose.
I got the impression he laid the complaint previously from Israel, but is only just now meeting with the police because he’s just back in the country. Don’t know when the complaint was laid though.
Why didn’t he lay it in January when his cesspool was attacked?
Ok, I see what you mean (I thought you meant why didn’t he lay the complaint when the book came out).
I loved the irony of the idiot calling poor people stupid in comments posted from a work computer. I’d say that’s fairly typical of the Blubber Army.
Army? More like Five Sad Sockpuppets.
And National’s smear machine still operates:
Spam trap must be hungry.
thought you were talking about nat caucus members…
I have only just read toby manhire’s opinion piece from 15 August. It makes Garth George’s effort look foolish. The comments are entertaining too.
Collins on RNZ being interviewed by Suzie Ferguson…wow, COLLINS IS ANGRY.
She even reckons there is “Cyber bullying on The Standard”…nah, just a bit of friendly banter, never seen any “cyber bullying “on here.
is she saying that IF there were cyber bullying on the standard her behaviour is vindicated. I think shes lost it. Minister of Justice?!?
Yep, she has made it to senior National ranks by using attack politics and nasty tricks. Brains and logic is not her strength. She’s gone.
Minister of injustice.
Bullying isn’t the same as commentary. She’s playing the victim, which is the true mark of a bully, the place a bully goes when they’re exposed.
+1
+2 Tigger.
+3
+4
well she should stop with the ridiculous forehead and eyebrows
But then how would she do her Joker impressions?
You missed the part where Collins categorically said The Standard is a Labour party website.
Yeah, I wonder if they’ll be issuing an apology and retraction for the Minister’s lie.
She was livid – “I despise Winston Peters’ racist policies…”
and the part where she said she hadn’t read the cabinet manual…..
Actually she was saying she hadn’t read the email leaks, Suzie just mis-interpreted what she’d said.
she was probably bcc-ed at the time so doesnt need to read the leaked version
I thought Ferguson did well to follow up those repeated comments about Peters’ being racist and that he was “the last person” she would have contacted with the question about whether she could work with him in a coalition.
She floundered around saying ‘that’s up to John Key’ but Ferguson reminded her that it was also up to her (she could decline to be a minister in such a Cabinet or government, for example).
” “I despise Winston Peters’ racist policies…” ”
I wonder if any journalist thought to ask her what she thought of Colin Craig’s racist policies, or Jamie Whyte’s racist policies…
No. She didn’t say that it was “a Labour Party website”, she said that it was The Labour Party Website. Even worse. Either she is being deliberately misleading or she is pig-ignorant. Either would make her equally unfit to be police minister.
I’ll say. I will have to have a look at that.
or Justice Minister. Isnt red Alert the labour party blog?
I also recall recently, lprent, posting he would vote Greens. So he is not very good at bei g part of THE labour party blog…
Yep she said The Standard is a labour party website and that Cunliffe’s people use it for cyber-bullying.
Cyber bullying what a joke – a difference of opinion and butting of heads – yes. I think I’ve clashed with a few people here. But does that mean I carry on clashing with them, loss respect for them and hold a grudge – Hell no. Politics on the left is passionate and people get heated – and say silly things -I should know, I’ve done it a few times. But, we know what we want at the end of the day is a better society, that works for everyone – even if we disagree what form and shape that should take now and into the future. If at times sound rough, tough, and a bit abusive – it is the medium not the message.
However attacking opponents who lie, and keep repeating the same lies over and over and push and ideological line which is anti-human, selfish and self indulgent. Well maybe Collins is right – because for some strange reason logic, or well formed rhetoric with these individuals does not work. No matter how many facts, figures or truths you put to them, they will always come back with the lie, the repetition, and the rigid ideological defence. I then point out the character flaws – if that is cyber bulling – then I’m a cyber bully.
And silly question – why do the hard right always fall into rapid vicarious political correctness as a defence? As they seem to be the ones who say – political correctness is mad http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/tag/political_correctness
but please you don’t need to follow the link.
My, my ‘what a sensitive wee sausage’ Collins turns out to be, when in hot water.
And the water is hot due to her own bad, fractious and divisive behaviour.
So no sympathy from this quarter.
She needs to learn what the word ‘bully’ means, then perhaps she might learn to stop being one.
Key needed to be a better leader to stop this type of stuff -undisciplined behaviour and disarray – proliferating.
