Abortion is a crime, a crime Colin believes in, and wants the votes of people who believe its a crime.
Progressives see an attack on women right to choose, choose how to live their lives, own property, marry who they want, and choose for themselves when it comes to their own body.
Yet for decades, the fundamentalists wouldn’t listen, that women weren’t the best people to choose what was best for themselves.
I don’t see how a women acting in self defense to remove a homicidal fetus can even be a crime.
craig is a fool. he suffers from the socratic disease. i.e. because he knows somehting he thinks he knows everything. plus his theology is shallow and paltry and un-christian. he is too busy trying to make people do what he wants them to do rather than finding out what they need and then trying to do something for them.
“…..Craig ……. he suffers from the socratic disease. i.e. because he knows somehting he thinks he knows everything…..plus his theology is shallow and paltry and un-christian……”
Jesus never walked on earth being all nice and cuddly. I don’t have a problem with Mr craig speaking up. Or anyone else for that matter.
And then you went on to say this:
“…..he is too busy trying to make people do what he wants them to do rather than finding out what they need and then trying to do something for them…..”
Can’t really remember Jesus doing too much for people – other than teaching them lessons – so that they can make better choices – and then do things all by themselves.
Mr Craig is certainly on to human dignity – and it’s virtues of self reliance, resourcefulness ect there!
Everyone is giving him the party vote as he’s different – he’s the counter culture – the cool one!
You also don’t appear to understand Christianity in the slightest while trying to pretend that you do.
As for trying to compare Colin Craig to Jesus Christ in the same sentence…congratulations for baking today’s outstanding What The Fuck cake on The Standard.
craig is a fool. he suffers from the socratic disease
Don’t know what you are on about with here, Colin Craig doesn’t count but we sure could do with a few more politicians able to use the socratic method properly.
Which part of “mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos ut et vos diligatis invicem in hoc cognoscent omnes quia mei discipuli estis si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem” do you not understand?
Sounds like your Jesus had been tainted by the 20th century / 21st century neo-con vision that says that only those who have the wherewithall to help themselves are going to get any help from the heavens above! What a load of old cobblers! I remember stories about Jesus feeding multitudes and surely that was a parable resting on his desire to help and serve the masses. No Jesus was not a right wing nutter who declared a belief in self reliance what ever that may be in what is the community of man.
That’s insulting. There is no evidence that ET was ever a fiscal or social conservative, and anyway, he looked far too much like Ronald Reagan, although less senile.
could some clever person out there make a gif of him walking..?
..he has that unique gait..
..that elbow/arm action going on..
..that just screams for a soundtrack/to be gifed..
..and y’know..!..not everyone in national is a libertarian nihilist..(just key/joyce/collins etc etc..)
..and there must be many in that party internally screaming:..’no..!..f.f.s..!..he thinks the moon-landings were shot on a soundstage in the desert outside of phoenix..!..
..what are you thinking..?..
..we’d rather have peters than that clown..!..’..)’
I don’t believe it ! This isn’t a real poster, is it Mickey ? No-one would be so stupid as to put a poster like that out for electioneering, would they ? ? ?
According to the bible heaven is not just inhabited by seraphim and cherubim but also good Christians who have died and then “ascended”. Unfortunately under New Zealand law the dead are not allowed to vote, and so poor ol’ Colin is out of luck there as well.
oops! error… In the last line substitute the word poor for rich
The “son of Helen” allusion presumably means ‘we will put the breaks on any Nat/Key tendency toward moral liberalism’. Then again, maybe it’s a suggestion that Clark had dictatorial tendencies (a common Tory meme) and that Craig will ensure Key doesn’t move in the same direction (to which I’d say: Too Late).
“Son of National ?” seems to be a particularly vague and clumsy way of trying to differentiate Craig/the Cons from National. Presumably ties in with the idea of “serving” rather than “self” and of being truly conservative as opposed to Key – the “liberal” Son of Helen.
That’s the closest I can come to making any sense of it. But, a really poorly thought out poster.
