Peters gets knocked down but may not get up again

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, March 20th, 2024 - 54 comments
Categories: copyright, david seymour, music, nz first, racism, winston peters - Tags:

At one level this Government is a real laugh. Every couple of days either David Seymour or Winston Peters do something outlandish to try and attract attention. They do not care about getting majority support. They just want to attract attention to secure their base and they are in competition for the same small group.

Act’s Batshit crazy interpretations of the Treaty and putting this forward as a referendum presents no problem. Even though it has the potential of making the Springbok tour protests look like a walk in the park.

Not to be outdone Winston Peters last weekend likened co governance to fascism. Claiming that showing respect for Maori and article 2 rights is akin to Nazi Germany was a valid thing to say according to Winston. That Nazi Germany had no respect whatsoever for the rights of minorities and people with dark skins is totally irrelevant.

This does not matter to Winston. He is not trying to appeal to the 70% of the population who is rational and/or compassionate and/or sensitive. He is appealing to his base, people who think the 1950s was the best time in the country’s history.

His complete contempt for the concept of property rights is of concern.

It is not as if right wingers have not had problems in the past with respecting the property rights of musicians.

Who can forget National’s plagiarism of Coldplay’s Clocks in 2007?

Or how it was sued by Eminem for using a song described as eminemesque? Turns out that the use was not pretty legal.

Peters idol, Donald Trump also has some form in the area. He once used Neil Young’s song Keep on rocking in the free world at a campaign launch. This attracted a cease and desist letter from Young who was at the time a Bernie Saunders supporter.

Trump was not the first American right wing politician to totally ignore the rights of musicians to their music.  Ronald Reagan once used Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” in 1984, and caused major affront to Springsteen who is a strong union supporter and a true progressive.  And in 2000 George Bush junior used Tom Petty’s song “I won’t back down“.  He then received a cease and desist letter from Petty which showed clearly that Petty was not backing down.  Petty even played this song for Al Gore after he conceded the 2000 election.

The thing about musos is they tend to be talented intelligent people who want to make the world a better place. Because of this they hate the right and populist politicians who rely on division and hatred for support especially those that use their music without consent.

And Chumbawamba are clearly in that category and were also upset that Peters had usurped their talent for his political purposes. From the Herald:

[F]ormer lead guitarist Boff Whalley said Tubthumping was written “as a song of hope and positivity, so it seems entirely odd that the ‘I get knocked down …’ refrain is being used by New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters as he barks his divisive, small-minded, bigoted policies during his recent speeches”.

“Chumbawamba would like to make it clear that we did not give permission for Peters to use the song and would ask him to stop using it to try to shore up his misguided political views,” Whalley said in a statement to Stuff.

“Chumbawamba does not share any of Peters’ ideas on race relations and would like to remind him that the song was written for and about ordinary people and their resilience, not about rich politicians trying to win votes by courting absurd conspiracy theories and spouting misguided racist ideologies.”

You would think that the message was pretty clear and that Peters should back down. But no.

Peters thinks that since the event was not being used to make money he is in the clear. He really needs to get better legal advice. And besides NZ First apparently had a cameraman there obviously gathering campaign material. The slightest sliver of the song in any publicity material would render his defence, such as it is, irrelevant.

Peters will make this into an absolute circus. Instead of doing his job as the Deputy Prime Minister he will spend lots of time fighting an issue where the merits are clear.

I hope that Sony sues him. Please make it quick so the media is not dominated by clips of angry Winston railing against the machine, or at least railing against Musicians wanting to protect their rights to their music. He should be doing his job which is making decisions on issues that are actually important for all of us.

Prepare for the circus. And don’t expect Winston to win this.

54 comments on “Peters gets knocked down but may not get up again ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. tsmithfield 1
    20 March 2024 at 9:06 am

    Perhaps NZ First has registered with Apra which provides permission to play a lot of music in public settings.

    I agree his Nazi comments were way out of line.

    But, on the other hand, Peters may have been trolling the media who have said virtually nothing about MP claims that Maori have superior DNA.. The fact this is reported only on a few random media sites suggests the NZ media are very biased in how they report such comments.Or the instagram post How to train your Pakeha which also has received very little comment in the media.

    The media would be frothing with outrage if NZ First or any right wing parties made similar comments.

    • mickysavage 1.1
      20 March 2024 at 9:28 am

      Perhaps NZ First has registered with Apra which provides permission to play a lot of music in public settings.

      Then surely he would have said this.

      • tsmithfield 1.1.1
        20 March 2024 at 9:36 am

        Or it could just be Peters being Peters. He seems to enjoy creating controversy where none is necessary. I am not a fan of his btw. Though I did think his twitter quip was rather humorous and cutting.

        I would use another of their hit song titles as a quip at the end of this post but unfortunately they only had one.

