Terrorist’s Writing Banned

Written By: - Date published: 2:07 pm, March 23rd, 2019 - 101 comments
Categories: Christchurch Attack - Tags: , ,

The Office of Film & Literature Classification has announced that the rant written by the Christchurch terrorist has been officially classified as objectionable and immediately banned.

Chief censor David Shanks is urging anyone who has copies of it to destroy them.

This makes possession of the file an prosecutable offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Shanks described the document as “a crude booklet that promotes murder and terrorism”.

The terrorist’s name is held in the Standard’s moderation trap, meaning comments using it do not appear on the site. Obviously, anyone who promotes it in any way here, including quoting it or providing links, will be dealt with firmly.

I can see further frothing from the nasty end of the blogosphere and the political world about the ‘right’ to read the terrorist’s hot takes. First they take our guns, then they take our user manuals!

It’ll be an interesting test of how far their empathy with the victims of the massacres really goes; can the right and their Blimpish boosters keep quiet for once about small sacrifices made in the interests of the wider good?

101 comments on “Terrorist’s Writing Banned ”

  1. Siobhan 1

    Meantime you can buy Mein Kampf for NZ$23 off Book Depository.

    Or The Norwegian Shooters book off Amazon for £36…though they have since taken it down, funny the things you don’t notice till someone makes it an international story.

    Personally I don’t understand banning stuff like this, it just makes it an ‘underground hit’ with all the wrong people. Its a classic ‘Don’t Press the Red Button’ type situation.

    Although Bavarian authorities were initially reluctant to see Hitler’s text republished, the IfZ suggests fears that it could be seized on by the far-right in a spasm of Nazi revivalism were misplaced: instead, it suggests that data on purchases shows that buyers are just people interested in history and politics generally. That seems likely: genuinely committed fascists have had copies of the book in samizdat circulation for a long time, even before the rise of the internet made it much easier to circulate banned texts.

    https://www.huckmag.com/perspectives/opinion-perspectives/people-buying-mein-kampf-panicking/

    https://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/12/books-milestones-terrorism

    • Macro 1.1

      Nevertheless Siobhan – you had better burn your copy!

    • Exkiwiforces 1.2

      Save your money, it’s not a good read anyway and it’s a good book to put you sleep I can you lol. As I’m still struck on pg 109 to pg 110 since 1999 and I also have his Vol 2 since 2010. I only brought the books because I had been reading about a chap in Luftwaffe at time by the name of General Walter Weaver, who had read both books and was for the Strategic Bomber “Ural Bomber” as he understood Herr Hitler’s long term Strategic intentions unlike some in the higher echelons of the Wehrmacht atm.

      • corodale 1.2.1

        Hitler was certainly successful with setting up the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.

    • A 1.3

      Without a ban we’d be allowing marketing via massacre.

      Those royalties go somewhere.

    • lprent 1.4

      As a complete aside and in the interests of mischief.

      Who wants to be the first person to point at the post on Whaleoil that had it up from the day of the shooting?

      I haven’t looked to see if it is still there myself. But it is the only site that I know to have posted it.

    • corodale 1.5

      A Swiss classic – but in all honesty, if the Jews hadn’t become so moderate and well integrated, the reptilian overlords would have left them in peace.

  2. Dennis Frank 2

    Your point about user manuals seems valid. My earlier response to banning the shooter’s name was a mental eye-roll, but it didn’t bother me. Whataboutism is a popular sport here, so I’ll leave the question of including other mass killers to those so inclined.

    I wouldn’t want his manifesto on my computer, so I share your desire not to have it here. There’s a contaminating effect. In the psyche, I mean (not in the machine).

    I see Tim Watkin put up something relevant on Pundit earlier today. “I’m wary of those who want to ignore his actions and leave them to the darkness. Just as love can only overcome evil, only understanding and transparency can overcome ignorance and dark deeds.”

    I think he means only love can overcome evil. I agree we need understanding to overcome the evil belief system, but that can be done via selective quotation to make a specific point re ideology & motive.

    You may not feel such understanding ought to be worked for here. If so, I hope you will declare that at some point and explain why. I see no reason to discriminate against leftists: I believe they are just as capable of enlightenment as anyone else.

  3. patricia bremner 3

    Thanks for this TE REO TUPAKE, I agree with your sentiment. Personally I see this as being like his name. Something we don’t want. It appears to be a rehash of others views so it has been reported. Let us concentrate on taking the best out of this situation and not adding to people’s trauma to satisfy curiosity and to instead minimize harm.

    Now we need to shame the voyeurs of pain and distress and the site providers into wiping the shooting tape where ever possible.
    Those who start on about free speech need to consider why we have censorship which is sparely applied. Shanks is not known for banning things willy nilly.

  4. marty mars 4

    Good news. I am impressed with our collective response to this murderer and his flea bitten ideas.

  5. Presumably the fuckwit included incitements to violence against his target groups in his screed, which would mean there’s no freedom of speech issue arising from banning it.

    • woodart 5.1

      we’ve had the freedom of speech clowns wanting two canadian racists to be allowed to regurgitate their tripe. freedom of speech comes with a responsibility, that seems to bypass these people. unfortunatley some of them will come out from their caves for a whinge. hopefully the other 99.9% of responsible kiwis will give them the raspberry they deserve.

  6. RedLogix 6

    There are two arguments here; posted on any responsible media or moderated platform it would have been eventually banned as a direct and illegal incitement to violence. If I saw anything slightly like this as a moderator, it would be gone immediately.

