SSTimes Editorial: Clark’s UN job great for NZ but…

Written By: - Date published: 2:59 pm, March 29th, 2009 - 35 comments
Categories: labour - Tags:

I haven’t spotted an on-line version of this yet (SStimes Editorial, 29 Mar 2009) but wanted to pull a couple of quotes out that made sense to me:

Helen Clark’s new post is an achievement, both for her and New Zealand. She is the outstanding politician of her generation and this appointment recognises and rewards her talents. It is also good news for the country she has served so well. Clark proves once again that New Zealand has a special niche in global politics….Her appointment also raises some spiny issues about how  small country can make the best use of its talents. When she leaves parliament she leave a gaping hole. The departure of Michael Cullen, the brightest person in parliament, creates another. Clark’s appointment is a coup for her country; John Key has promised to use Cullen’s talents as well. So he should. A tiny country of four million can’t afford to waste any of it’s gifts. But there is a flip-side to this truism..a tiny country can’t afford drones or deadwood in high places…Labour must get through some complicated manoeuvring in order to get the best candidates for Cullen and Clark.

I suspect many thinking about the by-election most likely to be ahead is thinking about what the ramifications are for Labour. What sort of campaign to run, who to run and then what are the consequences. Who does Labour want to step up? There’s a significant opportunity for them here  to illustrate where Labour is heading  under new leadership. Interesting times ahead, and a good reason to be watching!

35 comments on “SSTimes Editorial: Clark’s UN job great for NZ but… ”

  1. Byron 1

    Another interesting point is the one Gordon Campbell made

    “The Key government by re-directing our foreign aid into serving our own economic and diplomatic interests in the Pacific is at odds with the UN,…New Zealand plans on using its foreign aid as corporate welfare to subsidise Air New Zealand services in the Pacific, for instance.

    In her new job, Clark will have more pressing priorities than New Zealand but it means that she can hardly cite her home country as a shining beacon for others to emulate,”

  2. Tim Ellis 2

    Yet again, Dancer, a very thoughtful post from you.

    I think Labour has some real problems in Mt Albert. Phil Twyford definitely wants the nomination, and by all rights he should get it. He’s set up office in Helen Clark’s electorate office and knows the seat well. It doesn’t sound like he will readily hold off to challenge in Auckland Central next time.

    But the consequences for Labour of having a sitting MP are very significant. Twyford is new blood, but those remaining on the List aren’t. Labour got pretty much everyone it wanted to have in Parliament in on the list in 2008. Those who didn’t make it were placed where they were on the list for a reason.

    Glenda Fryer is another name that seems to be rolling about.

    It looks like there’s a paper 5,000 majority to the Left in Mt Albert, based on the combined left-right party votes. That’s a big majority for National to claw back, and Ravi Musuku doesn’t have a proverbial show of winning it. But with a strong candidate from National, and the prospect of a Labour win effectively bringing in Judith Tizard, there’s a real chance Labour could get a real fright in that seat.

  3. Schwule 3

    “When she leaves parliament she leave a gaping hole”.

    Excuse the spoof and I don’t mean to poke fun at the original work, however this understatement is a genuine classic. lol

  4. Dancer 4

    Thanks Tim. I do hope that fighting a by-election will get Labour motivated and active on the ground. There are some good people and good brains for them to tap into. But there does seem to be quite a bit of risk in the offing as well!

  5. Tanya 5

    Phil Twyford is the one to go for, one of the best newbies Labour have.

    • lprent 5.1

      It will be up to the Mt Albert LEC. If you aren’t on it, then your opinion is irrelevant

      • Tim Ellis 5.1.1

        I realise you’re a member of the LEC, LP, and as important as your decision is, what is more important is the final judgement of the voters of Mt Albert. The LEC making a judgement without reference to how the voters will interpret it will do so at its peril.

        From what I can see, Twyford is a hard-working and potentially talented MP. I guess the real shame is that if he is the candidate, voters in Mt Albert won’t actually be voting for him: they will in effect be voting for Judith Tizard. I don’t imagine you can comment on that here, but it is the reality of a Twyford selection in Mt Albert.

        I do wonder if Labour has got any realistic talent outside its caucus.

        The National Party has similar issues. Ravi Musuku is not the bright, ambitious future of the National Party. But if they manage to come up with a really strong candidate, and Judith Tizard is the end result of a Labour win in Mt Albert, then Labour will have a real fight on its hands.

