They don't appear to be in any doubt at all. The Gang supporting protesters at Parliament seemed to think that the current Government were much better for them than a National led Government would be,
Alwyn, the less wealthy end of society is a large 'gang'. Maybe they can be allocated "powerful jobs" building more gated communities, aka prisons on flood plains (I'm gonna wash that gang right outa my hair) and luxury villages – NAct's 'vision' for NZ?
Personally I reckon the NAct gang are pretty sick puppies, and their larger donors completely in thrall to Mammon. Why should Kiwis take Willis and Luxon at their word, when they've clearly been caught out trying to scam the voters?
Foreign Buyers Tax: A Mismatch Between Expectations and Reality The Importance of Transparent Policymaking
While the shortfall in the proposed tax revenue may not significantly impact the government deficits, it serves as a testament to the politicians’ approach to policy making and their transparency in responding to criticism. Even though the National party, being an opposition party, may not have the same resources as the Government to form its policy, critics argue that it should invest in thorough analysis using the donations it receives.
Hmm – donations the Nats receive. Might relaxing the ban on foreigners buying Kiwi homes be a way of rewarding some big donors? Luxon and Willis know which side National's 'bread' is buttered on.
Luxon unsure if he'll lower rents on homes he owns despite policy promise [10 Sept 2023]
Christopher Luxon is unsure whether he will lower the rents on his own investment properties if National's housing policy is enacted despite saying the plans would put a "downward pressure on rents" if the party is elected.
Nats want to reheat the property market – donors are fuming over the correction.
It should be no surprise that the real estate sector, who stand to gain from an influx of affluent foreign buyers, have been the most vocal in their enthusiasm for National’s tax plan.
Thanks – the Nats are in politics for themselves, even more so from John 'Tax Haven' Key onwards, so it makes sense to view their policies with that in mind.
National cut police numbers last time they were in power yet say they are tough on Crime.Labour have increased police numbers considerably by 1800 in 5 yrs .Labour are increasing police numbers by 300 in 3 yrs National 300 over 4 yrs.If population increases continue at the present rate that will mean a bigger decrease for National by 33 police per year. National claim it will increase the number of police per head of population which is a big fat lie.How does 75 go into 100,000 is actually a decrease by 6 times.National can't do basic Maths.The Wellsford Tuhoi highway National budget $2.3 billion actual latest estimates without allowance for ongoing land movement and more regular cyclone events.$4.5 billion plus.The best figures for the high priced foreign house buyer tax by independent economists given past sales about $50 million a year that is a very high estimate National claim it will bring in $250 million a year totally bonkers.Keep repeating the big figured lies is Nationals policy.National are still avoiding putting out the evidence of their claims because they are mostly false
.John Key's influence is obvious spin a lie then don't answer the questions.
"National cut police numbers last time they were in power" That is simply not true.
Fair enough alwyn, although NZ police constabulary numbers did decrease in four of the years (2011, 2013, 2016 and 2017) of the Key/English government.
Last tally (on 30 June 2008) during the 5th Labour (Clark) govt: 8210
Last tally (on 30 June 2017) during the 5th National (Key/English) govt: 8838
Shaw was worried for his candidates, having seen the online abuse they were subjected to.
“It’s vile, it is really extreme and it is stronger now than it has been in previous election campaigns and like I said I don’t think it takes much for a particularly unhinged individual [to go] from whacking their keyboard to whacking a person.”
But it was worse for female candidates and Māori, he said.
“Not just a little bit, not just an increment, but orders in magnitude, from what I’ve seen my colleagues being exposed to. It is just unhinged.”
There has been increased police participation in this campaign, Shaw said.
“Parliamentary security have got new protocols that we are observing. We have changed, for example, the way we campaign, the way we do public meetings, or when we’re out and about, we’re observing new security protocols that we haven’t had in previous years.”
" I don’t think it takes much for a particularly unhinged individual [to go] from whacking their keyboard to whacking a person.”"
That certainly used to be true. I doubt if they have changed too much.
Remember the old days when Don Brash was showered with mud at Waitangi? And Steven Joyce had a dildo thrown at him? Or perhaps when John Key and Pita Sharples were attacked by relatives of Hone Harawira? One of them was later appointed as a Government advisor on Crown Maori relationships by the Ardern Government.