    At the same time, in the light of the horrendous crime that has happened, we do all the wrong things if we seek to protect ourselves from that which we fear. In the aftermath of the Nazi holocaust we made a massive effort to uncover all the details of what happened, confront the full horror of it, not only in the act itself but a full forensic understanding of why.

    I have not read it, nor do I intend to anytime soon. Maybe later when we can safely separate the words from the crime, but for now I’m going to leave it be.

  7. One Two 7

    Perhaps revisionism will become a legitimate career path…

    Documented history preceeds revisionism….

    If history is not documented, reviewed, evaluated, understood and learned from…’it didn’t happen’…

    Humanity exists in strange and ‘dangerous’ times…

    ‘Herd mentality’ is one of the greatest ‘dangers’…if not the greatest danger to ‘humanity’…

    ‘The herd’ is seemingly oblivious to its perilous self created state of deception…

  8. Chris T 8

    This banning thing (apart from the guns) is getting a tad knee jerky for me.

    Are terrorist and psychology experts allowed to have it for study and teaching or is everyone supposed to pretend it didn’t exist and have a mass memory wipe, MiB style?

    • bwaghorn 8.1

      They should go further they should erase his birth certificate and any other government documents he should just be a number kept in a cell till he dies . Personally I’d have a pull cord light firmly attached to his cell ceiling and a small stool as his only comforts

      • Sam 8.1.1

        That the government or even corperate power even entertains the idea of telling every one what to do or think is even more dangerous than banning. Government or corporate power shouldn’t have any more rights than the people gift them.

        Just take a look at third world nations with extreme poverty and harm to woman and children, banning terrorist bibles won’t help them one bit, so banning terrorist bibles have absolutely no effect on harm reduction. If we truely wanted to smash terrorist propaganda we’d go after the people who sought out terrorist reading material and defeate there appetite and thirst for such material in front of their mates so that they know in their heart that we come correct and they are wrong.

    • Maggie 8.2

      I’m not sure why you’re associating the banning with pretending it didn’t exist?
      Two points:
      1) The time immediately after an attack like this is ripe for copy-cat acts and the frothy-mouthed far-right neo nazis aren’t really known for their critical thinking.
      2) The manifesto is nothing more than a tool to further the authors desperate desire for attention and adulation. It’s deliberately obfuscatory which is a sure sign that the intent he espouses is merely camouflage.

      It doesn’t take an expert to figure out what his problem is nor will any remedy be found in analysing his empty rhetoric.

    • McFlock 8.3

      Anyone can apply for an exemption, it’s just judged on a case by case basis.

      So not only academics can apply, and artist could apply to make a giant papier mache pyramid out of pages of various works of hate, and then set fire to it to reveal on the inside a giant koru made of hearts. And other arty stuff.

      44 Applications for exemption

      (1)

      Where any publication has been classified under this Act as an objectionable publication or a restricted publication, any person may apply to the Classification Office for an exemption from the provisions of this Act in respect of that publication.

      (2)

      Every application shall be in the form provided for that purpose by the Chief Censor and shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee (if any).

      (3)

      On receiving an application under this section in relation to a publication, the Classification Office,—
      (a)

      after taking into account the matters referred to in section 3; and
      (b)

      if it is satisfied that the publication should be made available to a limited class of persons or to a particular person for educational, professional, scientific, literary, artistic, or technical purposes,—

      may exempt that class of persons or that person from the provisions of this Act in respect of that publication for such period as the Classification Office thinks fit.

  9. Exkiwiforces 9

    I think the right/ Far right white supremacy muppets have a little more to worry about atm than someone banning their books or manuals etc.

    The word on the streets around Hornby/ Hei Hei areas is that utu is coming for them. The Maori, Pacific Islander, other associated gangs and organisations who are organisation themselves from Bluff to Cape atm both on the outside and inside the prisons as they had seen the Muslim community as guests in NZ were to be treated as such, be respected and be protected.

    This ……… has lit a fuse and the clock it ticking and time isn’t on the slide of the right or far right supremacy muppets, but on the other side as can they launch utu at their time and day of their choosing.

    • Chris T 9.1

      Yes

      Because the gangs of NZ are well known for their campaign for peace and harmony between cultures and the community.

      • greywarshark 9.1.1

        You can’t help dripping your poison of negativity Chris T. More effort needed to control those thoughts that lead to an unhappy society.

        • Chris T 9.1.1.1

          Get back to me when they start obeying the new gun bans and hand shit in.

          And I am answering a post seemingly gleeful at violence.

    • RedLogix 9.2

      Alarming how many people are so keen to complete our terrorist’s work for him.

      • One Two 9.2.1

        Are you surprised, RL…Sincelely?

        • RedLogix 9.2.1.1

          No. I wrote at length a few nights ago about the process by which Yugoslavia unraveled. It got ignored. What people pretend to ignore sometimes tells you more than what they say.

          • One Two 9.2.1.1.1

            Yes, it certainly does tell more.

            I’ve chosen to read a limited number of posts/comment sections surrounding the events, to get a feel for whether progression or regression is more likely an outcome…

            A small number of handles have offered considered or cautious response when compared against those who endorse or find favour in attempts to consign events to the digital dustbin of ‘permanent censorship’ and wiped memories…

            I would not pretend to know what those folks actually believe can be gained by burying collective heads in the sand and digitized book burning , or how such actions enable evolutuon of our species by avoiding the plethora of learning which such events can offer society as a whole…

            Sure the events are fresh and raw with high levels of emotion and the ‘need to be seen to take action’, the public and private responses have been unsurprising and predictable…

            At this early point in the timeline, indications are that the opportunities to learn from the events are being buried along with the bodies and by the ostrich impersonators…

            Throughout history, progress and change has been driven out of the minority whose thoughts and philosophies are genuinely progressive…

            It can only be hoped that during this time of unparalleled transition, the book burners do not prevail…the outcomes of that eventuating are likely to lead to outcomes far worse, than they believe their thoughts and actions are preventing…

            • RedLogix 9.2.1.1.1.1

              I’ve said this before; we clearly understand the right goes too far when it’s extremists make claims of racial superiority; while the equivalent marker on the left is when it claims intellectual and moral superiority.

