Peters stands down

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 5:49 pm, August 29th, 2008 - 145 comments
Categories: election 2008, election funding, helen clark, nz first - Tags:

Peters has stood down. Clark has taken over his portfolios.

It’s good that Peters appears to have accepted that this is a necessity and hasn’t turned on the Government. Clever of Clark to take the portfolios herself too.

[we nearly had the scoop on this too but it took too long for me to get an internet connection, damn Herald got in ten minutes earlier]

145 comments on “Peters stands down ”

Comments are now closed

Anita 1

29 August 2008 at 5:54 pm

Everyone except The Herald is reporting “stands aside”.

The Herald was way after Stuff, and Stuff was way after Radio NZ broadcast it.
sweetd (The idiot dickhead) 2

29 August 2008 at 5:54 pm

“[we nearly had the scoop on this too but it took too long for me to get an internet connection, damn Herald got in ten minutes earlier]”

Makes sense, you have a direct feed from the 9th floor.

[lprent: You know that I’m a bit picky on that subject. I’ll just adjust your name a bit. Aren’t you lucky – I didn’t adjust all of your comments. Fortunately it took too long to fire up Navicat.]
r0b 3

29 August 2008 at 5:59 pm

This is good news. Both HC and WP must have handled the meeting well. Now I’ll be very interested to hear what the Serious Fraud Office come up with.
sweetd (The idiot dickhead) 4

29 August 2008 at 6:03 pm

r0b

Your comment seems to think that the SFO have an up hill case to prove. Really, what else could both (HC and WP) of them do?
r0b 5

29 August 2008 at 6:07 pm

sweetd the idiot dickhead, my comment meant no such thing. I think Winston has blown it this time, and I’ll be very interested to hear what the Serious Fraud Office come up with. But it is always possible that Winston is correct, and there is nothing nefarious to find, and we should keep that possibility in mind.
Felix 6

29 August 2008 at 6:17 pm

With Winston it’s always advisable to keep every possibility in mind.
sweetd (The ignorant dickhead) 7

29 August 2008 at 6:23 pm

What chance ,really, do you think there is nothing to find? It is too late for WP, and to some degree by association HC, the mood of the people has already shifted and WP is bad goods. Key outplayed Clark (dropping WP) on wednesday and it is all catch up from Clark’s point of view now.

If, and its a big if, WP is innocent of all charges, what worries me is that under MMP you only have to pander to 5% of the electorate and you stand a high chance of becoming a king maker.
Felix 8

29 August 2008 at 6:29 pm

sweetd the idiot dickhead:

Unless you have some special knowledge of the case then you don’t know anything more than what we’ve all heard so you can’t be sure of anyone’s guilt or otherwise.

What do you righties have against due process?
Tim Ellis 9

29 August 2008 at 6:30 pm

SP thank you for putting up this post. It would have been great to see you guys have the scoop on this. Roll on faster broadband!

I don’t think you’ve covered yourself in glory on this issue SP. I don’t like to rub things in, but this morning I wrote:

“Your responses so far have been: 1. National is lying. 2. There isn’t any evidence. 3. There is now evidence, but Winston hasn’t done anything illegal or immoral. 4. Winston has done a few immoral things, but look at how immoral the other guys are. 5. Winston deserves a fair trial, and everybody is colluding to stop him having a fair trial because they are immoral and corrupt. 6. This isn’t a major issue.</i.

I don’t like to put words in people’s mouths SP, but if you stay to form your post after the PM makes her decision today will be: 7. The PM made the right decision in the circumstances.

It turns out I was right. I am also disturbed by reports that Labour Party sources are currently going around smearing Owen Glenn. I would be surprised if these rumours turn out to be true, but if they are I would be really disgusted at the cynical way they’re behaving. Dail Jones really jumped the proverbial sycophantic shark this week when he insinuated that Owen Glenn’s evidence to the Privileges Committee was a forgery; I do hope the Labour Party don’t use such disgusting, disloyal tactics towards somebody they were so happy to take money from, celebrate with a new year’s gong, and celebrate with a business school.
GordonF 10

29 August 2008 at 6:34 pm

Julian Robins on National Radio praised Key on his “brave and principled stand” re Peters. Sorry Julian it was neither brave nor principled, as per usual Mr Key is just playing the polls and hoping like Hell that some of this stuff sticks to Peters.
Draco TB 11

29 August 2008 at 6:36 pm

This is good news and I’m going to be very interested in what the SFO comes up with as well.
sweetd (The ignorant dickhead) 12

29 August 2008 at 6:37 pm

Felix

“What do you righties have against due process?”

So, why isn’t Tito Philip Field still a Labour MP? He hasn’t been found guilty of any crimes? According to HC he was only guilty of helping his fellow constitutents.
Felix 13

29 August 2008 at 6:43 pm

sweetd the ignorant dickhead:

That’s got nothing to do with what I said.

You guys need to wipe the froth from your lips and let justice take it’s course.
sweetd 14

29 August 2008 at 6:47 pm

Iprent.

Tito Philip Field has not been found guilty of anything.

The only reason he was dumped from the Labour Party was when he dared to suggest he would stand as an independent against the Labour Party.

So, Iprent, why am I ignorart?

[lprent: Because you listen to Whale – who is technically incompetent. You suggested that Steve works on the 9th floor without any evidence (and he doesn’t). I consider that to be both idiotic and ignorant, and it offends me. So I’m making my opinion public. Read the About and consider why you don’t offend a sysop. Besides it is more fun than banning on a friday. ]
Tim Ellis 15

29 August 2008 at 6:50 pm

Felix, that’s a good question. The issue for me has always been not whether Winston Peters was guilty or innocent. The issue has been the credibility of his answers in public. Since the story broke he has been evasive with the media, and gone on the attack. He has done everything to create further problems for himself. The Prime Minister has known for six months that there was a “conflict of evidence”, despite saying the whole time that she had confidence in Winston Peters unless there was “evidence to the contrary”.

I am not making judgements about his guilt, but his credibility has been torn apart through his own behaviour. It simply isn’t credible to go about claiming that the media forged evidence, as he claimed. It simply isn’t credible to go about railing that the press gallery is full of liars, as he has. It simply isn’t credible to hold a ministerial warrant while claiming that the Serious Fraud Office is conspiring to do you in. The performance in the Privileges Committee shows that he was more determined to make a mockery of Parliament than answer direct questions.

Helen Clark has known about all this for a very long time. She will no doubt face the political consequences for that decision, because I think that dents her credibility as well.

The issue isn’t whether Winston Peters took bribes, fraudulently put money towards purposes it wasn’t intended, or broke the law to fail to declare donations that he was legally required to do. Due processes, in the form of the SFO and the Privileges Committee, will determine that.

The political issue is that throughout all this, Winston Peters has behaved in a way that did not just fail to enhance his integrity as a government minister; every time he played games over the issue, he damaged the integrity of his ministry, his coalition government, and Parliament as a whole. Helen Clark let that go on for far too long. He should have been stepped aside long ago.
dad4justice 16

29 August 2008 at 6:54 pm

Well, when is Clark stepping down? Clearly she has lost the plot big time. Mr Glen deserves another gong. When can I sing ding dong the wicked witch is dead? Is Trevor in the dock or Fatty Field?? How’s Dover and Panty Boy??
r0b 17

29 August 2008 at 6:57 pm

Julian Robins on National Radio praised Key on his “brave and principled stand’ re Peters.

I don’t think anyone could accuse Robins of a pro Nat bias (or a pro Labour one), and I actually think there is a germ of truth there. For better or for worse this is pretty much the only occasion on which I remember Key showing any kind of spine on anything. (Hmm – maybe supporting the repeal of S59 was another example).

I don’t think it was “brave and principled”, but I do think it was “risky” (after all, Peters may be back), and that’s unusual for Key. Much more his style to sell out his principles for the path of least resistance.
dad4justice 18

29 August 2008 at 7:00 pm

Would the chief justice principal smack some principles into Miss Clark?
Felix 19

29 August 2008 at 7:02 pm

Tim I agree, it’s about credibility (which is a perception).

In my eyes, Peters has always had very little and this affair does nothing to alter that perception. To his supporters this affair will probably boost his credibility a bit, especially if he plays it as “sticking it to the man” which is his favourite defensive position.

Of course if he is found guilty of serious wrongdoing he’ll be abandoned by all but his hard core supporters and probably won’t recover politically.

As for Helen Clark, I doubt very much that anything can be made to stick to her in any meaningful way except in the perceptions of those who don’t consider her credible already.
dad4justice 20

29 August 2008 at 7:04 pm

For six months Miss Clark has turned a blind eye too Winny the poohs blatant corruption.
My tummy tightens said Lickspittle Campbell tug muscle.I expect Labour to poll 15% come election time.
Felix 21

29 August 2008 at 7:06 pm

dad your lyrics are getting better all the time.
dad4justice 22

29 August 2008 at 7:10 pm

Sorry Felix I can’t sing for shit, but I do wonder what the voter thinks about Helen’s secret about Winston’s corruption. What party has the secret agenda Heather Simpson? Is it not in the public interest to have a Prime Minister that is truthful and does not withhold information. After all our taxes pay for the deceptive parasites.

This regime will make history for ALL the wrong reasons.
randal 23

29 August 2008 at 7:11 pm

Winston is not the victim here but the very basis of our law itself and that is due process. Keys and Wodney and the rest of his claques have shown just how much they care for the sanctity of the law. Their effort is the same one used by schoolyard bullies and persons addicted to short term gratification. Shame on the nats and their fascist criminal tendencies. Labour will be reelected just to make sure that this way of carrying out the law does not become a permanent feature of life in New Zealand.
lprent 24

29 August 2008 at 7:19 pm

What is going to be interesting with this whole topic is what happens if the SFO and PC finds nothing conclusive – which is what I’m half-inclined to believe is what is likely to happen.

While Peters has been a long way away from practicing the law – the other two people involved haven’t. Lawyers have a tendency to think through the downside of everything, and the old Electoral Act of 1993 has holes in it you could push a bus through.

If I was Peters and the scenario above is the case – then I’d be pushing both the PC and the SFO to work as fast as possible (but to drag things out for a few weeks). Great publicity if the allegations are unprovable or were quite legal. Winston’s practice is to go into elections being the underdog. He only needs 5%…….

I was so hoping that NZF would disappear this election from terminal respectability.

Felix: d4j has being waxing quite lyrical recently (as has randal).

Staying off-topic. I just realised that I could have used Search and Replace on sweeetd.. Oh well..
higherstandard 25

29 August 2008 at 7:21 pm

The SFO is a side show – regardless of what the find on WP, the Owen Glenn issue is completely separate and it is on this issue where he repeatedly lied to parliament, the NZ public and to the PM (although who knows if he did indeed lie to the PM perhaps they have been complicit in this fiasco since Glenn gave her the information on WPin February.

Interesting he’s instructed Peter Williams to run diversion for himself and the Prime Minister and to attempt to smear Key and the Nat’s.
dad4justice 26

29 August 2008 at 7:25 pm

Lawyers are showing their true colours, follow the money honey.Show me an honest lawyer and I’ll eat me hat.
higherstandard 27

29 August 2008 at 7:29 pm

d4j

I think your hat is safe barring a very thorough search of NZ.
randal 28

29 August 2008 at 7:29 pm

lprent..if you think this is a game then I advise you to change your occupation and re-think your commitment and obligation to the labour party and the proletariat.
mickysavage 29

29 August 2008 at 7:33 pm

Good comment Lynnp

I just saw Key on TV and he looked very nervous.

This (Winston attack) is a whole of the business bet by him. It obliterated the terrible week they were having, and attached Helen in one of her strengths, honesty. But it took out completely a potential ally and pissed off a portion of the population.

Helen has done something no one else has done, persuaded Winston to stand down. Bolger and Shipley failed to do this. Helen’s handling is masterful.

The real danger for national is if the SFO comes back and says that there is nothing to investigate. I suspect that this will be the finding. The only conspiracy that I can work out is that Helen conspired to aid and abet Winston to receive a donation from Glenn to pay costs to a national MP. Paradoxically Glenn’s money ended up in Clarkson’s pocket … Winston’s shenanigans with the signs do not help but I do not see that he has done anything illegal.

If Winston is exonerated then Key will be in trouble. His standing down has shown Helen to be in control. Exoneration by the SFO and the Privileges Committee will make him smell like roses. National’s tantrum before the committee had actually considered and ruled on the complaint makes them look cheap.

The winners will also be the EFA and the movement for state funding. How can national oppose it now?
dad4justice 30

29 August 2008 at 7:33 pm

Oh my, randal is giving Lynn a broadside, oh what fun this will be to watch. Can I be the ref with a hat on please vicious randal?
higherstandard 31

29 August 2008 at 7:37 pm

I’m sure Michael Savage would be delighted that the current Labour party both protects and relies on the likes of WP to maintain power.
lprent 32

29 August 2008 at 7:42 pm

I’m afraid that it has been a long week with too little sleep because of the campaigning I do for the NZLP on the data analysis side. Fitting this in with the 9-5 leaves too few hours for fun.

I’m pretty sure that I do not do it for the proletariat. More for making sure that my younger relatives don’t have to put up with kinds of lousy policy decisions from the Nat’s that I have.

Basically I do this blogging for fun. It has to be the cheapest entertainment around…

BTW: Has anyone else noticed that the stats department has released the census data down to meshblock level. Bloody great big database that I’ve been digging into for a while now. There are also the boundary maps as shp files – I’m having fun with those in the few spare minutes that I have available.
Concerned of Tawa 33

29 August 2008 at 7:49 pm

As Sweetd says Taito Philip Field has not been found guilty, yet he (and a pile of other Labour ministers before him) were never extended the favours from Clark that Winston has received. The double standards here are as credible as Winston. This will hurt Clark and you know it. Key has made the right call. For once.
Dean 34

29 August 2008 at 7:52 pm

“I’m pretty sure that I do not do it for the proletariat. More for making sure that my younger relatives don’t have to put up with kinds of lousy policy decisions from the Nat’s that I have.”

Would that be the failed policies of the 90s which Labour attack but have refused to reverse after 9 years in government?

