The Pike River deal of the century

Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, December 13th, 2013 - 57 comments
Categories: david cunliffe, john key, Mining, uncategorized - Tags:

There is increasing disquiet about the decision to withdraw all charges against Peter Whittall over the deaths of the Pike River miners and the role of the Government in what has happened is going to be put under intense scrutiny.  Because the whole thing has the stench of merchant banking deal making rather than the sober and proper prosecution of someone for serious offences involving the needless deaths of 29 workers.

There has already been one full hearing into the disaster.  The Government appointed Royal Commission concluded after hearing considerable evidence that “even though the company was operating in a known high-hazard industry, the board of directors did not ensure that health and safety was being properly managed and the executive managers did not properly assess the health and safety risks that the workers were facing. In the drive towards coal production the directors and executive managers paid insufficient attention to health and safety and exposed the company’s workers to unacceptable risks. Mining should have stopped until the risks could be properly managed.”

In the prosecution of Pike River Ltd under the HSIE Act Judge Farrish slammed the company for a “total lack of remorse” because of claims that it could not afford to pay reparation to the families.  She is quoted as saying “It is not often a company steps back and holds its hands up and says ‘I have nothing’. Even a company in a fragile state usually comes forward and offers reparation, but here nothing has been forthcoming.  I am satisfied the company has the means to pay either by existing shareholders or a combination of the shareholders and directors. I note that the directors have significant insurance.”  Despite the claims of poverty Judge Farrish ordered payment of reparation of $110,000 to each of the deceased’s families and to the two survivors.  The total of these payments is $3.41 million.

The compensation was not paid.  David Cunliffe took up the cause and asked in Parliament why the Government did not contribute to these payments, after all it had indirectly received as shareholders of the companies involved an insurance payout.  His questioning of John Key was the first time that I have seen Key completely and utterly embarrassed in the house.

This was increasingly becoming an issue of deep embarrassment to the Government.

Yesterday’s bombshell announcement that charges were being withdrawn and that the insurance company was going to pay $3.41 million compensation has caused increasing disquiet.  Helen Kelly and the CTU are thinking about seeking a judicial review of the case.  Bernie Monk on behalf of the families has called the payment “blood money”.  I presume the payment is to satisfy the order of compensation originally made by Judge Farrish.

I am sure that Judge Farrish has acted with the best of intentions.  She is obviously deeply concerned for the families and wants to do the best for them.  But the coupling of the payment with the withdrawal of the charges creates the unfortunate impression that payment of money in this case may have avoided a prosecution.  And besides it was money that should have been paid anyway.

This neatly solves a political problem for the Government.  Instead of being open to criticism for not paying its share of the $3.41 million one of its departments agrees not to prosecute and magically the payment is made and a particular political wound is cauterised.

For the sake of the sanctity of our justice system this needs to be investigate fully.  The decision making process and political input into the decision to withdraw the charges should be examined carefully.  Simon Bridges’ claim that legal privilege applied even before has a ring of misplaced bravado about it.  Before we even know what documents are being talked about he is claiming legal privilege and you have to wonder if there is something that National wants to hide.

We have not heard the last of this issue.  And down on the West Coast there are 29 families still wanting to see justice done so that they can have closure.

57 comments on “The Pike River deal of the century ”

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  1. Bill 1
    13 December 2013 at 10:29 am

    This neatly solves a political problem for the Government.

    Indeed it does. No Pike river trial dominating headlines during an election period being negatively associated with the National Party.

    And if I can paste a further quote from your post – and of course, heaven forbid any chorus starts up to the effect something untoward is being suggested by my juxtapositioning this with the first, totally unrelated first part of my comment…

    the whole thing has the stench of merchant banking deal making

    • Paul 1.1
      13 December 2013 at 10:32 am

      “A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

    • mickysavage 1.2
      13 December 2013 at 10:41 am

      No Pike river trial dominating headlines during an election period being negatively associated with the National Party.

      Good point Bill and I had not though about that.

