The decline of the Herald

Written By: - Date published: 10:03 am, September 27th, 2015 - 103 comments
Categories: journalism, Media, newspapers, spin, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

The New Zealand Herald has always been essentially a cheerleader for the right.  Its right wing dominated pages were however subject to the occasional burst of clearness and light provided by the likes of Brian Rudman and Dita di Boni.  It also had writers capable of careful analysis such as John Drinnan and Fran O’Sullivan.  But judging by political commentary in the paper this morning the clearness and light and careful analysis is a thing of the past.

The word “bloodbath” has been used repeatedly to describe what has happened following NZME’s announcement of redundancies at the Herald earlier this year.  Apparently over 100 redundancies were expected from the restructuring NZME was putting the Herald through.  The proposal was to create a “world class integrated media room” involving NZME’s different media but the clear impression is that NZME is shedding some talented writers in an effort to save money.  Some of the major talent being lost includes Drinnan, Rudman, Michele Hewitson and Alan Perrott.  Over recent months other writers deemed surplus to requirements included Paul Casserly, James Griffin, Dita De Boni, Jock Anderson and Peter Calder.

News of John Roughan’s redundancy were apparently unfortunately premature.  Although the likes of Anderson will not be missed others made the Herald readable.

It is not a peculiarly Herald problem.  Fairfax Media has also recently lost some senior respected reporters.

If you want to see the repercussions look no further than this morning’s Herald.  The article initially purported to be written by Patrice Gaffaney who is a travel writer.  What a travel writer was doing writing about politics I do not know.  But then something amazing happened.  The article changed to record the author as being Heather du Plessis-Allan (h/t Maria Sherwood).

I really thought that a part time travel writer had written the article such was the quality of its analysis and this was to be the essence of this blog post.  If this is du Plessis-Allan’s writing we still have a problem because she is clearly amongst the large array of National cheerleaders we have in the midst of our media.

She starts off by accusing Labour of being sad sacks and that we should be all so proud because a right wing Australian leader thinks John Key is a great guy.  The depth of this social analysis I have not witnessed since I was a young teenager at school.  Being friends with the cool kid is clearly still important for some.

Then she blames Labour for the flag referendum fiasco.

Possibly [Andrew Little’s] biggest mistake though was playing politics with the flag referendum. Forget what Labour was saying publicly about wanting to get Red Peak on the ballot. They didn’t want that.

Sure, Red Peak being included was egg on Key’s face. The Prime Minister tried so hard to ignore it. But, it would have been much, much better for Labour if Red Peak was excluded. That way, more of us would have got angry, packed a tanty and voted instead to keep the current flag. It’d be a whole carton of eggs on Key’s face if his precious flag change failed.

That’s why Labour mucked around and that’s why the Greens and National outmanoeuvered it. Labour was more interested in embarrassing the Prime Minister than making sure we hand the right flag on to our grandkids.

So according to her Labour should have rolled over and agreed to what ever National demanded.  Although even then National would have found a reason to not agree.  If anyone was playing politics with the issue it was National.

Then she chips at Labour about pandas.

How do you turn a story about panda bears into something negative? Here’s how.

It sounds increasingly like our biggest trading partner might hook us up with a couple of cute – but admittedly expensive to keep – YouTube favourites.

If you’re Little, you don’t use this as a chance to show your sense of humour and crack a few panda puns or display your understanding of the tourism the bears generate.

Instead, you say there are better things to spend money on. There are always better things.

The reason lefties get grumpy about this sort of game playing is that being in charge of a country is an important task.  And there are many important issues that we face, some of them like climate change threaten our future.  And child poverty, the refugee crisis, the lack of a vision for our economic future, the housing crisis …

Our leader fluffing around trying to change the appearance of a particular flag and trying to get a couple of animals into one of our zoos for a photo opportunity  should be treated by ridicule by a political writer in our major daily newspaper.  It is a shame that it appears the Herald no longer has the calibre of writer who will say this.

103 comments on “The decline of the Herald ”

  1. tc 1

    Outlets such as granny now exist to sell the masters message having ditched jornalism many years ago. Note the management ranks and remunerations as a sign they arent serious about cost cutting.

