Shane Jones the smoko room candidate

Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, August 26th, 2013 - 146 comments
Categories: labour, Shane Jones - Tags:

shane-jonesThen there were two.  Shane Jones has announced his candidacy for the Labour leadership.

From the Herald this morning:

List MP Shane Jones is entering the race for the Labour leadership, saying he believes he can attract blue-collar workers back to the fold and take on “the $50 million gorilla”, Prime Minister John Key.

Mr Jones said last night his style of “smoko room” politics and debating ability were the best way to beat National and get working-class voters to turn to Labour, which he said had lost its relevancy.

…

Up against two former diplomats, Mr Jones is pitching himself as the non-PC, grass-roots candidate. Taking a swipe at those in his party with academic backgrounds – despite himself having an MA from Harvard University – Mr Jones said his style “might not resonate in the common room, but rest assured it will be relevant in the smoko room”.

I would not describe Shane as a “grass roots” candidate.  My impression is that support for him amongst the membership is sparse although it is there.

He acknowledged his underdog status, but believed his focus on “bread and butter” issues rather than beltway political issues would have support.

“The Labour brand is a proud and true brand. Unfortunately, we have allowed that brand to become irrelevant in how a whole bunch of New Zealanders see their personal circumstances.

“The 800,000 who didn’t vote last time need to see Labour as relevant to what they need to help bring their kids up. It’s simple stuff: jobs, income, security, sport, life.”

I have not been able to track down a press release or a website but he does have a facebook page here.

Mike Williams is right in that Shane will inject a degree of humour into the campaign and that the distribution of his preferences could be vital.

In related room Grant Robertson said this morning that he can unify the Labour Party.  He denied letting Shearer flounder and said that he supported Shearer fully.  He promised  that there would be a position in his senior team available for David Cunliffe if he was leader.  He did not see the motion of no confidence in Shearer.  He also used the word “mythology” when talking about ABC.  He promised to unify the party and lead it to victory in 2014.  The audio is here.

146 comments on “Shane Jones the smoko room candidate ”

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  1. Tiger Mountain 1
    26 August 2013 at 8:29 am

    Jones would appear to be running interference for ABC and his preferences could play a spoiler role depending on your pick, but but, the Greens have the man/woman/Māori thing sorted in their co leadership so can Labour members afford to ignore that factor in the selection process?

    • weka 1.1
      26 August 2013 at 8:37 am

      Maybe that’s a typo in the Herald and Jones is really running for deputy leader.

      • marty mars 1.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 9:00 am

        I think he has come in as a counterweight to grant which will allow david to be in the middle and give shane a chance of getting deputy. That will be another step closer to shane’s ultimate goal.

    • karol 1.2
      26 August 2013 at 8:38 am

      Greens have the man/woman/Māori thing sorted in their co leadership so can Labour members afford to ignore that factor in the selection process?

      And Labour’s woman candidate is?

      • Colonial Viper 1.2.1
        26 August 2013 at 8:46 am

        Still got time to convince someone to stand.

        • karol 1.2.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 8:50 am

          If Jacinda stood, would she be an adequate foil to Jones as spoiler? Would she take votes from Robertson or Cunliffe?

          • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1.1
            26 August 2013 at 8:58 am

            No, she’s not up to taking the crown this round, for her maximum political career prospects she’s made the right move to not stand.

            • karol 1.2.1.1.1.1
              26 August 2013 at 9:19 am

              It wasn’t a serious suggestion for a leadership bid – but then, neither is Shane Jones.

              I realise there’s no woman set to contest the leadership – neither is their a Maori contender.

              • Colonial Viper …
                26 August 2013 at 11:13 am

                Understood. IMO Jones is being presented to us in order to take some of the microscope time off Robertson’s performance within the recent Robertson-Shearer leadership pairing.

                • Tracey …
                  26 August 2013 at 11:15 am

                  Would Jones agree to that in return for being made deputy? Big risk to Jones to let himself be seen as a sideshow (again).

                  • Polish Pride …
                    26 August 2013 at 12:20 pm

                    Actually it is a good move for Jones so that he can be seen as something other than a sideshow by the majority of New Zealanders. It will hopefully give people the opportunity to see him in a more serious light and hopefully a bit more distance from what he is most famous for to date.

              • lurgee …
                26 August 2013 at 6:51 pm

                Shane Jones isn’t Maori?

              • Takere …
                26 August 2013 at 8:10 pm

                Spoken like typical pakeha … bigot.

          • Anne 1.2.1.1.2
            26 August 2013 at 9:06 am

            If Jacinda stands karol I think you could take it she is there to be a spoiler… She’s not ready. Hasn’t been there long enough and is lacking experience. We’ve just seen what happens to a leader who is thrown in the deep end before he’s ready. Jacinda is young – only in her early thirties – time is on her side.

      • bad12 1.2.2
        26 August 2013 at 8:57 am

        The 3 most likely to have ‘any’ wide electoral support would seem to be Jacinda Adhern, Nanaia Mahuta and Lousia Wall,

        None of them seem to have expressed an interest in standing and i should imagine that if any of them did they would simply distract votes going to the ‘favorite’ David Cunliffe…

  2. karol 2
    26 August 2013 at 8:37 am

    Shane Jones sounds as though he sees “working class” as being a very male thing: smoko room? Reminds me of my Dad and all his very male dominated clubs (working men’s and sports clubs), back int he 50s & 60s – with women in the kitchens making sandwiches.

    And my Dad was a Nat voting Muldoonist.

