The silence of the lambs
Written By:
- Date published:
10:16 pm, September 4th, 2010 - 51 comments
Categories: Economy, greens, labour -
Tags: south canterbury finance
Where are the Greens and Labour on the South Canterbury Finance issue? Just looking at the sheer politics of the situation, this is something they should be all over. For Labour, this plays right into their ‘for the many, not the few’ theme (well, nominal theme). For the Greens, this is an example of the failure of unchecked international capitalism.
Incredibly, both parties snookered themselves in the opening move and have frozen up since.
The Greens’ Russel Norman said on Monday that the government should take a partial stake in SCF to prevent it collapsing. Which wold have been stupid, given what we already knew about how badly the company was being run. Buying out SCF entirely and putting it in Kiwibank’s hands might have been one thing, but being a partial shareholder in SCF would have been dumb.
Labour’s Phil Goff chose to use the SCF bailout on Tuesday to blame National for not making the economy recover faster. It was always a dumb and implausible angle. There’s no run in that line, it was never going to roll into a series of strikes on National, and it just doesn’t sound like something Goff would have genuinely believed. It sounded reactionary and opportunistic. And by trying to blame National’s economic handling, Labour has effectively said it absolves all the other players from blame.
Labour and the Greens should have started with ‘this is an enormous amount of taxpayer money. The Government needs to undertake an official investigation into how things were allowed to get into this position’. That’s a holding line while you work out the rest – the questions about why English extended the guarantee to SCF in April of this year, while his Treasury failed to kick SCF out of the scheme when it was in breach of the rules, how a few richlisters made millions off the bailout.
It’s not too late to ask these questions. And not only should they bloody well be asked in the interests of good government but any political party that wants to be the next government should be asking them.
Make no mistake, there is enormous public anger about the way the government could magic up $1.7 billion to help out its rich mates, when at the same time pleading poverty when cutting our vital public services. And there’s a lot of anger among media figures too – this is one of the few chances for Labour to get the media onside, rather than trying to bypass it.
The stage is set, the mood is perfect for being whipped into a storm of anti-National feeling. There are plenty of National voters who could be turned over this issue if Labour and Greens challenge both National’s management and the economic system underlying this disaster.
See, this is a great chance not just to make political attacks but to attack the system itself to ask why these things always end up with we (‘the many’) bailing-out the already rich (‘the few’).
With a little inspiration, Labour could argue that this shows the finance company system is broken and New Zealanders need somewhere safe to invest their money. Then, Goff could announce a policy for a Kiwi Future Fund, a publicly-owned investment vehicle that would buy New Zealand assets to keep them in Kiwi hands and give us the cpaital we need to develop, people could invest in the fund through Kiwisaver, Kiwibank, the Cullen Fund could put money in too. At a stroke, Labour will have seized the political agenda and left National looking like the party of bail-outs for its rich mates.
Will we see any of this? Or will all we hear be the silence of lambs who seem, against all logic resigned, to slaughter next year?
And don’t get me started about the pathetic response to Maurice Williamson calling Kiwis racist and the medical technicians’ strike. The first should be used to hound Williamson into the ground but all we got was a limp presser and the story didn’t even make the evening news. In the second, Labour should be laying the blame squarely at National’s feet – hell, if a sick woman in a hospital ward can do it on national TV, so can Labour.
51 comments on “The silence of the lambs ”
- Comments are now closed
Links to post
- Comments are now closed
Recent Comments
- Clued Up: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
3 hours ago - JERRY COYNE: A powerful University dean in New Zealand touts merging higher education with indigeno...
Jerry Coyne writes – This article from New Zealand’s Newsroom site was written by Julie Rowland, the deputy dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland as well as a geologist and the Director of the Ngā Ara Whetū | Centre for Climate, Biodiversity & Society. In other ...6 hours ago - Ain't nobody gonna steal this heart away.
Ain't nobody gonna steal this heart away.For the last couple of weeks its felt as though all the good things in our beautiful land are under attack.These isles in the southern Pacific. The home of the Māori people. A land of easy going friendliness, openness, and she’ll be right. A ...11 hours ago - Speaking for the future
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.MondayYou cannot be seriousOne might think, god, people who are seeing all this must be regretting their vote.But one might be mistaken.There are people whose chief priority is not wanting to be ...12 hours ago - How Should We Organise a Modern Economy?
Alan Bollard, formerly Treasury Secretary, Reserve Bank Governor and Chairman of APEC, has written an insightful book exploring command vs demand approaches to the economy. The Cold War included a conflict about ideas; many were economic. Alan Bollard’s latest book Economists in the Cold War focuses on the contribution of ...24 hours ago - Willis fails a taxing app-titude test but govt supporters will cheer moves on Te Pukenga and the Hum...
