Sphinx and Rachinger

Written By: - Date published: 7:18 pm, May 4th, 2015 - 24 comments
Categories: admin, humour, The Standard - Tags: , , ,

Let me see if I can make this clear enough for the non-tech public and jonolists, and for the techheads amongst you.

The search engine on this site is run by Sphinx search. This is an open source general purpose package that every 7 minutes ( a prime number) runs a scan on the databases for this site for any new or amended posts and or comments. It indexes these using an extremely efficient hashing lookup system to provide a very fast, efficient and powerful search system for the site.

Since the site has 16,171 posts and 922,412 comments at present and a database of about 5.2 Gigabytes (a gigabyte is about 1,000,000,000 letters) of text, searching through it by hand is close to impossible. So I put in the most efficient open source package search package that I could find back in 2009. But it had a little flaw.

Having this tool in the site is incredibly valuable for transparency and robust debate between commenters and lurkers. In a site that doesn’t insist that people login, it means that we can tag every handle used so that others may find out what they have previously said.

Search functions1In listing comments, it means that we can provide a list of every comment that a particular person has done. It allows us to provide a function to find out the visible history of someone who responds to your own comments. And it allows investigation of people, topics, and what people have said.

Search functionsBut it is a powerful hand rolled solution. One that at the time it was written didn’t account for a particular  feature of WordPress. That it could have private posts. This was for the simple reason that we’d never used them. When authors wanted to talk to each other, they had emails, cell numbers, and the usual multitude of channels that activists usually talk to each other with.

Search functions2As anyone who follows the site knows, we have had quite a number of authors who have shuffled in and out of the activity on the site. As our About says:-

We’re a collective who saw a gap in the New Zealand political blogosphere and decided that we should have a go at filling it here at The Standard blog site. We write here in our personal capacities and the opinions that are expressed on the blog are individual unless expressly stated otherwise (see the policy). We do not write on behalf of any organization.

It is a completely voluntary organisation. As people’s lives change; changing jobs, having kids, getting sick or well, going off to start their own blogs, or just dropping out of politics or blogging – our regular authors and regular commenters change. There are 71 people with author or higher rights on the site. This reflects the turn over of authors and moderators in the last 7 years. At anyone point there are usually less than 10 of us active.

After the election in 2014, when the usual shuffling of authors and moderators happened, we looked at how we’d run the site into the future. One part of that was that I was that I’d shifted jobs just prior to the election and was going to have a lot less time to admin the site. Another part was that we had picked up and were planning to get more new authors and moderators involved, and most of them would probably be from the ranks of people who comment.

So we decided to take the risk of having a private forum area for authors and above to discuss operational crap in. The italics are there because this is the loosest of all possible organisations. What you get on the site is what you decide to do yourself and what others are willing to let you get away with. And that is a bit moot sometimes, the about again

We come from a variety of backgrounds and our political views don’t always match up but it’d be fair to say that all of us share a commitment to the values and principles that underpin the broad labour movement and we hope that perspective will come through strongly as you read the blog.

With the exception of me (since I set the site mechanics up), we were given author logins because we were known to disagree. This private forum area was going to be the first time that more than a handful of authors had ever had a place where they could sit and talk to each other in a semi-private situation about how the site operated and where it was heading. This proposal is a major improvement in organisation over our previous systems which largely consisted of someone coming up with a good idea  and whoever else felt it was (like me) doing some work to see how it went.

The risk was that we wouldn’t particularly like each other once we started cooperating a bit closer and that the site would fracture and fall apart through lack of agreement. My personal guess was that we’d lose about 3-5 authors from having authors and moderators realising that. Arguably we’ve lost a couple.

But it is often hard to see where the interface between blogger fatigue and disagreement starts and ends. Headstrong opinionated egotists who are the type of people who volunteer to write as authors and commenters eventually run out of things to say or just get worn down like anyone else. I’ve had to take several keyboard vacations over the years myself.

So the private forums were setup just after the 2014 election, and proved to have the flaw that the previous code I’d adapted and rewritten for Sphinx to extract all of the posts and comments from The Standard’s database. It didn’t restrict the comments in the second part of the SQL (structured query language) statement below to the posts selected as being published in the first part. The reason was that previously the only comments were in published posts. That was a bug when we started to put comments into private posts.

The content of these author comments is mundane to the n’th degree. It consist of people pointing out issues, trading post ideas and arguing about moderation policies. I’d say that about half of the comments are in some shape manner of form are about how to write posts or calming authors down enough after some commenter drives them nuts.

It is unlikely that there is anything in them that is anything more embarrassing than some of us creaky antiques explaining to others how the inside of political parties really worked, and why we didn’t let the new tom thumbs have direct banning rights.

But these author private comments leaked into searches. At least until Stephanie Rodgers pointed that out to me, and I spent a hour or so doing the fix in bold below and checked (and fixed) a couple of other potential ways to access the same blind spot flaw in my code, wordpress code, and some plugins. I think that the items were visible for a couple of days on search before they got fixed.

