Rachel Stewart eviscerates John Key

Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, December 20th, 2015 - 211 comments
Categories: articles, john key, Media, Minister for International Embarrassment, national, newspapers, sexism - Tags: , ,

John-Key-not-sorry-for-being-a-man

Rachel Stewart is a tough uncompromising columnist for the Taranaki Daily News.  Rachel is not someone to hold back.  Her previous criticisms of the farming industry were met with death threats.  Her recent critique of the post John Campbell media is a must read.  And her analysis of Amy Adams landholding and issues of possible conflict were met with legal threats.

If you want a flavour of her writing her website is here.

On farming issues she speaks from experience.  She was previously a farmer and was even a regional president of Federated Farmers.

Her latest column eviscerates John Key’s habit of preferring shock jock right wing media to the more challenging and demanding job of fronting up to interviewers who will actually ask him questions.  Weekly appearances at the likes of radio station The Rock or being interviewed by his BFF Paul Henry and Mike Hosking are preferred to very occasional appearances at more challenging interviews such as those at Radio New Zealand.

She starts off by reviewing things that Key has talked about and done and describes John Key as an “equal opportunity creep”.  She then states:

Last week’s radio appearance on The Rock was just another in a series of rude, crude and highly unattractive stunts by Key.

Our PM seems to actively avoid being interviewed on RNZ – I mean they might actually ask him something hard – but actively courts the bowels of radio by chafing at the bit to be on trash like The Rock.

Somehow, I strongly suspect that if you’re a The Rock listener you’re not reading this column. Thank you Jesus!

But if by chance you are, or you know someone who does, consider this an intervention. 

Darling, you need help. There’s no polite way to say this but, there it is. You are sexist, racist, homophobic and seriously mentally deficient. You find rape jokes funny and love that our country’s leader does too.

She then talks about modern New Zealand and how things are deteriorating for women.

As one of many women with a brain living in New Zealand in 2015, I speak from the heart when I say we are not having a great time right now.

It feels like we’re living in a Boy’s Own Annual. There is a male culture so toxic and all-persuasive that we feel stifled and need to come up for air. 

Of course, it is aided and abetted from the top (Key) and trickling down (the only genuine trickle down we’ve seen) and it’s giving every male within cooee tacit permission to swagger and strut and wear their bigotry like a badge of honour.

It’s like every awful passing thought they’ve ever had about women or gays or rape is now able to be spewed forth like a kaleidoscope of hatred-coloured vomit. 

Coupled with all of this is a Government that has massively cut funding to Rape Crisis, and attempted to silence women parliamentarians when they spoke out about their own sexual assault experiences.

Predictably the spin from Key’s minders is that “it’s Christmas” (what the hell that has to do with it I do not know) and there’s something wrong with us because we can’t take a joke.

So, it’s all women’s fault again. You know the drill.

She finishes off by saying this:

Call me old-fashioned but the title of Prime Minister should mean something. Jumping in a cage and picking up a bar of soap in a nod to prison rape doesn’t really factor into that.

Nor does three-way handshakes, the “gay red top”, mincing down the catwalk, or planking.

The only consolation I feel is that I’m far from alone in feeling embarrassed to say I’m a New Zealander right now.

The list of shame is so long – climate change inaction, the flag debacle, domestic violence, child poverty – to name a few.

Add to the mix a Prime Minster who thinks it’s a hoot to make fun of rape, is unapologetic, and blames everyone else for not “getting it” and I think you can see why many of us are collectively cringing.

I suspect she is now off John Key’s christmas card list.  If she was ever on it.

211 comments on “Rachel Stewart eviscerates John Key ”

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  1. Macro 1
    20 December 2015 at 12:16 pm

    A brave woman!

    Kia Kaha! Rachel.

    If only we had more journalists ready to stand up and say what needs to be said. The people at the bottom of the heap, those deeply concerned for social justice, the 30% of children living in relative poverty or worse, and those whose dignity and self worth have been trashed by others and with no hope of recovery; all these people, and more, have had no public voice for a long, long, time.

  2. TeWhareWhero 2
    20 December 2015 at 12:27 pm

    Key’s Ode to the Common Man:
    (apologies to the writer/s of ‘Mambo No 5’)

    A little bit of laddishness in my life
    A little bit of sexism by my side
    A little bit of mockery’s all I need
    A little bit of piss take’s what I see
    A little bit of sarcasm in the sun
    A little bit of foolishness all night long
    A little bit of racism here I am –
    Quite a bit of this makes me your man

  3. Tautuhi 3
    20 December 2015 at 12:31 pm

    Unfortunately for NZ JK understands currency and $’s, however he does not understand how to run a business and building long term relationships with people, in his eyes it is more about a popularity contest.

    Also I don’t think he and a number of the Natzis actually have a social conscience.

    Merchant banking and currency trading is “dine and dash” stuff. NZ debt has increased tenfold since National came to power, I have not seen a tenfold improvement in the NZ Economy. We are told we have a “Rockstar Economy” however I have not witnessed it.

    The Brighter Future Campaign = The Rich are Getting Richer and the Poor are Getting Poorer

    • Richard McGrath 3.1
      24 December 2015 at 2:01 pm

      Problem is so many of the poor are getting richer… kinda stuffs that theory.

        • Richard McGrath 3.1.1.1
          24 December 2015 at 2:33 pm

          So no-one in the lower socio-economic brackets is getting a pay rise, or moving to a higher paying job, or shifting overseas into better paying work? No-one?

      • Korero Pono 3.1.2
        24 December 2015 at 2:37 pm

        What absolute rubbish, it is certainly not true in the New Zealand context.

        • Richard McGrath 3.1.2.1
          24 December 2015 at 2:44 pm

          So no-one in the lower socio-economic brackets is getting a pay rise, or moving to a higher paying job, or shifting overseas into better paying work? No-one?

          • Korero Pono 3.1.2.1.1
            24 December 2015 at 3:04 pm

            In the context of your original statement “so many of the poor are getting richer… kinda stuffs that theory” you are writing absolute rubbish. People may well be getting pay rises, “moving into higher paying jobs [and] moving overseas into better paying work but that does not change the fact that the poor in New Zealand are getting poorer, the rich are getting richer.

            • Richard McGrath 3.1.2.1.1.1
              24 December 2015 at 3:22 pm

              Can you define what you mean when you speak of “the poor … getting poorer?”

              Could it be that both those in the 1st and 5th quintiles of working New Zealanders have rising average incomes?

              • Korero Pono …
                24 December 2015 at 3:37 pm

                We now have 305,000 children living in poverty. Regardless of what you call ‘rising average incomes’, by the same token living costs have risen, increased GST (which has had the greatest impact on those on the lowest incomes), and rising housing costs. People are no better off, in fact many people are worse off, those on the lowest incomes are most affected, the poor are getting poorer, the rich are getting richer.

                • Richard McGrath …
                  24 December 2015 at 3:51 pm

                  Does anyone have supporting information for that assertion? Are wages dropping for, say, the lowest earning quintile or lowest earning decile?

                  Probably more importantly, are living standards dropping for the lowest quintile or decile? Specifically, is infant mortality for these groups increasing? Is life expectancy decreasing? Are there any other objective measures that point to a worsening quality of life for the less well-off?

                  • Korero Pono …
                    24 December 2015 at 7:20 pm

                    How about we turn the questions around, can you find any objective evidence that people in the lowest decile are not worse off in ‘real’ terms – i.e. cost of living vs incomes?

                    Can you point to infant mortality (which is higher than most other OCED countries) and ignore an increase in hospital admissions for children with preventable diseases to narrow the perspective simply to try to prove a point?

                    I would say that the increase in hospital admissions for children, the increase in child poverty and the increase in families having to use food banks and budgeting services are good indicators of a growing problem.

                    Of course you can ignore these factors and favour your narrow biased view if that helps you sleep at night, fortunately most of us live in the real world.

      • fender 3.1.3
        24 December 2015 at 3:08 pm

        Yeah I’ve seen some homeless people with clothing, that’s pretty rich.

        • Richard McGrath 3.1.3.1
          24 December 2015 at 3:54 pm

          Wow, that’s statistically significant isn’t it? A sample size of 1, with no quantification. You should get that research published.

    • Grace Miller 3.2
      31 December 2015 at 2:15 pm

      Yeah, it’s a rockstar economy, just more Iggy Pop than Iggy Azalea! 😉

  4. Peter 4
    20 December 2015 at 12:52 pm

    I would prefer for our PM to spend his time attending strategic planning sessions to address the critical issues facing NZ rather than indulging in self-promoting diversionary sideshows. Gaining personal popularity seems to be his personal driver rather than putting in place plans to benefit the citizens of this country. Leadership and strategic thinking are not his strong points.

    • Tautuhi 4.1
      20 December 2015 at 2:44 pm

      Haven’t seen any evidence of a plan in the last 7 years, just more borrowing and State Asset Sales. Maybe someone can enlighten us on this thread?

      What is National’s economic growth strategy, high risk deep sea oil drilling off the NZ Coast? Anything else?

      • tc 4.1.1
        20 December 2015 at 3:08 pm

        That is the plan, erode the asset and tax base I.e govt income, increase debt while an earthquake rebuild and milk price boom are smudged into being called economic growth.

