Rogue MP publicly disagrees with leader – party in disarray!

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, February 9th, 2017 - 52 comments
Categories: bill english, humour, leadership, spin, us politics - Tags: , , , ,

Naughty Chester Burrows – National MP condemns Trump’s ban, but PM won’t

National MP Chester Borrows has publicly condemned the immigration ban enacted by US President Donald Trump.

It’s a stronger stance on the issue compared to that of Prime Minister Bill English – who has only gone as far as “disagreeing” with the ban.

The Whanganui MP spoke at a Muslim and Refugee Solidarity Rally in Whanganui on Monday, where he lambasted the President’s crackdown on foreigners.

“We stand together with the rest of the world to condemn and resist President Trump’s discriminatory policy,” he told the crowd.

Showing his supine “leader” up with this public display of backbone, what was Burrows thinking? With these deep divisions on foreign policy exposed National is clearly in total disarray. Unfit to govern.

#IfItWasLabour

52 comments on “Rogue MP publicly disagrees with leader – party in disarray! ”

  1. Bearded Git 1

    Brilliant.

    So how can we quickly highlight the media’s hypocrisy during the election campaign? I suggest a dedicated volunteer team of bloggers who disseminate posts such as this one to all key media outlets (including facebook etc) on a daily basis.

    I’m in.

    • Sam C 1.1

      Yep, that’ll make a huge difference.

      • Bearded Git 1.1.1

        Yeah, just throwing it out there because the Right is always favoured so heavily in the media and the Left needs to try to combat this-somebody out there may have a better idea.

    • Kate L 1.2

      Yes. And voters on the comments of articles. There must be a contingent of 30 + National trolls to every article. I’ll help. I do what I can now–but we get to the articles late. There must be an alert system to the major news posts. Organise it now!

  2. Tarquin 2

    Maybe he should have hired a P.R person to write it for him.

  3. ianmac 3

    Bill English must show some backbone and admonish Burrows for destroying the National harmony. What was he thinking! This will bring the Government down just as Labour has been destroyed by disharmony.
    So which Party remains to put our country back on track? Aha. Gareth Morgan will seize the moment!

  4. Bill 4

    And the difference between loggerheads and pushing the envelope…it escapes some?

  5. Carolyn_nth 5

    I have an idea that MPs in New Zealand are expected to toe the party line much more closely than in the UK, or the party representatives in the US. Is this correct?

    Are elected party representatives in the UK and US more free to disagree with their leader or party line publicly than in NZ? And is it only when they are strongly whipped that the reps in the UK and US will all follow the leader?

    eg McCain speaking our against Trump.

    • Andre 5.1

      In the US, Representatives and Senators historically were expected to be their own people, and party loyalty wasn’t that big a deal. The drift to hyper-partisanship has been a recent decades thing. But it’s been driven ideologically extreme activists in the primaries, rather than party hierarchies requiring loyalty through some kind of whipping process.

      • Phil 5.1.1

        You’ve missed out the critical step in the move toward hyper-partisanship: congressional district gerrymandering.

        The average representative in congress no longer faces a serious challenge from the other political party – in many states the districts are sliced and diced so specifically that it’s almost impossible to flip a district from red to blue (and vice versa). It means there is no incentive to work across the aisle to find bipartisan solutions. Instead, the real threat to an incumbent is from a primary challenge within their own party. Primary turnout is lower than a general election and only attracts the most ardent of supporters, so that;s the voting bloc a politician must play to.

        • Andre 5.1.1.1

          I dunno, gerrymandering has been a feature of American politics for a long long time. The recent hyper-partisanship really got going in the 90s, well before REDMAP and the Tea Party.

          http://www.vox.com/2015/4/23/8485443/polarization-congress-visualization

          I lean a bit more towards the explanation that as the general public disengages from politics, and parties specifically, it’s ceding the decision making and power to the motivated extremists at the primary stage.

    • Phil 5.2

      I have an idea that MPs in New Zealand are expected to toe the party line much more closely than in the UK, or the party representatives in the US. Is this correct?

      I think you’re right, and it’s probably a function of MMP vs FPP and FPP-like electoral systems.

      • Carolyn_nth 5.2.1

        Wasn’t it always so in NZ even under FPP?