      The timing of the announcement just before Christmas and the day after Parliament finishes is also quite exquisite for the Government.

      • Paul 1.2.1
        13 December 2013 at 10:52 am

        Just read the book by Rebecca Macfie.
        Pike River happened because of criminal negligence and a desire for short term profit to pay off the loans provide by investors.
        The profits of powerful investors ( the sort Key worked for atMerrill Lynch) are now clearly more important than lives of 29 mine workers.
        It’s happening in forestry as well.
        NZ has become a paradise for billionaires and a hellhole for the rest of us.
        There are not words to describe who wrong this is.
        Oh..and NZ isn’t corrupt, is it?

        • Arfamo 1.2.1.1
          13 December 2013 at 10:57 am

          Oh..and NZ isn’t corrupt, is it?

          Well, yeah, maybe it is really, but it’s just reached a level of sophistication and pervasiveness that maybe isn’t matched anywhere else in the world and so hasn’t been twigged to yet by most. Perhaps we’re leading the world again in how to do things.

          • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.2.1.1.1
            13 December 2013 at 11:08 am

            Nah, the recent report wasn’t stating that NZ ‘isn’t corrupt’ it was stating that it is least corrupt.

            When you look at the state of, for example, both Britain and America and the way they are captured by big money- then saying it is “less than that” isn’t saying much.

            I wouldn’t flatter the corrupt ones in NZ as being ‘more sophisticated’ than crims elsewhere- quite the converse – they simply haven’t managed to reach the levels of influence that they have in other countries- although I do believe they are closing that difference fast since this government has been in.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.1.1
              13 December 2013 at 1:39 pm

              Nah, the recent report wasn’t stating that NZ ‘isn’t corrupt’ it was stating that it is least corrupt.

              Wasn’t even stating that. It was stating that NZ is percieved as the least corrupt. Perception and reality can be, and usually are, two different things.

              • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                13 December 2013 at 1:52 pm

                You are completely correct Draco, and I agree – I had forgotten the bit about perceived– my mistake.

          • Rogue Trooper 1.2.1.1.2
            13 December 2013 at 10:10 pm

            still following North America and the Home Counties (so young, so impressionable).

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.2
          13 December 2013 at 1:35 pm

          The profits of powerful investors ( the sort Key worked for atMerrill Lynch) are now clearly more important than lives of 29 mine workers.

          And when has that not been true as far as the investors and the government are concerned?

          Yes, NZ is corrupt – very corrupt.

      • Arfamo 1.2.2
        13 December 2013 at 10:54 am

        McCready’s on the job:

        The man who successfully brought a private prosecution against ACT leader John Banks has vowed to take the former Pike River Coal boss to court.

        Former accountant, Graham McCready said he will file 29 counts of manslaughter against Peter Whittall.

        It comes a day after all 12 charges against him in relation to the 2010 mine disaster were dropped by the Crown.

        Mr McCready said he will file the charges in Wellington District Court, as it is closest to where Mr Whittall lives and will help keep costs down.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11171948

        • karol 1.2.2.1
          13 December 2013 at 11:13 am

          Something wrong with that NZ Herald link. It’s the Herald’s problem. The link to the story from the Herald’s website mainpage, is broken too. Are they having second thoughts about the article?

          • Arfamo 1.2.2.1.1
            13 December 2013 at 11:24 am

            I dunno what’s up with it, Karol. The article’s still headlined. The link from that didn’t work for me either. Then I clicked on the “quick read” link, which did work. Then I clicked on the “Read Full Article” button in the “quick read” version, which worked. I just did the same again and it worked still. Try that.

            • karol 1.2.2.1.1.1
              13 December 2013 at 11:33 am

              OK. thanks, Arfamo. The quick read link worked for me.
              And the article ends with this:

              However, he said there are two matters which need to be addressed before he proceeds with lodging a private prosecution – a $1000 filing fee for which he is seeking public donations; and making contact with the families of the 29 men who lost their lives in the mine explosion to discuss what they want to do.

