Over egging the scandal soufflee

Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, June 24th, 2017 - 97 comments
Categories: accountability, labour, national, spin - Tags: , , ,

McCarten’s internship programme (modeled on similar examples internationally) was not a Labour Party initiative, though it does use the party name. It has been in the news, with lots of wild accusations getting publicity. The most useful rebuttal was in The Herald:

US intern defends Labour’s ‘fellowship’ campaign programme from ‘sweatshop’ claims

An American student taking part in a “fellowship” programme for the Labour Party campaign has defended it, saying most of the 85 interns on it are happy.
…
She believed the complaints and leaks to the media were driven by one or two interns who had a beef with the programme. She claimed one was dropped from a leadership position on the programme after allegedly taking bottles of wine from Labour MP Jenny Salesa’s house after Salesa hosted a meal for them.

“We sat down, we ate and he walked away with two bottles of wine. The organisers called him out for it. Since then it’s been a simmering pot.”

She said it was disappointing to read comments in the media about “sweatshop” conditions and “slave labour”.

“Three meals a day, every single day, were provided. The care they have provided is comprehensive. The one thing that has cause a bit of chatter is the cubicle situation, which I understand is not ideal. But the sweatshop conditions, where we were rallied into a line and forced to work, that’s not true at all.”

She defended Awataha marae, saying most were moved into proper living quarters on the marae which are “more than ideal”.

“The food is great and they are very accommodating.”
…
She did not believe the interns were in breach of immigration rules – all had been told to get Working Holiday Visas.

She said unpaid internships were common and McCarten had been generous in looking after them. “Numerous times he told us ‘the most important thing is that you walk away happy’.” …

On Checkpoint:

‘Many of us have had positive experiences’ – US intern
…
One American intern, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that while the programme was not perfect, the interns had been well looked after.

She told Checkpoint with John Campbell the views of a couple did not reflect the majority.

“So many of us have had positive experiences and it’s been a very educational opportunity – the fact that it’s being painted in such a negative way is pretty disconcerting because that’s not what our experience was.

“The fact that the experience of two to three people who have a personal agenda is what’s really being pushed forward is pretty disappointing.”

The American said she would do the internship again. …

The personal account in this blog is also positive:

When I arrived, I was taken to the Marae, which is a traditional communal living space for the Maori, an indigenous group here in New Zealand. The Maori have a very strong presence here in New Zealand, and their culture has been adapted in every part of New Zealand culture. The communal living space is interesting, and I’m grateful to be allowed to live in such a space.
…
The first day of work, which was on Tuesday was also very relaxed. We did training that day for all the new fellows, and I got to meet the supervisors Caitlin and Kieran, as well as other new arrivals. I learned a lot about how the campaign is supposed to be run, and what my job was. We also had a quiz at the end of the training, and my team came in third. It was fun, and the questions were tricky, but it broke the ice.
…
Overall, despite my short time here I’ve already learned a lot, and I’ve explored a lot. New Zealand is beautiful country with really nice people, and I can’t wait to see more of it.

It’s clear that there were some genuine issues with the program. Even though it was not a Labour Party initiative Andrew Little was correct to acknowledge them, and to focus on the well being of the young people involved. Labour is taking responsibility for sorting out any mess.

Those who are chucking round terms like slaves, slave labour, #slavegate, slum, slumlords, exploitation, “sweat shop marae”, scam, and the like are over egging the scandal souffle. Their hysteria, and its curiously convenient timing, tells us more about them and their motives than it does about the programme. Team Nat were desperate to try and divert some attention from their floundering leader, and to a certain extent they succeeded.

But compare and contrast Labour and National’s handling of the issues. Front up and fix vs lie harder.

97 comments on “Over egging the scandal soufflee ”

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  1. Keith 1
    24 June 2017 at 9:32 am

    Well the temptation by the good white folk of the right to put the slipper in because it combined Labour with “Marrees” was too much for them to handle. I cannot wait for the pure bullshit Matthew Hooten is going to throw up on this one. I can just envisage his slimey oily misleading diatribe on Nine to Noon this Monday.

    I wonder about the whining and it’s motivation from others in that Maori community and how political things were getting,

    It was a good idea poorly executed. You cannot rightly take Nationals reprehensible immigration policy and it’s cheap exploitable labour component and then operate an intern programme with the appearances that one gave. And without ensuring everything works for the interns, including some forms of financial benefits for them. Maybe they did, who knows?

    Someone must be micro-managing everything because Labour are NOT allowed to put a foot wrong while National literally can be involved in criminal a activity and get away with it!

  2. Sanctuary 2
    24 June 2017 at 9:33 am

    Bryce Edwards got called to account as a spreader of what is a text-book definition of fake news:

    https://www.facebook.com/edwards.bryce/posts/10154744460412333?comment_id=10154744859082333&notif_t=like&notif_id=1498192559039746

    What the whole intern story reminds us of is the inbuilt anti-Labour bias of the recently diminished angry white middle aged male shock jock media. The likes of Garner, Hosking, etc etc etc where oh, so SOOOO ready to believe the story that they fell on it uncritically. If only I could get the fish to bite as easily, but then I guess fish are a bit smarter than the likes of Guyon Espiner, who repeated – verbatim – the allegations in the original Politik story as facts to Andrew Little on Morning Report.

    Our MSM is lazy, stupid and easily led to anything that reinforces their class biases.

  3. marty mars 3
    24 June 2017 at 9:38 am

    Good post. The comments from interns you quote tell the story. Amazing how some have been sucked in by the gnat lines. Idiots abound.