I wouldn't consider going out to a restaurant in Courtenay Place on Friday or Saturday evenings these days. – alwyn
Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear and greed.
– Albert Einstein
Alwyn, sorry that you feel less safe – hope you’re not "getting swept up".
Being ‘tough on crime’ is easy, but it doesn't work
[21 Sept 2023]
As someone who works in the criminal justice sector, the recent policy proposals by major political parties make we wonder whether politicians are more concerned about appearing hard on crime than they are with reducing criminal offending.
This long-standing punitive approach to crime withstands the plethora of evidence and research that disproves its effectiveness for reducing re-offending. On the contrary, criminal justice experts and statisticians have consistently said harsher sentencing increases recidivism.
Why do we continue to entertain the ‘tough on crime’ narrative? My guess is that politicians are subject to the approval of the public who are getting swept up in common myths about crime and public safety. The public deserves better, to have accurate information to inform their vote in this election.
Perhaps if NAct gets up (with the assistance of NZF), then you'll regain your sense of security. Ideally, every Kiwi should feel safe and secure.
Study finds link between young ram-raiders and family harm events [29 September 2022]
"The evidence, the community, the sector experts at the forefront of family and sexual violence have been very clear for a long time that we need enduring solutions. That's why the simplistic short-term 'tough on crime', 'tough on youth' responses do not work," she said.
"When you have people involved with violence – let's say a politician who may have caused violent harm to someone at a boarding school. When they are wrapped with support, understanding, forgiveness, and given opportunities to carry on and lead a good life – that's how we can interrupt cycles of violence. That is how people can be supported to lead healthy lives."
Alwyn the population increased by 500,000 in that time 20% Nationals increase of about 400 odd in 9 years is 5% so National reduced police numbers by 15%
alwyn. Those speaking to Mitchell were speaking for the whanau rather than gang members. There are flow on consequences for people who are near the very poor or the very old or the disadvantaged and it is too simplistic to punish anyone who happens to be near.
The real bottom feeders are National rich mates who haven't done it tough while 70% of New Zealanders have struggled.While the big Corporates Nationals funders and beneficiaries have made scouriless exorbitant profits National are giving those few who profited out of everyone else's misery grotesque tax cuts.Then taking Money off the poor to pay for it.Playing the squeezed middle off against the poor blaming the poor for being poor.
"Up the Bottom Feeders!!" Get out there and deny this lot their "pound of flesh" (Merchant of Venice where William Shakespeare describes a poor debtor having to pay with a pound (half a kilo) of flesh).
There is a change in our education system I would really like to see.
The introduction of a programme educating the youth as to the nature of democracy and the need for more people to participate in it.
Teaching people why New Zealand changed to MMP (if memory serves we had two National Party Governments after elections where the Labour Party had more votes)
Teaching people what FPP means in the UK
Teaching people why the USA is 'pseudo democracy' not a democracy.
Teaching people the what and why of voter suppression.
Et cetera et cetera……..
It is an enormously important subject and it behooves the country to assist the younger people of the nation to understand and participate in it. Oh and IMO the RW political parties in NZ would completely lose their shit over it. Seems like a "win win".
Luxon daren't condemn those specific attacks in case he bleeds party votes to ACT or NZF.
The most he could do is condemn "all attacks" – which is a way of generalising the condemnation into harmlessness. Plus it vaguely suggests that there might be attacks from the left. And then get the Nats' espionage unit to dredge up a case of a Nat politician being verbally abused or revisit the dildo being thrown at Steven (never saw a tertiary education system I couldn't monetise) Joyce.
Not directly associated with racism and misogyny but you might be interested to know:
Remember the claim against Clarke Gayford that “he was being investigated by the police for serious drug offences?” The media quickly latched on to it. The police almost as quickly issued an unprecedented press statement denying any such investigation existed or ever had existed. Normal policy is to publicly comment only on reported crimes and complaints – neither which occurred in this case.
No wonder they wanted to shut the story down fast. It was a group of officers within in their own ranks responsible for the fake story in the first place. Don't know who they were, but wonder if there was any attempt to track them down and censure them at the least.
Edit: I can’t verify by way of a link. All I can say, it came from a current police officer.
