Sausagegate

Written By: - Date published: 12:27 pm, May 12th, 2014 - 76 comments
Categories: john key, national, national/act government, same old national, Satire - Tags:

John Key Sausage gate

When luck is running against you it is running against you.

John Key yesterday was filmed handing out free sausages from a National branded stall. It appears that the effort has hit a bit of a snarler however and the PR effort has left the party’s reputation wurst for wear.

From the Herald:

‘Sausagegate’ began at the Remarkables Town Centre yesterday afternoon as Prime Minister John Key dispensed free sausages about 100m away from two Wakatipu High School pupils selling the same product, trying to raise money for a school trip.

Madi Taylor and Jasmine Sowerby, both 15, stood outside The Warehouse trying to sell one sausage for $3 or two for $5, but business was slow.

That was because the leader of the country – in Queenstown for the Mainland Conference 2014, a gathering of National MPs and candidates from across New Zealand – tried to snag voters by handing out sausages with Clutha-Southland National Party candidate Todd Barclay, cooked for them by Flaming Good Food.

The teenagers told the Otago Daily Times they each had to raise $8200 for World Challenge Nepal in December next year.

The pupils would celebrate their 17th birthdays and Christmas in Nepal, where they would be based for a month, going trekking and volunteering at orphanages.

However, their fundraising efforts took a dive when Mr Key and other National Party members, supporters and curious members of the public turned up just after 12.30pm, and the party’s free sausage stand was set up near Mitre10.

Key did make amends by making a donation of $60 but it shows how sometimes the best made plans can run astray.

But what I want to know is if the event constitutes treating?  Section 217(2) of the Electoral Act 1993 says:

Every person commits the offence of treating who corruptly, by himself or herself or by any other person on his or her behalf, either before, during, or after an election, directly or indirectly gives or provides, or pays wholly or in part the expense of giving or providing, any food, drink, entertainment, or provision to or for any person—

(a)  for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person or any other person to vote or refrain from voting; or

(b)  for the purpose of procuring himself or herself to be elected; or

(c)  on account of that person or any other person having voted or refrained from voting, or being about to vote or refrain from voting.

There is an exception for a light supper given after an election meeting but I do not see how this could apply.

What should be done?  Well nothing actually.  I am as interested in formal action being taken about this as I was about action being taken against Helen Clark for signing a painting for charity.

But you can imagine what would happen if it was David Cunliffe and if Slater became aware of this story …

76 comments on “Sausagegate ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. shorts 1
    12 May 2014 at 12:35 pm

    I find it more unsettling that National feel a free sausage is tempting to their potential voters

    Is Todd Barclay the one in the T Shirt?

    • Rosie 1.1
      12 May 2014 at 1:33 pm

      Yep, pretty sure that’s Baby Tory Boy in the photo wearing the suit, not the t shirt, looking like a doofus, standing right next to The Supreme Doofus.

    • Tracey 1.2
      12 May 2014 at 1:38 pm

      lol

      has the boy got ciggies in his back pocket?

    • weka 1.3
      12 May 2014 at 5:15 pm

      “Is Todd Barclay the one in the T Shirt?”

      Nah, that’s Barlcay’s older brother.

  2. Blue 2
    12 May 2014 at 12:45 pm

    Greg please take legal action about this. Pleeease. This kind of sausage corruption must end. I mean what’s next? The sausage lobby having secret meetings with the Minister of shitty food? Keep focusing on the big issues.

    • mickysavage 2.1
      12 May 2014 at 12:47 pm

      You don’t understand satire do you.

      • Blue 2.1.1
        12 May 2014 at 12:50 pm

        It wasn’t tagged as satire so I assumed it was serious, given the desperation and all. Mind you in my defence, satire is usually funny so my mistake is understandable.

        • mickysavage 2.1.1.1
          12 May 2014 at 12:51 pm

          Just for your benefit I will add a satire tag to it.