Or would it be National NOT sending out fake eviction notices to state house tenants at the last election?
sweetd 35

29 August 2008 at 7:53 pm

Mickeysavage

What time frame has the SFO given? It could easily stretch beyond the election.

Iprent, yeah search and replace me. Its a fine line between editoral content and censorship.

As far as I know Whale had a convincing arguement that hasn’t been rebutted yet. As this is your blog, I stand (and wait) to be corrected of my errors,

SweetD
lprent 36

29 August 2008 at 7:56 pm

Dean: Those daft policies of the 1960’s to the early 1980’s that caused all of the later problems. That was a hell of lot of wasted opportunities. We’re still climbing up to the point that we can afford to pay for what needs to be done. Of course if the Nat’s get back in, we can rely on them to fritter away the recent gains.

How young do you think I am?
Dan 37

29 August 2008 at 7:58 pm

My reading of Key on this one is that he dropped Peters on the advice of his Hollow Men advisors. He gave himself some wriggle room, and my reading of his interview tonight is that he is uncomfortable with the position he finds himself in. He would have preferred a more populist middle road with a dollar each way to the outcome. he also knows the Nats are vulnerable on questions of hidden money from interest groups.

The line between a brave man and a foolish one is often very small.
Some commentators have berated Peters for not being straight with the media, as if somehow that justifies the pack mentality that has ensued. When has the media been straight with Peters? It would be different if the Media were, without fail, objective, unbiased and fair. Many times Peters has enjoyed being the whipping boy to play the persecuted one to drum up his 5.1%. However, that is not carte blanche for the media to get even.
lprent 38

29 August 2008 at 8:06 pm

Sweeetd. It wasn’t a convincing argument – it was a few facts and a lot of speculation. To rebut it would require the anonymity of the posters would have to be violated. That wasn’t an option because of the reasons in our About.

Let me just say that the bloated one is a liar about in the conclusions he reached and is full of shit.

Ask rOb – according to the idiot, he is Rob Salmond – something that has been publicly refuted by both people. I know he isn’t because I know rOb. But it cannot be refuted because of the Privacy Policy.

Essentially Whale is relying on our following our stated policy to make sure he wasn’t shown up to be the complete blowhard that I know him to be.
Concerned of Tawa 39

29 August 2008 at 8:07 pm

Dan

“he also knows the Nats are vulnerable on questions of hidden money from interest groups.”

Clark and Wisnton have completely removed that vulnerability.
Hollow Women.
dad4justice 40

29 August 2008 at 8:08 pm

r0b and rob and my head hurts. Cheers Winston. Go the lawyers.

Clark’s credibility hits rock bottom (sorry no pun intended Judith) She sang, I did it my way while being taken away to the funny farm.
Macro 41

29 August 2008 at 8:12 pm

I would be surprised if the Serious Fraud Office finds anything! In fact Peter Williams on Campbell tonight stated that he had viewed the relevant accounts of the Spencer Trust and was completely satisfied that all was above board. Its not unknown for W P to give his detractors enough rope to hang themselves, and I suspect that that may well be what he has done again. Furthermore, those who believe that this latest round of fuss making by Rodney and John will count against W P may well find that the very people that they hope to turn against him will be backing him even more strongly than before!
The thing though that amazes me most is the utter HYPOCRISY of those who have lead the charge against these so called secret donations and their being undeclared!
I would be asking J K about the use of the private Helicopter by National in the last election, the Waitemata Trust Fund, etc etc… Heavens! N Hagar has written a whole book on it and its never been denied. How about removing the planks from their own eyes, before they try removing the splinter from others.
gobsmacked 42

29 August 2008 at 8:12 pm

The best part of this whole soap opera has been the entertaining spectacle of Key acting “um, decisive”, trying to remember his script but just not able to get in character.

It’s Rambo, played by Noddy.
sweetd 43

29 August 2008 at 8:16 pm

Bugger me

This excuse of a corrupt inept embarrassment of a pva glued held togethor government deserves to burn in the pyre of unfulfilled ambitions and undelivered promises.
randal 44

29 August 2008 at 8:20 pm

tell that to the families getting wff. Helen Clark will go down in history as one of New Zealands greatest prime ministers and the achievements of her government will live on long after she has gone.
Monty 45

29 August 2008 at 8:21 pm

A great week for National – John Key has looked to be the one in Control. Winston polling around 2% will not be able to recover to 5% at the election for two reasons – firstly his credibility is completely shot, and secondly because the only money he now has left in the bank is that which he did not pay to charities (thats right – It is no longer credible to belive the liar did pay all $158,000 to charities when he had nothing in the banks and secret trust accounts to fund his election campaign. No business wll now touch him. He has lied too many times.

But the good news this week is Clark’s protection of Winnie. She has aided and abetted (and gambled that the public would not find out) about his corruption.

I see the best result for National come 18 October 2008. (Clark will be forced to call an election on Wednesday after the ETS Bill has failed at the last hurdle.
sweetd 46

29 August 2008 at 8:26 pm

Iprent, TPP was removed from the LP becase he dared to becoeme an independent, not for any other reaon.
Anthony Blomfield 47

29 August 2008 at 8:27 pm

Oh. Deah I better be clear. Helen Clark is Awesome, She is a cool, caring a courageous lady. I am fairly clear on that. So what does this mean. I am sad that such a great cool person is in a left wing party, why can’t we have some talent like hers.

Helen has consistantley been polite professional and answered questions. John key has nothing on her.

National have often belittled and given personal attacks to her which have made me very upset

It has made me want to know more about the labour party beliefs.

Can Labour please answer:>>>

What does it take to grow an economy?

What is wrong with Free enterprise.?
dad4justice 48

29 August 2008 at 8:31 pm

“It’s Rambo, played by Noddy.”

It’s Wonderwomens’, played by Helen and Heather, filmed in Helengrad.
mickysavage 49

29 August 2008 at 8:34 pm

Sorry Monty

I was worried about the ETS bill. I think it is the most important piece of legislation this government has to pass. Climate change is not waiting and if we do not start to do something now it will be too late. Today’s events confirm that it will be passed. If you want a bet let me know …

Winnie has not been corrupt. He has been beligerent and stupid but what has changed?

Helen has not protected him. She asked the right questions. Why someone in charge of a $45b spend should ascertain what happened to a private $100k donation to another party is way beyond me. Don’t you think she should be more worried about our economy?

Election day will be November 1. LP and P and Green will be slightly ahead of N and ACT and NZF will not be there. Game over. Long live democracy and NZ will be better for it.
dad4justice 50

29 August 2008 at 8:35 pm

Level 9 Standard has gone to moderation mode Sir.
Over and out Batman.

[lprent: you’ve joined the guessing game about the spelling mistakes and strange words that I pushed into the moderation queue.. ]
Concerned of Tawa 51

29 August 2008 at 8:44 pm

Mickysavage. Wow!

“Why someone in charge of a $45b spend should ascertain what happened to a private $100k donation to another party is way beyond me. Don’t you think she should be more worried about our economy?”

Good, so Clark won’t be interested in a group of Exclusive Brethren businessmen spending private money either.

Glad we cleared that up. Move on.
johndoe 52

29 August 2008 at 8:47 pm

Spin is fine and even if anyone actually believed SP was writing all the stuff that comes out under his sig, it would still be fine. But delusional rants are not spin.
Prentice Moderates Like Gerry Brownlee eats pies 53

29 August 2008 at 8:48 pm

Gee, why won’t Helen call an election now and let her ‘court of public opinion’ decide?

Because the head like a foot minger wants to keep going as long as possible to try and wipe Peters’ shit off her. And you sad substandard fucks support her stance.

Your venal partisanship won’t get you any favours, you know. Clark is going to take the whole ship down with her.
dad4justice 54

29 August 2008 at 8:52 pm

What an unusual name you have. I must step down.

Edit – down goes the ship of fools Sir.
mickysavage 55

29 August 2008 at 8:57 pm

Concerned of Tawa

The EFA is about the money that parties spend. It will also increase transparency because parties will have declare election year donations. Glad to see the right wing agree that it is important.

If you agree that there should be no limits then we should give up now and let the multinationals take over. If you want a democracy then we should have electoral spend limits. if you want the richest to take over then oppose limits.

PMLAFB

I had a great deal of difficulty understanding your post. Are you on some sort of medication?
Concerned of Tawa 56

29 August 2008 at 9:04 pm

Mickeysavage.

Which part of Clark keeping silent for 6 months on Winstons (and Labours biggest donor) and the murkey donation trail increases transparency?

I thought the EF would stop the undue influence of big bad foreign money trying to buy policy or Honorary Consul positions with cold hard secret cash.

Apparently not.

Hollow.
Bill 57

29 August 2008 at 9:05 pm

On the assumption that the SFO finds Sweet FA, (I postulated a while back that WP was letting things run because, well like a wind-up, the longer it runs, the sweeter the end result.) John Key will either

a)successfully widen the focus and watch some mud stick to Labour

or

b) having been unsuccessful in regards to a) realise that it was about now when he became a pretty rotten fish hooked on a slowly reeled WP line. One that no-one was willing to swallow.

Winston’s only danger, going on the assumption above, is that his sense of timing was out and he let things run a little too long. But then, I guess most people would be quite happy to get two for the price of one as it were. No?
infused 58

29 August 2008 at 9:06 pm

Macro: WP lied to the public and got caught out. National didn’t. HC supported peters. Spot the difference.
Brett Dale 59

29 August 2008 at 9:15 pm

Peters will survive this.
coge 60

29 August 2008 at 9:21 pm

Sweetd has a point. Yesterday SP categorically said Peters would lose his portfolios as a result of the SFO investigation. Does SP have the power of divination? It would be better for everyone if such speculation was answered clearly in an upfront manner.
Bill 61

29 August 2008 at 9:22 pm

infused.
didn’t you listen to any of the tape from the Nat conference? National honest Joe…john, whatever. Uh-huh.

sitting in a dispassionate space here, I can’t see where HC supported Peters.

Maybe read my comment above.

Sling the mud then and widen the focus. You think it will work?

A truthful answer please.
Falafulu Fisi 62

29 August 2008 at 9:24 pm

lprent said…

…I do for the NZLP on the data analysis side.

BTW: Has anyone else noticed that the stats department has released the census data down to meshblock level. Bloody great big database that I’ve been digging into for a while now.

I haven’t looked at that myself, but if you’re looking for state-of-the-art data-analysis open source software that may help you do that task, then look no further than the most popular open source data-mining/machine learning project on the planet from University of Waikato called WEKA. It is geared towards inductive inferences/knowledge discovery/pattern recognition rather than deductive inferences in traditional statistical analysis (although data-mining/machine learning do overlap with statistics to some extent).

How big is that Stats Dept database? That is how many rows (records) & columns (variables) in there? Is it in the millions? I haven’t done any data analysis on a big dataset as that. The largest dataset that I have developed an engine for online live analysis on, was around 150,000 records by 82 variables, and it takes about 7 minutes to run (and that’s excluding the pre-processing stage such as data-cleansing, imputation, normalization, etc…).

If you have any further questions about any techniques/algorithms (such as what to use for a certain analysis), then you’re welcome to drop me an email.
Monty 63

29 August 2008 at 9:29 pm

I am prepared to bet anyone $1,000 that Winston will not be returned to parliament after the elction. The stench of corruption, lies and trying to be too smart will take him down. Hell he was only returned in 1999 because of 64 stupid people in Tauranga that gave hime an extra lease of life – and that was about an $89 pair of undies belonging to Tuku. This time he will not be returned byt he people of Tauranga who have woken up to his bullshit. Neither will there be enough people in the resthomes to give him the 5% he desperately needs. Hell over their bingo and bridge and over the next seven weeks they will all be talking about what a nice Prime Ministerthat John Key will make. Anf the few Maori that once supported Winnie now have the Maori Party. Winston will get 3% on election night.

Winston is gone for all money. He deserves to go. The next one to watch with interesat will be Clark – why did she protect Winnie for the past six months except to hang desperately onto power – Shame on her and her corrupt practice of protecting that parasite of NZ politics.
toad 64

29 August 2008 at 9:30 pm

Um, so Helen’s the Minister for Racing?

Surely she could have given that one (a minor portfolio that could be [was] held outside Cabinet) to Sue Bradford or Russel Norman. After all, Bradford and Norman did all the work in Parliament exposing the Vela donations to NZF (or whatever entity that eventually [mis?]appropriated them) – and Bradford was hot on the trail of the racing stakes deals from pub pokie trusts and Parliamentary appropriations for racing stakes well before that.

If Labour wanted to really bring the Greens onside before the election, now that Winston First is the proverbial packet of dog biscuits, that’s what they should have done.
rave 65

29 August 2008 at 9:46 pm

The rush to judgment is becoming frenetic. I note that the left blogs are getting carried along in the wash.
Another old battler, David Williams QC, spoke up for Winston on TV1 tonight. “Peters has nothing to answer to the SFO”.
I would bet on the battlers to go the distance against the crybabies Key and Hide. I would say Key and Hide will both lose theirs.
This is a showdown between the old fading white middle class cast adrift by Rogernomics, and the casino wide boys who think they own us. The populists have got a sting in their tail because its survival for them and not just bonuses.
You write Peters off at your peril righties. He did you twice in the 90s and the 00s. Peters may have to mortgage his trust account and Williams his yacht but don’t write him off yet.
lprent 66

29 August 2008 at 9:51 pm

FF: All up it is about 4.8 million rows across a number of 3rd normal form tables. It is in bloody access – took while to transfer into something useful.
dad4justice 67

29 August 2008 at 9:52 pm

“Um, so Helen’s the Minister for Racing?”

Oh Toady , $5 each way the greens sit on the fence on the Winny saga. Helen Rules should win Race 7,Bad Bradford has the blinkers on again in Race 8 and the bloody lawyers win the jackpot.
r0b 68

29 August 2008 at 10:04 pm

Can Labour please answer

Hi Anthony. Labour don’t run this blog, but there are a few Labour Party members about. I’m one.

What does it take to grow an economy?

Talented educated people. Investment. Time, luck. Enough regulation but not too much. Labour’s record on growing the economy is good, better than National’s, and better than several other countries over the last 9 years.

http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=2162
http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=2657
http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=1832

What is wrong with Free enterprise.?

