The NZ equivalent of the Westboro Baptist Church

Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, December 8th, 2014 - 91 comments
Categories: human rights, religion, Social issues - Tags:

There is a wonderful Michael Moore clip from the Awful Truth where he takes on Reverend Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.  That church had achieved some notoriety with its vehemently anti homosexual views and its practice of picketing the funerals of young gay men and harassing their grieving families.

Moore responded by assembling a group of volunteers in a large pink bus christened “the Sodommobile” and toured southern states where sodomy was still illegal.  They managed to purportedly commit an offence in three states at once!  The clip climaxes with Moore’s volunteers singing a Karen Carpenter song while one of Phelps’ supporters sings without irony “God hates fags”.  You have to see it to believe it.  You have to wonder at the blind stupidity and hatred displayed by people who think they are worshiping a god who preaches forgiveness and tolerance.

It seems that New Zealand may have its own Fred Phelps.  The Westcity Bible Baptist Church has posted a biblical passage on its Facebook page suggesting that homosexuals should be put to death.

Westcity Baptist Church anti gay rant

Levi Joule from Gay Express has reported on an email sent by the Church’s Pastor Logan Robertson in response to a request for support for a project dealing with issues faced by LGBT people in the church.  Joule reports that Robertson responded in the following terms:

“We are not interested in your filthy lifestyle or book.

Romans 1 clearly says god has rejected homos and they are worthy of death. You cannot be saved.

Leviticus 20:13 reads”If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”

The Bible says you are vile, strange (queer), reprobate, sodomite, natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed (2 Peter 2:12).

I pray that you will commit suicide, you filthy child molesting fag.”

This is appalling, utterly appalling from someone who is meant to provide spiritual guidance to people.  Rather than detail how appalling it is I thought I would rely on Jed Bartlett to do so.

Updated to correct the name.  I understand the Church is not affiliated with the mainstream Baptist Church in New Zealand.

91 comments on “The NZ equivalent of the Westboro Baptist Church ”

  1. nadis 1

    I think Westboro has more notoriety for picketing the funerals of US serviceman, and victims of school shootings with their anti-gay message. Completely insane, hopefully Fred Phelps dies soon. Louis Theroux did a really good doco on them a few years back.

  2. Sabine 2

    Fred Phelps has died, and before his death was excommunicated by his church. It appears that he might have had a re-think of his ideas. Several of the Church’Members have left and are now trying to rebuild their lives.

    sadly in this world of fear that we are creating (and yes, with our inactivity and laissez faire attitude we are literally letting stuff happen), it will be ok to bash single mothers as harlots, gay and lesbians and abominations unto the eye of god, to bash the infirm and disabled, and to hold people accountable for their poverty.

    Many many churches now preach that god does want one to be rich, and that those that live a godly life – no matter how miserable – will be rewarded with riches, and that those that don’t get rich quick must be doing something wrong, and if they just repent, fast, self flagellate and tithe above the 10 % all will be well.

    Also Ladies be submissive, a good Helpmeet, obey your Father and then your Husband always, don’t use the pill, and have as many babies as god will send you and above all be sweet, always smile, always be kind, never complain, or be not well. 🙂 .

    Also Gents, be assertive, a good provider, and you shall receive a good Helpmeet, who will be at your service (as is her duty if she wants to be godly).

    Yes. Religion is fucked up, but consider the strange times we live in, and it makes perfect sense. Religion is a tool used over and over again to enforce a rigid system of population control.

    ex roman catholic here 🙂

    • greywarshark 2.1

      Religion generally never wants numbers of population controlled. Simplistic breeding is what they generally go for. It’s interesting that a clever and hard working teenage girl in our extended family who had won awards while at college, and could have been expected to go into engineering and design, has married at the age of 17-18. I am jumping to conclusions here, and may be wrong about her future direction. But I don’t feel that there will be much encouragement for her to keep working and have a career and children and marriage which should be an option for the modern woman.

      Her parents are very church minded. Heaven forbid a woman who has forged a career for herself using the advanced part of her brain. The biological imperative is used against her, and her life limited to helping her husband get on in the world and bringing up their children for similar roles.
      edited

    • mickysavage 2.2

      Speaking as another ex roman catholic kia kaha Sabine! Hope your recovery is going well!

    • KJS0ne 2.3

      I’m pretty tired of all religions being tarred with the same brush by former Christians and Atheists whose only conception of faith has to be something involving a creator god.