            • Maggie 9.2.1.1.1.2

              The manifesto is irrelevant. And so to is the shooter. It’s not the “book burners” that should concern you but the reactive intellectualising of his motives. There’s more than one way to bury one’s head and what I see is a lot of people distracted by a vicious dog asking themselves “I wonder why he bit those people and can we figure out how to stop vicious dogs from biting.”
              We need to be figuring out how we can best guide our boys through this “time of unparalleled transition” because if we don’t, more will come.

              Nobody really wants to talk about our disenchanted ‘lost boys’ and I get that it’s a prickly conversation but at what point do we put down our egos and decide to actually do something about our self-destructing male population?

              Change has to happen, we all know that and it is for the better but did we perhaps forget to support and guide our boys/men during this transition?

              • Exkiwiforces

                Yes Maggie you are correct, but I would also add their lost females which you don’t hear much about either.

                The pollies need to change and understand they govern for all New Zealanders and the selected few. We need too finally kick this Neo Con/ Lib economic BS out of every corner of NZ’s society both in the public service and private sector for once all or the other option is going to be very ugly and nasty for probably all concern.

                If push came to shove most of my mates both female or male will back the Maoris, Pacific Islanders and other associates any day of week over the white trash of the Right, Alt, Far right white muppets.

              • Macro

                Exactly!

      • Exkiwiforces 9.2.2

        If what I’m hearing is true, there won’t be many white/ Far right supremacy muppets left NZ which could be a good thing long term. These muppets are btw very out numbered in the Hornby/ Hei Hei area (and I probably could say throughout NZ as well) very a large margin anyway and we all know where they live as we went to school with, and with our kids as well and where they drink throughout the Hornby/ Hei Hei area.

        PS, we also outnumber them in the prisons as well by a good margin.

        Refugees in our area (Hornby/ Hei Hei) were treated as family, with respect, share each other’s culture be it sport, food, the outdoors etc and be protected as they have had tougher ride through life than you and I as my mum and grandma said me.

        • Psycho Milt 9.2.2.1

          If what I’m hearing is true, there won’t be many white/ Far right supremacy muppets left NZ which could be a good thing long term.

          Perhaps they’ll be thoughtful enough to gather in one or two buildings occasionally, so your gang member heroes could go and shoot them at their convenience? As a “good thing long term,” if I’m understanding you correctly?

          • Exkiwiforces 9.2.2.1.1

            We/ They do have standards and prefer do it the old fashioned way. Shooting unarmed people going about their business during a place of worshiping is just not cricket old chum.

            They are not my gang members heroes either old chum, I went to school with awful lot of Islanders, Maori and good respectful workclass kids we respect each other unlike the right/ Far right white supremacy muppets and their asshole kids.

            Yes some mates/ female mates are in the gangs, some are still on dole or DPB or whatever ever other benefit they are on, some have made a quid, some are doing great or living day to day either by choice, bad decisions of their making or the result of the Neo Lib/ Con economic BS of the last 30 or 40yrs. But in the end we respect each other, at home, out shopping, playing sport and most cases we can down sit to have beer/ tea or coffee with each and talk about life in general or the old times.

            The right/ Far right white supremacy muppets have a chip on their shoulder, blame everyone from left wing Pollies, religion, skin colour, gender, sex, people on a benefit etc for their misfortune or a lack of money because of the amount of taxes they have to pay, think Herr Hitler and his merry lot are the best thing since slice bread. All they talk about is want to reclaim their white racial purity and send every bugger back to their rightful place etc etc.

            • Higherstandard 9.2.2.1.1.1

              The day started off so beautifully on open Mike – what a disappointment it is to see a comment like this.

              • Exkiwiforces

                Yes sometimes the truth hurts, as Tame lti as said about CHCH racism this was going to happen one day and now all because this ……. lit the fuse last Friday. This has been like gangue wound that has had bandage on to long and it was off because the of incompetent Doctor. It’s a foul smell these wounds from my experience and the leg is going to come off one way or another.

        • greywarshark 9.2.2.2

          You might be interested in links marty mars put up in Open Mike at No. 8.

          https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/385265/christchurch-shooting-prompts-increase-in-korero-on-racism-tame-iti

          He also put up youtube Ted talk by Tame Iti on mana. Good.

          Hope you are not being deluged by yet another cyclone – 4 they said.

          • Exkiwiforces 9.2.2.2.1

            Cheers for that, I’ll have at Tame Iti YouTube clip tomorrow if the rain sets in.

            We have been slowly getting the effects of Fred’s mate Trevor, the last couple of have been windy with high temperatures, with high humidity and some wet season storms thrown in. We had a good old fashion wet season power failure last night, with today stinking hot with rain and storms from about 2-3 o’clock this afternoon and we hoping this will be like this until about Monday.

            So this means backing the study for me and hopefully finish at least two my Models ships if keeps raining while checking up the thoughts and lively discussion on The Standard.

            It’s been a very poor wet season so far and it’s been dry as a badgers backside for most of the NT until now.

