Russell Brown on rubbish HoS article

Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, December 7th, 2014 - 88 comments
Categories: journalism, making shit up, newspapers - Tags: , ,

Russell Brown at Hard News has already said what needed saying about today’s Herald on Sunday’s lead story:

Some reprehensible bullshit

EXCLUSIVE, trumpets the Herald on Sunday’s front page lead story today, HIDDEN ROOMS IN MAYOR’S NEW OFFICE. ‘What secrets are concealed in Len Brown’s flash new office?’ the headline inside demands. A better question might have been: is anybody really proud of this nonsense?  …

The “secret rooms” are not actually a “secret” in any meaningful sense of the word: their presence, design and, fittings and budget are literally a matter of public record. They are a dressing room with a two-seater sofa, an ironing board and a wardrobe, and a small ensuite bathroom. But, in what would seem to be a bid to blend the office’s ceremonial and practical functions, the door between the formal office and its ensuite has been designed as part of a bookcase. That’s it. That really is the sum total of the scandal. …

The rest of the story is padded out with inane quotes from failed mayoral candidate and leader of the deranged “Stand Down Len Brown” protests Stephen Berry, and four of the five council dead-enders who got crushed by their peers in a vote over Brown’s censure motion last year …

The editor, the reporter and the rentaquote councillors all know the story is bullshit. For the latter, it’s another chance to have a crack at Brown and for the paper it’s just more cheap clickbait. If Bevan Chuang gets used yet again – and Photoshopping her into a picture really is quite the sleazy touch – that’s just what happens to women who have sex, right?

Is this what you people got into journalism for?

Plenty more in the full post, go check it out at Hard News.

88 comments on “Russell Brown on rubbish HoS article ”

  1. Chooky 1

    yes agree it is an attempt to smear and undermine Len Brown yet again…

    but as an aside …..quite frankly i dont think Bevan Chuang was “used”…..more like Len Brown, the old fool, was “used”

    …lets face it , it wasn’t Len Brown who revealed the affair… and he called it off…. and Chuang did not have an unblemished reputation for honesty

    …this is sexism in itself ie women who have extra-martial sex are automatically “used” …Old Testament stuff…we have moved on from this in secular and feminist society

    • tinfoilhat 1.1

      Len Brown is a mayor so appalling that he makes John Banks like a good alternative by comparison.

    • So, totally radical idea, let’s focus on the actual subject of the post and not on re-hashing really tired old “lying harlot” attacks on a woman who isn’t even involved (except that the HoS wants to pretend she is).

      • Chooky 1.2.1

        ?..it was Slater that did the “using”…not Brown…and looks like the right wing are still trying to undermine Brown

        “If Bevan Chuang gets used yet again…” is a red herring and a misleading phrase…it is Brown the right wing are out to get

        • And yet *you* chose to describe Bevan Chuang as dishonest, and actually tried to cite feminism as proof that she isn’t a victim in this case (by arguing that it’s sexist to say women in extra-marital affairs are being used.)

          You want to attack Slater, attack Slater, but just stop pretending you weren’t having a go at Chuang.

          • The Al1en 1.2.1.1.1

            She was a bit of a skank and him a sad old man who let his little brain do his thinking.
            Apart from affecting your sensibilities, what’s wrong with reporting that? It’s the truth after all.

            • CATMAN 1.2.1.1.1.1

              Define “skank”?

            • Tom Jackson 1.2.1.1.1.2

              I don’t think that’s true. From her TV appearance she seems to be what they call “high maintenance”, which would make her a natural target for a desperado like old Len.

              Having an affair with the mayor was a pretty thoughtless thing to do given the potential consequences, but she didn’t deserve to be used and shamed by the Slaters and Palino.

          • Psycho Milt 1.2.1.1.2

            So what if he was? “Commenter has opinion about behaviour of someone in the news” isn’t exactly unheard of in blog comments threads.