Misogyny and racism come from the same base. Trojan horses are everywhere, along with wolves in sheep disguises. Folk stories and fables warned of them.
"David Seymour attacks Te Pati Maori for politicising attack on candidate."
I wanted to link to that Herald item as an example why that creep should never be allowed near the treasury benches. In the minute or so between seeing the item and attempting to link, it had already been withdrawn – 404. I wonder why?
Having been through the experience of home invasions and associated obscene messaging including phone calls, I know the frightening effect this kind of behaviour can have on the target. To have an ignorant, misogynistic upstart like Seymour project what he is doing himself onto others makes me feel sick to the stomach.
It looks like it might be a re-write Kat. It has today's date on it. My assumption is: Seymour or someone on his behalf issued a legal threat to the Herald and it was withdrawn in its original form. Not the first time that has happened.
Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
David Farrar writes – 1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR:PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some of the economic issues confronting New Zealand. It may take time for some new ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the changes that ...
TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishingGraham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them. POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees National MPs Chris ...
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 ...
Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
New Zealand has a chance to rise again. Under the previous government, the number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing year by year. The Luxon-led government must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising the pillars of the economy. After the mismanagement of the outgoing government created huge ...
Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations. He writes – Tuesday, November 28, 2023The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
The work beginsPhilip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical ScienceSkeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise “informed by” head ...
One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found …. Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item: Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki: “Section ...
A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on FridayRoutinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023. Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chiefExclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website,Point of Order turned today to Scoop’sLatest Parliament Headlines for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
“And there’ll be no shortage of ‘events’ to test Luxon’s political skills. David Seymour wants a referendum on the Treaty. Winston wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Labour’s handling of the Covid crisis. Talk about cans of worms!”LAURIE AND LES were very fond of their local. It was nothing ...
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Misinformation is debated everywhere and has justifiably sparked concerns. It can polarise the public, reduce health-protective behaviours such as mask wearing and vaccination, and erode trust in science. Much of misinformation is spread not ...
A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is not even an entry in Wikipedia. ...
So New Zealand has a brand-spanking new right-wing government. Not just any new government either. A formal majority coalition, of the sort last seen in 1996-1998 (our governmental arrangements for the past quarter of a century have been varying flavours of minority coalition or single-party minority, with great emphasis ...
And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the tree with its gold ribbon but can turn out to be nothing more than a big box holding a voucher for socks, so it ...
So, after weeks of negotiations, we finally have a government, with a three-party cabinet and a time-sharing deputy PM arrangement. Newsroom's Marc Daalder has put the various coalition documents online, and I've been reading through them. A few things stand out: Luxon doesn't want to do any work, ...
Nothing says strong and stable like having your government announcement delayed by a day because one of your deputies wants to remind everyone, but mostly you, who wears the trousers. It was all a bit embarrassing yesterday with the parties descending on Wellington before pulling out of proceedings. There are ...
Winston Peters will be Deputy PM for the first half of the Coalition Government’s three-year term, with David Seymour being Deputy PM for the second half. Photo montage by Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR:PM-Elect Christopher Luxon has announced the formation of a joint National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government with a ...
THERE ARE SOME SONGS that seem to come from a place that is at once in and out of the world. Written by men and women who, for a brief moment, are granted access to that strange, collective compendium of human experience that comes from, and belongs to, all the ...
By scrapping Aotearoa’s world-leading smokefree laws, this government is sacrificing Māori lives to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Not only is this plan revolting, but it doesn’t add up. Treasury has estimated that the reversal of smokefree laws to pay for tax cuts will cost our health system $5.25bn, ...
Figures showing National needs to find another $900 million for landlords highlights the mess this coalition Government is in less than a week into the job. ...
Community organisations, mana whenua and the Greens have written to the incoming Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to call for the progression without delay of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. ...
"On behalf of the Labour Party I would like to congratulate Christopher Luxon on his appointment as Prime Minister,” Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
NZ First has gotten their wish to ‘take our country back’ to the 1800s with a policy program that will white-wash Aotearoa and erase tangata whenua rights. By disestablishing the Māori Health Authority this Government has condemned Māori to die seven years earlier than Pākehā. By removing Treaty obligations from ...