        • Marcus Morris 5.2.1.1

          You are absolutely correct. Please remember Mike Minogue and the brilliant Marylin Waring – who was instrumental in bring down Muldoon – and the fate they “suffered” for daring to step out of line. Not to mention Derek Quigley. Or am I missing the point?

          • Carolyn_nth 5.2.1.1.1

            Well, I think the Waring and Minogue thing was different. They crossed the House to vote with the opposition and against their party’s government, at a time when the Nats had a slim majority. Consequently, the government lost its ruling majority, which led to the collapse of the government.

            My recollection from Waring’s writings about this, was that she followed the party/government line publicly (on the Springbok tour, etc), until she felt it would be wrong ethically to remain quiet and continue to support the government.

          • mikesh 5.2.1.1.2

            Quigley, who was a cabinet minister, disagreed publicly with cabinet, thereby sinning against the convention of cabinet unity.

          • Phil 5.2.1.1.3

            …and lets not forget Michael Laws’ brief tenure as the ‘Independent’ MP for Hawkes Bay.

    • Brutus Iscariot 5.3

      Trump isn’t the Leader of the Party. The Presidency is completely separate from the legislature, unlike NZ where the Prime Minister is simply the leader of the largest party in Parliament.

      • Carolyn_nth 5.3.1

        True, But the president still is in reality seen as the figurehead for the party s/he is from.

        However, there are probably better egs of representatives in the US and UK speaking out against their party’s leader or policies or stated position. Just couldn’t think of one at the moment.

        • Carolyn_nth 5.3.1.1

          I was sure there are some egs of UK Labour MPs speaking out against some Blair policies. Here’s one – Glenda Jackson profile on wikipedia:

          As a high-profile backbencher, she became a regular critic of Blair over his plans to introduce higher education tuition fees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. She also called for him to resign following the Judicial Enquiry by Lord Hutton in 2003 surrounding the reasons for going to war in Iraq and the death of government adviser Dr. David Kelly. Jackson was generally considered to be a traditional left-winger, often disagreeing with the dominant Blairite governing Third Way faction in the Labour Party. Jackson is also a republican.

          Edit: And of course, Jeremy Corbyn – as stated on wikipedia

          Between 1997 and 2010, during the most recent Labour Government, Corbyn was the Labour MP who voted most often against the party whip, including three-line whip votes. In 2005 he was identified as the second most rebellious Labour MP of all time when the party was in government.

  6. Morrissey 6

    The gloomy fact is that National routinely achieves near unanimity of opinion, at least in public, not because it is a more “disciplined” party, but because its only concern is holding power. The number of independent-minded National MPs can be counted on the fingers of one hand of a woodwork teacher: Marilyn Waring, Mike Minogue, and, errrr, that’s it. In the present National caucus, there are ZERO people of that calibre.

    Labour, and the “left” (i.e, liberal, thoughtful people) will always disagree about moral, philosophical and political questions.

    • Redbaiter 6.1

      “The gloomy fact is that National routinely achieves near unanimity of opinion, at least in public, not because it is a more “disciplined” party, but because its only concern is holding power. ”

      That is correct Morrisey. They disgust me.

      They stand for nothing, and its time they were dumped and their places taken by people who do care.

      I’m completely done with the turncoat party.

      Even ex Australian labor leader Mark Latham has better ideas than the National Party.

      • Morrissey 6.1.1

        Nice to hear from you again, Redbaiter. It’s been a very long time, my friend.

        • Redbaiter 6.1.1.1

          Congratulations on your success in driving the National party further to the left than its ever been in its history.

          They have no answer to the left’s strategy of gradualisation.

          Although the Labour Party here in NZ would be in power if they had a leader like Mark Latham.

          Replacing traditional Labour party values with identity politics does not win you any votes from the working class.

          Your party is infested with out of touch academia and it is this that keeps you from power.

          The longer you listen to inner city progressives, the longer the National Party will stay in power.

          You’re just not offering any political differences that are important enough to the working class.

  7. Sigh 7

    This hypocrisy is real, but it also shows why the people within Labour attacking Labour so publicly on something they know so little about are causing immense damage to the work all of us do to build a better country.