    Shane Jones, the mid-20th century candidate!

    • Chooky 2.1
      26 August 2013 at 8:58 am

      +1 Karol…he has soiled his copy book with the 21st century woman vote

      • Greywarbler 2.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 9:13 am

        +1 Karol
        It wasn’t Labour at the forefront of women moving up from under – it was women coalescing and acting together, thinking, discussing, arguing and lobbying. Maybe they can do that again, this time to save New Zealand from becoming a low-rent drudge in the world.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 2.2
      26 August 2013 at 9:17 am

      +1 Karol.

      An attempt to connect with the “working class” that ignores women. Yeah right. Shane Jones is a small part of the reason Kristine Bartlett is in the news.

    • Mary 2.3
      26 August 2013 at 10:31 am

      If Jones got anywhere near the leadership he would be a liability. It’s bores me to say it but as Brian Edwards said “nobody survives blue movies”. He would be constant fodder for any opposition so must be ruled out. I’d even go so far as saying he’s a liability to the party as an MP. If not for his attitude towards women then that silly childish and condescending intonation in his voice when he tries to be cute. For that alone he deserves to be sacked.

    • Populuxe1 2.4
      26 August 2013 at 1:47 pm

      That sounds like you gender policing to me – or do you think working women eat their lunch somewhere else in the twenty-first century.

      Muldoon would probably be somewhere to the left of Neoliberal Labour these days.

    • David H 2.5
      26 August 2013 at 1:50 pm

      Yeah same Karol, my dad near had a heart attack when I told him i was voting Labour, this was just before the 72 Election. And after, well the silence was deafening…

    • Roy 2.6
      26 August 2013 at 4:46 pm

      Well said Karol.

    • newsense 2.7
      27 August 2013 at 6:37 pm

      Yeh- it sounds like another pitch to this mythical waitakere man malarky

      ‘there seems to be like Key a nostalgia for the 70s, or the past.

      Surely they’d be more support for Mallard than Jones? At least Mallard gives it a go, even if that isn’t always popular.

      Can’t think of anything much that he’s done. Can think of what he hasn’t done- won an electorate seat.

      Maybe he is this great figure in waiting, but what he’s done so far with the opportunities he’s had seem very very underwhelming.

  3. Not a PS Staffer 3
    26 August 2013 at 8:45 am

    Great news. All the Women’s vote will roll in behind Cunliffe now.

    I just jeard that his announcement is a surprise to the Whangarei and Northland LECs!

    • Skinny 3.1
      26 August 2013 at 9:57 am

      Well that’s not quite correct as it’s no surprise at all to me ( in a position to comment) He is running for deputy if you cut to the chase. Having heard him on Radiolive and now just on Radio NZ, he comprehensively dealt to Robertson. He has my tick of approval as deputy as he will get some of the non voters off their arse to vote, win against Sharples replacement and now given a platform be combatable against quote Jones “the 50 million dollar gorilla that is John Key. But hey it’s up to Caucus who gets deputy!

  4. just saying 4
    26 August 2013 at 8:48 am

    Except, in case the poli-wonky-media types have forgotten, there is no such thing as a smoko room anymore. They haven’t existed for some time.

    Shane jones may not know this because he probably only saw the inside of one (back in the day) when he went to pick up his car at the garage at lunchtime.

    A phony pitching to a myth – a winning strategy. Go Labour!

    • cricklewood 4.1
      26 August 2013 at 10:50 am

      Plenty of work sites still have a ‘smoko room’ sure no one smokes in them now but none the less there terminology remains. Sounds better than the ‘Lunch room’

  5. Anne 5
    26 August 2013 at 8:49 am

    He also used the word “mythology” when talking about ABC.

    It wasn’t mythology and Grant knows it. Jane Clifton’s latest pondering in the Listener and to some extent Vernon Small’s article yesterday are testament to that. What I suspect is: the membership of that club has dropped, and those left don’t wield quite as much power in caucus that they did a year ago.

  6. Colonial Viper 6
    26 August 2013 at 8:49 am

    Live TV Election Debate: Shane Jones versus John Key!!!

    Labour better hope all its hoarding signs are up by air time. Because there will be no volunteers left afterwards. This match up simply does not work, does it.

  7. Takere 7
    26 August 2013 at 8:55 am

    Great to see Jonesee putting his hand up …… now there’s an highly intelligent man. Ability to connect with the working classes and korero with Key and kick his arse. He’s got the best chance out of all the candidates to broaden the base for the party and tap into the 880,000 non voters instead of fighting over the swing-voters, 3 or 4 percent of them between the nat’s & the Greens. Labours last hope before oblivion!

    • Tracey 7.1
      26 August 2013 at 9:20 am

      were they mainly men in smoko rooms takere seeing as you have met with them all and I didn’t?

      • Takere 7.1.1
        28 August 2013 at 11:55 am

        I reckon you fancy him tracy? Maybe a hook up in a smoko room is a fantasy of yours?

        • bad12 7.1.1.1
          28 August 2013 at 12:04 pm

          From the look of your contribution to this Post Takere i would suggest it would be you rather than Tracey that would rush to get His rags off for a little tryst with Jones,

          You will have to time your ‘hitting on’ of Shane well tho, He might not have much ‘steam’ in the tank if you catch Him to soon after a ‘red blooded males’ video session….

    • North 7.2
      26 August 2013 at 11:24 am

      Takere = Dreamer.

