Slater backs down

Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, September 10th, 2014 - 67 comments
Categories: democracy under attack, john key, Media, national, same old national - Tags: , , , ,

Cameron Slater High Court list

In breaking news Cameron Slater’s application for an injunction against various media outlets preventing publication of further Dirty Politics stories has been withdrawn.  The terms of the settlement as outlined in the NBR are as follows:

In consideration for Mr Slater dropping the injunction, the media companies agreed to not to use information that was not in the public interest, including but not limited to Mr Slater’s wife, children, medical information, the death of his mother and other inherently personal information regarding Mr Slater and his friends.

The lawyer for the media, Julian Miles QC, had told the court on Friday his media companies defendants would not go near such information anyway.

No doubt Slater will claim success.  If it is to be considered to be a victory is is only of the most pyrrhic kind.

I posted earlier that I thought his prospects against the media were not so good and I thought that as long as the media confirmed that personal emails should remain private then they would be able to refer to the emails that were in the public interest.  Clearly the media are interested in only running stories where there is a public interest.

Slater has made application for a return of the hacked information.  I am not sure of the details and I don’t know why he would do this unless he thinks that if he has access to the raw data this may give him a clue as to who Whaledump is.  If so it is funny that Slater should not be respecting a Journalist’s right to keep such information secret when he is claiming in another case that he has such a right.  Presuming this is correct he is asserting a right in the Blomfield case that he is denying exists in the Whaledump case.

The way should now be open for publication of stories relating to the Jason Ede emails.  National has still not presented any plausible reason why John Key’s office should have used state supplied resources to engage in politics of the dirtiest kind.  If we want to ensure the health of our democracy this is a story that needs to be explored to the deepest darkest corners of the form of Dirty Politics that National is engaged in.

67 comments on “Slater backs down ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. karol 1
    10 September 2014 at 11:16 am

    Ah, so it is just the “personal” emails that media will not publish, but they may still publish previously unpublished emails, as long as they are in the public interest.

    I was thinking Slater wanted access to the emails because he didn’t know which ones Rawshark had hacked. he wants to know what info the media have on him, so that he can be forewarned and prepare his defense.

  2. veutoviper 2
    10 September 2014 at 11:20 am

    Thanks for this, MS. I caught a bit only of the RNZ National 11am news on the subject which suggested that there may be one hiccup, however. This is what RNZ news is reporting on their website.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/254212/media,-cameron-slater-agree-on-personal-emails

    The possible hiccup appears to be that Slater wants to see what the media have in terms of as yet unpublished emails. It is not clear from the report whether the hearing is over or continuing to settle this issue. Is this likely to delay any publication by the media of the public interest emails – eg Ede/Slater?

    • veutoviper 2.1
      10 September 2014 at 11:41 am

      Further to the above, Herald is now reporting that the hearing was adjourned and will continue next week (apparently next Monday according to the discussion now taking place on Nine to Noon).

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11322033

      Going on the lack of any publication by the media since last Friday’s interim court decision, it would seem likely that the media may continue their silence until after next week’s hearing.

      Next Monday is the same day as KDC’s Town Hall ‘revelations’ ….

      • yeshe 2.1.1
        10 September 2014 at 12:05 pm

        Methinks it is likely a major ploy to get this all delayed until after the election … smelling bad to me …

  3. Tracey 3
    10 September 2014 at 11:21 am

    Fascinating. Does anyone have evidence that such emails have been published to date, about his family, medical issues etc?

    • joe90 3.1
      10 September 2014 at 11:32 am

      .

      I was a little taken aback by the first dump which had a fair amount of personal stuff that wasn’t redacted and too his/her/their credit whaledump deleted that version and apologised for the mistake.

      • Tracey 3.1.1
        10 September 2014 at 11:39 am

        Thanks Joe. I was more thinking about Hager (who no one has sued for demation yet), and media outlets.

      • Hayden 3.1.2
        10 September 2014 at 11:47 am

        On the other hand, that was the only stuff that makes him look even a little bit sympathetic. Until you juxtapose Aaron Bhatnagar’s offer of the loan of a beach house for his family with the way he talks about Bhatnagar to other people.

        NB: not an argument in favour of publishing personal details!

    • ghostwhowalksnz 3.2
      10 September 2014 at 11:57 am

      Not so much published, but there was a release by ZBs Rachel Smalley of a conversation between Slater and a friend. Slater was being a extreme misogynist.