        The removal of democracy, privacy and sovereignty was a bonus the hollow men couldn’t resist whilst neutering any dissention and destroying a few institutions into the bargain.

  5. Matthew Hooton 5
    20 December 2015 at 12:59 pm

    Unfortunately, this just turns out to be a hate-filled diatribe against John Key.
    How can she put the appalling prison-rape stunt into the same category as silliness such as “three-way handshakes … mincing down the catwalk, or planking”?
    Those things actually are harmless.
    Also, how is “the flag debacle” in the same category as “domestic violence”?
    And John Key does give a full interview to RNZ’s Morning Report each Monday.
    Are we sure this person is really not just a hater rather than a journalist?

    • Muttonbird 5.1
      20 December 2015 at 1:09 pm

      Mincing down the catwalk isn’t harmless. And as you are in a mood to categorise, neither is gay red top.

    • Laurie Fleming 5.2
      20 December 2015 at 1:16 pm

      Come on Hooton: You love John Key. You hate John Key. But someone else hating John Key is contemptible. Make up your mind.

      • Raf 5.2.1
        20 December 2015 at 5:55 pm

        “Come on Hooton: You love John Key. You hate John Key. But someone else hating John Key is contemptible. Make up your mind.”

        Sounds like love to me.

    • marty mars 5.3
      20 December 2015 at 1:19 pm

      “Are we sure this person is really not just a hater rather than a journalist?”

      yep quite sure – key is a buffoon, and that’s on his good day.

    • Akldnut 5.4
      20 December 2015 at 1:37 pm

      Whatever Mathew – give it a rest.
      She’s rightfully pointed out a few actions that have pointed to him being the cringeworthyest (new word?) PM we’ve ever had.
      All you’re doing cover his arse as usual!

    • RedLogix 5.5
      20 December 2015 at 1:38 pm

      Matthew,

      You are right that they are not qualitatively the same thing, but they are the outcome of the same pattern of behaviour.

      If John Key were a private person, none of this would matter. But he is our Prime Minister, and for better or worse, he embodies a role public role.

      It’s the difference between a responsible parent and a jokey, sometime a little creepy, uncle.

      • Rae 5.5.1
        20 December 2015 at 6:42 pm

        If John Key were a private person or rather not the particular PM he is, he probably would have been charged over the ponytail pulling episode(s)

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.5.1.1
          20 December 2015 at 7:25 pm

          A smackdown and a trespass order more like. I’ve seen creeps like him tossed out onto the street for less.

    • Iceberg 5.6
      20 December 2015 at 1:45 pm

      The strategy is; read/write hate filled diatribe about John Key, retweet it, win the election. Same strategy has been going gangbusters for nearly a decade.

    • Rachel Stewart 5.7
      20 December 2015 at 1:47 pm

      Matthew, rather than attacking me how about you concentrate on Key. Just a thought. Who’s the “hater”?

      (Oh yeah, and when you say a “full interview” I’d call it an “empty, hollow” interview devoid of substance. He is scared of anything resembling hard journalism which is why he goes on The Rock and indulges in rape jokes.)

      Now go away Matthew and talk to someone who gives a toss. You are a paid shill for Key and cronies. We all know that.

      • Matthew Hooton 5.7.1
        21 December 2015 at 2:01 am

        But I’m not a shill, paid or otherwise, for Key and his cronies. That’s just a smear. How about addressing the issue I raise: you seeming to see Key’s disgraceful participation in the rape “joke” as morally equivalent to the three-way handshake, or having his photo taken with his then teenage son planking?

        • Paul 5.7.1.1
          21 December 2015 at 5:46 am

          How about you answering the charge made by Rachael Stewart that Key behaves in a manner unbecoming of a Prime Minister?
          And, while you are here, how about answering the other charges made about Key’s creepy behaviour ?
          But I sense you are only here to divert the discussion to some little cul de sac.
          I believe you receive money for your opinions from corporate interests.
          And your job for them is to spin for their powerful interests.
          It’s an unethical and amoral job and , like Rachel, I wish you would simply type your spin elsewhere.

        • sabine 5.7.1.2
          21 December 2015 at 6:30 am

          any proof that you are not just a paid shill? Cause clearly it seems that you are a shill…..but hey maybe you do it for lovs? Growing a ponytail Matthew?

          • One Anonymous Bloke 5.7.1.2.1
            21 December 2015 at 6:58 am

            The proof, in his own words, that Matthew Hooton is a paid shill:

            Exceltium’s speciality is engaging with the political process – at central and local government level and right across the political spectrum – to assist commercial clients in achieving their commercial objectives.

          • lurgee 5.7.1.2.2
            21 December 2015 at 12:09 pm

            That’s quite an offensive comment on several levels.

            You’re as much a part of the problem Stewart describes as Key is.

          • Richard McGrath 5.7.1.2.3
            24 December 2015 at 2:00 pm

            I don’t think you can prove a negative, can you? Disproving a positive is easier.

        • mickysavage 5.7.1.3
          21 December 2015 at 7:13 am

          you seeming to see Key’s disgraceful participation in the rape “joke” as morally equivalent to the three-way handshake, or having his photo taken with his then teenage son planking?

          False equivalence argument isn’t it? Rachel is saying they are all behaviour unbecoming of a PM. Example one maybe not, but example two would be. I would add Key’s outburst in Parliament where he accused the Labour Party of “backing the rapists”.

        • Pat 5.7.1.4
          21 December 2015 at 7:34 am

          Don’t worry Matthew, if John Keys actions cost National the Treasury benches I’m sure Suzanne will put in a good word for you at the shopping channel….

        • Ross 5.7.1.5
          21 December 2015 at 7:41 am

          you seeming to see Key’s disgraceful participation in the rape “joke” as morally equivalent to the three-way handshake, or having his photo taken with his then teenage son planking?

          Except she didn’t say they were morally equivalent – that was your blinkered interpretation.

          Her message is that a Prime Minister worth his salt wouldn’t do the sort of things that we see Key do. Of course, if you want to defend his behaviour, more fool you.

          Key doesn’t like women with a brain and I’m beginning to think you don’t like them either.

          By the way, when you write your opinion pieces for NBR, are you really saying you do it for the love, not the money?

        • shelley king 5.7.1.6
          22 December 2015 at 11:58 am

          Matthew, I see this time and time again, where men make everything into a competition. (testosterone perhaps?) There is no hierarchy between the rape joke and the three way handshake. They are equally inappropriate as a public leader (of no use to us as a nation). I repeat,” no competition”. As for ‘flag debacle’ and ‘domestic violence’; isn’t it obvious ? 27million dollars obvious. If you don’t understand what I’ve just said, please ask anyone else on this thread to explain. You will find this knowledge helpful in any further discussions you enter in to.

        • Missyamanda 5.7.1.7
          22 December 2015 at 5:58 pm

          I think you have missed the point Matthew, I don’t believe there was intent to compare these behaviours against one another. Rather I think it was a list of some behaviours he exhibits which make him a less than desirable PM. The “flag debacle” is a disgusting waste of money at a time when many services are enduring funding cuts-Rachel was right to include it in my opinion.

    • Paul 5.8
      20 December 2015 at 1:48 pm

      Says the man paid to spin for extreme right corporate interests.

    • oskar 5.9
      20 December 2015 at 1:52 pm

      I get the message. Don’t “criticize” the nice John Key because that equates to “hate”.

    • Saarbo 5.10
      20 December 2015 at 2:19 pm

      That is not true @matthew Hooten….National MP’s including Key very rarely accept invitations onto RNZ.

    • Sabine 5.11
      20 December 2015 at 2:20 pm

      I find it funny how you would like to blame this Lady for listing up the ‘faux pas’ of John Key.

      After all it is he, who thinks that mincing down the catwalk, planking and picking up soap in a cage is funny.

      The flag debacle is John Key’s doing, same as the under-funding for crisis Centres and counseling.

      And John Key has not given an ‘interview’ in years, he humms and he awws shucks, but he does not answer questions.

      Ahhh, its the shoot the messenger time – cause they are not ‘journalists’, like you and Mike Hoskins, Haters, they are …..?

      Pathetic little Matthew.

    • Ross 5.12
      20 December 2015 at 2:33 pm

      Are we sure this person is really not just a hater rather than a journalist?

      To be fair, it’s not her job to stick her head up the PM’s arse. Besides, I suspect there’s no room.

      If the PM doesn’t like criticism, he knows what he can do.

      • Tautuhi 5.12.1
        20 December 2015 at 2:50 pm

        This is similar site to WhaleOil and KiwiBlog however the discussions on this website are generally more intelligent and articulate than the comments on the National Party Websites, which specialise in co-ordinated attack blogs in conjunction with MSM.

        I would say the IQ of the people on this site would be higher than those at WhaleOil or KiwiBlog.

      • D'Esterre 5.12.2
        21 December 2015 at 11:23 pm

        Ross: “To be fair, it’s not her job to stick her head up the PM’s arse. Besides, I suspect there’s no room.”

        Indeed. As somebody in this household observed, that space is being occupied by Richie McCaw at present.

    • Stuart Munro 5.13
      20 December 2015 at 3:38 pm

      I’m a little surprised Matthew: shouldn’t a non-performing MD be sanctioned? Key is not performing as a PM, however well he may be performing as a circus act.