Nothing. Why would you think it was?
randal 69

29 August 2008 at 10:13 pm

betta watchout d4j….you might not beat the ambulance….hahahahaha
Anita 70

29 August 2008 at 10:14 pm

lprent,

Has anyone else noticed that the stats department has released the census data down to meshblock level. Bloody great big database that I’ve been digging into for a while now. There are also the boundary maps as shp files – I’m having fun with those in the few spare minutes that I have available.

Cool eh! 🙂 I’ve always used the street address to meshblock mapping not the boundary maps – how easy are they to plot?

I do find the rounding-for-privacy rules make the data look lumpy tho.
gazzaj 71

29 August 2008 at 11:03 pm

Just thought it might be worth pointing out that a “scoop” usually refers to an exclusive – not a story that almost every journo in the country has literally been chasing all day.

Being the first to hit “post” does not a scoop make.

cheers
gazzaj 72

29 August 2008 at 11:10 pm

The next one to watch with interesat will be Clark – why did she protect Winnie for the past six months except to hang desperately onto power

I think she’ll get away with it… teflon skin and all that. Sure, the people who wouldn’t vote for her anyway will be pissed off, she’ll lose a handle of swing voters, but labour have lost most of them already. The 35% they are polling at are diehard labour and it’ll take a lot more than this for them to change their minds.
burt 73

29 August 2008 at 11:57 pm

Plan G, Version 5.2

Winston steps down, election is called before Owen Glenn testifies quashing the privileges committee hearing. The question of misleading the house is dead and the only problems that might remain are legal and if they surface they will be after the election. These are Winston’s problems and as far as accountability to the rules of parliament go Helen Clark and Trevor Mallard also walk free.

It’s actually not a bad exit strategy from such a tight corner. So much damage could have been avoided had decision priorities been different.
ak 74

30 August 2008 at 12:56 am

(Ritalin, burt, dangerously close to overload there. You’ve been doing so well darling, don’t spoil it all by reverting to that pathetic early election call you’ve been spouting for three years – not long to go now baby, just relax and hang in there, soon be over)
Jon 75

30 August 2008 at 8:13 am

Sweetd. I was wondering if you were offering to join the Labour Party by your 8.16pm comment
dad4justice 76

30 August 2008 at 8:44 am

Silly Jon, Why would Sweetd want to join a Party that has a track record of inappropriate behaviour by Minsters of the Crown? Nobody likes liars and cheats. It’s so obvious the Labour Party is run by a despicable untruthful corrupt women who is a power tripper, which has severely clouded her judgment.
She will destroy the Labour Party as we know it. Bad luck girls and eunuchs.
burt 77

30 August 2008 at 8:45 am

ak

Want to put a beer on it that the election is called before next Thursday and there is no final determination from the privileges committee ?

Or like most of NZ would you think that was a diabolical use of parliamentary process to opportunistically shut down the process of maintaining the integrity of parliament?

It would be like shutting down a court case wouldn’t it – no govt that believed in the principles of democracy and integrity would do that would they, so I might loose my beer but I’m willing to take that risk.
monkey-boy 78

30 August 2008 at 8:56 am

It’s a series of cynical moves, by Helen and Winston indeed. The question is, will the people swallow it?
I wonder how Winston feels now that Helen has him by the baubles? Or is it the other way round?
It may depend on how much Helen and Mike Williams knew about the Owen Glenn/Winston issue before the actual payment of the money, to Winston mightn’t it?
It has already taken since February for Helen to fess up about the Owen Glenn donation ‘Because nobody asked me’.
Would it be worth asking her in the House if she, Williams and Simpson knew that Owen Glenn was going to back Winston BEFORE February, because they were complicit in the coalition arrangement, and the ‘carrot’ of a consulship for Glenn?
Does she really imagine Owen Glenn is finished on this matter? Or is the only course left now to smear Glenn and attempt to completely discredit him?
I await with interest.
the sprout 79

30 August 2008 at 9:00 am

gee you’re right burt, the privileges committee should totally timetable its actions according to your perceived political expediencies. if it didn’t it’d be ‘corrupt’, right?

what i wonder is how Simon Power could possibly act independently as its Chair when his party leader has already decided the verdict for him.

oh and apropo your previous response about how Owen Glenn couldn’t possibly have been acting to set Peters up, i guess you’re right. you must have misread me. i’m sure he was only meaning to help Peters out with that letter to Power. Glenn, Jones and Simunovich have clearly only ever tried to clarify things in the best interests of democracy, right Burty?
the sprout 80

30 August 2008 at 9:05 am

still, you’ve got to admire the bravery of Key and Hide to be picking a fight with someone with as comprehensive a closet full of other people’s skeletons as Peters.

good for them. i look forward to the impending consequences of such bravery.
dad4justice 81

30 August 2008 at 9:06 am

Privileges Committee, Serious Fraud Office and a drooling Lickspittle media all tied up in more political corruption within the Clark regime.
When will we have a government that can focus solely on the welfare of its constituents and running the country along the lines of integrity and honesty? Clark should be in a prison cell.
r0b 82

30 August 2008 at 9:08 am

Got to love your wacky conspiracy theory Burt! Guess what – the SFO was due to be disbanded. Clark has delayed that process so that the SFO can complete it’s enquiry into Peters. If she wanted to shut it down, or cover up for Peters, she didn’t need to deliberately act to allow the SFO enquiry to go ahead…
the sprout 83

30 August 2008 at 9:13 am

r0b now you’re just obscuring Burty’s brilliant theory with like… facts and stuff
dad4justice 84

30 August 2008 at 9:13 am

r0b of course the SFO is due to be disbanded, just like access to the Privy Council .The Labour Party fear Natural justice and the police are just slimy lap poodles for Aunty Helen.
monkey-boy 85

30 August 2008 at 9:14 am

WEll r0b if you want ‘wacky conspiracy’ look at my ‘monkeyswith typewriters’ post ‘The Ego Has Floundered’ You’ll love it.
http://monkeyswithtypewriter.blogspot.com/2008/08/ego-has-floundered.html
Felix 86

30 August 2008 at 9:22 am

No thank you monkey, burt’s little brain has me laughing so hard I probably won’t be able to read for a couple of days.
r0b 87

30 August 2008 at 9:27 am

Dad – the functions of the SFO are to be absorbed by some new organisation, I forget the exact details.

Sorry – love to stay and play, but I have an appointment with a big trailer and a recycling centre…
dad4justice 88

30 August 2008 at 9:45 am

Oh yes r0b, the “new organisation”, silly me, undoubtedly headed by the new Minister of All Justice Ms King? I have a bad taste in my mouth as the judiciary is tainted by Labour. Ouch that hurt but justice is my game MADam speaker.

Edit – must go and hang the washing out because I got shit loads as its been raining for a fucken month.
Anita 89

30 August 2008 at 9:50 am

r0b,

Dad – the functions of the SFO are to be absorbed by some new organisation, I forget the exact details.

The Serious Fraud Taskforce within the new Organised and Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand, a department of the New Zealand Police – taken from the call for public submissions on the Serious Fraud Office (Abolition and Transitional Provisions) Bill.

Clearly an attempt to give it to an insignificant agency with no competence or history in law enforcement or investigation, with no public consultation 😉
dad4justice 90

30 August 2008 at 9:55 am

Agreed Anita, dangerous stuff and I do wonder when they find a Chairperson (no sexist comment Chairman) for the innocence project and when the Minister of courts is going to reply to questions raised by the United Nations regarding malicious gender bias in the De Femily Kangaroo Court?

edit – TAB paying evens that the hot shot cocksucker lawyer cons the keystone cops again.
Bill 91

30 August 2008 at 10:09 am

If you thought having WP around was a bad idea, then consider this.

http://www.palinforvp.com/3.html

Poor bastards.
dad4justice 92

30 August 2008 at 10:17 am

Ill Bill, What a great Iron lady who like me, HATES CORRUPTION in GOVERNMENT!!!!
Bill 93

30 August 2008 at 10:32 am

I’m just waiting for the bikini shots campaign. Issues? What issues?

Nice woman. Looks good in a bikini, has a nice smile and…

“The polar bear should be removed from the endangered species list because its protected status will hamper drilling for oil and gas in Alaska, the state’s Republican Governor has demanded.

Sarah Palin is suing the Bush Administration over its decision last week to place the animal under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, claiming that climate models predicting the continued loss of sea ice – the main habitat of polar bears – are unreliable.”

(May 23, Times Online)

captcha paying 1917 !!!

Bloody Bolsheviks put us back about 100 years
roger nome 94

30 August 2008 at 10:45 am

SweetD:

“Your comment seems to think that the SFO have an up hill case to prove.”

A comment can’t think, you illiterate numskull. Really, just stop embarrassing yourself, it’s too painful to watch.
roger nome 95

30 August 2008 at 10:50 am

“Privileges Committee, Serious Fraud Office and a drooling Lickspittle media all tied up in more political corruption within the Clark regime.”

lol D4J – just for you …
randal 96

30 August 2008 at 11:11 am

yesterday was a very black day in the history of New Zealnd as the creepy faction managed to deny natural justice and due process to Winston Peters. New Zealand will be a very ugly place to live if they ever gain power. there will be none of this malarky of idiotes waffling on trying to prove how smart they are. any opposition willbe crushed immediATELY by the crypto fascists in waiting.
burt 97

30 August 2008 at 2:02 pm

randal

Might pay to ask your mother if she ever had a fling with D4J a little while before you were born. It might give you inner peace to know who your father is.
randal 98

30 August 2008 at 2:07 pm

are you another kreep burt?
Tim Ellis 99

30 August 2008 at 3:33 pm

I think irrespective of the outcome of the SFO investigation, Winston has shown himself yet again to lack the credibility and accountability required to hold a ministerial warrant.

Just a few weeks ago, Winston publicly said he knew nothing about the Spencer Trust, and that it had nothing to do with New Zealand First. The SFO investigation is into whether money intended for New Zealand First, paid to the Spencer Trust, was used for New Zealand First purposes. If it wasn’t used for NZ First purposes, then there is the real possibility of serious and complex fraud, which the SFO is determining. If the money paid to the Spencer Trust was used for NZ First purposes, then Winston lied about it, and it should have been included on NZ First’s donation return, and New Zealand First filed a false return.

I love it how some people continue to maintain that National should allow due process to follow suit. Winston has avoided due process at every step. He has trifled with due process at the Privileges Committee, and on Thursday by claiming that the SFO was on some weird conspiracy to do him in.

The issue isn’t about due process. It is about Winston Peters making a mockery of parliament for the last six months for no other reason than wanting to hold onto power, and Labour doing their best to knowingly cover for Winston’s contempt for public accountability.
Robinsod 100

30 August 2008 at 3:36 pm

I loath Winston but after this I could almost be convinced to vote for him. A whole lotta people I know are feeling the same way. Good old right – always too willing to jump the shark…
Robinsod 101

30 August 2008 at 3:38 pm

Oh and does anyone but the hacks at the Herald really believe John Key and Rodney Hide have suddenly become desperately concerned about the moral implications of secret trusts?
Matthew Pilott 102

30 August 2008 at 3:48 pm

Hi all. At work on a Saturday. Just wanted to say this was the best thread I’ve read in quite some time.

And dad, I just pissed myself with “Edit – must go and hang the washing out because I got shit loads as its been raining for a fucken month.”

Amazing how much Peters hates National isn’t it? He didn’t even have the decency to pick a fight with Clark for their benefit.

Monty, I won’t go in for a grand, but if someone did I’m fairly confident you’d be shouting the beers come Nov 8. Remeber – just because you hate him doesn’t mean everyone else does!

On a completely unrelated topic my cap was ‘fruits asylum’. Made my day, that did.
Tim Ellis 103

30 August 2008 at 4:51 pm

That’s an interesting point Robinsod and even though I’m a nat I do agree that John Key wouldn’t have made the stand he did over Winston unless he believed it would give him a bit of a boost. His decision was more about politics than principle, but what do you expect of politicians?

I also agree that the issue isn’t about the secret trusts and John Key and Rodney Hide aren’t on some big moral campaign to open them up. The issue is Winston has built his entire political career on being squeaky clean and holier than thou. I’m not very liberal but the way he dog-whistles to conservative voters and panders to their prejudices is just disgusting. That’s a separate point, but the real issue again is how much Winston has proven to be a hypocrite and a liar for the last six months. He has had so many opportunities to set the record straight and tell the whole truth and has blustered and bluffed his way through it.

There does seem to be a proportion of the population that will adore Winston and never disbelieve anything he says. There also seems to be a group of people, quite a separate group, I think, who quite like the idea that he goes to Wellington and throws sh*t around at everyone and causes chaos.

I doubt those two groups combined will make five percent this election, though. Still, stranger things have happened, especially concerning Winston, haven’t they?
burt 104

30 August 2008 at 5:12 pm

The SFO have already had more than ‘a few minutes’ meeting with Winston’s new Lawyer. Given Winston’s repeated claims that he can explain it all in a few minutes the whole thing must be over by now.

Was Winston cleared in the few minutes he keeps telling us is all it will take or is Winston full of shit ?
Matthew Pilott 105

30 August 2008 at 5:18 pm

Burt – don’t hold your breath, we’d like to have you around a bit longer!
Tim Ellis 106

30 August 2008 at 5:20 pm

Burt, I don’t know much how the SFO operates, but I expect if they take the very serious decision to use their statutory powers, then they would do much more than just one interview with the subject’s legal representative. I note that both Winston said he would put the story straight, and Peter Williams QC said Winston would be exonerated this afternoon. That strikes me to be simply fairy-land stuff.

No doubt others involved in the Spencer Trust, such as Wayne Peters, will need to be interviewed. Roger McClay, who supposedly solicited several of the donations to the Spencer Trust, will need to be interviewed. So too would Ross Meurant, Doug Woollerton, Dail Jones, the respective Treasurers of NZ First, among others. Not to mention the donors themselves: Bob Jones, the Vela brothers, and anyone else they find along the way. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brian Henry himself is interviewed, which might explain why he wasn’t representing Winston at the SFO.