  8. Nicolas 8
    26 August 2013 at 8:56 am

    Funny that he talks about “simple” stuff like jobs when, during the period he was the chairman of Sealord, the company chartered a Ukrainian vessel, hiring foreign workers instead of locals. Foreign workers who, we all know, are often subjected to inhumane working conditions.

    And what the hell is an injection of “humour”, in the political sense? There is nothing funny about the prospect of having Shane Jones become a minister, let alone the Prime Minister, come 2014.

    Being a list MP, what’s Labour’s excuse for still keeping this guy around?

    • Tracey 8.1
      26 August 2013 at 9:20 am

      source?

      ‘the chairman of Sealord, the company chartered a Ukrainian vessel, hiring foreign workers instead of locals”

  9. Linz 9
    26 August 2013 at 8:57 am

    Can someone tell me, please, about the preferential voting system?
    Is it a good idea to vote for just the candidate you like best and not give a second and third choice so they don’t get any points? Or could you vote for first and second choice and not give your third choice any points?

    • Don't worry. Be happy. 9.1
      26 August 2013 at 9:45 am

      This is a point I wanted clarified too so, this morning, I rang Labour Party HQ, Wellington and navigated through the call list to Geoff Haywood. Seems the Party have yet to decide, tomorrow probably, if your vote will count at all (be valid) if you vote only for the candidate you want (in my case DC).

      I do not want to give any support at all to Shearer Clone Robertson or to Shane ‘Stallion’ Jones and I should not be forced to.

      It seems that the Party will decide this issue ‘to be consistent with voting for other Party positions’…I would rather they decide to be ‘consistent’ with democratic rights…or even just winning the next election.

      Expect a lot of ‘invalid votes’ esp. from women

    • Colonial Viper 9.2
      26 August 2013 at 10:10 am

      Your 2nd choice vote will only be counted if your first choice loses.

      So if you do have a real preferred 2nd choice, you should put them down as “2”. Doing so won’t disadvantage your first choice preference in any way.

      If you have no real preferred 2nd choice (or third choice) leave them blank.

      • Skinny 9.2.1
        26 August 2013 at 11:27 am

        If you leave the 2nd or 3rd preference blank ‘only plugging for 1 candidate usually makes your vote invalid. I guess this issue will be stated on the form.

        • Rich 9.2.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 9:02 pm

          I guess they may be assuming a sophisticated electorate who understand voting systems.

          If your preferred candidate gets eliminated, then with three candidates it comes down to a choice between the other two. If you really feel they are equally unacceptable, toss a coin, then if either win, leave the party and don’t vote for them next time. There is an alternative and it starts with G. (and unless they change their rules, they elect theirs leaders by delegate votes after a consensus has been reached at branch meetings, or something like that).

  10. Ant 10
    26 August 2013 at 9:01 am

    Shane Jones is popular with blue collar workers in the same way as the guy that gets fired for looking at porn on the office computer – popular to be laughed about.

    • Populuxe1 10.1
      26 August 2013 at 1:54 pm

      Meh. He paid for it out of his own money when he found out it had gone onto his work card. He admitted it. And come on, it’s just porn, enjoyrd by approximately 99.999% of males and a surprsingly significant proportion of females. No one cares.

      • QoT 10.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 9:45 pm

        Ah, the good old “why do you hate porn” argument.

        He also chartered a plane on the credit card. Guess what: it’s not a “controversy” because people hate planes.

        (You may actually need this spelled out to you, so: it’s because people hate unethical misuse of public funds.)

  11. Hami Shearlie 11
    26 August 2013 at 9:02 am

    Women won’t vote for Jones, South Auckland won’t vote for Robertson (“I can unify the party – yeah right!) so who is left – The obvious choice of the members and the wider public and someone who looks and sounds like a Prime Minister – Mr David Cunliffe!!

  12. Hami Shearlie 12
    26 August 2013 at 9:08 am

    Apart from everything else, Grant Robertson hasn’t even been an MP in a Government, let alone a Cabinet Minister – David Cunliffe has been both, has been tried and tested, and not found wanting in any capacity. Labour can’t afford another wild gamble. And neither can the people of NZ, who are suffering under the government of John Key!

  13. Tracey 13
    26 August 2013 at 9:22 am

    interesting media we have when they clearly consider being gay is an impediment but paying for porn on the public purse isn’t.

    oops fat finger syndrome, hit caps lock again.

    [fixed for you = MS]

    Thanks MS

  14. Rich 14
    26 August 2013 at 9:23 am

    MA from Harvard University

    It’s just next door to MIT right?

    All he has to do is pretend it’s in Otahuhu and nobody will be the wiser.

  15. Tracey 15
    26 August 2013 at 9:25 am

    “We may trust the prime minister, but we don’t necessarily believe him.

    A majority of New Zealanders do not fully believe what John Key says, despite rating him as a strong and effective leader whom they trust to run the country, the latest Fairfax Media-Ipsos poll testing voters’ attitude to our political leaders shows.

    Asked if they fully believed what Key said, 58.6 per cent said no and just 23.5 per cent yes.

    Ironically, in the poll taken before David Shearer stood down as Labour leader, the man who was widely criticised for his stumbles actually rated higher on that score than the PM – despite forgetting to declare a New York bank account containing more than $50,000.

    About 33 per cent said they fully believed what Shearer said, although more – 43 per cent – said they did not.”

    the electorate gets what they deserve. To say you trust someone who you also say is a liar is a sad indictment of the electorate. HOW do you trust someone you don’t believe?

    Again someone with good qualities is drummed out of politics.