  4. disturbed 4
    10 September 2014 at 11:22 am

    IMPORTANT HERE, I heard at 5.30pm last night on Prime news that last May many thousands of sites were hacked under a yahoo hack.

    NZ Police files, and others in NZ including the Government, Jason Ede TO PM and others such as Slater’s account were taken then. DID PM GO TO NSA AROND THIS TIME?

    The report suggested the wide ranging details of Slater and NZ Police and other agencies plus Ede and PMs files are already out in the global sphere so Slater has missed the boat entirely and he and the PM know they are in trouble deep.

    Don’t believe their con job have put on NZ public so go hard on this new global leak now uncovered thanks to Prime news last night.

    So if TS or you have not heard of this please find that news item as no other MSM has covered this story that should also be all over the MSM as of now.

    BM said Slater wasn’t important. bullshit.

    Yes he is the principal witness in this Watergate affair?

    He interfaced with our Government agencies such as SIS and others .

    How will we know who else if he is not investigated thoroughly?

    Talk about a cover up Nixon tried this I was there in US at the time working, so they had to censure the people who initiated that plot to destroy the opposition Party as Slater did in this case.

    Until we get full access through Slater, Ede PM and others we wont get to the truth, so is that what you want?

    This is what we now face and you don’t want this right?
    But Dotcom is unsure how the public will react, especially following the fallout – or lack of fallout – from Dirty Politics.

    “When I read Nicky Hager’s book, I thought, ‘It’s over for John Key’. I didn’t think the New Zealand public would put up with something like that, and I’m really surprised how little impact the book had.

    We have been marched over by the worst propaganda since pre-war Germany using virtually the same tactics here.

    Stripping out the investigative journalism stables so they could use only brainwashing by the tabloid MSM was always part f their Nazi like agenda.

    Now it is coming true, so why should we be surprised?

    NZ is now on display to the world as a shinning example of another hollowed out country by a process used by a hollowed out Government and media combined to take away our fragile Freedoms and Democracy.

    The Government & MSM are surely our enemies conspiring against all this and our miserable future we see ahead.

    • Clemgeopin 4.1
      10 September 2014 at 11:40 am

      “no other MSM has covered this story that should also be all over the MSM as of now.”

      TV1 had that hacking news as their first item on 6 pm news.

      http://tvnz.co.nz/one-news/s2014-eptuesday-video-6076547

    • Chooky 4.2
      10 September 2014 at 11:54 am

      +100…this is good …”The report suggested the wide ranging details of Slater and NZ Police and other agencies plus Ede and PMs files are already out in the global sphere…”

      …the msm can not afford to ignore this! …if it wants to retain any credibility whatsoever…as a seeker of Truth in the public good

    • karol 4.3
      10 September 2014 at 12:06 pm

      Thanks, disturbed, I found the One News story on it and did a post on it.

    • Mike 4.4
      10 September 2014 at 2:16 pm

      When I read the opinion comments in the Herald I feel confident that the NZ public get it, and Key will be gone come the election. I think Key knows it too.

      The comments and sentiments here:

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11321937

      along with all the other comments on articles that I’ve read in the Herald in the past week or so, are damning. In fact the comments on one article ( can’t remember which) were so unanimous and passionate in condemnation of National, they were shut down.

      Seems to me the sentiment against National is only growing stronger since Key’s tax cut fiasco. The Roy Morgan poll, along with all the early voters, only enforce that perception . I believe New Zealand voters are now very aware of how important this election is, I am.

      I’ve never being a passionate follower of politics in my 42 years living in NZ. Until I realised, without a shadow of doubt in my mind, that Key is deliberately trying to destroy New Zealand. .

  5. Enough is Enough 5
    10 September 2014 at 11:22 am

    This the corporate media.

    They want National to win.

    The may publish some of the juicy emails. But I guarantee that they won’t do it until after the election.

  6. Sable 6
    10 September 2014 at 11:25 am

    No. The way is now clear for the collaborators in the MSM to bury the whole thing by playing it down, finding and exaggerating inconsequential shortcomings in other political figures or parties or by distracting the public with the usual pointless journalistic spam…

  7. fambo 7
    10 September 2014 at 11:25 am

    “not in the public interest”

    Could mean anything you wanted it to mean eg we won’t publish this damning email to do with the government because it might destabilise the country.

  8. Tracey 8
    10 September 2014 at 11:27 am

    why has nbr broken the news while stuff and herald online still make no mention of it?

    • phillip ure 8.1
      10 September 2014 at 11:30 am

      @ tracey..

