The National Party Caucus knew nuffink about Nick Smith’s problems

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, June 2nd, 2021 - 40 comments
Categories: Judith Collins, national, Parliament, same old national, workers' rights - Tags:

Last night the story about Nick Smith’s issues that caused his resignation finally broke, or did it?

Jenna Lynch at Newshub had the scoop.  Newshup, particularly Tova O’Brien appears to be the go to news media organisation for internal National leaks.

The article did not refer to the terms of the draft findings of the investigation however.  It may be that there is another story waiting to be completed and that the contesting of the terms of the draft report may be the hold up.

There were hints by some in the media that Trevor Mallard was the leaker.  As if.  Why leak it now rather than during last year’s election campaign?

Richard Harman has a much more plausible explanation.  He notes (paywalled) that Judith Collins warned the National caucus early last month that media were about to break a scandal involving one of the party’s MPs.  She then told Smith last Friday that the story involved him.  Clearly the leaking from within Caucus is continuing and Collins sounded rattled on Morning Report this morning when asked about this.

The anonymous comments by former staffers about Smith reported by Jenna Lynch are really out there.  They included these:

  • “Smith was notorious for that red mist”
  • “One of the most difficult assholes I’ve ever worked for”
  • “I have no fond memories of that guy”
  • “He was prone to bouts of extreme verbal anger towards other ministers and staff. It was out of the ordinary even then. But we didn’t complain because we were Gen Xers. We should have”
  • “Nick’s irrational and verbally abusive behaviour towards his staff was one of Parliament’s worst-kept secrets. Everyone from Ministerial Services, Parliamentary Services, the Prime Minister’s Office  and the bullying inquiry knew about it yet Nick’s staff continued to be collateral damage.”

The caucus has claimed that it knew nothing of what was happening.  Judith Collins said that she did.

It is hard to reconcile National MPs claims that they knew nothing with some of the former staffers’ comments particularly “[e]veryone from Ministerial Services, Parliamentary Services, the Prime Minister’s Office  and the bullying inquiry knew about it yet Nick’s staff continued to be collateral damage”.

This is a further set back for National.  When it should be trying to formulate an alternative vision for the country it is yet again engaged in putting out fires.  And this again feeds into the mantra that National MPs think they are born to rule.

This story has not concluded yet.

40 comments on “The National Party Caucus knew nuffink about Nick Smith’s problems ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Tricledrown 1
    2 June 2021 at 9:07 am

    Nasty National exposed again Collins herself is another nasty piece of work keeping the bad news to when Labour releases a budget that’s not so popular.
    So the damage is minimised.
    The next poll may see Collins finally dumped to cleanse National of its Nasty image .

    • Mat Simpson 1.1
      2 June 2021 at 10:21 pm

      " The next poll may see Collins finally dumped to cleanse National of its Nasty image "

      They are called the Nasty Natz for a reason,

      Luxon is the next Key but with the glow of righteous religion.

  2. GreenBus 2
    2 June 2021 at 9:36 am

    I absolutely love the National Party. What fun. Keep it coming. After decades of their arrogance and born to rule mantra, us kiwis are treated to reality politics, National style. All over the front pages and on internet news. Brilliant. They deserve it.

  3. AB 3
    2 June 2021 at 10:04 am

    "National MPs think they are born to rule"

    Not surprising since they so frequently do – and the social and occupational classes from which they arise always do, in one way or another.

    • Clive Macann 3.1
      2 June 2021 at 10:49 am

      No one should think they are born to rule in the future using the past as their criteria. There is so much wrong with that sort of thinking.

      • greywarshark 3.1.1
        2 June 2021 at 12:04 pm

        Oh you are so right. So what do you think can be done about that. Next step?

  4. tc 4
    2 June 2021 at 10:16 am

    "….should be trying to formulate an alternative vision for the country.." nailed it Mickey however we all know it's not in their DNA.

    The current govt's rectifying nationals vision in health, education , housing etc etc. Leopards and spots from the born to rules with refined rhetoric is all that's coming no matter who leads them.

    IMO 2020 showed a new generation of voters emerging and engaged in the voting process. Their distrust of the major parties across the globe has merit. National serve up more of the same.

  5. Stuart Munro 5
    2 June 2021 at 10:23 am

    They're really only being consistent – they know nuffink of consequence about most things.