          • Bunji 2.1.1.1.1
            12 May 2014 at 2:48 pm

            Well given how the Electoral Commission viewed Kim Dotcom’s launch Party, it may not be such a joke… Free music / free fancy sausages? Are they that different?

        • Psycho Milt 2.1.1.2
          12 May 2014 at 3:39 pm

          It wasn’t tagged as satire so I assumed it was serious, given…

          …your apparent lack of reading comprehension?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 2.2
      12 May 2014 at 1:22 pm

      Silly Blue, if you don’t understand that this post gives the Left a chance to have a laugh at the expense of a weak lying Prime Minister who can’t get a break, it’s you with the sense of humour deficit 😆

    • adam 2.3
      12 May 2014 at 3:47 pm

      Another right wing troll fail – the quality of smack these days is producing poor results for nat trolls – people have been recommending crack – but Mr Key just can’t keep up.

  3. not Petey 3
    12 May 2014 at 12:45 pm

    “But you can imagine what would happen if it was David Cunliffe and if Slater became aware of this story …”

    He’d make a dumb partisan post just like yours ?

    • adam 3.1
      12 May 2014 at 3:51 pm

      Again another fail troll – what up with these tories at the moment. At least in the past there was ripostes, now it’s just bitter and shallow two year old stuff. They must be all feeling like the losers – they are.

    • Lanthanide 3.2
      12 May 2014 at 4:43 pm

      As we saw with Cunliffe’s grandfathers war medals, they would get it inserted into the MSM, for most people to shrug their shoulders and say “so?” about.

  4. Not a PS Staffer 4
    12 May 2014 at 12:48 pm

    Were the sausages paid for by Todd Barclay’s employer Philip Morris?

    If you want to see how much these leeches make have a look here: revenue $83m and Tax $0.5m

    http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/service/services/documents/18134CCBE7701375386D1E6E9A6C8EDB

    John Key is not at all embarassed about being seen with the Paid Professional Cigarette Smoking Advocate who has also worked for Bill English, Hekia Parata and Gerry Brownlee.
    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/301896/im-todd-barclay-im-dipton-can-i-have-job

    Cigarettes are still big business and that is why they are crawling up the National Party’s legs.
    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/imperial-tobaccos-nz-arm-lifts-export-sales-australia-philip-morris-nz-boosts-revenue-bd-154

    • freedom 4.1
      12 May 2014 at 1:21 pm

      early edit of the article has been discovered:
      ‘He’s taller, he’s cooler, he’ll work harder … and [just last week] he was in a play group with my second-eldest son.’

      • freedom 4.1.1
        12 May 2014 at 1:25 pm

        but (serious now) read on and you see
        ”Six years ago, the Treasury never believed this country would get back into surplus again … debt looked to be $50 billion to $60 billion.

        ”[We have] $90 billion to $100 billion less debt because of the actions of our Minister of Finance.”

        Debt is $60 billion Mr Key, well over, some estimates have it as high as $80 billion.

        Is the PM suggesting NZ debt under Labour would have been over $160 billion in 2014 ?
        Will a single journalist challenge him on this statement?

        • Gosman 4.1.1.1
          12 May 2014 at 2:19 pm

          It is pretty much covered in the 2008 PREFU.

          • framu 4.1.1.1.1
            12 May 2014 at 2:57 pm

            i doubt that

            as in “once your silly little game has been unpicked it will turn out that your talking about something irrelevant or youve omitted key bits of info”

            but please – prove me wrong

          • Psycho Milt 4.1.1.1.2
            12 May 2014 at 3:50 pm

            Gosman backs Key’s version of events:

            • the 2008 PREFU said that continuing in a recession the policies that had been operating in an economic boom would cause ten years of deficits;
            • National did not continue (all) the boom-suitable policies, and ten years of deficits did not happen;
            • therefore, we can treat those ten years of deficits as a foretold doom that only National was capable of sparing us from.
            • Gosman 4.1.1.1.2.1
              12 May 2014 at 4:16 pm

              No self respecting economist (or even Treasury) would predict a 10 year recession.

