The leadership vacuum

Written By: - Date published: 1:32 pm, October 5th, 2010 - 41 comments
Categories: greens, helen clark, john key, leadership, phil goff, racism - Tags:

What’s happened to leadership in this country?

Paul Henry has a racist rant to the Prime Minister and what does John Key do? He laughs along and tries to make a joke. Later, Key refused to denounce Henry, label his comments racist, or call for him to face consequences. If he felt what Henry was saying was wrong, Key didn’t show it because he’s afraid of taking a strong stand on any value lest it lose him some votes.

You know that if Helen Clark were still around she wouldn’t have sat there weakly laughing. She would have been outraged by Henry’s racism and she would have told him so. She would have torn strips off the little racist bastard. There was a leader who was unafraid to take a stand for her principles.

And Phil Goff was no better saying “I think that was Paul Henry being Paul Henry”. A studiously ambiguous statement. Again, there’s a fear there of taking a stand. He should have said ‘that’s not OK, that’s racist. That’s not what I and decent New Zealanders believe in and TVNZ shouldn’t be employing bigots as presenters’.

Finally, on a note of political strategy, where the hell are the Greens? This is exactly the kind of moment that serves as a branding exercise – when Labour is weak, the Green’s show how the Left should act and win votes in doing so. But no, the Greens haven’t even commented. Under the Norman-ites the Green’s political management is becoming increasingly like the spineless careerism we’ve come to expect from the Goffice.

A PM that is afraid to be a leader. A Leader of the Opposition who is afraid of ticking off racists. A Green Party that is afraid of making a claim for the Left vote when Labour fails. Come back, Helen, all is forgiven.

PS. A friend writes:

Enjoyed this comment under John Drinnan’s piece in the Herald today.
As someone who shares John Key’s Central European Jewish background, I am disgusted by his inability to clearly condemn what can only be taken as a racist comment. I wonder what Key’s refugee mother would make of it.
You forget that the man is the son of a Jewish refugee who fled the Nazis. Of all people he should understand the importance of standing up to racism. He’s even more hollow than I’d thought.

41 comments on “The leadership vacuum ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. freedom 1
    5 October 2010 at 1:51 pm

    ” Unite Union national director Mike Treen said he did not call for someone’s dismissal lightly.

    “However Paul Henry legitimises racism and bigotry in the workplace. I deal every day with problems associated with managers and even co-workers abusing staff because the look or sound different,” he said.

    Workers could end up “tormented and bullied out of their jobs by the so-called humour being practiced by Paul Henry”.

    “When we try to protect the workers, the inevitable response is ‘well, Paul Henry is allowed to use this language on national TV why can’t I?’ Paul Henry has become the poster boy for bigotry.” ”

    Combine these thoughts with the inaction of Smile and Wave and I believe it should become a discussion not only about racism but also about State funded propoganda

  2. toad 2
    5 October 2010 at 1:53 pm

    Marty, go a bit easy on the Greens. Russel Norman blogged on it yesterday:

    To say that you are sorry if you offended someone is to say that you are not sorry at all. Henry shouldn’t be sorry for offence caused but sorry because what he said was racist.

    You don’t have to look and sound European to be a New Zealander.

    If Henry can’t recognise that his comments are racist and actually apologise then he isn’t the right person to front our only morning current affairs TV show. TVNZ is not Fox News, it’s owned by all of us not Murdoch. We shouldn’t have to put up with this crap.

    And Keith Locke did interviews with several media outlets yesterday and put out this media release this morning:

    “It isn’t just a matter of apologising to the Governor-General. Mr Henry’s comments have seriously offended the Indian community within New Zealand,” said Mr Locke.

    “Paul Henry was denigrating hundreds of thousands of our citizens who are not of European or Māori origin, and to him don’t ‘look’ like real New Zealanders.

    “Whether the TV host intended it or not, his racist stereotyping of who is or isn’t a real New Zealander encourages discrimination in employment and other areas of New Zealand life.

    “TVNZ should also rethink its stance. The state broadcaster should stop promoting its Breakfast programme as a platform for bigotry.