However it appeared to have caused Cameron Slater to cum all over his brain and shut down even the minimal amounts of animal cunning that he usually possesses.

But it has an upside. I am rather glad that a student got the equivalent of four months of our operating costs off him. It also has shown that the Dirty Politics engine that was setup by the immoral arseholes of the right is still operating and is probably still deep within illegal activities.

 

But now avert your eyes if you are technically literate because now I get technical. The code fix is highlighted at the end of the SQL

 

[code language=”sql” highlight=”22,26,27″]
SELECT
p.ID*2+1 AS ID, 0 AS comment_ID, p.ID AS post_ID, p.post_title AS title,
u.display_name AS author, p.post_content AS body, t.name AS category,
IF(p.post_type = ‘post’, 1, 0) AS isPost, 0 AS isComment,
IF(p.post_type = ‘page’, 1, 0) AS isPage,
IF(p.post_type = ‘post’, 0, IF(p.post_type = ‘page’, 1, 2)) AS post_type,
UNIX_TIMESTAMP(post_date) AS date_added
FROM
wp_posts AS p
INNER JOIN wp_users u ON (p.post_author = u.ID)
INNER JOIN wp_term_relationships tr ON (p.ID = tr.object_id)
INNER JOIN wp_term_taxonomy tt ON (tt.term_taxonomy_id = tr.term_taxonomy_id AND tt.taxonomy = ‘category’)
INNER JOIN wp_terms t ON (tt.term_id = t.term_id)
WHERE
p.id = ( SELECT max_doc_id FROM wp_sph_counter WHERE counter_id=1 ) AND p.post_status = ‘publish’
UNION ALL
SELECT
c.comment_ID*2 AS ID, c.comment_ID AS comment_ID,
c.comment_post_ID AS post_ID,” AS title, c.comment_author AS author, c.comment_content AS body, ” AS category, 0 AS isPost,
1 AS isComment, 0 AS isPage, 2 AS post_type, UNIX_TIMESTAMP(comment_date) AS date_added
FROM wp_comments AS c,
wp_posts AS pp
WHERE
c.comment_id = ( SELECT max_doc_id FROM wp_sph_counter WHERE counter_id=2 ) AND
c.comment_approved = ‘1’ AND
c.comment_post_ID = pp.ID AND
pp.post_status = ‘publish’
[/code]

Youall understand that fix? Well I am sure that most won’t. And I’d quite sure that most of the pathetic dipsticks who donated me the title “worlds greatest sysop”  (and who keep wanking on it at every available opportunity) are definitely too illiterate and thick to do so.

But surely there are the odd right winger who has enough brains (Barnsley Bill?) could explain it to them. I’d advise them to use simple words and punctuate with grunting at frequent intervals.

24 comments on “Sphinx and Rachinger ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. te reo putake 1
    4 May 2015 at 8:50 pm

    Sweet post, LP. While clearly Rachinger is no friend of TS (he did take money to hack the site, after all), he’s just one of a long list of people who got close to Cam Slater and got pissed on once they’d outlived their usefulness. That’s the lesson; deal with Slater, get done over.

    You’d have to wonder what the point of the hack was anyway. As far as I know, the majority of TS authors are folk like myself who are just activists or maybe hold low level functions in various political parties such as branch seccy or similar. There are no MP’s, no spin doctors, no ‘professional’ politicos at all. TS is beholden to no one.

    A few months ago a right wing blogger claimed he knew my real life identity (which is no secret in left wing circles anyway) and threatened to out me. The gutless wonder didn’t follow through, but that cowardly threat says to me that the attempted hack is about intimidation. So, up yours, Cameron Slater. Do your worst, loser.

    • weka 1.1
      4 May 2015 at 9:14 pm

      There are also people not as robust as yourself trp, who might prefer that the ante wasn’t upped 🙂

      The hack was for authors and commenters. If Slater is to be believed, the idea was that there was enough there to seriously embarrass the Labour Party mostly from the author list. I think you are right about the intimidation factor, but it’s likely that the DP lot can’t conceive that ts isn’t a front for Labour.

      I agree it’s a great post. Funny, well pitched, and good to see the transparency.

  2. pr0gger 2
    4 May 2015 at 9:34 pm

    If a user account is deleted any post which they have authored will drop out of the result set of that query fyi

    • lprent 2.1
      4 May 2015 at 9:55 pm

      You can’t delete accounts in a wordpress multisite system unless you do it at the database level. That is a complex operation across a number of tables and potentially databases unless you want to leave orphan records.

    • ropata 2.2
      5 May 2015 at 12:54 am

      WP admins do not usually mess about with SQL (esp. a delete!) there are tools to add/remove authors safely.

      I would expect wordpress to do a logical delete, not physical (safer and retains referential integrity).