      • Exkiwiforces 9.2.3

        Well this ……. has managed to change the NZ Firearms Law, piss off every swinging dick in the Muslim world- mainly the type you really don’t want to piss off, almost turned Australia inside out, the Alt/ Far right white supremacy Yanks have gone bat shit crazy from all accounts over this……, put AirNZ almost into a flat spin, made the Australian and NZ spooks including the NZ Police Intelligence goons look stupid and to top it off NZ Tourism is more likely to a hit especially from China judging by CCP Government actions post 48- 72hrs after Fridays event.

        Since 9/11 the Western World has to change its way of life and yes including little old NZ and most of those changes were the result of the paranoia of the Septics aka Yanks.

        • RedLogix 9.2.3.1

          Check out the timeline and get back to me on where he was in October 2018, just six months ago.

          https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/111387121/the-banality-of-evil–alleged-shooters-20-months-in-dunedin

          For a racist white supremacist who hates Muslims, it does seem an odd choice of holiday destination.

          We still lack information, but it does seem at this stage he came here specifically because as an Australian he would not raise suspicion, he could buy and train with MSSA’s legally, and as long as he kept his mouth shut no-one could possibly know what he was going to do. I truly do not see how ANY security force might deal with that.

          Unless you know about some secret mind-reading technology the military have developed …

          • Exkiwiforces 9.2.3.1.1

            Well it does appear he did use his NSW firearms license as back way into getting a NZ firearms license, there have a concerns from other firearms users about this …… and concerns about the activities at Bruce Range Sth of Dunedin reported to the police or local police firearms officer with little or no action by the police.

            The lack of intelligence oversight into the Australian and NZ Right, Alt and Far right Political activities by the spooks and Police Intelligence goons either side of the ditch.

            CHCH police not following up the concerns of Muslim community at security and pass trouble at their main place of worship and at gatherings held by the Muslim community.

            • RedLogix 9.2.3.1.1.1

              and concerns about the activities at Bruce Range Sth of Dunedin reported to the police or local police firearms officer with little or no action by the police.

              Which may or may not have anything to do with our Australian. From all accounts he used the place to train, not to socialise. The club President was sincerely shocked by what happened and seems to have had no more clue about what was going to happen than anyone else.

              I would speculate that he chose the Bruce club because it was small, and a good place to keep a low profile.

              So while the club may have indeed had some idiots, even if the police had taken action, it’s not clear this would have had any impact on subsequent events.

              The lack of intelligence oversight into the Australian and NZ Right, Alt and Far right Political activities by the spooks and Police Intelligence goons either side of the ditch.

              Again it’s not clear yet whether he had any relevant contact with any of these people in Australa/NZ. His radicalisation seems to have occurred elsewhere.

              CHCH police not following up the concerns of Muslim community at security and pass trouble at their main place of worship and at gatherings held by the Muslim community.

              Demands for increased security are easy to make in hindsight. But before the event much less so; the world is full of so many potential threats no police force can reasonably respond to them all.

              For example, there are probably a bunch of white extremists in ChCh right now who could make a very credible case for Police protection. Do you think it should be provided?

              • Exkiwiforces

                The Police are there to up hold Law and to Protect (not sure if that’s the NZ Police motto?)

                If they ask for it and them I would expect the NZ Police to provide any necessary requirements for the at hand.

                I’m sure what the reaction would be here at The Standard or if public knew about, if it were to accrue? Could make for some lively conversation either way.

        • Exkiwiforces 9.2.3.2

          PS, heck they have now ban his manifesto. The Right, Far and Alt right would be saying “see they are taking our MSSA Rifles, and now our free speech and what other freedoms are we going to lose? Our money too for those dumb Muslims, Pacific Islanders, Maoris and dumb white lazy apologists who don’t believe in white supremacy or white Aryan freedoms and our right freedom of association as well?

    • Robert Guyton 9.3

      Ouch!

    • Maggie 9.4

      That would be a huge mistake. Tit for tat violence never ends. It just increases the risk of innocent people being hurt.

  10. Duggie 10

    There’s a famous line in the movie ‘A few good men’ where Jack Nicholson declares ‘You can’t handle the truth’. Obviously this screed is the complete opposite of the truth, but what bothers me is the assumption that we can’t handle falsehoods either; racist rants and deranged manifestos. The government has decided that we need to be protected from them because we’re so gullible that we’ll fall prey to their toxic message just by reading them. Nobody admits that about themselves, of course, it’s always the other intellectually weak person who needs protecting from what they shouldn’t read. Today’s announcement is a huge insult to the intelligence of the NZ public.

    • Robert Guyton 10.1

      There’s a movie? With Jack Nicholson in it?
      Gullible? The viewing public?
      Probably…

  11. In Vino 11

    A little extreme, Duggie. I rather think a vast majority of the NZ general public would see through and reject the content. The problem is that we have some weirdos who through being emotionally stunted or socially frustrated fail to see through it, and feed on it, perhaps going on to repeat the cold-blooded mass murder stuff. We have to accept that our society is not perfectly educated, and we have some risky nutjobs, who, like young children, need protection from certain material.

    • Chris T 11.1

      So just let the govt decide what we allowed to read.

      I think they have tried that a few times over history.

      Didn’t go too well from memory.

      • In Vino 11.1.1

        Again, an extreme position. Our Govt hardly makes a habit of doing this – this is a special occasion, and I would not see the ban as permanent, or preventing academics etc from wanting to study the script if they ask to do so. It is not quite like Hitler banning Heine’s poetry, or Stalin banning Rachmaninov’s music. Hitler and Stalin banned and burnt heaps… We ban almost nothing in comparison to them. Maybe you should be more concerned at what is effectively banned by virtue of our media being privately-owned, and representing the viewpoint of their owners – a rich, right-wing and capitalist sector.