    “That is the only meaning that can be taken out of TVNZ’s defence of Mr Henry yesterday when its spokesperson said, ‘[Mr Henry] is prepared to say the things we quietly think but are scared to say out loud’.”

    [lprent: See the note here. ]

  3. gingercrush 3
    5 October 2010 at 1:55 pm

    When was this post? In the last five minutes or was it prepared earlier and only made it to the site now?

    Just asking because the Greens did release something and Goff has since made a more thorough comment thought very political and rather petty since he could have said all that yesterday.

    [lprent: Most of the posts are scheduled. This one I remember reading in the queue late last night. It is just one of the things that readers have to put up with when you have a site of authors who work during the day.

    Unlike so many bloggers on the right, we have real jobs 😈 ]

    • r0b 3.1
      5 October 2010 at 2:02 pm

      This post was written late last night and scheduled for now.

      Even if it has been overtaken by events the point is still valid – easy to jump on board the bandwagon now – where was the leadership when it was needed? In particular, Key was the man literally on the spot, and he did nothing.

  4. Gosman 4
    5 October 2010 at 2:01 pm

    Helen Clark lost the last election in case you forgot. She’s happy in her retirement in New York and ain’t coming back, so get over it.

    • r0b 4.1
      5 October 2010 at 2:03 pm

      And yet. oddly enough, the RWNJs just can’t get enough of slagging her off. Still terrified of her – tee hee!

      Oh, and – retirement? Far from it.

      • Gosman 4.1.1
        5 October 2010 at 2:35 pm

        Whose slagging her off?

        anyway if that is an indication of someone being terrified of someone else then I shudder to think about the nightmares some of you people have over John Key.

    • Alwyn 4.2
      6 October 2010 at 12:06 pm

      Losing the last election doesn’t seem to have registered with the idiot reporters for the Dom/Post
      Acccording to today’s paper (The Diary – page A13, which I don’t see online) Parekura Horomia, after flying from Gisborne to Wellington this week gave another passenger “a ride home in his ministerial car”.
      I realise the reporters can’t stand seeing the Labour Party out of office but one does rather wonder about their powers of observation.
      Mind you a couple of days ago, in the same paper the headline writer had Reefton as being in Southland.

  5. frog 5
    5 October 2010 at 2:08 pm

    Hi Marty G,

    Over at frogblog we’d love it if you’d check your facts before hitting publish.

    Russel Norman wrote about Paul Henry’s racism and non-apology yesterday: http://blog.greens.org.nz/2010/10/04/paul-henry-should-actually-apologise-or-go/

    Keith Locke was in this morning’s Herald on the topic: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10678236

    And the Greens put out this press release earlier today: http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/it-s-about-more-sir-anand-paul

    We also shared our views on PH’s racism with another 4.5 thousand people via Facebook this morning.

    Cheers,

    frog
    http://blog.greens.org.nz/

    [lprent: The post was finished at 23:37 last night and queued early this morning to appear after other posts. Some of us have to work on things other than politics during the day…. So the posts are scheduled.

    From memory of the post, it referred to Russel Normans press release from yesterday without any degree of enthusiasm, in much the same way that it referred to Phil Goffs response yesterday. Both parties appear to have gotten off their butts today. No doubt we will see follow up on that after the workday ends. ]

    • toad 5.1
      5 October 2010 at 4:59 pm

      LP, Russel Norman actually got off his butt yesterday – the link I posted above and frog has linked to as well was to a blog post by Russel October 4, 2010 7:18 pm:

      To say that you are sorry if you offended someone is to say that you are not sorry at all. Henry shouldn’t be sorry for offence caused but sorry because what he said was racist.

      You don’t have to look and sound European to be a New Zealander.

      If Henry can’t recognise that his comments are racist and actually apologise then he isn’t the right person to front our only morning current affairs TV show. TVNZ is not Fox News, it’s owned by all of us not Murdoch. We shouldn’t have to put up with this crap.