Buzz from the Beehive The Minister of Defence has returned from Noumea to announce New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting and (wearing another ministerial hat) to condemn malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government. A bigger cheer from people who voted for the Luxon ...1 day ago - ELIZABETH RATA: In defence of the liberal university and against indigenisationThe suppression of individual thought in our universities spills over into society, threatening free speech everywhere. Elizabeth Rata writes – Indigenising New Zealand’s universities is well underway, presumably with the agreement of University Councils and despite the absence of public discussion. Indigenising, under the broader umbrella of decolonisation, ...1 day ago
- Gordon Campbell on the skewed media coverage of Gaza
Now that he’s back as Foreign Minister, maybe Winston Peters should start reading the MFAT website. If he did, Peters would find MFAT celebrating the 25th anniversary of how New Zealand alerted the rest of the world to the genocide developing in Rwanda. Quote: New Zealand played an important role ...1 day ago - “Your Circus, Your Clowns.”
It must have been a hard first couple of weeks for National voters, since the coalition was announced. Seeing their party make so many concessions to New Zealand First and ACT that there seems little remains of their own policies, other than the dwindling dream of tax cuts and the ...1 day ago - Weekly Roundup 8-December-2023
It’s Friday again and Christmas is fast approaching. Here’s some of the stories that caught our attention. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered some of the recent talk around the costs, benefits and challenges with the City Rail Link. On Thursday Matt looked at how ...1 day ago - End-of-week escapism
Amsterdam to Hong Kong William McCartney16,000 kilometres41 days18 trains13 countries11 currencies6 long-distance taxis4 taxi apps4 buses3 sim cards2 ferries1 tram0 medical events (surprisingly)Episode 4Whether the Sofia-Istanbul Express really qualifies to be called an express is debatable, but it’s another one of those likeably old and slow trains tha… ...1 day ago - The Hoon around the week to Dec 8Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...2 days ago - No surprisesDon’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...2 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...2 days ago - Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...2 days ago - A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...2 days ago
- Xmas good cheer for the dairy industry as Fonterra lifts its forecastThe big dairy co-op Fonterra had some Christmas cheer to offer its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...2 days ago
- MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori mythsMichael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...2 days ago
- Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...2 days ago
- LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the ironyLindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...2 days ago
- Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour TunnelsIt seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...2 days ago
- Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...2 days ago - The Prime Minister's Dream.
Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...3 days ago - National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state houseProbably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...3 days ago
- Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate CatastropheThis video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...3 days ago
- They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...3 days ago - Another attack on te reo
The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...3 days ago - For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came from Education Minister Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...3 days ago
- Climate Change: Failed againThere was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...3 days ago
- Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On MaoriThis isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...3 days ago
- Rising costs hit farmers hard, but there’s more positive news for them this week
New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has been under pressure from rising costs. Down on the farm, this has been hitting hard. But there was more positive news this week, first from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where prices rose, and then from a report ...3 days ago - ROB MacCULLOCH: Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...Rob MacCulloch writes – In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...3 days ago
- Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...3 days ago - Eleven years of work.
Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...4 days ago - Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
4 days ago - How Did We Get Here?
Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...4 days ago - At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...4 days ago
- New Zealaders have high expectations of new government: now let’s see if it can deliver?The electorate has high expectations of the new government. The question is: can it deliver? Some might say the signs are not promising. Protestors are already marching in the streets. The new Prime Minister has had little experience of managing very diverse politicians in coalition. The economy he ...4 days ago
- You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...4 days ago - PushbackWhen this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...4 days ago
- Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...4 days ago
- Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to …. Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand! Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations. • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...4 days ago
- Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...4 days ago - Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' momentWillis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...4 days ago
- CRL costs money but also provides huge benefitsThe City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...4 days ago
- And I don't want the world to see us.
Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...5 days ago - Cooking the booksFinance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...5 days ago
- Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate changeThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...5 days ago
- Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...5 days ago - Bearing True Allegiance?5 days ago
- You cannot be serious
Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...5 days ago - A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme – that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...5 days ago
- CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of AllegianceIf those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them? Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...5 days ago
- BRIAN EASTON: Forward to 2017The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes – The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...5 days ago
- Climate Change: FossilsWhen the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...5 days ago
- GEOFFREY MILLER: NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and UkraineGeoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...5 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacleThe most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...5 days ago
- Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
5 days ago - Be Honest.
Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...5 days ago - Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...6 days ago - Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive6 days ago
- First big test comingThe first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...6 days ago
- The Song of Saqua: Volume III
Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...6 days ago - Chris Bishop: Smokin’
Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...6 days ago - 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...6 days ago
- Affirmative Action.
Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...6 days ago - 100 days of something
It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...7 days ago - Look who’s stepped up to champion WinstonThere’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...1 week ago
- What's The Story?
Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...1 week ago - The longest of weeks
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...1 week ago - Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts toLike earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...1 week ago
- Under New Management
1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...1 week ago - While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action planSorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...1 week ago
- DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshitRadio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...1 week ago
- Teanau Tuiono first Green MP appointed Assistant Speaker
The Green Party is pleased to announce today that MP Teanau Tuiono will be an Assistant Speaker for the 54th Parliament. ...2 days ago - Release: Labour calls on Government to give visas to Kiwis’ families stuck in Gaza
Labour’s immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford is calling on the Government to follow the example of Australia and help New Zealanders’ close family members stuck in Gaza to escape and take shelter here. ...4 days ago - Now, more than ever, we must whakamana Te Tiriti o WaitangiThe Green Party is urging the Government to recognise its commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi so our tamariki and mokopuna can grow up in an Aotearoa where their language is celebrated, their health is prioritised, and their whenua is protected. ...4 days ago
- Release: Labour team ready to take on the coalition of chaosLabour’s strong line-up for the 54th Parliament brings experience and energy to the job of Opposition. ...1 week ago
- The future of Aotearoa is at stakeThe next 100 days will be a fight for our future. ...1 week ago
- Māori will die to fund tax cutsBy scrapping Aotearoa’s world-leading smokefree laws, this government is sacrificing Māori lives to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Not only is this plan revolting, but it doesn’t add up. Treasury has estimated that the reversal of smokefree laws to pay for tax cuts will cost our health system $5.25bn, ...1 week ago
- Release: National’s fiscal plans dealt another blowFigures showing National needs to find another $900 million for landlords highlights the mess this coalition Government is in less than a week into the job. ...1 week ago
- Green Party unveils portfolio spokespeople for the 54th ParliamentThe Green Party is pleased to announce the allocation of portfolios across its largest caucus ever. ...1 week ago
- The Time is Now for Oceans ProtectionCommunity organisations, mana whenua and the Greens have written to the incoming Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to call for the progression without delay of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Greenpeace nitrates research proves need for strong freshwater regulationThe Green Party is welcoming the release of an interactive map which enables people to monitor nitrate levels in their drinking water. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins congratulates Christopher Luxon"On behalf of the Labour Party I would like to congratulate Christopher Luxon on his appointment as Prime Minister,” Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens launch petition to save oil and gas banThe Green Party has launched a petition to save the ban on oil and gas exploration. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon’s Government will whitewash AotearoaNZ First has gotten their wish to ‘take our country back’ to the 1800s with a policy program that will white-wash Aotearoa and erase tangata whenua rights. By disestablishing the Māori Health Authority this Government has condemned Māori to die seven years earlier than Pākehā. By removing Treaty obligations from ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party a strong opposition to divisive governmentThe Green Party will keep up the fight for an Aotearoa that works for everyone. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori call for Foreign Affairs CEO to be sackedTe Pāti Māori have called for the resignation of the Ministry of Foreign and Trade chief executive Chris Seed following his decision to erase te reo Māori from government communications. While the country still waits for a new government to be formed, Mr Seed took it upon himself to undermine ...3 weeks ago
- Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says. ...1 day ago - New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activityNew Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...1 day ago
- Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga beginsThe Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says. “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...2 days ago
- Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in DubaiClimate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...2 days ago
- New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meetingDefence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...2 days ago
- Study shows need to remove distractions in classThe Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...2 days ago
- Minister sets expectations of CommissionerToday I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...3 days ago
- New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETSNew Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...3 days ago
- PISA results show urgent need to teach the basicsWith 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids. The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...4 days ago
- Collins leaves for Pacific defence meetingDefence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...5 days ago
- Working for Families gets cost of living boostPutting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...5 days ago
- Post-Cabinet press conferenceMost weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...5 days ago
- Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrappedThe Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...6 days ago
- NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in GazaNew Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...1 week ago
- Condolences on passing of Henry KissingerForeign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...1 week ago
- Backing our kids to learn the basicsEvery child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...1 week ago