        • r0b 5.1.1.1

          I do wonder if Labour has got any realistic talent outside its caucus.

          I do wonder if National has got any realistic talent inside its caucus.

          Where is the plan to deal with the economic crisis? Where is the action? So far all National has done is re-announce spending that Labour already had planned, implement tax cuts that Labour already had planned, and hold an expensive and useless talk fest. Where is the vision? Where is the plan?

          National are trying to cruise through this crisis on the cushion left for them by the good work of Michael Cullen and the last Labour government.

          They are doing nothing about the Big Issue, and on all the small stuff they are heading straight back to the 90s, softening everything up for privatisation. “Back to the Future” with National (complete with Paul Holmes on TV, David Bain trial in the media – gawd help us).

        • lprent 5.1.1.2

          The problem is that when they drop Musuku, the Nat’s also drop what little knowledge that they have of the electorate. I’m pretty sure that the voters in Mt Albert are going to notice that – whereas they are less likely to notice the type of media that Key likes.

          Now I’m sure that they’ll try to bring in outsiders to run the campaign. But they’ll probably be like that moron from Christchurch that was doing bullyboy tactics at Edendale last time. Incidentally we’ll be ready for that kind of offense against the electoral law this time – I must find out where the complaint against that dickhead has gotten to.

          Phil is a great candidate and I’ve worked on campaigns with him for years. Similarly so are most of the other names that are coming up to be a candidate with varying degrees of experience and talent. The LEC will pick the one that we think will help us to win the election and continue the long tradition of Labour service to my home electorate. Having only 2 Labour MP’s since 1949 sort of tells its own story.

          The LEC actually lives in the electorate (apart from me – the damn boundary change dropped me back in Auckland Central last census). Moreover they’re known as Labour supporters. That means you get a lot of feedback from the voters. And of course we never really stop formal canvassing in this electorate. There have been ongoing campaigns since the election.

          I’m afraid that for National, their party vote in 2008 is probably the high tide mark. They haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory in government so far. That level of incompetence is really going to count because voters in Mt Albert really notice the discrepancies between bullshit and performance.

          BTW: as rOb said – it is difficult to see where the Nat’s have any talent inside caucus. Looks to me like the Nat’s need to get rid of some deadwood so we can see if they have any realistic talent behind. It must have been hard to select such a useless set of fiddlers.

  6. justthefacts 6

    I cannot wait to see the return of Judith Tizard, that should see Labour drop below 20% in the polls.

  7. curious george 7

    Are you the same Tanya who said these gems?

    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/the-guys-looking-tired-already/#comment-122571

    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/a-little-help/#comment-113718

    if so I am not convinced you would be genuinely positive about anyone from Labour…unless DPF is employing righties to rark this stuff up

    • Felix 7.1

      Yes, it’s the same old Tanya. And yes, of course there’s a concerted effort. Check out the two comments from Tim just above where he manages to repeat the line about Tizzard no less than 3 times.

      I’m not suggesting that what he’s saying isn’t true, just that the righties have a strong interest in emphasizing that particular aspect of the by-election in order to neutralise a promising potential candidate and you can expect to see it repeated in a very calculated and deliberate manner by the likes of Tim and Farrar until the lower animals pick up the tune and start singing along.

  8. The danger is that Labour, like National, will pick just another party hack. Both major parties are positively stuffed full of them. I define a party hack as a person who will say or do pretty much anything for short term tactical/political advantage for their party. We don’t need more of them. We need people who will let the evidence interfere with their preconceptions and who can absorb reality and provide leadership.

  9. sweeetdisorder 9

    I went looking for info on Phil Twyford on labour’s web site. Apart from name and shadow portfilos, zippo. So, what is so special about him?

  10. monkey boy 10

    They’ll lose it – the kudo attached to having Helen Clark, PM as their rep. was the only reason people kept voting Labour there. I used to work in the local WINZ there, and believe me, Helen Clark was invisible within the constituency apart from the presence of ‘Helen Clark’s house’. I think this seat is in danger of being symbolically toppled as a response to Helen’s rapid abandonment of it on the very night of her election defeat. I’d ditch them back in a similar manner if I were a voter there. Just an opinion which you are freely invited to dismiss as ‘right-wing trolling’ if you fail to share it.