    • greywarshark 1.3

      @ Chooky
      Good point. Let’s look at these things in the round, get the wider picture.

  2. Graeme Stanley 2

    The Dirty Politics Brigade that smeared a foolish Len Brown round Election Time trying to bring him down have never been brought to justice or scrutinised Pot Calling Kettle Black Syndrome alive and fermenting eh?

    • Chooky 2.1

      +100 Graeme Stanley …and they are still trying to bring Len Brown down with the Tax Payers’ Union taking the lead in another example of ‘Dirty politics’

      …as Bomber Bradbury says …”I’m no Len Brown fan, I don’t believe he should run again, he’s a damaged political brand after the character assassination Slater and his meth charged ‘Journalist’ put him through, but to try and spin an ensuite that Len had no input into as some sort of devious sex den for the Mayor to privately get his jollies off in is just vile and completely false. Let me spell it out – LEN HAD NO ROLE IN BUILDING IT!

      Bradbury puts the present scheming and dirty politicking succinctly:

      http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/12/08/taxpayer-union-the-nz-herald-and-len-browns-secret-hidden-love-den/.

  3. Clean_power 3

    The hapless Mr Brown has lost all his dignity for the sake of keeping his mayor’s salary, otherwise he should have resigned long ago. A man with little or no sense of shame.

    • A man with little or no sense of shame.

      Someone with a sense of shame is hardly going to get very far in politics, are they?

    • tc 3.2

      Yes no change from the bloke he replaced, banksy.

      Len is simply marking time but then so are plenty of well paid supercity folk who have ceremonial roles with no real power throwing mud….brewer, fletcher etc.

      Perhaps HoS could do ratepayers a real service and investigate the systems shambles hide, ford and foley created, it’s racking up thousands/day and is rudderless with no end in sight. What we call ‘works as designed’.

      • Chooky 3.2.1

        Auckland ‘Superscity’ fiasco…( and it would be far worse under John Banks! )….a failed model they are trying to force on Wellington and regions….against the NZ locals’ will

        • ghostwhowalksnz 3.2.1.1

          You can see the hidden hand of Rodney Hide in the “super cities” push

          The local government commission , with 2 /3 appointed by Rodney Hide in 2011
          designed the over the top super city for Wellington ( notice another unelected Maori Board)

          Just as the Auckland super city was Hides work.

          • Penny Bright 3.2.1.1.1

            This now popular mythology that the Auckland Supercity was all Rodney Hide’s ‘work’ is simply bullshit.

            It was LABOUR who appointed the Commissioners for the Royal Commission on Auckland Regional Governance – whose most important recommendation was the CCO model for the delivery of Auckland services.

            It was the John Key led National/ACT Government that railroaded through the legislation which forced this Auckland ‘Supercity for the 1%’ upon citizens and ratepayers of the Auckland region, and denied us our lawful right to a binding vote on this amalgamation.

            It has been the CCO model that has been the mechanism for this, in my considered opinion, corrupt corporate coup, which has enabled BIG business and property developers to run the Auckland region ‘like a business, by business, FOR business’.

            There was NO political party which opposed the Auckland Supercity at the beginning – just a tiny handful of us – who campaigned from Day One – against this bigger public trough for fewer but bigger private snouts.

            Now- FINALLY – people are getting it, while anti-corruption ‘whistle-blowers’ like myself have faced the most draconian abuse of municipal power and authority, in order to try and shut us up and shut us down.

            Unfortunately – (For Auckland Council ‘Supercity for the 1%’) it appears to have had the opposite effect…..

            Penny Bright

        • swordfish 3.2.1.2

          Yeah, the two local body politicians who’ve long been pushing for this in Wellington are Former Labour MP and Mayor – turned far Right, Neo-Liberal, ACToid – (Wellington Regional Council Chairwoman) Fran Wilde, and her close chum and political confidante, our very own highly ambitious Porirua Mayor, Nick Leggett (in recent years, on the periphery of the extra-Parliamentary wing of Labour’s Right faction).

