The difference between Simon Wilson and Mike Hosking

Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, October 3rd, 2022 - 47 comments
Categories: auckland supercity, efeso collins, local government, Media, supercity, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, uncategorized - Tags:

Wayne Brown’s mayoral campaign hit a really big pothole on the weekend.

He was caught bad mouthing Herald reporter Simon Wilson.

He committed the most basic mistake of talking on an open mike and while being recorded.  This raises questions about how he could possibly run the biggest city in New Zealand.

And you may ask why he said what he said.  Apparently it was because Simon publicly stated how old Brown is.

From Radio New Zealand:

Auckland mayoral candidate Wayne Brown has described a prominent journalist as “a prick” and said if elected he would stick pictures of him in urinals so people could “pee” on him.

The comment was caught in what Brown thought was an off-camera moment with a Newshub crew earlier in the week, but it was replayed in the television channel’s live mayoral debate on Saturday.

It was about the only line in the broadcast that had not been previously well-traversed by Brown, and his rival Efeso Collins, and came in their final campaign encounter before the 8 October election day.

The pair are locked in the closest contest yet to become mayor of Auckland.

The pre-recorded clip, showed the camera move away from Brown, as he responded to a question about his age (76) being commented on.

“That prick Simon Wilson dug it out,” Brown joked. “Now, he’s been at me for all year long and the first thing I’m going to do when I get to be mayor, I’m going to glue little pictures of him on the urinals, so we can pee on him.”

Wilson has been critical of Brown for a while.  He has been asking some very pertinent questions trying to flesh out what a Brown Mayoralty would look like.  Really important questions like what would happen to infrastructure spending, how he would handle governance and conflict issues, how he would handle the CCOs after sacking their boards en masse, why he has such a terrible reputation with staff, and why he is thinking of stopping all PT projects.

Previously Wilson asked other really pertinent questions like why does Brown want the infrastructure pipeline to close and does he understand this will undermine local construction companies and cause congestion to worsen?  And why haven’t the Ratepayers Association and the Taxpayers’ Union criticised Brown for sometimes combining his personal and public roles when he was mayor of the Far North?  And why does he have a reputation for reducing staff to tears?  And is he up to the job at his age?

His age is a very relevant question.  The past two Mayors have had heart attacks on the job.  A physical ability to handle the stresses of the job is an important and relevant consideration.

Wilson’s questions are very valid and very pertinent.  Brown’s response is the sort you would expect from a 10 year old.

I tweeted about the incident on Saturday.

The interactions were interesting.  Most shared in the hilarity.  But there were a significant number who flexed to the position that Simon Wilson was a left wing shill, or a communist or a Labour plant and that he deserved the treatment he received.

And a discussion yesterday morning at Avondale Market with a National Party activist replicated my twitter experience.  He opened his mouth and a series of buzz words matching those I saw on twitter came out.

This made me think.  I cannot abide Mike Hosking.  He is clearly biased, has strongly held evidence free reckons and takes every opportunity to denigrate the left.  But the right clearly have similarly strongly held views about Simon Wilson.

Are their views warranted?  Simon writes passionately about climate change and urban form and what is needed to transform Auckland to make it more sustainably.  And make it a nicer place to live in.

Although some of his views are radical in local terms what he advocates for has been tried overseas and is working.  It is information rich comment backed by clear analysis and thinking, unlike Mike’s reckons.

And he is clearly deeply concerned about climate change.  Is wanting to prevent our world from being devastated something that a reporter should delve into?  Of course.  Is it wrong to question one of the major contenders for the second most important political position in Aotearoa to see what would happen if they won?  If this is not a role of a reporter then I do not know what is.

This is Fox News quality culture wars right in our own backyard.  Where there is a gulf between two positions which on the face of it cannot be bridged by reasoned debate.  I guess it has been around a while.  Remember when John Key talked about finding an expert with a contrary opinion to back up his position in an argument?

There is no immediate solution, just the hope that peaceful communication can gradually forage a consensus or at least a majority view that means that action that needs to be taken can proceed.

But in my view three things are clear.  People seeking public office who speak like this should not talk like this.  And Simon Wilson is a very exceptional writer and Mike Hosking is not.