    • lprent 10.1

      Bullshit. It has one of the best labour electorate organizations in the country who know the electorate backwards. Helen spent an enormous amount of effort and time in getting around the community organizations over the whole of her 28 years there (and before). We’d expect any future MP to do the same – it is an electorate used to having a strong local MP. It is also well canvassed so the LEC know exactly where to put our efforts.

      Contrast that to the Nat’s who have no real local organization or local knowledge, are about to shaft what they have because they don’t want the indian candidate that they’ve run for the last two elections to stand, and generally act like their usual arrogant fashion. Hell they couldn’t even get close to a party vote majority when Aucklanders were punishing labour throughout Auckland. The Nat candidate is not going to be acceptable to most of their local members, it is unlikely that they will carry the seat in a FPP election.

      The people in Mt Albert are still who I grew up with. The population in the electorate has changed over time. However they’re still the hard-headed, hard-nosed pragmatists who aren’t easily susceptible to the line of bullshit that Key spins.

      I suspect that during your time in WINZ, you didn’t get out into the community much.

      • Tim Ellis 10.1.1

        Those are salient points LP, and I value your insight.

        I wouldn’t over-rate the strength of the local organisation or knowledge of the electorate, though. Nikki Kaye beat a much, much stronger Labour Party electorate organisation last year (the Nats had nothing in Auckland Central before Kaye came along) and Sam Lotu-Iiga did the same in Maungakiekie.

        Ravi Musuku clearly doesn’t have a strong campaign around him. Yes it’s useful to have a strong electorate organisation, but there’s no substitute for a candidate who’s going to get out there and do the time needed. As for organisational strength, this is a by-election. If National wants to fight it there are plenty of strong neighbouring electorates who will put people on the ground.

        It appears Felix seems to be seeing some conspiracy in my comment that a vote for Twyford would make the Mt Albert seat a referendum on Judith Tizard. Felix, I’m not the only one saying this. Brian Rudman and the ODT are saying the same thing.

        • lprent 10.1.1.1

          Ah not exactly – you’re showing your lack of understanding of the internals in Labour.

          Mt Albert has had a far stronger organization than Auckland central since at least the early 1990’s. For that matter, I think that there are only a couple of electorates in the country that get close to (maybe better) Mt Albert”s.

          The best way to describe my feelings about the labour campaign in Auckland central last election was that it was quite dysfunctional. That is pretty much how it has tended to be since Prebble destroyed much of the organization in the early 90’s. Destruction is his abiding talent, and it looks like the Act party has picked that up from him.

          The selection for Mt Albert is going to be a bit of noise for a while for the campaign committee. But it is unlikely to disrupt the campaign. At some stage we’ll get a candidate using the formal process, but by then the campaign will be winding up further. We didn’t exactly stop after the last election. We never do.

          • Tim Ellis 10.1.1.1.1

            LP wrote:

            Mt Albert has had a far stronger organization than Auckland central since at least the early 1990’s. For that matter, I think that there are only a couple of electorates in the country that get close to (maybe better) Mt Albert”s.

            But that isn’t really the point now, is it. National had no electorate organisation in Auckland Central before Nikki Kaye. Kaye built an electorate and campaign organisation from scratch. Tizard had considerable parliamentary and campaign resources at her disposal. I was amused to receive three pieces of correspondence with the parliamentary frank on it within three weeks of the election from Tizard telling me what a hard-working MP she was. That was the first correspondence I’ve had from Tizard since living in the electorate. Kaye had none of those resources.

            The best way to describe my feelings about the labour campaign in Auckland central last election was that it was quite dysfunctional. That is pretty much how it has tended to be since Prebble destroyed much of the organization in the early 90’s. Destruction is his abiding talent, and it looks like the Act party has picked that up from him.

            I’m sorry LP but that is simply unadulterated rubbish. Richard Prebble was ejected in 1993. You can’t blame him for the state of the electorate organisation fifteen years later.

            It really is beside the point, anyhow. As you point out, the strength of the electorate organisation isn’t actually relevant during a by-election, since both parties will suck in resources and activists from other electorates in the region.

            The selection for Mt Albert is going to be a bit of noise for a while for the campaign committee. But it is unlikely to disrupt the campaign.