        • Chris T 11.1.1.1

          I am concerned at all the bannings by the people running the show, pretty much, apart from the video, which should be.

          Not sure what point you are trying to make.

          • In Vino 11.1.1.1.1

            Your position is extreme, but you now sound simplistic, and wanting to be so.

            • Chris T 11.1.1.1.1.1

              I say I don’t want govts controlling what we can read in NZ.

              You bring up Hitler and Stalin, and you are calling me extreme?

              • In Vino

                I was quoting Hitler and Stalin as bad examples.
                D’oh??

              • I say I don’t want govts controlling what we can read in NZ.

                The Office of Film and Literature Classification has existed for a very long time under many governments, and has banned publications on many occasions. Is there a reason that’s suddenly agitating you only now that it’s banned a right-wing extremist publication?

      • Robert Guyton 11.1.2

        Your memory is…not what you believe it to be.

      • patricia bremner 11.1.3

        So every piece of filth should be published? In case we miss something?
        I trust the judgement of the current critics and have better things to do.
        I also don’t want youth/ young children exposed to to it or the film.
        Perhaps I am “closing my eyes and ears”… but…
        I don’t see the powers that be being draconian.
        However the tenor of comments by some in MSM RNZ TV3 Granny Herald .. Now they remove, twist delete choose. Haven’t seen you complain.

    • woodart 11.2

      good post in vino. pity some others on here dont realise this…..

      • One Two 11.2.1

        In Vinos comment is extremely naive…as is your endorsement of it…

        Ironically the ’emotionally stunted weirdos’ IV believes are in need of protection…

        Are those who believe having govt mandating what can/can’t be read…is positive…

        It is regressive act, which will be expanded to include more material which the govt believes the public is too stupid and gullible to avoid or filter…

        Which subject matter is next?

        • In Vino 11.2.1.1

          A valid concern, One Two, but premature? The minute I think bans are being unreasonably expanded, I will rush to join you on the barricades.
          From your stance, I wonder if you believe in no censorship at all? Free access to all pornography for people of all ages?
          I repeat from my last message: ” Maybe you should be more concerned at what is effectively banned by virtue of our media being privately-owned, and representing the viewpoint of their owners – a rich, right-wing and capitalist sector.”
          This problem causes us far more censorship of certain attitudes, ideas, and even facts, than the odd ban like this one by the Govt. I find your position more naïve than my own, thank you.

  12. Sacha 12

    The Office of Film & Literature Classification is not ‘the government’. They have a well-defined law they operate under and their decisions are always made public.

    From what little I have heard, this latest dipshit’s highschool essay adds nothing new to the world’s knowledge about what makes inadequate young white men kill others.

    • Chris T 12.1

      It is a government office.

      • Sacha 12.1.1

        How about you link to their instructions this week from the government about censoring this particular publication in a particular way? Nah, didn’t think so.

        It would have been banned last month and it’s the same now. There’s no public podium for hateful nasty shitheads. If you are desperate for their wise reckons, sidle up to one in your local phonebooth – or move to Australia or the US.

        • RedLogix 12.1.1.1

          It’s a govt office and answerable to Parliament in the usual way.

          Yes the author of such a rant would have been banned at any time; indeed as I pointed out above the moderators on this site (and that included me for many years) are scrupulous in dealing to any threat of criminal violence direct or indirect.

          At the same time the actual rant itself remains evidence of his culpability and is of specific interest around the details of his reasoning, warped and monstrous as it is.

          I understand why people do not want to see it just yet; I don’t and I’m not sure if or when I will. But I don’t think we can hide from it forever.

  13. DS 13

    i wholeheartedly agree with both the changes in the gun laws, and in cracking down on the distribution of that video.

    I don’t agree with banning the manifesto. Is it an incredibly vile piece of work? Yes (I have read the thing, but don’t worry – I don’t have it on file or anything). But here’s the thing – everything from Mein Kampf, to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, to the Turner Diaries, is already floating around out there. There are entire Youtube channels that parrot the same filth as the manifesto (hell, the gunman likely watched them), not to mention messageboards. Banning the manifesto does absolutely nothing beyond giving the arsehole satisfaction that he’s provoked us into cracking down on freedom of speech.

    Rip the manifesto to shreds. Mock it for its pathetic arguments. Call up the right-wing “fellow-travellers” for the weasels they are. But banning it is a mistake. It allows him to win – one of his stated motivations was to provoke a “leftist overreaction” that will in turn provoke the Right.

    • Maggie 13.1

      “one of his stated motivations was …”
      One point in support of the ban is because many people do exactly what you just did; assume the author is truthful in his writing. He wrote a narrative that best served his purpose; to get attention, to feel special. His manifesto was all over the place, full of false modesty as he set himself as a hero/martyr. He deliberately name drops people who have a massive following in the hopes it would garner more attention. The ban doesn’t limit his freedom of speech, it just deprives him of the audience he wanted.

      • DS 13.1.1

        Yes, he wanted to get attention.

        However, he clearly stated that he wanted to provoke a “left-wing overreaction” (i.e. he’s a far-right accelerationist), a statement that makes no sense as a lie. He’s wrong in his reasoning, of course – accelerationism never works – but turning this into a debate about freedom of speech allows far-right scum to claim the moral high ground.