Why does he want to portray himself as the son of national… And confuse some fundies that he is in the national party and give their party vote to the wrong party
So, Craig is hoping to pick up those National voters who have become unhappy with National. Then he’s going to enter into a partnership with… National… In doing so he will be able to prevent John Key from becoming Helen Clark’s… son… You can believe this because Colin Craig is National’s… son… maybe (question mark).
Oh or maybe The Christian party or whatever it’s called will be National’s ‘son’ when the enter into the coalition. And as the ‘son’ they will be able to keep John Key, the ‘father’ from becoming Helen Clark. (Myself I’m not so convinced that a) this might happen or b) that it would be a bad thing.) So what is the Holy Ghost then? This doesn’t seem clear in the poster, disappointing.
If someone has a better way to interpret this I’d like to hear it.
Well, if he wants to be seen as a Christ-like figure then maybe we should just take him at his word and Nail him up !, Nail him up, I say !, Nail some sense into him !. Crucifixion ? Best thing the Romans ever did for us. And, if nothing else, IT’S TAUGHT ME TO RESPECT THE ROMANS !, AND IT’S TAUGHT ME THAT YOU’LL NEVER GET ANYWHERE IN THIS LIFE UNLESS YOU’RE PREPARED TO DO A FAIR DAY”S WORK FOR A FAIR DAY”S PAY !
Jeepers that poster gave me the creeps – what the hell does it even mean, the whole poster doesn’t make any sense at all. I looked for the parody tags and seriously I wanted to find them.
WO – and he who will not be named at YourNZ – now have up another unbelievably bizarre Conservative Party poster entitled “They’re OUT OF CONTROL running around as if THEY OWN THE PLACE”.
I won’t provide links, to WO or YourNZ on principle and cannot seem to copy the poster itself to provide a link. Hopefully someone here who is more tech-savvy will do so and post it here as it is definitely a Must See!
In brief it focusses on Key, English, Joyce and Charlie Wilson and presents them as cocks of the chicken variety with brief ‘notes’ on each – and a centre comment ” Let’s put them back in the coop September 20″.
How not to win friends and influence people. IMO, if this goes viral, it could be the end of any accommodation by National to the Conservatives.
Incidentially, the poster is not on the Conservatives’ website, but does bear a Conservative Party authorisation.
As I noted in the above comment, WO – and he who cannot be named in case he appears – have posted yet another bizarre Conservative Party poster that has to be seen to be believed.
As I said above, it was not on the Conservative Party website when I checked earlier today. And I amend my final comment above to “does bear a Vote for the Conservative Party motto”, rather than authorisation.
What, even more so than Colin’s ruminations that he’s (ahem) ‘neither one way nor the other’ and has been seriously talking about crossbench occupation if the Nats are foolish enough to gift them a seat or help them over the MMP five percent threshold? I think that may have started the current distancing on the centre-right, as well as the Conservative Party’s continually basement level opinion polling. And Peter Dunne hates their guts for an obvious reason (spelt Gordon Copeland). It’s also difficult to see the Maori Party working with them, given the Conservatives radical anti-Treaty stance.
The arrogance very clear to me is that if McCully, professor of the darkest arts, relinquishes his East Coast Bays seat so late that National cannot/ will not nominate another candidate in his place, as suggested on Stuff this morning … by what polling/logic or insanity do they simply assume that National voters will be so easily manipulated to vote for batshit crazy Craig instead? How will voters be with this arrogant arrangement? Me? I would automatically be forced to vote Green or IMP !
Why would they vote Chemtrail Colin ? East Coast Bays ? My dahling boy, jesting you must be !!
Expect Craig to get stranger as the campaign progresses. He is very risky for National. The Nats best option is to go hard against him and drive his vote down to limit the damage to the right to about half a percent. If they accommodate him they could easily lose half a percent anyway by association as his narcissism becomes more and more apparent. I don’t see real upside for the right in the Conservatives, only risk.
Sorry Micky, you can do better, this is a bit mischievous, cheeky and below the belt, I must say, hey, now I feel tempted to vote for Colin Craig, thanks for the “motivation”!
memo to cc – your photos make you look creepy – no one wears a suit in the grass unless they are sneaking around and the pose is, well, better to take your shirt off to convey the pinup look more successfully.
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Get the feeling National are more “Self” than they are “Serving.”