      That’s pretty much the same line The Standard’s authors have taken, and a hell of a lot stronger and more principled than Goff’s pathetic effort yesterday (which Goff firmed up somewhat today after checking which way he wind was blowing).

      • lprent 5.1.1
        5 October 2010 at 5:39 pm

        My apologies.

        I didn’t see that rather late press release yesterday (and I’d guess that Marty didn’t either). I suppose we should really get ourselves on the mailing list for press releases from the greens (and labour for that matter) and disperse them internally

        I’ll add that to my interminable task list…

  6. freedom 6
    5 October 2010 at 2:08 pm

    What pisses me off most on this Paul Henry bs is that every politician and journo etc have an opinion on what is the right response and why we should all be outraged at this attack on New Zealanders. The MSM is overflowing with content dedicated to standing up for the values of New Zealand, the rights of people to be treated decently etc, etc, etc,

    Where the F*%K was their concern for New Zealanders when CERRA was given life?
    I am and will remain disgusted with all Members of New Zealand’s Parliament for this act of idealogical treason

    (Special mention goes to the Greens, who have failed more massively than the NACTs could ever have hoped for and are now working overtime on this issue to regain some footing)

  7. Raptor 7
    5 October 2010 at 2:09 pm

    “Finally, on a note of political strategy, where the hell are the Greens?”

    HAHAHAHAHA. You so silly. Russ the Muss came out strongly against it straight up last night on Frogblog and Keith the Crusader put out a release earlier in the morning.

    Unlike Phil Goff who fudged the question just as bad as Key did.

    Also, it is worth pointing out that youse Labour people are quick to call for Henry’s head, not according him the benefit of the processes and laws to protect unfair dismissal which you’re so keen to protect. Hypocritcal much?

    My advice: check yo’ facts, fool.

    • freedom 7.1
      5 October 2010 at 4:08 pm

      btw Raptor
      Making racist remarks is definitely grounds for instant dismissal in TVNZ contracts
      It is up to the employer to act or to let it slide, thankfully this time they acted, sort of.

  8. insider 8
    5 October 2010 at 2:27 pm

    Helen Clark quite happily trooped onto Paul Holmes’s and Paul Henry’s programmes for patsy interviews for years with never a cross word spoken. I think you are overestimating what she might say. He response in the election debates in 08 showed she was not always quick on her feet in reading a situation.

  9. tc 9
    5 October 2010 at 2:31 pm

    Nact are cruising towards next years election with a PR savvy leader, the spin, a docile MSM (helped along by the lapdog TVNZ) and an opposition that’s more piss n wind than fire n brimstone.

    Unless Phildo pulls his finger out, delegates to those in labour who can atriculate in 10sec soundbites and shows some spine I wish him well on the backbenches after election 2011.

    Phildo’s following a tough act and the cracks are showing as whilst he’d be a heap better PM than sideshow he’s got albatrosses like King/Mallard and his own persona to overcome.

    • pollywog 9.1
      5 October 2010 at 3:11 pm

      In much the same way as a vote for Key in the last election was more a vote against Helen, i reckon come next election, a vote for Goff will be a vote against Key only no one really wants Goff to become prime minister…so then what ?

      It becomes a wasted vote ?

    • NickS 9.2
      5 October 2010 at 4:41 pm

      Phildo

      Lawl, methinks I’ll use this in future if (or rather when) Goff fucks up.

      But yeah, Phildo really should have shown some bloody spine and cluebatted both our dimwitted PM and Paul Henry, instead the meek, pathetic response he gave, which I’m guessing was Phildo’s (or his PR advisor’s) brilliant idea to not alienate the fuck-tard and anti-“PC” vote. To which the question must be asked; “why does Labour want to court these drooling imbeciles?”.

  10. tea 10
    5 October 2010 at 3:41 pm

    Helen never offended here Marty. What’s to forgive? It’s the ones left behind that are being constantly offensive. Perhaps she’s taken Bernard Hickey’s advice!

