Scoop’s second Hager document release

Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, November 15th, 2015 - 98 comments
Categories: democracy under attack, Dirty Politics, journalism, Media - Tags:

Following on from its earlier release Scoop has uploaded further documents filed in the Hager v Attorney General case.  The documents include Hager’s affidavit, various other affidavits, police disclosure and some exhibits.

Discussion is building about why police resources were put into the case at all.  An affidavit by former Police Controller Wayne Stringer expresses surprise at the way the case was handled.

At paragraph 7 of his affidavit he says this:

I am very surprised to see how much effort and police resource has been devoted to this case.  The Counties-Manukau office routinely deals with large volumes of very serious crime, including murders, rapes, and crimes of violence and child abuse.  Offenders in such cases, unless caught, have the potential to continue to cause extremely serious harm.  Police have limited resources, and in my view rightly prioritise these crimes.  In my view, the offence under investigation here, accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose, is a much less serious offence than many others the police are called upon to investigate.  Had I been in charge of the office, I would have accorded it a low priority.  The amount of time and resource expended in this case seems to me to be akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.

At paragraph 14 he says:

I note that the search of Mr Hager’s house must have been very expensive for police.  It involved five officers and a computer expert.  Two had to be flown down from Counties-Manukau.  Expense is always a factor in policing decisions.

Stringer was also surprised at the heavy involvement of Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Burgess.  He is a member of the Police’s executive and is Wellington based.  His active involvement in this investigation appears to be well out of the scope of his norman duties.  We are not talking here about the great train robbery.  Slater’s initial complaint was to him.  He appears to have taken an active interest in the investigation and was consulted with before the decision to make the application for the search warrant.

And in a case resembling the great disappearing online Herald story there is a print article by David Fisher that does not appear to have made it online at all.  Given the significant constitutional and political implications in this story you have to ask why.

Herald article Slater Fisher Hager

Finally if you wish to contribute to Scoop’s ongoing sustainability you can donate to the Scoop Foundation.

98 comments on “Scoop’s second Hager document release ”

  1. Tory 1

    You left out the best part which is the identity of the hacker is known by at least 3 others so perhaps there is going to be a full revelation of all information rather than selected editing of some information
    http://www.donotlink.com/hcse

    [Took out whale oil link and inserted donotlink link – MS]

    • Pascals bookie 1.1

      err, everyone already knows that Hager, Nippert, and Fisher had contact with Rawshark. the only revealing in there is how silly the cops are.

      • Neil 1.1.1

        Don’t forget that John Key made a public statement saying he knew the true identity of the hacker Rawshark.

        • tracey 1.1.1.1

          I believe the police eventually spoke to the liar in chief who told the police it was just someone telling him they knew. I assume the LIC told the police who the someone was….

    • savenz 1.2

      I guess more than 1 police officer is getting concerned with the politicalising of police and abuse of government resources instead of concentrating on the police charter to fight crime and not be used political errand boys. And Slater can hardly even be considered a guy to go all out for – apart from being on txting terms with the PM.

    • tracey 1.3

      Yeah the best part isnt the misuse of police resources at all

      🙄

  2. Chooky 2

    “Discussion is building about why police resources were put into the case at all.”

    …it was clearly political and orders came top down from the jonkey nact government…can this be proven?

    • tracey 2.1

      It is heartening that this police officer swore that affidavit.

      Was cou ties manukau that assisted Collins with helpful figures for her Papakura newslettef?

      • Macro 2.1.1

        ummmmm yes it was!
        ohhhh dear.
        IPCA investigation for a wet bus ticket on the back of the hand you think?

  3. Georgey 3

    Tory
    They also missed out that Stringer is a stooge of Hager’s as well as being David Parker’s staffer.
    Nah…none of that would have clouded his view at all.

    • mickysavage 3.1

      So what? Someone used to work for a Labour MP and this means that their views should be ignored?

      Besides his comments match my experience and that it is almost impossible to get the police to do anything unless it is serious crime and this is not.

      And the police inaction over the Rachinger claims that Slater hired him to hack this site complete with texts and evid nec of bank deposits are in stark contrast to their behaviour over Slater’s claims.