  4. Chuck 4
    24 June 2017 at 9:53 am

    “One American intern, who spoke on the condition of anonymity”

    Unless the interns were undercover conservative spy’s of course some will be wheeled out to defend this Labour Party internship mess.

    Will be interesting to see who the mystery backer was. If it was over $30k Labour have a problem with the Electoral Commission.

    • adam 4.1
      24 June 2017 at 12:51 pm

      Where you been on the harassment of the Nat staffer chucky?

      I see you only come out of the wood work to attack.

    • In Vino 4.2
      24 June 2017 at 5:39 pm

      For heaven’s sake, Chuck. The plural of ‘spy’ is ‘spies’ Spy’s means either ‘spy is’ or ‘spy has’. You continue to disappoint with badly-spelt wishful thinking. The vast majority of the so-called slavery-sweatshop-interns are actually happy, and the marae is not a slum. Learn to live with that.

  5. tsmithfield 5
    24 June 2017 at 12:41 pm

    Come on. If it had been National associated with this debacle commentators here would have been over it like a rash. So, don’t be surprised when right wing blogs hammer the issue. It is too good to be true from a right wing perspective.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1
      24 June 2017 at 12:48 pm

      The OP doesn’t say anyone is “surprised” by wingnut behaviour, and yes, you’re right, they welcomed the opportunity to distract attention from the fact of Bill English’s rank dishonesty for a day or so.

      On Monday however, no-one will be talking about interns and Bill English will still be a liar.

    • Planet Earth 5.2
      24 June 2017 at 1:20 pm

      Absolutely, tsmithfield, it’s a huge gift to National – “you couldn’t make this shit up”.

      Labour brings in young people from overseas

      1. To do a job young New Zealanders could do
      2. Puts them up in sub-standard accomodation (according to some)
      3. Doesn’t pay them a living wage
      4. Is evasive on their visa status

      Of course National will be all over it, it’s a huge stuff-up and hypocritical.

      Flippant aside #1: Do we want pople from overseas influencing our election? Is it OK if they aren’t Russian?

      Flippant aside #2: Maybe the people we read about working in Asian restaurants for 80 hours a week at $5 an hour and living upstairs 6 to a room are really interns, just here for the experience?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.1
        24 June 2017 at 2:18 pm

        Are you sure you want to go after volunteers like this?

        I mean, on the one hand I can see the temptation in diverting attention from what everyone knows Bill English is, and making a bit of political hay.

        On the other, are you sure you want to tell all your doorknockers the National Party regards them as slaves?

      • weka 5.2.2
        24 June 2017 at 2:33 pm

        1. To do a job young New Zealanders could do
        2. Puts them up in sub-standard accomodation (according to some)
        3. Doesn’t pay them a living wage
        4. Is evasive on their visa status

        Sorry, but that’s daft.

        1. To do a job young New Zealanders could do
        Yes, and nothing is stopping young NZers from doing this kind of voluntary work.

        2. Puts them up in sub-standard accomodation (according to some)
        Which was a lie spread by RWers and people who should know better. There’s nothing wrong with marae accommodation in general nor in this instance. The racism here is shocking/not surprising.

        3. Doesn’t pay them a living wage
        Duh, it’s a voluntary position. Most political work of this kind in NZ gets done by people who aren’t paid.

        4. Is evasive on their visa status
        Really? Because I thought Labour fronted up pretty quick and said that the visa issue would be looked at.

        • mickysavage 5.2.2.1
          24 June 2017 at 2:44 pm

          My kids have travelled overseas and engaged in comparable activity ever since they were young. It was character forming for them and educational.

          As for the rest of the claim this video of the Marae speaks volumes. But hey what have facts got to do with it?

          https://www.facebook.com/antos.star/videos/10155500959407783/

          • Ad 5.2.2.1.1
            24 June 2017 at 9:13 pm

            I remember international solidarity amongst the left.

            In previous generations lefties from other countries would go into other countries and join actual resistance groups.
            We’re supposed to help each other.

            Hell Jacinda Ardern was President of International Socialist Youth or some such. Although I’m sure that famous smile would momentarily quiver over her mochaccino if any of them actually flew in and knocked on her electorate door to help out.

  6. Pete George 6
    24 June 2017 at 12:45 pm

    “Even though it was not a Labour Party initiative”

    I think there is substantial doubt about that. I think that invitations clearly associating the scheme with Labour were sent around the world in February.

    The

    Matt McCarten was setting it up while still I think heading Labour’s Auckland campaign.

    Labour staff have been named as being involved – is that true or not (I don’t know).

    The Labour Intern Scheme obtained by Newshub named the Labour Party as manager of the scheme (in partnership with the CTU and AUSA).

    It also says “The project is managed out of the Trades Hall, Grey Lynn and the Grafton Road office” – is that the Labour Leader’s Auckland office that is on Grafton Road?

    Perhaps you could play with semantics and say that if it was McCarten’s initiative he wasn’t on Labour Party hours when he did everything, but the involvement of other Labour Party employees puts some doubt on that.

    If the Labour Party wasn’t involved and if the Labour Party didn’t have any responsibilities why did they take the scheme over?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1
      24 June 2017 at 12:49 pm

      🙄

      • Bill 6.1.1
        24 June 2017 at 1:06 pm

        You can ‘eyes to the ceiling’ all you like OAB.