- US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through tradeI would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber. I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...1 week ago
- Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, AucklandGood morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States. This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...1 week ago
- India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic PriorityGood morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...1 week ago
- Coalition Government unveils 100-day planPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...1 week ago
- New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade AgreementA significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...2 weeks ago
- ‘We’re legit filmmakers’: The story behind Viva La Dirt League’s epic new studio
In just 18 months, the Auckland-based YouTube channel has gone from working from home and out of cafes to a brand new multi-million dollar studio. Sam Brooks asks the trio how they pulled it off, and what they’re planning to do with it. On December 4, a video called “The ...8 hours ago - Focus on Politics: Māori dissent sets the scene as Parliament returns
The resumption of Parliament this week has been underlined by outcry from Māori, soon matched by fury within the debating chamber. ...8 hours ago - ‘Childish, immature, disgusting’: Why TV viewers are mad at Anika Moa this timeThe Anika Moa Unleashed host unleashes her thoughts on After the Party, Paul Holmes, The Walking Dead, stalking celebrities and more. Anika Moa has a proud history of angering strangers online, whether it’s due to her tattoos, her love life, or something else entirely. When she sits down with The ...9 hours ago
- Rod Oram: Words, crowds and Kiwis at global climate summit
Searching widely for ways to overcome deep opposition by fossil fuel nations to a phase-out of their products, the President of COP28 enlisted an ally while negotiators sought subtler language yesterday. “We have been asked by the UAE presidency to help find common language that will be acceptable ...10 hours ago - Food writing isn’t really about foodWith a topic so universal, it’s almost always about something bigger. Consider the contents of your fridge. What kinds of fruits and vegetables are in your crisper drawer? How much did that block of cheese set you back? Where did you source most of this kai from? Are there ingredients ...11 hours ago
- Long Read: The grief birdYou can read the full story, plus see photographs from Craig McKenzie, in the November-December issue of New Zealand Geographic magazine, or on their website. The bittern’s eerie, booming call sounds like a lament, a tangi ringing across the marshes. Now, the birds themselves are in trouble. ...12 hours ago
- Theatrical performance: does music work for surgery?Opinion: You may have been there, waiting your turn, wearing an ill-fitting hospital gown, surrounded by a flurry of staff, the smell of disinfectant in the air. If you’ve ever undergone surgery, you probably know the nervous, stress-laden pre-op feeling. What may come as a surprise is that ...13 hours ago
- Short story: Beautiful Isolation, by Catherine Chidgey1. In the evening and in the night, I sit on the balcony and think of you. I can’t see the water but I know it’s there, soft and slow. We bathed in it that last day, you and I, when the dusk hung heavy as cloth of gold ...13 hours ago
- Togs, togs, undies: The story behind NZ’s most iconic summer adAlex Casey unearths the origin story of an New Zealand icon – featuring a surprise cameo from an international comedy megastar. At first glance, the Facebook post from a Waipu cafe reads like any other heartfelt change in ownership announcement. “George and Amber have reflected on their involvement in our ...13 hours ago
- Their house, my garden: What to do when your plant is boltingThis week on Their house, my garden, why my spinach plant has grown suspiciously tall, and how to deal with your own over-eager plants. Beginner gardeners would be forgiven for thinking a plant growing tall is reason to celebrate. We are, after all, the kind of species who mark door ...13 hours ago
- Government rocked by second leak in five days, ministers suspend analysis of repeal proposalsThe new government has been rocked by the leaking of another confidential paper to the New Zealand Herald - the second to spill in just five days. ...22 hours ago
- 'He gets it' – Christopher Luxon impresses locals on first visit to cyclone-battered...Luxon drove the crumbling SH2 with a handful of MPs on Friday morning to reach the small town, gauge progress of its recovery, and learn what it needs from the new government. ...24 hours ago
- Israel’s AI can produce 100 bombing targets a day in Gaza. Is this the future of war?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bianca Baggiarini, Lecturer, Australian National University Last week, reports emerged that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are using an artificial intelligence (AI) system called Habsora (Hebrew for “The Gospel”) to select targets in the war on Hamas in Gaza. The system has ...1 day ago - Frank and far-reaching: Senate report recommends shake-up of the way freedom of information is handl...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johan Lidberg, Associate Professor, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University The most significant recommendation in the Senate inquiry report on the functionality of the Commonwealth FOI system is this: move the federal Freedom of Information (FOI) function from the Office ...1 day ago
- Week in Politics: New government survives first Question TimeAnalysis: The government was under attack on multiple fronts during a week of relentless criticism and then faced its first Question Time in Parliament, Peter Wilson writes. ...1 day ago
- This is the endWell, it’s 4.30pm on a Friday which feels as appropriate time as ever to say goodbye. The Spinoff’s live updates have come to an end, almost four years after they were first switched on. If you missed my explainer this morning of what’s going on, here it is. In short: ...1 day ago
- Taken together, the NDIS review and the royal commission recommendations could transform disability ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, La Trobe University Shutterstock A home – in the physical and emotional sense – is foundational to living an ordinary life with a feeling of inclusion. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants with the highest ...1 day ago