  11. the sprout 11
    5 October 2010 at 4:19 pm

    Agreed Marty, at least viz Labour.
    It’s just too pathetic for words for Labour to eventually come out and condemn this sort of bullshit.
    It took Grant Robertson on Red Alert late yesterday afternoon to say something a bit more forceful – which Trevor Mallard has since managed to criticize today (yes, Trevor is now using RA to criticize his fellow MPs) in a belated attempt to try and out-outrage Robertson. Is there a rugby video someone could put on for Trevor to watch? Good on Grant for getting to the pumps only 8 or so hours after the fire, but I was wondering if anyone in Labour comms is familiar with the concept of media monitoring?

    To see Goff now come out today trying to catch the long since departed train of righteous condemnation of Key is just sad. And very annoying considering these people are supposed to be the bullwark between the People and Key’s neo-con agenda.

    This is so mind-bogglingly incompetent.

  12. just saying 12
    5 October 2010 at 5:02 pm

    The grand coalition of the right that is parliament disappoints the left again. *Yawn*

    Let me know if and when any of them does something, anything, remotely principled, or vaguely left wing, (without the say-so of focus-group morning-teas held in the leafier suburbs).

    I know, I know, I’ll be swamped with all the heartening news.
    -Yeah right

  13. Tanz 13
    5 October 2010 at 5:16 pm

    Helen is in New York, working hard apparently, and attending quite a few art exhibitions. She’s not going to come back, and I agree with some comments above, that she would also be as diplomatic as Key, in the same situation.

    • Blighty 13.1
      5 October 2010 at 5:28 pm

      Key wasn’t being diplomatic, he was being a coward.

      yesterday, he wouldn’t say if henry should be disciplined or not. Now he says two weeks suspension is the right punishment. he just drifts in the wind.

  14. just saying 14
    5 October 2010 at 5:31 pm

    If Goff actually cared about New Zealand and the Labour party he’d voluntarily step aside.

    Retiring to a hobby farm with some lucrative and prestigious sinecure would hardly be a a fate worse than death. Or he could stay in parliament – even in cabinet.

    But he won’t ‘man-up’, he never does – it’s all ambition and ego. He’s become one of the things he got involved in politics to fight against – a selfish apologist for privilege and inequality, desperately holding onto his stuff -and to hell with everyone else.

  15. Logie97 15
    5 October 2010 at 6:56 pm

    Watch John Key being “taken aback somewhat” as he plays along with Henry – judge for yourselves.

    • marsman 15.1
      5 October 2010 at 7:24 pm

      The pin-head wants to be Governor General, but not right now cause he doesn’t want to spoil his friendship with Key! ? Does he drool at the mouth when he looks at Key? like Espiner ? Boys Own stuff. Heroes and villains.

      • Hennie van der Merwe 15.1.1
        6 October 2010 at 12:12 am

        Why is no-one commenting on PH remark during the same program that he wishes for something to go wrong at the Commonwealth Games? I would love to hear him (and the rest of the country) rant and rave if an Indian journo should wish for next year’s Rugby World Cup to be a disaster!
        How can we get rid of this idiot?

  16. Amphibian 16
    11 October 2010 at 10:31 pm

    “Finally, on a note of political strategy, where the hell are the Greens? This is exactly the kind of moment that serves as a branding exercise – when Labour is weak, the Green’s show how the Left should act and win votes in doing so. But no, the Greens haven’t even commented. Under the Norman-ites the Green’s political management is becoming increasingly like the spineless careerism we’ve come to expect from the Goffice.”

    Green is the brand of the environmental movement. If you want a left-wing party ask for the “Red Party”. To do otherwise is green wash (and that’s false packaging).

  17. Amphibian 17
    11 October 2010 at 10:40 pm

    “You know that if Helen Clark were still around she wouldn’t have sat there weakly laughing. She would have been outraged by Henry’s racism and she would have told him so. She would have torn strips off the little racist bastard. There was a leader who was unafraid to take a stand for her principles.”