        But the information in that comment is accurate and pertinent to any claim that the Labour Party Fellowship Programme (that NZ Labour have run in previous elections as far as I know) had nothing to do with NZ Labour.

        • marty mars 6.1.1.1
          24 June 2017 at 1:19 pm

          What about the quotes from above from other interns that were happy, impressed and enjoyed the experience – are you giving them any creedence yet?

          Seems like you just want to rip labour a new one – are you frustrated about something?

          • Bill 6.1.1.1.1
            24 June 2017 at 1:28 pm

            I’ve not commented on fellowship experiences. They say they are happy, then fine. Some have said they were unhappy. And that’s fine too. You’d expect a range of responses from 100 people.

            btw. You might also have noticed I’ve no interest in any of the right wing spin being thrown at this.

            And I’m not being snarky here marty, but can you please leave out using potentially homophobic and disturbingly violent phrases like “rip a new one”?

        • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1.2
          24 June 2017 at 7:42 pm

          nothing to do with NZ Labour. ≠ “not an NZ Labour initiative”.

          I’m rolling my eyes all I want.

    • lprent 6.2
      24 June 2017 at 1:06 pm

      Ah that is interesting – so we should eliminate anyone who is political from being involved in anything that is related to politics?

      While we are at it we should kick out all farmers from the National party because they might get into parliament and the laws constrain what they do. Same with property investors.

      Of course Christians should NOT be involved in helping people in poverty offshore… Quite why but I am sure that you could delude yourself that there is a reason.

      Of course there are Labour people involved. Just as there are probably people from Mana, the Greens, the Unions, and just about anyone from the progressive movements.

      Did you really intend to sound that foolish?

      • Bill 6.2.1
        24 June 2017 at 1:14 pm

        2017 Labour Campaign Fellowship.

        To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to Caitlin Johnston at labour.org.nz.

        Questions? Contact Caitlin Johnston at labour.org.nz or Kieran O’Halloran at labour.org.nz.

        http://stage.wp.hum.uu.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/181/2017/04/170424-2-New-Zealand-Labour-Party-2017-Campaign-Fellowship.pdf

        • marty mars 6.2.1.1
          24 June 2017 at 1:22 pm

          So what? Did you read the comment you replied to?

          • Bill 6.2.1.1.1
            24 June 2017 at 1:40 pm

            Yes marty, I did.

            Explain to me how it would come about that Mana and Green people would be involved in a “Labour Campaign Fellowship”? Note. I’m assuming the term Labour was used to denote the political party as opposed to being reference to the labour movement.

            And some of the reasons I’m making that assumption is that the leaflet makes no mention of unions or of other parties…that, and that the labour movement has no campaign. Or more precisely – given that the leaflet says fellows are being asked to “work towards a Labour victory in New Zealand’s most important city” and that they’ll be offered “special access to senior MPs and important decision makers within the party“

            • marty mars 6.2.1.1.1.1
              24 June 2017 at 2:00 pm

              Seems that many are putting stuff aside to try and get the gnats out.

              But let’s just assume you are right. Labour did it tried to use interns stuffed it up and upset some made a compete muck up. So what. Any person calling it slave labour is just pushing gnat lines. Slum is related to priviledge and expectations. If the above did happen and it’s all come out, fixing the situation for the interns would be the topmost priority – that is happening.

              And if what others at saying in disagreement to you are right then fixing it is the highest priority – that is happening.

              So what’s the problem – do you think a cover up is happening?

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                24 June 2017 at 2:02 pm

                What’s the problem? The answers coming from Labour don’t sound sufficiently evil and neo-liberal, and therefore they can’t be true.

              • Bill …
                24 June 2017 at 2:19 pm

                I’d like to know what went on. That’s all.

                I’m not interested in National Party supporter spin lines and I’m not interested in Labour Party supporter spin lines.

                To digress for a moment. Some people hereabouts would seem to be of the opinion that ‘one’ ought to be a bit careful about how Labour Party stuff is approached given that there’s an election – that what’s said or written on this blog is really, really important or some such.

                There will be two million five hundred thousand people casting a vote in three months time (give or take). Discussions here will have no discernible impact on how that vote goes. The overwhelming majority of readers and contributors to this site will be voting against the interests of the National Party no matter what.

                With that in mind. When political party stuff pops up that I have questions about, I kind of quite like to get answers, or some idea about what’s what if possible. And as I said above, spin as attack or damage control doesn’t really interest me.

                • marty mars …
                  24 June 2017 at 2:28 pm

                  Sure – I think you’re being disingenuous though with the ‘i just want to know the truth’ line. It is election year and the nasty stuff will fly and people are influenced by spin lines and lies – that is why politicans say and do them – they work!!!

                  • Bill …
                    24 June 2017 at 2:42 pm

                    I get that marty. But I also get that barring some “revelation” or “scoop”, what’s discussed on this site has bugger all impact on the impact any given spin might have in terms of the general population.

                    Of the people commenting or potentially reading this thread, do you think any of are likely to be persuaded that “black is white” or that “up is down”?

                    Y’know, (call me naive) but I think it’d be nice if there were more posts and discussions that revolved around understanding shit ,or of getting a reasonable picture of things (it used to happen), as opposed to various commenters rushing around “blogland” waving their wavy flags and shouting their shouty shouts….

                    • Pat …
                      24 June 2017 at 2:53 pm

                      I fear yours is a forlorn hope Bill…..political blogs (of ALL hues) are exactly that …political…not impartial nor reasoned.

                      may explain the great unwasheds’ complete (and perhaps understandable) disinterest

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  24 June 2017 at 2:32 pm

                  I’d like to know what went on. That’s all.