              • McFlock …
                12 May 2014 at 4:38 pm

                nobody mentioned a 10 year recession.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  12 May 2014 at 11:53 pm

                  No self respecting economist, or Treasury, predicted the GFC. So what does that tell you. And Japan is entering it’s third “lost decade” of economic malaise now. Mainstream economists and their corporate sponsors cannot fathom within their world view how anything like this might occur.

                  And now that global energy depletion is biting, the power elite is going to try and obscure the problem for as long as they can, while they make their own preparations.

  5. Simon Buckingham 5
    12 May 2014 at 1:09 pm

    He did the same at Parachute. Whilst the organisers there paid for the sausages, it was still treating in my opinion. Yet another barbecue blunder by the Nats

  6. Bill 6
    12 May 2014 at 1:11 pm

    So the guy with (how many?) millions does a quick calculation on the impact of his unfair competition, subtracts some obscure overheads from the final amount, factors in a subjective evaluation on the appeal of the competing product (another minus of course) and hands over a whopping $60 as full and final settlement. Gee. Big man.

    Nice wee bit of free advertising for the catering company that made the sausages though – even though ( or especially seeing as how?) it has no sausages on any of its multiple advertised menus.

  7. Stephanie Rodgers 7
    12 May 2014 at 1:12 pm

    Oh, it’s a joke now, but I will never forget the 1999 election when National list MP Annabel Young accused Marian Hobbs of “treating” over a Young Labour sausage sizzle.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=102009

    (The reason I’ll never forget is that Kim Hill absolutely eviscerated Young on National Radio on the issue.)

  8. Bill 8
    12 May 2014 at 1:20 pm

    btw Mickey. I don’t think setting up a free giveaway of a presumably superior product, just metres from a fund raising effort has got anything to do with luck. It’s bullshit. Very bad bullshit that to my mind just illustrates the thoughtless ‘me mind’ of these fuckers.

  9. weizguy 9
    12 May 2014 at 1:21 pm

    The Nats were doing this in Wellington way back in 2005. A bunch of young Nats were on Courtenay Place giving out free sausages at a National branded stall.

    It looked like treating to me, so I approached them and asked whether they were aware of the rules. They proceeded to respond very defensively, until one of them pulled out an icecream container from somewhere underneath the stand and claimed that they were taking donations. They really didn’t like me taking photos.

    I vaguely remember a high-profile of the Taxpayers “union” sniffing around…

  10. Tracey 10
    12 May 2014 at 1:36 pm

    remember when aclass trip was to the zoo. a zoo in thecity where you lived.

  11. Rob 11
    12 May 2014 at 1:36 pm

    He is a sensitive wee sausage
    Pity he cannot remember anything

  12. Pete 12
    12 May 2014 at 1:42 pm

    Key did make amends by making a donation of $60 but it shows how sometimes the best made plans can run astray.

    And then he has the temerity to engage in blatant corporate welfare!

    /sarc.

    Although that’s more Joyce’s department.

  13. Gosman 13
    12 May 2014 at 2:08 pm

    Some kids had a hard time selling sausages to raise funds to travel to Nepal. Cry me a river.

    • Bill 13.1
      12 May 2014 at 2:13 pm

      No crying. Some self important twat made their fund raising fizzle. Fuck him.

      • Gosman 13.1.1
        12 May 2014 at 2:43 pm

        Boo hoo. Two kids find it more difficult to visit poor people in a developing country. I think that is a textbook example of “Rich world problems”

        • Bill 13.1.1.1
          12 May 2014 at 2:46 pm

          Missing the point. I don’t care what the fundraisers were raising funds for. You DO NOT fuck them up by undermining their efforts unless, of course, you are avidly opposed to what they’re up to and can justify your actions.

          • Tracey 13.1.1.1.1
            12 May 2014 at 3:22 pm

            agree but the trip is perpetuating the idea that the problems which need our volunteer time are in other countries.