Big fail to you and your casual ‘hands off’ attitudes, Key.
Is it too late for the dirty brigade in national to now leak to slater everything they can to spike colin’s party?
what do you mean by spike ? ruin it, or up in the polls ??
sorry, ruin it.
@tracey thx
Interesting comment from Wayne Hope and Claire Robinson (Claire was angry too) on RNZ re last nights debate, both reckon that the debate has “cemented Cunliffe in as leader of the Labour Party post election”
Hallef%&$#&lujah
Cunliffe will be so pleased since, like, a week ago, he confirmed he’d be around for 2017 election win or lose. Not a reassuring statement for leader to say going into a hard-win election, but I’m sure someone somewhere knows what it really means.
I’m pretty sure that that means that Cunliffe won’t be stepping down if Labour loses the election. Which, IMO, would be good.
“..Now why would companies that make opioids want to line the pockets of marijuana prohibitionists?..”
http://www.alternet.org/leading-researchers-who-oppose-legal-pot-are-paid-painkiller-manufacturers
OxyContin is one of the worst drugs ever invented. Period, if you have anyone use this drug for an extended period, you will know what I mean. I have advocated people off it to marijuana. Yeah pot can male you a bit spacey, but Oxy makes you dumb, incompetent and lifeless.
Why am I not surprised by this wonder piece of investigative journalist by Lee Fang.
In the States and here the gangs see Oxy as a good way to make money. Can we please grow up, and treat marijuana as a health issue – not a criminal one.
The Standard spellcheck tells me Cunliffe is actually spelled Conifer. Do I want to add to dictionary? No, I like the idea that there might be a David Conifer somewhere planning a secret coup from his corner of the forest.
“The Standard” doesn’t have a spellcheck. It will be whatever browser you’re using.
For your browsers spell checker to assume that Conifer is Cunliffe, usually means you have told it that’s how it’s spelt.
I suspect I’ve been hacked by a blogger close to The Green Party, to boost their support. Every time I write Booo Cunliffe! It’ll come up as Booo Conifer! and gardeners everywhere will be steeled in their resolve to vote Greens, just to teach me a lesson. Sneaky people, those Greens.
[lprent: Or you could just add Cunliffe to your spell checker?
Besides which it could be just a Lebanese conspiracy… ]
Jeepers comments falling like the black-hole-memory of dirtkey.
Go John, Go IMP, Go left, Go Labour, Go Greens Go you bloody beaut go!!!
“Internet-Mana would have four MPs in Parliament including veteran activist John Minto, if its support in the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey were translated to an election result.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11315806
nice one marty, and good to see that voting for the IMP won’t be a wasted party vote 😉
I hope they get enough to get Miriam Pierard in too (5% I believe).
Miriam and Annette – one, two in the house!
Would not the Tory scum, learn politeness and manners then?
it wd certainly wipe the habitual-sneers off their faces..
..and i was asked by an mp why i had stopped doing the commentaries on q-time..
..and i said i had got ‘bored’…
..but said that i fully expected to be doing them again..for the new parliament..
..’cos it will be anything but ‘boring’..
I think key will be doing a midnight flit when he loses the election. There must be ton of dirt he hasn’t been able to shred or bury yet. No way will he be able to stay in NZ. Could be more stuff to come from whaledump yet. Collins might let us all know what she has on him. I wonder if he has broken his pledge not to drink alcohol until the election is over? I thought last night that he looked like a meerkat looking for a way out. He looked like a man without a plan. Aloha John key!!
He looked like he was well and truly over the whole circus.
What’s in it for JK now? He’s been the PM for 6 years, in his eyes (and many others) been fairly successful at it, but where to from here? Whats the upside for JK? All the good stuff has been sold, Chch assets will be stripped shortly, Auckland’s stuff can’t be got at. He’ll get his “Sir John” and the CV will be complete.
The faeces are awfully close to the fan and I got the distinct impression JK feels it’s not worth the risk hanging around to find out where it’ll spray.
Hand in pocket, waiting for the limo…………………
JK been successful at spin and shining the turd blossom. He’s done nothing about housing, he’s lived off earnings from the ChCh and the Year of the Dragon Chinese Birth boom. The core problem with the NZ economy is the tax system rewards building a business as much as buying and selling homes! Think about that, which would you rather do to get wealthy, sit on your hands counting up the rental takings or have to use you noggings to fight world competition for profits.