It really does astonish me how these supposed lawyers can look journalists in the eye and say that the SFO will close its investigations the same day they opened them.
burt 107

30 August 2008 at 5:25 pm

Tim

Yes it’s funny isn’t it. They make absurd claims like that which they can never deliver on then claim they are fit to run the country.
higherstandard 108

30 August 2008 at 5:32 pm

burt

In answer to your question.

Yes WPs is virtually bursting at the seams.
higherstandard 109

30 August 2008 at 5:34 pm

Sod

“I loath Winston but after this I could almost be convinced to vote for him.”

Report to Billy for a tasering – you know that you deserve it.
dad4justice 110

30 August 2008 at 5:38 pm

Sod wouldn’t mind a few volts up the backdoor, Howard doesn’t mind as he is Broad minded. Report to Ms King Super Justice Minister.
Swampy 111

30 August 2008 at 6:12 pm

“Felix
August 29, 2008 at 6:29 pm

sweetd the idiot dickhead:

Unless you have some special knowledge of the case then you don’t know anything more than what we’ve all heard so you can’t be sure of anyone’s guilt or otherwise.

What do you righties have against due process?
”

It’s nothing to do with “due process” or even the current investigation. It’s simply down to the fact that this has been rumbling along for months and no one in their right mind could possibly accept that Winston can just carry on and ignore all the allegations swirling around. In the first term of Labour such allegations would have been grounds enough to drop Winnie like a hot potato.

However Clark and by implication a great many lefties such as one of the authors of this blog apparently think they can steamroller on because the ETS has to be passed before the election at any cost. I can think of much more important things than the ETS that should be happening right now.
Felix 112

30 August 2008 at 6:29 pm

Who is ignoring “all the allegations swirling around” Swampy?

Not the Privileges Committee. Not the SFO.

But at least you recognise them as allegations which is a lot better than many of the foaming righties here.

Due process kiddies, look it up if you have to.
dad4justice 113

30 August 2008 at 6:36 pm

False allegations hurt more than a Howard animal farm taser up the anal passage.
Tim Ellis 114

30 August 2008 at 8:57 pm

Felix:

Is the foreign minister able to properly do his job while there are allegations that he failed to declare a donation to his party, or a gift to himself, as he was required to do under the Electoral Act and the register of pecuniary interests? Is the foreign minister able to properly do his job while the serious fraud office is investigating him for serious or complex fraud?

Is it acceptable for the prime minister to allow the foreign minister to wage a war with the media, defame them, and claim they forged evidence against him, when she knows that a genuine “conflict of evidence” exists between her foreign minister’s statements, and the statements of the prime minister’s party’s biggest financial donor? Is it acceptable for somebody to hold a ministerial warrant while accusing the serious fraud office of corruptly conspiring against him?

Is it acceptable for a person holding a ministerial warrant to claim in the House, to the media, and to the public that he will provide all the information exonerating him, and yet continue to withhold that information for six months?

Is it acceptable for a person to hold a ministerial warrant while continuing to change his previous statements to the House, to the media, and to the public (e.g.: “I know nothing about the Spencer Trust, it has nothing to do with New Zealand First, I have nothing to do with it,” and claim to the Serious Fraud Office that all the money that went to the Spencer Trust was spent on NZ First activities, while not declaring the Spencer Trust income as a donation on NZFirst’s electoral return?

Winston Peters has had plenty of time to face due process. The Prime Minister knew that there were major inconsistencies, and failed to act for six months. This is not about due process. Due process will assess whether Winston Peters did anything illegal. The Prime Minister should have acted earlier to ensure Winston Peters acted appropriately. He didn’t. She didn’t. She should have sacked him long ago. He’s made a mockery of parliament and government in general. Once again, he’s shown he can’t be trusted to hold a ministerial warrant.
randal 115

30 August 2008 at 9:45 pm

yes to all the above. wiinie is sui generis.. a thing unto himself and by the way who is making al these rules you speak of. where is it written that any one must do all that crap just to conform to your idea of the perfect politician. this is real life not some silly little text book you may have read. be careful dude you might strangle yourself with your own underpants if you pull them right up tight.
gobsmacked 116

30 August 2008 at 10:17 pm

Once again, he’s shown he can’t be trusted to hold a ministerial warrant.

Tim, at what point did this become true?

Was it when the Foreign Minister opposed the trade deal with China, or when he attacked various minorities in speeches pandering to prejudice, or when he walked out of the Cabinet in 1998, or when he was a talkback hero in 1996, or … when?

Winston Peters today is Winston Peters of the last 15 years, since NZ First was formed. Throughout those 15 years, National have NEVER said that Peters was beyond the pale. Never said that he could not be a minister in a National-led government. Not once. The warrant was up for auction, and National were bidding. And you know it.

Until last week. Until it was, finally, seen as politically advantageous to do so. Until it could be spun (absurdly) as principle, when of course it was just another move in the game. It is the same Winston Peters, except now he’s at 2 or 3% in the polls.

That high horse you and John Key are on is nothing more than two National Party strategists in a pantomime costume. So spare us the dramatic monologue, because the audience can see this show for what it is: a comedy.
Tim Ellis 117

30 August 2008 at 10:18 pm

Sigh, I feel like I’m feeding a troll by even engaging with you Randal. But can you honestly say, and let’s just try and get a little bit of perspective here, that if any of these circumstances had gone on with Winston as a senior minister in Jenny Shipley’s government, that Helen Clark wouldn’t be jumping up and down calling for his resignation?

Because I seem to remember that much less significant allegations were swirling around Winston’s behaviour Winston was a senior member of Jenny Shipley’s government, and Helen Clark called for him to be sacked then. I don’t remember you lining up defending Winston then.
r0b 118

30 August 2008 at 10:24 pm

Is the foreign minister able to properly do his job while there are allegations that he failed to declare a donation to his party, or a gift to himself, as he was required to do under the Electoral Act and the register of pecuniary interests?

Yeah silly Winston. He should have used a shell “Trust” like the National Party did to legally sanitise his donations.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/politics/2008/02/22/time-to-tell-us-about-your-donors-national/

Is it acceptable for the prime minister to allow the foreign minister

You Nats are just desperate to pin something on the PM aren’t you! HC is quoted in The Herald as follows:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10529610&pnum=0

11.45AM: Helen Clark admits knowing about Owen Glenn’s donation in February this year. “He [Owen Glenn] stated his view then that he had contributed money – whether it was to New Zealand First or to some other fund that’s lost in the mists of time.’

Contributes to NZF or some other fund? That’s not exactly a smoking gun when Peters denies it.

Is it acceptable for a person holding a ministerial warrant to claim in the House

Is it acceptable for the leader of the opposition to use shell trusts to anonymise donors that should be publicly known? Is it acceptable for the leader of the opposition to collude with a third party to circumvent electoral law and then lie about it to the public? (Oh wait – no – we know the answer to that one – it isn’t, Brash got caught and had to resign). Is it acceptable for the leader of the opposition to tell porkies to the people about what his party will do if they get elected (thank you Secret Agenda taper!)? Is it acceptable for the leader of the opposition to develop “policy” in such secrecy that even his spokespeople don’t know it so he has to keep correcting them? Ho humm, what a silly game.

But you did actually say something interesting upthread: Just a few weeks ago, Winston publicly said he knew nothing about the Spencer Trust, and that it had nothing to do with New Zealand First.

That would be very interesting if true – source please?
Tim Ellis 119

30 August 2008 at 10:25 pm

Gobsmacked that is a good point. I don’t know what high horse you think I’m on. I have thought for the last fifteen years that Winston is poison for anybody who associates with him. You may be confusing me with somebody who has ever defended him. I haven’t. You may also be confusing me with somebody who thinks that it is purely for reasons of principle that John Key has made the decision he has not to allow him in any future government. I don’t. I agree there is an element of strategic convenience, but I’m glad that’s been made.
gobsmacked 120

30 August 2008 at 10:36 pm

Tim

OK, I accept that you would prefer opposition to being in government with Peters “inside the tent”. There are people on both left and right who believe that, but they are certainly quiet in public.

Here’s how it used to be, lest we forget:

Audrey Young in the Herald, May 16, 2005

“A power-sharing scenario in which New Zealand First leader Winston Peters becomes Prime Minister in a coalition Government with National is being discussed informally among some MPs of both parties.

Such an outcome would be possible if NZ First held the balance of power after the next election. Recent polling suggests that possibility cannot be discounted.

Until now, the assumption had been that Mr Peters and his small party (13 MPs at present), could again be kingmakers after this year’s election, as they were in 1996, deciding whether the larger Labour or National led a coalition Government.

But there is another scenario in which Mr Peters could be Prime Minister for half, if not all, of a three-year term of a National-New Zealand First coalition, even if he wins fewer MPs than National.

The talents of National leader Don Brash, the former Reserve Bank Governor, would be turned to the finance portfolio.”

…

The idea has been widely enough discussed for the weekly National Business Review to endorse it on Friday in an editorial saying: “Peters as Prime Minister with Brash and [John] Key on the finance front could be the potent mix the country needs.”
Tim Ellis 121

30 August 2008 at 10:43 pm

rob, on your first point, National declared on its donation returns money received from its trusts to the National Party. There was never a secret that the trusts existed. They go back many years. You won’t find the Spencer Trust on any of New Zealand First’s election returns. There is a difference between legal activities and illegal activities. If the money received from Bob Jones went to the Spencer Trust, and was spent on New Zealand First, then the Spencer Trust had to be declared as a donor.

Contributes to NZF or some other fund? That’s not exactly a smoking gun when Peters denies it.

Peters flatly denied receiving any money from Owen Glenn. Whether it went to his legal fund, the Spencer Trust, or the New Zealand First party is just playing cute with the public. He held up the sign, NO, got that sunshine? He further accused the Herald of forging the email. That is essentially dishonest. I agree, rob, Brash did get caught, and did have to resign. He didn’t get to face due process: public credibility shot, so he stepped down. Peters’ public credibility shot, and the prime minister protects him.

It took a while to find the Spencer Trust quote, but here it is: “Mr Peters said he had not solicited the donation, as Sir Robert claimed. He said he had no involvement with the Spencer Trust, that he did not know what the trust had used the money for, and that he had not spoken to his brother about the trust.”

Now, to me that looks like that statement to the Herald on 26 July is in direct conflict with Peter Williams’ statement to the SFO and the media today that all the money that was donated to the Spencer Trust was spent on NZ First activities. Or is there another interpretation?
r0b 122

30 August 2008 at 10:44 pm

gobsmacked – that’s like some spooky alternative time line story from an old episode of Star Trek. Scary! Now how am I going to get to sleep?
lprent 123

30 August 2008 at 10:54 pm

Tim:

I don’t remember you lining up defending Winston then.

No blogs at the time? By that stage the usenet forum alt.politics.nz etc were pretty unusable as well. There are also the age issues.

I actually a bit annoyed that this thing with Winston and NZF has flared up. The problem is that he works best politically when he is the downtrodden underdog. He is now in a good position (assuming that the SFO and PC don’t find anything particularly damaging) to play that game again this election and head for 5%…

I was hoping for terminal respectability to remove NZF from the political landscape. But if they do get back then I have no doubt that they will be in negotiation with the NZLP during coalition forming. Effectively the voters will have put them back in for that purpose.

In the end what the Labour members are concerned with is getting their policies into action. Most would probably prefer doing that with the Greens. However you don’t get policy enacted while you’re on the opposition benches, so we’d expect negotiation with whomever the electorate throws up for us to work with to achieve our objectives.

Ultimately the voters give the coalition choices under MMP, not the politicians. Key’s stance just makes it apparent to me that the National politicians still haven’t grasped that essential fact. Probably why he is wanting to change the electoral system.

captcha: invested reserves
r0b 124

30 August 2008 at 10:55 pm

rob, on your first point, National declared on its donation returns money received from its trusts to the National Party.

Yes – very clever – to keep the letter of the law while circumventing the intent. Go to this page here Tim:
http://www.elections.org.nz/parties/donations_summary.html
See all the donors listed? As they should be? Check out 2005 in particular. See National’s donors? Why no – it’s the “Trusts”. We are supposed to know who donates to our politicians Tim, and we don’t know who donates to National, because they did so via shell Trusts to launder the money. It stinks. Wake up.

Peters flatly denied receiving any money from Owen Glenn.

So he did, and it appears that it went to his legal defence fund. Same shell game as National play with their “Trusts”. See how it stinks?

Peters’ public credibility shot, and the prime minister protects him.

How? By having him stand down? Or by waiting for the due process of the SFO and the Privileges Committee? You’d prefer what exactly – the lynch mob that some have been calling for?

It took a while to find the Spencer Trust quote, but here it is:

Well then you misrepresented what he said Tim. What he said was usual politician speak, it sounds like it says something, but it doesn’t. Read it carefully and compare it with your incorrect claims about it.
Tim Ellis 125

30 August 2008 at 11:20 pm

Rob, the National Party trusts were not illegal before this year. They operated for many years without legislative change. Labour operates a legal defence trust fund as well, which anonymises donations. The SFO looked into National’s trust arrangements in 2002, and declared them lawful. It took five years for Labour to enact legislation to make them unlawful.

So he did, and it appears that it went to his legal defence fund. Same shell game as National play with their “Trusts’. See how it stinks?

Again there’s a difference rob. National declared its funding from the trusts on its donations returns, as required by law. Nick Smith declared his pecuniary interest as a beneficiary of a legal defence fund, as required by the registry of pecuniary interests. Winston Peters did neither. I have never seen any National Party leader flat-out deny National receiving money from a large donor, when subsequently proven to do so. Winston flatly denied receiving money from Owen Glenn. He did so, after the Prime Minister had informed him that Owen Glenn was certain that he did donate money.

How? By having him stand down? Or by waiting for the due process of the SFO and the Privileges Committee? You’d prefer what exactly – the lynch mob that some have been calling for?

Neither. The PM knew there was a conflict of evidence way back in February when Owen Glenn informed her of it. For six months she said she would not take any action against Winston Peters unless she saw evidence that he was being untruthful. I’ve never been prime minister before, and I never will, but I’d like to think if I were in her job, and my largest donor tells me that he’s made a substantial donation to another party, I’d do a little more than accept the foreign minister’s blind assurance that nothing of the sort took place.