        • Maggie 13.1.1.1

          I didn’t say he was lying. For it to be a lie he would have to believe that statement was false (and it could still be).
          What I’m saying is that he’s attempting to deceive the reader by having them believe he’s racially motivated in his actions when in fact his motivation is a desire for recognition, attention and validation. The rhetoric is nothing more than a script, a collection of theme appropriate statements designed to camouflage his true intent.
          This is an important distinction because we need to focus on why he and so many others are choosing such extreme modes in an attempt to make concrete the abstract, to create a material reality where they are valued and recognisable; both to themselves and the world.

          • Dennis Frank 13.1.1.1.1

            I’m inclined to agree re your diagnosis of his psyche, but cannot re “he’s attempting to deceive the reader by having them believe he’s racially motivated”. I’ve seen no evidence of that latter bit. I’ve seen quotes from his manifesto that refer to crusader ideology, and the French-originated replacement theory, which suggests his motivation is produced by identifying Islamic immigration as a threat.

            A court in NSW recently rejected a prosecution on the basis that islam is not a race – which most of us already knew anyway.

            • Macro 13.1.1.1.1.1

              You might like to read this essay:

              How the Christchurch shooter used memes to spread hate
              Learning from years of online right-wing extremism, the shooter made his manifesto a weaponized shitpost.

              https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/3/16/18266930/christchurch-shooter-manifesto-memes-subscribe-to-pewdiepie

              The shooter appears to have been very familiar with extremist corners of the internet. The choices he made — to post a manifesto to a known radical community, and to carry out the attack as if he were doing it “for the lulz” — are unlikely to have been made at random.

              Instead, they were most likely designed to entertain his fellow extremists and, above all, to help them see him as someone to admire and even copy. The memetic elements of the manifesto were also most likely designed to provoke the media and the public into sharing it and debating the shooter’s actions — thereby increasing the attention, virality, and public debate surrounding the attack, and further spreading the manifesto within the mainstream.

              All of this is important to understand, not only to keep public attention focused on the shooter’s unthinkable actions instead of memes but because using memes to normalize unconscionable beliefs and behavior has become an established messaging tool for the far right.

              By drawing on meme culture, and naming a polarizing central figure within meme culture, the alleged shooter ensured that debate would arise around those details, rather than uniting people in standing against hateful rhetoric and violent acts.

              This cycle is already beginning to take effect, with many lining up to dismiss the role that memes have played in advancing far-right ideology, even though the New Zealand shooter literally described his horrific actions as an escalation of online shitposting.

              The whole point of these types of memes is that they are not meant to be taken seriously, right up until the moment where they become very serious. Take it from the anonymous owner of an established anti-Semitic YouTube channel, who described his own strategy of spreading his hateful rhetoric as follows: “Pretend to joke about it until the punchline /really/ lands.”

              The article is well worth the read – but I would forget the shitpost – it’s only there to spread hate and foster violence.

              • Dennis Frank

                Haven’t finished reading it yet but I get that the manifesto is likely to be a deceit strategy. If this online subculture is onto how to use mimetic theory, then they are learning from someone who is clever (not just intellectual). The ruse is sophisticated, yet the users front as simple-minded so as not to seem a threat. I see Maggie posted at 12.45am to this effect already.

                “There are three main parts to this process, and they each function toward obscuring reality with the intention of spreading the extremist rhetoric contained within:
                Using memes to trick people into dismissing a message as “just a joke” and not serious.
                Relying on members of the public to spend time dissecting, responding to, and being distracted by the memetic format of the message.
                Concealing the “actual” message within the “joke” of the meme, so that it spreads in all seriousness while the meme gets amplified and discussed.”

                “One of the most significant and pernicious ways that right-wing extremists use trolling, shitposting, and memes is to distort what their actual message is, so they can claim plausible deniability that their message is harmful or bad. That way, even when their extremism is clearly shown to be sincere, the irony surrounding the message clouds the truth. The shooter’s manifesto is a textbook example of this.”

                • Macro

                  Yes Maggie and DS are saying it much better than I ever could.

                  There is another excellent article on Vox which was published a couple of days prior to the Chch tragedy.
                  I have referred to it previously here on Open Mike – but I think it bears repeating because not only it is an interview with a remarkable young woman, but it also gives us an insight into how best to work towards reducing if not eradicating violent extremism.

                  https://www.vox.com/world/2019/1/14/18151799/extremism-white-supremacy-jihadism-deeyah-khan

                  This filmmaker spent months interviewing neo-Nazis and jihadists. Here’s what she learned.
                  Deeyah Khan, a Muslim woman, met her enemies — and came away more hopeful than ever.

                  What’s the best way to fight racism and extremism?

                  The impulse to dismiss extremists as unreachable fanatics is strong and at times justifiable. But perhaps it’s not always the most effective means of combating them. Deeyah Khan, a journalist and filmmaker, has decided to engage them directly as human beings.

                  In two documentary films, White Right: Meeting the Enemy and Jihad: A Story of the Others (both of which are currently streaming on Netflix), Khan sits down with white supremacists and jihadists (respectively) and tries to understand what’s really motivating them. It’s an attempt to cut through the rhetoric and the ideological trappings and find out why so many young men — and yes, it’s primarily young men — are drawn to extremist movements.

                  I gather that Netflix in NZ is not at this moment carrying these documentaries however there is a trailer on youtube.

                  • Dennis Frank

                    Yes, here’s a key point she makes: “Part of the reason people subscribe to these movements is that they feel shunned in their lives, in their personal lives or in wider society. These movements are deeply rooted in a sense of victimhood, real or imagined. So if we exclude them, if we shout at them, if we condemn them, that completely feeds into that. And then the monster gets bigger, not smaller. ”

                    And here’s another: “I tried to understand the core psychological draw of these movements. I found that a sense of belonging or purpose was a major factor. These people join these groups and suddenly they have a sense of meaning in life, a belief that they matter, that their voice matters. It’s as though they were once invisible and now they’re seen.”