Listen to who’s talking!!
Abortion is a crime, a crime Colin believes in, and wants the votes of people who believe its a crime.
Progressives see an attack on women right to choose, choose how to live their lives, own property, marry who they want, and choose for themselves when it comes to their own body.
Yet for decades, the fundamentalists wouldn’t listen, that women weren’t the best people to choose what was best for themselves.
I don’t see how a women acting in self defense to remove a homicidal fetus can even be a crime.
Women still die in child birth.
craig is a fool. he suffers from the socratic disease. i.e. because he knows somehting he thinks he knows everything. plus his theology is shallow and paltry and un-christian. he is too busy trying to make people do what he wants them to do rather than finding out what they need and then trying to do something for them.
+100
“…..Craig ……. he suffers from the socratic disease. i.e. because he knows somehting he thinks he knows everything…..plus his theology is shallow and paltry and un-christian……”
Jesus never walked on earth being all nice and cuddly. I don’t have a problem with Mr craig speaking up. Or anyone else for that matter.
And then you went on to say this:
“…..he is too busy trying to make people do what he wants them to do rather than finding out what they need and then trying to do something for them…..”
Can’t really remember Jesus doing too much for people – other than teaching them lessons – so that they can make better choices – and then do things all by themselves.
Mr Craig is certainly on to human dignity – and it’s virtues of self reliance, resourcefulness ect there!
Everyone is giving him the party vote as he’s different – he’s the counter culture – the cool one!
Oh dear you are reaching – or is that retching.
You also don’t appear to understand Christianity in the slightest while trying to pretend that you do.
As for trying to compare Colin Craig to Jesus Christ in the same sentence…congratulations for baking today’s outstanding What The Fuck cake on The Standard.
Don’t know what you are on about with here, Colin Craig doesn’t count but we sure could do with a few more politicians able to use the socratic method properly.
Which part of “mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos ut et vos diligatis invicem in hoc cognoscent omnes quia mei discipuli estis si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem” do you not understand?
“everyone”?
“..– he’s the counter culture – the cool one!..”
..but does he have a lava-lamp..?
With that big bulbous head he looks like a lava lamp rising up, just not half as animated. And a lava lamp that doesn’t move isn’t cool at all.
He shouldn’t have ditched the Jesus look alike goatee beard.
With that big bulbous head he looks like a lava lamp rising up, just not half as animated. And a lava lamp that doesn’t move isn’t cool at all.
He shouldn’t have ditched the Jesus look alike goatee beard.
Sounds like your Jesus had been tainted by the 20th century / 21st century neo-con vision that says that only those who have the wherewithall to help themselves are going to get any help from the heavens above! What a load of old cobblers! I remember stories about Jesus feeding multitudes and surely that was a parable resting on his desire to help and serve the masses. No Jesus was not a right wing nutter who declared a belief in self reliance what ever that may be in what is the community of man.
I suppose he made his money writing crappy songs for hillsongs. all la la la me me me and f*ck everyone else.
one is an actor playing jesus..
..the other is the body-double for e.t..?
That’s insulting. There is no evidence that ET was ever a fiscal or social conservative, and anyway, he looked far too much like Ronald Reagan, although less senile.
i did say just ‘body-double’..
..and i always thought that reagan looked like an anus stuck on a face..
..something to do with all those wrinkles..i think..
shouldn’t it be ‘son of moon-landings-deniers’..?
..with the slogan being:..’i dunno..!..i wasn’t there..were you…?’
could some clever person out there make a gif of him walking..?
..he has that unique gait..
..that elbow/arm action going on..
..that just screams for a soundtrack/to be gifed..
..and y’know..!..not everyone in national is a libertarian nihilist..(just key/joyce/collins etc etc..)
..and there must be many in that party internally screaming:..’no..!..f.f.s..!..he thinks the moon-landings were shot on a soundstage in the desert outside of phoenix..!..
..what are you thinking..?..
..we’d rather have peters than that clown..!..’..)’
.you’d think..?
Funny, before opening I tried to guess who, I picked moors murderer Ian Brady.
thats just creepy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slender_Man
I don’t believe it ! This isn’t a real poster, is it Mickey ? No-one would be so stupid as to put a poster like that out for electioneering, would they ? ? ?