47 comments on “The difference between Simon Wilson and Mike Hosking ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Robert Guyton 1
    3 October 2022 at 9:55 am

    Rod Oram writes:

    "How would he work with our diverse communities? “I have huge support from the Indian and Chinese communities. They're very transactional. They just want businessmen as mayors. They don't care anything about the rest of it.”

    What is his long-term vision? “I haven’t even thought about being mayor longer than three years. It's probably more than I could handle.”

    All of those answers are from Brown’s comments on the campaign trail, including some from my interview with him three weeks ago.

    For that same column, I also interviewed Efeso Collins. His answers showed he is a candidate highly qualified for the immensely challenging job of Mayor. Quite simply, Collins has the skills and experience to help us create our future. All Brown, older and dogmatic, seems to want is the fun and kudos of fixing stuff."

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/rod-oram-the-real-fixer-uppers-of-our-broken-engagement-with-local-politics?

    • Peter 1.1
      3 October 2022 at 10:24 am

      I'm trying to work out the relevance of Brown's age. I mean is he an idiot because of his age or is he just an idiot who happens to be old?

      • Sanctuary 1.1.1
        3 October 2022 at 10:51 am

        Brown's age is relevant because 1) the job is very demanding, and Brown at 76 is VERY old to be taking it on 2) Gerontocracy is a major problem in the United States and the issue of the age of politicians needs to be discussed given the way the boomer bulge is moving through the population profile.

        Assuming you survivied childhood, up until the mid-20th century your average punter died somewhere between 60-70. We've increased this substantially, your average Joe should hope to live to somewhere between 75-85 at the minimum.

        We live in the oldest society history has ever known, and we are conducting a gigantic experiment of what happens when old people dominate society and yet we barely talk about the anthropological implications of that – loss of cultural vigour, increasing fear of change, behavioural changes – to our society.

        In particular, it is pertinent because the proposition is we elect a 76 year old curmudgeon who appears to believe the era where he flourished in the salad days of his career – the 1970s-90s – represents the golden peak of our civilisation the norms of which must be defended at all costs. Is a 76 year old who thinks like that well placed to grapple with climate change? With changing transport needs? With the politics of a multi-ethnic city with lots of voices demanding to be heard?

        For what it is worth my view is no one over the age of 75 should be eligible to stand for public office. You shouldn't be making decisions for decades ahead the consequences of which you won't have to live with.

        Perhaps even no one over 85 should be able to vote, after all no one under 18 can vote although that is a very thorny one I am not completely convinced of myself.

        • Jack 1.1.1.1
          3 October 2022 at 11:28 am

          Joe Biden is 79. He has a somewhat bigger job than the mayor of Auckland. On your arguments Sanctuary you would also preclude him on age alone, not the quality of his presidency. How odd.

          • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1.1.1.1
            3 October 2022 at 12:01 pm

            The age of a candidate for political office is much less important than their behaviour, in particular how they behave under pressure.

            Auckland mayoral race: Candidate Wayne Brown attacks NZ Herald journalist Simon Wilson [1 Oct 2022]
            "These are undignified comments – and as mayor you have to be a team player, a collaborator, and be able to handle criticism."
            …
            NZME managing editor Shayne Currie said: "We're not really interested in commenting on Brown's pathetic remarks but we stand by Simon Wilson as a highly skilled, experienced journalist who brings much required scrutiny to the policies and character of potential mayoral candidates."

            “Not only does Auckland have over 30,000 ghost houses, we now have ghost mayoral candidates. But it’s not good enough and Aucklanders deserve better – which is a contest of ideas.”
            https://thespinoff.co.nz/live-updates/16-09-2022/efeso-collins-calls-out-wayne-brown-for-not-attending-mayoral-debate

            In 22 [now 5] days the Super City will either have its first brown mayor or its second Brown mayor.

          • Sanctuary 1.1.1.1.2
            3 October 2022 at 12:09 pm

            Biden is too old to be president of the United States.

            • Peter 1.1.1.1.2.1
              3 October 2022 at 12:24 pm

              So it's got back to where I started. A person the 'right' age but an idiot is preferable to someone who is the 'wrong' age but is perfectly suited to the role?