                    Looks she she inadvertently triggered social alchemy: “I never believed I would remain friends with any of these white supremacists, that some of them would walk away from their movement after we interacted. But that’s what happened, and I still can’t quite believe it. If you would’ve told me that when I started, I would’ve laughed at you, but here we are.”

                    She’s extremely brave, and resolute. As artists go, exemplary.

                  • Incognito

                    Deeyah Khan, a journalist and filmmaker, has decided to engage them directly as human beings.

                    This is so opposite from what I’ve been reading, here and elsewhere, and it bears repeating.

                    It is counter-intuitive, but reaching out to those “little, weak, sad, pathetic online buddies” might be the (only?) way to a solution.

                    • Macro

                      This is so opposite from what I’ve been reading, here and elsewhere, and it bears repeating.

                      It is counter-intuitive,

                      Yes that is what is so “revolutionary” about it.

                      It is however not new. There are many examples from history of just what can happen when people meet in a genuine exchange of friendship.

              • Maggie

                Excellent links, thank you.

            • Maggie 13.1.1.1.1.2

              It’s hard for me to outline how I got to that conclusion without writing an essay. Brevity isn’t a strength of mine 🙂
              There is plenty of evidence in his manifesto but it’s not explicit but rather implicit.
              – He spends far more time talking about himself than his cause.
              – He goes to extreme lengths to assure the reader he is normal
              – His arguments for his cause are poorly thought out and weak.
              – He sets himself up as a martyr

              Here’s the thing, he may actually believe he’s racially motivated but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a surrogate for what he really wants. People do it all the time – transference – where they feel unable to get what it is they deeply desire so fabricate a more acceptable mode of getting it. For men, intellectualised anger and rage are far more acceptable than declaring feelings of insecurity and rejection and we often see this type of extreme racism linked with extreme anti-feminist views which points back to insecurity and rejection, not racism itself as his primary driver.

          • Psycho Milt 13.1.1.1.2

            …he’s attempting to deceive the reader by having them believe he’s racially motivated in his actions…

            For my part, I find his murdering 50 Muslims and injuring dozens more to be a compelling argument for that belief, regardless of whatever he might have blathered on about in his manifesto.

            • Maggie 13.1.1.1.2.1

              Without trying to sound like a dick that’s called a fundamental attribution error, a.k.a correspondence bias or attribution effect.
              That’s where we tend to believe that what other people do reflects who they are, that it’s indicative of their beliefs.
              In this way people view the shooter as inherently racist because of his actions and never see his actions as a vehicle of a different intent. This forms a presupposition in our minds and influences our rationale to the point that if we read the manifesto we would see only proof of that presupposition and any judgement would be slanted due to confirmation bias.

    • DS: I haven’t read it, so this is a genuine question: when you read it, did it contain threats of violence against particular groups of people, or encouragement of violence against people? If it did, OFLC didn’t really have any choice other than to ban it.

      • DS 13.2.1

        Yes, it does. The entire thing is about “driving the invaders from our lands before they out-breed us,” and specifically mentions his initial plan to go after the Dunedin Mosque.

        So, yeah. I can understand that the censor had no legal choice here. I just think it was a mistake at the political level.

        • Psycho Milt 13.2.1.1

          I think the government’s caught in a bind here. As you’ve alluded to, the nation’s right-wingers in general and white supremacists in particular are now going to whinge about the government supposedly practicing heavy-handed censorship, so the political messaging is bad for the government. On the other hand, government ministers can’t instruct the OFLC not to ban a document that explicitly incites violence against a minority group, and especially not for reasons of political expediency. It sucks, but there isn’t much to be done about it.

          I’m going to settle for asking any right-wingers who whinge about it just why they think it’s so important that the message of violence against ethnic minorities should be kept available.

    • Molly 13.3

      Agree with your take on the manifesto.

      In Deeyah Khan’s interview with the Guardian regarding her films: Jihad, and Meeting with Enemy – that undertook interviews with Jihadists and Neo-Nazis respectively, she quite succinctly makes the point:

      “Their cause is different, but their motivations and the personality types are the same. You have the guy who just wants violence and wants to find a cause he can dress his violence with. But the vast majority of the people are either lost and looking for a sense of belonging or looking for a sense of purpose. This is true for the jihadis and these guys here. They’re looking for something to contribute to and give to the world – in their opinion – in a positive way.”

      Khan has come away from her recent experience, she says, both more afraid and less. “What makes me more afraid is how organised, how galvanised [the white far right] are. They truly believe they are the victims. They feel like they have everything to lose and that’s worth fighting for.” But she also feels less frightened, personally, than she did. “I spent my life hounded by men like this and I left liberated from the fear because I realised they’re people who are just as messed up, in pain, broken or struggling as any of us. They just don’t have either the support or means to deal with some of the things they’re dealing with in a healthy way. I absolutely am not asking for people to feel sympathy for these guys – I don’t feel sympathy for them – but that does not exclude my ability to try to empathise with them. Having experienced racism my whole life, I decided that hating them or being afraid wasn’t enough for me any more.”

  14. Stuart Munro. 14

    I’m not sure that the shooter’s “manifesto” is particularly interesting, except perhaps to language corpora fans who want to trace all his source materials. But I do think that one of the consequences of the atrocity has been to expose a number of dubious media channels (the likes of 4Chan and its spawn) that have been indulging in the equivalent of what was once called ‘inciting a riot’, a behavior we’ve had laws about without conflict with free speech provisions, for a pretty long time. What’s more, secondary repeaters have been amplifying that riot signal, and these have been as ostensibly legitimate channels as Fox News, Kiwiblog, and a number of newspapers. These at least will be moved to mute their signals for a bit, which will be a good thing.