      Collins has recently perpetrated the fiction that not interfering operationally (a protocol designed to prevent undue ministerial intervention in the civil service) also applies to protecting the profits of Serco, a private company that an astute government would be prosecuting for negligently contributing to the death of the inmate who was dropped. Where is Key on matters like this?

      “Couldn’t give a f**k, akshully”.

      This government is just pissing our resources away. We should love them? Where is the Right? The guys who are supposed to understand auditing? We didn’t get $100 billion in the hole by prudent financial planning but by barking fiscal insanity.

      Bill English is on a pretty good wicket. We could garnish his salary for a grand a week to start paying off his incompetence – it would only two million years give or take to pay it all off, excluding interest – ten times as long as homo sapiens have been on earth.

    • Grant 5.14
      20 December 2015 at 3:43 pm

      Almost like looking in a mirror Mathew?

    • mickysavage 5.15
      20 December 2015 at 3:57 pm

      And John Key does give a full interview to RNZ’s Morning Report each Monday.

      I just had a quick check and over the past three months he has appeared slightly more than once a fortnight for about 5 minutes.

    • Peter 5.16
      20 December 2015 at 4:15 pm

      ….. and how many Monday morning RNZ interviews has he given since first been elected?

    • Hamish Evans 5.17
      20 December 2015 at 5:05 pm

      You can’t put those things in the same category – I think that’s the point; his ridiculous behaviour goes from the trivial and weird to the sublimely and disgustingly repulsive and offensive.
      Furthermore, he does not give a full interview to RNZ’s Morning Report each Monday. I had a look and these “full reports” are not every week, and they’re about one to five minutes long. A little journalistic accuracy would be good.

    • Gabby 5.18
      20 December 2015 at 6:36 pm

      Why does Ponyboy back the Ray Piss?

    • Anna 5.19
      20 December 2015 at 7:50 pm

      We are absolutely sure that Rachel is not the hater, but John Key is. Like you, he is a hater of women, the poor, the vulnerable. For the record, who interviews him on RNZ?

    • David Pate 5.20
      20 December 2015 at 7:58 pm

      Sorry to agree to disagree Matthew, but shonKey’s domestic violence against this country is legendary, if 300,000 children living in poverty isn’t violent in your book, I wish you good luck with that

    • Crone 5.21
      20 December 2015 at 9:54 pm

      Yes Matthew, she is a person. One of those ‘woman’ things you obviously can’t get your head around. She is not a hater but a real journalist doing her job, unlike all the others. You know, telling it how it is not writing dross & being a shill like all the rest.

    • Jake 5.22
      20 December 2015 at 11:25 pm

      Matthew – you can wriggle for all you’re worth but everything adds up to a whole and one would have to be blind as well as dumb (and I mean this is the meanest un-p.c. way!) to dismiss the sum total of DonKey’s “misdemeanours” as harmless fun? The guy is a jerk and this country will one day, be rid of him. And many of us can’t wait! And if this sounds like “hate-filled diatribe” yes it is! And with GOOD reason!

      • lurgee 5.22.1
        21 December 2015 at 12:19 pm

        Sadly, the ‘many of us’ who vote against him are fewer than those who vote for him. That’s the problem.

        I think Key has effectively deranged a significant section of the left. They can’t abide that people – common, working class people – might actually quite like the image he projects and respond positively to his stupidities. They aren’t meant to do that! The working classes are meant to be austere poet-warriors singing the Internationale and rallying to the red flag or the green!

        It’s fucking depressing that all we can do in response to him is scream abuse and make ourselves look like losers.

        In all the replies to Hootn’s comment above, there are only three or four that are actually worth the pixels used to make them appear. The rest are shitty, impotent hate-slaverings of idiots. And the most annoying thing is that is exactly what Hooton wants – the more he can point to spite-splattered howlings like we’re seeing here, the happier he is. It confirms the image of the left as a bunch of bitter tribalist failures who hunt in a pack and, even en masse, can do nothing more than post vicious screeds online.

    • vaughan little 5.23
      21 December 2015 at 6:56 pm

      yes. should have been a leaner argument. but: wow. soap bar.

  6. greywarshark 6
    20 December 2015 at 1:26 pm

    I doubt that John Key has a personal Christmas card list. There’s no fun in writing small thoughtful good wishes to numbers of people you care about. It is a duty, to take the time to write with a pen on a card and send loving thoughts, good wishes or just an acknowledgment to another person who hopefully hasn’t died without notice.
    . Even texting or emailing – a paltry facsimile – wouldn’t be his thing. Of course he will have a woman to do those things, to patch the holes in his humanity.

    • Chromophore 6.1
      21 December 2015 at 8:23 am

      I think his Christmas card list might be made up of sincere, personal thank you notes……….

      Merry Xmas Mike,
      Thanks mate, the boys have been great again this year and their (selective, lol) enthusiasm for the job was much appreciated ( wink, wink, allo, allo, hahaha) Sorry about court ruling though, I’ll see what I can do.
      I hope you like the comedy video I got you. It’s Keys (st) Own Cops (haha, just thought that up, lol)
      love John

      To the Oravida Execs, China,
      Melly Klissmiss (hahaha)

      Thanks for everything guys. Did you see I’ve got your girl back? No probs.
      By the way, call me, I’m arranging a party fundraiser.
      Must go now – buying some toiletries for someone special (read the papers lol)

      Merry Ecxema (just thought that up ) hahaha
      John

      Hi Cam,
      txg u again this xmas mate
      sor e to hair (oops lol) about the cort thing, i c wot i can do.
      u’s our pool anytme this suma-. No belly flops mate 1 Xmas tsunami enuff (hahahaha) You wont need yor house key cos It has it’s own shower w seprit toilet – don’t worry mate – it has a soap-on-a-rape (hehe lol)
      this is my new cell number for today.
      Merry Excema (just thort that up) hahahahahahahaha
      John

      Hi Cam,
      me again mate, honestly (hahaha) that was a predicitve txt thing and shoulda been rope! lmao oops lol.

  7. thechangeling 7
    20 December 2015 at 1:48 pm

    Key really is a narcissistic, sociopathically disgusting creep and keeps proving that point to New Zealander’s time after time despite the fact that most of them still ‘don’t get it’.

    • Expat 7.1
      20 December 2015 at 7:03 pm

      @ thechangeling
      Kiwi’s are gluttons for punishment, but I do think there is a limit, we’ve just got to find out where that limit is.

      • lurgee 7.1.1
        22 December 2015 at 9:39 am

        Yet still people say Labour needs to move left to somehow persuade people to vote for them …

        • Expat 7.1.1.1
          22 December 2015 at 5:54 pm

          These same people need to decide whether or not they want to change the Govt, if they don’t support an opposition party that can be part of a coalition, then there won’t be any change of Govt, the left needs to show a united front, with out that their “pissing into the wind”.

        • McFlock 7.1.1.2
          22 December 2015 at 6:07 pm

          The most prominent in the “move left” brigade do not seem to overlap too much with the most prominent commenters angered by a PM who supports rape culture.

          It’s actually the crosby/textor wedge strategy in action: get your opponents fighting each other as much as they fight you. Damn with faint damnation or even outright praise leaders you want painted as “not left enough” (e.g. the tory comments about James Shaw), and watch the divisions grow when “being the guy a normal NZer would be happy to have a beer with” becomes “being a guy a normal kiwi woman wouldn’t necessarily feel safe having a beer with, being alone with, or having to serve in the hospitality industry”.

    • Tiro 7.2
      20 December 2015 at 9:09 pm

      I’ve mentioned the character list of a narcissistic personality some years ago, that seem to be fitting of JFK profile/personality. Dangerous types who can murder and claim it was her fault (any one remember Sophie Elliot?).

    • lurgee 7.3
      22 December 2015 at 9:43 am

      Good grief.

      You’re doing exactly what the rightwing trolls did to Clark when she was in power. The continual, no-smear-too-bad denigration and abuse. You’re suggesting John Key might be a misogynistic sociopathic murderer waiting to happen. Because it makes you sound clever on the interweb.

      I think you need to sort yourself out before you start worrying about other people.

  8. Kelly-Ned 8
    20 December 2015 at 1:56 pm

    Well said Rachel (& Micky)
    Key is an utter embarrassment.
    Whilst I am not convinced on the anthropological climate change effect, on every other point you couldn’t be more correct.
    The question is how to we get rid of him?
    I remain stunned at the number of people who are openly happy to accept his lies, deceptions and manipulations.
    May you continue to chip away at his persona.

  9. Pat 9
    20 December 2015 at 2:03 pm

    a new address for the Polis to visit?

  10. fisiani 10
    20 December 2015 at 2:06 pm

    The Key Derangement Syndrome runs deep in this post. Psychologists refer to it as ‘mislabelling’ and results in every action by JK being seen through a distorted lens that interprets fun as nefarious, joky as creepy and light hearted as perverted. It is so hysterical at times. How could such a viewpoint be true when his popularity rating is about 60%? That is the clue to KDS. It assumes that the posters vision of the distorted lens is accurate. Alternatively the majority of New Zealand are blind and thick and oblivious. The arrogance of such a viewpoint is classical Leftist thinking which itself is a form of mislabelling.