    They seem to think that their view (unfounded and unresearched) that one man’s apology wasn’t genuine enough is worth sinking the party in election year. Unbelievable stupidity and selfishness.

  8. Keith 8

    Is this post an ironic laugh at the tiny vibration of a Nat MP, who is retiring anyway, having a vaguely different opinion to that of his leader, who might I add will be PM of Nationals 4th term government, versus the 10 on the Richter Scale earthquake by Poto that just ended Labours chances this time around of changing this bloody awful government by launching a PR campaign that not just undermind her leader but blew the ground away beneath him completely and also in essence ended his leadership?

    If so its pretty sick humour!

    • xanthe 8.1

      Poto did not destroy labours credibility for 2017, Andrew did that when he brought on greg oconnor and willie jackson, both of whom are far right pricks. what on earth was Andrew thinking. Poto did the right thing .. and got smacked down for it which just makes it worse.

      • Keith 8.1.1

        Yep she guaranteed 3 more years,at least of National. Well fucking done!

      • mac1 8.1.2

        “far right wing pricks”, xanthe?

        I feel that is over the top as a description. ‘Far right’ should be reserved for those who deserve it.

        How do Jackson and O’Connor fit into the category below? Remember that there has always been a traditional Labour voter who is socially conservative, even offensively so, who may well deserve the ‘prick’ description.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far-right_politics

      • mikesh 8.1.3

        I wouldn’t regard O’Connor as “far right”. His public persona is coloured by the fact that he was spokesman for the police union, and the fact that he had to side with cops on many issues.

        • Keith 8.1.3.1

          You have the love the ironic nature of liberal lefts who believe that are the anointed ones when it comes to inclusion and tolerance. Once a mans former occupation is known, in O’Connors case as a Policeman, well then all the love and understanding is replaced by your average Klansman’s Grand Cyclops prejudiced discriminatory hateful views of the world.

          What they want to say is this far right prick O’Connor was a “Pig” and cops cannot be tolerated in the Labour Party. A cop, who whilst they were tucked up in bed at night dreaming of a party that will create heaven on earth with policies enshrining equality for transgender hedgehogs, was walking into the middle of domestic violence incidents at great personal risk to drag some angry man whose half beaten to death his woman or half a hundred other unpleasant jobs to keep civil society standing upright.

          I have heard and spoken to O’Connor. He is an extremely careful operator who is very measured in his approach and very well politically connected. He is no fool. And should he be elected would be about the foremost person on police and law and order in any government we have had. As said by someone above there are a great many socially conservative and not so conservative Labour voters who would greatly appreciate the likes and experience of Greg O’Connor!

          • Morrissey 8.1.3.1.1

            I have heard and spoken to O’Connor. He is an extremely careful operator who is very measured in his approach

            Nonsense. O’Connor, just like those craven “Fraternal Order of Police” spokesmen in Chicago, St Louis and similar lawless jurisdictions in the U.S., has reflexively and immediately backed even the most extreme and cruel police brutality against defenceless citizens. It would be better for him if supporters like you were able to excuse his actions as merely thoughtless; the fact that he is, as you say, “extremely careful” and “very measured in his approach” only underlines his unfitness to stand for a party which is supposed to embrace justice and human rights.

            … and very well politically connected.

            So what?

            He is no fool.

            That’s a stubborn statement of faith if ever there was one.

            • Keith 8.1.3.1.1.1

              Whatever, “backed the most extreme and cruel police brutality against defenseless citizens”. Back up that load of bullshit with some substance!

              But yeah he’s a cop mate, nuf said eh?

              • Morrissey

                But yeah he’s a cop mate, nuf said eh?

                No, you simpleton, that’s not the reason I and many others despise him and reject his claims to represent us. There are good cops and bad cops. The good cops do not, for instance, taser helpless individuals for no reason other than that they have used bad language, and good cops don’t pick on people just because they’re Maori or Polynesian.

                And good cops don’t support the bad cops by going on radio—usually friendly and uncritical platforms like those provided by Larry “Lackwit” Williams on NewstalkZB or Jim Mora on RNZ National—and implacably defending their crimes, and pouring filth on the reputations of their victims, as O’Connor has done repeatedly.