- Fire ants are on the march. Here’s what happens when they stingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darren Roberts, Conjoint Associate Professor in clinical pharmacology and toxicology, St Vincent’s Healthcare Clinical Campus, UNSW Sydney Veronika Kunitsyna/Shutterstock Red imported fire ants are a particularly nasty type of ant because they are aggressive, and inflict painful stings that may ...1 day ago
- Watch: Luxon on Hawke's Bay cyclone recovery: 'We don't want to turn all that upside ...Christopher Luxon says the new government is going to continue everything that the previous one put into place to help with the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. ...1 day ago
- Waka Kotahi to use its English name first after pressure from governmentWaka Kotahi will begin referring to itself using its English name first after pressure from parties in the coalition government. ...1 day ago
- Investigation into alleged vaccine data breach ongoingTe Whatu Ora is continuing to investigate after a data breach that saw vaccine-related information shared online last week. The agency is liaising with the Privacy Commissioner and said it will make “any appropriate notifications” if individuals were impacted by the breach. “Alongside the work to identify the material allegedly ...1 day ago
- Watch – Christopher Luxon visits Hawke's Bay to see cyclone recovery progressLive - Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been in Wairoa this morning to gauge progress of the town's recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. Watch a media conference with him here. ...1 day ago
- XYZZY is a buzzy good time at the StardomeSam Brooks reviews a new immersive film experience at Auckland’s planetarium. Journalists get invited to review things all the time. Books, films, shows, exhibitions, all of it. I say yes to a lot of them and “no, sorry” to a bit more. Very rarely do I go, “Absolutely I need ...1 day ago
- Waka Kotahi back to being NZTA, board members quitWaka Kotahi has begun the process of re-adopting its former name, the New Zealand Transport Agency (or NZTA). It follows a directive from the new government that public agencies should have their primary name in English and not te reo. This came as part of the coalition deal between National ...1 day ago
- Yes, landlords gain from the repeal of interest deductibility rules – but it was a flawed law from...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Pavlovich, Senior lecturer in the School of Accounting and Commercial Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The new coalition government has announced a suite of tax reforms, including reintroducing the ability for property investors to deduct the interest ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending December 8The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (Hamish Hamilton, $37) The runner-up for the 2023 Booker Prize ...1 day ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘a retreat’ by Jasmine O M TaylorA new poem by Ōtepoti poet Jasmine O M Taylor. a retreat if you find a chance before they’ve all melted into the air find time to get on a glacier and find a cave in the glacier and go inside the cave inside the glacier it will speak to ...1 day ago
- Gone By Lunchtime: Do Te Pāti Māori-led protests set the tone for the term ahead?Our award-winning podcast assesses the opening stanza of the Luxon-led government. After the long, serene political gap as coalition talks went on, politics has roared back with plenty of shouting and not so much rizz. Toby Manhire, Ben Thomas and Annabelle Lee-Mather assess the early exchanges, including Winston Peters’ ...1 day ago
- The Amalgamated Workers Union Calls On The Government To Give Fair Pay Agreements A Fair Go
“The new government has a clear choice to make before Christmas. Do they live up to their stated intention of governing for all New Zealanders, or do they dash the hopes of tens of thousands of kiwi workers by unilaterally abolishing Fair Pay ...1 day ago - What does El Niño do to the weather in your state?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kimberley Reid, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University titoOnz, Shutterstock You’ve probably heard El Niño brings hot and dry weather to the eastern states, but what about the rest of Australia? Are we all in for a scorcher ...1 day ago
- Australia’s first mobile cooling hub is ready for searing heat this summer – and people who are ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Currie, Professor of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Heatwaves are a major public health hazard. Socially disadvantaged people are especially exposed to extreme heat and other impacts of climate change. Many people experiencing homelessness – more than 120,000 ...1 day ago
- Free Speech Union Releases Briefing To Incoming Government, Outlining Key Areas Of Policy To Protect...The Free Speech Union has sent 14 Cabinet Ministers a comprehensive Briefing to the Incoming Government, outlining five key areas of policy that the Government must address in order to protect and expand Kiwis’ speech rights. We look forward to ...1 day ago
- Interislander ferry upgrade: Finance Minister warns of cost blowoutFinance Minister Nicola Willis says she has already met twice with KiwiRail bosses over a "major cost blowout" in the project to replace the Interislander ferries. ...1 day ago
- A rangatahi Māori perspective on Cop28With the new government gaining international infamy for its climate policy, for rangatahi Māori like Kaeden Watts, attending climate conferences is more important than ever. Every year world leaders meet for the annual Conference of the Parties (Cop), the world’s most powerful climate crisis conference. Despite Cop being criticised for ...1 day ago
- BBC host denies she was ‘flipping the bird’ after live faux pasAccidental Partridge is one of my favourite Twitter (I am never going to call it X) accounts, and given today is the last day of live updates I think it’s absolutely fair I include a video from it. If you don’t know why it’s called Accidental Partridge, go watch all ...1 day ago
- National Trying To Rewrite History By Removing App Tax Website And Press ReleaseThe Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the National Party to front up to consumers who will face 15% higher prices for some services from the likes of Uber, Airbnb and food delivery apps after their app tax U-turn rather than trying to erase all ...1 day ago