    • Mark 10.2
      20 December 2015 at 2:44 pm

      I don’t know what your qualifications in this field are but mine are rather long and extensive.
      You have some serious issues here and if you are not already having regular sessions with your psychologist then I think that it is imperative that you start immediately.
      I don’t want to drag your problems out in public so I am more than happy to correspond with you privately to see if I can help point you in the right direction to get your life back on track.

      • fisiani 10.2.1
        20 December 2015 at 3:36 pm

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenhan_experiment
        My qualifications are far better than yours.

        • fisiani 10.2.1.1
          20 December 2015 at 5:28 pm

          Your pitiful deflection attempt to play the man does you no credit.

        • Anna 10.2.1.2
          20 December 2015 at 7:58 pm

          Looking up things on Wikipedia does not constitute ‘qualifications.’

        • Mark 10.2.1.3
          20 December 2015 at 9:13 pm

          A wikipedia expert then. In other words you know next to nothing. I made a genuine offer to help you because you are displaying several worrying signs in my opinion. An open forum is not the place to discuss this. Your privacy is very important. Please feel free to contact me through The Standard. Please don’t dismiss my offer out of hand. Take some time to think it over.

        • Murray Simmonds 10.2.1.4
          21 December 2015 at 8:10 am

          “My qualifications are far better than yours.”

          Put ’em up then, fisani and let us judge for ourselves.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 10.2.1.4.1
            21 December 2015 at 8:41 am

            I suspect Fisiani is referring to such as the “replication crisis” in Psychology.

    • ankerawshark 10.3
      20 December 2015 at 6:14 pm

      fisiani there is no such thing as Key Derangement Syndrome. Like Mark I am qualified to speak of this. Checked DSM5 (bet you don’t even know what that is!) and nope its not there.

      However this got me thinking a little. Is Mr Key himself showing signs of being deranged????? He is taking more and more risks in my opinion, hair pulling, calling Labour etc rapists, singing karaoke and of course the wretched prison rape joke. Personally I think it was really risky getting into a cage……….but of course people on th psychopaths scale, like the thrill of risk taking, like all good money traders.

      • McFlock 10.3.1
        20 December 2015 at 9:18 pm

        His behaviour is getting less disciplined – it might also be short-timer syndrome (no, not an official condition). He can see the light at the end of the PM job and there is less for him to lose, Less focus, less impulse control.

        Which would also be why he felt the need to apologise for the “supporting rapists” line in the House – it might be the last notable parliamentary event he has before his valedictory. Especially with the lack of “leave to clarify” bullshit he tried to pull when he was being asked why his school-mate got offered a chief intelligence job out of the blue.

  11. Gangnam Style 11
    20 December 2015 at 2:11 pm

    Spot on. & yeah, brave woman indeed, the rabid right will be sharpening their pitchforks…

  12. joe90 12
    20 December 2015 at 2:21 pm

    Reading this rather long China Miéville article about social sadism and there he is.

    On 20 November 2000, Enron traders Kevin McGowan and Bob Badeer moan about growing complaints from officials over their price-gouging, in the context of those catastrophic power cuts. The exchange becomes infamous.

    ‘They’re fucking taking all the money back from you guys?’ says Kevin. ‘All those money you guys stole from those poor grandmothers in California?’

    ‘Yeah,’ says Bob. ‘Grandma Millie, man.’

    A moment’s banter about the contested election, then Kevin continues: ‘Yeah, now she wants her fucking money back for all the power you’ve charged right up – jammed right up her ass for fucking 250 dollars a megawatt hour.’

    This image of rape and electrocution provokes much laughter.

    She’s old, she’s cold, she has no light, or if she does we supplied it like torturers and made her pay for it. We did it to make money but that’s no reason we can’t enjoy her misery too.

    http://salvage.zone/in-print/on-social-sadism/

    btw the font is a bastard so here’s a reader version

    https://www.instapaper.com/text?u=http%3A%2F%2Fsalvage.zone%2Fin-print%2Fon-social-sadism%2F

  13. b waghorn 13
    20 December 2015 at 2:31 pm

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/75259789/Mark-Reason-Christmas-might-be-a-good-time-to-help-those-kids-really-in-need
    Incognito posted this in o/m I think it belongs here and is a far better breakdown of keys failings.

  14. BM 14
    20 December 2015 at 2:31 pm

    The right love people like Rachel Stewart.

    She represents that part of the left, middle NZ despises, which keeps them voting National.

    Long may she continue.

    • Sabine 14.1
      20 December 2015 at 3:39 pm

      yes dear.

      • BM 14.1.1
        20 December 2015 at 3:51 pm

        It’s true though.

        Anti man rants by angry militant lefty feminists just cement National as the default government and forever keep Labour on the side lines.

        Keep up the good work Rachel

        • Wainwright 14.1.1.1
          20 December 2015 at 3:59 pm

          She’s not anti man, she’s anti one particular man. When you resort to pointless stereotypes it shows you’re scared, mate.

        • sabine 14.1.1.2
          20 December 2015 at 5:29 pm

          what was anti man in that article.

          Pointing out that rape, or prison rape is nothing to be made fun of?
          Pointing out that accepting domestic violence in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator hurts everyone, is anti man?
          Pointing out that his flag debacle is a flag debacle is anti man?
          Pointing out that his ‘red gay shirt’ thingy might have been a bit homophobic is anti man?
          Pointing out that his planking or his son planking really is not newsworthy is anti man?

          or do you think it is anti man, because you are a man and in your eyes the PM can not do anything wrong.?
          You can be a national voter and a national party supporter, but you can still keep some sort of moral and ethical compass. and know that some things are not to be made fun of. Not even to score a cheap set of points with those that have long given up on morals and ethics.

        • D'Esterre 14.1.1.3
          22 December 2015 at 2:00 pm

          BM: “Anti man rants by angry militant lefty feminists just cement National as the default government…”

          This is a bit desperate, isn’t it? Have you got an actual, in-principle, defence of the PM, as opposed to ad hom attacks on women? No? Thought not…

  15. Whispering Kate 15
    20 December 2015 at 3:07 pm

    Today in the Herald online there was a reasonably detailed article about the modern day psychopath, giving the traits which manifest in the condition. It was taking away the presumption that its only serial killers and other nasty individuals. Apparently it can be the daughter’s boyfriend, the friend’s boss, just ordinary people with extra–ordinary unpleasant traits they use against other people. I could only think first hand of one person who displays some of these traits on a daily basis and good lord he is in a position of immense responsibility – who would think it could be possible. And heavens above these people are the type who have Commerce Degrees or become lawyers – it gets more interesting by the minute, all those with Law degrees or Commerce degrees – not a one was mentioned who took a Social Science or Anthropology Degree – funny that.

  16. Lanthanide 16
    20 December 2015 at 3:35 pm

    Weekly appearances at the likes of radio station The Rock [….] are preferred to very occasional appearances at more challenging interviews such as those at Radio New Zealand.

    When Guyon Espiner and Suzie Ferguson took over Morning Report, they have had weekly interviews with John Key on Monday morning, and interviews with Andrew Little on Tuesday mornings.

    Some weeks they seem to have Key on twice, or Little on twice, or Little on Wednesday instead of Tuesday etc, but Key has been fronting up to Morning Report regularly.

    Having said that, I do get a bit of an impression that in the last couple of months Key’s attendance has been lower, but I understand that he’s been out of the country a lot recently and so hasn’t been available.

    • mickysavage 16.1
      20 December 2015 at 4:02 pm

      I did a quick check and could see seven appearances in the past three months.

      • Lanthanide 16.1.1
        20 December 2015 at 8:02 pm

        Yes, as I said, I think he has been out of the country recently so has not appeared.

        Before the last few months, he was on pretty much every week.

    • greywarshark 16.2
      20 December 2015 at 4:09 pm

      Out of work beneficiaries can’t leave the country as they wouldn’t be available for work if a job did come along. Jobs have a holiday roster, has the National party got one covering yek. In Yes Minister PM Hacker or about to be, muses that there isn’t very much to do in the job, all the work is carried out by the others. When the PM is so bored that he’ll pay lewd, obscene japes like the cage one, and talk about pissing in the shower, all National people of good intelligence and breeding should be singing Now is the time to come to the aid of the Party.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 16.3
      20 December 2015 at 4:19 pm

      hasn’t been available.

      No cellphone coverage?

      • Lanthanide 16.3.1
        20 December 2015 at 8:04 pm

        I think it’s more a case of, being overseas doing government business, it’s likely that 7-8am NZ time ends up being in the middle of meetings overseas, or in the middle of the night.

        Now I guess they could pre-record the interviews, and it appears they have sometimes done that in the past.

        • Corokia 16.3.1.1
          20 December 2015 at 9:05 pm

          So, the citizens of this country usually only get to hear the PM being interviewed on public radio once a week, on Mondays before 7am, before anything much has happened.
          If only it was a weekly interview on Saturdays with Kim Hill about the week that had just been.

          • Lanthanide 16.3.1.1.1
            21 December 2015 at 12:10 am

            Wow, you think when they interview him on a Monday (it’s usually between 7 and 8, not before 7), they can only talk about things that happened since 12 midnight Sunday?