        • framu 13.1.1.2
          12 May 2014 at 3:05 pm

          its not two kids – well maybe it is but nevermind. Its “kids being held back by adults”

          so…

          some kids were trying to raise money (for what is irrelevant)

          it didnt pan out to well

          why?

          because some adult came in and screwed their oppourtunity by giving away the same damn thing (in an arguably illegal situation) in order to promote their party

          what a heartless dick your being (and thats the most polite way i can put it)

          • Gosman 13.1.1.2.1
            12 May 2014 at 4:12 pm

            Is there any evidence that this free sausage sizzle was done on the knowledge that some kids were also doing a sausage sizzle for fund raising in the same area? If not then this is just pointless point scoring.

            • Bill 13.1.1.2.1.1
              12 May 2014 at 4:24 pm

              Prime Minister John Key dispensed free sausages about 100m away from two Wakatipu High School pupils selling the same product, trying to raise money for a school trip

              So, I guess it’s possible that the 100m involved many convoluted twists and turns, underpasses and corners, mainroads and what not. But I doubt it. And add in that he made a $60 donation after he’d done.

              And I’d be saying about the thoughtlessness, regardless of who the idiot was. No point scoring intended. I just detest the mentality on display.

              • framu …
                12 May 2014 at 4:54 pm

                “And I’d be saying about the thoughtlessness, regardless of who the idiot was. No point scoring intended. I just detest the mentality on display.”

                exactly bill – its not the politics gossman – its the utter lack of any sense of whats fair and appropriate in the situation

            • Tracey 13.1.1.2.1.2
              12 May 2014 at 4:34 pm

              by the media?

              weekends always see sossie sizxles at the warehouse. key prolly doesnt know that, despite being an ordinary bloke he shops at la cigale

            • framu 13.1.1.2.1.3
              12 May 2014 at 4:51 pm

              so your adding conditions to your original statement now?

              is their any evidence your not a serial bullshitter who cant sustain an argument? – seems there isnt

            • Weepu's beard 13.1.1.2.1.4
              12 May 2014 at 6:02 pm

              How would one go about finding such evidence?

              Like other posters have said here, I know that outside my local Mitre 10 a sausage fundraiser is on all day Saturday and all day Sunday. Perhaps Todd Barclay’s campaign people are not as observant. Either that or they just didn’t care.

              Anyway, it smacks of the PM to get all flashy, trundle over, and dish out cash to kids:
              a) to wow them,
              b) to make sure they (and their parents) didn’t take it any further, and
              c) to make sure the media took notes.

        • Tracey 13.1.1.3
          12 May 2014 at 3:19 pm

          like a guy worth over 50m doing a sausage sizzle to help keep his job….

          i agree with the class trip to nepal being ott, but soss the pm doing his ordinary bloke schtick.

        • Weepu's beard 13.1.1.4
          12 May 2014 at 6:16 pm

          It’s an admirable thing to do.

          Are you just upset because them being there made the Prime Minister look bad for a moment?

    • adam 13.2
      12 May 2014 at 3:56 pm

      I thought you were banned Gosman. And your trolling has turned to shit mate – your getting worse. You sound like a desperate man, desperate for attention and desperate to be loved. Ever thought if you behaved like a real human being, people might like you?

      [lprent: There was a partial amnesty a couple of weeks ago of some of the better arguers who’d picked up long bans since the last amnesty a year previously. I left the really awful trolls in durance vile. ]

      • Gosman 13.2.1
        12 May 2014 at 4:14 pm

        Actually I re-read what lprent stated about the ban and it was apparently only till the completion of the next election which was implied to mean the local body one not the general election.

    • Puddleglum 13.3
      12 May 2014 at 6:44 pm

      Some kids put effort into achieving an aspirational goal in a National-led New Zealand and you insult their efforts.