- Netballers may have a new pay deal, but the sport remains in a precarious positionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University While 2023 was a watershed year for Australian women’s sport due to the Matildas’ stirring run at the Women’s World Cup, netball is going through its worst period ever. Netball Australia and the ...1 day ago
- PM Luxon visits cyclone-hit parts of Hawke’s BayThe prime minister is spending the day out of Wellington, touring parts of cyclone-damaged Hawke’s Bay and meeting with senior leaders in the community. Christopher Luxon began the day in Wairoa, where he met with mayor Craig Little. Later, he’ll head to Napier for a meeting with regional council members. ...1 day ago
- The dark shadow over the NZ TV AwardsHow will the new government look at our television? Duncan Greive reflects on this year’s awards ceremony. This is an excerpt from The Spinoff’s weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. The NZ TV Awards took place in downtown Auckland on Tuesday, which coincided with Te Pāti Māori’s National Māori ...1 day ago
- Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau’s Platitudes Ring HollowResponding to news that Wellington City Councillors have voted down a proposal to reduce business rates in the capital, Taxpayers’ Union Policy Adviser, James Ross, said: “When Mayor Tory Whanau comes out with a line like ‘I couldn’t in good ...1 day ago
- Te Pūkenga to be replaced with 8-10 institutions – ministerThe new tertiary education minister says Te Pūkenga will be replaced with eight to 10 individual institutions, and hopes legislation will be in place within eight months. ...1 day ago
- Commission Presents Urgent Human Rights ‘must-do’ ListTe Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission has today launched a short film calling for the public and government to champion and protect human rights ahead of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “Seventy-five years on, ...1 day ago
- A Cowardly, Anti-Palestinian Parliamentary MotionThe parliamentary motion passed today , a full two months after Israel’s slaughter of Palestinian civilians began, says: "Express grave concern at the ongoing violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories, unequivocally condemn ...1 day ago
- Political editors panel: Māori make voices heard as Parliament resumesMorning Report - RNZ and 1News deputy political editors Craig McCulloch and Maiki Sherman dissect a fractious week in the halls of power. ...1 day ago
- Listen: The real cost of the smoking excise taxTo replace $700 million a year of revenues lost from a foreign buyers tax, the new coalition government is dumping the previous government’s smokefree 2025 goal. This relaxing of policies will keep more people smoking for longer, costing thousands of lives per year and at least $10 billion is extra ...1 day ago
- Is the London OE still worth it?London has always been a hard place to live, but in 2023, it’s almost impossible. Charlotte Doyle, a New Zealander currently living in London, explores why we keep heading there. “You’re dreaming,” the letting agent tells me impatiently over the phone. “A one-bedroom for £1,500 per month is a needle ...1 day ago
- GCSB Minister Judith Collins condemns Russian cyber attacksNew Zealand is joining other nations, including Britain, in condemning Russian government malicious cyber-attacks. ...1 day ago
- GCSB Minister Judith Collins condemns Russian cyber attacksNew Zealand is joining other nations, including Britain, in condemning Russian government malicious cyber-attacks. ...1 day ago
- Ryan Bridge to host Three’s new 7pm showWith The Project wrapping up last week (you can read Duncan Greive’s excellent reflections on that here), Warner Bros Discovery has announced broadcaster Ryan Bridge will host a brand new current affairs show for Three. The currently unnamed show will focus on live news and interviews and is a return ...1 day ago
- We thought we’d find 200 species living in our house and yard. We were very wrongSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew H. Holden, Lecturer, School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland Dot-underwing moth (_Eudocima materna_) found in the researchers’ yard. Matthew Holden, CC BY-NC We are biodiversity researchers – an ecologist, a mathematician and a taxonomist – who were locked ...1 day ago
- What’s the difference between ‘reasonable and necessary’ and ‘foundational’ supports? Here...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute The long-awaited NDIS review has looked far beyond the National Disability Insurance Scheme, taking a bird’s eye view of disability services in Australia. Critical to the future of the NDIS are services for people with ...1 day ago
- Harnessing the oceans to ‘bury’ carbon has huge potential – and risk – so NZ needs to move w...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca J McLeod, Senior Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, University of Otago Climate change might not be high on its immediate agenda, but New Zealand’s new government does have one potentially significant and innovative policy. Recognising the marine environment’s ability to remove ...1 day ago
- Councils are opening the door to tiny houses as a quick, affordable and green solutionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hing-Wah Chau, Course Chair in Building Design & Senior Lecturer in Built Environment, Victoria University Soaring rents and home prices, increasing mortgage stress, record immigration and a growing population are fuelling a housing crisis and increasing homelessness. In the face of this ...1 day ago
- I’m an expert in diplomatic gift giving. Here are my 5 top tips for the best Christmas present exc...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Happé, Graduate researcher in art history and material culture studies, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock As we get closer to Christmas, your family will probably have some kind of gathering. You will reunite with people who you might not ...1 day ago
- The Bulletin: Covid data leaker was largely unknown in conspiracy circlesTe Whatu Ora IT worker Barry Young had a “relatively muted” digital presence prior to his arrest last week over a massive Covid data breach, Stuff reports. Young has since become something of a cause celebre among vacccine sceptics, appearing on online shows hosted by local conspiracy theorist Liz Gunn and ...1 day ago