  6. Tricledrown 6
    2 June 2021 at 10:44 am

    Collins spin doesn't cut the mustard.

    Collins says she warned colleagues a month ago but only found out about it in the news on Monday yet they knew before the last election.

    Dirty politics has come home to roost.

    National need to front up Nick Smith needs to front up looks like that everyone in National knew but the Spin Doctors set up a strategy to have everyone singing from the same page.

    But Collins duplicity on when she warned everybody doesn't add up.

    The media needs to ask some hard questions.

    • tc 6.1
      2 June 2021 at 12:27 pm

      " The media needs to ask some hard questions " which never happens over a period of time to crack the facade.

      It's a once over lightly by nationals media mates and then maybe a dead cat or similar tactic.

    • Descendant Of Smith 7.1
      2 June 2021 at 11:33 am

      Those things are only for executive arse covering. Tick box exercises to say we had policies in place. Gives them a way of firing people whose transgressions become too public.

      Doesn't stop the behaviour – might just make it more passive aggressive at best.

  8. Anne 8
    2 June 2021 at 10:53 am

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/judith-collins-says-she-didn-t-push-nick-smith-resign-over-verbal-altercation-staffer-v1

    At the end of clip Collins tries to finger Trevor Mallard. Infers he and Parliamentary Services have something to explain. Her usual trick – changing the narrative and planting the idea that Trev and his PS mates leaked the information?

  9. ghostwhowalksnz 9
    2 June 2021 at 11:12 am

    I see the old chestnut about MPs being both direct managers of staff and unfirable MPs means 'nothing can done' …yeah right.

    Yes they can, its easy: repeated pattern of misbehavior means the staff entitlements are slowly removed until 'the beatings stop' ( sarc)

    As it happens now Parliamentary Services aids and abets outrageous behavior from some MPs, as they pay out any staff and happily pay for their replacements. Why would Smith modify his behavior where he thinks hes the GOAT.

  10. ghostwhowalksnz 10
    2 June 2021 at 11:24 am

    As they say in the ads… theres more

    'Former National candidate Jake Bezzant is no longer a member of the party as serious allegations against him from an ex-girlfriend emerge.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300322828/former-national-candidate-jake-bezzant-leaves-party-as-serious-allegations-emerge

    Sounds to me like the factions have some infighting spilling into public as the media leaked the details…now who would benefit from an ally of Paula Bennetts being exposed in this way.

    • Tricledrown 10.1
      2 June 2021 at 4:39 pm

      Bennett had her own issues with a young man claiming she had abused him and threatened to sue him but never did. His post remains up online.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 10.1.1
        3 June 2021 at 10:09 am

        That was around Bennetts 'life on the DPB' and as organiser of the Napier Tattoo ( social) club

  11. Gabby 11
    2 June 2021 at 11:36 am

    I mean Judee wouldn't have any idea how to go about getting info to handpicked journos to get rid of a hasbeen colleague. The thought would probably never cross her mind, good christian lady that she is.

  12. Ad 12
    2 June 2021 at 11:43 am

    It will be fun to see Judith Collins defends who knew what about the sex bullying charges against Jake Bezzant.

    They really know how to pick them.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-candidate-jake-bezzant-cuts-ties-with-party-following-explosive-claims/D2GCWGXAT47CJH77RSPGNB7U44/

  13. Stuart Munro 13
    2 June 2021 at 1:02 pm

    There's an IT Crowd solution for every problem.

  14. Patricia Bremner 14
    2 June 2021 at 1:24 pm

    Judith Collins and W Oil plotted to get MPs who favoured their ideas. The replacement for Nick looks like a right wing religious member imo. Slow but sure "renewal".The people change but obviously the behaviours don't, as they fit with the superiority.

    In the latest case, no real respect for women unless they are in a support role. In this case support for sexual gratification and immoral use of power.

  15. Tricledrown 15
    2 June 2021 at 4:36 pm

    Revenge Porn not applicable to white well off males.

    Yet the police are in like a dogs robber if Maori protest over stolen land.

    • Patricia Bremner 15.1
      4 June 2021 at 5:01 pm

      Tricledrown, that guy is appearing in court. Heard it on the news.

  16. Margaritte 16
    2 June 2021 at 5:42 pm

    It really looks tome like national are trying to pre-empt the report from Parliamentary services here. This all seems carefully staged to take the sting out of the report when it is finally revealed.