      So all this ‘do it for yourself’, ‘don’t expect a handout from others’ rhetoric is just for mugs and gullible schoolchildren, is it?

  14. hoom 14
    12 May 2014 at 2:18 pm

    Treating.

    Electoral Commission warned Dotcom he wasn’t allowed to give away free tickets to the Party Party Launch Party thing.

  15. sabine 15
    12 May 2014 at 2:27 pm

    if someone sets up a crowdfunding for the boys and their trip i shall contribute.

    just really

    $ 60 from the millionaire Leader of NZ? Scrooge must be his middle name.

    • Akldnut 15.1
      12 May 2014 at 5:31 pm

      Scrooge would be pissing himself laughing at how Keys follows so closely in his footsteps.
      I’m still waiting to know how much of his pay goes to charity, judging by this it would be fuck all.

      • felix 15.1.1
        12 May 2014 at 7:14 pm

        We’ve often joked about how he probably counts donating to the National Party as “charity”.

        Well now, thanks to Oravida, we know that’s literally true.

        • miravox 15.1.1.1
          12 May 2014 at 8:20 pm

          Well done there felix.

          I wonder if Oravida also has a place in one of Key’s not-so-blind trusts?

      • Will@Welly 15.1.2
        12 May 2014 at 8:03 pm

        I think he may have done that in his first year as a publicity stunt, but remember, no much how much he donates, he gets 33 cents in the dollar back

  16. captain hook 16
    12 May 2014 at 2:28 pm

    dont bbring the kids into it. stop hiding a bad motive behind a good one. Keys is just a boofheead really. a lombard. lots of money but a real dick.

  17. Clemgeopin 17
    12 May 2014 at 2:37 pm

    I hope Key, like Pontius Pilate, washed his ethically soiled dirty hands and wore some hygienically safe gloves while handing out these wee sausages to sensitive poor hungry kids.

  18. Tanz 18
    12 May 2014 at 6:30 pm

    What, Key only donated sixty dollars? He could have afforded sixtty thousand, making it back in interest the same day!!!

  19. philj 19
    12 May 2014 at 6:48 pm

    xox
    Key undercuts private fundraising school children. Have you no ethics?

  20. newsense 20
    12 May 2014 at 8:04 pm

    Did Barclay give them any ciggies? One carton to smoke, one to sell under the table on the stall to other school kids…

  21. captain hook 21
    12 May 2014 at 9:47 pm

    so is gosman still promoting keys sausage?

  22. NZJester 22
    13 May 2014 at 2:43 am

    I think the price of a sausage for $3 or two for $5 was the better price to pay on the day.
    The National ones are not really free, they come at the cost of your soul!
    So no matter how you look at it if I was there I would have preferred to buy one from one of the kids as I would keep my soul.

  23. North 23
    13 May 2014 at 9:15 am

    Felix Felix Felix……..you’re very naughty but I like you.

  24. RRM 24
    13 May 2014 at 10:28 am

    LOL what??

    Imagine if Shane Taurima stole from TVNZ by having TVNZ (the taxpayer) pay to fly TVNZ staff to work at a Labour Party meeting at Shane’s place in Gisborne?

    Imagine if Shane Taurima stole from TVNZ (the taxpayer) by having a TVNZ staff member perpetually doing Labour Party work instead of her job?

    Oh wait, you don’t need to imagine it, that actually happened!

    But it’s not worth mentioning when Labour people do this sort of thing!

  25. Aux 25
    13 May 2014 at 1:10 pm

    Life imitating art? The sausage incident pretty much sums up everything wrong with the version of capitalism we use, and the cultural values we promote – nepotism, collusion, price-fixing and corporate welfare. The only more influential moment to those kids than figuring out what happened will happen again a thousand times over during their life, just reframed in different scenarios, is when they see all their beliefs about society fall apart as a result. Mind you, if they get rich enough fast enough they’ll never need to figure it out. Then instead they’ll wander around blaming the people who did.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • 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
    17 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
    20 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
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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