I wondered this too JK. But currently it is on the front page of http://conservativeparty.org.nz
I thought it was a parody the first time it came up as well. It is freaking unbelievable.
Please voters. Realize it’s a psychiatric issue. We have enough unbalanced in our parliament already.
Well, Colin is (ahem) 🙂 a “committed Christian” 😉 :/
Jeebus, i assumed it was satire.
If craig had principles he would be choosing his electorate now but he is too scared he will choose the wrong one… No courage
His electorate is in heaven.
Unfortunately for him, few of the seraphim are enrolled and all of the cherubim are under age.
According to the bible heaven is not just inhabited by seraphim and cherubim but also good Christians who have died and then “ascended”. Unfortunately under New Zealand law the dead are not allowed to vote, and so poor ol’ Colin is out of luck there as well.
oops! error… In the last line substitute the word poor for rich
JK Surely the poster is Crosby Textor inspired satire, to make right leaning voters rush back to National.
How embarrassing having to admit to your children that you took this seriously let alone voting for it?
Hee hee – it’s the nose!
The insider trader election countdown has a smell of money about it.
I’d be quite happy to put up these posters next to John Key’s face all over Dunedin.
Son of National? Nah, I reckon Bride of National is closer to the mark.
With all that weight loss he’s so like Frank Spencer but without the kindness!
Looks like meth to me
but what does he mean by saying he will stop John Key becoming ‘son of Helen’ in smaller type ? just plain weird.
I didn’t see that. What a bunch of sickos.
Yeah I don’t get the Helen bit. Or the son of National bit either. Maybe they’re fundie cultural references.
The “son of Helen” allusion presumably means ‘we will put the breaks on any Nat/Key tendency toward moral liberalism’. Then again, maybe it’s a suggestion that Clark had dictatorial tendencies (a common Tory meme) and that Craig will ensure Key doesn’t move in the same direction (to which I’d say: Too Late).
“Son of National ?” seems to be a particularly vague and clumsy way of trying to differentiate Craig/the Cons from National. Presumably ties in with the idea of “serving” rather than “self” and of being truly conservative as opposed to Key – the “liberal” Son of Helen.
That’s the closest I can come to making any sense of it. But, a really poorly thought out poster.
he’s a millionaire..
..and he drives an old dell computer..
..sez it all really..
..colin craig..putting the ‘ass’ in de classe..
and phillip .. you so beautifully put the ‘ouch’ as in touche !
(sorry don’t now how the do the acute accent !)
heh..!..chrs..
Why does he want to portray himself as the son of national… And confuse some fundies that he is in the national party and give their party vote to the wrong party
So, Craig is hoping to pick up those National voters who have become unhappy with National. Then he’s going to enter into a partnership with… National… In doing so he will be able to prevent John Key from becoming Helen Clark’s… son… You can believe this because Colin Craig is National’s… son… maybe (question mark).
Oh or maybe The Christian party or whatever it’s called will be National’s ‘son’ when the enter into the coalition. And as the ‘son’ they will be able to keep John Key, the ‘father’ from becoming Helen Clark. (Myself I’m not so convinced that a) this might happen or b) that it would be a bad thing.) So what is the Holy Ghost then? This doesn’t seem clear in the poster, disappointing.
If someone has a better way to interpret this I’d like to hear it.
It’s only when you objectively try and deconstruct this troubling image that it becomes truly non-sensical…
Most of the electorate will just regard it as a ghoulish photograph it is.
And boy, their font/sizing/bold/italics policy for their posters is as whacky as ever…
Bizarre… At best wont people think he is comparing himself to jesus, and at worst?
Well I never ever did understand who or what the Holy Ghost was supposed to be, so in this case I’ll go for Helen Clark.
might be Peter Dunne ??
Ha! Pretty traditional form of marriage if ya ask me. I mean, what more than 1% can this party get?