              I've seen people in roles where I considered them 'too old' because of the way they thought and operated. "He was an old woman before he was 40." I've seen people who were considerably older but were refreshing and 'young' in roles which needed vitality.

              • Anne …
                3 October 2022 at 12:36 pm

                A person the 'right' age but an idiot is preferable to someone who is the 'wrong' age but is perfectly suited to the role?

                So you're saying that Efeso Collins is the right age but is an idiot?

                And Wayne Brown is the wrong age but suited to the role?

          • bwaghorn 1.1.1.1.3
            3 October 2022 at 12:54 pm

            Have you seen Biden, he recently asked where someone was , they'd been dead for weeks ?

            I have no problem with an upper age limit of say 65 on election day,

            • Bearded Git 1.1.1.1.3.1
              3 October 2022 at 12:58 pm

              Do you mean for the candidates or the voters?

              And if for the candidates, what about an upper voting limit of 85 (see above) and a lower limit of 17 (rather than 16 as has been mooted. I think 17 year olds, as 6th formers, have enough nous to vote. 16 is a bit too young)

            • Peter 1.1.1.1.3.2
              3 October 2022 at 1:34 pm

              I saw the thing about Biden in the situation of asking where someone was when they'd died in a car crash a few weeks earlier.

              Ah …… the choice! Do you go for someone who is so confused they forget that someone had died?

              Or someone who is so confused they think they won an election 22 months ago and try to convince the world of that? Oh, an election where they were outvoted by a mere 7 million.

            • Sanctuary 1.1.1.1.3.3
              3 October 2022 at 5:06 pm

              I don't think Biden is anywhere near as bad as his opponents would have it. But there can be no doubt that by the age of 79 cognitive decline has set in and he isn't the man he was even ten years ago.

              Trump is only three years Biden's junior and if it wasn't for the fact he has an unreasoning cult built around him it would be widely remarked that he has now completely lost his marbles.

              • Ad …
                3 October 2022 at 5:20 pm

                Biden has delivered more and better legislation than Obama did in 2 terms, excepting maybe health reform.

                Winston was the best Deputy and best Foreign Affairs minister we'd had since Cullen was Number 2.

                And Lord Sauron made the trains run on time at least.

              • bwaghorn …
                4 October 2022 at 1:05 pm

                Not sure trump had marbles to begin with

  2. Anne 2
    3 October 2022 at 10:25 am

    "But he's a Labour plant. A Communist. And he's Samoan. We can't have a Samoan mayor. He wouldn't have a clue how to run a city."

    I'm not repeating the general view but my own relatives. Very sad.

    This is not new. Many of us were accused of being Communists back in the 70s and 80s. Some of us were eventually driven out of our jobs/professions because of it.

    Nothing changes.

    • Barfly 2.1
      3 October 2022 at 10:57 am

      These days I think a lot more people throw words around without understanding what they mean.

      • gsays 2.1.2
        4 October 2022 at 6:15 am

        "These days I think a lot more people throw words around without understanding what they mean.

        I agree. Anti-vaxxer is a term tossed a lot recently. Like a lot of descriptors, it isn't so much about what or who is being described, but more about othering them.

        Kind of like the pantomine villan, they are just the bad guy, no redeeming qualities and must be booed at at every opportunity.

        • observer 2.1.2.1
          4 October 2022 at 6:21 am

          What would you call somebody who is against vaccination?

          "Anti" means "against". "Vaccination" means "vaccination".

          • gsays 2.1.2.1.1
            4 October 2022 at 9:21 pm

            It is also used to describe those that are wary or hesitant of new vaccines and those that are against the mandates.

    • Nic the NZer 2.2
      3 October 2022 at 12:13 pm

      I'm left wondering why you even raise politics around your relatives.

      Though if that was a carefully prepared statement your probably in the clear, they seemed more worried about Samoan than Communist.

      • Anne 2.2.1
        3 October 2022 at 12:21 pm

        Because they are typical of how a great many people think these days. That is what makes them topical. Pretty obvious I should have thought.