        A lot of churches register with Apra for playing music in their services. And it isn't expensive. So, it wouldn't surprise me if NZ First had done that. Probably a wise thing to do for any organisation that may want to use music from time to time in public settings.

        • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.1
          20 March 2024 at 10:00 am

          "but unfortunately they only had one" is "rather humorous"?

          Peters insults the creators whose song he (mis)used?

          Missing the humour, I am.

          • tsmithfield 1.1.1.1.1
            20 March 2024 at 10:23 am

            Yeah, I still think it is humorous. But, on the other hand, getting even one number one hit is an achievement that the vast majority of bands would give their right arm for.

        • Obtrectator 1.1.1.2
          20 March 2024 at 10:14 am

          He seems to enjoy creating controversy where none is necessary.

          Straight out of the Trump playbook. All done to distract attention; while the media zoom after the "story" like a lot of reef-fish, the real dirty-work is being done by others, elsewhere and unremarked on.

      • weka 1.1.2
        20 March 2024 at 10:25 am

        Then surely he would have said this.

        it's worth quoting the whole tweet from Peters,

        It seems the media care more about the Chumbawamba story than we do. We actually don’t care.

        There’s nothing to ‘cease or desist’.

        The song worked like a charm for our first public meeting after the election. The over 700 people in the crowd thought so too.

        We will be sure to file the ‘cease and desist’ letter in a safe place if it ever arrives.

        I would use another of their hit song titles as a quip at the end of this post but unfortunately they only had one.

        this is classic Peters. Who knows if they're registered with Apra and Peters is not saying that because it suits his purposes. Or if he's talking shit to cover up that fact that they don't know what they're doing and are about to get into a legal process.

        • tsmithfield 1.1.2.1
          20 March 2024 at 10:31 am

          Who knows if they're registered with Apra and Peters is not saying that because it suits his purposes.

          I agree. As I said earlier, he likes stoking controversy where none is necessary just because it suits his purposes. He seems to treat the media as his play thing, and they always seem to co-operate.

          It also shows how brain dead our media are in that they didn’t even think to ask the obvious question about whether NZ First had registered with Apra.

          True investigative journalism died a long time ago unfortunately.

          • alwyn 1.1.2.1.1
            20 March 2024 at 10:53 am

            "they didn’t even think to ask",

            They may have. If they found that they had registered, and therefore were entitled to use the song they may simply have left that out of the story. (I assume that is how it works. I don't know anything much about Apra).

            After all, if NZF had clearly done nothing wrong and their story would show it they would look at bit silly, wouldn't they? Better to leave out the details and run with their preferred "Let's bash Winnie" scenario.

            • weka 1.1.2.1.1.1
              20 March 2024 at 11:31 am

              doubt it. Unlike Peters, MSM still has some kind of standards.

              Someone should fact check that APRA even applies here though.

          • Georgecom 1.1.2.1.2
            21 March 2024 at 8:15 pm

            For me the main issue isn't the song but rather Winston being s dickhead all round with his cogovernance equates to nazis comment. That level of hyperbole and misrepresentation feeds that dickhead percentage of the population. The likes who opposed 3 waters simply because they thought it gave Maori too much power and didn't stop to think about their council rates going sky high as a result. By digging in a trying to justify those comments Peter's is acting like, as wayne brown would say, a pernickety dickheaf

    • Robert Guyton 1.2
      20 March 2024 at 9:58 am

      "But, on the other hand"

      Classic!

    • Res Publica 1.3
      20 March 2024 at 2:27 pm

      But, on the other hand, Peters may have been trolling the media who have said virtually nothing about MP claims that Maori have superior DNA.. The fact this is reported only on a few random media sites suggests the NZ media are very biased in how they report such comments.Or the instagram post How to train your Pakeha which also has received very little comment in the media.

      Yeah, because bothsidesing the argument is definitely helpful. /sarc

      This is exactly the kind of rhetoric that has been used to justify (relatively unilateral) hyperpolarisation in politics elsewhere. If the 'other' side has also said some bad things then all you have to do is close your eyes, make a wish, and argue everything every politician and political party says is morally equivalent.

      Therefore rendering any outrage about our deputy Prime Minister literally calling the former government and a significant chunk of our population literally Nazis moot.

  2. alwyn 2
    20 March 2024 at 10:03 am

    I suppose that there use of the song had one effect. I, like most other people I would guess, had never heard of the band. Now I have, although I doubt it will lead to their revival or a Super Bowl halftime show appearance.

  3. AB 3
    20 March 2024 at 10:38 am

    The real problem with Peter's comments is that he claimed that the rationale behind co-governance was the Nazi ideology of racial superiority. That is just factually incorrect.