          I think it’s fair to assume both have designs on becoming the first Wellington Supercity Mayor (or possibly running on a Mayor/Deputy Mayor ticket). You can be pretty sure they’ve been carefully planning their career trajectories in that direction for a few years now.

          Leggett also seems to have – somewhat delusional – ambitions that he will become President of the Labour Party at some point. He suggested, after September’s General Election, that people in the Party were clamouring for him to put his name forward.

          The uber-ambitious always amuse me greatly.

          • Wayne 3.2.1.2.1

            Fran Wilde an ACToid – seriously?

            Just because she is no longer on the left side of Labour hardly makes her an ACToid.

            Unless you believe all moderate Labourites and all Nats are ACToids.

            • swordfish 3.2.1.2.1.1

              Wilde had her Road-to-Damascus conversion to Neo-Liberal Orthodoxy a decade later than most of Labour’s core Rogernomes.

              Back in the mid/late 80s, she was on the periphery of the small group in caucus openly hostile to Rogernomics (others included fellow greater Wellington MPs Sonja Davis, Graham Kelly and Elizabeth Tennet – among others, with Jim Anderton involved early on, but increasingly moving towards forming his own Party).

              Early 90s, she becomes Mayor of Wellington and begins moving in clear Rightward direction, particularly after meeting current husband, businessman and CEO of Landcorp, Christopher Kelly.

              By the early zeros, she was participating in a stormy TV current affairs debate (Wilde – by then CEO of Trade New Zealand – and Employers Federation Head on one side / Laila Harre and Union head (possibly Maxine Gay) on the other). Wilde came across in that debate as very Right-leaning, to the extent that she’d make you, Wayne, look like an anaemic Centrist.

              Apart from presiding over some astonishing budget blowouts (for which she would have been crucified by the Dominion Post and other local MSM if she’d been Left-leaning), Wilde’s long stretch as Wellington Regional Council Chairwoman has been characterised by her constant endorsement of policies favoured by ACT. Whatever the issue, you can be sure she’ll side with the establishment Right.

    • greywarshark 3.3

      @ Clean power – ” A man with little or no sense of shame.”
      You fit this description. You never have anything to offer except casting petty and nasty comments, like this one. Your opinions are skewed by a sour disposition apparently. Here’s some of your own back.

    • Tracey 3.4

      Yeah yeah…

      But Key rocks and Banks is full of… Integrity

      🙄

  4. hoom 4

    On the face of it I do agree it looks bad.

    Meat of the thing though as so often is at the very bottom of the article:

    council spokesman Mark Hanson said the mayor’s office had no input into the design.

    It was done by an architect and the project design team.

    The thing which is really surprising is that they have only a couple of Cameron Brewer quotes & they are buried in the middle…

  5. NZJester 5

    Looks like they are slowly starting their campaign to whitewash John Bank’s past and make Len Brown look more sleazy than Banks as they possibly can. Expect to see more articles praising Banks and demonizing Brown over the long run-up time to the next Mayoral election assuming they do not find some trumped up way to cut Len’s time in office shorter. Expect to see both their histories rewritten slowly over time to put Banks in a positive light and Brown’s made to look even worse.

    • greywarshark 5.1

      @ NZJester
      Pleae keep an eye out for these and then the rest of us don’t have to touch the NZ Herlad which is usually the print version of Whaleoil. When they appear to be redeeming themselves with something worthwhile it just raises suspicions, sadly often proving factual, that they have some motive for the long run.

  6. millsy 6

    Len Brown gave the right 95% of what they wanted….

    Imagine the crap from the media if we had a truly left wing Auckland Mayor.

    • Nope – none of that matters.

      Although, theres been a fair amount of public land go under the hammer in the last 18 months, he hasn’t sold off Auckland’s public utilities … yet.

      The whole point of the Super City was to enable access to ARH’s assets.