      • veutoviper 3.1.1

        Georgey and Tory are just parroting a post and comments this morning on a certain Dunedin-based blog on Stringer. DoNotLink is useful.

        As a caregiver to four parrots, my apologies to all parrots. Parrots are smarter than these two trolls.

        EDIT – make that three trolls – ppw also.

    • mary_a 3.2

      @ Georgey (3) –

      Evidence to support your claims please.

  4. Tory 4

    Chooky, perhaps Police involvement has been driven by individual personal agendas
    http://www.donotlink.com/hcse

    [Replaced with donotlink link – MS]

    • Pascals bookie 4.1

      mate, WO is an admitted fantasist who talks things up. that was own sworn testimony the AG investigation of Collins. He is not what investigators call ‘a reliable witness’.

      WO has gone pretty quite of late about his claim that he knows for sure who Rawshark is. That was going to be the big lanch of FreedNZ his mighty MSM busting media venture that has died on the old vine. Then it was going to be in his fantastic book that reveal once and for all the evil plotters against him, but nope, didn’t happen.

      The list of possibilities for who Rawshark could be has grown considerably rather than narrowed given how slack WO’s security was. Loads of rumours about how weak a password was that he used for multiple purposes. Using your screen name plus a few digits? oh dear. Still hacking to crack it, but doesn’t take any sort of genius.

  5. Tory 5

    Georgey, this gets better every day 🕵🕵

  6. proud poppy wearer 6

    Labour are donkey deep in this dirty politics, the snivelling creep Hagar and his enablers will be covered in much of the same muck that they’ve been flinging around.

  7. CnrJoe 7

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11350276

    John Armstrong – 5:00 AM Thursday Oct 30, 2014

    The Prime Minister believes he knows who hacked Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater’s computer and produced the source material for Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics, according to a new edition of a recently published biography of John Key.

    In a new chapter in John Key: Portrait of a Prime Minister devoted to this year’s election campaign, Mr Key is quoted as saying: “Someone phoned and told me who the hacker was, but other than having a look at this person, I thought, ‘Oh well … nothing will come of it. Life goes on’.”

  8. Anne 8

    Don’t let’s beat about the bush. The police were instructed to pull out all stops in their hunt for Rawshark and to look for evidence against Hager that could be used to discredit him. And we know the instruction originated from John Key although his involvement will have been heavily covered up from possible public exposure.

    He has now surpassed Rob Muldoon as New Zealand’s most venal and corrupt prime minister. But like all psychopaths, he knows how to turn on the superficial charm and the fools -including some in the media – fall for it every-time.

    • proud poppy wearer 8.1

      Nutter

      [Back up your comments with facts or you will find your commenting ability is terminated – MS]

      • DoublePlusGood 8.1.1

        You can’t address the argument with a rebuttal, so you say she’s a nutter? That’s pathetic. Try harder.

        • Paul Campbell 8.1.1.1

          I agree poopy wearer shouldn’t be claiming that Key is a nutter without proof …. Let’s start with his ponytail fetish ..

        • proud poppy wearer 8.1.1.2

          Why would anyone need more than a comment of ‘nutter’ to someone who suggests that we live in a corrupt police state with the PM ordering the police to do investigations on his behalf.

          Detest Key and his political party all you want but to suggest we live in anything but a fairly benign democracy is the stuff of fantasy.

          • Lanthanide 8.1.1.2.1

            So what is your explanation for why the raid on Hager took place, when a senior police officer has said, had he be in charge, he would have prioritised the raid very lowly.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 8.1.1.2.1.1

              *crickets*

            • Thinking Right 8.1.1.2.1.2

              The ‘senior police officer’ you quote is an ex Police Officer, has been a friend of Hagar’s for 20 years, is a past employee of David Parker, and obviously wear Hagar tinted glasses.

              For propaganda to be effective it must be seen to come from a reliable and trustworthy source – unfortunately this fails on both counts.

              • stever

                “For propaganda to be effective it must be seen to come from a reliable and trustworthy source”

                You jest, surely!?

              • tracey

                Why do you think Slaters home and office werent searched by police after he published personal info obtained from a hard drive whose ownership slater didnt verify?