      ..do you remember sneering at me for noting there is more to come..?

      ..yesterday..wasn’t it..?

      ..do you ever concede that you are wrong..about anything..?

      ..or is it just another day..

      ..and just yet another orifice-plucked opinion..?

      • Tracey 8.1.1
        10 September 2014 at 11:43 am

        Sigh. Phil. I apologised to Alwyn yesterday for being wrong. To Puddlegum today for being wrong. Can you post the link to the post you made that I sneered at and while you are at it a link to your admission you were wrong about the banks barrister applying for discharge without conviction and winning?

        Does anyone have a mirror for Phil!?!?

        • phillip ure 8.1.1.1
          10 September 2014 at 12:02 pm

          so..two admitted ‘wrongs’ in two days..and an accusation of one more..

          ..does that frequency of being ‘wrong’ give you any pause for thought..?..at all..?

          ..and i mentioned it because i have noted a pattern where you throw up a total orifice-pluck..

          ..yr wild-contention is dismantled..

          ..and then you just disappear/don’t reply..

          ..and then pop up again the next day..with a fresh one..

          ..it’s past time you were called on it..

          ..and you are now saying you don’t remember contending yesterday that there were no more dirty politics revelations..

          ..arguing at me for saying there were..?

          ..you don’t remember that..?

          ..are you kidding me..?..or yrslf..?

          • Tracey 8.1.1.1.1
            10 September 2014 at 12:08 pm

            Well it makes a lie of your suggestion I am never wrong, and never accept I am wrong.

            As for your offence taken yesterday, I was suggesting that you are not the most reliable person when it comes to predictions of the future.are you denying that you told everyone here that banks was going to apply for and get discharged without conviction cos you heard his barrister tell someone that, and it didnt eventuate?

            Mirror mirror on the wall… phil cant look at you at all.

            Written before you editted your post above this

            This ought to be in open mike, dontchathink?

            • phillip ure 8.1.1.1.1.1
              10 September 2014 at 12:14 pm

              as i pointed out to you last time you raised this bullshit..(and then disappeared..)

              ..this case is not over yet..

              ..and if his appeal against conviction is knocked back..

              ..then the discharge without conviction option will again be up..

              ..but you trained as a lawyer..didn’t you..?

              ..why do i have to tell you this..?

              ..and if trained as a lawyer..how do you not already know it..?

              ..and if you know it..why did you spout that bullshit..?

              ..either way..you lose…

              ..and i understand you no longer practise law..?

              ..that at least is a blessing..

              • Tracey …
                10 September 2014 at 12:19 pm

                You are being disingenuous.

                You know exactly what you meant at the time you made your prediction. That after being found guilty he would apply for and get a discharge without conviction. He didnt.

                Now, I am not going round in circles with you, that is why i stop engaging with you, and to suit your world view (with the earth revolving round you) you call it running away. Have at it Phil.

                Enough of Mickeys thread has gone to this.

                • phillip ure …
                  10 September 2014 at 12:32 pm

                  i didn’t say he wd ‘get it’..i said that he wd apply for it..

                  ..and as i pointed out to you previously..this option for banks was widely aired in the media..at the time..

                  ..i was hardly saying anything radical..

                  ..and i hafta say..that you got thru law-school..

                  ..i find kinda disturbing..

                  ..and in the other argument you have had today..yr giving that bullshit rightwing spin/allegation oxygen..i actually laughed out loud when karol asked you what was yr ‘point’..?

                  ..’cos you usually don’t have one..eh..?..(question is rhetorical..)

                  ..so she was engaging in a task worthy of sisyphus..

                  ..and on that note..

                  ..news calls..!…the end..

                  (apologies to m.s for oxygen-consumption..)

  9. Blue 9
    10 September 2014 at 11:32 am

    In consideration for Mr Slater dropping the injunction, the media companies agreed to not to use information that was not in the public interest, including but not limited to Mr Slater’s wife, children, medical information, the death of his mother and other inherently personal information regarding Mr Slater and his friends.

    No one gives a shit about this information anyway. That must have been the fastest settlement in history.

    I wish Rawshark had just done the final dumps himself rather than allowing the MSM to sit on the information.

    • Ant 9.1
      10 September 2014 at 12:26 pm

      Yeah same here. It showed a lot of confidence in the media who have been a hideous failure to date…

    • karol 9.2
      10 September 2014 at 1:24 pm

      Rawshark said that all the political emails he had had been released. When he left, he said he’d achieved what he’d set out to do. Hager said he used all the “best stuff” in his book, and that there may be some “bits and pieces” to come. I really don’t think there’s any killer blow left to release. if it had been there, Hager would have used it, and Rawshark before he departed.