            No, of course not – they can talk about *anything*, including everything that happened the previous week. If anything this is actually better, because it means any story that was big news last week is brought up again in that Monday interview, and may get further airtime during the day and potentially into the rest of the week if the story is big enough.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 16.3.1.2
          21 December 2015 at 7:45 am

          So, given the established practice of pre-recording interviews, the ‘reason for unavailability’ turns out to be no excuse.

          • Lanthanide 16.3.1.2.1
            21 December 2015 at 1:48 pm

            While he’s been on these overseas trips, has he been giving these lightweight interviews to the entertainment radio stations? Or has he been equally inaccessible for those stations as well?

            If he’s been giving lightweight interviews while overseas, then I think you have a point. I suspect he hasn’t been.

  17. Expat 17
    20 December 2015 at 3:39 pm

    For all those right wingers comments, JK is a total embarrassment to NZ from an international perspective, they laugh and joke about how NZ’ers must be a bit thick to keep voting in a man who has no idea of what he’s doing, NZ to them is nothing more than a banana republic, the butt of a very big joke.
    Unfortunately, MSM will not report negative material produced by overseas media, as it may be upsetting to some, the reality is that it is mirror reflecting the truth, not blinded by political spin.

    • BM 17.1
      20 December 2015 at 3:45 pm

      Don’t bother returning, it will be a win win for every one.

      • Expat 17.1.1
        20 December 2015 at 4:11 pm

        BM.
        The problem is NZ is the lose lose here, it’s you and your kids that have to pay back the $B105 debt that has been racked up by economic incompetence, the worst ever experienced in NZ, just remember that nothing lasts for ever, NZ has been economically raped for the last seven years, ay, and six consecutive deficits from the NAts again, just like like their preceding NAt govt’s can boast.
        Globally NZ is laughing stock on issues of Environmental, human rights, social inequality and the leadership, or lack of.
        I wonder why 200k Kiwis have left NZ in the last five years, oh, maybe very low wages, very high CPI, you know that NZ has the lowest avg wage and the highest CPI in the OECD.
        Also, NZ ranked First recently in a survey for western countries for having the highest level of ignorance of all of them and I would say that this is the category that you fall into.

        • acrophobic 17.1.1.1
          20 December 2015 at 8:09 pm

          “…it’s you and your kids that have to pay back the $B105 debt that has been racked up by economic incompetence,…

          What staggering ignorance. The debt has been incurred to rebuild Christchurch, maintain social support during the GFC and stimulate the economy during a recession that was in swing before the GFC hit NZ. By virtually all international measures, NZ has been steered through recession with remarkable skill, and is in very good shape.

          • b waghorn 17.1.1.1.1
            20 December 2015 at 8:39 pm

            Can you remind how much of that $b105 debt could of been avoided if the tax bribe hadn’t been shelled out.

            • Korero Pono 17.1.1.1.1.1
              21 December 2015 at 7:42 am

              b waghorn + 1

            • acrophobic 17.1.1.1.1.2
              23 December 2015 at 9:38 pm

              The tax cuts were part of the stimulus. It is very conventional economics, and they helped claw NZ out of Labour’s recession and the GFC.

              • b waghorn …
                24 December 2015 at 7:28 am

                It certainly helped stimulate Auckland house prices. Add to that the he lied about not raising gst and it shows it for what it was a , a reverse robin hood policy.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                24 December 2015 at 8:56 am

                The notion that tax cuts provide economic stimulus is shaky at best. I know, you believe in them very very much, reality will not intrude, and you will continue in mediocrity.

          • Stuart Munro 17.1.1.1.2
            20 December 2015 at 9:05 pm

            Piffle – if that were so Christchurch would be rebuilt by now. Treasury estimated a one-off cost of the tax cuts of $50 billion – but they were wrong, it was closer to $65 billion, and then the compounding stupidity of the gst increase recouped less than imagined and further depressed the already tanking economy as austerity measures sucked out the little remaining liquidity escaping the black hole of the Auckland property sink.

            This government has been milking the EQC monies to smooth their otherwise catastrophic performance figures and claiming rebuilding and monies rorted by the likes of Fletchers represent ‘growth’, when of course they are merely activity. They even delayed payouts to keep their books liquid elsewhere – not caring that the pace of the rebuild chokes the economic activity that would have been occurring in NZ’s 2nd largest city, not to mention the interrupted lives of the residents.

            Geez you righties never do your homework – no wonder you think Blinglish is a genius – he’s not though, he’s only infinitely smarter than you.

            • McFlock 17.1.1.1.2.1
              20 December 2015 at 10:25 pm

              Why would tories do their own homework?

              Part of their tactical template is to make normal people spend ages debunking tory bullshit, rather than addressing the actual problems that face NZ: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness, and disease.

              • Stuart Munro …
                20 December 2015 at 10:55 pm

                You’re right of course.

                We need the Greens to force feed them Voltaire: Il faut cultiver notre jardin – this being the cure for poverty, idleness, and vice.

                Wouldn’t hurt if they read up on developmentalism either – but they’d never go so far as comparing it’s effect size with their failed god Friedman.

            • acrophobic 17.1.1.1.2.2
              23 December 2015 at 9:42 pm

              “if that were so Christchurch would be rebuilt by now.”

              Are you serious? Rebuilding a city devastated by multiple earthquakes takes decades, not years.

              “Treasury estimated a one-off cost of the tax cuts of $50 billion – but they were wrong, it was closer to $65 billion, ”

              What absolute rubbish. it’s not surprising you failed to provide a citation.

              The jury is in. The country has successfully navigated out of the recession induced by Labour’s poor governance and the GFC. We now have a growing, low inflation and interest rate economy which is the envy of the western world.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                24 December 2015 at 9:07 am

                Meanwhile, on Earth, the jury points to trade with China and Australia, and the stimulation provided by government spending on Christchurch.

                Oh, and 6% unemployment and 27% child poverty is not “strength” or anything remotely close to it. You unbelievable dunce.

          • Pat 17.1.1.1.3
            20 December 2015 at 9:10 pm

            dear god …are you really that stupid?http://www.treasury.govt.nz/budget/2014/speech/06.htm

            total anticipated cost to the Gov (taxpayers) of the ChCh rebuild is 15.4 billion…half of which hasn’t been incurred yet

            • acrophobic 17.1.1.1.3.1
              23 December 2015 at 9:44 pm

              How does that contradict what I wrote? You actually seem to be affirming it.

              • Pat …
                23 December 2015 at 11:55 pm

                “What staggering ignorance. The debt has been incurred to rebuild Christchurch, maintain social support during the GFC and stimulate the economy during a recession that was in swing before the GFC hit NZ. By virtually all international measures, NZ has been steered through recession with remarkable skill, and is in very good shape.”

                a part payment of a projected 15.4 billion as justification for a 105 billion deficit is clutching at straws in terms of economic competency…particularly in light of a sinking lid on many areas of public spending.The tax cuts have indisputably added to the deficit as noted in this IRD report

                http://taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/publications/2011-other-bim/2-new-zealand-tax-system-and-how-it-compares-internationally

                “Some of the decline will be attributable to the global financial crisis. But there have also been significant tax reforms enacted since 2008 that will also be reflected in this reduced tax to GDP ratio. We estimate that about 2.5 percentage points of this decline is attributable to policy changes with the remainder attributable to the global financial crisis.”

          • Expat 17.1.1.1.4
            20 December 2015 at 10:06 pm

            Where is the long term economic plan to get the debt down?, the recession in 2011 was intensified by the ludicrous TAX changes, that the Govt has had to borrow to pay for the shortfall in revenue you speak of, the recession only lasted a short while, but there is still a shortfall in revenue.
            “By virtually all international measures, NZ has been steered through recession with remarkable skill, and is in very good shape.”
            There are now nearly as many unemployed people today as there were during the recession, so where’s the skill? They have bludgeoned their way through handing out money to Private Corps like graffiti and blaming the poor for NZ’s poor economic performance, and in some cases, still blaming Labour 7 years on.
            I’m happy for people to have their own opinions, but you obviously believe the spin presented to you instead of looking around at the reality of what the people of this site describe and what journo’s like Rachel Stewart have to say.

            • acrophobic 17.1.1.1.4.1
              23 December 2015 at 9:50 pm

              “…the recession in 2011 was intensified by the ludicrous TAX changes, that the Govt has had to borrow to pay for the shortfall in revenue you speak of…”

              1. The tax cuts were not ludicrous, they were a way of stimulating the economy during recession.
              2. NZ as heading into recession before the GFC in 2008, principally as a result of Labour’s poor quality spending.

              “There are now nearly as many unemployed people today as there were during the recession,”

              NZ’s population is being boosted by the largest migration turnaround in history. We currently have more people in employment than ever before.

              “…you obviously believe the spin presented to you…”

              I’m not quoting spin, I’m quoting verifiable data. I’m not interested in what ‘journo’s’ say, only in what the data actually tells us.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                24 December 2015 at 9:14 am

                We currently have more people in employment than ever before.

                Do you honestly think people here will be fooled by transparent cherry-picking? That we’ll be impressed by a natural consequence of population growth, and ignore the unemployment rate, the falling value of wages, and that you’re counting zero hours contracts as employment?