    The rationale behind co-governance is that this is how the Crown meets its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty is an agreement between an indigenous people and a colonising power. The race of neither party matters – Maori could be white and the British black and such a Treaty could still in theory have been made.

    This error is then conflated with something that Rawiri Waititi said about Maori superiority. But Waititi was not part of the last government which introduced 3 Waters. Waititi's comments were at best silly (if an attempted joke) and at worst offensive. But they are completely unrelated to the rationale for co-governance under 3 Waters.

    This is all very irresponsible from Peters. It aggravates a false mood of racialised grievance amongst some pakeha NZers. It plays into the hands of the owners of capital who wish to eliminate the notion of indigenous rights which they see as a potential impediment to their profiting from extraction of our natural resources. And most importantly, it damages our chances of getting an implementation of the Treaty that we can all agree to. In the end it is the Treaty that offers us the chance of living in the only settler-colonial country in the world that could claim to be morally and politically legitimate.

    • mickysavage 3.1
      20 March 2024 at 10:50 am

      Well put. His behaviour is Trumpian.

    • tsmithfield 3.2
      20 March 2024 at 10:54 am

      I largely agree with you.

      It could be argued that the Waititi comments were consistent with some of the Nazi type messaging(race superiority etc). But, certainly not in terms of the dreadful actions that accompanied the Nazi messaging in WW2.

      So, trying to equate that language with Nazism was completely out of line as I said earlier.

    • Obtrectator 3.3
      20 March 2024 at 11:39 am

      And most importantly, it damages our chances of getting an implementation of the Treaty that we can all agree to.

      Classic extremist technique – don't take out the opposition (it's needed to justify your own existence). Take out the bridge-builders instead, and destroy their bridge while you're at it.

    • Subliminal 3.4
      20 March 2024 at 1:04 pm

      Absolutely. It is the same mentality that needed to wipe out indigenous North Americans and with them their property rights. It is absolutely an ongoing project and the same mentality that seeks to extinguish Paestinians and with them, their property rights.

  4. randal mcmurphy 4
    20 March 2024 at 11:31 am

    chumbawumba are a great little band but too far off the mainstream for nz media. peters and seemore are both chapskates.

  5. James Simpson 5
    20 March 2024 at 11:50 am

    This type of “controversy” is what keeps Peters in the headlines. He loves the media coming at him for this kind of stuff, which in the greater scheme of things is meaningless. Other than a band who had a hit a quarter of a century ago, who is losing sleep over this (other than some journalists)?

    Trumpian politics is successful if the media allows it to flourish. The news notifications on my phone over the past 3 days have been Peters, Peters, Peters. He is dominating the news cycle, when this isn't news. Why do they give him a platform and allow him to spout this rubbish? Its exactly what he wants. Just like Trump.

  6. gsays 6
    20 March 2024 at 12:25 pm

    Please excuse the following ageism.

    Since this story broke, I've had the notion that rather than get knocked down, it's more likely he had 'a fall'.

    • Phillip ure 6.1
      20 March 2024 at 1:00 pm

      The audience shot of his audience is hilarious..

      The ditty is blasting away…and they are all immobile..maybe even in shock at hearing something they didn't know.. that's too loud..

      It was going down like a lead balloon..

      He should have given them 'she'll be coming around the mountain'..

      They would have all known it/would have sung along..(and it is probably out of copyright..)

      Peters would have us believing the audience gyrated along with this latest rip-off from/by the right..

      They hated it..

  7. Mike the Lefty 7
    20 March 2024 at 1:07 pm

    Not being used to make money?

    Well thats a lie for a start.

    They were soliciting donations for the party before and after the performance.

    I hung around the entrance to the Convention centre beforehand to see who or what turned up to see Peters

    It was more like what.

  8. observer 8
    20 March 2024 at 1:15 pm

    He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink, he drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink …

    Then he gives a speech on TV. No wonder he couldn't remember what he said.

  9. Darien Fenton 9
    20 March 2024 at 1:33 pm

    FFS this man is Deputy Prime Minister and our Foreign Minister. He is a member of Cabinet in this awful government, yet apparently he can keep on spouting NZF crap in his "State of the Nation". I always thought there was collective responsibility in government and particularly those who have the privilege of being around the Cabinet Table. Not to mention leadership and dignity. But he and Seymour are running amok and it seems to me that the PM, yes the PM, is too afraid to haul them in. They will be the undoing of this awful coalition.

    • James Simpson 9.1
      20 March 2024 at 1:51 pm

      Afraid to haul them in?

      I think he is intentionally letting them go. Don't you think he agrees with what they say?