Te Pāti Māori have called for the resignation of the Ministry of Foreign and Trade chief executive Chris Seed following his decision to erase te reo Māori from government communications. While the country still waits for a new government to be formed, Mr Seed took it upon himself to undermine ...
The New Zealand Labour Party is urgently calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to put a halt to the appalling attacks and violence, so that a journey to a lasting peace can begin, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
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Commenting on proposals to reduce Auckland’s refuse collection from weekly to fortnightly, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Jordan Williams, said: “Auckland Council’s finances are in dire straits, and clearly serious savings need to be ...
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NZME, the owners of the Herald, has been fined close to $200,000 after a “magnetic puzzle toy” sold through its Grabone service was deemed to be unsafe. The fine is an increase on the $88,000 penalty previous imposed by the court after the Commerce Commission appealed the decision. In a ...
On Saturday 2 December, pro-choice supporters will rally and march to defend abortion rights and to counter anti-choice conservatives. The rally starts at 1pm at Te Aro Park (Dixon/Manners) with speakers in the Park before marching. ...
The Reserve Bank surprised everyone this week by warning it may have to raise interest rates again to force inflation down, effectively eliminating the prospect of major mortgage rate cuts over the coming summer. In this week’s episode of When the Facts Change, Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr joins Bernard ...
Ōtepoti supporters of Restore Passenger Rail will slowly walk from the Railway Station to the Octagon on Monday morning, in support of their campaign’s demands that the new Government restores a nationwide passenger rail service and provides ...
Dame Jacinda Ardern observed after she stood down as Prime Minister that "Government isn’t just what you do, it's how you make people feel". While an interesting insight into how she viewed the purpose of government (and, some would argue, an ...
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J Day Is Auckland’s Annual Celebration Of Our Kiwi Cannabis Culture And A Protest Against Prohibition, Held In Albert Park Every Year Since 1992. NORML and friends presents the 31st Annual J Day, usually held on the first Saturday in May every year ...
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The PM says deep spending cuts are needed to fix the ‘economic vandalism’ of the previous government. But Luxon and Willis are already running up some big bills of their own, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
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NAct Smoke n Mirrors, with a ghoulish element to the mix…
ACT ..(IMO unsurprisingly)
Smoke, Mirrors…Ghouls? Almost sounds magical. As in very Dark.
And they have certainly spelled it out. Certainly none on the lower end of NZ society should be in any doubt of what will be..if NAct gain power.
They would bring a very Dark time.
"Certainly none on the lower end of NZ society"
They don't appear to be in any doubt at all. The Gang supporting protesters at Parliament seemed to think that the current Government were much better for them than a National led Government would be,
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-quick-to-judge-national-police-spokesman-mark-mitchell-fronts-up-to-gang-whanau-at-parliament-over-draconian-policies/JULDXPOKMJGVXESVWR2WXPB2Z4/
The residents of Coromandel township may be in favour of the National policies of course.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rebels-gang-violence-in-coromandel-township-witness-speaks-out/LR27AEC5RJEMDBRWQM63I7ZHTI/
The Side Eye’s Two New Zealands: The Table
Alwyn, the less wealthy end of society is a large 'gang'. Maybe they can be allocated "powerful jobs" building more gated communities, aka prisons on flood plains (I'm gonna wash that gang right outa my hair) and luxury villages – NAct's 'vision' for NZ?
Personally I reckon the NAct gang are pretty sick puppies, and their larger donors completely in thrall to Mammon. Why should Kiwis take Willis and Luxon at their word, when they've clearly been caught out trying to scam the voters?
Hmm – donations the Nats receive. Might relaxing the ban on foreigners buying Kiwi homes be a way of rewarding some big donors? Luxon and Willis know which side National's 'bread' is buttered on.
Nats want to reheat the property market – donors are fuming over the correction.
DMK…you explain it so well. As one of those at the lower/other end of the table..I appreciate that.
Thanks – the Nats are in politics for themselves, even more so from John 'Tax Haven' Key onwards, so it makes sense to view their policies with that in mind.