            Not just the campaign committee or the LEC. If the by-election turns into a referendum on bringing Judith Tizard back into parliament, then that will be a theme that will dominate the campaign, in my view.

            • lprent 10.1.1.1.1.1

              TE:

              Auckland central never really managed to get their organization back together as much as we’d like.

              The Nat’s won’t have most of a year to get a organization in Mt Albert. It is hard fighting an established effective local organization. Have a look at the rise in turnout and specials in Mt Albert to see what I mean. We’re really good at what we do, which is why the drops in this electorate were far smaller than others.

              Besides this governments performance is pretty crap, so a lot of the swing vote is likely to swing back. I suspect that will be a much more effective issue than Judith for those voters, and it is an issue that influences right voters more than left.

              As you point out, the strength of the electorate organisation isn’t actually relevant during a by-election, since both parties will suck in resources and activists from other electorates in the region.

              Don’t be silly. If you don’t have an effective local organization to slot their effort into, then most of the effect of extra resources would be dissipated.

        • lprent 10.1.1.2

          What is also going to be fun this election is showing labour activists from around the country is how the contact level of the Mt Albert campaign operates. Usually we don’t have that many observers because they’re working in their own electorates on national elections.

          This is going to be a good opportunity to spread the ideas that they can adapt to their own campaigns.

          I suspect we’ll be getting a lot more offers of volunteers, and because of the organization we’ll be able to use you all effectively.

  11. r0b 11

    Ahh monkey boy, can’t stay away.

    the kudo attached to having Helen Clark, PM as their rep. was the only reason people kept voting Labour there.

    You do understand the difference between the party vote and the electorate vote don’t you? That electorate has voted for the Labour Party under MMP.

    Helen’s rapid abandonment of it on the very night of her election defeat

    What alternative universe are you living in?

    you are freely invited to dismiss as ‘right-wing trolling’ if you fail to share it.

    On the basis of the evidence so far I have to dismiss it simply as ignorant posturing. Labour may or may not hold the electorate (I think that they will), but either way it will have nothing to do with your odd theories.

    • gingercrush 11.1

      That isn’t very good reasoning. In 2002 only four electorates voted National over other parties. One of them was Southland where Bill English was the MP and also the leader of the National Party. Labour’s party vote in Mt. Albert very much has to do with Helen Clark and less about Labour.

      Though its simply too soon for Mt. Albert to become viable for National. Sure its possible but this by-election I don’t believe will go to National. For Labour they need to be careful. They need someone that can make Mt. Albert solid red. They’ve had Helen Clark who did that role very well. But things have changed. They don’t just need a candidate that can win this by-election, they need someone that long-term can keep retaining the electorate and more importantly help Labour keep its party votes there. A short-term solution of winning the electorate just won’t cut it. As I very much believe in the future that seat will become more naturally blue.

      • Felix 11.1.1

        Reading your first paragraph I’m tempted to ask what you think the word “reasoning” means. Or “good”. You can’t possibly know the meanings of both of those words and be able to write that paragraph with a straight face.

  12. Tim Ellis 12

    LP, I suspect we’re probably talking at cross purposes here. Obviously there are many elements to a by-election campaign. I suspect there are probably a few elements we can agree on with respect to the state of play in Mt Albert:

    1. Size of actual majority: Clearly the party vote is more important than the 2008 electorate vote in determining the outcome in Mt Albert. As others have noted, the Labour-National margin is around 2,500 in the party vote. But in by-elections more than general elections, voters vote strategically. The Left/Right party vote difference from 2008 was closer to 5,000 votes. That is a steep hill for National to claw back.

    2. State of the respective electorate organisations. We agree that Labour has a strong, effective electorate organisation with good campaigning strength and good local knowledge. National, by contrast, has never run an effective electorate vote campaign in Mt Albert with a strong candidate. This is clearly a strength to Labour.

    3. State of respective regional party organisations. National’s regional party organisation is very strong and in high spirits. In a by-election, where there are deficiencies in local electorate organisations, this can be supplemented by the regional strength. I don’t know the respective strength of Labour’s regional organisation, but I think it’s safe to say that they took a huge hit in 2008. Having said that they shouldn’t have problems raising the money and generating the volunteers to run a competitive campaign. I think you can reasonably say the same of National, given the very strong campaign experience and strength regionally.