  17. Ian 17
    2 June 2021 at 8:33 pm

    Nick Smith is worth a brace of Mallards. Dirty politics is now firmly owned by the left

    • Muttonbird 17.1
      2 June 2021 at 9:28 pm

      You claim this but is there any evidence Mallard leaked?

      Mind you, even if he did he's done New Zealand a major service. National would prefer to bury bad behaviour; Smith, Bezzant, JLR, Falloon, Boag, Walker, Merv. The list goes on and on and on.

      Atrocious behaviour, and worse is the attempted cover-ups.

    • McFlock 17.2
      2 June 2021 at 9:49 pm

      Are you alledging Mallard slept with someone in an effort to get into a position to manipulate them to into making a previous consensual sexual relationship between them and one of Mallard's political opponents public? /sarc

    • Drowsy M. Kram 17.3
      2 June 2021 at 10:03 pm

      Truly desperate assertions, imho. Recently revealed 'escapades' of Nick Smith and Jake Bezzant (the ‘scamp‘) show that Boag's historic campaign to "stop the rot" continues to be an abysmal failure. The National party is still hollow, still rotten, and still very dirty.

      Dirty Politics: Can National stop the rot?
      “It doesn't support the values of the National Party I know,” Muller said.

      But that is wrong. These are very much the values of National, which has learned little since Dirty Politics. And a leader should not, once again, be allowed to distance himself from the nasty streak that has run through the party for a long time.

      Ex-Nat Jami-Lee Ross rose through the ranks of the party, valued for his bare-knuckle tactics. He was a top lieutenant of former leader Simon Bridges, whose attacks on Jacinda Ardern often strayed into unpleasantly personal territory.

      Ross recently described how a party strategy singled out toppled Clare Curran as a weak link. “National wanted to break her… we were awful” he wrote. Woodhouse was photographed holding a toilet seat with her face on it – an act on which Muller last week refused to comment.

      Michelle Boag, a PR operative who won the party presidency with a campaign to “stop the rot,” admitted being the source of the leaks. Boag was once criticised for using the leak of ACC clients' private information as leverage to get compensation for a friend. She was also censured for the secret filming of Winston Peters during the Winebox Inquiry.

      Hamish Walker, 35, entered this bear-pit environment, a newbie MP in 2017. He succeeded Todd Barclay, who also left Parliament in disgrace after allegations of clandestine recording.

      He might be the author of his own demise. But while his racist press release about Covid-19, and the privacy leak to justify it were not sanctioned by the party, he must have believed they would be acceptable.

      Muller’s only been at the helm a few weeks. There’s been no time for a culture change nor any evidence that he wanted to leave behind this legacy of toxicity. He even hired mischievous strategist Matthew Hooton, a prominent cast member of Dirty Politics and Hager’s 2006 book The Hollow Men.

      If Muller is truly to fix up Walker’s mess, then he needs to clean up National’s love of dirty politics.

      Press advisory on Judith Collins and the book Dirty Politics
      Anyone can check the chapter about Collins in Dirty Politics. It shows a pettiness and meanness, as she sent snippets of gossip and dirt to Cameron Slater and helped him to attack people on his blog — including details of a public servant who was then strongly attacked on Slater's blog, including receiving death threats. The chapter recounts where she recommended to Slater about some National Party internal politics: "Personally I would be out for total destruction… But then I've learned to give is better than to receive." She called it the "double" rule: "always reward with Double"; and said "If you can't be loved, then best to be feared."

    • Tricledrown 17.4
      2 June 2021 at 10:43 pm

      Ian .Ever since the Exclusive Brethren's involvement with National back in 2004/5 Don Brash's dirty little helpers National have flung mud used Hollow men used Dirty politics to undermine the left.

      Now chooks coming home to roost cry babies can't handle the mess completely orchestrated by the likes of hooten Slater William's. Loading their extremist tobacco lobbyists into the National Party they have been found wanting from lines of white powder in Queenstown to bullying and sexual harassment.

      The National Pary has no one to blame but it self and its obsessive win at all Cost's groupies.

    • greywarshark 17.5
      4 June 2021 at 11:23 am

      edit
      Ian Dirty politics is now firmly owned by the left.

      Wrong word Ian I think you mean – observed by the left.

      And consequences follow when it is observed, we all know that. What has happened to the staffer who is not now employed in Parliament?