National cut police numbers last time they were in power yet say they are tough on Crime.Labour have increased police numbers considerably by 1800 in 5 yrs .Labour are increasing police numbers by 300 in 3 yrs National 300 over 4 yrs.If population increases continue at the present rate that will mean a bigger decrease for National by 33 police per year. National claim it will increase the number of police per head of population which is a big fat lie.How does 75 go into 100,000 is actually a decrease by 6 times.National can't do basic Maths.The Wellsford Tuhoi highway National budget $2.3 billion actual latest estimates without allowance for ongoing land movement and more regular cyclone events.$4.5 billion plus.The best figures for the high priced foreign house buyer tax by independent economists given past sales about $50 million a year that is a very high estimate National claim it will bring in $250 million a year totally bonkers.Keep repeating the big figured lies is Nationals policy.National are still avoiding putting out the evidence of their claims because they are mostly false
.John Key's influence is obvious spin a lie then don't answer the questions.
"National cut police numbers last time they were in power"
That is simply not true.
The number of sworn Officers at 30/06 2008 was 8,453 and the total staff was 11,413. At 30 June 2017 the corresponding numbers were 8,838 and 12,022.
The numbers therefor rose during the last National Government term and your claim is false.
These numbers were taken from t6he Annual reports
https://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/annual-report-2017-2018.pdf
https://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/annual-report-2009.pdf
Fair enough alwyn, although NZ police constabulary numbers did decrease in four of the years (2011, 2013, 2016 and 2017) of the Key/English government.
Last tally (on 30 June 2008) during the 5th Labour (Clark) govt: 8210
Last tally (on 30 June 2017) during the 5th National (Key/English) govt: 8838
A 7.6% increase over 9 years, cf. a 13% population increase.
June 2022 tally, 4 years 8 months into the 6th Labour (Ardern) govt: 10342
A 17% increase over 5 years, cf. a 6.3% population increase.
And an average of 131 police recruits per year under Key/English, cf. 216 recruits per year under Ardern. It's enough to do one's head in, eh alwyn?
Constabulary staff (there are a few minor discrepancies between some reports)
2008 – 8210 (+ 243 recruits)
2009 – 8643 (+ 131 recruits)
2010 – 8708 (+ 81 recruits)
2011 – 8638 (+ 218 recruits)
2012 – 8854 (+ 86 recruits)
2013 – 8703 (+ 79 recruits)
2014 – 8818 (+ 243 recruits)
2015 – 8923 (+ 125 recruits)
2016 – 8899 (+ 105 recruits)
2017 – 8838 (+ 117 recruits)
2018 – 9017 (+ 265 recruits)
2019 – 9482 (+ 324 recruits)
2020 – 10092 (+ 125 recruits)
2021 – 10119 (+ 100 recruits)
2022 – 10342 (+ 265 recruits)
https://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/annual-report-2021-2022.pdf
Brutal. Please go easy on Alwyn, he's just a parrot.
I did feel safer in the days of the Key and English as PM.
I wouldn't consider going out to a restaurant in Courtenay Place on Friday or Saturday evenings these days.
Courtenay Place might feel more unsafe because of the 501's John Key happily imported.
Also because of marginalised Covid refugees from Australia.
Also because you are not a quick as you once were.
Haven't changed my behaviour yet – my vibe for Aotearoa NZ's safest years of the 21st century would have to be 2020/2021 – plenty of social cohesion.
Hopefully there won't be any more instances of candidate intimidation in the 2023 election campaign period – not good for Kiwi democracy, imho.
" I don’t think it takes much for a particularly unhinged individual [to go] from whacking their keyboard to whacking a person.”"
That certainly used to be true. I doubt if they have changed too much.
Remember the old days when Don Brash was showered with mud at Waitangi? And Steven Joyce had a dildo thrown at him? Or perhaps when John Key and Pita Sharples were attacked by relatives of Hone Harawira? One of them was later appointed as a Government advisor on Crown Maori relationships by the Ardern Government.
Still, that was all in a good cause I suppose.
This behaviour from the right is not to be limited to politicians. Remember that time 51 muslims were gunned down in Christchurch, and live-streamed?
Shaw was speaking from personal experience – makes you think?
Alwyn, sorry that you feel less safe – hope you’re not "getting swept up".
Perhaps if NAct gets up (with the assistance of NZF), then you'll regain your sense of security. Ideally, every Kiwi should feel safe and secure.