      As a Buddhist, I can tell you for a fact that my religion couldn’t give a stuff about population, contraception, or whether you sleep with the same sex or not. Nor is my religion a tool for anything other than attempting to uncover the true nature of reality. So I may be biased, but I don’t think my religion is in any way ‘fucked up’.

      So next time you go about referring to religion, please bare in mind that religion does not always equate to Christianity/Islam/Judaism. And that when you draw that line and say that religion is fucked up, you’re being annoying to anyone who has a faith other than those three religions.

  3. ianmac 3

    I guess it takes an extremist like Pastor Logan Robertson, who by “virtue” of his bigotry, will be able to attract like minded bigots who will keep him in a great lifestyle. Think Destiny.

  4. vto 5

    People such as you describe are extremists and should be treated as potential terrorists.

    • Deb Kean 5.1

      “People such as you describe are extremists and should be treated as potential terrorists.”
      Don’t worry, haters are already on the case – people have already threatened to kill his wife and children, then him..
      How exactly does that help anyone?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1

        Well, the Bible talks about “an eye for an eye”.

        However, I suspect vto is advocating for formal action taken by the civil authorities.

  5. Tom Jackson 6

    The problem is religion. That’s what the Bible actually says about gays, and crap like this is what happens when people believe in supernatural authorities – reason goes out the window and you can believe whatever you like.

    The Bible is a stink book. You would think that God would sentence to death people who actually deserve it, like hipsters.

    • Sabine 6.2

      there are two books to the ‘bible’

      old testament, new testament.

      this guy is quoting the old testament, before jesus. You know the times when Abraham was ready to kill his firstborn (the one born to the slave cause his wife Sara was very old and only was granted a child once Abraham got to commit adultery with a Slave Girl, which was approved by God, cause God) in the name of the one and only god?

      the new testament is full of stuff like, Him/Her without sin shall cast the first stone, or treat others like ye want to be treated yerself, or love thy neighbour as ya love thy self, etc. etc.

      also there is not one person on this planet that would know THE BIBLE, cause if that book exists its buried in the Catacombs of the Vatican among many other stuff that no one will ever get to see.

      This geezer will most likely refer to the King James Bible http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_James_Version

      Also check Levicitus out, cause he is hard case
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Leviticus

      The instructions of Leviticus emphasize ritual, moral and legal practices rather than beliefs.
      but you are not going to hear the good man preach this

      And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

      If they were truly true to what they preach they would call for divorce to be outlawed, but then their money making ventures would empty out of people.

      • Tom Jackson 6.2.1

        Who cares? To think that it is worth believing because it is written in a book written by religious barbarians that makes unsubstantiated historical claims, is just silly.

      • Wonderpup 6.2.2

        The thing I like about the sermon on the mount is that it specifically rejects a lot of the old testament, “It is written that…, but I say unto you [pretty much the opposite]”. I don’t hold much with Jesus as a divine creature, but as a historical one he is really quite interesting.

        There is a solid line of Christian progressive thought that forms a major part of the Labour movement. It may not be seen as terribly relevant, but I think it would be a shame to throw out Keir Hardie and Archibald Baxter with the bathwater.

        • Tom Jackson 6.2.2.1

          The historical Jesus is a placeholder for modern beliefs. Nobody really knows anything substantial about him or his beliefs – even his existence can be questioned. Our sources for Jesus life and works are very limited, and any reasonable historian would have to conclude that the religion called Christianity was created long after the supposed date of its founder’s death and for all we know bears little similarity to his views.

          The truth is that religious organisations make up the Jesus that suits them.

          • Phil 6.2.2.1.1

            Absolutely correct

          • Foreign waka 6.2.2.1.2

            Tom, it is the prerogative of a free person to choose their belief. I do hope you are not supporting the Romans when they occupied the middle east 2000 years ago or today’s fanatical Muslims that kill Christians in increasing numbers.
            The book of Leviticus is actually a Jewish book that incidentally has nothing to do with Christianity at all – or Jesus for that matter. In fact it was the same religious clergy that saw to it that Jesus was put on the cross.
            The writing of that particular book, as any religious text need to be seen in context. In my view an attempt to bring rules and restriction into a society thousands of years ago had an entirely different lifestyle and social structure. One should not forget that this was not an age of the internet or text messaging.
            As for the words of that “priest” – this is wrong on so many levels that I am aghast.
            With a sense of tolerance and good will – have a Happy and peaceful Christmas.