                  Me too, I just have better things to do than rubbernecking. If the answers provided so far by the actual people involved aren’t to your liking, I’m not sure what anyone here can do about it.

                  Even were we able to thrash out the exact details of what mistakes were made, by whom, and when, does that mean you’re going to volunteer for Labour and help prevent them in future? Didn’t think so.

                  And that word, volunteer – as I asked above, is this where we want to go: redefining it as some sort of exploitation because Bill English needs a smokescreen?

                • weka …
                  24 June 2017 at 2:56 pm

                  To digress for a moment. Some people hereabouts would seem to be of the opinion that ‘one’ ought to be a bit careful about how Labour Party stuff is approached given that there’s an election – that what’s said or written on this blog is really, really important or some such.

                  I would be one of them. I’d also be one of the people that think that social media influences culture. There were thousands of reads of the posts during the week about the Barclay/English issue. Far far more than were commenting here. Those people don’t read that in a vacuum. They read it at work or at home and then they talk to other people in those places, and all those people are also taking in information and opinion from MSM, FB, twitter, their daily lives etc. Journalists read here, as do politicians. If The Standard doesn’t have any influence on the political landscape, what’s the point of it? If social media doesn’t have any influence, then why do political parties use it?

                  I’ve seen people on twitter slagging off Labour and/or expressing their disappointment/horror at something Labour has done, but when asked after a while of that, they say they will vote Labour. My concern is that when they slag off Labour to their mates who are swing voters or potential non-voters then those people take in the message that Labour are incompetent to govern and they vote elsewhere. Lots of those people won’t vote Green or the minor parties, so yes, this is a very real issue in terms of changing the government.

                  The issue for me isn’t shutting down critique of Labour (which I think you’ve unfairly accused me of doing), it’s getting people to, yes, take more care in how they do it. So you might feel your questions are valid (and I’d probably agree with you on that if I was following closely), but what interests me more is how those questions are being asked and the context they are being asked in (not you specifically, I’m talking about over all). This is a blow to Labour not because they make mistakes, but because they made mistakes in a unforgiving culture that values the bash more than support and help. And the reason that matters to me is because I think that changing the government is waaaay more important than bringing Labour to heel.

                  There is no doubt in my mind that the MSM fucked up on this, both at the information level and by promoting outright fucking racism, and that the formal and informal RW machine geared up very fast to take advantage of what was going on. Too many lefties piled on. That all happened. And it happened because of NZ’s bash-Labour culture.

                  So yeah, the details of what Labour did or didn’t do in this instance pales in relation to the fact that Newshub are still today running a headline with ‘sweatshop’ in it. I don’t have a problem with you asking questions about the details about Labour, but I do have a problem with those questions being taken outside of that context. You aren’t promoting the racism and misinformation, but that’s where this whole thing started and it’s very hard now to separate it out.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    24 June 2017 at 5:40 pm

                    Don’t forget they’re also bashing these volunteers who are being described as exploited immigrant slaves. After all, I’d hate to see anyone ask that little wanker Seymour why he’s so fond of the Maxim Institute when it has interns working there.

                    And what’s with this photo?

                    Anyway, Labour are evil liberals eh, everyone knows that. Bash bash bash.

                  • Anne …
                    24 June 2017 at 5:48 pm

                    Hey weka, would you turn this comment of yours into a post? A few adjustments of course. What you are saying is very important and needs to be said time and again.

                    Here’s hoping…

                    • Jenny Kirk …
                      24 June 2017 at 6:18 pm

                      Totally agree with you, Anne.
                      Weka – those are really good straight-forward comments. Need to be repeated.

                  • Bill …
                    24 June 2017 at 7:02 pm

                    Hmm. You do get that I was commenting in relation to spin and not information, yes? It’s the impact this site has on any given nation wide spin that I was referring to. (Sorry if that wasn’t clearly expressed).

                    I can’t comment on twitter. I don’t access it. My comments above (and this one) are very much focused only on this site.

                    So yes, I absolutely agree that posts here can have an effect on the political landscape (ie, the information available). But posts that are spin or counterspin will have next to bugger all effect on whatever the spin is that NZ is being subjected to.

                    The only exception I can think to that is where “the standard” is the only place where a given spin is being undermined. That used to sometimes be the case back in the hey day of the National Party HQ/whaleoil’s bullshit.

                    On this fellowship thing and the spin that’s been put on it by National/Act Party supporters…you might disagree with my insistence of staying focused on the issue of a fellowship programme that seems to have morphed and then exploded/imploded and the reasons why. I’m just briefly reflecting (because you raise the possibility) that I can’t readily bring to mind any comments from any people who would be assumed to vote against the interests of National that have pushed the “slave labour”/”slum lord” memes…but then, I’m treating those memes as a kind of trolling (DNFTT), and so might have missed something.

                    What I haven’t missed is the idiocy of comments from the likes of OAB that seem to be desperate to argue me down on points I’ve never made. Aww..poor, picked on me 🙂

                    The serious point is, that comments like that can serve to alienate and shut down anyone who isn’t deemed to be waving the Party flag of allegiance fervently enough. And that does nothing in terms getting informed or discovering information…people who might have been able to offer good info may well avoid submitting it if they think they’ll get a bullshit bolloxing from commentators (I’d have banned if I wasn’t commenting).