    4. Strength of the respective candidates. If Twyford is selected, he will be a strong candidate. We don’t know who the National candidate may be, but it sounds like Musuku doesn’t have the skills to be competitive against Labour in a concerted, high-profile, highly-focussed campaign. That’s for National to determine. If National does come up with a strong candidate, then that person may well rival Twyford in terms of local appeal.

    5. Strategic consequences of selecting a particular candidate. I think Labour would be foolish to under-rate the “Tizard Referendum” effect. It’s not just me saying this, as the ODT and Brian Rudman, both hardly captive of the Right, have been saying the same.

    6. Public view of the government’s performance. I agree that by-elections are generally seen as a report card on the government’s performance. I don’t share your optimism that the public view the government’s performance as “pretty crap”. Opinion polls demonstrate quite the opposite. Who knows what storms might lie ahead for the government between now and a by-election, but this will have a big influence on the outcome.

    There’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge just yet, but I think Labour would be very arrogant to think that it can select whoever it wants, ignore the consequences of its selection, and that Labour’s candidate will just sweep home regardless.

    • lprent 12.1

      The candidate is a factor. I’m saying is that it isn’t as major a factor in a local by-election as some people think. The organization on the ground is.The Nat’s will undoubtedly push more resources here, but the timing isn’t going to help their efforts.

      I’m aware of the demographic changes. After all I’ve been actively campaigning with those happening for nearly 20 years in Mt Albert. Because I work with the roll for campaigning (and I grew up there), you could say that I’m acutely aware of them. As Rudman pointed out, they have been affecting our results for a long time. To date we have successfully got good results despite that. In a lot of ways, the lower turnout in this by-election is going to help a lot.

      The national perception (as reflected in polls) of the NACT government is less relevant than the local perception – and it isn’t exactly favorable based on what we’ve been seeing. We’ll probably see some local polls coming through soon. They will be interesting.

      It is going to be fun to work on this campaign simply because we can concentrate resources.

      • Tim Ellis 12.1.1

        The candidate is a factor. I’m saying is that it isn’t as major a factor in a local by-election as some people think. The organization on the ground is.The Nat’s will undoubtedly push more resources here, but the timing isn’t going to help their efforts.

        I actually agree with you LP. The candidate of itself isn’t a major factor. The consequences of one party winning the by-election are a major factor. In the past, major consequences of by-elections have been about “sending the government a message”, which is important when the Government is doing unpopular things. This Government isn’t doing unpopular things.

        One of the major consequences if Phil Twyford is elected will be the Tizard Referendum factor. This will bring in a whole swathe of issues about MMP generally, and specifically the ability for MPs thrown out by their electorates to make their way back in later on the List. The only way for Labour to avoid that is by having a non-List MP stand as Labour’s candidate in Mt Albert. If Labour want Judith Tizard as an MP, then they should do it honestly and just select her as the candidate.

        In a lot of ways, the lower turnout in this by-election is going to help a lot.

        That is an interesting point. But how valid is it? It would seem to me that lower voter turnout would harm the Labour Party. It’s Labour that tends to suffer most with low voter turnout.

        It will be very interesting to see some local polling data in Mt Albert. I suspect both Labour and National are doing those at the moment.

        • lprent 12.1.1.1

          It would seem to me that lower voter turnout would harm the Labour Party. It’s Labour that tends to suffer most with low voter turnout.

          Right voters do tend to turn out more often than left voters. But in this case we know where to focus attention because we collect and retain information and have done so for decades. That allows a much tighter use of resources.

          I suspect that the Nat’s have virtually no information about this electorate and its voters especially when they dump their local campaigner. It is hard to acquire that type of information in a short by-election campaign. We will not be encouraging likely voters for national to vote, but left voters will be.

          There are distinct advantages for a well-organized electorate organization

          • Tim Ellis 12.1.1.1.1

            I agree LP, that is a distinct advantage for a local organisation that is active on the ground. I wouldn’t over-play it though or assume that is what will determine the campaign.

            I think the by-election will be as much a referendum on the Labour Party as it will be a referendum on the Government.

  13. Felix 13

    “It appears Felix seems to be seeing some conspiracy in my comment…”

    Didn’t mean to, perhaps I should have said “deliberate effort” instead of “concerted effort”.