But wait its got worse. The GFC caused world national banks to print money, zero interest loans, and for life nor money Key can’t get it into his scrawny tiny economic head that cashed up foreign buyers get to out buy Kiwis. Sure if they stay fairs fair, but that’s not whats happening, absent owners of farmland and homes isn’t good for out economy, as that capital Key says he wants to attract goes straight into the non-productive housing market, or into raw production and offshoring of the added value chain. Its pretty much absymal from a right of center commerical point of view, unsaleable you’d think. But Key’s not going for the intelligent vote, he’s after the I want my tax cut because I don’t know were taxation comes from brigade. Tax cuts eventually reach a limit where they start eating the economy rather than revving it. Where the tax cut winners start sending their money overseas, or worse, pay more to buy into homes and assets!!!! due to foreigner bidding up the prices. Its reckless economics, breed from a time of luxury when cheap high density fuels got year on year cheaper.
He will have made multi-millions out of NZ in his supposedly blind Aldgate Trust. Would not surprise me at all to discover down the track both Key and English gained multiples from the govt guarantee of SCF and its subsequent collapse.
Why isn’t the Serious Fraud Office asking more question ?
+1 analysis. Doing better than the finance minister and treasury, media commentators and reserve bank.
I noted the following:
*Key noteably surprised at start when Hosking pushed him hard for an answer – put him off and he never recovered, JK was expecting usual patsy questions and had no where to hide. No answers without his team in his ear, it showed.
*Hosking still a plonker albeit reasonably even handed (for him)
* Cunliffe truly impressive, Ive not seen this man before.
*TVNZ poll obvious bullshit.
Give us more of this Cunliffe please.
Well done David Cunliffe. My impression of you hadn’t been very good, but the debate last night changed has my mind and reading Dirty Politics has cemented my vote against Key and Collins. It’s time for a change of government – you have my vote. Best of luck for the election.
Latest Poll.
Will be interesting to hear Key’s slant on the prospects of John Minto.
John Minto earned his hatred by the Right through his involvement in the 1981 tour.
Of course he has been in the forefront of many movements since, but none that
would earn him the “opprobrium” of ’81. Only those “living” at the that time carry those feelings.
Key will have to be careful how he comments, because it may just identify his position in the 1981 spectrum… “Oh, I can’t really remember.” Yeah Right.
Perhaps the MSM might Key what he thinks of the possibility of John Minto getting into parliament.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11315806
“Labour is continuing a decline and polled 24.1 in the new poll. It polled 30.5 per cent in June, 26.5 in July, and 25.2 last week.”
“National is up marginally to 50.7 per cent and would be able to govern alone with 64 MPs.”
This is a good start by David but lets not get too ahead of ourselves
Undecided.
… and your point is?
The Link and discussion I have commented on is John Minto.
Last I heard was that he is standing for Mana/IP.
Where does my comment mention Labour or any other parties?
(Unless of course your comment has been linked to my post 21 in error, in which case my apologies).
In a different world, John Minto would have been New Zealander of the Year several times over !
If NZ had joined the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, then yeah possibly.
Quite the opposite, kiwi-guy. John Minto was not overly popular with the Soviet aligned Socialist Unity Party. Does your knowledge come from reading Whalespew and Kiwibog?
High house prices, high housing material costs, high rates. Work hard to be mugged. Welcome to John Key’s economy.
Education?
Herald reporter Robb Kidd today equates exclusive (private) with “best.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11315977
“…former principal of one of the country’s best schools…”
One hopes he is not one of the Herald’s education columnists.
Communities are coalesce around and through the act of gift giving. Whether benefits street, or Broadway where the currency is a mention, a good review. In Tory circles the currency is the recital of the neo-liberal myth, tax cuts. Tax cuts are the gift the Tories are gifting to each other. They honestly believe that with yet another tax cut they will be better off. Its just one giant cult.
Humanity, creates collectively, the wealth we now all enjoy. Humanity, underwrites it, with its own lives if necessary, since our freedom to trade comes from our willingness to stand up and defend ourselves against dictators. Even the act of getting up in the morning to a timetable, commuting to work, embracing a common language, common laws, defending one law for all (no three strikes tying the hands of judges), all are gifts to good order, and generate the underlying fabric that makes wealth possible. Yes, staying within the white line while driving is a cooperative social act that has wealth connotations. So when some desperately weak minded Tory jumps up with their mythology of tax cuts, how they worked hard for what they gotten, I just shake my head. How long before people start pissing in the collective well, how much collective inertia is built up due to good people worrying they may be making Tories richer.