                    Anyway, if media are spinning (it’s what they do), then it’s those outlets and those particular articles that need to be tackled. But again. This site’s potential impact on spin is very limited. So going for the big picture and a broader take of msm that just uses their instance of spinning as an entry point might be a way to go. That’s a long hard row…

                    But anyway, why I should take their spin, and embed my approach to the fellowship programme in the context they are spinning, or take their bullshit into account, eludes me.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      24 June 2017 at 7:18 pm

                      Here’s something for you to chew on then. The focus on interns makes politics a rich person’s game, just as business internships are for people with independent means.

                      However, people without independent means are often time poor and lacking motivation too. Not to mention deliberately discouraged from engagement by right wing policies and strategy.

                      Square that circle without volunteers.

                      PS: you don’t like me putting words in your mouth, apparently. Well hello Pot, I’m Kettle.

                    • Bill …
                      24 June 2017 at 7:37 pm

                      Uh-huh. I know the implication of the word “intern”. It’s why I’ve shied away from it. Can you point to a comment where I’ve used the term? No you can’t. I’ve consistently referred to fellows or such-like because it aligns with the concept of volunteer.

                      Your comment though, it reads as suggesting someone should have hammered a “poor little rich kid” line and then used that as a stick to bash Labour with. Odd.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      24 June 2017 at 7:50 pm

                      “poor little rich kid”

                      Too funny. You’re actually projecting your bias onto me 😆

                      Now, I don’t get into my personal details in this forum because on the one hand I value my privacy, and on the other, they’re irrelevant. Hence the pseudonym.

                      So I have no rebuttal for your notions of me, just a roll of the eyes.

                      The attack on Labour is based on the fact that they accept volunteers, just like every other party. There is nothing more to it other than the attempt to divert attention away from Bill English. That’s my opinion. Clear enough?

                    • Pete George …
                      24 June 2017 at 8:35 pm

                      Well, I think you’re wrong.

                      There’s certainly been some embarrassing hypocrisy regarding foreign volunteers, but there’s more important issues.

                      Like whether Labour has been caught trying to employ a jacked up third party organisation to avoid declaring donations, or if it’s just McCarten gone rogue.

                      How the Labour Party and leadership let this happen in the first place, and how didn’t prevent it getting out of hand. There were plenty of warnings about the risks of using McCarten.

                      How much of a distraction this is for the Labour Party leading into the election campaign and they are having to put som much focus on cleaning up the mess.

                      How it makes Labour incapable of running it’s own affairs let alone the country.

                      About honesty – McCarten certainly seems to have deliberately deceived. And there’s questions about how much Little and Kirton knew and aren’t admitting – or if they didn’t know, why not.

                      Greens have gone quiet, I imagine there’s a certain amount of despair in their camp given they have put themselves in the position of being totally reliant on Labour for them to succeed.

                      And Peters will be ecstatic that both National and Labour have had such asful weeks.

                    • marty mars …
                      24 June 2017 at 8:55 pm

                      Nah those are just the gnat talking points and you know it.

                    • Pete George …
                      24 June 2017 at 9:37 pm

                      You can’t have it both ways.

                      It’s how I see things. A bit pathetic trying to blame National for a Labour balls up.

                    • marty mars …
                      24 June 2017 at 9:48 pm

                      yep how you see things aligns with the gnats – how convenient lol

                      “How it makes Labour incapable of running it’s own affairs let alone the country.”

                      see that is just rubbish, poor grade rubbish – and quite simply a gnat sympathetic line that is pathetic – seriously pathetic.

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      24 June 2017 at 9:51 pm

                      There’s certainly been some embarrassing hypocrisy regarding foreign volunteers…

                      There has? What hypocrisy regarding foreign volunteers are you referring to? The only context in which I’ve seen foreign volunteers come up is this one – for it to be hypocrisy, there’d have to be some other foreign volunteers situation to compare it to, so what are you comparing it to?

                      …but there’s more important issues.

                      Oh, there are many. So why are you blathering away about this trivial one?

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      24 June 2017 at 9:52 pm

                      It’s how I see things.

                      Nobody but you gives a rat’s ass how you see things, Pete. You’re entitled to what you can argue for.

      • Pete George 6.2.2
        24 June 2017 at 1:19 pm

        There’s no problem with Labour bringing in volunteers and interns if they want to – if they don’t mind a few jibes about hypocrisy.

        The problem is the attempts to dump it all on McCarten and claim it wasn’t a Labour party scheme.

        This post at University of Michigan on 24 February with a contact email address @labour.org.nz and saying…

        LABOUR PARTY CAMPAIGN FELLOWSHIP IN NEW ZEALAND

        The Labour Party Campaign Fellowship is a unique opportunity to witness how democracy functions first hand. The fellowship is based in Auckland which is New Zealand’s largest and most diverse city. All fellows will report to the organising staff. Daily tasks include: leading phonebanks, coordinating volunteer schedules, leading trainings, organising doorknocking groups, attending local Auckland political events, and assisting the organisers with daily office functions. This is a great opportunity to assist the organisers in leading a team of local activists and to learn about the on-the-ground political climate in New Zealand.

        https://umichpicsannouncements.wordpress.com/2017/02/24/labour-party-campaign-fellowship-in-new-zealand/

        …means it’s a bit disingenuous to claim that the party only stepped in this week to sort things out.

        Kirton and Little have conceded they knew about it in April, but it was well under way then, and if they didn’t know about it earlier they should have.

        It’s not the use of interns and volunteers I have a problem with, it’s the deceit and lack of honesty.

