Open mike 30/09/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 30th, 2023 - 33 comments
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33 comments on “Open mike 30/09/2023 ”

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  1. PsyclingLeft.Always 1
    30 September 2023 at 9:35 am

    NAct Smoke n Mirrors, with a ghoulish element to the mix…

    The National Party's fiscal plan is ghoulish smoke and mirrors that will put more children into poverty, if you listen to Labour and the Green Party.

    ACT ..(IMO unsurprisingly)

    ACT is critical – although for different reasons – and it says the plan does not go far enough.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/499062/ghoulish-smoke-and-mirrors-reaction-to-national-s-fiscal-plan

    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.

    • alwyn 1.1
      30 September 2023 at 10:33 am

      "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/

      • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1.1
        30 September 2023 at 11:21 am


        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?

        Fiscal Holes in The National Party's Foreign Buyers Policy w/ Nick Goodall: September 25, 2023
        "Our best estimate was that they could probably get about $213 million per year, so pretty well short of that $740…"
        …
        Interviewer – Do we have any idea how the National party has come to such a large number, and what information do we have about their budgeting calculations?

        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.

        Pulling tax from one part of teetering Jenga tower to place it in another [updated 20 Sept 2023]
        At its core, National’s tax plan is all about property.

        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.

      • Tricledrown 1.1.2
        30 September 2023 at 11:28 am

        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.

        • alwyn 1.1.2.1
          30 September 2023 at 3:10 pm

          "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

          • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1.2.1.1
            30 September 2023 at 6:00 pm

            "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

            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

            • Muttonbird 1.1.2.1.1.1
              30 September 2023 at 7:10 pm

              Brutal. Please go easy on Alwyn, he's just a parrot.

            • alwyn 1.1.2.1.1.2
              30 September 2023 at 7:33 pm

              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.

              • Muttonbird …
                30 September 2023 at 8:18 pm

                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.

              • Drowsy M. Kram …
                30 September 2023 at 8:22 pm

                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.

                James Shaw compares Winston Peters’ language to Trump after candidate violence [30 Sept 2023]

                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.”

                • alwyn …
                  30 September 2023 at 8:43 pm

                  " 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.

                  • Muttonbird …
                    30 September 2023 at 8:59 pm

                    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?

                  • Drowsy M. Kram …
                    30 September 2023 at 11:07 pm

                    "I don’t think it takes much for a particularly unhinged individual [to go] from whacking their keyboard to whacking a person.”

                    Shaw was speaking from personal experience – makes you think?

                    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."

          • Tricledrown 1.1.2.1.2
            30 September 2023 at 11:25 pm

            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%

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.1.3
        30 September 2023 at 11:42 am

        Of course you would go with that. What a life you must lead.

      • ianmac 1.1.4
        30 September 2023 at 12:12 pm

        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.

  2. Ffloyd 2
    30 September 2023 at 9:59 am

    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.

    • Tricledrown 2.1
      30 September 2023 at 11:43 am

      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.

    • Patricia Bremner 2.2
      30 September 2023 at 12:55 pm

      Onnya Ffloyd devil

      "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).

  3. Barfly 3
    30 September 2023 at 10:56 am

    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".

  4. Ad 4
    30 September 2023 at 11:12 am

    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.

    • Anne 4.1
      30 September 2023 at 1:42 pm

      My comment @ 5 was meant to be a reply to your comment @ 4.

    • AB 4.2
      30 September 2023 at 2:09 pm

      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.

  5. Anne 5
    30 September 2023 at 12:28 pm

    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.

  6. Patricia Bremner 6
    30 September 2023 at 12:37 pm

    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.

  7. Patricia Bremner 7
    30 September 2023 at 12:49 pm

    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.

  8. Anne 8
    30 September 2023 at 7:46 pm

    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.

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    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 ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • National’s murderous smoking policy
    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, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    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 ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The 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 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip 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 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Black Friday
    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 ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    3 days ago

  • In Defense of the Media.
    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 ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • The very opposite of social investment
    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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Giving Tuesday
    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 Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    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 ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    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 ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The stupidest of stupid reasons
    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 ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • A website bereft of buzz
    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 ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: A new Ministry – at last
    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 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Luxon's Breakfast.
    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 ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL:  Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreement
     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 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Peters as Minister
    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 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, 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 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • The New Government’s Agreements
    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. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    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 ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • No More Winnie Blues.
    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 ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    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 chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    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 ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest 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” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    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 ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    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 ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    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 ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Cans of Worms.
    “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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Disinformation campaigns are undermining democracy. Here’s how we can fight back
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Peters as Minister
    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. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • The New Government: 2023 Edition
    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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago

  • 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 tree with its gold ribbon but can turn out to be nothing more than a big box holding a voucher for socks, so it ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • A cruel, vicious, nasty government
    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, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Hurrah – we have a new government (National, ACT and New Zealand First commit “to deliver for al...
    Buzz from the Beehive Sorry, there has been  no fresh news on the government’s official website since the caretaker trade minister’s press statement about the European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement. But the capital is abuzz with news – and media comment is quickly flowing – after ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Christopher Luxon – NZ PM #42.
    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 ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Coalition Government details policies & ministers
    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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • “Old Coat” by Peter, Paul & Mary.
     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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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