          • greywarshark 6.2.2.1.3

            The truth is that religious organisations make up the Jesus that suits them.
            That’s very modern. Here is your own personalised Jesus etc.

      • phillip ure 6.2.3

        i am currently halfway thru george bernard shaws’ take on the bible/jesus..

        ..(it is the preface to his play..androcoles and the lion’..a preface that is 140 pages long..)

        ..and i wd recommend that exercise to anyone interested in that subject…

        ..his shavian take has much food for thought..

        • greywarshark 6.2.3.1

          @ phillip u
          You’re always on about food.

          • phillip ure 6.2.3.1.1

            i have now finished the shaw preface..

            ..and i can only highly recommend it again..

            ..and i am surprised it is not more widely read/known..

            ..he brings clarity of thought to a very complex subject/issue..

      • Deb Kean 6.2.4

        “also there is not one person on this planet that would know THE BIBLE, cause if that book exists its buried in the Catacombs of the Vatican among many other stuff that no one will ever get to see. ”
        That’s popularly believed amongst atheists, but it’s complete nonsense. Have you ever heard of the Eastern Orthodox? Their church is as old as the Catholic one, and even if the RC church had hidden the Bible which they didn’t, the Orthodox exist and have it..

    • batweka 6.3

      “The problem is religion. That’s what the Bible actually says about gays, and crap like this is what happens when people believe in supernatural authorities – reason goes out the window and you can believe whatever you like.”

      Yeah, because there are no atheistic homophobes.

      “reason goes out the window and you can believe whatever you like.”

      I do love it when rationalists feel the need to tell lies to support their arguments.

      • hoom 6.3.1

        Plenty for sure but atheist homophobes don’t get to quote the bible as an Ultimate Authority excuse.

      • Tom Jackson 6.3.2

        Hoho… the fallacy of affirming the consequent.

        “When people believe in supernatural authorities, crap like this happens” isn’t the same as saying “when crap like this happens it is due to belief in supernatural authorities”.

        I guess religion has affected you so badly that you forgot the most basic logical rules.

        Have pity on those of us who don’t believe in the magical catering wizard.

    • Absolutely Tom.
      Seems to me that Logan Robertson might be the only honest Baptist pastor in New Zealand – he alone has actually outlined the “teachings” of his church.
      The problem is not one cleric accurately representing his faith, it is the concept of religious faith itself.

  6. Morrissey 7

    The Roman Catholic hierarchy is scarcely more enlightened or tolerant. Listen to Archbishop Dunn next time he (lugubriously and regretfully) talks on the subject.

  7. felix 8

    “its practice of picketing the funerals of young gay men and harassing their grieving families”

    It’s even more insane than that. They picket the funerals of dead soldiers on the basis that God wants them dead to punish America for tolerating gays.

  8. Sable 9

    Maybe they should set up shop in Michigan.

  9. The Bible says you are vile, strange (queer), reprobate, sodomite, natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed.

    If Pastor Robertson regards his belief in the Bible as putting obligations on him that he must act on, that’s a death threat. Or, it could be that he believes the Bible shouldn’t be taken literally (lots of it is misanthropic bullshit, after all). Would be interesting to see him clarify that for us.

    • Olwyn 10.1

      If Pastor Robertson’s interpretation of the Bible is thoroughly literal, then here is his method for getting rid of bathroom mould:

      To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. He shall purify the house with the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.” – Leviticus 14, 49-53

      • greywarshark 10.1.1

        Olwyn
        What does the Bible say about getting printing ink out of wool.? I’ve just dropped a few spots of cyan and magenta from liquid ink I got on line and it is a nice icebreaker merino wool top. Trying water laundry detergent paste of white vinegar and baking soda. Haven’t tried proprietary stuff, first using the homey close to hand stuff. Any ideas?

        • Olwyn 10.1.1.1

          Just from memory, I don’t think the Bible has a lot to say about that one 🙂 I had a quick look on the net and most people seemed to think that aerosol stain removers worked better for that sort of thing than pump or soaking ones. If it is a loved jumper it is also worth ringing a dry-cleaner and asking how much they would charge to do it, as they are practiced in these things.