      And given that my water rates have gone up over 300% since watercare was seperated as a CCO – I imagine that particular monopoly is looking pretty tasty to the rentiers within NZ’s population

  7. Lindsey 7

    Name me a Mayor who does not have a place to keep a spare shirt and to have a shower between engagements and meetings. Most of them work very long hours and need to freshen up. I bet Banks had a private shower and dressing room etc but The Herald is not going to tell you that. Banks also cost the ratepayers for a new garage for his Bentley as the open air Mayoral parking outside the Greys Ave building was not good enough.

    • Name me a Mayor who does not have a place to keep a spare shirt and to have a shower between engagements and meetings.

      Mayor McCheese?

      What do I win?

  8. ghostwhowalksnz 8

    The post by Russell Brown shows we need a regular media watch type program ( TV as the newspapers wont touch it)

    But wait, isnt there “Media Take” with Russell Brown ?

    Its really only a ‘Seven Sharp’ for media junkies.

    Lots of nice soft soap for those in the media world, like this on this years opening show.
    “… looking at the way media works for the majority and talking to Stacey Morrison about that”.

    yeah right. its an even narrower world that that of “Streety’

    Or this:
    “… I talk to Katherine Reed, Associate Professor at the Missouri School of Journalism, about the new face of serious reporting: Buzzfeed and Vice. ”

    Its like when Seven Sharp gets all investigative:
    “royal babies, why are the media so obsessed? , we tell you.”

    • tc 8.1

      Wait till maxwells silver hammer gets going at Maori TV, it’ll go from lightweight to CT styled media critique.

      Maxwell dodged every serious question when he appeared with a smile and ‘look what I’m about….’

    • Chooky 8.2

      @ghostnz….Morriessy already does the radio media watch very well on the Standard…. but it is a bit irregular…maybe it should become a regular feature?

  9. This really is bottom of the barrel stuff. Those who wrote and published this piece of schlock journalism know very well that a hint of salacity combined with a pinch of prodigality usually ensures a well risen moral panic – and a moral panic about someone popularly perceived to be on the Left is needed to divert attention away from National’s dirty politics scandals.

  10. The Murphey 10

    Q. How much has Dick Quax cost the city of Auckland by signing the ‘New Core Programme’ funding?

    A. $71m – original funding
    B. >$170m – newly estimated total required funding
    C. Unknown – the interest costs nor the total expenditure will ever be published in full

    Q. How might Dicks quoted comments add credibility to the article about the mayoral bathroom costs?

    • tc 10.1

      They don’t want to publish how much the Deloittes, PWC and the other snouts are making, it’s Rodney’s gravy train and completely unnecessary.

      Auckland council systems and processes should have been scaled up and out but no they’re reinventing it and badly burning shitloads in the process for an end result that will be at best no better probably worse.

  11. It gest sworse with the followup here:
    ‘Secret room’ spending shows need for recall elections

    It’s not til halfway down the article that it is revealed that the the Dirty Politics boys of the Taxpayers Union calling for recall elections.

    I do note that in the interest of balance the article also states at the bottom;
    A spokesman for Brown told the Herald on Sunday that Auckland Council, not the mayoral office, made all decisions on what facilities to include in Brown’s new office.

    … before continuing the smear;
    A report released one year ago found Mr Brown used his council phone to make nearly 1,400 personal calls and texts to his then-mistress Bevan Chuang. He also failed to declare more than $39,000 in free hotel rooms and upgrades.

    • The Murphey 11.1

      “Councillors have already censured Len Brown for misusing funds but clearly the line in the sand is being ignored,” said Jordan Williams, Taxpayers’ Union executive director.

      “The Taxpayers’ Union was co-founded by Mr Williams and right-wing blogger David Farrar”

      Q. Are the articles deliberately written such they can be read as equally damaging to those quoted inside the article by highlighting their duplicity?