    I just meant to say that it’s in the interest of those on the right to push the Tizzard aspect, and predicted that you and others would do so repeatedly.

    Which you have, and you’d be stupid not to. Hardly an X-file.

    • Tim Ellis 13.1

      Fair enough, Felix. Like I say, the ODT and Brian Rudman are hardly on the right, and they are making the same point I am.

  14. randal 14

    it seems like the consensus is that if she goes then where is the next colossus
    the thing to remember is that no one is indispensable and there will always be someone to fill the void
    that means you dodo
    I dont think we have come to the end of history just yet?

  15. Jum 15

    The Party needs to scrap the existing list and choose again, carefully. This is an important by-election. All those on the list should understand that and accept the new list. Getting Labour back in in 2011 depends on that.

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    2 days ago
  • Speaking for the future
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.MondayYou cannot be seriousOne might think, god, people who are seeing all this must be regretting their vote.But one might be mistaken.There are people whose chief priority is not wanting to be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • How Should We Organise a Modern Economy?
    Alan Bollard, formerly Treasury Secretary, Reserve Bank Governor and Chairman of APEC, has written an insightful book exploring command vs demand approaches to the economy. The Cold War included a conflict about ideas; many were economic. Alan Bollard’s latest book Economists in the Cold War focuses on the contribution of ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • Willis fails a taxing app-titude test but govt supporters will cheer moves on Te Pukenga and the Hum...
    Buzz from the Beehive The Minister of Defence has returned from Noumea to announce New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting and (wearing another ministerial hat) to condemn malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government. A bigger cheer from people who voted for the Luxon ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • ELIZABETH RATA: In defence of the liberal university and against indigenisation
    The suppression of individual thought in our universities spills over into society, threatening free speech everywhere. Elizabeth Rata writes –  Indigenising New Zealand’s universities is well underway, presumably with the agreement of University Councils and despite the absence of public discussion. Indigenising, under the broader umbrella of decolonisation, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the skewed media coverage of Gaza
    Now that he’s back as Foreign Minister, maybe Winston Peters should start reading the MFAT website. If he did, Peters would find MFAT celebrating the 25th anniversary of how New Zealand alerted the rest of the world to the genocide developing in Rwanda. Quote: New Zealand played an important role ...
    3 days ago
  • “Your Circus, Your Clowns.”
    It must have been a hard first couple of weeks for National voters, since the coalition was announced. Seeing their party make so many concessions to New Zealand First and ACT that there seems little remains of their own policies, other than the dwindling dream of tax cuts and the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 8-December-2023
    It’s Friday again and Christmas is fast approaching. Here’s some of the stories that caught our attention. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered some of the recent talk around the costs, benefits and challenges with the City Rail Link. On Thursday Matt looked at how ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • End-of-week escapism
    Amsterdam to Hong Kong William McCartney16,000 kilometres41 days18 trains13 countries11 currencies6 long-distance taxis4 taxi apps4 buses3 sim cards2 ferries1 tram0 medical events (surprisingly)Episode 4Whether the Sofia-Istanbul Express really qualifies to be called an express is debatable, but it’s another one of those likeably old and slow trains tha… ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 8
    Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;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:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    4 days ago
  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    4 days ago
  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    4 days ago
  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    5 days ago
  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    5 days ago
  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    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 ...
    6 days ago
  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    6 days ago
  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    7 days ago
  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    7 days ago
  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    1 week ago
  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    1 week ago
  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 week ago

  • First step to flexible labour market
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to repeal the Fair Pay Agreement legislation by Christmas 2023. “We are moving quickly to remove this legislation before any fair pay agreements are finalised and the negative impacts are felt by the labour market,” says Minister van Velden.  “Fair pay agreements undermine ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    39 mins ago
  • Extending 90-day trial periods to all employers
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to extend the availability of 90-day trial periods to all employers.  “Extending 90-day trial periods to all employers gives businesses the confidence to hire new people and increases workplace flexibility,” says Minister van Velden.  “Whether a business has 2 or 200 employees, bringing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    39 mins ago
  • COP28 National Statement for New Zealand
    Tēnā koutou katoa Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. An island nation at the bottom of the Pacific, New Zealand is unique.          Our geography, our mountains, lakes, winds and rainfall helps set us up for the future, allowing for nearly 90 per cent of our electricity to come from renewable sources. I’m ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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