Well, if he wants to be seen as a Christ-like figure then maybe we should just take him at his word and Nail him up !, Nail him up, I say !, Nail some sense into him !. Crucifixion ? Best thing the Romans ever did for us. And, if nothing else, IT’S TAUGHT ME TO RESPECT THE ROMANS !, AND IT’S TAUGHT ME THAT YOU’LL NEVER GET ANYWHERE IN THIS LIFE UNLESS YOU’RE PREPARED TO DO A FAIR DAY”S WORK FOR A FAIR DAY”S PAY !
Jeepers that poster gave me the creeps – what the hell does it even mean, the whole poster doesn’t make any sense at all. I looked for the parody tags and seriously I wanted to find them.
i think it’s his batshit-crazy eyes..that give the poster that ‘edge’..
..and it cracks me up how the national cabinet must be so looking forward to being buddies with ‘col’…
..they could debate if the moon-landing happened or not..
..good times..!..good people..!
..but what ministerial role should he have..?
..where would he fit..?
..maybe let him set up a special commission..that he could head..to investigate if the moon-landings really happened or not..
..and of course he would be a great minister of silly-walks..
According to my trusty doppelgänger field guide the likeness is a text book example of a spectral apparition.
Haha. Could be implausible trope. But spectral apparition has a religousity about it so seems good to me.
WO – and he who will not be named at YourNZ – now have up another unbelievably bizarre Conservative Party poster entitled “They’re OUT OF CONTROL running around as if THEY OWN THE PLACE”.
I won’t provide links, to WO or YourNZ on principle and cannot seem to copy the poster itself to provide a link. Hopefully someone here who is more tech-savvy will do so and post it here as it is definitely a Must See!
In brief it focusses on Key, English, Joyce and Charlie Wilson and presents them as cocks of the chicken variety with brief ‘notes’ on each – and a centre comment ” Let’s put them back in the coop September 20″.
How not to win friends and influence people. IMO, if this goes viral, it could be the end of any accommodation by National to the Conservatives.
Incidentially, the poster is not on the Conservatives’ website, but does bear a Conservative Party authorisation.
As I noted in the above comment, WO – and he who cannot be named in case he appears – have posted yet another bizarre Conservative Party poster that has to be seen to be believed.
Here it is (only the poster, not the YourNZ post)
https://yournz.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/conservative-back-in-the-coop.jpg
As I said above, it was not on the Conservative Party website when I checked earlier today. And I amend my final comment above to “does bear a Vote for the Conservative Party motto”, rather than authorisation.
Is it for real?
Two very odd and pointless posters. You have to wonder who the hell they think their target audience is.
And it does, in fact, seem to be an officially authorised poster.
Bottom-left corner says CONSERVATIVEPARTY.ORG.NZ”
And then immediately below: AUTHORISED BY (then indiscernible name) ALBANY, AUCKLAND
Then again, this authorisation could, I guess, be fake ? If you were a Conservative Party supporter you’d have to hope so.
What, even more so than Colin’s ruminations that he’s (ahem) ‘neither one way nor the other’ and has been seriously talking about crossbench occupation if the Nats are foolish enough to gift them a seat or help them over the MMP five percent threshold? I think that may have started the current distancing on the centre-right, as well as the Conservative Party’s continually basement level opinion polling. And Peter Dunne hates their guts for an obvious reason (spelt Gordon Copeland). It’s also difficult to see the Maori Party working with them, given the Conservatives radical anti-Treaty stance.
The arrogance very clear to me is that if McCully, professor of the darkest arts, relinquishes his East Coast Bays seat so late that National cannot/ will not nominate another candidate in his place, as suggested on Stuff this morning … by what polling/logic or insanity do they simply assume that National voters will be so easily manipulated to vote for batshit crazy Craig instead? How will voters be with this arrogant arrangement? Me? I would automatically be forced to vote Green or IMP !
Why would they vote Chemtrail Colin ? East Coast Bays ? My dahling boy, jesting you must be !!
link if you can bear it:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10156727/Bays-may-be-Craigs-best-hope-of-a-seat
if key does this..and the scenario is totally plausible..
..this will be his desperate-dan move..
..the polls will be telling him he is heading for certain defeat..
..and et-impersonator craig will be the last sheet-anchor he will try/use..
..and many of his cabinet ministers will be breathing deeply..and going:..’dear god..!..no..!’..