    Alice? Alice? You can have your looking glass back, I am going to bed.

    • Colonial Viper 15.1
      26 August 2013 at 10:13 am

      “HOW do you trust someone you don’t believe?”

      Because you think he is lying for good reason, or that he is lying because he’s simply being a savvy politician, etc.

      • Tracey 15.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 10:16 am

        Then wouldn’t your answer be

        He’s a lair but he has good reason”

        Not

        He’s a liar but I trust him.

        It’s being presented as though the electorate is stupid.

        • Short Plank 15.1.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 11:44 am

          We trust him to lie?

          You know where you are when you know someone’s lying because their mouth is opening and closing. It’s much harder to know where you are with a politician if they occasionally tell the truth.

  16. weka 16
    26 August 2013 at 10:02 am

    List MP Shane Jones is entering the race for the Labour leadership, saying he believes he can attract blue-collar workers back to the fold and take on “the $50 million gorilla”, Prime Minister John Key.

    Mr Jones said last night his style of “smoko room” politics and debating ability were the best way to beat National and get working-class voters to turn to Labour, which he said had lost its relevancy.

    Enough with the identity politics, when are we going to get back to the real issues?

  17. Craig Y 17
    26 August 2013 at 10:20 am

    Actually, I can understand Jones’ aspirations and those of Maori who support him. Fair enough too. And given that capitalism was built on the back of appropriated Maori land and the disruption of Maori culture and society, and consequently resulted in institutional racism as a key element of New Zealand society since then, the identity politics/economic inequality ‘dichotomy’ looks even more ridiculous in that context. How can Maori-inclusive policies not address the latter?

    It is past time that New Zealand had a Maori Prime Minister. I understand those aspirations and it’s just a damned shame he’s standing against Grant Robertson and David Cunliffe, two equally high-calibre candidates. Added to, like Cunliffe, Jones has a Minister of Public Administration, albeit not from Harvard.

    And I agree about the core issues – which should be public service capacity and quality under Key, and the elaboration and development of a capital gains tax policy instead of totally focusing on the iniquity of privatisation.

    • weka 17.1
      26 August 2013 at 10:34 am

      Hi Craig,

      Yeah, but Jones is pretty happy with capitalism isn’t he? And wants a slice of the capitalist pie for some Maori without disrupting the bakery too much. I agree with you about Maori-inclusive politics, but don’t really see Jones as a champion of that.

      (btw, my comment about identity politics was deeply sarcastic, as I noticed a complete lack of comment along these lines from the people that usually condemn identity politics when feminists or queer people speak up)

      • Colonial Viper 17.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 10:46 am

        Someone in Labour finally makes a reference to class politics and the politics of poverty and wealth. Its ok right? That is the root of the Labour movement after all.

        • weka 17.1.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 12:28 pm

          “Someone in Labour finally makes a reference to class politics and the politics of poverty and wealth. Its ok right? That is the root of the Labour movement after all.”

          Sure it’s ok, good even. The problem is when class is elevated above other identities.

          As for Labour’s roots, are you suggesting that Labour should reflect the socal and cultural ethos of 1916? Am curious how class identity politics sees this. In 1916 (and before) white working class men organised politically, but if it were happening now, it wouldn’t just be white working class men, would it? And it wouldn’t just be the agenda of white working class men’s issues, right?

          • karol 17.1.1.1.1
            26 August 2013 at 12:30 pm

            The splitting of the politics of gender, sexuality and “race” from that of class, seems to assume that working class doesn’t include women, brown & LGBTI people, etc.

            • Colonial Viper 17.1.1.1.1.1
              26 August 2013 at 1:36 pm

              That’s because class issues are broader and more encompassing of entire populations, entire towns and districts even. Class issues are primarily those of unemployment, poverty and poor working conditions and low pay. Discussions about equal gender or LGBTI representation on corporate boards doesn’t come into it.

              • weka …
                26 August 2013 at 7:54 pm

                Good grief man, you really have no idea what feminism has been on about for basically the whole of your life.

                And. If you want to look at class issues, look at people politicised around class and what happened to women in those movements and why they left them and created second wave feminism.

                Then look at all the other so called ‘identities’ and ask yourself why in 2013 we arguing about class with those things separated out. There is a bloody good reason.

          • Colonial Viper 17.1.1.1.2
            26 August 2013 at 1:33 pm

            Sure it’s ok, good even. The problem is when class is elevated above other identities.

            You really think that working class issues have been elevated above other identity politics issues in the last 30 years?

            There’s no votes in supporting the interests of the bottom 10% of the population. That’s the sad fact.

            • weka 17.1.1.1.2.1
              26 August 2013 at 7:58 pm

              “Sure it’s ok, good even. The problem is when class is elevated above other identities.”

              “You really think that working class issues have been elevated above other identity politics issues in the last 30 years?”

              Not at all. I mean in conversations like this that divide politics up into class politics and other identity politics. In those conversations a heirarchy gets created where class gets elevated.

              eg http://thestandard.org.nz/shane-jones-smoko-room-candidate/#comment-685582

        • QoT 17.1.1.2
          26 August 2013 at 7:42 pm

          Someone in Labour finally makes a reference to class politics

          But is that what Jones did? Yes, he used words like “jobs” and “income” and referred to his target demographic as “blue-collar” … but how do we know that that’s about a class analysis of politics and not shorthand for “working-class hetero men who think the bitches have been getting too uppity”?

      • Tracey 17.1.2
        26 August 2013 at 10:47 am

        What about Nanaia Mahuta. Or is she too female for those maori who support Jones?