        When McCarten ‘launched’ the Campaign for Change’ a couple of weeks ago he claimed it was non-partisan and didn’t mention Labour. I think that was deceitful and dishonest.

    • Barfly 6.3
      24 June 2017 at 1:08 pm

      Are you lonely Pete George ? Is there no one to talk at on Beige Blog ?

  7. Karen 7
    24 June 2017 at 12:45 pm

    This from Claire Trevett in this morning’s Herald is interesting as it explains a bit better what happened:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11881250

    I’ve been a bit busy this week so have only just tried to work out what happened through the various news and twitter accounts. I know this marae – it is where the Alliance was formed back in 1992 so Matt will have some strong, long term links to that marae. It is certainly not a slum – it is used by all sorts of international groups. A First Nation group spent a couple of weeks there in April and loved it. However, marae living isn’t for everyone, and I think 90 was far too many for that particular space.

    The idea of overseas volunteers is an old one but usually they get billetted with Labour Party members. Matt had big ideas (as he often does) but he didn’t work out the logistics very well (another Matt trait). The example in the article of him approaching the CTU for money but then not following through with a letter is typical.

    That said, it was a great idea and it is sad that it has ended this way. I briefly met 5 of these students at a friends’s place last Saturday – they were going door-knocking with some NZ volunteers and seemed really happy about what they were doing. Obviously there were some others who weren’t (like the one who stole wine from Jenny Salesa) and the usual suspects have latched onto this in order to take the heat off the Nats. The hypocrisy of Jordan Williams, Ben Thomas, David Farrar and Matthew Hooton being concerned about exploitation and poor housing is extraordinary.

    • Pete George 7.1
      24 June 2017 at 12:55 pm

      From that: “Labour leader Andrew Little said the party would disclose anything it was required to and would ensure third parties did as well. However, the party was still working out what funding there was in place.”

      Why would he do that if it wasn’t a Labour scheme?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1.1
        24 June 2017 at 1:05 pm

        🙄
        [Grow up and engage OAB, or go away or alternatively, be sent away. You decide.No more pointless ‘rolly eyes’ in lieu of engagement with reasonable comments.] – Bill

        • Barfly 7.1.1.1
          24 June 2017 at 1:13 pm

          Peter do try to keep up. You poor old chap didn’t you realize this wasn’t a Labour Party program but they have stepped up and taken charge of it upon invite because of their greater resources and larger organizational capacity.

          • Bill 7.1.1.1.1
            24 June 2017 at 1:21 pm

            Hey Barfly. What’s this if it’s not a NZ Labour “Labour Campaign Fellowship”?

            http://stage.wp.hum.uu.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/181/2017/04/170424-2-New-Zealand-Labour-Party-2017-Campaign-Fellowship.pdf

            • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1.1.1.1.1
              24 June 2017 at 1:51 pm

              You and Peter should read Lprent’s comment at 10.1.

              Reading is a skill though, so…?

            • marty mars 7.1.1.1.1.2
              24 June 2017 at 2:04 pm

              You calling labour liars?

              They have explained, quite reasonably too imo when they probably really wanted to be focusing on billshitter.

              • Bill …
                24 June 2017 at 2:27 pm

                Has a Labour Party spokesperson stated that the “2017 Labour Campaign Fellowship” (as per that leaflet and as per the emails/literature sent out to various Universities) had nothing to do with the Labour Party? Because if so, I missed it.

                Note – I’m not talking about the “Campaign For Change” the fellowship appears to have morphed into and that NZ Labour disowned or distanced itself from in mid- May.

                • mickysavage …
                  24 June 2017 at 2:47 pm

                  Campaign fellowships are not new things. I know a number of people who have been on them. I’m struggling to see what the problem is here apart from some substandard organisation.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    24 June 2017 at 5:48 pm

                    The problem is that Bill English needed a smokescreen and Labour are evil Liberals or something.

                  • Bill …
                    24 June 2017 at 7:15 pm

                    I see nothing at all wrong with Labour having a Campaign Fellowship Micky. (I’ve said as such a few times now).

                    In the context of this post, the ‘problem’ would be the claim that the Campaign Fellowship had nothing to do with Labour.

                    I’m curious on how it came to be that such a programme became something else, the details of which Labour were apparently blind-sided on, exactly what who-ever was responsible thought they were hoping to achieve, and how that came to implode.

                    I’m also curious to know (from listening to Checkpoint the other night) how AL can reckon that a fellow has got nothing to do with immigration given that they are here for a set period of time (fair call imo), but have an immigration policy that targets people who are only here for a set period of time (students).

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      24 June 2017 at 7:25 pm

                      blind-sided

                      What you mean they didn’t predict that volunteers could become the target of dirty politics?

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      25 June 2017 at 6:03 am

                      an immigration policy that targets people who are only here for a set period of time

                      You mean the immigration policy that seeks to ensure that they indeed stay here for a set period of time, rather than study being a loophole to citizenship?

                      Because if you were trying to pretend that’s somehow contradictory, it says something about you, and nothing whatsoever about the policy.

                      [Seeing as how you’re obviously keen to construct your own hermetically sealed arguments, and in effect debate yourself, you’ll appreciate the time I’m giving you to do just that. Obviously, you won’t be able to use that time to simultaneously indulge in your habitual pastime of attacking other commenters. Them’s the breaks. The duration of your ban, that’s taking effect as of now, will be posted up here sometime in the next 24 hours, ie – sometime early Monday afternoon.] – Bill

                      [Banned for 3 weeks]

      • lprent 7.1.2
        24 June 2017 at 1:09 pm

        Because some idiotic fuckwits like Farrar, Hooten, and even at least one government minister have levelled accusations, both veiled and direct, at the Labour party. Labour tends to deal with it rather than trying to lie like Bill English does.