                • Keith

                  As I said back what you said about O’Connor up with substance, not vague cop hating myths. He has never backed any cop tasering people because they are Maori or Polynesian or because they used bad language, ever. Or poured filth on victims or even repeatedly.

                  Do not whatever you do let the facts get in the way of a good story. Fuck it’s like reading a John Key biography!

                  • …back what you said about O’Connor up with substance…

                    Ha ha, you’ll be lucky mate. Morrissey has spoken!

                    I can only assume that the pearl-clutchers horrified that union representative O’Connor dared to support members of his union in the nation’s media either don’t know what a union is and how it works, or haven’t bothered engaging their brains before typing.

                  • McFlock

                    While I tend to agree with Milt about Moz’s reliability, the laws of probability have finally caught up with him on this one, and he actually has a bit of a point.

                    Greg O’conner was much more ‘my members can do no wrong’ than most union delegates I’ve met or even heard of.

                    For example.

                    • Keith

                      Unsure who “Eddie” is but it is accurate to say O’Connor is privileged to information that never makes it to the public and as he has said repeatedly, there is always more than one side to a story. As I said, this man is careful with his words and by virtue his own reputation and never once have I seen him backing someone who has intentionally done wrong.

                    • McFlock

                      There might be more than one side to a story, but if you’re arguing that the police should be able to break the law in order to gain a conviction, you’re on the wrong damned side.

      • Brutus Iscariot 8.1.4

        ” far right pricks”

        Shark officially jumped…

  9. xanthe 9

    The beauty of Littlies plan is breathtaking, while everyone is focused on the huge insult to identity politics of a dimwitted blustering buffoon…… meanwhile the real rat greg oconnor now has a free pass… brilliant play!

    • Morrissey 9.1

      Anyone that has heard him speak over the last few years knows that O’Connor is also a dimwitted blustering buffoon.

  10. Pat 10

    so “National did it too”…*headdesk*

  11. mlpc 11

    Nice try at deflecting attention, and I know you need cheering up, but this is not remotely comparable to the Little/Jackson fiasco.

    Borrows’ comments went further than English has been publicly prepared to go, but they do not amount to anything like the overt criticism that Little has faced from within.
    There’s been more deep discontent reported today.

    Now, which party did you say is in total disarray?

    [lprent: Perhaps you should read the categories used on the post. Are you against humour? ]

  12. HDCAFriendlyTroll 12

    Sigh, how is this undermining Bill English’s leadership? It’s not like Chester’s questioning a major decision by English now is it?

    In any case both Poto and Chester should go. Poto for undermining Little and Chester for being an idiot.

    [lprent: Perhaps you should read the categories used on the post. ]

  13. Bob 13

    So, Chester Burrows agrees with his Party Leader (both disagree with the ban, as stated), but used the word condemn while doing it.
    Who cares?

    Let’s compare this to the recent Labour situation:

    Party Leader announces a new Labour List MP who will be given a “winnable” list position even though he is not yet a Party member. A sitting Labour MP openly disagrees with Party Leaders decision even after Party Leader ‘had spoken to her previously about Jackson’s possible candidacy’ (clearly that went well), and Party Leader has to have second chat with Labour MP next week to clear up what he obviously didn’t clear up with her the first time around.
    Meanwhile, ‘Labour Party president Nigel Haworth said Willie Jackson’s candidacy was not a done deal’ completely undermining the press release of the Party Leader. What happened to Labour’s much vaunted ‘democratic selection process’ in all of this?

    Tell me again Natwatch, which Party is in disarray?

    [lprent: You appear to have read the post. But clearly not closely enough. Perhaps you should read the categories used. ]

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    4 days ago
  • Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Finally
    Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...
    Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
    David Farrar writes  –  1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
    There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    5 days ago
  • We need to talk about Tory.
    The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    5 days ago
  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    6 days ago
  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    7 days ago
  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • National’s murderous smoking policy
    One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    New Zealand has  a chance  to  rise  again. Under the  previous  government, the  number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing  year by year. The Luxon-led government  must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising  the  pillars  of the economy. After the  mismanagement  of the outgoing government created   huge ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    7 days ago
  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    7 days ago
  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    7 days ago
  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    1 week ago
  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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