The Most Blacks

Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, April 30th, 2021 - 45 comments
Categories: privatisation, sport, uncategorized - Tags:

The New Zealand Rugby Union is currently in the process of selling its soul to the devil, in this case a private equity firm called Silver Lake.

This made me reflect on what the NZRU is selling.  Basically a stake in the game that has been a central part of New Zealand life for over a century.

I always liked the name.  The All Blacks.  It reflected our fledging cultural uniqueness better than any other name could.

And the haka, what a great way to start a game.

The first All Black haka was performed in 1905.  It is really cool that te Ao Maori has been an integral part of our most revered representative team for well over a century.

How did the sport evolve?  Every town, every suburb and every community formed a team that every Saturday in the winter went out and engaged in combat with other teams and then had a shower and a few beers and celebrated how great it was to live in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Large amounts of community resources were applied and Local Government was heavily involved.  Community owned space was set aside so that games could occur and funding for clubrooms and club operations was found from public budgets and generous benefactors.

And the best players were revered.  For most of the last century it was an amateur game.  But those who reached the pinnacle, think Colin Meads, Wilson Whineray, Bryan Williams, Brian Lohore, Sid Going, George Nepia … they were and still are national icons adored by everyone.

The community aspect has been lost.  Reliance on Television rights has played its part.  The visual aspect became more and more important and the tribal aspect of the contest was lost.  Club Rugby, that used to attract crowds in the tens of thousands, has degenerated to the stage that it was nothing more than a staging opportunity for potential gladiators to seek professional contracts.

And first fifteen rugby, a source of so much pride for a school community, became a contest of who could poach the best talent from our Pacific Island nations so they could earn bragging rights for their school.

So what exactly is New Zealand rugby selling?  Basically the collective efforts of many communities over decades the result of which created a pretty good representative rugby team.

And let us not delude ourselves.  The current (and previous) All Black rugby team relies heavily on our uber talented Pacific whanau.

New Zealand rugby over the past couple of decades has changed.  Grass roots rugby is on the decline.  It is no longer an integral part of community life.

Playing ranks are increasingly dominated by highly trained gladiators and others wanting to join their ranks.  Playing the game for the enjoyment of it seems to be lost.

All provincial unions have supported the sale.  The only group stopping a deal is the Player’s Union.  Details are not clear although Zoe George at Stuff has this description of their concerns:

Among other concerns raised by NZRPA, the players want guarantees the All Black jersey, silver fern, haka and other Māori and Pasifika cultural values intrinsic to the All Blacks brand aren’t sold off or culturally misappropriated.

They want NZR and the Māori rugby board to retain kaitiaki of the haka and other cultural taonga.

We are left with the situation where something born of our communities and nurtured and supported by our local and central governments is potentially being sold off to a US private equity firm.  Just so that television audiences can be entertained and profits made.

If the sale happens it will be a very dark day for New Zealand rugby.  The word “grassroots” will no longer be able to be applied to the national game.

45 comments on “The Most Blacks ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Gosman 1
    30 April 2021 at 10:49 am

    "So what exactly is New Zealand rugby selling? Basically the collective efforts of many communities over decades the result of which created a pretty good representative rugby team."

    The NZRFU is not selling anything beyond the use of the All Blacks for some commercial purposes. Given the fact the All Blacks are the main driver for the revenue for the game in the country utilising them to generate more revenue is not a terrible thing especially if some of that money will be directed towards the community game that you mentioned.

    I have asked you before and noticed you avoided answering – where else will the NZRFU get the revenue to sustain both the professional and community elements of the sport if they do not go down this route?

    • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1
      30 April 2021 at 4:06 pm

      NZRU had $100 mill in the bank at the start of Covid and now they are 'down' to $60 mill.

      They arent really returning much to provincial unions for their teams let alone local clubs – who see nothing.

      The NZRFU main interest outside the All Blacks is the Super Rugby and its funding of players salaries

    • Tricledrown 1.2
      30 April 2021 at 4:26 pm

      Young players are having their teenage years wrecked by professional expectations for every player that makes it a 100 are injured for life.

      It becomes a dreay chore rather than a fun thing to do ,so more and more children are doing other sports that are not gladiatorial and demand all participants spare time.

      NZ's dominance in Rugby will come to an end kids prefer playing video games rather than getting smashed bashed and burned out.Now that 2 Pacific teams are going to be included in super rugby the Allblacks will have an even smaller talent base.