                Perhaps you are convinced by these witless flailings, and if so, that says some rather uncharitable things about your cognitive abilities.

      • Stuart Munro 17.1.2
        20 December 2015 at 4:13 pm

        Everywhere in the world lousy governments (and their trolls) drive people away – ‘Oppressive government is more terrible than a tiger’. ~Kong Ja.

        • Expat 17.1.2.1
          20 December 2015 at 4:19 pm

          Stuart M
          Your right about the OPPRESSIVE bit.
          There are still some countries where democracy is still alive and breathing, unlike what we see in NZ.

      • greywarshark 17.1.3
        20 December 2015 at 7:57 pm

        That was petty BM. Apply it to yourself. The majority of your comments seem to be short, spiteful or knee-jerk sneers and without useful facts.

      • b waghorn 17.1.4
        20 December 2015 at 8:10 pm

        “Don’t bother returning, it will be a win win for every one.”
        Reverse rob muldoon nice work.!

    • Mindpilot 17.2
      21 December 2015 at 10:42 am

      Do you have some links?

    • maui 18.1
      20 December 2015 at 7:43 pm

      Really enjoyed that article, Simmons shows so clearly why the Government are wrong on this issue.

    • Ross 18.2
      21 December 2015 at 8:04 am

      Geoff Simmons better be careful – he risks Matthew Hooton calling him a hater, not an economist.

      Our illustrious PM cannot stand criticism, and his sycophantic supporters can’t stand to see him criticised.

  19. fisiani 19
    20 December 2015 at 5:16 pm

    Seven years of moaning about John Key and he is polling higher than in 2008. The hyperbole of the viscerel hatred of the man simply reflects political impotence. He is very popular within and outside New Zealand. Keep up the insults if you wish. No one is listening. Futility is doing the same things over and over and expecting a changed outcome. If JK wants to be PM in 2026 I suspect he will be.

    • Psycho Milt 19.1
      20 December 2015 at 5:53 pm

      I’m equally sure his success will continue. H.L. Mencken tells us why:

      ““No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”

      • fisiani 19.1.1
        20 December 2015 at 6:22 pm

        PM you display the arrogance of the Left by assuming the populace must be thick.

        • Bob 19.1.1.1
          21 December 2015 at 11:52 am

          Not sure it’s about intelligence you refer to. It’s more about the sensitivity NZ voters have to issues of female equality. Not very much obviously.

    • ankerawshark 19.2
      20 December 2015 at 6:17 pm

      Hitler was popular too fisiani

      • fisiani 19.2.1
        20 December 2015 at 6:21 pm

        You win the Godwin award.

        • Expat 19.2.1.1
          20 December 2015 at 7:34 pm

          fisiani
          And don’t forget Kim Jong Un, he has a popularity rating of 95%, and that’s because he’s so well liked.
          I don’t hate the man (JK), I don’t even know him, I only hate what he’s done to NZ, he’s pretty much the one responsible for the financial mess that the next Govt will have to repair, you must have seen the economic cycle of NZ for the last 30 years, Nat’s screw it every time and someone else has to step in and fix it after them, this is same cycle all over again.

        • Blue 19.2.1.2
          20 December 2015 at 7:35 pm

          Congratulations Fizzy-anal, and you win the complete fucktard award, for life.

    • Stuart Munro 19.3
      20 December 2015 at 9:00 pm

      I don’t know – he’s a very polarising figure – someone on the Left might shoot him, but my money’d be on Judith poisoning him.

  20. Curtis 20
    20 December 2015 at 6:58 pm

    “Darling, you need help. There’s no polite way to say this but, there it is. You are sexist, racist, homophobic and seriously mentally deficient. You find rape jokes funny and love that our country’s leader does too.”

    Wow. I listen to The Rock not for the stupid jokes but for the music. How can you make such a broad generalization about people who listen to rock music? That is almost as bad as saying Child Poverty is caused by drug dependency

  21. Mark 21
    20 December 2015 at 7:10 pm

    This post is hilarious.
    The impotent rage of many Standardistas increasingly palpable as they see the chances of a cushy chair-warming make-work role in some useless Ministry slipping over the horizon…so they lash out at an incredibly popular PM running an increasingly happy and prosperous country.
    Have a Merry Xmas everyone…try not to choke on that bile.
    On second thoughts….

    • One Anonymous Bloke 21.1
      20 December 2015 at 7:21 pm

      Private sector and proud of it, thanks, Right Wing Santa: doing your very own tiny little bit to express everything the National Party represents.

    • Macro 21.2
      20 December 2015 at 7:50 pm

      I guess the 6% of NZers who will not have a Happy Christmas this year mean nothing to you Mark. After all they are only kids, and 6 out of every 100 NZers isn’t too bad. And Kids don’t count anyway. But it wasn’t always so Mark.
      So this is a an increasingly happy and prosperous country Mark? hmmm could have fooled me. You have heard that NZ is over 100Billion in debt – and rising haven’t you Mark? Oh! you haven’t! Well never mind now you know.
      You have heard that the dairy boom is over haven’t you Mark? Well it is and likely to continue for some time as the world now has so much milk it doesn’t know what to do with it. But I guess all those dairy farmers out there, who are up to their eyeballs in debt, and receiving low payouts for the foreseeable future are really, really, happy about it.
      Yes its a really Happy Xmas – throw another chop on the Barbie and maybe JK will call round and have a beer and you can talk about how awesum Richie is, and how Happy every one is, and how prosperous everyone is.

    • Expat 21.3
      20 December 2015 at 7:55 pm

      Mark, No country is prosperous with nearly 10% of the population looking for work, the lowest avg wage in OECD and as for the popularity, have a look at Putin, then look at his country.
      You may be satisfied with the circus in Wellington but there is an increasing number of dissatisfied people out there who would disagree with you.

      Have a Merry Xmas and I just hope no one breaks into your home while your away.

    • DoublePlusGood 21.4
      20 December 2015 at 7:56 pm

      We’re actually much more concerned about things like the country being more than a hundred billion in debt and the economy being wrecked than the nonsense you suggest we are concerned by.

    • greywarshark 21.5
      20 December 2015 at 8:02 pm

      Mark
      Your comment was hilarious. Real reverse psychology stuff, it almost seems as if you mean it and therefore represent all those lightweights who will never have the skill to fight for any good purpose, that would require harder sustained mental activity..

      • Mark 21.5.1
        20 December 2015 at 9:38 pm

        Dairy boom over? The vast majority of Dairy farmers are happy enough and realise that booms come and go. Manufacturing, services and tourism are booming so overall not too much to panic about.
        Nearly 10% of the country looking for work? What planet are you on? 4 or 5 % of the workforce are now virtually unemployable due to welfarism, the other 2-3% got sucked into useless BA’s in Sociology or some other bullshit.
        $100B in debt? Maybe we need some austerity or to pull money out of health & welfare. Or we could look at debt to GDP and acknowledge that we are in good shape.
        6% of NZers won’t have a happy Xmas? Got any evidence of that..or that any similar conjured up number is Key’s fault rather than Lefty idiology that has left people crippled by the belief that Govt owes them something?
        Some of you people should be ashamed of the bullshit you spout, and the devastating effect it has had on those you pretend to care for.

        • Macro 21.5.1.1
          20 December 2015 at 10:52 pm

          Mark you live in a dream world – one of your own making and it is well removed from reality. You obviously have no idea about what you are talking about and are simply repeating the junk handed to you by who knows – debt to GDP? lol what sort of bullshit is that! You know that GDP has grown at around 1 – 2 % max over the past few years and almost all of that growth is based on the rebuild of Christchurch and the Auckland Housing Bubble! Meanwhile our public debt has grown from zip, nada, nothing to 100 Billion in the same time. You really do talk nonsense. You know why we have such a massive debt – don’t you? No? Well just think of all those tax reliefs to the rich and famous, JK is so proud of – which obviously we as a country could not afford. Thats where the 100 Billion has been spent. And don’t think hospitals and education (apart from the failure of charter schools) received vast amounts – they have less in real terms than 6 years ago. So don’t try and spin that shit. It doesn’t wash.
          As for the stability of Manufacturing! give us a break! Practically everything that is sold in this country is now imported. We exported our manufacturing base years ago, and our jobs with it! that is why we have such high unemployment and growing welfare.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 21.5.1.1.1
            21 December 2015 at 7:56 am

            “growing welfare”

            The “welfare” (aka ‘pragmatic and practical human decency’) investment is indeed growing, and that has far more to do with demographics than it does callous right wing blithering, economic incompetence and corruption.

            It’s yet another right wing lie: that the investment is growing because “drugs and laziness and P houses I seen it!” When in fact we simply have baby boomers reaching pension age.

        • Macro 21.5.1.2
          20 December 2015 at 11:03 pm

          Yeah the farmers are really really happy Mark
          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11384751
          http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/74082815/federated-farmers-otago-concern-over-rural-suicide-rates
          http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/advocacy/National-Policy/Rural-Mental-Health.asp
          I could go on but frankly it is too depressing.
          Farmers are about to be hit for the 5th time in a decade with the worst drought in their life time – yep they are just leaping for joy Mark!
          gezz!
          And dairy prices are set to remain in the doldrums for at least another year or more before picking up – by that time many who are heavily in debt will be out of business – if they haven’t killed themselves.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 21.5.1.3
          21 December 2015 at 7:49 am

          4 or 5 % of the workforce are now virtually unemployable due to welfarism

          Which explains the 2.6% unemployment rate in 2007.