              • mickysavage

                Care to day how what he said is wrong? Under your analysis no one with a friendship or a political opinion will ever be able to comment on anything.

          • Treetop 8.1.1.2.2

            PPW wake up, the cops even lie to politicians.

            I’d personally like to see a number of cops ranked from inspector to assistant police commissioner explain some of their lies to politicians.

            One of the biggest lies which is repeated is that the matter has been investigated and that there is no new evidence. This happens when you take a police complaint to an MP and the complaint has been under investigated because the cops have covered up wrong doing by one of their own or they have misled a politician/s.

            File after file of mine has gone missing by the police.

      • Ffloyd 8.1.2

        You’re quite right ppw. Key is a Nutter.

      • ropata 8.1.3

        opium poppy smoking destroys critical thinking faculties in the prefrontal cortex

        • proud poppy wearer 8.1.3.1

          So does Key derangement syndrome amongst the commenters at the Standard apparently.

      • proud poppy wearer 8.1.4

        [Off to moderation you go. Will let through comments where you are not abusing anyone and trying to actually debate the merits – MS]

        • Anne 8.1.4.1

          Well of course dear boy – you are a boy aren’t you? There are degrees of psychopathy. Not all of them run around shooting people you know. Some at the lower end of the scale can be quite reasonable at times. It’s when they start feeling threatened they turn feral. We saw an excellent example of it with Key just last week.

          But I guess you can’t comprehend these things because you are obviously in the bottom half of the NZ IQ scale.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 8.1.4.2

          That’s because this is a Left wing blog dedicated to political debate, not your toilet paper.

          • proud poppy wearer 8.1.4.2.1

            I’m surprised you know what toilet paper is with all the dung you post on this site.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 8.1.4.2.1.1

              I tell you what: you keep up the vacuous one-line insults, and I’ll keep on pointing out factual inaccuracies and laughing at you, and we’ll see who lasts longest.

            • tracey 8.1.4.2.1.2

              How old are you?

            • lprent 8.1.4.2.1.3

              If you don’t like it here, then leave.

              Continue with this kind of behaviour, and I will start acting like a provost. I am sure that you are familiar with that.

      • Murray Simmonds 8.1.5

        “proud poppy wearer” gets that from his beloved hero – who, in the House of Reps often used to refer to certain sectors of the opposition as “loonies”.

        All cast in the same mold, I suspect. Or should that be “the same mould?”

    • meconism 8.2

      fixed it for you MS> If you are going to be fair about these things this should also go here.

      [Back up your comments with facts or you will find your commenting ability is terminated – MS]

    • Treetop 8.3

      “He has now surpassed Rob Muldoon as New Zealand’s most venal and corrupt prime minister.”

      What really got to Key, was the fact that Key was challenged outside of the debating chamber on an important issue (human rights) and Key had a big reaction in the house following being challenged.

      Muldoon accused Moyle of being picked up by the police in the house on 3 November 1976 regarding an incident which occurred on 17 June 1975. (Muldoon sat on the incident for 16 months). Key accuses Labour of defending rapists and murders.

      The question I have for Key is:

      Do you know how many murders, sex offenders or those convicted of aggravated crimes have been deported from Australia to NZ in the last 12 months?

      And

      What has your government done to ensure that these criminals are monitored and supported?

      The full police evidence into the handling of the Moyle incidents were put in lock up for 25 years by the attorney general when part of the inquiry was released in mid April 1978 and still remain locked up.

      Self interest by a PM in a police matter = a police state.

      Wayne Stringer is so right when he states that the resources put into Hager are not JUSTIFIED. I would like to add that the police once again are not prioritising their time trying to solve homicides or sexual assaults which heavily impact on the community.

      If some of these top cops want to play a part in politics I suggest that they stand for parliament and tell the executive to not interfere in the day to day running of the police and to also ask for the police budget to be increased.

      • tracey 8.3.1

        Exactly. Rapists and murderers have been deported fr years…. Key made people think it was new.