      Allblack players will play just for the Allblacks provincial and super rugby will miss out on that talent and skill weakening its appeal .smaller crowds turning out to see games . Club rugby won't see enough of the pie to survive.Young club rugby players can't afford time off work for injury,training ,playing or recovery.

      Others countries are doing far more to keep rugby growing like France which has 4 levels of professional rugby and the 5 th division is semi professional.

      They look after their players very well compared to NZ .Clubs are owned by very wealthy businessmen compared to our raffles, housie and cheese rolls sales.

      Junior levels are also looked after as well most clubs put on free food after the game for spectators as well.free transport to other games etc etc.

      France's healthcare system means injuries are treated quickly for much cheaper prices.

  2. Gareth Wilson 2
    30 April 2021 at 11:01 am

    Every town, every suburb and every community formed a team that every Saturday in the winter went out and engaged in combat with other teams and then had a shower and a few beers and celebrated how great it was to live in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    How many of these rugby players would have described their country as "Aotearoa New Zealand"?

  3. Incognito 3
    30 April 2021 at 11:03 am

    Playing the game for the enjoyment of it seems to be lost.

    Indeed, the estrangement or alienation caused by capitalism and corporatisation has turned players into commodities. In fact, the whole game is becoming a commodity.

  4. Thebiggestfish 4
    30 April 2021 at 11:06 am

    And yet you won’t support any government money for the all blacks to keep them 100% NZ Inc. The National game from the professionals right on through to the grassroots has a very real funding problem at the moment. Silver Lake seems to be a bit of a last resort to get the funding they need to prop up and reinvest into rebuilding the community and grassroots game.

    • mickysavage 4.1
      30 April 2021 at 11:30 am

      Huge amounts of public money go into supporting the sport. Do you know how much the land used for an Auckland rugby field is worth and how much is spent on maintaining it?

      • Ad 4.1.1
        30 April 2021 at 12:42 pm

        That's true but it's local investment not central.

        Also most stadiums are public cash suck-holes.

        And the Super regional teams are privatised already.

        This is too big an entity to expect NZ is going to keep 100% control. And too late for any Fonterra-like legislation.

        It's as fickle an effort to keep private capital out of sport as it is to keep politics out of sport.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 4.1.1.1
          30 April 2021 at 1:33 pm

          It's as fickle an effort to keep private capital out of sport as it is to keep politics out of sport.

          Or to keep private capital out of politics, and vice versa in a 'joined up' world.

          Lobbying For Gain: Nick Warner And Australia’s Revolving Door
          Governments have an almost crippling trouble appreciating conflicts of interest. Since tentacle-heavy lobby groups decided to move into the world’s capitals to make the case for their clients, the revolving door has become the sickening feature of politics. Former bureaucrats, public service officials and elected representatives find few problems with joining the very lobby groups that once pressured them to change policy. This seamless movement of sewerage makes accountable governance a hag and transparency a bed-bound dream.

          Private Equity Smashes Its Campaign-Spending Record with 2020 Races
          Private equity has spent more on the 2020 political races than on any previous election, setting a new high for political donations at a time of fierce debate about greater regulation of the industry.

          Employees of private equity and other investment firms, excluding hedge funds, gave $132 million to candidates, parties, political-action committees and outside groups through Sept. 30, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit that reports on money in politics. The data were released Oct. 16 by the Federal Election Commission.

          That sum is the most the industry has ever spent on an election cycle, exceeding the $117.4 million spent on 2016 races.

          https://longreads.tni.org/stateofpower/lobbying-political-power

          • Ad 4.1.1.1.1
            30 April 2021 at 5:09 pm

            New Zealand desperately needs private equity to expand their businesses beyond their tiny average size – in no small part because our savings rate is so shit.

            The All Blacks are one of our major businesses and have had woeful underinvestment for decades. The sponsorships are all going to run out.

            We don't need to see crap situations like Silver Ferns which was totally sold overseas because the locals wouldn't invest in it when they were asked, or Fonterra which is now about half its size of three years ago and our local farms resist any kind of investment structure after running it as a bulk supply business.

            The romance of nationalistic investment has a really poor recent record here.

            The All Blacks need to become a corporation in which we get a shot at investing. Anyone remember AirNZ A and B Class shares?

            • Drowsy M. Kram 4.1.1.1.1.1
              30 April 2021 at 8:06 pm

              If 'we' sold only a 12.5% stake in what remains of NZ-owned ‘commerce‘ in order to stay afloat, then AOK. How long ’til the next offering, do you reckon?

              A commercial stake through the heart of NZ rugby, imho, but time will tell.