Helen Clark’s record is not to allow due process to follow. She has stood down more ministers than any other prime minister in New Zealand history. She did so on the basis of political expedience. Lianne Dalziel never faced due process for lying to the media: she got stood down. Taito Phillip Field was sacked before he faced a serious fraud inquiry. Dover Samuels was dumped from cabinet because of “rumours”. The test for Helen Clark has been whether there is a public scandal, and if so whether that public scandal is preventing the minister from properly carrying out their job. This scandal has been going on for the last six months, and Helen Clark hasn’t done her job, to fire him, until now. Even now, he hasn’t been sacked. He’s on full pay, with full perks, as a Minister. The only thing he’s been relieved of is his portfolio responsibilities. That’s a pretty comfortable spot to be in, when you’re fighting for your political survival eight weeks from an election, and you’ve still got all your ministerial staff, ministerial perks, ministerial allowances, ministerial housing etc to fight with.

The money-part of the last quote is Winston telling the media he didn’t know what the Spencer Trust money was used for. He has now given an outright assurance that the Spencer Trust donations were all spent on New Zealand First party activities. You might be happy write that off as politician speak, but he knew about the Spencer Trust and trifled with the media to avoid exposure.
r0b 126

30 August 2008 at 11:49 pm

Rob, the National Party trusts were not illegal before this year.

I didn’t say they were at illegal, I said they broke the intent of the law, and you haven’t denied that. Once again, the public is supposed to know who the donors are and they don’t. As per The Hollow men there is evidence and accusation of National Party policy for sale to for example the insurance industry. We would know a lot more if we knew who donated and we don’t. It stinks.

Winston Peters did neither.

Act and National have already had their best shot at Peters over this issue. They didn’t lay a glove on him:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00223.htm
I will not be at all surprised if one of the ongoing investigations into Peter’s turns up evidence of real impropriety. But as far as I am aware there is no smoking gun yet.

I have never seen any National Party leader flat-out deny National receiving money from a large donor, when subsequently proven to do so.

Well no, no one asks the Nats – though Colin Espiner almost worked up the nerve:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/politics/2008/02/22/time-to-tell-us-about-your-donors-national/
But they have effectively listed their donors as anonymous via the Trusts, when they are well known to the National leadership, which is perilously close to a corrupt electoral practice.

Neither. The PM knew there was a conflict of evidence way back in February

If The Herald quote above is correct then than it is by no means clear. The PM has not protected Peters as you claim, Peters has been stood down and is being investigated. The PM actually delayed the dissolution of the SFO so that the enquiry into Peters could go ahead. How exactly is that protecting him?

She has stood down more ministers than any other prime minister in New Zealand history.

Yes, it’s a bugger having high standards.

Lianne Dalziel never faced due process for lying to the media: she got stood down.

And it is not yet clear that Peters has lied to the media. Read the Scoop Link above. He may have lied, lots of people are assuming he’s lied, but it is not yet proven.

The money-part of the last quote is Winston telling the media he didn’t know what the Spencer Trust money was used for.

Oh come on. He may well not have known in specific detail what it was used for. Accusations came up, he has looked until it, and now he does know. I’m sure that would be Winston’s story, and it may even be true. You said “Winston publicly said he knew nothing about the Spencer Trust, and that it had nothing to do with New Zealand First” – both your claims are not supported by what he actually said.
Tim Ellis 127

31 August 2008 at 12:20 am

This really is a very interesting debate rob, and no doubt although everybody else is probably either out clubbing or asleep, it probably doesn’t do much for either of our reputations to be considered the two political geeks arguing away at the points on a Saturday night.

As per The Hollow men there is evidence and accusation of National Party policy for sale to for example the insurance industry. We would know a lot more if we knew who donated and we don’t. It stinks.

Hang on a moment. You’re criticising me, and the Nats, for rushing to judgement on Winston Peters’ behaviour, and not allowing due process to follow its course, and relying simply on media speculation as what might have happened. I haven’t heard anybody in the National Party say that there’s no point in the SFO completing its investigations. But here you are rushing to judgement on the National Party’s activities, based solely on Nicky Hagar’s speculation, after the National Party faced an SFO inquiry into its trusts (in 2002), and cleared the trusts of financial impropriety. The due process has been followed, and cleared the National Party. Yet you’re happy to form a contrary view.

As for the insurance industry stuff, there hasn’t been any evidence put before any law-enforcement body in New Zealand to the effect that National committed a corrupt act by being bribed by the insurance industry. That’s the basis of what you’re saying. If there were, I’m sure it would have been done by now. What is it, two, three years since the Hollow Men came out? Still no bribery charges.

I don’t know what you mean by the intent of the law. National Party trusts have been known about for many years, investigated, and cleared. It isn’t clear to me that the intent of the 1993 electoral act, supported by Labour, was to identify the end donor. It was intended to identify the last source of the funds. I’m not a lawyer, and you might have a better legal brain than me, but legislative intent goes to the heart of legislative interpretation. A judge’s job is to identify the intent of the law and apply it. No judge has ever found the National Party to have broken the intent of the law. Conversely, the SFO investigated and found that the National Party had specifically not broken the intent of the law.

Meanwhile, it took five years for the Labour Party to change the intent of the law, to identify the original source of the donation. I actually agree with that change in the electoral act. In all this time, the New Zealand First Party has failed to comply with either the “intent”, or as you put it, the “letter” of the law. Money that came through the Spencer Trust was spent on New Zealand First purposes. That’s what we heard uncategorically from Peter Williams today. It wasn’t declared as a donation to New Zealand First. That’s what we’ve understood from every New Zealand First electoral donations return.

Oh come on. He may well not have known in specific detail what it was used for.

Oh come on! He said he didn’t know what it was used for. He didn’t say: “I don’t know the specific line items of expenditure that the donations were applied to. Is it credible for a leader of a political party that receives large sums of money from trusts, to say: “I don’t know what the money was used for.”? Clearly he knows. He doesn’t have to know the detail. The truthful answer is: “The money came to New Zealand First. I don’t know what specific items it was used for.”

Lying to the media isn’t a criminal offence, either. No inquiry is investigating whether he did lie to the media. Helen Clark did not make her decision solely based on due process. Winston got too hot for her to handle.
r0b 128

31 August 2008 at 1:30 am

This really is a very interesting debate rob, and no doubt although everybody else is probably either out clubbing or asleep, it probably doesn’t do much for either of our reputations to be considered the two political geeks arguing away at the points on a Saturday night.

On those terms my reputation here was shot long long time ago. I like to work at night, it’s quiet (but I do let The Standard distract me). And I’m well past the age where I’m even remotely interested in clubbing.

I haven’t heard anybody in the National Party say that there’s no point in the SFO completing its investigations.

Well then listen up, because here is John Key rushing to judgement and claiming that the outcome of the SFO enquiry doesn’t matter:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1502733&objectid=10529783

If the SFO cleared Mr Peters, it “doesn’t matter”, Mr Key said. It also did not matter if Parliament’s privileges committee cleared him as well.

“The reality is that Winston Peters faces investigation not only by the SFO, but he also has to pass the test from the parliamentary privileges committee, and then go on and answer all the other many and varied allegations, which I would have thought if any of them are true would also be ruling him out as suitable to hold a [ministerial] warrant,” Mr Key said.

As for the insurance industry stuff, there hasn’t been any evidence put before any law-enforcement body in New Zealand to the effect that National committed a corrupt act by being bribed by the insurance industry.

No there hasn’t, though evidence is presented in The Hollow Men. The point is not that I’m interested in a judgement on this, the point is that donations are supposed to be public so that there is less risk of this kind of thing happening. National’s donations are not public because they are laundered through “Trusts”.

It isn’t clear to me that the intent of the 1993 electoral act, supported by Labour, was to identify the end donor. It was intended to identify the last source of the funds.

Ahh, no. Read the Act:

214G Return of party donations
(1) Every secretary of a political party registered under Part 4 must ensure that the Commission receives by 30 April in each yearâ€”
(a) a return (which must be on a form provided by the Electoral Commission) setting outâ€”
(i) the name and address of each person who made a party donation in the year ending with the immediately preceding 31 December and the amount of each such donation

That’s the person who made the donation, not “last source of the funds” – pardon me that is a rather desperate clutching at straws.

Conversely, the SFO investigated and found that the National Party had specifically not broken the intent of the law.

2002? Sounds like another issue entirely – references please?

In all this time, the New Zealand First Party has failed to comply with either the “intent’, or as you put it, the “letter’ of the law. Money that came through the Spencer Trust was spent on New Zealand First purposes. That’s what we heard uncategorically from Peter Williams today. It wasn’t declared as a donation to New Zealand First. That’s what we’ve understood from every New Zealand First electoral donations return.

It may well be that Peters, like National, has kept the letter of the law while evading its intent – you are rushing to a judgement that neither the SFO or the PC has made yet. And we are going round in circles at this point.

Oh come on! He said he didn’t know what it was used for … The truthful answer is: “The money came to New Zealand First. I don’t know what specific items it was used for.’

Sorry, I still think Peters has wriggle room there. He can know the purpose of the trust without knowing what (specifically) it used the money for.

Helen Clark did not make her decision solely based on due process. Winston got too hot for her to handle.

Winston has been too hot to handle for days, and HC resisted incredible pressure to stand him down sooner that this. But she followed due process.

Anyway, Goodnight.
Rex Widerstrom 129

31 August 2008 at 3:21 am

gobsmacked:

It’s Rambo, played by Noddy.

On the assumption you didn’t steal that from someone else, that’s a classic quote that’s worth inscribing on something (even if only the plinth of a camoflage-wearing John Key bobblehead doll) 😀

I, on the other hand, will be stealing it, and recycling it in a campaign somewhere (probably via a candidate of whom you’d heartily disapprove *evil laughter*).

randal:

the creepy faction managed to deny natural justice and due process to Winston Peters.

Well boo hoo. You mean like using Parliamentary privilege to impugn the reputations of dozens of people throughout your career? And then never having the guts to repeat anything where you can be sued?

Robinsod:

I loath Winston but after this I could almost be convinced to vote for him.

Of course, because what NZ really needs is effective, principled, liberal MPs and Ministers with the country’s best interests at heart. As toad points out above, if the PM had any respect for those qualities she might have tossed the Greens a bone. But instead she’s ensured Winston keeps his Ministerial salary, perks and large staff who – with no Ministerial work to do – can now devote themselves to spending your money and mine on NZF’s relection campaign.

Yes, let’s vote for more of that, shall we?
higherstandard 130

31 August 2008 at 8:29 am

Another day and still Winston’s supporters on this site cling to the due process excuse and query whether he has in fact lied.

Assuming their is nothing out of order with the Spencer trust why has NZF declared no donations?

Assuming Winston genuinely didn’t know that he’d been helped out by Owen Glenn why did he categorically deny that he had and during those denials demand the resignations of several reporters ?

The man is a prevaricating poppinjay.
Anita 131

31 August 2008 at 8:42 am

hs,

Assuming their is nothing out of order with the Spencer trust why has NZF declared no donations?

The electoral finance rules in play at the time allowed a donation to be split into multiple $9,999.99 chunks and not declared.
randal 132

31 August 2008 at 8:42 am

and you sir have your ears painted on and your fingers on 10. if you think that anyone in their right mind is going to read any of the screeds you have so laboriously cut and pasted in here then you are a biggger fool than I thought.
Anita 133

31 August 2008 at 8:53 am

randal,

I’m going to assume that isn’t directed at me (due to my lack of sir-ness), but that doesn’t tell me who you are insulting 🙂
higherstandard 134

31 August 2008 at 8:54 am

Anita are you saying that he’s got payment from parties laundered it through the Spencer trust and they’ve then put them through to NZF in sums lower than $9999 is that legal ?

Why don’t any of the larger parties do the same thing ?

While not liking Ralston that much I though he summed up the overall situation with Peter’s well.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10529821

“it promises to be great theatre if nothing else.”

Pretty much sums up what WP has become – a publicly paid prevaricating poppinjay

mmmm nice alliteration
Anita 135

31 August 2008 at 9:15 am

hs,

Anita are you saying that he’s got payment from parties laundered it through the Spencer trust and they’ve then put them through to NZF in sums lower than $9999 is that legal ?

Under the old rules it was legal, yes. The rule was any “anonymous” donation $10k or below did not need to be declared, so big donations were split into mutiple “anonymous” donations (you can check out the old rules here).

Why don’t any of the larger parties do the same thing ?

They did 🙂

Have you read The Hollow Men?
Darren Rickard 136

31 August 2008 at 9:21 am

It seems though that Mike Williams has been on his knees to Owen Glenn, not 2 months ago, for more money!

http://darrenrickard.blogspot.com/2008/08/labour-begs-for-more.html

That defies belief considering Labour’s public criticism and embarrassment of the man.

It shows just how disparate and desperate Labour now is.

Meanwhile the Labour Party Blog is talking about an irrelevant self constructed and self important “social report” like it is accurate or an issue.

What a joke this government has become.
higherstandard 137

31 August 2008 at 9:23 am

Aniat

I think we might be talking at cross purposes again I was referring to the register here.

http://www.elections.org.nz/record/donations/

Are you suggesting that Labour and National have more money in $9999 lots that hasn’t been declared.
higherstandard 138

31 August 2008 at 9:25 am

Bugger still can’t edit.

Darren I find this very hard to believe do you have any links to the story in the MSM ?
Darren Rickard 139

31 August 2008 at 9:33 am

It is on Stuff HS:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4675544a11.html

Captcha “Con”
higherstandard 140

31 August 2008 at 9:43 am

Ye Gods …… clearly they have more cheek than GB’s bottom.

I suppose it explains why they were happy to suggest he was confused and deluded about the WP issue in the house – he’s obviously not going to be giving anymore donations to the present government.

I wonder if they promised him an honorary consulship if he donated just one more time ?
Anita 141

31 August 2008 at 9:44 am

hs,

I think we might be talking at cross purposes again I was referring to the register here.

http://www.elections.org.nz/record/donations/

Are you suggesting that Labour and National have more money in $9999 lots that hasn?t been declared.