          • Anne 10.1.1.1.1

            @ greywarshark
            Yeah… sorry to interrupt the biblical reverie, but I suggest you try “Frend” from your local SM. It’s in a bright pink plastic container in the detergent section and all you have to do is spray the liquid on the garment. Leave it on for about an hour (being ink) and then toss into washing machine on a “gentle wash and spin”. Repeat if necessary.

            All very practical and lacking literary fervour but you know what I meeean… 💡

            • greywarshark 10.1.1.1.1.1

              Olwyn and Anne
              Thanks I did manage to shift it. Got out the pink bottles but went with the dilute with water then paste of baking soda and white vinegar and xx seems to be okay. I’ll find out when it is dry. I didn’t have aerosols so lucky that what i had worked.

              Watch out when you change inkjet cartridges especially the cheapo ones. They are giving me good use, cheaper and seem to go for longer, but I didn’t know about the drip. Suggest you spread out some news-paper on the floor covering carpet etc. Old Heralds would come into their own for this.

      • Foreign waka 10.1.2

        This is the Jewish Tora and not the Bible…

        • Olwyn 10.1.2.1

          It is not in the New Testament, but it is in the Bible, Leviticus being part of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. In some translations the mould is referred to as “leprosy” because mould was taken to be a sort of leprosy of the house.

          • Foreign waka 10.1.2.1.1

            Olwyn, the old testament is before Christ – so it wont be the Christian Bible.
            The old Testament is in many ways shared in the main religion, Judaism, Islam, the book of Abraham in Christianity.
            Christianity however is based on the life of Jesus or Christ, being the the son of god – neither Jewish nor Muslim belief this. They accept him as prophet but not as savior of the human soul. This is the centerpiece of difference that also has led to many wars “my god is better than yours” “Kain and Abel”.

            • Olwyn 10.1.2.1.1.1

              The book Leviticus is still published in Christian Bibles, although it is true that instructions of this kind are not part of Christian teaching, and never have been. But if you look at the post, the Pastor quoted from Leviticus to support a claim that homosexuals should be killed. And I was essentially saying, well if you are going to draw such claims from Leviticus, then here is another claim that, to be consistent, you should also consider.

      • Deb Kean 10.1.3

        ” Leviticus 14, 49-53″
        Sigh, the same old argument… have you never heard of the New Testament? That also condemns homosexuality, the practice not the people… anyone can leave their gay fetish behind, if they choose to – but many or most don’t.

        • Molly 10.1.3.1

          “…the practice not the people… anyone can leave their gay fetish behind, if they choose to – but many or most don’t.”

          What?!?

          Apart from the dog-whistle framing and false notion of your last sentence – why should they?

          • The Al1en 10.1.3.1.1

            Heterosexuals can ignore their sexuality as well, but same point as Molly, why should they?

            Deb Kean should come out (no pun intended) and like most rational sane people, denounce this sick in the head minister and his vile, hate speech teachings.

            What supposed ‘christian’ would advocate and pray for suicide or government murder?

  10. Clemgeopin 11

    Christ was all about love. There is nothing wrong with Christ or his teachings. What is wrong is with the people and preachers who are narrow minded, shallow and misrepresent the spirit of Christ. At least the present Pope Francis seems to be a compassionate good Christan who is trying to make long due changes and setting a better example.

    • Olwyn 11.1

      +1. I certainly did not put up the mould-removal method in opposition to Christianity or the Judeo-Christian tradition as a whole, but to show how selective Biblical literalism tends to be. Moreover, Robertson’s exchanges with the guy from Express show that he is completely overlooking the central message of his religion.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 11.2

      So Leviticus is some sort of translation mistake then ?

      • emergency mike 11.2.1

        Leviticus was completed hundreds of years before Christ.

        • Tom Jackson 11.2.1.1

          So homos are back in then, are they? Better tell the majority of the world’s Xtians.

          • Foreign waka 11.2.1.1.1

            Matt. 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
            “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” attributed to be said by Jesus.

          • emergency mike 11.2.1.1.2

            I was simply pointing out to ghostwhowalksnz that there’s no good reason to throw out Christ’s teachings because of some old world hogwash in Leviticus.

            There’s all manner of ridiculous dogma scattered throughout the old testament, along with some profound beauty and wisdom. Each person is their own free agent to take what they want from it. Despite whatever bible clutching loonies you might see in a Michael Moore film or the like, following Christ doesn’t have to mean being obliged to defend every word of it. It’s Jesus’ example and message, and it’s relevence to the kind of person you choose to be that matter, not ‘the book’. It doesn’t even matter if he never even existed.