      • Visubversa 4.1.2
        30 April 2021 at 1:22 pm

        And we know how much of the taxpayers' and ratepayers' $$$$$ have gone into Eden Park over the years. Into a privately owned entertainment venue which used to be a sports field.

        [I’ve changed the e-mail address; it was the wrong combination of approved user name + approved e-mail address]

        • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1.2.1
          30 April 2021 at 3:43 pm

          Its not really 'privately owned' its a public entity – Eden Park Trust Board.

          But its a part publically funded entity which is controlled by the Cricket and Rugby bodies in Auckland with a bit of Auckland Council on the side.

  5. Ad 5
    30 April 2021 at 11:26 am

    I am glad they are selling a chunk off. The provincial teams need the support.

    I'd like to have seen NZSuper and ACC take a chunk of it as well – as they did for Kiwibank.

    Also NZRugby need the cash to keep those players sweet: it's still a fast route out of the working class for a lot of guys.

    But I do agree that it lost its' mojo for us collectively once it privatised the viewing rights. That should be something the new RNZ/TVNZ group should do.

    • millsy 5.1
      30 April 2021 at 11:49 am

      "But I do agree that it lost its' mojo for us collectively once it privatised the viewing rights."

      Yes, the game in NZ was privatised 25 years ago, when it went behind Sky's paywall.

    • lprent 5.2
      30 April 2021 at 12:59 pm

      Personally I couldn't care less.

      My interest in rugby, league, cricket, and most sports dissipates when I stop doing them. Being a couch potato wasting time watching others performing at a stadium or in front of a TV seems stupid.

    • Enough is Enough 5.3
      30 April 2021 at 1:37 pm

      I tend to agree with you.

      The Provincial Unions have unanimously approved this investment. The memebers of each Provincial Unions are the clubs and grass roots organisations that MS speaks of. This isn't just a bunch of suits in Wellington selling off the crown jewells. It is for the benfeit of, and has therfore been approved by the grass roots.

      The overpaid professional players are having a tantrum and holding things up.

      It would be a disaster if the wealthy all blacks sink a deal that benefits the amateur side of the game.

      • tc 5.3.1
        30 April 2021 at 2:46 pm

        It's the overpaid top end transformation of sport over the last few decades.

        Sees grassroots, provincial, lower levels suffer. Football in the UK's been on that slide since matchday revenue sharing ceased in 1982.

        Premier league comes along 10 years later to make matters worse with exclusive tv deals.

        Then 30 years and a pandemic later the big clubs don’t need crowds as tv/merch etc is worth more. Superleague is as inevitable as the greed is palpable.

        • mickysavage 5.3.1.1
          30 April 2021 at 7:58 pm

          Yep UK soccer and NZ rugby have disturbing similarities. Apart from the fact that the English soccer team has sucked for a long time …

        • Enough is Enough 5.3.2.1
          30 April 2021 at 3:39 pm

          Huh?

          Are you comparing fully professional and corporate English Football clubs to amateur grass roots New Zealand rugby clubs run solely by volunteers.

          Other than both coming under the umbrella of sport, there isn't anything remotley similar between the two groups.

          • Incognito 5.3.2.1.1
            30 April 2021 at 3:58 pm

            Use your imagination and a little bit of cynicism and negativity; it works a treat for some other commenters here.

        • tc 5.3.2.2
          30 April 2021 at 5:52 pm

          They sure do. UEFA's found a few mill down back of a sofa for them and the ESL goes on the backburner as none have officially resigned.

          Interesting times

      • ghostwhowalksnz 5.3.3
        1 May 2021 at 10:17 am

        "It is for the benfeit of, and has therfore been approved by the grass roots."

        Once the 12.5% comes off the NZRU revenue – not profits ,there will little to no money left from NZRU 'profits' for the provinces own teams let alone the club sides.

        The money paid to provincial unions now is just a pre funding of what they would have got from NZRU over the next 10 years anyway.

        The money will spent by the provinces in 5 years anyway but the revenue diverted to Silverlake goes on forever

  6. In Vino 6
    30 April 2021 at 12:18 pm

    Silver Lake exist to make a profit – not to give charity to the All Blacks.

    How can we be sure that in the long term they will not find a way to take far more out of NZ Rugby than the short-term gain NZR are making from this long-term sale?

    • Ad 6.1
      30 April 2021 at 12:39 pm

      Find a local investor who will make a better offer.

      • Incognito 6.1.1
        30 April 2021 at 1:11 pm

        ACC

        Oops, you already suggested that!