      I’d rather people focused on getting more corroborating evidence of what has already been published.

      However, the continuing court case does make it look like Slater has something to hide.

      • yeshe 9.2.1
        10 September 2014 at 2:41 pm

        Karol… Hager only had 8Gbs from a total of ten years worth ( sources Dirty Politics and Slater’s injunction papers). So Nicky certainly published everything he had.

        The rest ? There is SO much more available, if MSM don’t screw us completely.

        • karol 9.2.1.1
          10 September 2014 at 2:52 pm

          I’m not sure there was anything else hacked. Hager said at Waikato, that the Hacker had only got a small proportion of Slater’s emails when he did the hack.

          Show me the actual quotations from those sources.

          I really think the emails of most significance have already been reported on. What we need is some corroborating evidence from elsewhere.

          People keep saying that there are Ede-Slater emails to come, but that just seems like hearsay to me.

          And I think there are more important aspects of Dirty Politics to focus on.

  10. Penny Bright 10
    10 September 2014 at 11:42 am

    FYI – seen this?

    You can find the latest alleged ‘WhaleDump’ here:

    http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/latest-from-whaledump2-jordan-williams-and-cameron-slater/

    If true – this is NOT a good look for Stephen Franks, who is the Principal of Wellington law firm FRANKS & OGILVIE (Commercial and Public Law Ltd).

    http://www.franksogilvie.co.nz/

    According to LinkedIn – Jordan Williams, Executive Director of New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is a consultant for Franks & Ogilvie.

    http://nz.linkedin.com/pub/jordan-williams/20/b29/34

    NOT a good look, in my opinion, on a number of fronts.

    In 2008 Stephen Franks was the National Party candidate for Wellington Central.

    http://www.stephenfranks.co.nz/wellington-central-candidate-for-the-national-party/

    Yep – it certainly looks like this corrupt National Government, with its nests of dirty, despicable vipers – needs to be cleaned out ASAP so we can get back our DECENT New Zealand?

    Penny Bright

  11. AwakeWhileSleeping 11
    10 September 2014 at 11:43 am

    In other words he recognises the damage that publication of personal information can do. If only he would treat others the way he would like to be treated.

    This mutherfucker needs Jesus.

  12. slipery 12
    10 September 2014 at 11:56 am

    I saw prime newz, it mentioned the mass adobe site/software hack that happend last year, (I watched 1news too so may be incorrect, but was on newz last nite.) I did know already yahoo & extra email servers have also been compromised by hackers too last year. Still anyones guess as to how but no surprises about the why.

  13. yeshe 13
    10 September 2014 at 12:17 pm

    Surely this has to be more very dodgy smoke and mirrors ? That major international hack against Adobe happened months and months ago .. why now is it suddenly lead story on the news ?

    • ghostwhowalksnz 13.1
      10 September 2014 at 12:24 pm

      To justify the GCSB ‘protecting us from evil’ ahead of the Dotcom revelations

      • yeshe 13.1.1
        10 September 2014 at 12:34 pm

        something mysterious in this covering up for sure, using an old hacking less than 24 hrs before Slater backs down in court .. but keeps his hearings going.

        The spin from this govt is making me dizzy and surely it must centrifuge back to its own bumhole sooner than later ?

    • phillip ure 13.2
      10 September 2014 at 12:39 pm

      this all brings to mind what peters said the other day..

      ..as one of his reasons for not saying who he will go with..

      ..he noted..(darkly..)..that that was anyway impossible to say here and now..

      ..’because there is so much more to come out in the next two weeks’..

      ..buckle-up folks..!

      ..it’s gonna get bumpy..

      ..and it sure as hell won’t be boring..

      ..and you would have to count farrar amongst those dreading the upcoming revelations..

      ..having worked hand-in-glove with slater on so many smear-campaigns..

      ..the slater/farrar comms are second on my list of want-to-see..

      ..just below slater/ede…and thus to key..

      • yeshe 13.2.1
        10 September 2014 at 12:56 pm

        but did you see winston has said today the inquiries set up by key meet all his requirements ? i posted just now in open mike…

        let’s hope the coming bumps are big enough to shake them all from their perches .. including King DicKey bird !

        • phillip ure 13.2.1.1
          10 September 2014 at 1:04 pm

          @ yeshe..