- Home Brew back with first album in over a decade and slot at LanewayAfter an 11 year hiatus, legendary Aotearoa hip-hop group Home Brew are back today with their first new album in over a decade, Run it Back, and will continue that reunion at Laneway Festival in February. Breaking their indefinite hiatus, Run it Back comes off the back off the 2023 ...1 day ago
- MPs settle into new roles as parliament cranks back into actionThere may be less than a fortnight left in the political year, but politicians seem determined to make the final days count, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Question time is ...1 day ago
- Literacy, numeracy tests as NCEA requirement 'detrimental' to learnersA leading education researcher warns new high-stakes NCEA literacy and maths tests could do more harm than good. ...1 day ago
- Labour's Damien O'Connor goes against party policy in calling Israel's actions in Gaz...Labour's leader says O'Connor is "incredibly passionate" about the issue but party policy is that relevant international bodies will determine whether Israel's actions are lawful. ...2 days ago
- Farewell, live updates: Why we’re shifting our approach to daily newsThe Spinoff’s live updates editor reflects on three-and-a-half years in the role, and looks forward to what’s next. Today marks the final day of live updates on The Spinoff. It’s a big day for me given I have been editing the live updates since mid-2020, but it’s also a big ...2 days ago
- Chris Hipkins opens up on what went wrong at the 2023 electionOn a quiet morning before the first parliamentary question time of the new term, Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon took a moment to analyse and reflect on their election campaigns. When Chris Hipkins was sworn in as prime minister on January 21, 2023, he had a feeling of optimism and ...2 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 8 DecemberLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 8 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- The ‘troubled-teen’ industry and conflicts of interest in Family CourtOpinion: Courts are halls of justice, but they are also well-financed institutional purchasers of goods and services, outsourcing much of their work to private consultants and contractors, including lawyers, advocates, psychologists, social workers, and drug counsellors who earn their living from court contracts. Though there is nothing inherently wrong ...2 days ago
- Politicians won’t close ‘dire, dismal and awful’ gaps in climate dealAnalysis: The United Nations’ COP28 climate negotiations have begun their final phase with only five days or so left to agree a wide range of measures designed to accelerate nations’ climate responses in coming years. While the draft text prepared by government officials over the past week has some ...2 days ago
- Hipkins: ‘We were swimming upstream the whole way through the year’Labour winning required a lot of things to go right, and Chris Hipkins says they didn't The post Hipkins: ‘We were swimming upstream the whole way through the year’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- McGoverne returns in search of the FernLiv McGoverne has just returned from an enjoyable season playing rugby in England, but playing there in a Black Ferns jersey, on the sport’s biggest stage, remains the ultimate goal. McGoverne, 26, played the 2022-23 campaign for Exeter Chiefs in the Premier 15s competition. Coached by former England half-back ...2 days ago
- This week’s bestselling NZ booksFICTION 1 The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner (Hachette, $37.99) An ideal Xmas present for the commercial fiction reader who would relish a wartime story of a shipboard romance. 2 The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $35) An ideal Xmas present for the ...2 days ago
- Wayne Brown: ‘Govt has underfunded road renewals in Auckland for years’After most of a billion dollars and six years’ work, the Puhoi to Warkworth section of State Highway 1 has been warmly received by long-distance motorists no longer slowed down by small town traffic lights. Where once cars would back bumper to bumper on a Sunday evening, now the ...2 days ago
- School’s back in session at ParliamentThe first regular sitting day of the new Parliament took place on Thursday and the country got a peek at what Question Time will look like over the next three years. The sitting started with a rare moment of cross-party unity, when the Government adopted Labour MP Phil Twyford’s ...2 days ago
- City deals can drive Auckland to international levelsThe generational infrastructure deficit has a massive impact on cities The post City deals can drive Auckland to international levels appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- COP28’s chaotic talkfest on climate changeIt could be the most consequential international climate change conference yet, but it’s being held in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s major oil producers and led by one of the country’s top oil bosses. Newsroom journalist Rod Oram is attending COP28 and joins The Detail from ...2 days ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 8 DecemberThe post Daily crossword, Friday 8 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- How New Zealand could stop producing fossil fuelsPhasing out fossil fuels is the subject of much negotiation at Cop28 this week. But the wording will be fiercely debated, and the presence of fossil fuel lobbyists looms large. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof, brought to you by AMP. Sign up here. The government’s plans ...2 days ago
- Helping the Pacific financially is a great start – but Australia must act on the root cause of the...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Fiji was flooded by a severe cyclone in 2016. ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock The federal government has announced an extra A$150 million for climate finance – including $100 million for the Pacific to help protect its ...2 days ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Bill Shorten on making the NDIS fit for purposeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Bill Shorten, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Government Services, has released the review of the NDIS, which recommends sweeping changes to the scheme. The reforms to come will see the states take ...2 days ago
There’s something fishy going on with the SFC entry into and being able to stay in the GGRDI considering it’s business was, by all indications, quite dodgy and Labour and the Greens should be investigating as deeply as they can.