          No, wait…perhaps Mark is proud of the bullshit he spouts 😆

        • D'Esterre 21.5.1.4
          22 December 2015 at 12:43 pm

          Mark: “4 or 5 % of the workforce are now virtually unemployable due to welfarism, the other 2-3% got sucked into useless BA’s in Sociology or some other bullshit.”

          Got evidence for that assertion? A link to some research, maybe? You know, useful work done by some of those with “useless” BAs in sociology: it’s the sort of thing such people do very well.

          Presumably, you don’t see yourself as being of the groups you identify; perhaps you’ve got a “useful” degree, or maybe you’re a tradie. They’re very useful….

          “$100B in debt? Maybe we need some austerity or to pull money out of health & welfare.”

          Well, you would say that, wouldn’t you? That’s right up until you’re seriously injured in a workplace accident, or in a car crash, or you contract a serious illness, such that you’re unable to work again. Or you have a child born with a disability, or who suffers serious impairment due to accident or illness. In my experience, people who espouse views such as yours change their tune PDQ when the messiness of Life socks them in the chops.

  22. Riroriro 22
    20 December 2015 at 7:12 pm

    The man is culturally and morally destitute and that reflects badly on us all – especially Mr Hooton.

  23. acrophobic 23
    20 December 2015 at 8:04 pm

    My goodness , Rachel, you must have serious issues to write stuff like this. Is it Key’s remarkable and enduring popularity? Is it the seeming inability of the left to put even a dent in the support enjoyed by the Government that he leads? Is it that so many NZ’ers simply are listening to your left wing bs any longer? Or is it the high regard with which Key is held internationally?

    So, Rachel, here’s a quiet word for you. Key is popular precisely because he is one of us. He is a common, garden ornament kiwi. I have met both Helen Clark and John Key. Clark was a wooden killjoy, Key a warm and affable bloke. But the real secret to Key’s popularity is far, far more important. Key is extremely clever, highly competent, and most of all centrist and moderate. The left simply don’t know how to cope with him.

  24. Tautuhi 24
    20 December 2015 at 8:16 pm

    Interesting comments on JK in this blog, they either love him or dislike him, not much middle ground, the polls still tell us he is the most popular PM ever so he must be doing something right, for a majority of the population.

    • Stuart Munro 24.1
      20 December 2015 at 9:24 pm

      Stalin was popular too – he killed all dissenters. Putin’s done basically the same thing – (Politkovskaya & Nemtsov). Key isn’t killing yet, but Campbell lost his job to the same tyrranical vice. The demos resist it or they get a tyrant like Clovis.

    • ropata 24.2
      21 December 2015 at 12:40 am

      Reagan was ridiculously popular. So was Blair.

      Popularity is a crude measure of fitness for leadership, that’s why we need a robust fourth estate, not a pack of yes men

  25. fisiani 25
    20 December 2015 at 9:37 pm

    Do you live in a parallel universe? The economy that was scorch earthed by Michael Cullen has been turned around from never ending deficits. The economy is growing at over 2%. Employment is at an all time high. The FTA with Korea starts today. Wages are rising much faster than inflation. The biggest ever rise in benefits. The list goes on and on. That’s why the approval rate is so high.

    • Pat 25.1
      20 December 2015 at 9:58 pm

      “Do you live in a parallel universe? The economy that was scorch earthed by Michael Cullen has been turned around from never ending deficits.”

      you do know what a deficit is?

    • Stuart Munro 25.2
      20 December 2015 at 10:24 pm

      No my little friend – Cullen is the best economic manager NZ has had in four decades – and that’s no compliment at all because the standard is so very very low.
      We used to alternate between irresponsible Gnats and irresponsible Labour pollies whose notion of Keynesianism was decided sketchy and it didn’t matter while we had access to the British market, and most of our grown-up law came from there too. But that gravy train has left the station and the balance of payments has not been positive since it left – but this government is not even trying to improve the balance of payments situation. They have some neo-liberal dogma about the wisdom of markets and are not worrying their pretty vacuous heads about it. They don’t even care about the Grecian levels of debt they’ve built up – I guess their motto is ‘Apres moi le deluge’.

    • Draco T Bastard 25.3
      21 December 2015 at 1:42 am

      The economy that was scorch earthed by Michael Cullen has been turned around from never ending deficits.

      Cullen = 9 years of surplus
      Blinglish = 7 years of deficit and record govt debt

      I’d say that Cullen did better but all he really did was transfer the debt to the private sector.

      The problem is that the financial system that we have simply doesn’t work.

      The economy is growing at over 2%.

      No it’s not. The rich may betting richer by 2% per annum but the economy is actually going backwards. That’s why we have increasing unemployment.

      Wages are rising much faster than inflation.

      For the top 10% perhaps. For everyone else they’re stagnating or going backwards.

      Man, you RWNJs are totally disconnected from reality or your just lying.

      • Paul 25.3.1
        21 December 2015 at 5:52 am

        Lying I sense.

      • acrophobic 25.3.2
        21 December 2015 at 9:15 am

        Draco when Labour were voted out of power, the economy had already began to slide toward recession before the effects of the GFC hit NZ. Treasury were forecasting 10 years of future deficits because of Labour’s runaway and poor quality spending. Interest rates were at 11%, an inflation stealing peoples savings.

        Today we have a growing and balanced economy, with low inflation and interest rates, that delivers more jobs than at any time in the nations history.

        The left is now small and shrinking rabble, left with nothing to do but moan that they’ve missed the boat.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 25.3.2.1
          21 December 2015 at 9:26 am

          What a load of bullshit. In 1999, when Lab5 took office, government spending was ~34% of gdp. It was at the same level in 2008 after nine surpluses in a row.

          If anything you say were true, you’d be able to explain who said “this is the rainy day the government has been saving up for”.

          Mind you, you’re the “fine legal mind” whose witless drivel is shown up every time you run your mouth, so your utter fail at history is to be expected.

        • Draco T Bastard 25.3.2.2
          21 December 2015 at 12:55 pm

          Treasury were forecasting 10 years of future deficits because of Labour’s runaway

          That may be true but Labour actually had a plan to address that. And then there’s the fact that in a recession government actually has to go into deficit (Actually, they should pretty much always be in deficit. Govt deficit = growth in the economy).

          National, on the other hand, had plans only to increase that deficit as we’ve seen with the massive increase in borrowing that they over saw. A massive increase caused by their unaffordable tax cuts for the rich.

          Today we have a growing and balanced economy, with low inflation and interest rates, that delivers more jobs than at any time in the nations history.

          That is an outright lie. The economy is unbalanced in favour of commodities, only the rich are better off and unemployment is increasing*.

          * You never measure jobs as an absolute number but as a percentile of the population employed. Doing it as an absolute number is just lying.

          • acrophobic 25.3.2.2.1
            23 December 2015 at 9:57 pm

            “That may be true but Labour actually had a plan to address that”

            Yep, hand it over to National.

            “A massive increase caused by their unaffordable tax cuts for the rich.”

            Every income earner received tax cuts. As to your assertion the tax cuts were unaffordable, cite?

            “You never measure jobs as an absolute number but as a percentile of the population employed. Doing it as an absolute number is just lying.”

            Nonsense. There are many reasons a % measurement could be flawed, particularly when the country is enjoying record immigration. Under Labour people were leaving the country in droves…no wonder the unemployment rate was lower!!

            • Draco T Bastard 25.3.2.2.1.1
              24 December 2015 at 2:31 am

              Every income earner received tax cuts.

              The ones that the middle and poor got were clawed back by the GST rise. GST is regressive and hits the poor hardest. The rich wouldn’t have been affected by it at all.

              As to your assertion the tax cuts were unaffordable, cite?

              https://home.greens.org.nz/press-releases/greens-challenge-english-back-tax-switch-neutrality-claim

              The Green Party has released new analysis, undertaken by the Parliamentary Library, that shows the Government has had to borrow approximately $2 billion dollars to fund the tax cuts.

              You won’t accept that though as it comes from legitimate facts.

              Nonsense. There are many reasons a % measurement could be flawed

              Nope. A percentage measurement is the only one that is accurate over time. A nominal measurement doesn’t take into account population growth.

              Under Labour people were leaving the country in droves

              Actually, that happened under National:

              For the first time since 2001, New Zealand saw an annual net loss from migration, with 100 more people leaving the country than arriving from all other countries.

              As I say, RWNJs have to lie as the facts are always the exact opposite of what they believe.

      • Stuart Munro 25.3.3
        21 December 2015 at 12:25 pm

        Not quite – Cullen lived within his tax take instead of faking it like Bill.

        Cullen had basic integrity but was conservative when reform was required – Bill’s devotion to neoliberal dogma is fanatical – he is insanely profligate and will trigger a Grecian style default before too very long.