          • Arfamo 1.2.2.1.2
            13 December 2013 at 11:33 am

            That’s odd. When I click on the link I posted above it takes me straight to the full article. Maybe they’ve fixed it.

            Edit: Update. Yep, they have. Just went to the Herald and clicked on the headline and the link works now.

        • Paul 1.2.2.2
          13 December 2013 at 11:30 am

          Pity our legal system now relies on crusades like him because the basic system is stuffed.

        • Bill 1.2.2.3
          13 December 2013 at 11:40 am

          Going to be interested to see if the offer of 3.4 comes with strings attached – full and final settlement that closes the door on any future legal avenues of redress.

  2. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 2
    13 December 2013 at 10:59 am

    …so we have a very convenient-for-the-government outcome to this court-case and another court-case slamming a blogger-cum-propaganda tool, who a few weeks earlier highly embarrassed the National party.

    I’m getting very concerned over the influence this National government appears to have over the judiciary.

    This crowd already appear to have severely degenerated the media since they’ve been in government.

    This type of influence may have always been around, yet it seems particularly strong with this government.

    What is going on??

    …and what can we do about it??

    • aerobubble 2.1
      13 December 2013 at 3:59 pm

      Look, the moment they get into the mine, is the moment the evidence builds for the case to be reopened. Maybe the prosecution would rather have a slam dunk later, and seize on the opportunity to get the victims compensated. Only misgiving I have is that some how the payment is tied to the victims foregoing further legal action, then it would be ‘blood money’ its hard to tell given the poor meda coverage, but I doubt any prosecutor worth his or her name would be so immoral. No, seriously this is good for everyone at this time, since victims get compensation. And why would they not take it, it seriously erodes the former managers of the mine ability to pay for their defense.

  3. Merrial 3
    13 December 2013 at 11:07 am

    Cave Creek: nobody held accountable/brought to trial over that case, either. National government then, too.

    • Paul 3.1
      13 December 2013 at 11:20 am

      CTV building collapse
      Leaky homes
      Forestry deaths

      All down to deregulations of the neo liberals.

      However, the 4th Labour government were key players in this attack on Savage’s NZ and until the Labour Party denounces Douglas’s cabal, removes the dinosaurs like Goff who still are believers in the neoliberal nightmare, and says “sorry”then people won’t trust them either.

      • amirite 3.1.1
        13 December 2013 at 11:54 am

        +100

        Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of dead wood in the party that should have been chopped off.

      • aerobubble 3.1.2
        13 December 2013 at 4:05 pm

        The free market will eventually provide a remedy for wrongs. Pollution will be remediation. Justice will be afforded by the free market. And yes there will be light and joy across the Earth. Even the free market can cause a collapse of the human species, just let it run and run.

        As if we ever wanted the free market to solve problems on its terms entirely.

  4. captain hook 4
    13 December 2013 at 12:07 pm

    the tories think that because they get away with having an internal ventilation system then that is how the world works.no deal. They tried to pay the electorate off with a bill of goods and it came back and bit them on the bum.

  5. rich the other 5
    13 December 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Two points,
    The prosecutor said a conviction was very unlikely so why would the prosecution proceed and (2) don’t forget the role conservationist played in the design of the mine. I think it was mallard caved into their demands and in an attempt to appease them it was consented as an under ground operation , there were other options.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 5.1
      13 December 2013 at 1:21 pm

      I just had this argument presented to me today. ‘It was conservationists fault’ – they stopped something from being built. This doesn’t address the problem. The company was not forced to continue.

      If the design was faulty – why did they proceed?

      • aerobubble 5.1.1
        13 December 2013 at 5:27 pm

        Why indeed. Lucky National came to power and all but cut any second guessing.

        As for the notion that mining is pure profit, that’s an Australian story not a Kiwi one, when there’s near empty desert, allowing open cast mines. Its fool hardy for a government to them demand their means to growth is mining, had the National shonkey sloganizers lived in NZ they’d know how chronically fractured the geology.