          ..yeah..that whole royal commission call is a smokescreen..

          ..’cos recent legislative-changes have made a second-grade commission..as powerful as a royal commission..

          ..it has essentially the same powers..

          .and peters knows this..

  14. slipery 14
    10 September 2014 at 12:35 pm

    Definately a lame steam media distraction. Lol reply was post mature but that’s due to moderation lag. 🙂

  15. slipery 15
    10 September 2014 at 12:38 pm

    The msm is fizing at the bung hole

  16. disturbed 16
    10 September 2014 at 12:54 pm

    TV one news here confirms Adobe breach has now admitted our watchdogs are corrupted by hackers into Edes and Slater’s accounts are now world wide Ha Ha.

    http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/top-level-kiwis-hit-global-adobe-hack-6076397

  17. Sans Cle 17
    10 September 2014 at 1:23 pm

    I saw this on Stuff last night. IMHO I thought it was all a bit sensationalist…..even a lure to try to get hackers involved? But no idea how hacking etc operates or who is involved….so I may be naive. But found the naming of Ede in the article a bit strange.
    And also “Slater told One News this was not the case”, comment looked like a set up….
    MSM quoting Slater? Fushy to me. No real backup detail on story, where it sprang from.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10478641/Spies-hit-in-AdobeGushy

  18. yeshe 18
    10 September 2014 at 2:46 pm

    maybe they are laying ground work attempting to demonstrate ( for later use and interpretation) that Slater had no access to anyone at all ? It was all available anyway to everyone who knew?

    Or it’s to counter what they think is coming from KDC on Monday .. for sure, they are laying some fresh pegs in the ground requiring them to use something as dated as this Adobe hacking in this way, at this exact moment.

    • karol 18.1
      10 September 2014 at 5:04 pm

      i don’t think the journalists or media companies involved are acting in a planned way with the Nats.

      I think the Nats are aiming to delay any further news coverage of the Dirty Politics material for as long as possible – they probably hope til after the election.

      The journos are acting according to the procedures and logic of the corporate media – to proceed with caution, making sure they work through all the legal issues.

      Not sure who this benefits. It keeps the story on the front pages of the media.

      • Hanswurst 18.1.1
        10 September 2014 at 7:20 pm

        One thing that suggests to me that there is nothing too serious to come is that they are also competing with each other. Presumably, each journalist would want to be the first to publish anything sensational, and would keep their cards close to their chest. Thus, none of them would know what the others have and they would all be desperate to get their story out before the rest. Therefore, any further revelations are likely to be along the lines of some typically questionable but substantially unrevealing correspondence between Slater and Ede (or somebody else), rather than a king hit.

  19. Big Norm 19
    10 September 2014 at 3:02 pm

    So he can write any vicious, rotten crap he damn well likes about New Zealanders, including the young man killed in that car crash? Yet he thinks his mum and family should be sacrosanct, when he doesn’t give a toss about the feelings of the mother of the crash victim — who had lost all four of her sons to tragedies!

    Whatever happened to ‘live by the sword, die by the sword’?
    Slater, you wimp, you can give it but you aint got the guts to take it!

  20. Puckish Rogue 20
    10 September 2014 at 3:14 pm

    Well done both sides, common sense prevails in that the personal stuff is hidden but the important stuff can be published

    Hopefully that pleases everyone

  21. D'Esterre 21
    10 September 2014 at 8:33 pm

    @ Big Norm: indeed. I’d also noticed this. Slater has been happy to publish personal details about others, yet he expects protection over such matters for himself? Hypocrite…

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    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 day ago

  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    2 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshit
    Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48 2023
    Open access notables From this week's government/NGO section, longitudinal data is gold and Leisorowitz, Maibachi et al. continue to mine ore from the US public with Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Fall 2023: Drawing on a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, the authors describe how registered ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • ELE LUDEMANN: It wasn’t just $55 million
    Ele Ludemann writes –  Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 1-December-2023
    Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago

  • Shane MacGowan Is Gone.
    Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 1
    Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 days ago

  • Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Finally
    Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...
    Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
    David Farrar writes  –  1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
    There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • We need to talk about Tory.
    The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago

  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • National’s murderous smoking policy
    One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    New Zealand has  a chance  to  rise  again. Under the  previous  government, the  number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing  year by year. The Luxon-led government  must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising  the  pillars  of the economy. After the  mismanagement  of the outgoing government created   huge ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    7 days ago

  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    7 days ago

  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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