Well arguable it happens a lot in NZ, when some kiwis aggressively need to pounce on perceived weakness, is to my mind nothing more than the break down of the social compact. What are gangs? but more of the same notion extolled by National supporters who believe seizing wealth is the right of the strong. The weak should pay more taxes, which is essentially what they mean when they want tax cut (Keys tax cuts raised GST on the poorest).
So yeah, extolling private schools as better, or Key as competent, is yet another way for Tories to be seen as good Tories and has actually nothing to do with the actualities of the matter. Its a profit cult after all.
Dear Old Duffer Armstrong – obviously feeling better today after the discomfort of having to call Cunliffe the victor in last night’s debate – renewed tra-la-la love affair with TheGodKey this morning. You up’n’at’em John ! And good lad……don’t mention that bloody debate again. People might think it relevant enough to question your perennial negative framing of Cunliffe.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/john-armstrong/news/article.cfm?a_id=3&objectid=11315805
Judith Collin’s interview with Suzy Ferguson this a.m. was interesting: firstly because her head was suddenly above the parapet and secondly for the blanket denials: the first unusual recently, the second par for the course.
Of greater interest, I think, is the reason she has now re-appeared in the arena. It goes like this: she claimed that she is unable to comment further about any of the matters relating to her outing of the civil servant (just business card details, nothing more) because – wait for it – everything relating to the information stolen from a blogger’s website is with the police who are “making a serious investigation” and that therefore any further comments would constitute interference with their investigation. And she wouldn’t want Suzy to accuse her of that, would she?
The complainant is, of course, Cam Slater, back for a spot of fishing in the politcal pool. The happy conjunction of events ( Cam comes back, lays a complaint, Judith is free to walk again in the sunlight shielded by a hint of sub judice sunblock) is indeed fortuitous and in no way a plan. No smoke and mirrors here at all.
Does anyone know if the Police have acutally accepted Slater’s complaint?
(Ref RNZ website MR download, between 5-8 mins in.)
All very incestuous.
“you might not like it but @whaleoil is better informed and better read than any other news outlet or social media”
Judith Collins tweets 8/4/13
https://twitter.com/danbakes/status/504724910908788736/photo/1
Still flying the Slater even even after a wet bus ticket from Key.
Looks like #teamcollins doesn’t think they need to abandon using WhaleSmear yet. Disturbing.
the utter contempt our justice minister is showing is frightening… Everything she and key do just further proves the strategies outlined in dirty politics
psychopathic; she is now officially crazed crusher.
Saw this article this morning, guilty or not guilty, how much was Cameron Slater paid for this:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11315977
From the TVNZ article:
“Jackman spoke out on the advice of public relations consultant Carrick Graham, who advised her to tell her story quickly to circumvent any pending court order.
Graham said he had a client a few years ago who “faced pretty extreme suppression orders and that limited greatly my ability to help her in the media. I just said to her ‘it’s best to go out there early”‘. Neither case involved children.”
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/courts-impose-gagging-orders-exes-online-attacks-5302020
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/tag/peter-clague/
All part of the retainer I guess. Quite interesting in seeing how these things were put together.
” Clague had quit his $385,000-a-year job as Kristin School executive principal “
“Cathy Odgers has resigned from the Lichtenstein based business adviser Jeeves Group by mutual consent – Alex Jeeves confirms”
https://twitter.com/Zagzigger/status/505112240752582657
Wonder what brought that on?
not a prick of conscience
Much much more to come from Whaledump maybe ?
I did like the twitter comment
https://twitter.com/nzsaysfun/status/503029266611576832/photo/1
This, maybe
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/08/new-zealand-prime-minister-john-key-the-whale-oil-blog-and-international-organized-crime.html
As exciting as the politics is, the big question for me this morning is whether phil will change his commenting syntax, or be willing to let his comments sit in the spam filter for variable amounts of time before appearing. Quite a fascinating dilemma.
Cruel…
“Unusual punctuation in comments is automatically going into spam. It is a bug. Your message will be extracted manually.”
Wondered what that was. I just assumed it was last night’s cheese.
” Your message will be extracted manually. ”
… That sounds rather uncomfortable.