Alwyn the population increased by 500,000 in that time 20% Nationals increase of about 400 odd in 9 years is 5% so National reduced police numbers by 15%
Of course you would go with that. What a life you must lead.
alwyn. Those speaking to Mitchell were speaking for the whanau rather than gang members. There are flow on consequences for people who are near the very poor or the very old or the disadvantaged and it is too simplistic to punish anyone who happens to be near.
Come on all ‘bottom feeders’ (luxon s description of us lower class folk)
Get Out and Vote!
NZ needs all the bottom feeders it can get.
Lets take NZ Back from the 1 percent oxygen thieves.
The real bottom feeders are National rich mates who haven't done it tough while 70% of New Zealanders have struggled.While the big Corporates Nationals funders and beneficiaries have made scouriless exorbitant profits National are giving those few who profited out of everyone else's misery grotesque tax cuts.Then taking Money off the poor to pay for it.Playing the squeezed middle off against the poor blaming the poor for being poor.
Onnya Ffloyd
"Up the Bottom Feeders!!" Get out there and deny this lot their "pound of flesh" (Merchant of Venice where William Shakespeare describes a poor debtor having to pay with a pound (half a kilo) of flesh).
There is a change in our education system I would really like to see.
The introduction of a programme educating the youth as to the nature of democracy and the need for more people to participate in it.
Teaching people why New Zealand changed to MMP (if memory serves we had two National Party Governments after elections where the Labour Party had more votes)
Teaching people what FPP means in the UK
Teaching people why the USA is 'pseudo democracy' not a democracy.
Teaching people the what and why of voter suppression.
Et cetera et cetera……..
It is an enormously important subject and it behooves the country to assist the younger people of the nation to understand and participate in it. Oh and IMO the RW political parties in NZ would completely lose their shit over it. Seems like a "win win".
Would be great to see Luxon denounce the attacks on Hana Maipi-Clark or Angela Roberts.
Or the Police Commissioner do the same since the big march on Parliament yesterday.
Chippie is calling it, but so should all parties.
Dark moment for us.
My comment @ 5 was meant to be a reply to your comment @ 4.
Luxon daren't condemn those specific attacks in case he bleeds party votes to ACT or NZF.
The most he could do is condemn "all attacks" – which is a way of generalising the condemnation into harmlessness. Plus it vaguely suggests that there might be attacks from the left. And then get the Nats' espionage unit to dredge up a case of a Nat politician being verbally abused or revisit the dildo being thrown at Steven (never saw a tertiary education system I couldn't monetise) Joyce.
Not directly associated with racism and misogyny but you might be interested to know:
Remember the claim against Clarke Gayford that “he was being investigated by the police for serious drug offences?” The media quickly latched on to it. The police almost as quickly issued an unprecedented press statement denying any such investigation existed or ever had existed. Normal policy is to publicly comment only on reported crimes and complaints – neither which occurred in this case.
No wonder they wanted to shut the story down fast. It was a group of officers within in their own ranks responsible for the fake story in the first place. Don't know who they were, but wonder if there was any attempt to track them down and censure them at the least.
Edit: I can’t verify by way of a link. All I can say, it came from a current police officer.
Misogyny and racism come from the same base. Trojan horses are everywhere, along with wolves in sheep disguises. Folk stories and fables warned of them.
Further to have Luxon fail to speak against the violence alarms me. That is not the Leadership NZ needs. Playing Nelson’s blind eye won’t wash.
NZ Herald item headlined:
"David Seymour attacks Te Pati Maori for politicising attack on candidate."
I wanted to link to that Herald item as an example why that creep should never be allowed near the treasury benches. In the minute or so between seeing the item and attempting to link, it had already been withdrawn – 404. I wonder why?
Having been through the experience of home invasions and associated obscene messaging including phone calls, I know the frightening effect this kind of behaviour can have on the target. To have an ignorant, misogynistic upstart like Seymour project what he is doing himself onto others makes me feel sick to the stomach.
Is this the item Anne……..
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-david-seymour-attacks-te-pati-maori-for-politicising-attack-on-candidate-te-pati-maori-retorts-it-was-political/MT6SEN3M4ZESPDFXQHXQLZLQYQ/
It looks like it might be a re-write Kat. It has today's date on it. My assumption is: Seymour or someone on his behalf issued a legal threat to the Herald and it was withdrawn in its original form. Not the first time that has happened.