            Wait, what am I saying… I’m talking to someone who magically knows the minds of the majority of the world’s Christians. Please, share the knowledge Professor Xavier. Do carry on painting them all with your righteous stereotyping brush.

        • lprent 11.2.1.2

          I love the old testament. I am always “amazed” that so many good christians don’t know it better. All of the really interesting bits of it.

          Genesis 19 for instance is such a revelation about how goodly men should handle their virgin daughters.

          I can usually make most moral christians swear off the old testament.

          Of course this git looks just psychotic, so I suspect he probably has few morals.

    • Pope Francis seems to be a compassionate good Christian only because he doesn’t believe the nonsense in his holy book, which means he is not really a Christian at all.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 11.3.1

        Yes, saying things you don’t really believe makes you ethically compromised, eh Matthew 🙄

        • Matthew Hooton 11.3.1.1

          I would say, in his case, he is gently trying to modernise his organisation without risking a reaction from his cardinals. It must be extremely difficult. His latest move is he says hellfire doesn’t exist, and nor did Adam and Eve. I assume he never believed they did. The historic significance of those statements can scarcely be overstated. No Adam and Eve means no original sin, and no hell means no place to be punished for it.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 11.3.1.1.1

            I’m sure careful study of the teachings and methods of the Catholic Church can be very instructive to someone with your interests.

          • The Al1en 11.3.1.1.2

            “and no hell means no place to be punished for it.”

            Hoping much?

          • Olwyn 11.3.1.1.3

            It is one thing to think that the story of Adam and Eve is allegorical, and another to think that this means the concept of original sin is pointless – the second does not necessarily follow from the first. And the pope could well think that separation from God is something that no one who really understood what was at stake would wish upon themselves, without the further need for fire and brimstone. In short, the historical significance of such statements can be overstated.

          • greywarshark 11.3.1.1.4

            Okay to that, as long as he doesn’t say “No Virginia, there is no Santa Claus!”

            • Foreign waka 11.3.1.1.4.1

              You may have to look this up, Santa Claus is a reinvention of St Nicolas, a Russian Priest who traveled during winter on a sled (yes!) from home to home in those frozen out backs bringing food and clothes to the poor. He is celebrated on the 6th December in all of Christian Europe.
              The Americans, ever so eager to deny the Christian faith have adopted the image, polished it in Coca Cola fashion and sold it to the world as “Father Christmas” – the word Christmas means Christ mass and surely cannot be misinterpreted.
              In that sense, a lot of people are already praying to an odd deity, aren’t they?

          • batweka 11.3.1.1.5

            “I would say, in his case, he is gently trying to modernise his organisation without risking a reaction from his cardinals. It must be extremely difficult. His latest move is he says hellfire doesn’t exist, and nor did Adam and Eve. I assume he never believed they did. The historic significance of those statements can scarcely be overstated. No Adam and Eve means no original sin, and no hell means no place to be punished for it.”

            Him and Andrew Little should get together for a chinwag.

      • Clemgeopin 11.3.2

        A nice book for some light understanding.

        ‘Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?: . . . and Other Questions from the Astronomers’ In-box at the Vatican Observatory, October 2014
        by Guy Consolmagno SJ (Author), Paul Mueller (Author)

        http://www.amazon.com/Would-You-Baptize-Extraterrestrial-Astronomers/dp/0804136955

        And oh, here is a cute prayer I found : “Oh God, if there be a God, save my soul, if I have a soul.”

      • emergency mike 11.3.3

        “Pope Francis seems to be a compassionate good Christian only because he doesn’t believe the nonsense in his holy book, which means he is not really a Christian at all.”

        A Christian is one who follows the teachings of Jesus. Blind literally belief in the entire contents of the bible is not a requirement.

        Why doesn’t it surprise me Matthew, that your concept of the defining moral framework of your civilization is as deep as a paddling pool.

    • How would you know?

      FFS the four gospels were composed decades after the events supposedly took place, and probably weren’t even meant to be a historical record (and then there’s the apocrypha and suchlike to deal with). It’s hard enough to ascertain the beliefs and doings of ancient people who were much more widely documented than Jesus. This case is impossible, as is demonstrated by all the different churches who think that their particular version is correct and inerrant.

      To base one’s worldview on such severely limited and fragmentary evidence is moronic.