        • SHG (not Colonial Viper) 17.1.2.1
          26 August 2013 at 12:14 pm

          Other than being uncharismatic, untalented, and with no experience at anything she’d be perfect.

  18. Mary 18
    26 August 2013 at 10:59 am

    Listening to Grant Robertson and Shane Jones this morning knowing that currently these were the only two contenders hit home the seriousness of the trouble Labour’s currently in. To think that without Cunliffe this is all Labour can muster is pretty depressing. Things are so bad for Labour it’s almost as if it’s become Cunliffe’s duty to New Zealand to stand. Of course I’m sure Cunliffe will stand, but that’s what it felt like imagining that these were the only two people Labour were putting forward to deal to the morally bankrupt Key and his greedy henchmen. It’d be back to the future.

  19. Mary 19
    26 August 2013 at 11:09 am

    “Mike Williams is right in that Shane will inject a degree of humour into the campaign…”

    Yes Mike, just what we need at the moment. One clown recommending another clown.

    • Skinny 19.1
      26 August 2013 at 11:50 am

      Oh such doom and gloom! The fact is Labour were 10,000 votes shy of taking the benches last time. If Jones can inspire 50,000 unengaged non voters from the last election to show up at the voting booths and a quarter of the 800,000 turn up also then Nact are tossed out.

      • Mary 19.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 12:26 pm

        Firstly, I don’t think he can. Secondly, even if he could it wouldn’t last long. People would very soon get sick of his condescending failed attempts at cute humour that just makes him come across as a complete git. He’s just way too undisciplined to be even an MP let alone leader or deputy leader. Just imagine how he’d react in the House to the constant jibes he’d inevitably get, and not just the movies thing either, but his attitudes towards women as well. The guy just isn’t viable. I sincerely hope that Robertson talking him up as a possible senior minister doesn’t come to anything. Cunliffe must surely have the smarts to see this.

        • Ant 19.1.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 12:43 pm

          I don’t get where this idea that he’s somehow going to get the non vote out comes from? Some success he’s had in the past that no one else knows about?

          He doesn’t even have a land based electorate.

      • Ron 19.1.2
        26 August 2013 at 1:34 pm

        One would expect that however many non voters turned out, I would expect them to vote much the same way as the rest of the country so you would expect last election that National would have got slightly more than Labour from the extra voters

  20. Tanz 20
    26 August 2013 at 11:30 am

    Isn’t it a bit rich for Grant Robertson, who comes arcross very well in the media, to be saying that people arn’t voting because they fell like politics is something that is ‘done to them.’
    No, it’s just that those in power think its okay to run roughshod over the elctorate over many important issues without actually asking the electorate first. There are so many agendas in place that Joe Public never gets asked.

    With both the major parties, our democracy isn’t what it used to be. Shane Jones would be a good leader, he’s kind of grass-roots, a good bloke.

  21. Delia 21
    26 August 2013 at 11:51 am

    Watch old Shane laugh and sneer at women’s issue if he were Leader. The guy who forgets that many women vote Labour. Leadership material – forget it – from a so called gelding.

    • Tracey 21.1
      26 August 2013 at 11:53 am

      I have searched for the gelding comment and can only find it referred to in blogs with no source.

      • karol 21.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 11:58 am

        First up on google:

        Shane Jones gelding moment, via NZ Herald: On gender quotas:

        Mr Jones said he had spent yesterday in and around Kerikeri and Kaitaia talking about the proposal, “and the overwhelming response is the public doesn’t want the country run by geldings”.

        “Of course it’s important that we have a diverse set of personalities in our caucus but merit cannot be disowned for mediocrity, whether it’s Maoris, women or anyone else.”

        Mr Jones said most people in the provinces – where Labour needed to recapture support – were focused on the economy.

        “They don’t care who is going to exercise the power provided they’re talented, they’ve got merit and they can develop a solution to the economic woes affecting so many people.”

        • Lanthanide 21.1.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 12:01 pm

          Yeah, was just going to post the same. Tracey can’t have searched very hard.

        • Tracey 21.1.1.2
          26 August 2013 at 12:24 pm

          Thanks. I searched google. My terms were shane jones gelding. What I got was four blog comments, all of which I visited but none quoted the source.

          • karol 21.1.1.2.1
            26 August 2013 at 12:27 pm

            hmmm. Curious. I used the same search terms.

            • Lanthanide 21.1.1.2.1.1
              26 August 2013 at 12:35 pm

              As did I.

            • Macro 21.1.1.2.1.2
              26 August 2013 at 1:35 pm

              Google is NOT the same for everyone! While two can enter the same search terms, that does not mean they will get the same results – because google has been looking at what you normally view and what “interests” each user. It then makes decisions upon what your previous browsing has been. The results can be quite dissimilar. And you thought the GCSB Bill was scarey… Google have been at it for some time.

              • One Anonymous Knucklehead …
                26 August 2013 at 2:03 pm

                Three words: duck duck go.

                PS: that said, a search for “Shane Jones gelding” on duck duck go returns equestrian news as its top comment 😆

                PPS: Macro, to paraphrase Weka, can you really not tell the difference between Google and the NSA?

    • Mary 21.2
      26 August 2013 at 12:30 pm

      Jones would be at home in the Australian Liberal Party. He could get a cameo on The GC.

  22. Craig Y 22
    26 August 2013 at 12:01 pm

    About the only problem I have with Jones is his potential incompatibility with our Green allies.