I don’t think we’re talking at cross purposes 🙂

If you look at pre EFA returns (e.g. 1996-2006) you will see that there are no amounts of $10k or less declared.

So yes, one can cheerfully assume that all the major parties had $10k and lower donations which they did not put on their return.

One can also find evidence that at least National and their backers washed their donations in the same way that NZ First seems to have done (by using trusts and by playing threshold and donation splitting games).
higherstandard 142

31 August 2008 at 10:12 am

Anita

Just to get this clear are you suggesting.

1. that National and Labour have large numbers of non-declared donations of $9999 or less over and above those that are included on the register ?

2. that like NZ First the Nats and Labour have taken donations of more than 10k and put them into a trust and broken the donations down to chunks of less than 10k to avoid declaring them.

3. or are you suggesting both scenarios ?
bill brown 143

31 August 2008 at 12:44 pm

What’s this bunch of opinionated crap on the front page of the SST this morning?

The “journalist” who wrote it obviously has a bee in her bonnet about something – intoning “…a turning point for this government”.

I wonder what proper news story had to be pulled at the last minute meaning they needed to fill the blank space with this – was this why it was delivered late this morning?
jaymam 144

1 September 2008 at 9:34 am

If it took only 25 hours for the SFO to investigate the 2,500 Winebox documents, it should take less than a day to investigate the few transactions involved with Winston Peters.

The SFO cannot be trusted and should not be doing the current investigation about the person who has quite rightly caused their imminent demise.

Clearly the structure of the SFO as set up originally cannot produce an accurate result.

http://wysiwygnews.com/1997_News/1997February23.html

In the commission of inquiry into various tax matters (known as the winebox inquiry) it was revealed that the Serious Fraud Office officers who were understood to have done the work, spent no more than 25 hours investigating the more than 2,500 documents which relate to the extremely complex schemes. Things got worse when Susan Pilgrim, a former senior prosecutor testified that when staff asked what was happening to the investigation, and which lawyer was assigned to the case, Director, Charles Sturt got angry and announced that he was looking into the matter himself. Under oath, Ms Pilgrim testified that the reaction of other staff was one of ridicule since Sturt was not believed to be competent to undertake an inquiry into complex financial transactions.
…
Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Charles Sturt has conceded to the Winebox inquiry that his office made no full investigation of the Winebox documents. This apparently lays him open to charges of having caused parliament to be misled. He advised the then minister, Paul East who subsequently told the house, that an investigation of the winebox documents revealed no evidence of any criminal activity. Sturt said at the time that his investigators had examined hundreds of documents. He now concedes that the assertions were “not strictly correct.” Winston Peters who was then a lone maverick alleging dirty deeds responded at that time with disbelief, and said that if they had examined the documents and found nothing, Sturt should be fired for incompetence. In an attempt to determine Sturt’s ability to understand the documents, the commission asked him to explain the transactions at issue. Sturt failed miserably.
jaymam 145

1 September 2008 at 11:05 am

I thought the name Gib Beattie, the SFO’s acting director, sounded familiar. How come he is still in the SFO at all, let alone in such a high position?

He was involved in the original Winebox fake investigation and should NOT be involved in any way in investigating Winston Peters.
Check the index of The Paradise Conspiracy for all the Beattie references.

e.g. page 2:

Gib Beattie couldn’t make up his mind whether to gloat or snarl, so he mixed the two expressions, his ears and nose appearing to twitch in the battle for facial control. His eyes, however, glittered with hate.

“Wishart, you bastard. You bastard! We’ve got you now!”

I barely had time to react – Serious Fraud Office investigator Steve Drain, a former cop, chose that moment to lunge across the seat in a bid to grab the camera and rip the film out. We fought briefly as I lashed out to stop him gaining a secure grip on the Olympus.

“Back off pal!,” I warned as menacingly as I could muster, “You don’t have any authority down here.” Perhaps realising that entering my vehicle and attempting to snatch the camera had overstepped the mark, Drain beat a retreat from the interior. Beattie, too, was backing away by now, the sneer appearing permanently etched on his face.
“We’ve got you, you bastard. Your day is coming soon, boy!,” he threatened.

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Oranga Tamariki is beyond saving, and always has been

How do you continue an organisation widely known for the abuse and torture of children, for wrongfully separating them from their parents, for the neglect and death of actually vulnerable children they failed to support and uplift, and for creating a cycle of trauma that has led to multi-generational state ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

2 days ago
The Majority is Wrong

Freak outAnd give inDoesn't matter what you believe inStay coolAnd be somebody's fool this year'Cause they knowWho is righteous, what is boldSo I'm toldWho wants honey?As long as there's some moneyWho wants that, honey?Lyrics: Billy CorganJust because the majority support something doesn’t make it right. Yes, in a democracy, the ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

3 days ago
Tuesday 12 November 2024

Today Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will formally apologise to those who experienced abuse in state and faith-based care at Parliament. The apology is long overdue, and many are saying it’s not enough and are still waiting on the details of redress. There are also criticisms about the decision to give ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

3 days ago
3 Takeaways from Christopher Luxon’s Press Conference

Highlights of Chris Luxon press conference yesterday (video at end):1. Christopher Luxon maligns Newsroom’s investigative journalist Aaron Smale for what he called behavioural issues. Yesterday, it was revealed Speaker Gary Brownlee had withdrew Smale’s accreditation, preventing Smale from attending the Abuse in Care apology at Parliament today. Smale is an ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

3 days ago
The 30/30 fiscal rule that rules us all

Fonterra is selling off brands made up of decades of R&D and marketing spend. Why? Because farmers need to repay debt so banks can increase mortgage lending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

3 days ago
2024 will be the first year above 1.5°C

This is a re-post from The Climate Brink, and an excerpt from a much more detailed State of the Climate Q3 2024 report that I published over at Carbon Brief today. See that for more details on climate model/observation comparisons, sea ice extent, and other climate variables. The warmest year on record In my ...

Skeptical Science

3 days ago
150 days of rail disruption to come

Kiwirail and Auckland Transport have revealed that the rail network will be closed or partially closed for nearly 149 days between Christmas this year and the end of January 2026, almost 38% of the time, as part of what they’re calling the final push to get the rail network ready ...

Greater AucklandBy Matt L

3 days ago
How Netflix Got Cold Feet

Hi,I’m not sure if you’ve noticed recently, but discovering stuff on Netflix can be kind of hard.Sure — you’re presented with a bunch of categories like “Top 10” when you login, but outside of those initial lists, finding things that are compelling and worth your time seems close to impossible. ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

3 days ago
Seymour is only beginning

ACT Leader David Seymour is undeterred by the likelihood that his Treaty Principles Bill will die in the House when it returns from the Select Committee sometime in the first half of next year. He believes the debate has only just begun and will continue to eventual success even though ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

3 days ago
Gordon Campbell on the Crown’s sorry excuse for an apology

The world over, politicians are finding “sorry” to be the easiest word. Without disclosing the size and formula of the monetary compensation that the government is prepared to offer to those abused while in state care, a mere apology verges on being another form of abuse. It’s not as if ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

3 days ago
Let Aaron Smale take his rightful seat, you dismal dismal people

This is Aaron Smale.Journalist Aaron Smale appearing as a witness at the Royal Commission. Newsroom Screenshot.For eight years he has covered the abuse of children and others in state institutions.For eight years he has helped to bring to light the many lies and coverups by the Crown.He has written some ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

3 days ago
Monday 11 November 2024

Today the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti set off from Te Rerenga Wairua and is making its way through the North, stopping in Whangārei for the night. In union news, it has been announced that plastic factory Sistema is likely to cut up to 100 jobs. A new report written by ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

3 days ago
National suppresses the media

The government is doing its formal apology to victims of abuse-in-care at Parliament tomorrow, along with introducing a (still secret) bill addressing restitution. It will obviously be a big media event. But Newsroom's Aaron Smale, a journalist who has played a key role in exposing crown failure and wrongdoing in ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

3 days ago
Speeding toward a lethal legacy

A few weeks ago I wrote on how the Minister of Transport Simeon Brown had misrepresented cities overseas in his crusade to make our streets and roads more dangerous. Since then, his speed rule has been finalised and signed. Also, the summary of public feedback has been released after many ...

Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp

4 days ago
Dawn Chorus for Monday, November 11

Diabetes rates are rising, yet the government remains hyper-focused on short-term cost reduction and is not considering wider prevention measures. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, November 11: Diabetes rates are ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

4 days ago
New Zealand was the training ground for the 2024 US election

Much of the internet is bots.There are more bots every day. Every site that's in any way bot-trainable has bots scraping posts and chats.We have AI. It can auto-recognise voices. It can mine text for information which it can categorise and file, but cannot process it or use to further ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

4 days ago
2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #45

A listing of 33 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, November 3, 2024 thru Sat, November 9, 2024. Summary of this week's topics We asked Google's Gemini again for help categorizing the articles we shared during the week, but ...

Skeptical Science

4 days ago
The Enemy Within – Maire Leadbeater & Nicky Hager

Like so many others involved in social justice movements, Maire Leadbeater was subjected to state surveillance during a long life of activism. With the help of archival material, released SIS files, and other formerly secret material, she has been able to examine the depth of stateintrusion into the lives of ...

Fabians

4 days ago
Sympathy of Distraction

You take a mortal manAnd put him in controlWatch him become a GodWatch people's heads a-rollJust like the pied piperLed rats through the streetsWe dance like marionettesSwaying to the symphony of destructionSong: Dave Mustaine.Look over there, not here.The problem is, I told myself this morning as I contemplated that Q&A ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

5 days ago
Nicola Deflects As National Spend Big on Roads

Nicola Willis says the multi-generation i-Rex ferries were too expensive for her - and has reportedly thrown away ~$1bn of taxpayers money in the process, and offended NZ's sixth largest trading partner.But Willis and National have now committed a minimum of $3bn to build:"less than 2km of one car lane ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

5 days ago
You have to do something

A jolting moment in a movie a can stay with you for the longest, longest time. Those Hitchcock birds; human remains in Cambodia’s Killing Fields; what remains of the Statue of Liberty on the beach; Thelma, Louise, their Thunderbird.Sometimes we’re simply taking our imagination for a ride into a dark ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

5 days ago
Fact brief – Is there an expert consensus on human-caused global warming?

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 from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is there an ...

Skeptical Science

5 days ago
Hatching (Pahanhautoja)

2022, directed by Hanna Bergholm Hatching is a movie that I can genuinely imagine being used to teach film analysis in high school English. I know it’s not actually in English, but unless the rules have changed that doesn’t disqualify it – after the comparatively insipid The Sixth Sense in ...

The little pakehaBy chrismiller

5 days ago
Making It Make Sense – What Happened, and What We Need To Look Out For With Media

Until Nicola Willis used the phrase to describe her 2024 Budget, this phrase “It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn” was one of comfort - and often - truth.“It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn”I think ultimately, it stands true - even if we don’t know how long a period of upheaval ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

5 days ago
We Need The Journalists & Newsrooms That Remain

This is a repost of an article I wrote on social media. It was published before this week’s announcement of TVNZ cuts.I often reflect on how much hysteria there was around Golriz Ghahraman - journalists parked outside her home for a week after she admitted fault.The hyper-attention and headlines they ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

5 days ago
Pelosi turns on Harris, low key

Like everyone else, Nancy Pelosi is looking for reasons for why the Democrats lost the election. Her preferred candidate seems to be Kamala Harris, though she disguises this by making it look like she is swiping at Joe Biden:“We live with what happened,” Pelosi said.Pelosi was speaking to the Interview, ...

Left hand palmBy lurgee

6 days ago
Happy Freedom Day

Wastee little weaselWants cheap tricksLiberty bell cracked in halfA bacon steakA perfect matchFreedom of '76Song: Ween, Ed WilsonToday is World Freedom Day, an American commemoration that began in 2001 to recognise the fall of the Berlin Wall, some 12 years earlier. Seems odd timing to start acknowledging something in late ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

6 days ago
Dawn Chorus for weekend of Nov 9/10

Here’s my top six news and other links on Saturday, November 9 for your weekend reading pleasure:Scoop: 'The risk of death is higher': What Cabinet knew when it raised speed limits on our roads NZ Herald-$$$’s Simon WilsonScoop: Five firms to review retrofit of Dunedin hospital, rather than new build ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

6 days ago
The End of Austerianism?

Does the Autumn 2024 British budget point to a change in fiscal strategies?Many countries found their fiscal position was unsustainable, following the 2008 Global Financial Crash. Their public spending was well in excess of their public revenue and they had to borrow more heavily than lenders thought prudent. Almost unanimously, ...

PunditBy Brian Easton

6 days ago
The Trump victory – do people accept democracy?

Image Credit: Council of Europe. Manual for Human Rights Education with Young People I didn’t have a dog in the fight—if I were a US ...

Open ParachuteBy Ken

6 days ago
Sifting through the wreckage.

Although I shared some thoughts about the US election on other social media platforms, here are some items that emerged from the wreckage: Campaigns based on hope do not always defeat campaigns based on fear. Having dozens of retired high … Continue reading → ...

KiwipoliticoBy Pablo

6 days ago
Sissy

2022, directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes You know that thing where a character just keeps on making bad decision after bad decision as everything goes to shit around them? I can’t stand that thing. Snowballing consequences can be done really well when all of a character’s choices make ...

The little pakehaBy chrismiller

6 days ago
Friday 8 November 2024

The Treaty Principles Bill has been introduced to Parliament, with its First Reading set down for next week. A large hīkoi is set to depart from Te Rerenga Wairua on Monday, with events planned as they head down the motu to Parliament. In employment news, NZDF staff have escalated strike ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

6 days ago
Just Let Them Walk All Over You

Just let them walk all over youLaugh through the punches and the painLet the life-blood drain away from youThey're right, you're wrongAnd you can see it in the way they look at youFeel it in the way they treat youAlways the last to knowAlways the first to leaveBetween Two Points ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

7 days ago
Economic Bulletin November 2024

The post Economic Bulletin November 2024 appeared first on NZCTU. ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

7 days ago
Weekly Roundup 7-November-2024

Happy Friday, there’s been some significant world events this week but welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew ...

Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland

7 days ago
The Hoon around the week to November 8

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including how Donald Trump’s re-election and sweep of the Congress changes the equations; on the US ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

7 days ago
It’s OK To Feel Shitty

Hi,For any of you panicking, Webworm is not going to become a newsletter endlessly ranting about the results of this week’s US election.We’ll get back to Luka Magnotta sending me letters from prison and Hare Krishna’s calling me “c**t face” eventually, but just bare with me as I wrap my ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

7 days ago
Curbing the power of the Beehive

The Constitutional Lw Professor and former Prime Minister, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, yesterday pointed out an anomaly in what is supposed to be Parliament’s gold-standard legislation to empower itself.The Parliament Bill is currently before a special Select Committee chaired by the former Speaker, Adrian Ruawhe and aims to simplify the legislation ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

7 days ago
Geoffrey Miller: Trump victory could spark New Zealand rethink at APEC in Peru

Donald Trump’s sweeping election victory has set the stage for this year’s APEC summit in Peru. At least 14 leaders have so far confirmed their attendance at the leaders’ summit in Lima from November 15-16. China’s Xi Jinping, Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Canada’s Justin Trudeau will all ...

Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller

7 days ago
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #45 2024

Open access notables Anthropogenic warming has ushered in an era of temperature-dominated droughts in the western United States, Zhuang et al., Science Advances: Historically, meteorological drought in the western United States (WUS) has been driven primarily by precipitation deficits. However, our observational analysis shows that, since around 2000, rising surface ...

Skeptical Science

1 week ago
Cheap distracting games

Sometimes it’s hard to stop doomscrolling. One thing that can help is having something else to focus on, like video games! I’m not exactly the most tuned in to the industry, but I follow enough variety content creators to know of a pretty decent range of games that are easy ...

The little pakehaBy chrismiller

1 week ago
Climate Change: Raising the bar

One of the obligations of the Paris Climate Change Agreement is for every country to set a "Nationally Determined Contribution" - an NDC - of emissions cuts. The Key government initially set an unambitious NDC of a 30% cut (from 2005 levels) by 2030. The Ardern government later increased this ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

1 week ago
Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live at 5pm

Photo by Julian Zwengel on UnsplashWe’re back. Come and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with special guests:5.00 pm - 5.10 pm - ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
Don’t think I’ve ever moved through the stages of grief so swiftly

I spent yesterday afternoon watching the New York Times election dashboard needle steadily move towards the worst possible result. It was more or less the same dashboard they had in 2016, and it was telling more or less the same tale. You end up hating the NYT and its damn ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

1 week ago
This One’s Just For You, Martyn.

Hard Hat & A HammerAlan JacksonVideo courtesy of YouTubePosted on Bowalley Road on Thursday, 7 November 2024. ...

Bowalley Road

1 week ago
The Age of (Dis)Information

Don’t want to be an American idiotOne nation controlled by the mediaInformation age of hysteriaIs calling out to idiot America—Greenday, American IdiotSapphi’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.What just happened?Nothing. Yesterday was a momentous election. The ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

1 week ago
Drawn

A ballot for two Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill (Laura Trask) Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill (Kahurangi Carter) The first is ACT bullshit aimed at undermining basic employment rights. The ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

1 week ago
The planet is ‘on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster,’ scientists warn

This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections A person rides past a destroyed church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene flooding on October 6, 2024, in Swannanoa, North Carolina. Scientists say that climate change increased the storm’s deadly rainfall by about 10%. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Earth’s ...

Skeptical Science

1 week ago
Making America Gross Again

I should be crying, but I just can't let it showI should be hoping, but I can't stop thinkingOf all the things I should've saidThat I never saidAll the things we should've doneThat we never didAll the things I should've givenBut I didn'tOh, darling, make it goMake it go awaySongwriter: ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 week ago
The Day After

This morning, there will be plenty of reflections on why and how Donald J. Trump won the US election for a second time.Melania agrees to hold her husband’s hand after his historic victoryThere will be pithy lines, astute observations, and anger and disbelief from some. And for others, celebration - ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

1 week ago
Throwback Thursday: 10 Years

At the start of 2018, Patrick penned this post thinking about how Auckland might look in 10 years. We are almost 7 years through that, and so we thought it might be interesting to think about what came true, and what was unforeseen? What has changed in Auckland and does ...

Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland

1 week ago

Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill

The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...

Greens

7 hours ago
Stand Up for Te Tiriti

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...

Labour Blog

10 hours ago
Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon

As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Labour Blog

12 hours ago
Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation

The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...

Greens

1 day ago
Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned

The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

1 day ago
Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors

...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors

Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care

Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill

The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect

The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Without action, an apology will be empty air

For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...

Greens

4 days ago
Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference

Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...

Labour Blog

6 days ago
Urgent wake-up call on climate

The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...

Greens

6 days ago
Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world

Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...

Greens

7 days ago
Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies

Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...

Labour Blog

7 days ago
Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill

The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...

The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
NZ must pursue independent foreign policy

The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Release: Winston Peters must apologise

The Deputy Prime Minister should apologise to the public servant he named and blamed for something they did not do, and for misusing the rules of Parliament. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Release: Government continues to fail small business

The Government is leaving small businesses high and dry in difficult economic times, by letting big business get away with not paying their bills. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Release: Unemployment rising under National

Nicola Willis’ policies continue to slow the economy with more Kiwis out of work as a result. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Near four-year high unemployment reveals dire need for new direction

Today, Statistics New Zealand’s latest labour market report revealed that unemployment has reached 4.8 per cent, the highest rate since late 2020, during the COVID pandemic. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Release: Shovels in the ground this term unlikely

National looks set to break another election promise, this time by not beginning construction on a second Mt Victoria tunnel this term, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Not too late to abandon the Bill, Christopher

The Green Party is urgently calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill following reports it will be introduced on Thursday. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Coalition Govt’s expensive tunnel vision for Wellington comes at the expense of the regions

A second Mount Victoria tunnel, a duplicate Terrace tunnel alongside highway widening will dump more traffic in the centre of Wellington and result in more pollution. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Release: Government’s disgrace for Christchurch homeowners

The Government is backtracking on existing commitments to do the right thing by homeowners let down by EQC (now the Natural Hazards Commission). ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Release: National’s FamilyBoost a colossal flop

Nicola Willis continues to over promise and under deliver, with most families receiving only $30 a week from National’s flagship FamilyBoost flop. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Ngarewa-Packer Demands Support for Palestine Ceasefire from New Plymouth Mayor

Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is calling on the Mayor for New Plymouth, Neil Holdom, to do the right thing. “I am shocked at his decision to disregard the petition presented by Palestine Solidarity Taranaki calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire”, said ...

Māori Party

2 weeks ago
Release: Trade deal with Gulf states welcomed

Labour welcomes the conclusion of a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that was restarted under a Labour government after languishing for many years. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Release: Labour welcomes OAG fast track inquiry

The Government should consider the outcome of an Auditor-General report into conflicts of interest before progressing the Fast track Approvals Bill through Parliament. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Greens reignite call for free dental

A new report detailing the enormous social and economic costs of our dental system has reignited the Greens' call for free dental care. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Greens call for bottom trawling ban and call out Minister for lacklustre response

The Green Party is urgently calling on the Government to ban bottom trawling, following news a New Zealand bottom trawler caught 37kg of coral in international waters, prompting the suspension of all fishing in the area until 2026. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Mark Patterson: Farmers understand we have their backs

Spring is here which means the start of the A&P show season. Those treasured community days where town meets country. There's no rural-urban divide here, just a chance to meet up with family and old friends and celebrate all things that make rural New Zealand so special. I'm embarking on ...

NZ First Press Release

2 weeks ago
Release: Funding for Gumboot Friday should pause

The National Government should review its support for Gumboot Friday after unacceptable comments by its leader and champion Mike King. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Louise Upston cherry-picks data to punch down on the poor

The Government has very conveniently cherry-picked data from the latest MSD projections to justify its cruel agenda and punch-down policy when it comes to people living in poverty. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Luxon needs to address the cow in the room

The Green Party was appalled to hear Prime Minister Christopher Luxon claim we are “doing everything we can” on climate change, while his government does nothing to address emissions in our most polluting sector. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Govt Must Clean Up ‘Its Shit’ From Sunken HMNZS Manawanui

Te Pāti Māori is calling out the Government and New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) for their inaction and disgraceful downplaying of the impact caused by the sunken HMNZS Manawanui in Samoa. “We demand the Government move without further delay to clean up its shit from the sunken HMNZS Manawanui in Samoa,” said co-leader Debbie ...

Māori Party

3 weeks ago
Jamie Arbuckle: Inquiry into Banking Competition

This week was the start of the bank inquiry hearings into banking competition. The inquiry was confirmed in the NZ First/National Coalition agreement. 140 submissions were received on the inquiry, and we will hear from over 60 submitters including all the major banks. ANZ, New Zealand's largest bank, was first ...

NZ First Press Release

3 weeks ago

Treaty Principles Bill passes first reading

Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says all New Zealanders will now be able to have their say on the Treaty Principles Bill after it passed its first reading and was sent to the Justice Committee to be considered. “I look forward to seeing what Kiwis have to say on the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

8 hours ago
Antarctic cooperation at centre of Scott Base visit

Finance Minister and Associate Climate Change Minister Nicola Willis will travel to Antarctica next week to engage with international partners and scientists and to assess latest steps in the redevelopment of Scott Base. “New Zealand has important interests in Antarctica and our longstanding presence at Scott Base is a key ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

8 hours ago
RIF funding supports aquaculture development

The Coalition Government is backing the development of an aquaculture centre of excellence in Southland with an investment of $2.2 million, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. South Island Industrial Fund Ltd will use the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) loan towards its $6.3m project to upgrade infrastructure at the Ocean ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

12 hours ago
Safeguarding Kiwis with modern insurance law

Modernised insurance law will provide Kiwis with confidence that they will be treated fairly by insurance providers, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “A secure insurance market is integral to New Zealand’s economic success. It enables consumers and businesses to access finance and gives them the assurance to ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

12 hours ago
When the going gets tough ‘Get Through’ with Farmstrong

An online hub with mental wellbeing tools and resources designed to help farmers and growers deal with the stress of adverse weather events has been officially launched by Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey. “Adverse weather events are an increasingly common reality for our farmers and growers. It’s vital that ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

13 hours ago
Government exploring new energy source

Up to $60 million will be ring-fenced from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to invest in exploring the potential of supercritical geothermal technology which could help secure New Zealand’s future energy needs, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Science, Innovation, and Technology Minister Judith Collins say. Having a secure and resilient energy supply ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

16 hours ago
Pay Gap Calculator toolkit launched

New Zealand businesses can now take meaningful action to drive down the gender pay gap with the launch of an online calculator today, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says. “Women are paid, on average, 8.2 per cent less than men and this gap has barely moved since 2017 - which ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
Government launches refreshed Public Private Partnership framework

The Government has released a refreshed Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework that provides a blueprint to the market outlining how the government will approach future PPP transactions, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say. “Refreshing New Zealand’s PPP model is an important part of our plan to ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
Further decisions taken on regulating online casino gambling

Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to further details of a new system to regulate online casino gambling. “A new Online Gambling Bill will be drafted with the purpose to regulate online casino gambling to facilitate a safer and compliant regulated online gambling market. More importantly, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Tailored support for people in emergency housing

Ka mate kāinga tahi, ka ora kāinga rua. An innovative Government trial will tailor support to people with a diverse range of complex needs to move out of emergency housing and into more permanent housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “The Government has set a target of reducing the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Getting ready for bird flu

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard is encouraging New Zealanders to take steps to be ready for the possible arrival of bird flu.“While high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) is still some distance from New Zealand and we’ve never had a case here, it’s important that we take a cautious approach. “If you’re one ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Harbour closure supports mussel reseeding

A two-year ban on the take of kuku/mussels from Ōhiwa Harbour in eastern Bay of Plenty will support local efforts to restore mussel beds in the area, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa requested the closure, Te rāhui kuku ki tua o Kanawa, to ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Government awards primary sector scholarships to tertiary students

The coalition Government has awarded scholarships to six tertiary students as part of efforts to boost on-the-ground support for farmers and growers Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “We are reducing the regulatory burden on farmers and growers and providing support to adapt and innovate, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Tax work programme focused on rebuilding the economy

Rebuilding the economy and improving fiscal sustainability is the key focus of the Government’s new Tax and Social Policy Work Programme for Inland Revenue, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “New Zealand has been grappling with significant economic challenges over the last few years with many businesses and households feeling the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Omnibus Bill First Reading for Royal Commission of Inquiry National Apology

Mr Speaker, as the Minister for Children, it is my priority to ensure that children and young people in the care system are safe. The thousands of survivors who shared their experiences with the Royal Commission have been clear that the system must improve its protections against abuse and neglect. ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Clarifying the protection of disabled people in care

The Government is amending the Crimes Act to ensure the protection of disabled people in care is made more explicit, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As part of the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission, the word ‘disability’ is being added to the definition ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Oranga Tamariki Act changes a step in the right direction

Changes to the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 included in an Omnibus Bill are long overdue and a positive step in the right direction, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. As part of the National Apology today, the Responding to Abuse in Care Legislation Amendment Bill had its first reading. “I am ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Improvements to Government record-keeping in response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse ...

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is making changes to the Public Records Act, to improve the record-keeping practices of government agencies. “These changes will allow the Chief Archivist to audit an agency more frequently where required and will also allow the Chief Archivist to work ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Minister Peters completes successful visit to Chile

New Zealand and Chile have reaffirmed their strong partnership, including on security, trade, Antarctic issues, and people-to-people links, says Foreign Minister Winston Peters. “Chile is one of New Zealand’s closest and most like-minded partners in Latin America, and it is the gateway to the region for many New Zealanders,” Mr ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
‘Foreign policy views from an Indo-Pacific neighbour’ – Speech on New Zealand fore...