    Murdochs leaked financials show how poor a viable business the mastheads are these days but they survive as they play a messaging role crucial in herding the masses.

  2. sabine 2

    why bother read the Herald, that paper is not even good enough to line a litter box.

    seriously, i pity the trees that are felled so that this type of rubbish can be printed.

    Do not buy the Herald. simple as that.

    • Paul 2.1

      I don’t.
      It has become the most dreadful rag, pimping for Key and his death cult.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.2

      +1

    • Visubversa 2.3

      I do find it is perfectly designed to line a litter box. However, that is its only function in this household and I never pay for it.

    • Hami Shearlie 2.4

      The Herald is a FANTASTIC newspaper – I mean all that newsprint is EXCELLENT to put under the bark in your new bark garden!! Why pay for weedmat when you can use the NZ Herald? And its also great to keep your fish and chips nice and hot and crispy!!

  3. sabine 3

    as for blaming Labour? Is that not a sort of Volkssport here in NZ, that no matter what, why, and whom Labour does it to, and did it first, so its all Labours fault?
    What else is new?

    • Keith 3.1

      Yep, its like last years “Tricky” campaign on David Cunliffe. Say the lie over and over enough and it becomes true!

  4. Grey Area 4

    I wasted several minutes of my life this morning skimming through this piece of appalling rubbish masquarading as political comment. (Interestingly initially on the Herald mobile app there was no byline). I expect nothing less from the National Herald these days but the degree of bias and shallowness in this piece were still gobsmacking.

    Little got it dead right in his comment about Turnbull’s estimation of Key. It is sick-making to be told we should have been fist pumping because Turnbull rated Key’s “achievements” so highly, and this particular comment is either cynical or shallow – or both.

  5. Keith 5

    It’s amazing isnt it. This shitty negative flag campaign is all John Key from start to finish, the flags chosen, the manipulation, the reason it is even happening but one thing is for sure, he can turn what should be a positive project (if it was run by anyone else but this government) and generate a blame game that somehow gets publicised as being anyone elses but his fault for its complete list of short comings.

    It has become the sum of everything that is wrong with the John Key National government, decitful and divisive!

    If Little had not mentioned a word on the subject he’d still be the medias strawman!

    And now its all Labours fault. Turn the record over!

  6. dukeofurl 6

    “News of John Roughan’s redundancy were apparently unfortunately premature”

    Whats the bet he called in a favour from his mate Key ?

    Hasnt Roughan been the ‘ deputy editor since’ way back when Clark was PM, hes been bypassed for the top job a couple of times, so hes not moving up in the hierarchy, and yet survives a culling of their senior writers ?

    Go figure ?

    • Sacha 6.1

      They have not made final decisions yet about who keeps their job.

      • dukeofurl 6.1.1

        Lucky for him then that he hes got’ digital future” written all over him and can write click bait stories with the best of them.- ? yeah nah !

        Then there was the recent MTV ‘restructure’
        “High-profile Maori Television executives Julian Wilcox and Carol Hirschfeld have been demoted from their jobs in a restructure process announced to staff at the station today.-” Herald facebook

        Funny isnt it how those critical of the government are the ones ‘restructured out’ yet the people who sunshine and joy in everything Key & co do survive?

        • tc 6.1.1.1

          Been quiet over at MTV as maxwell goes about nationals business, last ripple was Forbes departure from memory.

    • Paul 6.2

      Roughan’s hagiography of Key ensured he kept his job.

  7. Anne 7

    ‘Madame’ is a thirty-something married to the ZB News go to boy, Barry Soper. That’s an observation worthy of suspicion in the first place. Her political allegiance was suspect from the start.

    So, people who are concerned about child poverty, poor government economic performances, the ever-increasing chasm between rich and poor, honesty and integrity in government, being wise and worldly citizens and above all… tackling the looming disaster of Climate Change makes us sad sacks does it Heather? A judgement that highlights your profound ignorance and lack of mature intelligence.

    Btw, intelligence and a ‘mature’ sense of humour are invariably bed-mates. Think on that dear before you go off half-cock again.