        • mac1 6.1.1.1
          30 April 2021 at 1:31 pm

          Instead of investing in Kiwi rocket companies which put US military hardware in space, ACC could invest in NZ rugby and maybe have some influence on head and other injuries.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1.1.2
          30 April 2021 at 3:45 pm

          ACC wont be doing that as they are passive investors , Silverlake is likely to tie up the match schedule and sponsorships to suit its other 'sports' interests

          • Incognito 6.1.1.2.1
            30 April 2021 at 4:00 pm

            Well, either we don’t give a shit about the commodification of the ABs and simultaneously of our culture and history or some of us won’t become multi-millionaires.

            • millsy 6.1.1.2.1.1
              30 April 2021 at 6:09 pm

              Oh we stopped giving a shit about the commodification of anything in this country years ago,

              • Incognito …
                30 April 2021 at 6:48 pm

                Yes, and it shows.

                • ghostwhowalksnz …
                  1 May 2021 at 10:10 am

                  Different generation

                  These guys now at elite rugby levels want to be commodified, their worth is the big contract.

                  Silverlake wants to be like mafia casino boss, taking its share of the revenue off the top- without even knowing the difference between a forward or a back

      • In Vino 6.1.2
        30 April 2021 at 11:11 pm

        My fear is that this offer may turn out worse than none at all. OK? That would be in line with many of the policies we have foolishly pursued since the 1980s.

        The starving of Grass Roots is a direct result of past NZR policies. Maybe NZR need to look at fixing that, rather than extending the error of current policies.

  7. cathy-o 7
    30 April 2021 at 12:26 pm

    When they've finished off your forwards and your backs are wearing thin

    And the second spell's half over and you've forty points to win

    And this hulking wing three quarter's got his teeth stuck in your shin

    Well don't worry mate, she'll be right.

    She'll be right mate, she'll be right

    Don't worry mate, she'll be right

    You don't worry who's the loser

    When you meet them down the boozer

    So Don't worry mate, she'll be right

    • mac1 7.2
      30 April 2021 at 1:00 pm

      It's where the wife put the footy socks is the problem……..

      When you've had yer copper goin', and you've boiled a ton'a hops, And you've brewed your brew and bottled 'er and hammered on the tops, And your missus keeps on askin' where y' left your footie socks, Well don't worry mate, she'll be right…. Shove a shot o' metho in and you can call it Kiwi gin… And don't worry mate, she'll be right.

  8. Pat 8
    30 April 2021 at 6:32 pm

    It matters not….the game is in decline regardless and this (or any) deal will only temporarily solve the financial position just as the AIG and Adidas deals did…a few million to the provincial unions only pays their current overdrafts.

    • millsy 8.1
      1 May 2021 at 8:58 am

      Yes, this is exactly what I have been thinking.

      These promises have been thrown around since 1994 when Steinlager put their name on the black jersey.

  9. peter sim 9
    30 April 2021 at 10:53 pm

    The "All Blacks" are television fodder. I just wish our media scribes, voices/ faces and alleged editors realise that most nzer,s do not care about the abs.

    they are not worth front page headlines, they are not worth leading reports on our national radio station, let alone a lead intro on tv. Sigh.

    We gave up hollywood gossip columns decades ago. It is long overdue we give up ab adulation of the ab,s.

    Rugby, in this country, at a community, regional level matters to the communities. I just hope a lot of this corporate trading profit gets to the communities.

    In fact nearly all of so called "sports reporting" is nothing else but free publicity.

  10. mosa 10
    1 May 2021 at 9:43 pm

    " How did the sport evolve? Every town, every suburb and every community formed a team that every Saturday in the winter went out and engaged in combat with other teams and then had a shower and a few beers and celebrated how great it was to live in Aotearoa New Zealand "
    If you are going to extol the game of ” rugby ” then learn your history rather than taking the easy way out !!!

    Only if you were a " rugby player " not a working class league player that the real Labour party that supported rugby " league " over it's class based football game of rugby.

    Many aspiring rugby players wanted to switch codes to league but were threatened from doing so because " rugby " was financially supported by the elite groups in New Zealand who actively discouraged any man from playing " league "

    Mickey take your rose coloured rugby glasses of and research your " LABOUR party history on this subject !!

    You need to be saved from your neo liberal disease !

    • Incognito 10.1
      1 May 2021 at 9:46 pm

      Apologies, I noticed that your comments went straight to Trash and I have rectified the problem, as you can see now. If you wish you can re-submit your other comment to the post on Seymour.

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    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    19 hours ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    22 hours ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    24 hours ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    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 in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
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