        • acrophobic 25.3.3.1
          23 December 2015 at 9:59 pm

          Cullen’s ‘take’ sent the economy into recession. And if you want an example of ‘profligate’ you only have to look at spending $1bn on a dog of a train company.

  26. Mark 26
    20 December 2015 at 9:51 pm

    Another hilarious aspect of this post..
    Most of the comments here bemoan the useless MSN, but as soon as some bimbo spouts anti-JK/Nat hot air it should be taken seriously…
    The lightweight entertainment goes on…

  27. Goodshepherd 27
    20 December 2015 at 10:04 pm

    I too have met both Helen Clark and John Key.

    I found Helen informed, intelligent and decisive and socially, to be warm and witty.

    Key, otoh, on the few times I’ve met him has been surrounded by security, and picking and choosing who he’d pay attention to …

    Once, I was with a group of kiwis overseas at an event attended by several NZ MPs including then Labour leader David Shearer and PM Key. Key asked who we were, found us uninteresting or unimportant and couldn’t get away fast enough. The funny thing about that was, with the exception of me and my mate, the rest of them were National voters, and Key fans to a man and woman. I’m sure they expected to meet the PR PM. He was nowhere to be seen.

    Let me tell you, the brush off was not received well and there was real surprise and disappointment in the ranks. It was the first opportunity this group had ever had to meet him in person and they had waited hours to do so.

    Otoh, Shearer spent maybe 15 minutes with us, chatting, asking questions, interested in who we were and why we were there. Even the staunchest Key fan said Shearer had impressed and Key had failed miserably.

    • Mark 27.1
      20 December 2015 at 10:12 pm

      So, when & where was this? Should be pretty easy to verify, right?
      Maybe Shearer had the makings of some Sashimi with him..be about the only thing that would explain it…

      • Goodshepherd 27.1.1
        21 December 2015 at 10:11 am

        Very easy to verify.
        July/August 2012.
        In Samoa.
        At the Official Opening of a new building constructed with aid from NZ in a village devastated by the tsunami.
        I have four photos of Shearer, talking, laughing and sharing a drink with our group.
        I don’t have a photo of the group with the PM because we weren’t allowed to take any – only his press secretary was allowed to take photos and she sent us one some time later.
        I’m not posting any of them here because I don’t have the permission of any of the group but you can take my word for it or not.

    • acrophobic 27.2
      21 December 2015 at 9:17 am

      You’re making it up. Shearer is my local MP and a thoroughly decent chap. Clark was also my local MP, and was a cold fish the personality of a dead ant. Smart, yes. Ruthless, oh yes. Warm? You’ve got to be joking.

      • Goodshepherd 27.2.1
        21 December 2015 at 10:18 am

        I make up nothing.

        Did you not note I wrote ‘socially, warm and witty’? Socially is the key word there.

        And she is. In fact, anyone who knows her personally knows that.

        Actually, I’ve seen Helen in her professional capacity as PM also showing that warm and kind side – perhaps it depends on who she’s with and the circumstances, eh?

  28. Rosemary McDonald 28
    20 December 2015 at 10:11 pm

    A tune, methinks….and thanks Rachel…

  29. Incognito 29
    20 December 2015 at 10:37 pm

    With respect, I think Rachel Stewart is right and she’s wrong.

    Apparently, John Key likes to be liked or, more likely, he needs to be liked. However, even this does not explain why he’s all over the media, almost every day, even when he’s overseas, on every subject, no matter how important or trivial; Key does comment one just about anything and everything it seems.

    To me, this looks much more than a one-man’s ego trip and more like a fabricated image that is part of a very well-orchestrated PR campaign (no, not the DP one, but the one in the public eye- they go hand-in-hand, of course, because they are directed by the same people).

    It reminds me of Derren Brown’s stage act in which a gorilla comes on stage mid-show and steals a banana with the pre-warned audience completely missing it!

    Our attention is drawn to Key, likes moths to the flame, and therefore we missing the other ‘acts’ taking place right under our noses not to mention the ones hidden from view.

    It may sound counter-intuitive, ridiculous even, but the best way to counter this PR tactic and deprive John Key of his personal ‘fix’ is to ignore the side shows. Just imagine how much time & effort this would save on just TS alone.

    • Anne 29.1
      20 December 2015 at 10:54 pm

      I couldn’t agree more Incognito. When I hear Key’s voice on RNZ I turn off the radio. When I see him on the TV news I switch channels. If he’s on the other channel as well the TV is turned off. I don’t want to listen to him or look at him. Life’s too short to waste any of it on him. Laugh at his pitiful antics for sure but ignore him the rest of the time. There’s one thing sociopaths hate it is being ignored.

      • Incognito 29.1.1
        21 December 2015 at 12:32 am

        Thanks Anne. I personally cannot stand Key either, or what he portrays, as I don’t know the man personally – the cringe factor is off the scale. The problem is that he stills sucks up way too much oxygen, which makes our brains go ‘foggy’ and become distracted and inattentive to things that do matter. The whole ploy even draws in Key’s offspring and occasionally Bronagh cuddling a panda. But many get mesmerised by the Key’s, which just shows how effective this PR strategy is.

    • Stuart Munro 29.2
      20 December 2015 at 11:07 pm

      I think there is simultaneously an immaturity in our media that they let him. Key should not feature in comments on Jonah Lomu’s funeral for example – the matter is nothing to do with him. And if government action were required, the minister for sport – Coleman apparently – should lead any appropriate action.

  30. Expat 30
    20 December 2015 at 10:41 pm

    Just on this one issue, you can see the Tory comments that attack the messenger rather than debating the issues, sounds like someone we know, going by the name of……

  31. vto 31
    21 December 2015 at 7:59 am

    John Key – the nation’s dumbest cock.

    No wonder he is popular with a small bunch of dumb cocks.

  32. Paul 32
    21 December 2015 at 8:43 am

    Rachel Stewart, like George Carlin, puts the focus just as much on the selfish, ignorant people who vote in people like Key.

    “Now, there’s one thing you might have noticed I don’t complain about: politicians. Everybody complains about politicians. Everybody says they suck. Well, where do people think these politicians come from? They don’t fall out of the sky. They don’t pass through a membrane from another reality. They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses and American universities, and they are elected by American citizens.

    This is the best we can do folks. This is what we have to offer. It’s what our system produces: Garbage in, garbage out. If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re going to get selfish, ignorant leaders. …………………

    Because if it’s really just the fault of these politicians, then where are all the other bright people of conscience? Where are all the bright, honest, intelligent Americans ready to step in and save the nation and lead the way. We don’t have people like that in this country. Everybody’s at the mall. Scratching his @ss, picking his nose, taking his credit card out of his fanny pack and buying a pair of sneakers with lights in them.”

    1,131,501 people voted for Key.
    Had they bothered to find out, they would have known that his re-election would see an increase in poverty, an increase in inequality and further destruction of our environment.
    And 1,131,501 people did not care or did not choose to find out.

    I admire Rachel Stewart for calling these people out.

  33. Whispering Kate 33
    21 December 2015 at 8:51 am

    Unfortunately there are a section of society who do not have a receptive antennae which intuitively can sort out people quite quickly from the chaff and the hay. They have not got a developed sense of the genuine from the fake and all they are receiving on their antennae is a good old kiwi bloke who has has made good and is for the people. One cannot say these people are “as thick as bat shit” like Key once said of David Beckham, they just have not tuned in and truly looked into the people they meet or listen to or read about. One just cannot learn this trait but its a valuable tool if one has gained inner wisdom and can pick up nuances and behaviors from individuals and can sort them out pretty quickly. Its pretty evident really what Key is – a sociopath who revels in the “me, myself and I” and loves being in the lime light and who big notes. That he fools a lot of people says he’s a pretty clever individual but then sociopaths usually are. They make very clever criminals, gang leaders, heads of large companies and run drug empires – some make it to be PM. Teachers can sniff them out at primary school and will make observations of their future life choices, just as teachers can tell you in infant school or day nursery who will be the sociopaths of the future. Simple really, one just has to truly tune in and look for the truth and if you are gifted with a highly receptive antennae, then you are fortunate. Like other contributors here you can shut them off when they are polluting your airways, they are toxic pest and better ignored.

  34. RedBaronCV 34
    21 December 2015 at 9:00 am

    Thank you Rachel.
    I particularly liked your point that there is trickle down that this behaviour is now seen as good/ acceptable rather than pretty disgusting. Lets hope the disgust starts to show up in the focus groups soon.

  35. Danhob 35
    21 December 2015 at 9:49 am

    Great to see such forthright views expressed from a journalist in NZ. Hootons comments refute nothing Rachel has said and only play old the semantical game of hide and seek. They do have one thing in common, they both blocked me on Twitter, something both of you need to look in to.

  36. Jason 36
    21 December 2015 at 10:15 am

    I struggle to see how someone’s taste in music makes them sexist, racist or homophobic? Most people that listen to the rock do so because of the music, not the hosts jokes. I agree with most of this but attacking people for the station they’re tuned in to is in itself narrow minded and bigoted.

  37. Goodshepherd 37
    24 December 2015 at 9:36 am

    Except, having to wallow in the mire of the host’s jokes and the endless commercials gives me brain fade so, love the music yes, love my mind more. I have a phone filled with all my favourite music and instant access to new and more challenging stuff.

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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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