      • Naturesong 11.1.1

        If you just skimmed the article, or saw the headline, or did not know who Willaims or Farrar were, you would likely take the allegations at face value.

        Case in point (alert – anecdata incoming), my Mum, 2 or 3 months out from the election, when asked to present an opinion about David Cunliffe expressed distrust.
        When asked what had caused her to distrust an MP whose electorate is close to hers, she was unable to give any example, or even where she’d got the idea.
        I asked her to keep an open mind, and be attentive whenever she saw him speaking, instead of people talking about him.

        By the day of the election her opinion of Cunliffe was this:
        A serious and competent technocrat guided by his anglican beliefs. Missing the personal magnetism he needs to pull it off.

        Point being, constant negative new headlines, true or not, in papers you read or not, on TV whether or not you watch it still gets into your subconsious.

        • The Murphey 11.1.1.1

          The subconscious is a prison for the unaware. It keeps people trapped into believing the existing systems will do anything other than continue to enslave and kill all organic organisms.

          The anecdote about Cunliffe is apt.

          There is not one single politician who is currently involved or who would be allowed to enter politics that can offer anything other than support for the establishment. Support is not always directly perceptible even to the trained observer. The energy spent on supporting or believing in the establishment is astounding and must be broken down.

          When the subconscious prison has been escaped perhaps change could be possible.

          Time is not on the side of the imprisoned.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 11.1.2

        Williams and Cactus kate were two lawyers outed in the Dirty Politics scandal who were ‘let go’ by their employers soon after.

      • greywarshark 11.1.3

        Which councillors? That would be a great way to create false’ stories of apprehension by the whole council or the ‘ratepayers’ friends part of it. Ask leading negative questions and make statements as a councillor or through a councillor, then dash off a story to a compliant fish and chip printing rag claiming to have inside information about tensions and questions inside council against the Mayor. Smear every action. White-ant every public service work that is attempted.

  12. coaster 12

    I wonder if the sis have a camera installed in there.

  13. Lindsey 13

    I see The Herald is too cowardly to enable comments on this non-story.

  14. North 14

    A bathroom behind a bookcase ??? Jeezus !!! What’s Brown got in his shoe ???

    • BassGuy 14.1

      Well, James Brown had plenty of soul so Len Brown probably has some sole.

      (Sorry.)

      • Tom Jackson 14.1.1

        Len the unstoppable sex machine.

        • gsays 14.1.1.1

          papas got a brand new pad?

        • phillip ure 14.1.1.2

          brown cd use ‘sex machine’ as his next campaign-song/slogan..

          ..vote for len..!..he’ll get it on up..!..like a sex-machine..!

          ‘..first there was james..!..now there is len..!..getting it on up..!

          ..don’t get down and funky..get funky and down..!..with brown..!..

          (and i guess brown isn’t so much coming out of the closet..

          ..as going behind the bookcase..eh..?..

          ..and putting a new/salacious interpretation on ‘what’s len doing?’..’getting into a good book’..)

          ..has he thought of a line of perfume/colognes..?

          ..smell ‘len’..and then get on down..!..

          ..len..feel the power..!

  15. greywarshark 15

    What a heel!

  16. North 16

    Well spotted GreyWarShark ! That of course raises the spectre of Len’s palm which leads unmistakeably to questions of the greasing thereof……..My God things are getting worse. To HoS TipLine at once !

  17. Halfcrown 17

    Have you seen Slime News @5.30pm? Scoop, Terrible, Shame, Disgusting. Len Brown has a “secret” bathroom behind a bookcase. No mention of mirrors on the ceiling but there was a reference to that female he got involved with.
    Definitely a start to another sleazy dirty politic campaign against Brown.
    Personally I am not keen on the guy, but he is far superior to the other shit offered.
    Dirty Politics is alive and well.

  18. Penny Bright 18

    When is the ‘Tax Payers’ Union going to look at the BIG stuff?