    • Chooky 8.4

      +100 Anne…well said

  9. Tory 9

    PPW. +1👍

    • tracey 9.1

      +1

      Is one more than the number of murderers and rapits Key said were amongst the kiwis on christmas island

      +1 is one more than the number of times slaters home and business ha been raided by police after he published info from a stolen hardrive or one wrongly given to him

      +1 is 1 more than the number of times you or ppw have read the documents released from this case

  10. ianmac 10

    I have read through the Hager affidavit and noticed this which signal’s a possible political/police connection although impossible to prove.
    Oh.Sadly I cannot copy and paste. One word per line.
    Anyway para 157 and 158 interesting.
    And the Conclusion para 167-171 interesting.
    The case is finished and the publishing of the judgement has been imminent – for a while. Hope it is just the Court delay and not another one where the report is sent up the chain for approval or “modification.” Paranoia?

    • RedBaronCV 10.1

      Hi Im – are you able to give document no and page no for those para’s

    • joe90 10.2

      I cannot copy and paste. One word per line.

      Highlight – “search google for” – opens a new tab – copy from new tab search bar – should paste okay.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 10.3

      157. There is a pattern in New Zealand politics of politicians attacking the messenger when they are caught out doing things they preferred would not become public. After Dirty Politics was published, I received a series of personal attacks from the Prime Minister John Key and others. By deciding to raid my house, the Police made this worse. The implication to some sections of the public was that there was something criminal about my legitimate occupation.

      158. Also, I cannot help feeling that the Police have subjected me to more rapid
      and intrusive action than is normal. I naturally compare the actions against me to investigations of more serious crimes such as the “Roastbuster” rape complaints. In most media or political cases, the Police err on the side of not laying charges and certainly do not tum up unannounced to raid houses or offices. I cannot think of a single other case involving media where the Police have acted so intrusively. I do not understand why I appear to have been treated differently.

      167. Thus my concerns about the Police search are fivefold. First, I have a professional obligation to protect the confidential source who provided me with information I used in the book Dirty Politics.

      168. Secondly, I have an obligation to protect the confidentiality and privacy of all the other sources (and colleagues’ sources) relating to whom notes, materials and contact details were in my house at the time of the search.

      169. Thirdly, I cannot expect sources to help me in the future if they are not confident that I can hold information and work on stories without the Police arriving at my house and searching for the identity of sources. A general public perception that confidential sources are not secure, to which a Police search of my home obviously contributes, poses a serious practical risk to my work.

      170. Fourthly, a high profile decision to legitimise the Police search of my house will also have a general effect, affecting the ability of other journalists to do
      their jobs.

      171. Lastly, this search has had a direct and damaging effect on me and my work. It has caused me practical difficulties and interfered with my ability to do my work. It was greatly unsettling at the time and has since caused me great concern. It was, in short, a serious and, in my view, completely unwarranted, invasion on my private and work life.

      Awaiting the judgement with interest.

      • tracey 10.3.1

        ” 157. There is a pattern in New Zealand politics of politicians attacking the messenger when they are caught out doing things they preferred would not become public. After Dirty Politics was published, I received a series of personal attacks from the Prime Minister John Key and others. By deciding to raid my house, the Police made this worse. The implication to some sections of the public was that there was something criminal about my legitimate occupation.”

        Also being done by posters in this thread. The right throwing alotof sunday resource at this thread

        • NZSage 10.3.1.1

          I thought that too Tracey.. seems recently there are a high number of right wingers on The Standard. I have no problem with right wingers offering reasoned argument but clearly many of them are simply trolls out to hijack threads and topics.

          I’ve also noted the number of right wing comments in the online MSM receiving far more “thumbs up” or “likes” than has historically been the case.

          Now our comrades on the right will try and put that down to a change in public opinion and the love of John but things don’t change that quickly.

          Could it be the right is trying to win back Social Media from the left by devious/technical means, could it be the online MSM themselves manipulating the comments or both?

          Just speculating like….

      • Treetop 10.3.2

        Can anyone tell me what the police have charged Hager with?

        Can anyone tell me why Slater’s home has not been forensically raided like Hager’s was?
        (Were Slater’s home to be raided the police would probably not like what they found and would they reveal any information were it to potentially ruin a politician?)

        The Hager raid could just back fire on the PM like what Muldoon did to Moyle (asked the police for the contents in the Moyle police file).

        Moyle was never charged with an offence.