        Are you really this thick or is it just a really bad day?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.2
      24 June 2017 at 1:01 pm

      Hypocrisy?

      Perish the thought, and whatever you do don’t look for any other examples.

    • Once Was Tim 7.3
      24 June 2017 at 1:21 pm

      As I said elsewhere @Karen – I hope like hell the Gnats keep pushing this shit. It’s only because we have a lame MSM too lazy to dig that we see Gnatzi opportunists trying their best to take advantage of the situation.
      I imagine there are one or two who’ve moaned like a Hooton on heat that might be desperate to get home to mummy and daddy.

    • Alwyn 7.4
      24 June 2017 at 8:47 pm

      You mention one of the interns as having stolen some wine. I have seen a reference in this blog to a couple of bottles but no link to a reputable or unbiased source. Is there one?
      Actually if they did try and pinch a couple of bottles I am not surpised they are being scorned. They would never qualify fo a role in the NZLP. As Phil Goff’s staff demonstrated at the Parliamentary Press Gallery party in 2008, if you are going to pinch the host’s booze you take multiple cases of the stuff.
      These people, even if they did what you suggest, have got to do beftter than this penny ante stuff.

  8. Tautoko Mangō Mata 8
    24 June 2017 at 12:53 pm

    I was pleasantly surprised to read the following this morning.

    Audrey Young: ;No comparison between Labour’s intern strife and National’s crisis

    The crisis that has afflicted National over the past week is not remotely comparable to the headache facing Labour over its foreign campaigning interns.
    Yes, the poorly-run intern programme has weakened Andrew Little’s ability to talk convincingly about Labour’s immigration policy.
    But he admitted its failure quickly, acknowledged it was an embarrassment, and the party is trying to make good on the experience that the young travellers were hoping for.
    In Matt McCarten, Little’s former chief of staff, Labour has someone it can credibly blame. In his exuberance to change the Government, he overreached and may have cut corners.

    By contrast, the National Party crisis has undermined its leader internally and externally when leadership and judgment will be a huge factor in the election.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11881086

  9. ianmac 9
    24 June 2017 at 12:56 pm

    If an American sees the Red coloured phamplet they think Republican.
    When they arrive here and find that they are to help Labour (Democrats?) they set out to sabotage the scheme. (In USA the colours bue/red were chosen by chance to contrast on TV.)

  10. Bill 10
    24 June 2017 at 1:01 pm

    Hang on Anthony. Are you really saying that the Labour Party Fellowship Programme was not a Labour Party programme?

    My clear understanding is that it was, but that NZ Labour stepped away from it in mid-May. At that point, McCarten seems to have kept it running as a non-partisan project seeking to promote some “Charter for Change”.

    If it really had nothing at all to do with NZ Labour, then NZ Labour couldn’t have pulled the plug on McCarten last Monday/Tuesday. And they wouldn’t have felt obliged to field a potential $200 000 fallout from the whole affair, or confess to embarrassment.

    Or am I missing something obvious?

    • lprent 10.1
      24 June 2017 at 1:23 pm

      Read the first few paragraphs of the first link of the post. It reads…

      A mystery backer funded the volunteer scheme for overseas students working on Labour’s campaign – and even Labour does not know who it was or how much was involved.

      Matt McCarten, who set up the scheme and ran it under his “Campaign for Change” organisation, told the Herald it was funded by a “private funder” who thought the scheme was a good idea.

      It is understood Labour itself still does not know who that funder is or how much was spent on the programme and it has been left to cover some of the costs of housing the interns at Awataha Marae, although McCarten said he believed the payments were up to date.

      And the last paragraph. It has the name of Labour, so Labour are bailing it out.

      It was advertised as a “Labour Party Fellowship”, involved Labour MPs, and was set up by McCarten while he worked for Labour until May – but was run by his Campaign for Change.

      Your clear understanding is probably incorrect (just as Bomber’s was).

      Labour runs all kinds of volunteer things at local or even volunteer level. In a lot of ways, this site could be considered to be one in that I and the bulk of authors over the years are Labour party members. FFS Mike Smith, my fellow trustee, spent many years as the Labour Party secretary. But it doesn’t mean that it is a Labour party initiative.

      I’d guess that like this site it was being pushed to Labour and something that should be done, but didn’t get official support. Labour tend to be pretty conservative about what they operate, and they tend to play safe. For instance, instead of something like this site, Labour did the now moribund Red Alert.

      But because their name is on it, their supporters are involved, and there are some progressive volunteers apparently having issues – Labour will bail it out.

      • Bill 10.1.1
        24 June 2017 at 1:55 pm

        Yeah, nah. That’s a reference to the “Campaign For Change” which is what the “2017 Labour Campaign Fellowship” morphed into.

        The 2017 Labour Campaign Fellowship was a Labour Party initiative, no? I mean all contacts were for Labour Party people, all focuses were Labour Party focuses and the proposed lecture series was all Labour bar some overseas involvement. (As an ex-leader of the party, I’m viewing the proposed lecture by Helen Clark to be Labour).