    • dv 5.2
      13 December 2013 at 1:31 pm

      The conservationist DID NOT prevent the construction of an appropriate ventilation system.

      • Bill 5.2.1
        13 December 2013 at 2:07 pm

        Neither did they prevent a separate entry and exit being tunneled…as, I believe, is legally required and without which (only throwing this in because NZ was a UK colony and its industry was initially run by people from the UK while its laws still largely mirror UK law) no mine in the UK can operate since as far back as 1835 or some such date.

        Also didn’t prevent adequate methane detectors being installed or proper systems and procedures from being developed.

    • Bearded Git 5.3
      13 December 2013 at 1:43 pm

      Rich, are you saying it is not possible to build a safe underground mine? What about the 100’s, probably 1000’s, of safe underground mines around the world. Try to keep up.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.4
      13 December 2013 at 1:43 pm

      Typical right-wing lies.

      The conservationists didn’t stop the mine being built – we know this because it was built. Everything after that was the responsibility of Pike River Mine. If it didn’t have enough ventilation then they should have shut it down or built the proper ventilation.

      • aerobubble 5.4.1
        14 December 2013 at 10:11 am

        And the argument conservation stopped them building a prohibitively expensive road into the ranges to put in a second exit because the damn snails, or whatever, were so rare, is just dumb. Everything about the mine was cheap, nasty, and money oriented. The idea that they wanted more costs of a second exit in the ranges and no amount of money would be spare is ridiculous.

  6. Clifford Pain 6
    13 December 2013 at 2:27 pm

    Watch this…. all the cast are there, the corporate boss demanding profits, the Dept of Labour, the workers with few options…….

    WESTRAY MINING DISASTER

    http://www.nfb.ca/film/westray:

    “Meet some of the working men, who felt they had no option but to stay on at Westray. And wives, who heard the rumors, saw their men sometimes bloodied from accidents and stood by them, hoping it would all turn out all right. This is a film about working people everywhere whose lives are often entrusted to companies that violate the most fundamental rules of safety and decency in the name of profit”

    Quote: “WHOSE JOB WAS IT TO CHECK THIS STUFF… ULTIMATELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS FAILURE RESTS WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP”

    Mark Twain was right; history does not repeat it rhymes.

    I apologise for this (to dwell on the negative is a dangerous place to stay) but I sat aghast listening last night to even the defense lawyer effectively saying let’s roll over and accept this (as he takes home a nice pay check). National move into election mode (posted by someone else)…… everything is connected. One question you have to ask, who appointed the person that did the failed investigation……

  7. Philj 7
    13 December 2013 at 3:46 pm

    Xox
    And Ministerial Responsibility? Where does the buck stop? A new low has been plumbed. An utterly disgraceful episode in NZ’s history. We have become a tragic joke, on our watch! Heads should roll! Justice has left the country and our system is totally stuffed. But we are the least corrupt country on Earth! Hahaha.

  8. tc 8
    13 December 2013 at 3:47 pm

    potential 2014 slogans for the nats:

    The brighter future…..for our mates.
    Say goodbye to your loved ones….in forestry, mining, or just leaving NZ
    Catching up with Australia …..and their 18th century work practices
    Tough on crime…..we will be the judge of what one looks like and let them know.
    Kleptocracy….we’re relaxed about it.

  9. Arfamo 9
    13 December 2013 at 4:12 pm

    John Key: The Herald

    “I think that they will be hurting as a result of that decision, but there’s really fundamentally nothing that I can do. It’s quite inappropriate for me to try and jump into something the prosecution, a judge and independent regulator have decided wouldn’t be successful.”

    Mr Key said a judicial review of the decision would be unlikely.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11172154

    That last sentence bothers me. Why is he so apparently certain of that?