  8. RedBaronCV 8

    Looks like a preloaded set of positive comments were wating to be flooded against this story in waves. When lately, has the Herald really had any positive commnents underneath for this type of story

  9. Reddelusion 9

    Yes Ann “dear” your moralising, constant negativity and I know best is exactly why the average punter just turn off when your ilk including angry andy just humerously prattle on. I suggest why jacindern adern has some popularity as she at least comes across as happy, with a bit of humour and less grim, not much else however

    • Paul 9.1

      Whereas you can only speak in soundbites and catchphrases.
      Just the usual shallow pointless comment from you, adding nothing.

      • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1

        Whereas you can only speak in soundbites and catchphrases.

        And only C/T created ones at that.

  10. DC Sheehan 10

    It’s one of the most brazen pieces of spin I’ve read. It’s Foxian in its wilful ignoring of the truth. The difference is that Fox doesn’t purport to be anything but a right wing shill.

    Seriously, this reads like a National Party ad. All it’s missing is an ‘Authorised by’ statement.

  11. Mrs Brillo 11

    Don’t vent here – send your comment in to the Herald under the article in question.
    Then let’s see how many of them end up getting published.

    Tip: criticise the writer, not the paper. Few of my comments criticising the Herald ever get published.

    And sometimes they delay for a day (or in one case three days) before putting any comments at all under a piece which receives a lot of criticism.

    They are gaming their own comments system, but that’s no reason not to tell them exactly what you think.

    • Rae 11.1

      Ah so you’ve noticed the tardiness of publishing online comment as well. I have been suspicious for some time, as articles such as anything pointing out the downsides of the TPPA or land sales to foreigners etc. get buried somewhere in the middle of the day, so that those of us who work don’t see them till later on, then whatever comment you make never shows up. My last comment in the Herald according to my profile was made on Thursday. I have noticed this increasingly over the last couple of months.

      • Paul 11.1.1

        And comments are closed when there is almost universal dissent with the writer.

        • Death Row 11.1.1.1

          Bye bye green eye.

          When Blue Eye succeeds with the case – you are dead.

          Oh well…….happy days.

      • Mrs Brillo 11.1.2

        My comment has not been published. (Perhaps I should not have told her that this was a very shabby effort. )

        But some individuals have numerous comments published which are a lot worse written and reasoned than mine was. Several under the same story.
        And the ultra right wing commenters that look like part of a National attack squad are there every time, sometimes multiple comments of theirs published.

        A lot of new nicks turned up today under this story. I think the person who suggested the Herald (or Mr and Mrs Soper) had pre-prepared comments ready to publish as soon as the piece appeared, was right on the money.

        So I’ll make a remark here which if I sent it to the Herald, they would not publish:

        Heather DPA is an immature apology for a writer who does not understand politics and is in the wrong job. Her lack of judgement is an embarrassment. Once again TV3 have fallen for style over substance, but there is no reason for Granny to do the same.

        She would make a really cute weather girl, though – imagine, Heather on the Weather. Light as a feather.

    • Clemgeopin 11.2

      <i."Don’t vent here – send your comment in to the Herald under the article in question.Then let’s see how many of them end up getting published"

      I did, at 10 am this morning. It has been published now. Here is my comment there:

      “What is amazing is that Key has managed to fool so many people for so long and so very easily. Turnbull is the latest gullible fool who has fallen for his charm. I agree with the point Andrew Little was making”

      Clemgeopin – New Zealand – 12:36 PM Sunday, 27 Sep 2015

  12. Clemgeopin 12

    That appalling article shows one thing clearly : That the author has a very low IQ, childish analytical skills and an extremely poor grasp of issues.

    or that she is just another biased right wing rogue agent masquerading as a fourth estate ‘journalist’.

    • dukeofurl 12.1

      From her 7 Sharp days

      “On Seven Sharp du Plessis-Allan did some pretty dreadful stuff. There was the time she dressed up as a park ranger and pretended to stop people entering a park in Wellington for a story that made no sense at all. She was sent to chat up old men in a pub to make a non-newsworthy point about the pension age. She jogged around the capital with the speaker David Carter. She introduced the world to John Key’s office toilet.”