        • tracey 10.3.2.1

          The sergeant doesnt explain ghe process he went through to decide.

          A. Whether to invrstigate and
          B. What resoures it warranted

          If he did it was at the end of his affidavit.. i didnt read that far

          • Treetop 10.3.2.1.1

            “The sergeant doesnt explain ghe process he went through to decide.”

            Accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose is what is being investigated, I am not sure if this is what the charge is? FFS if anyone feels that Hager has defamed them they should take a civil case out against him. The problem for me is the misuse of police resources by the police and that political interference may be involved. Were this to be the case, Hager needs to add a chapter to his Dirty Politics book.

            • tracey 10.3.2.1.1.1

              Lynch says he knew hager had written a prior political book. Is he referring to Dirty Politics?

  11. Smilin 11

    Obviously there was an extreme emergency to find the data concerning individuals and whatever communication could be there from them or associates that could be linked to any govt facilities also being specific to certain key individuals in the govt

  12. NZJester 12

    Strange they never put all that effort into finding out about a real crime of the burglary of an office that resulted in Slater receiving a stolen hard drive and a set of file cabinets full of paper documents from that burglary. Why is it they are not using as much resources for that crime to find out who committed that physical theft to hand over those records to Slater to then print an attack article on the target of that burglary?

    Why also is it that they did not charge Slater for receiving actual physical property and seize it all back with a search of his premises?

    • Treetop 12.1

      My answer to your question is ignorance is bliss. The crazy thing for me about what could be on Slater’s computer is that he would not use it against a government politician unless he really had to, to save his own arse and that he would not be ruined for spilling the beans).

      It must be real lonely being in a position which is untenable.

      Nixon and Watergate comes to mind with your comment of an office being raided.

  13. veutoviper 13

    I have been slowly wading my way through the second set of court documents released by Scoop. My impressions so far (including from reading the first set) is that there are a lot of anomalies, contradictions etc in the Police’s MO in this case and in their evidence as presented to the court. This includes some basic checking and editorial errors in the evidence that I would not expect to find in final documents presented to the court. Usually such documents are checked by many pairs of eyes …

    Some of these errors are quite funny,as well as being basic.

    For example, Felix Geiringer, one of Hager’s legal team, has tweeted a mistake in the Police transcript pf a radio interview at page 598 onwards in this document – https://t.co/U2bdrOQ2dY. This is stated as being a transcript of an interview with Mike Hosking on Radio Live on 17 August 2014.

    It is in fact a transcript of this interview by Wallace Chapman of Hager on RNZ on 7 October 2014! Oooops.

    https://t.co/O1eMwBGG8X

    Similarly, earlier in the overall document starting at page 71, there is a Police transcript of an interview of Hager by Sean Plunket on Radio Live on 14 August 2014. Halfway down page 78, the indentifiers of SP and NH get reversed and remain that way almost to the end of the interview.

    Inconsequential but makes for fun reading – but again a basic lack of proof reading that should have been picked up long before the transcript was submitted in the Police evidence to the court.

    • tracey 13.1

      Odd indeed. I wonder what the legal costs have been for we taxpayers?

      • veutoviper 13.1.1

        Very high, I suspect, in terms of the resources assigned to the raid and investigation – as well as preparation for and legal representation in court. Hence Wayne Stringer’s comments in the hard print Herald article in the post. (Full article can be read on Scoop – on the link to the second set of documents).

        And for a bit of light relief on this subject, I laughed at this tweet on the Police task sheet for information on Rawshark’s suppposed trip to Vanuatu – https://twitter.com/Te_Taipo/status/665377440215072769

        At the time, my immediate reaction to R’s mention of going to Vanuatu was that it was a blatant red herring – as unlikely as Alpha Centauri.

        EDIT – actually, having now looked at that Te Taipo Twitter account, it is well worth reading with a lot of IT analysis of the IT aspects of the police raid ….

  14. seeker 14

    Malcolm Burgess comes up again and again as a government apologist and a guy that appears to espouse the 60’s and 70’s arrogant, small minded, blinkered and bigotted type of policing.e.g. his refusal to see any possibility of the innocence of David Bain from compelling evidence of finger burns on 3D (TV3) and his biassed comments on the unfortunate journalist that left his equipment on john key’s tea table.
    I wish someone would investigate his suspicious behaviour or at least start a ‘Blip’ list on him. Maybe my two examples could start it.