        There are questions arise around how a fairly straightforward Fellowship programme became a bloated and somewhat detached debacle – one that may or may not have been privately funded, or that may have fallen due to a lack of funding. ($200 000 was the round figure being punted in terms of fund requirements, some of which was to come from fundraising dinners, raffle tickets and union contracts according to what looks like a very rough and ready but genuine draft that’s been linked to elsewhere)

        • One Anonymous Bloke 10.1.1.1
          24 June 2017 at 2:00 pm

          …questions arise…

          Make sure you imagine the answers all cast the NZLP in the worst possible light, and you’ll be able to reject the actual reasons out of hand.

          No, wait, sorry, you’ve got that well covered.

        • lprent 10.1.1.2
          24 June 2017 at 9:02 pm

          Have you heard of City Vision?

          It is the coalition between the greens, labour, some old alliance people, unionists and just about anyone who is interested in left wing local body politics through much of Auckland. It now has a pretty strong

          Is it a Labour party initiative? yes. Is it a Green initiative? yes. etc.

          Do people involved in this use personal cityvision emails? Not usually..

          Because who in the hell wants to have 20+ email addresses for each frigging group they are involved in.

          Do either you or I use a thestandard.org.nz email? No of course not.

          If that is the level of evidence you are relying on, then I’d have to say that you are don’t require any and what we are seeing is your own personal bias flooding out.

          BTW: weren’t you the one chastising me about levels of evidence a month ago? I guess you require more for organisations that you like eh?

          • Bill 10.1.1.2.1
            24 June 2017 at 11:11 pm

            You’re contending that a “Labour Campaign Fellowship”, that has literature mentioning only the Labour Party, and that is focused on winning Auckland for the Labour Party, is likely some kind of cross party coalition involving the Greens and others because City Vision. k.

            I can’t respond to your “BTW” because I can’t remember any such exchange. If you care to remind me, all good.

    • Gabby 10.2
      24 June 2017 at 1:31 pm

      Well, Labour might have got on board a scheme that got hijacked, and been bullshitted into thinking everything was fine.

      • Bill 10.2.1
        24 June 2017 at 1:57 pm

        Yup. Something like that.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 10.2.2
        24 June 2017 at 6:04 pm

        It looks to me as though:

        1. Labour (McCarten, whatever) put out a call for volunteers.
        2. Heaps of people responded.
        3. It was a “she’ll be right” type of volunteer affair. Marae accommodation, goodwill, we’re all in this together, kumbaya etc etc.
        4. Sour grapes over pilfered wine.
        5. ???
        6. Profit!!! Scandal!!! Dogs and cats living together!!!

        In other words, dirty politics as usual. The line “not a good look” is a bit of a give-away. If you “look” at the work of volunteers through a jaundiced lens you can come up with all sorts of nasty rhetoric.

        “Charities give things to people who would otherwise buy them: charities are responsible for business failures. Not a good look for charities.”

        “Rotary Club volunteers are stealing our jobs. Not a good look for the Rotary Club.”

        “Steven Joyce encourages internships. Not a good look for Steven Joyce.”

  11. ianmac 11
    24 June 2017 at 1:21 pm

    “Fran O’Sullivan: Barclay affair takes the gloss off brand English …”
    Fancy Fran doing other than praise him. praise him praise him as she usually does.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11881271

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.1
      24 June 2017 at 2:47 pm

      Unlike his predecessor Sir John Key, he is not a practised dissembler.

      F o’S.

      I guess it’s ok to say it now there’s little more harm he can do 🙄

  12. ianmac 12
    24 June 2017 at 1:45 pm

    Paddy Gower Newshub intense interview of English published 3 hours ago. Covers most of the statements the PM made including many of those contradictory ones. Paddy does a good job of pursing this.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-herald-focus/news/headlines.cfm?c_id=1504018

    • mary_a 12.1
      24 June 2017 at 8:19 pm

      @ ianmac (12) … yes, I saw this interview and have to say it has to be one of Paddy Gower’s best and believe me, most of the time Gower does not impress me one little bit. However though, throughout this interview with English, he remained very professional, exactly how NZ visual media journalists should conduct themselves.

      Hate to say it (3 Hail Mary’s for penance), but credit where’s credit’s due, well done there PaddyGower. Look forward to more of the same good interviewing technique leading up to the election.

      Pity Gower didn’t use the same strong interviewing style on Key when he had the chance. Now that would have been interesting.

      • ianmac 12.1.1
        24 June 2017 at 8:28 pm

        Yes Mary. With Paddy’s record of massaging the Government ego I was pleasantly surprised at the persistence and the precision of all those dodgy moments that he reviewed with the hapless English. I expect Bill had been practising to be prepared but…..
        A very good interview.

      • Tamati Tautuhi 12.1.2
        25 June 2017 at 9:49 am

        Paddy and Key had a bromance going.

  13. patricia bremner 13
    24 June 2017 at 1:47 pm

    When her research shows a pattern, Fran doesn’t bend and spin.
    She was an admirer of Billshit, but has lost respect for his recent and ongoing behaviour, and this is clearly expressed in her recent posts.
    There is a brevity and pointed disgust evident imo.

    • dukeofurl 13.1
      24 June 2017 at 6:30 pm

      Only now does she say the truth about Key-> he was an accomplished dissembler-
      I suppose that was a close as the lawyers would allow. Not a peep of it for last 10 years or so.

  14. Karen 14
    24 June 2017 at 2:24 pm

    Here we go – this includes a video of some of the poor slaves being farewelled by their slum landlords.

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/06/labour-s-sweat-shop-interns-give-glowing-reviews.html

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    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    38 mins ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
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