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/70857862/The-real-Heather-du-Plessis-Allan

      I understand these sort of shows, the reporters mostly bid their own story ideas for the producers. What was she thinking ?

      • Clemgeopin 12.1.1

        Don’t these idiot journalist even realise how embarrassingly inept and hollow they are?

        • Paul 12.1.1.1

          They don’t care as long as they can acquire the trappings of success.
          Money, fame, stuff…..

          • Puddleglum 12.1.1.1.1

            Bingo – sadly I think that’s pretty much the sum of it.

            The ability to think seems to get you nowhere in mainstream political journalism today.

            The only ‘analysis’ allowed seems to be over a politician’s ‘image’ (never analyse policies or important social issues – a big ‘no-no’). And even that analysis has to be trivial, caricatured and simplistic in order to pass muster.

            Have you noticed how any in-depth analyses (e.g., feature articles) are never written by these ‘prominent’ political journalists?

            I get the distinct impression that the Garners, Gowers – and, now, du Plessis-Allans – of the journo world are simply there to do the intellectual equivalent of prancing about making god-awful spectacles of themselves.

            Perhaps they really don’t understand how incredibly shallow what they do is? Maybe the saddest interpretation is that they really think they’re doing something substantive.

            On the evidence of this column it seems that that week surfing with Key’s Press Secretary has either had the desired effect or was simply a case of birds of a feather:

            The couple [Soper and du Plessis-Allan] have just spent a week surfing in Hawaii with Sia Aston, the Prime Minister’s new chief press secretary.

            • Paul 12.1.1.1.1.1

              Literally and metaphorically embedded journalists.

            • Draco T Bastard 12.1.1.1.1.2

              Perhaps they really don’t understand how incredibly shallow what they do is? Maybe the saddest interpretation is that they really think they’re doing something substantive.

              I suspect that they probably think that they’re being sophisticated but are actually too stupid and shallow to realise that they’re being arses.

              • ropata

                Agreed, I can’t imagine how anyone with a smattering of intellect or self-awareness could possibly lower themselves to such a trivial sideshow. Unless they are a smug narcissist who is star-struck by wealth and glamour, and thinks they are a part of it…

                http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/20/broadcasters-mouthpieces-of-elite-balanced-news-journalists

                Those entrusted to challenge power are the loyalists of power. They rage against social media and people such as Russell Brand, without seeing that the popularity of alternatives is a response to their own failures: their failure to expose the claims of the haut monde, their failure to enlist a diversity of opinion, their failure to permit the audience to see that another world is possible. If even the public sector broadcasters parrot the talking points of the elite, what hope is there for informed democratic choice?

  13. Ad 13

    I went to a funeral in Dunedin last week.
    200 people.
    Mostly good bourgeoisie, small business people, farmers, late middle aged, reasonably well off.

    Not a positive thing to say about Key, the flag, the economy, the government, farming, the military, Dunedin, the regions.
    Nothing.

    • BM 13.1

      Christ, what did you expect.
      it’s Dunedin the home of Labour and the misery guts capital of NZ.

      • weka 13.1.1

        Did you get divorced in Dunedin BM, or went to uni or something? Such a downer on the place.

      • lprent 13.1.2

        And also the only independent large newspaper in NZ. It is still as reactionary as it was when I was there decades ago. But unlike the NZ Herald, it is still worth reading because it still tends to concentrate on reporting news.

        Besides, there are two seats in Dunedin. Hardly a large voting population.

    • infused 13.2

      Dunners is a cold shit hole. No wonder people are unhappy. Fuck my life if I ever have to live there.

  14. Ralf Crown 14

    It is not only a peculiarly Herald problem, no, it is a problem of arrogance, stupidity and navel gazing. I know for sure that the Herald has repeatedly been offered services from very competent and skilled kiwi journalists stationed overseas, for instance in China. They could write with highest competence about China as it really is, but the Herald could not be bothered to even answer. Besides that, The Herald don’t want to publish unless they are allowed to snoop around in the writers private life and register his home address and other personal data. If the journalist is living in China for instance, that is now a criminal offense. You see the same media arrogance in for instance EU, and journalists are wholesale dumped as a result. Don’t buy the Herald, don’t patronize their advertisers.