    • Mary 22.1
      26 August 2013 at 12:34 pm

      How about being laughed at every day in the House?

    • lprent 22.2
      26 August 2013 at 12:37 pm

      …potential incompatibility with our Green allies..

      Potential? They dislike him as much as I do. They tend to view him as being the member for Sealords and other corporates..

      My objections go a different way. Shane Jones is a dickhead who can’t help himself. He is serially incompetent. He screws up politically on average about every 18 months to two years and has done so from the time I first noticed him.

      Rather than getting better as he gets more experienced, he is getting more and more crazy over time. After running this site over the last 6 years, I class him amongst the worst performing of all of the MP’s, just simply because he ALWAYS screws up. Basically he virtually defines himself as being a complete lazy dickhead who appears to be incapable of learning.

      He is a complete liability for the Labour party and should have been dumped long ago. Good at losing seats and not much else.

      • SHG (not Colonial Viper) 22.2.1
        26 August 2013 at 1:07 pm

        All Jones’s problems flow from his laziness. He’s been handed everything on a plate his entire life by Northland Maori tribal interests desperate for someone to lead them, and on paper he looks great. Bilingual, strong speaker, proficient at the protocol of the marae, intelligent. But he’s just plain lazy. He was anointed as Northland’s future Maori leader at a young age and he doesn’t have to work for it. He always looks to obtain the maximum personal benefit with the bare minimum of personal effort. That inevitably bites him – as lprent observed, about every 18 months – when he makes a complete cockup of something that would have gone smoothly if he’d just taken the time to actually read the goddamn briefing papers. But nooooo, that sort of stuff – work – is for people who aren’t The Chosen One.

      • Mary 22.2.2
        26 August 2013 at 1:08 pm

        That was extremely dumb of Williams to encourage him. Lowers the tone of the whole exercise.

        I’m getting absolutely sick to death of seeing and hearing Williams. Went to sleep after seeing him blathering on on The Nation last night, then woke up to hear his self-obsessed opinions on Morning Report, then all of a sudden he’s spouting off again on Ninetonoon. Had to turn him off. Isn’t there someone else who’s not such an “I” specialist? “I’ve done this” and “I’ve done that” and “I used to be…so I know”. I wish that Mike Williams would just go away.

        • GarethGee 22.2.2.1
          26 August 2013 at 6:37 pm

          He tried to but Owen Glenn wouldn’t give him a job.

          Nor, it would seem, would anyone else. He’s gotta make a crust somehow.

        • gnomic 22.2.2.2
          26 August 2013 at 6:40 pm

          Would that be Mike “I’ve got three houses” Williams? What about shut up and go away? No chance of course, he’ll just keep on blathering, and being dragged out to pontificate at any conceivable opportunity by Radio NZ et al.

    • Murray 22.3
      26 August 2013 at 3:13 pm

      I would call that a strength. Until Labour put distance between themselves and Greens they will always be open to criticism as being the dog that’s wagged by the tail. Jones can destroy Key in a debate.

      • Colonial Viper 22.3.1
        26 August 2013 at 4:29 pm

        Jones can destroy Key in a debate.

        Can you point to an example in the House where this has happened, say in Question Time.

        • lprent 22.3.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 6:25 pm

          …say in Question Time

          Indeed. I can’t remember ever seeing him do anything like that. I have this problem when I’m listening to speeches. I listen for content and belief rather than phrasing. Jones isn’t bad at making up a fine sounding but essentially meaningless speech. On the occasions when I’ve heard him I tend to spend most of the speech pretty bored because there is nothing of substance.

          • Mary 22.3.1.1.1
            26 August 2013 at 10:26 pm

            Some journo in the next couple of weeks should ask Jones what he’d say to those who’ve said he’s not too bad at making up a speech that might sound fine but which is essentially meaningless and has nothing of substance.

          • lprent 22.3.1.1.2
            27 August 2013 at 12:22 am

            Asking about his wealth of ministerial experience would also help. From Oct 2007-Nov 2008

            Jones was made a Cabinet Minister with the portfolios of Building and Construction, and was made an Associate Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations

            That wikipedia is a bit damning. It’d be fun keeping an eye on the edits to it over the coming weeks. Even with that it reads better than Grant Robertson’s one in terms of ministerial experience.

            The Labour Caucus really is a bit of a disaster zone when you’re hunting for experienced ministers to become PM at present.

            Having untried MP’s as PM is a bit of a mugs game in my opinion. Sure Key has been an electoral success in 2008, but only just by the one seat in 2011. But his leadership of the country has been marred by fumbling, being largely incompetent (the disaster of bulding ChCh comes to mind), and has fostered a level of distrust of politicians that I’d hoped we’d lost with Shipley.

        • QoT 22.3.1.2
          26 August 2013 at 7:50 pm

          According to the Parliament website, he’s only asked 9 primary questions this term. And 15 in the last term.

          • lprent 22.3.1.2.1
            27 August 2013 at 12:12 am

            I thought he’d been trying for the record that David Farrar seems so concerned with (the Labour MP with the fewest questions in the house). It appears that he is making progress towards that target.

            Bearing in mind the remaining sitting days, I’d anticipate that he should reach either 13 or 14 by the end of the term.

  23. gobsmacked 23
    26 August 2013 at 1:24 pm

    Shane Jones on Radio Live with Jackson & Tamihere. Geting the nutty talkback endorsement.