  3. Leighton 3
    3 October 2022 at 10:50 am

    Even if Simon Wilson and Mike Hosking were journalistic equals (they are not!), the comparison doesn't hold water. Imagine if Jacinda articulated a desire to denigrate Mike Hosking in a similar way. NZME would run it as front page news for a month and the phone lines at ZB would run hot. The right were outraged enough when she decided to discontinue her weekly standing appointment on Hosking’s garbage show (special treatment that other broadcasters were not afforded in the first place).

  4. Shanreagh 4
    3 October 2022 at 10:59 am

    Enough of the 'boys will be boys' stuff snigger. snigger…..I thought I was being unduly 'square' when confronted with someone aspiring to leadership using the words & idea. I just think it is grubby and offensive.

    Also offensive to me is that Brown talks about 'ratepayers this, ratepayers that'. Does he use this as a shorthand to mean ratepayers and renters? I somehow don't think so. I also don't like anyone, who making a hash of a previous job has the gall to think he is suitable to hold down an even more difficult one. Self reflection is not a strong point, self reflection is a much needed trait in our leaders.

  5. Ad 5
    3 October 2022 at 11:17 am

    Agree it was dumb for Brown to get caught.

    But very hard to consider Wilson a "reporter" when his policy bias is so clear. We wouldn't want it any other way would we? Both Hosking and Wilson make our ridiculously thin political economy slightly more lively.

    • observer 5.1
      3 October 2022 at 11:37 am

      You can't "both sides" this, not when one person can check facts and write coherent paragraphs and the other doesn't bother.

      But you can "both sides" Hosking, because he likes to disagree with whatever he said the previous month.

    • James Simpson 5.2
      3 October 2022 at 11:50 am

      I completely agree. I have never understood why people get upset with media personalities who have a clear and obvious political leaning.

    • Stephen D 5.3
      3 October 2022 at 12:02 pm

      What policy bias? He asks reasonable questions. Isn't that a journalist's job?

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/meet-our-journalists-senior-herald-writer-simon-wilson/YFVIWBSAKNWSEMNCJZD7OQI25Y/

      • Ad 5.3.1
        3 October 2022 at 12:54 pm

        Oh please. He's done op eds stating his position really clearly.

        • Stephen D 5.3.1.1
          3 October 2022 at 1:30 pm

          So, he's not a right wing nut job.

          And wants what's evidentially proven to be the best for Auckland. How does that make him biased?

          • Ad 5.3.1.1.1
            3 October 2022 at 1:57 pm

            Wilson doesn't have a lock on "what's best for Auckland" – in fact it's just your perspective. He needs to figure whether he's a journalist or an opinion leader – he certainly shares that feature with Hosking.

            • Hanswurst 5.3.1.1.1.1
              4 October 2022 at 5:19 pm

              You missed out the word 'evidentially', and still pretended to be quoting (which wascprobably more sloppiness, rather than dishonesty, especially since the actual statement was directly above to make a mockery of what you wrote). The point wasn't about who knows best, but about how they inform themselves and others about whatcits going on, which is crucial to the question of whether they can be termed a reporter.

              • Ad …
                4 October 2022 at 6:07 pm

                This is the worst part. Evidence in the keyboard of an opinion leader now becomes just your version .

                There is no longer a useful definition of reporter.

                The particularly irreversible step for Wilson is that should Brown get elected he is no use to anyone: he won't be getting interviews with a Brown Mayoral Office for the term. More than useless: a liability for NZHerald.

                Even Todd Niall at Stuff can do a more even job and arrange this stuff called "evidence".

                • Hanswurst …
                  4 October 2022 at 9:25 pm

                  Politicians will always seek out the interviews they think are list favourable to them. I don't think the fact that Tracy Watkins' or Audrey Young's obvious biases preclude their being considered reporters. One needs to filter every account criticality. What definition of 'reporter' did you have in mind? 'A writer whose views you don't know' seems like a fairly poor requirement to me.

                  Nor is your point about what constitutes evidence clear. Is it supposed to suggest that he isn't a reporter, or that he is just like Hosking?

        • Hanswurst 5.3.1.2
          4 October 2022 at 5:12 pm

          So anyone who writes opinion pieces is excluded from being deemed a reporter?