  15. mac1 15

    How can you give credibility to a serious opinion piece or to its publisher when they write this about her?

    “Heather du Plessis-Allan is a thirty something year old trying very hard to avoid growing up. So far it’s working, except for the husband, the mortgage and the proper job. Since moving to central Wellington, she’s doing all she can to act more metropolitan than a girl who grew up down the road from an onion field outside of Auckland.”

  16. maui 16

    Here there do Panda see Sellin

  17. Tory 17

    It’s a privately owned company, they can write anything they fuckin like. Shouldn’t you be reading the Socialist Worker for your daily dose of propaganda rather than reading Fairfax?

    • Paul 17.1

      Settle down.
      You need to take your angry pills, Tory.

    • Reddelusion 17.2

      Spot on Tory, if there is such a thirst for a socialist left wing rag why don’t the likes of Paul and friends simply put their money where their mouth is and get publishing Pent up demand is huge by their reckoning, they can’t loose, instead we get them demanding a private company do their bidding ( Should not be a surprise I guess as socialist MO) If they don’t like the herald, stop fkn reading it, simple. I suspect sub consciously they love the herald as they love bleating and moaning as a distraction from their own inadequacies.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 17.2.1

        The only way you can get ahead is by lying. It’s pathetic.

      • Peter 17.2.2

        ….. fine if the Herald owned up publicly to its own right wing tag tendencies ….. but they don’t preferring to mislead the gullible with a veneer of balance as New Zealand’s most awarded publication ……. what we really need is two national papers whose left and right bias is known and accepted ( Guardian v’s Times)

    • One Anonymous Bloke 17.3

      They are (allegedly) journalists, and can no more write “anything they fuckin like” than you can write anything substantive.

      I appreciate the only way Dear Leader can get elected is by lying, and journalism still isn’t your toy.

      Choke on it.

    • Draco T Bastard 17.4

      It’s a privately owned company, they can write anything they fuckin like.

      Actually, they can’t. They’re not allowed to publish lies for instance and that article does appear to be a bunch of lies.

    • half crown 17.5

      “It’s a privately owned company, they can write anything they fuckin like. Shouldn’t you be reading the Socialist Worker for your daily dose of propaganda rather than reading Fairfax?”

      We are all fully aware that the bourgeoisie media can write what they like Comrade Tory, but it is the insult to one’s intelligence when they expect us to believe the shit.
      Personally I don’t read any of the excuses for shit house paper that are out there
      Ah, come back The Daily Worker all is forgiven.

    • Paul 17.6

      The airwaves that they use are in the public arena and have been stolen.

  18. Im Right 18

    Well looks like my posts are deleted?, typical ‘democracy’ and ‘discussion’ that the left love ohhh wait!, am I deleted? I did discuss the post theme, but not your side of the fence eh?

    [lprent: Nope. It is most likely that because at some point in time you were a behavioral arsehole on this site. So you got a ban and were put into autospam. Obviously if there was an expiry on it, that hasn’t happened yet.

    Looking at the auto-spam list, it appears that you made an assertion here. You were challenged on it, and then you promptly disappeared like a child caught deliberately piddling on the carpet because it was “funny”. Clearly you didn’t like that little spanking. You didn’t want to “discuss” that did you?

    It is apparent that you are clearly gutless, inaccurate, and way way too stupid to comment on this site.

    Your habit of making defamatory comments that appear to have been picked out of your arse (because they have no substantiation) makes you a liability for this site. Reading you chewing on your dick head doing all of those strange comments in auto-spam, I’d have to say that you add nothing to the political debate apart from being a good example of someone acting like a idiotic parrot repeating other peoples lines. Looking at their content, I will put you on a preventative and preemptive permanent ban.

    Bye bye idiot troll. ]

  19. Gemma 19

    Du Plessis Allan’s Herald article is unbelievably shallow. Micky, you’re right – she’s functioning like someone in the schoolyard who wants to be in with the “cool” kids at any cost.