    He needs to learn that when people ring up and say “I support you …”, it’s important to wait for the “because …” before thanking them. 🙂

  24. tracey 24
    26 August 2013 at 1:48 pm

    What have jones and cunliffe and robertson achieved during their careers as mps. What bills mark their past achievements.

    • Colonial Viper 24.1
      26 August 2013 at 4:28 pm

      Bills? Meh. How about real action.

      Cunliffe broke up multi-billion dollar Telecom.

  25. Adam 25
    26 August 2013 at 4:20 pm

    Interesting to see the “lazy Jones” meme in this thread. Sounds like “Maori = lazy”, or for those old enough to remember, “Matt Rata reads comics.”
    Channeling Andrea Vance perhaps, who measures indolence based on how many times a day an MP calls her.
    And why do all these highly-educated people on this site think “gelding” refers to female parts? Obviously not spent enough time in the country.

    • Te Reo Putake 25.1
      26 August 2013 at 4:34 pm

      Good comment, Adam, you make a very perceptive point about the ‘lazy maori’ connection. It fits nicely alongside the strawman issue of Robertson’s sexuality and Cunliffe’s supposed smugness in the righty narrative.

      • SHG (not Colonial Viper) 25.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 4:45 pm

        Case studies: the “Nanny State” showers fiasco in 2008 and the Bill Liu immigration clusterfuck. Both damaging to Labour, both the direct result of the Chosen One taking the easy option and not reading the briefing papers and not seeking advice from experts.

        • Adam 25.1.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 6:13 pm

          Nanny state showers fiasco: A Green idea, foisted on the minister at Cabinet level, then the Greens ran away when it blew up. What about getting a new building act through that has allowed people to do renovations again without getting bogged down with red tape?
          Bill Liu – if ministers don’t have ministerial discretion, why have them? Almost a third of appeals to minister on immigration matters are successful which is why people do them. Jones didn’t believe the officials, the High Court didn’t believe the officials, so who were these supposed “experts”. Shearer, who had never been a minister, panicked and benched Jones for a year. Your slanderous history is falling apart.

    • Mary 25.2
      26 August 2013 at 4:49 pm

      “Interesting to see the “lazy Jones” meme in this thread. Sounds like “Maori = lazy”, or for those old enough to remember, “Matt Rata reads comics.””

      What utter rubbish you write. If you were correct you would’ve heard the same thing said about Parekura Horomia but you didn’t because Parekura wasn’t lazy. Mat Rata was equally renown for great things he did, through hard work, such fighting for introduction of the Waitangi Tribunal. Rata walked away from the Labour Party in the late 1970s because he didn’t like the direction it was taking. Couldn’t imagine Shane Jones ever doing that. Heaven knows he’s had plenty of opportunities.

    • weka 25.3
      26 August 2013 at 4:59 pm

      “And why do all these highly-educated people on this site think “gelding” refers to female parts?”

      Context (or, women are gelded males because they have no balls). Although myself, I thought he was referring to his male colleagues who let all these wimmin into the party and in charge of things. Doubly insulting that way.

      • karol 25.3.1
        26 August 2013 at 6:42 pm

        Over-heard in the crowd at New Lynn today:

        “Shane Jones said the people who object to his gelding comment have university degrees. Jones has a degree from Harvard, FFS!” – or words to that effect.

      • gnomic 25.3.2
        26 August 2013 at 6:47 pm

        The ‘gelding’ bit is apparently a reference to a quote from a president of the USA named Grover Cleveland. It seems Grover thought the American people did not want a gelding in the White House. The relevance of this to NZ politics today escapes me. Maybe Jones can explain, that’s assuming he wasn’t just babbling nonsense.

    • lprent 25.4
      26 August 2013 at 6:32 pm

      There have been a number of hard-working Labour Maori MPs. Shane Jones is not amongst their number.

      He has been bloody irritating because of the amount of effort he has caused me over time here. You can’t imagine how irritating it has been trying to defend a Labour MP when they screw up again and again, when the refrain keeps going through your head of “stupid arrogant dickhead”. Eventually I stopped trying to defend him, and added him to the “complete fuckwit” list. It is so liberating…

      I think that anyone who is engaged with politics has also done the same thing long ago, or they’re on the right in a faux support mode.

  26. Virginia Linton 26
    26 August 2013 at 5:48 pm

    Shane being lazy has nothing to do with being Maori. He’s just lazy. When kids and young people in their dozens were committing suicide earlier this year, where was Shane? Where is his big gob about poverty, housing, education, and caring for the Far North’s elderly (and not just in occasional posturing sound bites)? He’s not a proactive Labour MP up here and I’ve never heard him espouse Labour values; Shane is out for Shane. As for not being the Pope, well duh. Personally I like leaders to be passionate, hard-working, inspirational, aspirational, and there’s nothing wrong with ethics and integrity either. His ex is the real deal; I think she should replace Shane high on the list.

    • Adam 26.1
      26 August 2013 at 6:19 pm

      You are confusing sound bites with action. You probably think Hone Harawira is effective.

      • karol 26.1.1
        26 August 2013 at 6:31 pm

        Really, Adam?

        Harawira: Feed the Kids Bill, breakfast for Sth Auckland children, on the front line for Glen Innes housing protest, on various street demos, great speech at the Town Hall against the GCSB Bill.

        Shane Jones: defending the rights of the likes of Sealord, and…… ?

        • Adam 26.1.1.1
          26 August 2013 at 7:05 pm

          Feed the Kids Bill = band aid rather than structural change (and now appropriated as corporate PR by National’s Fonterra wing); houses still being trucked out of Glen Innes (to house his constituents); Shearer had a more substantial Town Hall speech, just delivered it with usual crashing ineptitude.
          Too bloody right defending the rights of Sealord. Why would you believe anything Peter Talley tells you?