    Like – how dodgy was the purchase of this whole new Auckland Council building – 135 Albert St Auckland City – not just Mayor Len Brown’s dodgy little room?

    How about following the BIG dollar$? ……..

    FYI
    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    23 March 2013

    Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright asks if there were corrupt ‘conflicts of interest’ involved in the purchase by Auckland Council of the former ASB building

    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    On 21 March 2013, Auckland Councillors discussed at a workshop whether or not to move into the former ASB building at 135 Albert St.

    In the interests of TRANSPARENCY and DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY – how about we ‘back up the truck’ and look at how exactly it was decided to spend a stray $100 million (without full public consultation) on the purchase of this property, and for what reason?

    Let’s also have a good, hard look at who has been involved…….

    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/auckland-council-headquarters-move-vy-124051

    Any untoward conflicts of interest between those who bought this property and those from whom this property was bought?

    Where are the publicly-available ‘Registers of Interest’?

    WHO IS CHECKING?

    I did some checking.

    This is what I found…………….

    AND (IN MY CONSIDERED OPINION) IT STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN WITH THE STENCH OF ‘CORRUPT CRONY CAPITALISM’!

    http://www.committeeforauckland.co.nz/membership/member-organisations

    Peter Wall, Director of Auckland Council Property Ltd CCO, is a member of the ‘invitation-only’ / $10.000 per year membership fee private lobby group – the Committee for Auckland, along with Auckland Council CEO – Doug McKay.

    Peter Wall is also:

    EXECUTIVE TEAM OF AUCKLAND COUNCIL PROPERTY LTD

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/ABOUTCOUNCIL/REPRESENTATIVESBODIES/CCO/Pages/council_property.aspx

    “Peter George Wall
    BCA – Bachelor of Commerce and Administration
    ACA – Associate Chartered Accountant

    Peter has enjoyed over 30 years in the Property industry participating in development, investment management and the acquisition and disposal of some $1.2 billion of Property assets. He has held CEO roles in public property companies, operated in UK, France and Canada and for 3 years was Managing Director, Property for Brookfield Multiplex in NZ and he continues to provide consulting services to this company.

    Peter is a past National President of the Property Council in NZ, President and Trustee of the North Harbour Charitable Trust, Trustee of the Graeme Dingle Foundation trust and Chair of the Harbour Access Trust which has as its responsibilities the development of the National Ocean Water Sports Centre at Takapuna and ferry services to Takapuna and Browns Bay.”

    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10816011

    Council eyes $122m ASB tower for new HQ
    By Anne Gibson
    5:30 AM Thursday Jun 28, 2012

    The Auckland Council plans to buy new upmarket headquarters so it can quit a civic high-rise block tentatively earmarked for demolition.

    The council has entered private negotiations to buy the ASB Bank Centre, valued by an Australian institutional fund at $112 million, substantially upgrading it for its staff and housing many of them under one roof.
    ………………………………..

    ASB Bank Centre, 135 Albert St.
    Valued at $112 million, owned by Brookfield Multiplex
    31 levels with extensive carparking.”
    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/886938
    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    BROOKFIELD MULTIPLEX CONSTRUCTIONS (NZ) LIMITED (886938)

    Last updated on 14 Dec 2011

    Company number:886938
    Incorporation Date:17 Dec 1997
    Company Status:Registered

    Company Addresses:Registered Office
    Level 8, 66 Wyndham St, Auckland , New Zealand

    Address for service
    Level 8, 66 Wyndham St, Auckland , New Zealand
    View all addresses

    Directors Showing 2 of 2 directors
    George KOSTAS
    36 Johnston St,, Annandale, Nsw 2038, Australia ,

    Peter George WALL
    233 Beach Road, Campbells Bay, North Shore City, 0630 , New Zealand ”

    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    What role did Peter Wall, Director of Brookfields Multiplex Constructions (NZ) Ltd; member of the ‘Executive Team of Auckland Council CCO, Auckland Council Property Ltd, play in the purchase of the former ASB building, owned by Brookfields Multiplex?