A picture tweeted by ‘Caniwikiwi’ who tweeted it to Max Rashbrooke (and retweeted by Laila Harre) starkly showing the systemic racism in existence in New Zealand by comparing Maori, Pacific Island and Pakeha incomes between 1988 & 2013. 🙁
http://twitter.com/MaxRashbrooke/status/504857676761661440/photo/1
[lprent: corrected per comment below by BL. ]
That’s not “systemic racism”, whatever ‘systemic’ is suppose to mean, its low skilled work that is in decline as most of those jobs went to Asia over that period. Glut of low skilled workers = flat or declining wages.
But in real terms basically EVERYONE on a salary or wage has flatlined i.e not even keeping pace with real inflation eg housing.
If it is not systemic then please tell my why the top wage of Maori is the lowest wage for a Pakeha?
How can you argue a point without knowing what that point means?
I suggest you look up the term systemic racism prior to arguing a point about it.
I would link to the online Oxford dictionary for you, but that will mean my comment gets rejected for hours due to the fault on the Standard today.
[Deleted]
[lprent: if you want to be an idiot troll playing stupid word games rather than expressing your own ideas, then try wanking on the whale. ]
Why do maori and PI workers fill those low paid positions, kiwi guy?
Lprent, no wonder you guys are crashing in the polls despite being given so many gifts on a silver plate lately.
What the fuck! Im moderated, deleted and now unmoderated again? LOL
Explain to me “systemic racism”, its not the dictionary where I was told to go look by one of your comrades.
Oh well Kiwi_Guy, in case you have returned to read responses.
Your first comment indicated you didn’t understand what ‘systemic’ was and had you looked that word up, it may have given you a clue as to what ‘systemic racism’ was.
In my words: Systemic Racism is where disadvantages are embedded within the system, causing poor outcomes for those races that it affects. i.e a person of that race will have a harder time getting any of the benefits that the system is supposed to provide to all because there are inbuilt obstacles to them doing so. Places people of that race at a disadvantage to those who are not of that race.
It might lead, for example, to the people of that race, overall, being paid less than those of other races.
Wikipedia has a page on Institutional Racism.
LOL, you censor my comments and then post criticisms about them?
[deleted]
[lprent: Yeah. You obviously don’t respect private property enough to read the local rules. I don’t like graffiti wankers… Bye. ]
Every time you comment, it becomes more obvious that you haven’t got a clue. We have had better RWNJs in here.
I made an error in comment @ 30: It was not Max Rashbrooke who tweeted that, it was ‘Caniwikiwi’ who tweeted it to Max Rashbrooke. (Sorry, Caniwikiwi, if you are reading! )
Thanks very much for correcting my error, lprent!
The Roy Morgan poll looking at what are the election issues the public are interested in makes heartening reading for the left. The top issue is inequality. Then the economy, then unemployment and job security. There’s lots there that the left can get its teeth into.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11315798
National staffer ministry of Social Development writing messages on WO, “Comments linked to the ministry’s computer systems included saying “people who are so stupid (already being poor, they then have children) should not be allowed to vote”. Other comments included attacks on Muslim immigrants, unions and Labour leader David Cunliffe.” A few right wingers on these blogs have suddenly gone silent, makes me wonder.
The vast majority of NZers would agree that people who can’t afford children but go ahead and have them on the tax payers tab are indeed stupid – in fact they would probably offer some more colourful descriptions.
This is one reason maybe that Nats haven’t taken much of a hit from the Dirty Politics fallout (yet).
The vast majority of NZers would agree that people who can’t put together a coherent argument without resorting to talkback memes are indeed stupid– in fact they would probably offer some more colourful descriptions.
You are toxic like the rest of the “Progressives”.
You want to see the reason the NZ public won’t touch you with a barge pole even after Dirty Politics, go take a look in the mirror.
Oh, and ask that manhater Ms Rogers what the NZ public would think of a Labour activists with Twitbook friends called “Cuntess van Mankiller”. What a bunch of crazy losers.