    Media have repeatedly criticised Labour for supposedly being a weak opposition… yet the media also criticise Labour for speaking out against National’s cynical, manipulative actions and decisions. It’s a no-win situation. We have a complicit media who are National lapdogs not watchdogs.

  20. stigie 20

    If you lot think Heather du Plessis-Allan is a National cheerleader, there must be some full on arguments in the Soper household then, because i reckon ole Barry is a full on cheerleader for Labour…?

    • Gangnam Style 20.1

      ” Barry is a full on cheerleader for Labour” ahh, no he is not.

    • Paul 20.2

      You are kidding, right??!!!

      • stigie 20.2.1

        Soper, always known as the leftie hack.

        • maui 20.2.1.1

          Yeah thats why the country’s most conservative radio station newstalk employ him lol.

        • Paul 20.2.1.2

          Du Plessis’s hatchet job at the Moment of Truth.
          Quite the right wing puppet, serving her corporate masters.

          http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-insulting-behaviour-of-mike-hosking.html

          And Soper works at Newstalk ZB.
          A hot bed of left wing views.

        • Sanctuary 20.2.1.3

          Soper is another well past his use by date NZ journalist that in any other country would have long ago been put out to pasture in a regional publication. Here however they use the dearth of competition to cling to their jobs well past the age that they should get out. Soper is completely embedded into the Wellington political circus, AKA the “establishment” and sees everything through the lens of everyone having fat salaries and horse race reporting. That automatically makes him an in lockstep neo-liberal cheerleader, since that is what makes up our establishment.

          Another example is that dreadful Listener columnist Jane Clifton, a cynical, simpering idiot whose best work was done 20 years ago. Soper, Clifton – they are part of the system, deeply embedded, cynical hacks in a circus they think is a giant leg pull on the public and completely devoid of any ideology or values beyond the “game”.

          Oh and could someone PLEASE tell Brian Edwards that everytime he is on the radio he diminishes his legend and he sounds like an dottery, complacent and rather absent minded old out of touch old man who appears to think it is funny to be bullied by Michelle Boag? JUST RETIRE YOU STUPID OLD BASTARD.

          • Paul 20.2.1.3.1

            Yes, these people are all either pillars of the neoliberal establishment or are NZ’s equivalent of the Fox News ‘token Democrat.’

            Josie Pagani does this job as well.

    • Naki man 20.3

      “If you lot think Heather du Plessis-Allan is a National cheerleader, there must be some full on arguments in the Soper household then, because i reckon ole Barry is a full on cheerleader for Labour…?”

      Have you listened to the women, she is left of John Campbell.
      What I don’t get is why she would marry someone more than twice her age.

  21. infused 21

    I don’t think I ever read one thing positive on the standard. The article is pretty spot on with the left in general. bunch of winging, complaining, sad fucks.

    I thought whaleoil was bad with his bullshit, but this place is taking the cake these days.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 21.1

      That’s a positive comment. Or perhaps it’s some lame whining from a flaccid hypocrite. Who can tell?

      • ropata 21.1.1

        The Herald will publish any old crap so that RW simpletons can drool over all the fawning JK articles and flag trivia and ignore what’s really happening to NZ.

        But dare to criticise the holy scripture of the NZH and the FJK mob will be attacking you like a horde of furious gnats.

        Is this the brave new world of media freedom and technology? A flood of mindless dross? Jesus wept.

    • Paul 21.2

      So don’t come here.

  22. stigie 22

    Once you think and talk doom and gloom, you will never get to Government.
    Talking down the economy day after day like Robertson does and some of the people on here, no wonder Labour are still in the late 20s or early 30s and Little with the charisma of a cardboard box with no address !

    • Paul 22.1

      So says a neoliberal puppet.

    • Anne 22.2

      And what do you think the Nats did between 2005 and 2008? Talked down the economy big time and the irony is the Labour govt. recorded surpluses every year they were in office. In English’s own words after the 2008 election “they left the books in good order.”