  15. tracey 15

    Does anyone know if Lynch gives a definition for

    ” … serious crime investigations or investigations of an
    otherwise sensitive nature….” which require a higher degree of oversight.

    • Treetop 15.1

      You have got me thinking, what is going to happen to Rawshark when they find him?

      Rawshark could be a savant for all I know or a 13 year old or they could live in the North pole with Santa.

      • tracey 15.1.1

        Well with all those resources they couldnt find him….

      • Mark Stevens 15.1.2

        Around the time of the last election both Rawshark and Jason Ede disappeared off the radar within a week of each other. Tell me if I’m barking up the wrong tree…..

        • tracey 15.1.2.1

          You are barking up the wrong tree. Ede had to disappear to save his master and was nicely compensated in a cushy new job.

          Rawshark went cos of the heat coming on to out him. Also he was acting from anger at somehing slater did. Ede was a paid lackey doing whatever got him were he wanted to be, imo. Rawsharks was more personal.

          So for me completely different modus operandi.

  16. Incognito 16

    For some reason I’ve always had difficulty believing the official line that they were trying to find information that could lead them to Rawshark. My suspicion was and still is that Hager was the intended target all along. Perhaps Nicky Hager is too modest and humble to fully appreciate his own role in all this; Hager is certainly not stupid or naïve but he does not have an ego the size of KDC’s.

  17. ropata 17

    wtf police… you ought to know better
    threatened Hager with jail time for not giving passwords

    @onThePaepae pg 34 https://t.co/osbH9Y7rUt pic.twitter.com/VtE08pZkRa— Rangi Kemara (@Te_Taipo) November 15, 2015

    • ianmac 17.1

      The note seems to be split on two different pages? Sure it is the same statement linked together?

  18. Paul Campbell 18

    Reading back through here it’s pretty obvious that a year on a lot of people on the right are still pretty worried about the possible ramifications of the whole dirty politics scandal … That so many should spontaneously show up here over here to comment on this one issue shows that they feel vulnerable here.

    A good reason if ever I saw one to not leave the issue to die.

    • tracey 18.1

      Yup. Hager’s name presses all kinds of buttons… and the lengths gone to ilence him are very telling. What Hager reveals they do not want their supporters to know… luckily for them some of their supporters still dont want to see.

  19. Karl 19

    Anyone who knows what Hager was working with at the time of the raid has no doubt that finding Rawshark was not or at least a very minor reason for the raid.

    The incredible harassment of sources since has been extraordinary. The suppression of that harassment is doubly so.

    I don’t just want to see virtually the entire National front bench to resign; I want to see several of them prosecuted (legally speaking) and to go to prison.

  20. Northsider 20

    NOTES ON THE COPPER WHO DID KEY’s DIRTY WORK.
    Malcolm Burgess meets with Key when wearing his “International Services Group” hat.

    Assistant Commissioner Investigations, NATSEC & International
    Malcolm Burgess MNZM

    Assistant Commissioner Investigations, NATSEC & International is responsible for the National Criminal Investigations Group, the Organised and Financial Crime Agency New Zealand (OFCANZ), Financial Crime Group, International Services Group and Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat.

    The Investigations and International Group leads the prevention, investigation, disruption and prosecution of serious and transnational crime. It also leads liaison, overseas deployment and capacity building with international policing partners.

    Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Burgess was appointed in June 2011 after two years as Director of OFCANZ, based at Police National Headquarters in Wellington.

    He joined Police in 1976 and held uniform and CIB positions including area commander for Nelson and Hamilton cities and Detective Superintendent Southern, based in Christchurch. In 2005 he studied in Britain under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Aotearoa Fellowship.