[lprent: OK, you really are a stupid wonder. Banned for attacking an author personally. Guess you never read the policy. I guess that being an ignorant dropped is just cool eh? Get your jollies that way huh? Just another limp fuckwit ]
You have no idea why people have kids or why they are ‘stupid’. The evidence suggests a poverty cycle has a lot to do with it.
i have done a fri-dump on the ak city council..
http://whoar.co.nz/2014/grafton-cycleway-to-open-minus-link-to-uni-ed-this-is-one-of-those-stories-that-has-you-first-face-palming-and-when-that-is-not-enough-bringing-yr-forehead-into-sharp-contact-with-the-nea/
The funniest thing last night was Steven Joyce tweeting his outrage that Cunliffe was talking over Key – that piece of hypocrisy was almost as funny as Michele Boag, when talking of Judith Collins and Slater’s friendship, saying “My Grandmother always told me, if you lay down with dogs, you’re going to get up with fleas” !! Those dear old Natz, always good for a laugh!!
the back-story to that is that boag and collins are from opposing sides in the internicine warfare currently raging in national..
..’game of thrones’..indeed..!
..and fast heading for their big wedding-scene.
Amazing, Cunliffe wins last nights debate hands down and both TV1 and TV3 News find stories to attack Labour. Labour needs to check details on TV1’s Vote Compass and check whether it can be manipulated, if its a net driven survey then Id guess Nat Members are playing it.
Both news managed to say that Labour had back tracked on the sale to foreigners, which is a story about the “benefit that a foreign buyer brings” when they purchase. I think the question the media need to be asking is, given this requirement is already in our legislation, how are so many foreigners managing to purchase land without bringing any obvious benefits other than paying more than locals can afford. Labour are just going to make sure that this is happening, which is good government.
I switched from tv1 to tv3 and then turned my tv off in disgust. They are too stupid to realise that around 50% of the public vote for the left and most wont be impressed at their bias. I really hope Labour does something to make this scummy media account for their unprofessional bias.
I switched from tv1 to tv3 and then turned my tv off in disgust.
Me too!
I couldn’t believe my ears.
The carcass of public broadcasting is well and truly rotten.
Yep. A pretty shoddy effort by Tova O’Brien – repeating John Key’s spin, without any critical analysis.
[Deleted]
Anyone else notice that Key has been musing about the possibility of running a minority government in the same fashion that his mate Stephen Harper has done in Canada. Such governments are common in Canada both at the federal and provincial level. Opposition parties vote for the Speech from the Throne (mostly because their electoral support is low and/or fractured and they don’t wish to further antagonize the electorate by fruitlessly sending everyone back to the polls) and thereafter the government negotiates all legislation through the House until the opposition parties decide a more propitious time has arrived for another election or the minority government believes it has enough backing on a particular issue which warrants the calling of another election that it hopes might deliver a majority. At which point a confidence vote is contrived and the government falls. Governments rarely go full term and needless to say there’s plenty of potential for legislative timidity from the minority government that’s clinging to power. There’s no reason I guess why we couldn’t have this system in NZ except that unlike us, Canada (and Australia) are federal systems with provincial/state governments and have bicameral systems with an upper house to act as legislative backstop. Also given that all governments in NZ since at least the Second World War have commanded a majority in the House of Reps a significant change of thinking would be required from the Governor General to facilitate such a government in NZ.
For Key and National to even have been posing the possibility of this sort of minority government surely demonstrates a stunning retreat of ambition for this election on their part.
(sorry about the wordy post).
Have just been to a political meeting – a debate between the local youth council and the three main candidates in Kaikoura – National’s Stuart Smith, Labour’s Jannette Walker and Green’s List MP Stefan Browning.
A question about child poverty was answered by Stuart
NashSmith – his opening claim that the ‘poverty gap is actually closing’ was met by a roar of derision; he compounded his stupidity by saying ‘the statistics prove it’ which caused another wave of laughter – and then he made my night – by saying ‘statistics don’t lie’. The hall erupted. This clearly upset some right-wingers and when Jannette Walker was replying to the child poverty question someone bellowed ‘tell the parents to stop smoking and drinking’. She proceeded to tear them up for bog paper – she’s got guts and she has real passion.Stuart Smith is just a bland suit – deeply unimpressive to anyone other than those who are walking round in a permanent blue haze – and I’m not at all sure he understands the nature of the electorate south of Blenheim. It’s a lot more marginal than the Nats thought it would be when they booted out Colin King.
[lprent: fixed per later comment by TWW. ]
sorry TWW .. you don’t mean Stuart Nash … Stuart Smith ! long late night ….
Oops should be Stuart Smith second para – got Nash on the brain.
With all this dirty politics going on I am thinking of not voting. What’s the point of supporting a lifestyle of lies and deception.
Surrender is it? Fucking cry baby.