The first Ministerial scalp?
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10:34 am, April 14th, 2024 - 27 comments
Categories: Deep stuff, Media, melissa lee, national, same old national, winston peters -
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Already we have what looks like an odds on favourite for the first Ministerial scalp.
Not Casey Costello who not only is in the process of wrecking the country’s response to smoking but did not tell Cabinet that the cost of her changes to the country would be $46 billion because of worsening health outcomes. She says that the data was outdated. It cannot be that outdated that the information could not have been presented with caveats.
It is Melissa Lee who is on the rocks.
I sort of feel sorry for her.
She is in a Government with a natural inclination to do nothing at all to supporting important sectors like the media. And the Government’s minority partners think that the media are too woke, way too left wing and the puppets of the previous Government thanks to the Public Journalism Interest Fund.
This is of course deranged nonsense but they either actually believe it or they think this is an important part of the culture war diversion of attention from the actually important issues so they are happy to go along. This is an international phenomenon which unfortunately has spread to Aotearoa New Zealand.
Melissa Lee has sat on her hands as Newshub has been devastated and TVNZ has shashed its commitment to news. These have been very dark days for New Zealand media.
Lee has not ruled out one possible solution, passing Labour’s Fair Digital News Bargaining bill.
But she is content to wait until May when it is due to be reported back. The urgency of the current situation has clearly passed her by.
She was left floundering last week trying to explain what was happening to the mythical Cabinet Paper that she had been preparing to address the crisis.
But it has since been revealed what has been happening in the background.
From Tova O’Brien at Newshub:
The plot thickens in the mystery of Broadcasting Minister Melissa Lee’s media support plan.
It’s been a month and a half since the Prime Minister tasked Lee to leap into urgent action and yet, crickets.
There are reports that Winston Peters is holding up the paper because Lee failed to properly consult with NZ First.
Asked in March whether the proposal had been progressed to Cabinet prematurely, Peters blamed staff: “When things happen sometimes, it’s often due to over-exuberance on the part of staff members, not to condemn them, and a certain stage in the process is overlooked.”
But Stuff understands the normal process was actually followed, that the cabinet paper was given to coalition partners, New Zealand First and ACT, way back on March 11.
A source said that Peters claiming he hadn’t been given the paper was “bullshit”.
In fact Stuff understands that Lee’s office prepared lines to clarify the timeline and prove that Peters’ office had received the paper but they were effectively shutdown because the coalition was more important.
This will not go down well with Peters. Even when he is completely wrong he is right. And in a battle between Lee and Peters I would expect Peters to win every time, no matter what the merits are.
And it reinforces concern that this Government would be an absolute cluster fuck. Clearly the fuckings are clustering right now.
And meantime the evil presence of Rupert Murdoch looms over New Zealand’s media landscape with reports that Paul Whittaker, chief executive of ultra right Sky News Australia which is doing its best to resemble Fox News, met with Christopher Luxon on the day that the media carnage unfolded.
We should all be very afraid.
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- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
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- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
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- Child Protection Investigation Unit established
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Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Ka mihi ki te mana whenua ko Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Kia ora and good morning everyone. Thank you Fran and Simon for inviting me here today, and importantly your leadership of this forum over several years now. I want to acknowledge David Gehrenbeck, Deputy ...1 day ago
- Record number of submissions received on granny flat proposal
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- District Court Judge appointed
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- Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050
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- New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders
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- Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
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- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
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- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
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- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
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- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
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- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
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- First arrests made under gang patch ban
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- Better support for victims of sexual violence
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- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
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- MSA pilot participant update
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- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
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- Attendance rates increase, again
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- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
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- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
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- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
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- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...4 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
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- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...4 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...4 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...4 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...4 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...4 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...4 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...4 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...4 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...4 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...5 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
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- Red Tape Tipline goes live
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- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
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- Police stats show promising change
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- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...6 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
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- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
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While it is important to maintain strong alliances, it is equally crucial to uphold our Kiwi values of fairness and justice. New Zealand has always prided itself on its commitment to equality and human rights. ...1 hour ago
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Scalp! Now you only need 'reservation' and 'Indian giver' and you've got Jerry getting it all wrong with Elaine's friend.
Those whistles that only dogs can hear are pretty cool I reckon.
I had no idea what that referenced. I looked it up- still no wiser.
But, it brought up some information in my memory that claimed scalping was a French invention that Native Americans adopted.
It seems from today's research into scalps that was itself false.
I believed for fifty years until yesterday that Lead Belly, Huddie Ledbetter, wrote The Midnight Special. It seems that the Lomaxes, well-respected folk recordists of Southern music, got that wrong.
IT misuse, failing memory, misinformation, lying- what can be trusted? 1984, forty years on….
Jerry Seinfield is dating Elaine's native American friend. She asks "How did you manage to get Yankee tickets?" Jerry stammers "from those guys who sell tickets outside the ballpark". Although more likely Mets (Jerry's team).
It is a very well used phrase in politics. The rest of your comment does not make sense.
And like "off the rez" and "hold the fort", orginating in racist discourse outta North America. Admittedly, I'm sensitized to this after a few years in Nth American academia (got schooled on the term 'disseminate' for spreading knowledge…).
Add "grandparenting" (originally "grandfathering") to that list.
Ms. Lee was a mediocre lifestyle presenter at best, and seems obviously under skilled for the machinations of Ministerial life–her main skill might just be crawling–to explain her rise in the ranks. She is also rather good at avoiding public scrutiny and accountability.
The hint of an NZ version of Fox is a worry indeed, there is already a MAGA style audio channel with ZB. It is interesting the TVNZ shows cut include “Sunday”–investigative journalism into difficult subjects, and “Fair Go” where bent businesses and scammers are held to account, while dumbed down “reality” shows galore carry on.