          • lurgee 26.1.1.1.1
            26 August 2013 at 7:08 pm

            How much structural change do you think a singleton MP is capable of carrying out?

            Sorry, what was that you were saying about soundbites? Try to think a bit more before posting!

        • Takere 26.1.1.2
          28 August 2013 at 12:10 pm

          When labour was the government, Fenton defended Labours position to do nothing about the issues with NZ fishing companies ….. and now? In 2001 the minimum wage was about, $10.25. 8 years later $11.25 ….. talking about lazy and ineffective??

    • Mary 26.2
      26 August 2013 at 8:24 pm

      “Where is his big gob about poverty, housing, education, and caring for the Far North’s elderly…”

      Nowhere, because Jones is a right-winger.

  27. Tim 27
    26 August 2013 at 6:40 pm

    At one time – not that long ago, Tau Henare used to grace the smoko rooms too! Of course he didn’t have the luxury of dwelling in ‘2 worlds’ and nor was his edgikayshun as spektacyalah. But dwell he did in blokish cameraderie (pulling the tits of many a fine bloke).
    But then again, so did Paul Tollich amongst members of the Tramways Union – then I learn (courtesy of a TS contributor) that he’s an ABC man. Go figure!
    Funny old world.
    I’m thinking Websters need to come up with new definitions for ‘principle’ and ‘honesty’

    • North 27.1
      26 August 2013 at 6:57 pm

      +++ Tim. Yeah. A current very activist Maori union activist of my acquaintance cracks me up when he hoots about “Ray Henry of the union”. What a dog !

      As to Jones, he’s been demonstrating for a long time that he’s a fake fulla. Hone’s ten times the man.

      I know plenty of Labour people, not just women, who simply can’t countenance the prospect of Jones anywhere near the box seat.

      Bro’……imagine trying to convert pompous talking down into “street” ? Vainglorious wahanui I say !

  28. Virginia Linton 28
    26 August 2013 at 6:43 pm

    Shane … Action … Oxymoron.

  29. Virginia Linton 29
    26 August 2013 at 6:54 pm

    Shane did not approach the Northland or Tai Tokerau LECs and hasn’t been endorsed by them. He’s been endorsed by Sonny Tau who is a member of the Maori Party.

  30. Murray Olsen 30
    26 August 2013 at 6:58 pm

    Who are all the new people who have suddenly appeared to promote Sealord Jones? The paranoia in me suggests they might actually be visitors from the right, interested in seeing Labour lose.

  31. North 31
    26 August 2013 at 6:59 pm

    Oh yeah, OK, but our mate Takere’s endorsed him. That should be enough.

    What……Sonny as well ? Oh that’s it. Step aside Dave.

  32. millsy 32
    26 August 2013 at 7:17 pm

    Shane Jones is more preferable than GR in my onion. If nothing else he wouldn’t be caught dead taking a photo of a tofu and spinach panini to put on his Facebook page in some fancy fancy cafe. He would be down by the local reserve with some fish and chips. We need more fish and chip eaters and less panini eaters in the NZLP.

  33. lurgee 33
    26 August 2013 at 7:22 pm

    What, are the workers not to eat tofu? Elitist!

  34. Tracey 34
    27 August 2013 at 2:01 pm

    Doing what I can to find what each candidate stands for.

    ““Well, look, I’ve said some colourful things in the past, and I finally found something that I can agree with the Greens on – ie, regulating the power industry.””

    Labour’s Shane Jones says he now fully supports his party’s energy policy despite earlier saying he had reservations.

    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/labours-shane-jones-realises-he-does-support-partys-energy-policy-139280

    “I am keen to defang these misapprehensions that are abounding that somehow industry has disappeared from our purview.

    “Nothing could be further from the truth and if my visit provides the opportunity to reinforce the centrality of jobs, the importance of industry and the need for a future Labour-led government to assuage whatever anxieties might be there in the minds of employers or future investors then I am up for the task,” he said.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/8937854/Labour-duo-keen-to-talk-jobs-and-growth

  35. Vanessa Rare 35
    31 August 2013 at 12:51 pm

    SHANE JONES has got everything that is needed to lead Labour and become a serious threat to National. His potency from the time he entered parliament has been standout. His intellect, guts and fearlessness, I believe hasn’t been matched. For me is orator skills and power has echo’s and reminders of the late great Mr Lange. We need Shane’s strength up the front, he will not back down from National and he’ll give them as good as Labour gets with a curiously tactical and strategic edge. Labour needs his strength to lead them, and with his front row of top guns flanking him, he will be unstoppable in the process of drop kicking National OUT!! Only SHANE JONES has the grit to push Labour forward, no one is as strong as SHANE JONES in Labour this is for sure. If he can keep a calm and poker face appearance to himself when under the stress and pressure that comes with being a PM, he’ll win the Country over. Cause lets face it, there’s more poor people in this country than there are rich, so we have to win, cause the poor wont vote for Key, but they will if the Leader of Labour shows any signs of weakness, like those in the past that have tried but haven’t lasted. I’ve always had a feeling for a long time that SHANE JONES will be the Prime Minister of Aotearoa one day, and he’ll be chosen to be there and he’ll be loved cause he’ll reverse all the shit that National has done, and the people will love him for it….. GO FOR IT SHANE

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    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
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

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