      Contrast that with the Nats deficits for the past 7 years which don’t look like they’re going to change any time soon. So much for the mantra National know how to manage the economy. Biggest con in the history of this country!

      • Clemgeopin 22.2.1

        So much for the mantra National know how to manage the economy. Biggest con in the history of this country!”

        +1

        These nincompoops have accumulated a massive amount of debt, over106 billion dollars, ($106,000,000,000) in JUST 7 years of their misrule, for our kids and grand kids to pay off sometime in the future or to quietly become the economic slaves of USA, China, the World Bank, the IMF etc. The INTEREST alone on that debt is over $160 per second or $9,700 per minute or $586,600 per hour or over $14 million per day or $5 billion per year!

        We have a stupid government with sweet talking, dodgy, lying and cunning leaders in charge.

        Here is a prediction :
        This particular Government masterly manipulated by Key, English, Joyce and Crosby Textor will go down in the history of New Zealand as a vile, dishonest, inept, expensive, wasteful, untrustworthy, pro-wealthy, pro-corporate, anti-worker, unpatriotic, corrupt, harmful, valueless and a dirty one.

        Oh, by the way,
        KOF FOR NOW

  23. stigie 23

    Anne, so much money sloshing around in the mid 2000s, probably once in a generation that a Bill and John party could have made surpluses and then the GFC hit our economy pretty hard along with other issues. We are slowly coming right and back on the right track as long as we stay focused and positive which this Government is doing.

    • Paul 23.1

      Just another neoliberal puppet.

    • dukeofurl 23.2

      All is lost then , since they are doing none of that:

      The PM seems to be some sort of retro Jumping Jack Flash.

      The finance minister has failed every goal he has set for himself, since 2008.

      The housing minister has made a fool of himself over land he doesnt own or has been promised to someone else, fat chance of affordable home s there.

      The economy outside Auckland and Christchurch is in decline and national will pay dearly when the NZ Country …. ops NZ First party cranks up its publicity machine.

      Per capita GDP is still stuck below what it was in 2008, and will likely decline as the best seems to have passed.

    • Clemgeopin 23.3

      @stigie
      Cool story bro. Tell us another.

      Key had signaled tax cuts BEFORE the 2008 election and BEFORE the GFC and had also made a PROMISE not to increase GST.

      Then, IN SPITE of the recession, the idiots gave 2 BILLION dollars PER YEAR (and every year) of tax cuts that primarily and hugely helped the wealthy, while also increasing the GST to 15% that primarily and disproportionately hit the poor the most.

      The Christ Church earthquake cost the government about 15 billion dollars.

      How do you explain the 106 Billion dollars of accumulated debt for YOUR and ALL OUR future generations to pay off easily, and if they ever can?
      Think about it a little and wake up! Don’t fall for their porkies, stigie.

      And by the way,
      KOF FOR NOW

  24. ropata 24

    “Think positive”, I guess that’s what John Key and his mates on Wall street told the suckers as they sold them shitty derivatives and whatnot that crashed the world economy. Somehow I find it hard to trust the empty suits and their empty promises.

  25. Henry Filth 25

    So with the demise of the NZ Herald, what am I to read? Is there a decent NZ online newspaper?

    Please don’t tell me “Stuff”.

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  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
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    1 day ago
  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
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    1 day ago
  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
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    2 days ago
  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
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    2 days ago
  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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    2 days ago
  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
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    2 days ago
  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
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    3 days ago
  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
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    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
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    3 days ago
  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
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    3 days ago
  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
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    3 days ago
  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
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    4 days ago
  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
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    4 days ago
  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
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    4 days ago
  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
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    5 days ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
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    6 days ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
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    6 days ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
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    6 days ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
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    6 days ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
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    6 days ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
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    6 days ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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    6 days ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
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    7 days ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
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    7 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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    7 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
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    7 days ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
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    7 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
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    1 week ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
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    1 week ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
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    1 week ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
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    1 week ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
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    1 week ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
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    1 week ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
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    1 week ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
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    1 week ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
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    1 week ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
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    1 week ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
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    1 week ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
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    1 week ago

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