Melissa Lee was one of only 8 MP's who had the courage and good sense to vote against the inclusion of gender identity in the "Conversion Practices" ban recently legislated by the NZ parliament. Before judging her harshly, you might consider her courageous opposition to the trans cult that is causing irreversible damage to many young people in the West.
Cancelling current affairs/political shows such as Sunday is a travesty.
In Australia the government funds the ABC to the tune of over A$1 billion each year (NZ$1.1 billion). This includes ABC Radio.
https://about.abc.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Annualreport2023.pdf
On this basis I would have thought the NZ government would be able to provide funding of $200 million annually for a couple of decent TV channels, especially given that advertising revenue is on top of this.
Maybe they should dump some of the high paid presenters-it is not exactly rocket science to read the news.
Melissa Lee has basically been thrown under a bus by the three stooges. She doesn't say anything because she is under direction from Winston and Seymour, and Luxon just walks away.
That's how it seems to work in this CoC.
"… the Government’s minority partners think that the media are too woke, way too left wing and the puppets of the previous Government thanks to the Public Journalism Interest Fund."
It's just the government's minority partners who think that? Have you not seen the results of AUT's survey of public trust in the news?
https://www.aut.ac.nz/news/stories/trust-in-news-declines-rapidly-in-2024
And the self-important media fools just can't seem to learn anything. Here's Mike McRoberts and Miriama Kamo trying to convince us that the government should bail out people who are openly partisan and hostile to the present government:
https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/04/11/i-feel-particularly-aggrieved-for-maori-mcroberts-and-kamo-on-media-cuts/
As Taylor Swift put it: "I'll look directly at the sun, but not in the mirror".
I won't be surprised if the government does crumple and bail out some media outlets. Any bailout should come with strict conditions of political neutrality and balanced reporting of facts – not opinions.
There should be no bailout at all.
Sounds like cancel culture for media criticism of government.
I’d be more surprised if the government does not crumble apart as they posture for the next election, their partners being to blame for their coalition record.
If the government doesn't bail out a failed privately-owned TV channel, it's cancel culture?
You sound confused – I suggest you google "cancel culture".
If the government was the determinant of political neutrality ….
A local version of fox News… wouldn't be doing us any favours..but this would be the rights favourite outcome..lux-on and atlas dave will be pushing for this..
I am mildly certain that groups of the sacked talent will be evaluating new lean/mean online news services..perhaps even broadcasting in the sacred news hour…
And having a product..that in content..will piss all over the current m.s.m. model..
For the last week I have watched tvone news @ six…after not watching it for over five years ..and I come away from this re-acquantiance with news @ six with the same feeling I had all those years ago..
..that if you leech out the ads/sport/station promotion…over long weather reports..yr news hour is somewhat shrunk..
..and that a much better product could be done for much less..
Leaving the audience far more informed than the current model does..
Is there anything in the Murdoch Australia boss flying to Wellington to meet Luxon and Lee very recently? (paywalled but you can see the headline).
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/media-insider-top-rupert-murdoch-tv-exec-meets-pm-christopher-luxon-amid-media-turmoil-mafs-kiwi-bride-ellie-dix-targeted-by-trolls-convicted-former-radio-host-starts-new-podcast/GBN6OSEYJFEWJC763KLNTVCYLQ/
Could Reality Check Radio be positioning itself to move in to a Fox News type space? The recent 'going off air and pleading for funds' was accompanied by a suspiciously slick and well prepared video fronted by Peter Williams.
Karma. She was vicious and nasty with Clare Curran, whose stuff up was having a coffee with Carol Hirschfield and not putting it in her ministerial diary. Clare was bullied to the point where she lost confidence speaking in the House. Then to cap it all, Michael Woodhouse auctioned a toilet seat with Clare's picture on it. Also didya know Melissa Lee is also Minister for Economic Development and she has oversight of MBIE – you know where all the cuts are happening? And also Associate Minister for ACC. Goodness knows why.
It took longer for those of us on the outside to recignise what was being done to Clare Curran. She was gaslighted to the point she could no longer function as the able person she had previously been. It is a well known mode of operation among narcissists and psychopaths.
Anyone who has been on the receiving end of gaslighting knows how crippling it can be. In the worst case scenario it can cause the helpless victim to take their own lives.
"narcissists and psychopaths……."
Sums up the current excuse for a govt exactly………
Whenever I look at the govt benches I see SS uniforms, Brown shirts and MAGA caps…….the Speaker of the house is sergeant Shultz…..Luxon is colonel Klink, Melissa Lee lives up to that saying: authority is a dangerous thing, in the hands of fools……….
It would be an irony, if a person who was point in blocking reform of state media (and thus improving the financial circumstance of the wider media market) was left to confront the consequences of neglect in this area and found to be inept in the portfolio.
That's an irony layer-cake..
"These have been very dark days for New Zealand media."
This is the narrative being run by the media, the very people who will benefit from any government intervention. Don't be fooled. The circle will turn, new forms of media will evolve, and the entitled few who think the country owes them a living will find ways to become relevant again. Or not.
Most first world nations have
1.better funded state (broadcast) media than we do
2.have found ways to raise revenue for local MSM from those who take news feeds for their global platforms.
2. If you're referring to the Fair Digital Services Bargaining Bill, this piece sets out why that is really not a good idea. O, Canada … what have you done to news platforms? (newsroom.co.nz), including this piece on Canada's Bill C18 A Reality Check on the Online News Act: Why Bill C-18 Has Been a Total Policy Disaster – Michael Geist.
The first ministerial scalp?
No.