    Promotion material and arse licker supreme

    http://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/structure/commissioners-executive-commanders

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 hour ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 hours ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 hours ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    3 hours ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    13 hours ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    15 hours ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    17 hours ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    17 hours ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    17 hours ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    18 hours ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    18 hours ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    21 hours ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    1 day ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 day ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    2 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    2 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    2 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    3 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    3 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    3 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    3 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    3 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    4 days ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    4 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week  Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
    5 days ago
  • The End Of The World.
    Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Climate Town: The Brainwashing Of America's Children
    Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
    7 days ago
  • Has There Been External Structural Change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase. Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago
  • Another Labour bully
    Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • Climate Change: Ignoring our biggest problem
    Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • JERRY COYNE: A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand
    JERRY COYNE writes –  If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Good news on the GDP front is accompanied by news of a $5m govt boost for Supercars (but what about ...
    Buzz from the Beehive First, we were treated to the news (from Finance Minister Grant Robertson) that the economy has turned a corner and New Zealand never was in recession.  This was triggered by statistics which showed the economy expanded 0.9 per cent in the June quarter, twice as much as ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • The Scafetta Saga
    It has taken 17 months to get a comment published pointing out the obvious errors in the Scafetta (2022) paper in GRL. Back in March 2022, Nicola Scafetta published a short paper in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) purporting to show through ‘advanced’ means that ‘all models with ECS > ...
    Real ClimateBy Gavin
    7 days ago
  • Friday's Chorus: Penny wise and pound foolish
    TL;DR: In the middle of a climate emergency and in a city prone to earthquakes, Victoria University of Wellington announced yesterday it would stop teaching geophysics, geographic information science and physical geography to save $22 million a year and repay debt. Climate change damage in Aotearoa this year is already ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: Calling the big dog’s bluff
      For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step
     Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now being asked: how low can you go?It seems such an unlikely question because this doesn't feel like the kind ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    7 days ago
  • A Womance, and a Nomance.
    After the trench warfare of Tuesday night, when the two major parties went head to head, last night was the turn of the minor parties. Hosts Newshub termed it “the Powerbrokers' Debate”.Based on the latest polls the four parties taking part - ACT, the Greens, New Zealand First, and Te ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Doubts about Robertson’s good news day
    The trading banks yesterday concluded that though GDP figures released yesterday show the economy is not in recession, it may well soon be. Nevertheless, the fact that GDP has gone up 0.8 per cent in the latest quarter and that StatsNZ revised the previous quarter’s figure to show a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • When The Internet Rushes To Your Defense
    Hi,You can’t make this stuff up.People involved with Sound of Freedom, the QAnon-infused movie about anti-child trafficker Tim Ballard, are dropping like flies. I won’t ruin your day by describing it here, but Vice reports that footage has emerged of executive producer Paul Hutchinson being inappropriate with a 16-year-old trafficking ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The Votes That Media Dare Not Speak Its Name
    .Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..A recent political opinion poll (20 September) on TV1 presented what could only be called bleak news for the Left Bloc:National: 37%, down two points equating to 46 seatsLabour: 27%, down one point (34 ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #38 2023
    Open access notables At our roots Skeptical Science is about cognition of the results of climate science research in the minds of the entire human population. Ideally we'd be perfectly communicating understanding of Earth's climate, and perfectly understood. We can only approximate that, but hopefully converging closer to perfection. With ...
    1 week ago
  • Failing To Hold Back The Flood: The Edgy Politics of the Twenty-First Century.
    Coming Over The Top: Rory Stewart's memoir, Politics On The Edge, lays bare the dangerous inadequacies of the Western World's current political model.VERY FEW NEW ZEALANDERS will have heard of Rory Stewart. Those with a keen eye for the absurdities of politics may recognise the name as that of the ...
    1 week ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience
    $12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...
    Ko tēnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tō tātou reo rangatira. Ko te wā tuku reo Māori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tēnā me tēnā o tātou, ka tū ā te Rātū te 14 o Mahuru, ā te 12 o ngā hāora i te ahiahi. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • New Wildlife Act to better protect native species
    The 70-year-old Wildlife Act will be replaced with modern, fit-for-purpose legislation to better protect native species and improve biodiversity, Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime has announced.   “New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” Willow-Jean Prime said.   “More than 4,000 of our native species are currently ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Further safety initiatives for Auckland City Centre
    Central and Local Government are today announcing a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement Police scaling up their presence in the area. “Police have an important role to play in preventing and responding to crime, but there is more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-09-28T20:07:09+00:00