      • Chess Player 9.1.1
        21 March 2024 at 7:31 pm

        No, I think he disagrees, but knows that everyone else will be distracted by Winston so he can get his other objectives met

        Politics is the art of the possible

        No different to when Clark let Bradford and co loose on the anti-smacking bill so she could get the west coast iron-sands sold to the Chinese

        There's a reason Winston is going first too in the the deputy prime minister role – by time of next election he will have been relegated somewhat (as much as it is possible to) and less of a distraction

    • Res Publica 9.2
      20 March 2024 at 2:20 pm

      It reminds me of an anecdote from Suetonius:

      When Caesar was consul (59BC), he so thoroughly sidelined his colleague (a guy called Bibulus for those playing along at home) he was forced to barricade himself in his home and refused to participate in public life.

      The Romans loved a farce, and jokingly referred to the year as in Iulio et Caesare consulibus – the consulship of Julius and Caesar.

      Similarly, is Christopher Luxon really the Prime Minister? Or should we refer to this government as the premiership of David Seymour and Winston Peters?

    • tsmithfield 9.3
      20 March 2024 at 4:17 pm

      Just to remind you Darien, it wasn't that long ago that Labour was kowtowing to him when he was part of the Labour government.

      Absolutely toxic I know. But it is what it is I guess.

  10. Anker 10
    20 March 2024 at 4:28 pm

    https://www.chrislynchmedia.com/news-items/winston-peters-blasts-disgraceful-example-of-journalism

    This is Winstons statement on what he said at his state of the Nation Speech. I was listening to it and it concurs with what I heard.

  11. Anker 11
    20 March 2024 at 4:31 pm

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/nz-firsts-winston-peters-plays-chumbawamba-at-parliament-pm-christopher-luxon-tells-political-leaders-to-grow-up/RZWNN3RJLZAXJDCSJUHQ6TWN7Y/

    Oh and this. Peters walking through parliament listening on his phone to chumbawamba! LOL. I think he already is up again!

    BTW the point here is that the media have shamefully misquoted what Peters said. And in this statement published by Chris Lynch media Peters makes the point that the media didn't rush to ask the synagogue what they thought after tras compared Posie Parker to Nazis….

  13. Chess Player 13
    20 March 2024 at 5:30 pm

    One of the early stages of dementia has the sufferer being physically and verbally abusive, which appears to be down to a combination of chemical changes in the brain and an associated anger at losing control of faculties.

  14. thinker 14
    20 March 2024 at 5:47 pm

    "Please make it quick so the media is not dominated by clips of angry Winston railing against the machine, or at least railing against Musicians wanting to protect their rights to their music."

    No, make it slow so the media is not dominated by clips of whatever 100 days' targets are being spun, but rather dominated by an out-of-control coalition, headlined by Winston"6%" Peters and led by Luxon, hopefully wearing one of those 90s caps that said "I'm their leader… Which way did they go?"

    Come on, Mickey, play the long game!!

  15. Michael P 15
    20 March 2024 at 7:43 pm

    Just another distraction. Most people couldn't give a rat's arse what some one hit wonder band called Chumbawumba thinks of Winston Peters. This is flaffel. (Gad… another non-word)

    Did the whole Eminem / National party thing make a jot of difference to anything, despite the ridiculous amount of media attention it got. The only reason anybody even remembers it is because of Steven Joyce.

    Have to admit though, that agree with Joyce and National or not,

    "… it's, umm, pretty legal…"

    has to be one of the greatest ever (probably unintentional although he did have a glint in his eye) quotes from a New Zealand MP. Shame he wasn't the Minister of Justice at the time….

  16. SPC 16
    20 March 2024 at 8:33 pm

    New Zealand has a land based economy and so the government is planning to build more dams to protect this from drought (likely to be more common because of global warming).

    It is a scientific fact, well researched, that Polynesians have larger bones and more muscle than others. All Rawiri Waititi, co-leader of Te Pāti Māori did was make the case for investment in Maori sport.

    Too many of our tamariki miss the opportunities in sport because of the financial burden placed on their families will give up and turn to drugs and gangs. Sport is the alternative for many keeping them busy and offering them opportunities to travel and be better, see the world and give them the confidence our tamariki rightfully deserve in their own country.

    https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/maori_sports

    Apparently using the term "Māori genetic makeup is stronger than others" – as per both bones and muscle, a scientific fact – got attention. He did not use the term strongest, because of other Polynesians.

    The hysteria about this places the debate about western science and Maori "knowledge" into a whole new context.

    Of course there is nothing scientific about the idea that an oral based marae culture producing orators, enabling the Jones and Peters types, to superficially impress

    The TPM sports policy now merely says this.

    As to Our ancestors were not just athletic they were also strategic thinkers with intentions to survive. This all required, stamina, resilience, endurance, speed, agility, and logic. There is great opportunity to showcase the sporting talent of Māori on the world stage

    Fear of Maori ability has been around forever.

    https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2022/09/29/the-danger-of-an-untold-story.html

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    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

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