Kia ora. Tēnā koutou katoa. And greetings from New Zealand. Thank you to Rector Devés and the University of Chile for hosting us today, and to Undersecretary de la Fuente and Professor López for the warm welcome and introductions. When a much younger person, walking on a bridge ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Prime Minister apologises for abuse in care

Ngā kura mōrehu, Treasured survivors, kua ngaro, haere atu rā. those that have passed, farewell. Ngā kura mōrehu, Treasured survivors E whakawhaiti nei that have gathered here. Kei ngā rangatira To the esteemed leaders Tēnā koutou katoa. Greetings. I’d like to welcome you ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Government apologises for abuse in care

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has apologised to all New Zealanders who were abused in the care of state and faith-based institutions. “This is a significant and sorrowful day in New Zealand,” Mr Luxon says. “Today, I am apologising on behalf of the Government to everyone who suﬀered abuse, harm and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Climate Change Minister to attend COP29 in Baku

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will attend the 29th annual United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, this week. “New Zealand is fully committed to meeting our climate targets and reducing the impacts of climate change. Every country has a role to play, and New Zealand will continue ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Crown Observer appointed to Wellington City Council

Experienced local government practitioner Lindsay McKenzie has been appointed as a Crown Observer to Wellington City Council, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Wellington City Council is facing significant challenges in delivering services to its community, while balancing its debt and insurance obligations,” Mr Brown says.“The decision to appoint a Crown ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Govt strengthens protection for people in state care

The Government is introducing several law changes to better protect people in state care, in response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. “The magnitude of the abuse detailed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry was heartbreaking, and as a Government we will do everything in our ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Prime Minister to attend APEC Leaders’ Meeting

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon departs for Peru this week to attend the annual APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting from 15-16 November. “The APEC Summit is a key moment in the regional calendar. It’s an opportunity to meet with counterparts who are also grappling with cost-of-living challenges and choices about driving more ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
First kina barren special permit approved

New rules allowing local communities to take direct action against kina barrens are starting to bear fruit, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “I’ve made kina barrens a priority, which is why I introduced a new special permit purpose this year to allow the removal and translocation of kina ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti from 13 November

The new 110km/h speed limit on the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) will come into effect on 13 November 2024, more than two weeks earlier than expected, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Boosting economic growth and productivity is a priority for the Government. The new 110km/h speed limit will ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Largest ever number of graduate vets to boost rural productivity and support farmers

Thirty-five graduate vets will join rural communities this year through the Voluntary Bonding Scheme (VBS) for Veterinarians, marking the largest intake in the scheme’s history, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard, announced today. “The Government is committed to enhancing primary sector productivity and delivering direct benefits ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Stalking to become illegal and jailable offence

The Government has agreed to introduce legislation this year that will make stalking illegal with a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Every New Zealander deserves to feel safe in their community and this Government is committed to making sure victims are ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Nationally significant sites to be upgraded

Me mihi ngakaunui ki a Tā Robert Gillies e ngaro nei ki tōna nui o Te Rua Tekau Mā Waru. Farewell to Sir Robert Gillies of the 28th (Māori) Battalion. The Government will provide $20.3 million in funding to improve two sites that have a special place in the hearts ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Unions shouldn’t get in the way of student learning

The Government is urging the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put the education of their students first. “Between 9am and 3pm, parents expect their children to be at school to learn. Our Government is relentlessly focused on ensuring the value of achievement and attendance are at the centre of ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Compensation scheme levies to be risk based

The levies that banks, building societies, credit unions and finance companies pay to the new Depositor Compensation Scheme (DCS) fund will reflect the size and riskiness of the institutions, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Under the scheme, deposits up to the value of $100,000 per depositor will be protected in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
New Child Centre will improve mental health outcomes in Tauranga

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey today opened Te Waka Aorangi Child Wellness Centre at Tauranga Hospital, marking a significant milestone in the Government’s commitment to enhancing the health of children and whānau in the Bay of Plenty region. “Te Waka Aorangi is leading the way by providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Dr Daniel Tulloch appointed to FENZ board

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has today announced that Dr Daniel Tulloch has be appointed to Fire and Emergency New Zealand board. “I am pleased to announce that Dr Daniel Tulloch has been appointed for a three-year term of office” says Ms van Velden. “Dr Tulloch is a ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Social Investment Board appointed

Former Treasury Secretary Dr Graham Scott has been appointed as chair of the newly established Social Investment Board, alongside a group of highly skilled individuals, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. The board will advise on the implementation of the social investment approach across the public sector and the work ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago
Poroporoaki: Sir Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies

E te Ikanui a Whiro kua mau nei i te kupenga a Aitua. Kua turakina e te hoariri e kore nei e tāea te karo, mōrehu mutunga o te hokowhitu a Tū ki te Riri Tuarua o te Ao, unuhia tō kōuma, whakairihia tō patu ki tara-ā-whare, whītikihia te tatua ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago
New Zealand and Irish Governments partner to support farming through research

New Zealand and Ireland are investing $9.6 million in targeted research to deliver practical solutions that reduce emissions for New Zealand’s primary producers, announced Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today. The joint effort, led by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago
Rail Network Rebuild to be delivered ahead of City Rail Link opening

The Government has confirmed a programme of upgrades to Auckland’s rail network that will complete the Rail Network Rebuild ahead of the City Rail Link (CRL) opening, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Acting Auckland Mayor Desley Simpson say. “The last National Government started the City Rail Link to transform public transport ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago
Foreign Minister to visit Latin America

Foreign Minister Winston Peters will visit Chile, Mexico and Peru next week. “Chile and Mexico are two of New Zealand’s closest partners in Latin America and we are pleased to be visiting them next week,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will have bilateral programmes in Santiago and Mexico City involving ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago

Grattan on Friday: Labor will ask voters ‘who will make you better or worse off in next three year...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government is standing by Kevin Rudd, albeit with gritted teeth, in the face of calls for him to be replaced as Australia’s ambassador to Washington. But the row is an unhelpful and potentially damaging ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

55 minutes ago
NZ’s Hīkoi challenging controversial draft bill ‘redefines activism’, says Herald

Pacific Media Watch As thousands take to the streets this week to “honour” the country’s 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, the largest daily newspaper New Zealand Herald says the massive event is “redefining activism”. The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been underway since Sunday, with thousands of New Zealanders from all ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

2 hours ago
Collins and Rocket Lab challenged over satellites linked to Israeli war crimes

Asia Pacific Report The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) has written to the Minister for Space Judith Collins and Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck to warn that satellites being launched from the Māhia Peninsula are “highly likely” to conduct surveillance for Israel. And also to assist in the commission of ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

5 hours ago
OzAsia festival 2024: a celebration of Asian culture and art – and what it means to be Asian-Austr...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tets Kimura, Adjunct Lecturer, Creative Arts, Flinders University Xplorer Media/Adelaide Festival Centre The well-documented history of Asian mass migration to modern Australia dates from the gold rush era in the mid-19th century. With a history that is longer a century and ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
Major parties making gains in TPU-Curia poll

The major parties have gained - with National regaining 3.9 points - at the expense of the minor parties. ...

Radio NZ – political

5 hours ago
NZ’s Treaty Principles Bill passes first reading after Māori MP evicted over haka

RNZ News New Zealand’s controversial Treaty Principles Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today and will now go to the Justice Committee for consideration as the national Hīkoi continued its journey to the capital. Opposition Te Pati Māori’s Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke was suspended from the House following a haka. Maipi-Clarke ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

6 hours ago
Watch: Labour’s Willie Jackson ejected from house for calling David Seymour a liar during Trea...

Labour's Māori Development spokesperson was the first to be ejected from the House after calling David Seymour a "liar" - breaking Parliament's rules. ...

Radio NZ – political

6 hours ago
There is reliable evidence social media harms young people – debates about it are a misdirection

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Einstein, Adjunct Fellow, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University Tanya Gorelova/Pexels The Australian government is developing legislation that will ban children under 16 from social media. There has been a huge public debate about whether there is sufficient direct evidence ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

7 hours ago
Politics with Michelle Grattan: shadow communications minister David Coleman says misinformation leg...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government has embarked on a raft of new online safety measures aimed at protecting Australians from the excesses of misinformation and social harm online. However, these policies have been met with backlash. Experts ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

7 hours ago
ASIC’s lawsuit against Cbus has put the big super funds on notice

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Peng, Lecturer in Accounting, The University of Queensland Yuri A/Shutterstock Does your superannuation fund also provide you with insurance? Many of us are automatically enrolled without even realising. Now, the way super funds handle such claims has been thrust into ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

7 hours ago
Live: The Treaty Principles Bill has passed its first reading

Te Pāti Māori's Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke was suspended from the house for interrupting the vote on the Treaty Principles Bill's first reading with a haka. ...

Radio NZ – political

7 hours ago
Uniformed Defence Force Should Not Be Used As Strike Breakers

“In a modern liberal democracy, any deployment of the armed forces in employment relations is a drastic step, and should be avoided at all costs,” said Wagstaff. ...

Scoop politics

7 hours ago
House suspended as haka interrupts first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill

Speaker Gerry Brownlee has suspended the House of Representatives after a haka, led by Te Paati Māori and performed by members in the public gallery, interrupted the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. As thousands continue to protest and hīkoi around Aotearoa, the first reading of the Treaty Principles ...

The SpinoffBy Liam Rātana

8 hours ago
Watch: Haka interrupts vote for the Treaty Principles Bill

As Opposition MPs and the public gallery stood to perform Ka Mate, Speaker Gerry Brownlee suspended the sitting. ...

Radio NZ – political

8 hours ago
Labour’s Willie Jackson ejected from house for calling David Seymour a liar during Treaty Prin...

Labour's Māori Development spokesperson has been ejected from the House after calling David Seymour a "liar" - breaking Parliament's rules. ...

Radio NZ – political

8 hours ago
Live: Labour MP Willie Jackson excused from house after calling David Seymour a liar

A fiery debate has begun as the bill has its first reading in the House, and thousands continue a hīkoi towards Wellington. ...

Radio NZ – political

9 hours ago
Australia will impose a ‘digital duty of care’ on tech companies to reduce online harm. It’s a...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Given, Professor of Information Sciences & Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University MART PRODUCTION/Pexels In an escalation of its battle with big tech, the federal government has announced it plans to impose a “digital duty of care” ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

9 hours ago
To move or not to move: is it cheaper to find a new place or stay when your rent increases by 10%?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Park Thaichon, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Southern Queensland fizkes/Shutterstock Your landlord has just raised your rent by 10% and your mind starts running the numbers – should you cop it sweet or look to move? It’s a familiar scenario ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

9 hours ago
What causes the itch in mozzie bites? And why do some people get such a bad reaction?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Webb, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney Arthur Poulin/Unsplash Are you one of these people who loathes spending time outdoors at dusk as the weather warms and mosquitoes start biting? Female mosquitoes need blood to ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

9 hours ago
If our hot water heaters ran off daytime solar, we would slash emissions and soak up cheap energy

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Baran Yildiz, Senior lecturer in Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney nikkytok/Shutterstock Your hot shower or bath uses 15-30% of your household’s total energy, second only to the heating and cooling of air. More than half of all Australian households rely ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

9 hours ago
Live: Parliament sits to debate Treaty Principles Bill

A fiery debate has begun as the bill has its first reading in the House, and thousands continue a hīkoi towards Wellington. ...

Radio NZ – political

9 hours ago
Hundreds of Israel lobbyists ‘writing America’s news’, reveals new probe

Pacific Media Watch Hundreds of former employees of Israel lobbying groups such as AIPAC, StandWithUs and CAMERA are working in top newsrooms across the United States, writing and producing America’s news — including on Israel-Palestine, reports a new investigation. These outlets include MSNBC, The New York Times, CNN and Fox ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

10 hours ago
Review: Crowded House gets Ōtautahi breaking the rules

Last night at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, Crowded House did the unthinkable – they got a polite New Zealand concert crowd to break the rules. Here’s something I’ve observed about concert attendance in the north vs the south. Where most Aucklanders will bustle in just as the main act takes ...

The SpinoffBy Alex Casey

10 hours ago
Christopher Luxon gives scathing appraisal of Treaty Principles Bill ahead of first reading

The Prime Minister has given a scathing appraisal of the bill on the day of its first reading. ...

Radio NZ – political

10 hours ago
The House: It’s all politics

In Parliament, anything and everything can be political including things as innocuous as playground equipment, clothing, colours, and even eating takeaways. ...

Radio NZ – political

10 hours ago
Waitangi Tribunal demands release Te Aka Whai Ora documents

A treaty lawyer says she can't recall the tribunal issuing a directive like this before. ...

Radio NZ – political

11 hours ago
Christopher Luxon gives scathing appraisal of Treaty Principles Bill at its first reading

The Prime Minister has given a scathing appraisal of the bill on the day of its first reading. ...

Radio NZ – political

11 hours ago
Nationalism is surging – changing the way companies do business overseas

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11 hours ago
Menopause is having a moment. How a new generation of women are shaping cultural attitudes

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11 hours ago
The case for reading books about animals wearing clothes

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The SpinoffBy Claire Mabey

12 hours ago
Hīkoi day four: Setting off from Huntly on way to Wellington – bill reading

RNZ News Thousands of people are continuing their North Island hīkoi as the legislation they are protesting against, the Treaty Principles Bill, gets its first reading in Parliament today. The hīkoi enters day four and headed off from Huntly, destined for Rotorua today, after it advanced through Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

12 hours ago
Coldplay and 57,000 babies at Eden Park

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The SpinoffBy Madeleine Chapman

13 hours ago
Health NZ Commissioner steps in to stop staff losing Milo

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Radio NZ – political

13 hours ago
Inland Revenue calls in debt collectors over overseas student debt

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Radio NZ – political

13 hours ago
Incorrect patient data found during system upgrades at Auckland’s hospitals

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Radio NZ – political

13 hours ago
Dear Donald, here’s why you should cut NZ a break in the tariff torrent

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14 hours ago
Donald Trump picks Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general

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Radio NZ – political

14 hours ago
A 41-million-digit prime number is the biggest ever found – but mathematicians’ search for perfe...

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Evening ReportBy The Conversation

15 hours ago
Elon Musk has turned X into a globally influential media platform – and there’s more to come

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Evening ReportBy The Conversation

15 hours ago
The NZ government’s plan to withhold COVID inquiry findings until 2026 leaves the country ill-prep...

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Evening ReportBy The Conversation

15 hours ago

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