          • Stuart Munro 5.3.1.2.1
            4 October 2022 at 5:52 pm

            Ordinarily. The privilege of editorializing was once restricted to sound and sober persons with at least 30 years in the profession.

            Standards have largely been abandoned over the last 2 decades, and opinionistas wonder why circulation continues to drop. Vapid ill-informed opinions are of little value to the public at large.

    • newsense 5.4
      3 October 2022 at 4:50 pm

      What are you talking about?

      Quite often Wilson is the ONLY reporter. He goes to the meetings, reads the reports, checks the stories and does the basics which many news outlets deprioritise as it is costly and time consuming.

      If he also has a perspective, this is undoubtedly a highly informed perspective and a legitimate one to consider and respond to.

      They don’t like him because he does his job thoroughly and isn’t a slanging match participant.

  6. observer 6
    3 October 2022 at 11:33 am

    As an Aucklander I'm willing to sacrifice our city for the greater good.

    Wayne Brown will be a disaster (I've already voted for Collins, E) but he epitomises the robotic right, like a living parody. In the General Election next year the left's task is to get voters to consider what would happen, a task made easier when you can point to what is happening. Short-term cuts, costing far more in the long run. Going backwards on climate change. Avoiding (or privatising) infrastructure investment. And "hilarious" speeches based on the bar banter of a 1970s golf club.

    He's not real, he was made up by Labour and the Greens in a brainstorming session that got out of hand.

  7. Stuart Munro 7
    3 October 2022 at 11:38 am

    Meh – Hosking is not a journalist.

    I am not a journalist. Much commentary was served up on the basis I was.

    It is a convenience for the inept far-right to replace objective journalism with biased drivel – so we get Hosking, Whaleoil, the Taxevader's Union, and the various other third rate copies of Drudge, Fox News, & Alex Jones, together with the destruction of public media, against which, if professionally conducted, their bullshit can not compete.

    I don't really read Wilson (he's in that sub-Truth quality rag the Herald after all), but it seems that he is actually a journalist – which makes him infinitely more credible than the rest of this subhuman trash.

    It's important not to humour the false equivalences the far right conspiracy is so desperate to peddle. Hosking is shit, beneath contempt, and unworthy of a moment's consideration. That is because he draws the pay and attention of a journalist, under false pretenses. There is not a journalist in NZ that isn't better than him, and the sooner the fuckwit is off our airwaves the better.

  8. James Simpson 8
    3 October 2022 at 11:48 am

    This raises questions about how he could possibly run the biggest city in New Zealand.

    I think you may misunderstand the power of a Mayor, of which they don't have much. A Mayor certainly does not run a city and has no authority to make any changes (big or small) without the support of the Council.

    • mickysavage 8.1
      3 October 2022 at 11:54 am

      I think that I understand the power of the Auckland supercity mayor quite well. They have special powers over and above those of other mayors including budget and the power to form committees and appoint chairs and write the annual budget. The position is the most complex in local government and a mayor who does not understand how to make things work is going to get into major difficulties.

  9. AB 9
    3 October 2022 at 1:18 pm

    I'd expect a journalist to have opinions, but to base these on at least some some respect for facts. To deliberately distort, selectively ignore or misinterpret facts should be disqualifying. But facts can be deceptive. As John Ralston Saul said (Doubters Companion: 1995): "the trouble is that there are enough facts around to prove most things… confused armies of contradictory facts struggle in growing darkness."

    So in addition to the respect for facts we should add a basic understanding of political philosophy, a knowledge of history (or at least the curiosity to find out) and a quality of memory. Without these things, you are an ideologue, not a journalist.

  10. roblogic 10
    4 October 2022 at 2:39 pm

    Can think of several differences. Simon Wilson is 2 standard deviations higher in IQ than Hosking. Wilson actually does research, I don't know if Hosking even knows how to use Google (or what work is). Wilson has empathy for other humans, Hosking is a twerp in a Ferrari. Wilson made a mistake when he was fed scandalous tat by WhaleOil, but he owned up to it. Hosking is still enthusiastically engaged in Dirty Politics to this day.

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    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    4 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    5 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    5 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
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