..and begging key to not do it..or as last resort as a last resort..
..but should it come about/to that..mccully will slither away to a promised new sinecure/well-feathered nest..if told to..
..bennett is too personally ambitious to take one for the team..
..and mitchell barely seems to know what day it is..
..he is like a concussed lock-forward who has wandered into the wrong place..
..so mccully it is..
but what about the voters, I hear a pitiful cry ! What about us ?? Don’t we matter ?
Of course not, says the nice honest Mr Key.
well..the seat..(of my semi-rural childhood) has become a centre of white-flight/a white sth african colony….
..kind of the nelson of the north..
..so they will likely look warmly on craigs’ maori-bashing policies..
..and fundamentalist-christians of the type open to messages of hate/bigotry..will be thicker upon the ground there..
..than in other parts of auckland..
..in some ways it is a match made in..dare i say it..?..heaven…
..or is that..hell..?
what is become of us Phillip ? 🙁
we are about to enter a period of major change..
..we have been in stasis..for the last 30 yrs..
..just the slow/steady grinding down from the randites/neo-libs in national and labour..
..and it is not only the environmental pressures forcing that upcoming change..
..it is the whole house of cards..
..when you have the pope coming out and saying the international financial system is in danger of collapsing..
..all while the richest are rich beyond their wildest dreams..
..inequality is thru the roof..etc..etc..
..you just know shit has to change..
It all comes down to whether mccully is prepared to end his behind the scenes napolleonic ways and be the ambassador to washington, or not.
Son of national
Son of helen
Son of satan?
Somebody earlier in the thread mentioned Ian Brady. Resemblance is greater imo to this identikit of Son of Sam.
the difference is that the tories only want money but craig wants to be God!
Expect Craig to get stranger as the campaign progresses. He is very risky for National. The Nats best option is to go hard against him and drive his vote down to limit the damage to the right to about half a percent. If they accommodate him they could easily lose half a percent anyway by association as his narcissism becomes more and more apparent. I don’t see real upside for the right in the Conservatives, only risk.
Sorry Micky, you can do better, this is a bit mischievous, cheeky and below the belt, I must say, hey, now I feel tempted to vote for Colin Craig, thanks for the “motivation”!
lol whut?
Look at the freaking poster.
So motivate. Such temptation.
‘I never thought I’d be writing to penthouse forum etc etc
Son of a National!
Rewind the enlightenment, it was all a big mistake.
memo to cc – your photos make you look creepy – no one wears a suit in the grass unless they are sneaking around and the pose is, well, better to take your shirt off to convey the pinup look more successfully.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10159390/No-easy-ride-on-the-Shore-for-Craig
that’s a brilliant photo…
..imagine walking along the beach..and that popping up out of the sandhills..
..you’d run like the wind..
..eh..?
..he looks like tony abbot in his ‘wink-wink’-moment..
And then you’d call the police.
whoever is doing Craig’s posters and photos, I hope they maintain these astonishing standards over the coming weeks 🙂
Separated at birth?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnpofBtijF8
A twin?.
http://d2948ivoqgnz9i.cloudfront.net/photos/60980.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDHY1oPaYBQ
I tried to make the image a bit silly, but I think I just made it much, much creepier.
It’s actually clever and daring. You all sound worried. CC is gaining traction.
“..You all sound worried. CC is gaining traction…”
nah..!..he’s a batshit-crazy loon…
..we are just laughing like drains at him..
..nothing more..nothing less..
..and if it happens..and craig is a minister in the new tory govt..
..what would he be minister of..?..d’yareckon..?..(u as a fan..)
..all i cd come up with was ‘minister for silly walks’..
..yr thoughts..?
..and wd he and chris finlayson be ‘buddies’..?
..they cd exchange playful jibes on the topic of moon-landings: did they really happen..?
..and chem-trails:..what’s the story..?..
..and..creationism:..of course..!
..gays:..should we stone them..?
..good times..!..good people..!
“..It’s actually clever and daring..”
i’ll concede the ‘daring’…’clever’..?..nah..!..eh..?
..dumb/intuitive as a sack of doorknobs..more like it..