  10. Tracey 10
    13 December 2013 at 4:26 pm

    Arfamo

    because the way the law is currently framed may make it almost impossible to prove the charges. If nothing else a private prosecution might focus some minds to change the law.

    the fact that 2 former colleagues at pike river wont respond to subpoenas reflects badly on them and the so called closeness of nz and aussie that they cant be compelled. All happy to take the big bucks but accountability? Yea right!

    • Arfamo 10.1
      13 December 2013 at 4:29 pm

      Frankly I’d love the election to be based on Pike River. It’s the end result of the neo-liberal approach to governance.

      • aerobubble 10.1.1
        13 December 2013 at 5:31 pm

        Unions should call for a strike, that’s what they used to when their safety went ignored. Given the high numbers of dead in work places, forests, etc, and the undercurrent of profits first and foremost, we can’t afford not to take risks mentality, is it any wonder more will die.

      • tc 10.1.2
        13 December 2013 at 5:35 pm

        And the rest:
        Pike River, Warner Brothers, Rio Tinto, Chorus, Meridian/Genesis/Air NZ/MRP, SCF, Fiscally negative tax cuts, SkyCity (especially the cost they picked up TVNZ land for), Higher standards for MP’s (Gilmore, Long, Wong, Blinglish, Bennett and her leaks etc), GCSB, Soiled Energy, national standards etc etc

        The party of business has destroyed alot of value, cut needed services and sent many years of experience down the road.

        Tried calling IRD lately, they can’t even put you on hold anymore just tell you they’re too busy.

      • BM 10.1.3
        13 December 2013 at 6:16 pm

        So would I.
        Guaranteed electoral success for National.

  11. yeshe 11
    13 December 2013 at 5:14 pm

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11171620

    Author Rebecca Macfie, whose book Tragedy at Pike River Mine looked at why the West Coast disaster happened, said she was shocked by yesterday’s court decision.

    It sent a message that New Zealand was a place where a company without experience or sufficient capital could set up in a highly hazardous industry, lurch from mistake to mistake, defy basic health and safety laws and kill workers without consequence, Macfie said.

    New Zealand should be “hanging its head in shame”.

    “Frankly, it’s an embarrassment. This makes New Zealand a laughing stock; the fact that nobody is accountable at the end of the day.

    “The only point of accountability in this whole bloody sad saga is a meaningless prosecution of a company that does not even exist any more in reality, because it’s broke.

    “No individuals who were the driving forces of this operation – and made pivotal decisions, and were in positions of responsibility to make decisions that could have averted this outcome – have been held to account.”

    Macfie said prosecutors had made an error in going after only chief executive Peter Whittall, and should have also gone after mine manager Doug White.

    • Colonial Viper 11.1
      13 December 2013 at 5:49 pm

      Macfie said prosecutors had made an error in going after only chief executive Peter Whittall, and should have also gone after mine manager Doug White.

      This point is worth expanding on.

      Just heard Graham McCready talk on NAT RAD. “Whitall just got himself a $3.4M diversion programme. It’s not good enough.”

      Fucking legend.

      • yeshe 11.1.1
        13 December 2013 at 10:33 pm

        100% — he should be Attorney General at this rate. How can we send him some support funds –anyone know ? And I thought Mcfie’s comments were also deserving of legend.

  12. Tigger 12
    13 December 2013 at 5:39 pm

    There are bodies to be recovered in 2014. I hope National is buried by them.

    • aerobubble 12.1
      14 December 2013 at 10:20 am

      Where those bodies are found may show how inept the safety was, huge evidence to bring a case, and so it would be wise to take the money (unless it requires giving up further legal recourse).

      That’s the problem has the prosecutor promised not to re-litigate if the company pays out compensation, and if true, is this contempt of the order on the company to pay compensation (no strings).

      It is completely unfathomable that a court would agree to drop charges if compensation is paid, that must breach human rights, the right to due process of victims.

      And where is the sensible sentencing trust on this abuse of power, silent except when speak for the dead.

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    Bowalley Road
    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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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
    2 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 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    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. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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? ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week 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
    14 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
    14 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
    16 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
    22 hours 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
    22 hours 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

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
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