    Helen Clark confided “NZ is a deeply racist country and I’m going to do something about it” and she did she opened the doors of our racist little country to the worlds most populous (Asian) country.
    (titter titter).
    http://nbr.infometrics.co.nz/column.php?id=409

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    4 days ago
  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 99

    Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

    One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

    This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago
  • Can Brown deliver his roads

    The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

    Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

    A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago
  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

    On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

    There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

    A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

    This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago
  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears

    I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When Do We Look Away?

    Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The decades just fly by

    You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: August

    Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?

    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • White Noise

    Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.

    Norman KirkPrime Minister of New Zealand 1972-1974Born: 6 January 1923 - Died: 31 August 1974Of the working-class, by the working-class, for the working-class.Video courtesy of YouTubeThese elements were posted on Bowalley Road on Saturday, 31 August 2024. ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Claims and Counter-Claims.

    Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent  that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand Honours Maori King ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • The Principles of the Treaty

    Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.

    An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • A Big F U to this Right Wing Government

    Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: James Shaw’s legacy keeps paying off

    One of the central planks of the previous Labour-Green government's emissions reduction policy was GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry). This was basically using ETS revenue to pay polluters to clean up production, reducing emissions while protecting jobs. Corporate welfare, but it got the job done, and was often a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Gravity

    Oh twice as much ain't twice as goodAnd can't sustain like one half couldIt's wanting moreThat's gonna send me to my kneesSong: John MayerSome ups and downs from the last week of August ‘24. The good and bad, happy and sad, funny and mad, heroes and cads. The week that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Ditch the climate double speak and get real

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The Government announced changes to the Fast-Track Approvals Bill on Sunday, backing off from the contentious proposal to give ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to August 30

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest science of changing sea temperatures and which emissions policies actually work; on the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • This Govt’s infrastructure strategy depends on capital gains taxes & new road taxes

    Billions of dollars in value uplift was identified around the Transmission Gully project, but that was captured 100% by landowners and not shared to pay for the project. Now National is saying value capture should be used for similar projects. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/ Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 30-August-2024

    Kia ora and welcome to the end of another week. Here’s our regular Friday roundup of things that caught our eye, in the realm of cities and transport. If you enjoy these roundups, feel free to join our growing ranks of supporters by making a recurring donation to keep the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Table Talk: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.

    “That’s the sort of constitutional reform he favours: conceived in secret; revolutionary in intent; implemented incrementally without fanfare; and under no circumstances to be placed before the electorate for democratic ratification.”TO SAY IT WAS RAINING would have understated seriously the meteorological conditions. Simply put, it was pissing down. One of ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Big Norm and Chris Hipkins

    It’s 50 years ago today that “Big Norm” Kirk died of a heart attack in Wellington’s Home of Compassion. Home of Compassion. Although he was Prime Minister for only 623 days, he has an iconic place in New Zealand history, particularly Labour history. When Labour leaders like Jacinda Ardern recite ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35 2024

    Open access notables Arctic glacier snowline altitudes rise 150 m over the last 4 decades, Larocca et al., The Cryosphere: We mapped the snowline (SL) on a subset of 269 land-terminating glaciers above 60° N latitude in the latest available summer, clear-sky Landsat satellite image between 1984 and 2022. The mean SLA was extracted ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

    A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report.  “It will have the mandate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

    New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

    Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

    5 September 2024  The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

    As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

    Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations.   “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • More choice and competition in building products

    A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

    On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

    Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

    The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  “That is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape

    The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government backs women in horticulture

    “The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says.  “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout

    The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003

    Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants.  “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New priorities to protect future of conservation

    Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti

    A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand

    The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Delivering priority connections for the West Coast

    A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington

    A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki

    A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland

    A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland

    A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure

    A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui

    A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay

    A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We are committed to making sure that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne

    A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury

    A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...
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    6 days ago
  • Getting transport back on track in Auckland

    A record $8.4 billion for transport investment in Auckland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will deliver the infrastructure our rapidly growing region needs to support economic growth and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Aucklanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, phantoms projects, ...
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    6 days ago
  • Record investment to get transport back on track

    A record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more reliable and efficient transport network that boosts economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “New Zealanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, ...
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  • Consultation is open on gambling harm strategy

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