    How DODGY (corrupt?) is THIS?

    Auckland Council – $UPERCITY for the 1%?

    Run by big business and property developers FOR big business and property developers?

    Anyone else got concerns about this?

    Penny Bright
    ‘Anti-corruption campaigner’

    2013 Auckland Mayoral Candidate

    • Chooky 18.1

      +100 Penny Bright for Mayor ….to sort out Auckland Supercity corruption

      Maybe Auckland needs to revert back to its separate regional councils and mayoralties?…and have an overseeing Auckland authority /body in an advisory and research role

      ….that way the power is spread around the regions and is more democratic and less susceptible to BIG MONEY Corruption and dirty right wing politics outside the voters’ control

    • Tracey 18.2

      never. its not on their agenda. that lovely fair minded blogger f6arrar is involved

      • Chooky 18.2.1

        yes but surely if the people got up a referendum and 99% wanted to go back …would it happen?….or dont New Zealanders’ democratic votes count for anything anymore

        …i fear for Wellington

  19. Murray Rawshark 19

    They thanked me for providing them with feedback:
    The above, particularly the picture with Bevan Chuang, does not belong in a serious newspaper. Congratulations for going down the same road as the unlamented Truth. Does the journalist responsible source their material from Cameron Slater?

    • Ed 19.1

      I doubt that Williams and Farrar needed information from Slater for this one. It is however a good illustration of the National party smear machine continuing. Farrar and Williams may well have been prompted by upset over media coverage of the subsidy to the mens Golf photo-op for John Key – Taxpayer Union is however a good front name that still seems to get reported at face value by the media. Next Farrar will be claiming to be an independent journalist again . . .

      • Murray Rawshark 19.1.1

        Yeah, I’m sick of those union thugs. About time we stood up to Farrar and Jordan.

  20. Pat O'Dea 20

    Dirty politics could not have succeeded without dirty journalism

    Unfortunately New Zealand is a poorer place for it.

    You have to wonder how these people sleep at night.

    All I can say is thank God for the blogs otherwise the sleaze and innuendo that the establishment MSM try to pass off as journalism would pass by unremarked

  21. NZ politics now makes professional wrestling look sober and tasteful by comparison.

  22. Sanctuary 22

    The Auckland political right – as represented by the NZ Herald editorial board, the business establishment and the dirty politics hard core – remains as unreconstructed, arrogant, unprincipled, corrupt, immoral and desperate as ever. They truly are disgusting people.

    Unfortunately, that means this story should show why it should be obvious that Brown can’t run again. Keeping those bastards like Brewer, his business partner Carrick Graham, Dick Quax and Cameron Slater well away from high office is the main thing, and Brown will clearly be subjected to an all out media assault of character assassination and beat-ups by the full Auckland establishment if he runs again. This story is warning shot and a taste of how the right will run the mayoralty campaign, mark my words.

  23. Sable 23

    What can you expect from the tired old Tory trumpet…

  24. Big Dog 24

    Well there you go.As someone who swore off the herald years ago I was mystified down the club yesterday by a lot of snide references to Mayor Browns bathroom facilitys.All stirred up they were as well but no surprises there.(yacht club)I would tend to agree that Brown should stand downas the thought of Banks as mayor again is unthinkable.Is it not possible to get a stake through this old scrote,as you get relaxed,thinking he’s gone and the worst that could happen is the odd whatever happened to story and then WTF like the creature from the black lagoon, its back

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    2 days ago
  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
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    3 days ago
  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
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    4 days ago
  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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    4 days ago
  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
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    4 days ago
  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
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    4 days ago
  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
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    4 days ago
  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
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    4 days ago
  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
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    4 days ago
  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
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    4 days ago
  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
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    4 days ago
  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
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    1 week ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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    1 week ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Opinion: It’s time for an arts and creative sector strategy
    I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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