      • greywarshark 11.4.1

        @ Tom J
        Why always be so unswervingly certain and definite. We’re getting near Christmas so soften up and let a bit of human fuzziness drift past while you relax on Cloud 9 and sip your favourite beverage.

  11. Lindsey 12

    These grifters need this kind of extremism to attract the deluded, the stupid and the ignorant to the congregation and then to the donations bucket. They cherry pick from scripture to re-inforce the prejudices of their “marks”. They don’t have them picketing McDonalds about cheeseburgers, or Kmart about mixed fabric clothes because they know they will be laughed off the street, but a bit of gay bashing seems to do the trick for them.

  12. Surely this Pastor is pushing violence and terror to his congregation. As a result of his wrong interpretation of a Holy Book an unstable person may become radicalised and murder a stranger on the streets. In God’s name. Sound familiar ?

  13. minarch 14

    The Ku Klux Klan consider themselves to be a Christian Organisation

    takes all sorts eh ..

  14. millsy 15

    I wonder how many names in that congregation would also turn up on the Conservative Party membership list….

  15. greywarshark 16

    Opening up a personal line to God gives a person integrity and lots of people are willing to buy that, and pay a pretty price.

    I have recently bought an old pb on David Koresh – Waco which burned up at the end surrounded by armed officials under the aegis of the Tobacco and Spirituous Liquors Revenue Act or such. It would be farce if it was a film and the Blues Brothers would have broken through in a huge old Caddie and all the lawmakers would have chased it with a sound and light show that would have amused the population for 10 miles around.
    Unfortunately it ended in great tragedy and it was everyone else’s fault.

    It certainly is hard to deal with these megalomaniac types. As those who remember Jones over in Africa in Guiana with his group of virtual slaves. A fact finding member of Congress? or the Californian politicians was shot by his thugs.

    Then there was a group of Swiss who all took poison at one particularly crucial moment in time.

    There was Aimee Semple McPherson a leader in radio evangelism in the USA. heard a bit from a bbc program on Radionz the other day. Here is a link to it and it is really fascinating.
    http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30148022

  16. Red delusion 17

    Crazy dogma and hate is not restricted just to religion! A fair few examples on left and right and this site Once any one says they know the truth head for the hills

  17. NickS 18

    Heh:
    http://biblehub.com/2_peter/2.htm

    Not even the King James version(s) mention anything about sodomites, and in general Peters 2 is all about false teachers/priests.

    Cue broken irony meters…

  18. Murray Rawshark 19

    And on the 11th day the lord of hosts created KY jelly,
    and once more laid with man as if he were womankind,
    and he saw that his loins were pleasured,
    and the rhythmic thrusting pleased him greatly,
    and thus spoke the lord of hosts:
    It shall henceforth not be abominable in my eyes
    but pleasurable in my bum
    Go forth and multiply, or anything else that turns you on.

  19. tricledrown 20

    Robertson fits all the profiles of a low intelligence bigot.
    He is insecure with his own sexuality.

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  • Infrastructure & home building slumping on Govt funding freeze
    New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 hours ago
  • Brainwashed People Think Everyone Else is Brainwashed
    Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    7 hours ago
  • Peters’ real foreign policy threat is Helen Clark
    Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    8 hours ago
  • NZ’s trans lobby is fighting a rearguard action
    Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    16 hours ago
  • Your mandate is imaginary
    This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    21 hours ago
  • 14,000 unemployed under National
    The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    23 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Discontent and gloom dominate NZ’s political mood
    Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    24 hours ago
  • Taking Tea with 42 & 38.
    National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Beware political propaganda: statistics are pointing to Grant Robertson never protecting “Lives an...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”. As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Winding back the hands of history’s clock
    Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
     Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    1 day ago
  • Business confidence sliding into winter of discontent
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the coalition’s awful, not good, very bad poll results
    Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
    1 day ago
  • New HOP readers for future payment options
    Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
    1 day ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: April (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
    2 days ago
  • At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
    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 ...
    2 days ago
  • Road photos
    Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
    Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
    2 days ago
  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
    Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
    2 days ago
  • A clear warning
    The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
    Buzz  from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example.  This shows National down ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Listening To The Traffic.
    It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
    2 days ago
  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    2 days ago
  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    2 days ago
  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    2 days ago
  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic plan, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    3 days ago
  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    3 days ago
  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    3 days ago
  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    4 days ago
  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    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. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    5 days ago
  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    5 days ago
  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
    Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
    The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
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