  3. Not Arandar 3
    4 May 2015 at 9:35 pm

    [lprent: someone hijacking a email address. Adding to permanent bans. By the look of it some kind of arsehole from Lauda Finem astroturfing a post]

    • te reo putake 3.1
      4 May 2015 at 9:50 pm

      Cool? In what way? LF is just a couple of Ak nutters without a clue about anything of substance. Like Rachinger, they’ve been used by Slater. They’re used for publicising stuff Slater is too scared to post on WO because of his previous difficulties with breaching name suppression. Just sad old men who think they’re above the law and no doubt will come a cropper sooner or later. Not trustworthy in any way shape or form.

      • Paul Campbell 3.1.1
        5 May 2015 at 8:24 am

        I had always assumed they were a wholly owned, but deniable, subsidary of Whaleoil enterprises inc

    • mickysavage 3.2
      5 May 2015 at 8:22 am

      It seems that the laudafinem site subscribes to the Cameron Slater maxim of giving back double. But smearing someone’s parents? How cheap.

      It would help if they got their facts right. The article is ridiculed with inaccuracies.

      And they seem to have taken umbrage at a post I did recently (http://thestandard.org.nz/blogger-on-breaching-name-suppression-charges-gets-name-suppression/)

      The repeated use of “Streisand effect” is a bit of a giveaway.

  4. RedLogix 4
    4 May 2015 at 9:45 pm

    And as one of the oldest commenters/author/moderator/retirees at TS I can only absolutely repeat everything Lynne has stated here.

    In all the years I’ve been around I have seen zero – repeat zero – evidence that TS is in any shape or form funded or controlled to the slightest degree by the Labour Party. While of course there have been plenty of people who are members or even one or two who are office holders of various parties – that conferred on them zero special status here.

    Nope – The Standard is exactly what it says it is. A loose collection of opinionated people who are egotistical enough to think their opinion is worth typing up and arguing about – and who barely know how to fly in the loosest formation imaginable. Most of us are most decidedly NOT political insiders – and the few who arguably are tend to be very circumspect in exploiting their knowledge.

    The Standard is most definitely NOT an organisation, it is NOT a movement, it is NOT controlled by any outside entity whatsoever. It is a community, or extended whanau – prone of course to bickering and personality clashes, it’s ups and downs and inglorious moments – but it IS family.

    And all that any ‘hack’ into the author’s private thread could ever possibly reveal is exactly this truth.

    [lprent: Pleeeze – Lynn. ]

  5. adam 5
    5 May 2015 at 12:00 am

    Silly question time – but I’m pretty sure I’m not the only lefty who moans about the Labour party? I’m also pretty sure I’ve argued hard with some Labour party members on here, also some Greens, Mana members, others non-aligned and pot smokers?

    Another silly question – do the folks from the dirty politics click of dirty old men, not read what people say? After the election, I recall not being alone, about being quite frustrated with the labour party. Personally, I am far from being a fan of the Labour party. It won’t stop me from having a go at the concern trolls, commenting about the labour party – yes that’s right, I think Tory idiots need to be reminded – that their message of hate, and greed will be challenged!

    So for all you muppets at WO and the dirty politics click of dirty old men, I’ll leave you with a quote –

    “What we would like to do is change the world–make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended them to do. And, by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, the poor, of the destitute–the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor, in other words–we can, to a certain extent, change the world; we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world. We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world. We repeat, there is nothing we can do but love, and, dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as our friend.”
    ― Dorothy Day

    • mhager 5.1
      5 May 2015 at 5:16 pm

      I’m with Dorothy Day on this! No party preferences here, just well pissed off with the ones in power.

  6. ropata 6
    5 May 2015 at 1:01 am

    I’ve messed around with Oracle and Informix a fair bit.

    You’ve just added a wee filter to ensure that comments are only indexed when attached to a *published* blog post.

    That UNION ALL freaks me out a bit – – bodges anything on to anything! 🙂

    (comment search function = teh aw3some!!11)

  7. Tracey 7
    5 May 2015 at 9:41 am

    OK, I read the post until the code. I have afriend staying with me from Dunedin, who is now well into his 70’s.

    I’ve sent him a couple of posts that I thought would be of particular interest to him over the years.

    Anyway, the following made his coffee come out his nose.

    You know which bit, I am sure you do…

    “However it appeared to have caused Cameron Slater to cum all over his brain and shut down even the minimal amounts of animal cunning that he usually possesses.”

    • lprent 7.1
      5 May 2015 at 5:03 pm

      I thought it was a thoroughly useful visual image (I had a wine in hand at the time I wrote it) that would forever be seared into the heads of others…..

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    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Water is at the heart of farmers’ struggle to survive in Benin
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére Sosou Market gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • At a time of media turmoil, Melissa had nothing to proclaim as Minister – and now she has been dem...
    Buzz from the Beehive   Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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