    As Redlogix notes, much of the radicalization seems to have occurred abroad. I trust this will be thoroughly mapped out as well as local influences and supporters. The choice of Muslims as targets doesn’t really relate to widespread antipathy here in NZ, as compared to countries with larger groups of Muslims where mass protest type actions have occurred like France, or where significant political groups have formed around the issue.

    Banning it is not so bad – it will still be available for study, but the gutter press won’t play it for clicks for as long as they might otherwise have done. Probably a good thing given the reading level of possible fellow travelers.

  15. WeTheBleeple 15

    “leftist overreaction”

    Oh I could provide one of those if you like. And I’d mock you for your pathetic arguments, but it’s already banned and so, with great schadenfreude I screw my thumb to my nose and say to you sir: fna fna fna

    You’d like to allow this morons drivel into the public discourse because Hitler had a good print run?

    I am enjoying the way people are all invoking Hitler’s manifesto being available as an example of why we should allow this.

    Gee. Where’s the connection between white supremist fucktards and that document? Errr, dddddeeeerrrrrrrrrr dunt cumpute dunt dunt.

    It is done. Get over it.

    An improvement would be if we went back in time and nobody ever heard of Charles piece of shit Manson. He was just recorded as Hollywood Fucktard 1.

    • RedLogix 15.1

      From my understand the manifesto is several dozen pages of rambling BS few will be impressed by; by contrast Mein Kampf which traded on much the same themes, was taken very seriously by a whole nation, and led to a death toll in the order of 60 million.

      So no comparison really.

      • greywarshark 15.1.1

        RL
        If the manifesto is rambling BS that few will be impressed by, then all the more reason for most to have the opportunity of reading it so we can see what the few will be impressed by! We need an overview of society and understand those that are having difficulties with what we have and are willing and even eager to lay waste to it. Know thine enemy I think somebody said. It sounds wise.

    • Siobhan 15.2

      I often wonder if you actually read peoples comments through…and whether you read with any comprehension.
      Or do you just absorb the first sentence and then go straight to moral outrage.
      I gave reasons why banning peoples boringly mad rantings can often backfire or achieve nothing… and you are refuting neither point..

      Does it not compute with you…once a document exists, even before the internet, banning it from legitimate sources doesn’t make it disappear…it makes it awesomely cool among dummies and conspiracy fiends, and the kind of thing 19 year old boys will go to great lengths to get hold of and ‘share’ via the inter-web…SIMPLY BECAUSE ITS BANNED.

      • WeTheBleeple 15.2.1

        I don’t reply simply because I don’t care for your arguments or your tone.

        Have a nice day.

        • WeTheBleeple 15.2.1.1

          Allright that was snarky. Sorry.

          I don’t default straight to moral outrage I’ve just been struggling to keep a grip this week to be honest.

          I’m concerned for public safety and children and vulnerable minds safety. I am not able to do anything about the damage already done by a deliberate poisoners poison, but I will fight to have its content censored. It is trauma inducing for peoples who’ve been exposed to these ideas and their carriers before, and adds insult to recent severe injury.

          If intellectuals want to view the materials and pontificate then have at it. Keep that pontification on a need to know basis. We can learn without disseminating nonsense. We can disseminate what the experts learn.

          It is not general reading, it is a poison.

          You have your views, I have mine.

          • Siobhan 15.2.1.1.1

            I do appreciate and apologize and forgive the snarky tone…from both of us..I’m simply referring to horrible reality.

            You and I may think..okay..this is a banned thing…I better not track it down, i better-not read it…but thats not what THEY are thinking.

            and acknowledging that reality isn’t a ;intellectual’ thing.

            we are probably more in agreement than you may think.

  16. Formerly Ross 16

    “Better to arrest ten innocent people by mistake than free a single guilty party.”
    “If someone is very hungry, the Angkar will take him where he will be stuffed with food.”
    “If you wish to live exactly as you please, the Angkar will put aside a small piece of land for you.”
    “Hunger is the most effective disease.”

    Thankfully, we are able to read and understand the ideology of the Khmer Rouge which killed and tortured thousands. We can learn from history. It is a grave mistake to ban that which we don’t understand and that which we find uncomfortable.

    Rob Hamill’s testimony at the trial of Comrade Duch, who murdered and tortured Kerry Hamill, was incredibly powerful. Thankfully, we have a record of his testimony and a record of the inhumanity of the regime.

    “In his confession, Kerry stated that Colonel Sanders (of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, a popular chain of fast food restaurants) was one of his superiors.

    He used our home telephone number as his CIA operative number and mentioned several family friends as supposed members of the CIA.”

    http://www.mekong.net/cambodia/redbook.htm
    http://bno-documentary.blogspot.com/2009/08/robs-victim-testimony-to-extraordinary.html

  17. greywarshark 17

    This in Radionz Sunday morning about knowing about white supremacists might make some good points.

    USA professor has been studying white supremacist movements.
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018687962/professor-kathleen-belew-christchurch-terrorist-driven-by-classic-white-power-ideologies

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018687797/lessons-from-norway-on-covering-the-quest-for-justice
    There’s concern the court case of the man accused of murder in Christchurch could give him unwelcome extra exposure. Espen Egil Hansen – editor of Norway’s paper Aftenposten – has some advice for media here after reporting a similar trial there, and also making Facebook accountable for its actions.

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    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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