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/444029/person-who-recorded-nick-smith-s-verbal-altercation-no-longer-at-parliament
      Collins has previously told media the Parliamentary Service was alerted to the argument by a staff member of another MP who recorded the spat and then made a complaint.

      Without some form of defence the recording would likely be illegal, Collins told RNZ.
      “Having said that, I’m just giving you my legal advice on it. The second thing is that, of course, I’ve never heard it, don’t know the details and haven’t been advised of all the details.”

      Collins said she didn’t know the person who made the recording personally.
      “I don’t know the person myself. I probably would if I were to see the person.”

      The person no longer works for the National Party or Parliamentary Service, Collins said.
      It is not clear when the staffer left Parliament and under what circumstances.

    • Patricia Bremner 17.6
      4 June 2021 at 5:02 pm

      Not according to locals!! They voted N Smith out.

    • Michael 17.7
      5 June 2021 at 4:52 pm

      Wrong. very wrong. But I don't expect someone like you to see that.

  18. outofbed 18
    3 June 2021 at 8:58 am

    Having known Mr Smith for a number of years in Nelson

    I can report he is one of the most obnoxious people I have ever met.

    The Nelson Electorate public seem to love him.

    The Nelson mail was his chief cheer leader.

    At time the paper seemed to be like a National party handout.

    He has gone! About f*&^king time.

    [typo in user name fixed]

    • Prickles 18.1
      3 June 2021 at 10:23 am

      I have never understood why so many Nelsonians have backed Nick Smith. The reaction from most people I know was to cheer loudly at his departure. I've only been on the receiving end of his bile once and that was more than enough but a family member had to deal with him quite frequently. There were times when it appeared it was all NS could do to not lash out physically. Purple in the face and spitting as he shouted – a truly ugly spectacle.

      • greywarshark 18.1.1
        4 June 2021 at 11:14 am

        outofbed and Prickles are right.

        The Nelson Mail have always been kind to National and Nick Smith.

        A letter I wrote criticising him once resulted in him phoning me up to discuss the matter. I can't remember what it was about, nothing juicy, but he couldn't address the matter with a published reply as he should have done.

        He had a very active supportive electorate team which must have been a great boon to him. He had some money and at his start managed to run his electorate from part of his house, and for decades has had a hall attached to his office which is available to city groups at a low rent, or even no rent. Earlier he had a sort of boyish look and grin which seemed to charm people. And he has had a regular column, in the tabloid style now, it is a half page advertising what he has done, who he has seen, and his itinerary so he seemed to be working hard for Nelson people.

        And appearance is all in politics with people who have security of concern from the government as retired people are, who in a graph numbered 10,000 in 2018 and are expected to double that by 2048; the growth is with them, other age groups are lower and fairly stable. Another part of the pdf (which won't perform on my computer) says that this older group are about 25% of the population. https://www.nelson.govt.nz/assets/Our-council/Downloads/population-demographics/2017/Ageing-Population-Nelsons-Older-Population-Summary-of-Research-Feb2017-A1602240.pdf

        • Anne 18.1.1.1
          4 June 2021 at 8:57 pm

          A letter I wrote criticising him once resulted in him phoning me up to discuss the matter. I can't remember what it was about, nothing juicy, but he couldn't address the matter with a published reply as he should have done.

          No matter how polite he may have been, that in itself was a sign of bullying.

  19. Jimmy 19
    3 June 2021 at 2:10 pm

    I don't think too many people will be sad to see him go. In fact most people I have spoken to think he should have gone years ago.

    • In Vino 19.1
      3 June 2021 at 7:06 pm

      Never found anything to admire in his utterances – to my mind he should never have come.

  20. JustMe 20
    3 June 2021 at 7:01 pm

    Here is an observation but apparently Judith Collins knew about Nick Smith's problems even before the election last year and yet her deputy Shane Reti didn't know about it.

    Don't those two supposedly leader and deputy leader of National talk to each other????!!!!

    Surely keeping secrets even from each other within the National ranks and especially between Collins and Reti shows there are flaws within National???!!!!

    But to not communicate even to a fellow National MP shows how devious Judith Collins is prepared to be. She also demeans herself in ranking and rating due to HER lack of communication.

    It also shows we cannot trust Collins to be honest with us NZers if be some misfortune she became prime minister of New Zealand.

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    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes – The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    6 days ago

  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    1 week ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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