Key’s best charm offensive and msm has been unable to shut this down. NZanders have woken up. they are angry and want answers. This could be exactly what we’ve been waiting for. Labour probably doesn’t even deserve this second chance, and if they don’t use it I don’t see any alternative but to hunker down until 2015. Forget about politics, get a life. Start seriously thinking if i could stand the Aussie climate.
Would a red-greeen bipartisan assault be too much to ask for?
Your post is a beauty MartyG, why aren’t you on the opposition front bench?
Nail on the head again Marty.
Why are we waiting, we’re all suffocating
Who are the foreign investors for whom John Key bent the rules to accommodate within the agreement, when did they become involved in SCF, and how much were they paid out?
Yep, those are the questions that need answering. Another question is: How many blind trusts are involved?
Too true Mart – the biggest gimmee lobbed up in years and the silence is ear-shatteringly deafening.
Billions for fat-cat bailouts on top of tax cuts for the rich – just as home-help, childcare, health, et al are slashed – and both cockies and ACToids squealing “nanny state” and mouthing “Corrupt! Corrupt!”
A perfect earthquake for the Left – but where the hell is it?
It’s here: plaintively issuing press-releases but ignored by the totally-captured MSM on anything effectual since 2004 and buried on Scoop.
Ignore the privately-owned MSM. It’s the enemy. Always was; but now utterly, irrevocably blatant.
It’s down to the ‘net and the street.
Remember Mt Albert and Mining:
Rejoice, celebrate, learn, and ACT!
The key person Labour need to push to the front on this issue is David Cunliffe. Goff cannot wade into this, he just cant compete with English and Key on finance issues.
Completely agree. Cunliffe’s performance on The Nation a while ago was exemplary. Complete grasp of his subject. Clear, concise, straight answers and did not allow himself to be cornered or bullied. John Roughan, right winger from Granny, was thankfully speechless. I’ve seen Cunliffe perform several times and am always impressed.
Cunliffe has no balls. I even did the reading for him, posted the specific DoG’s, outlined the breaches and yes still Cunliffe has his hand up his backside in Auckland while Rome burns. Little wonder Goff isn’t getting rolled anytime soon.
I have been coming to the conclusion lately, that the Labour Party are reluctant about winning in 2011. And would be happier sitting in opposition for another 3 years.
This is probably a good strategy for Labour, because by the end of that time the National Party will be so hated that Labour will win by a Landslide and won’t have to bother talking with with third parties like the Greens or the Maori Party to make a government.
A number of things have formed my opinion on this.
But I might say to Labour Party supporters and members it may be all very well staying pure and sitting out the next National Party led term, but is this in the best interests of the constituency you are sworn to champion?
Maybe you’re right Jenny but, judging by what they’ve done so far, give NAct another term and it will take at least a generation to undo the crap they will unload on us.
If this is the strategy- and I’ve seen no indication it isn’t- then they are no party of mine. Fight to win all the time. Who knows what damage might be done in 3 more years. Fight the issues with moral consistency and state our beliefs- don’t talk about maybe another term…
If that’s the case then everyone on the left will just have to vote Green. I have no issues with Labour becoming a minor party.
Over at Red Alert.
Commenting on a post on this issue by Trevor Mallard, Anne warns us of another possibility that could arise from the right of the political spectrum, if Labour continue to do nothing.
Anne says:
September 4. 2010 at 10:18 am
Please Labour don’t drop the ball on this one. And don’t let Winston Peters get there before you. There are many of us who can smell the stench and with the facts starting to emerge, we expect Labour to be on the front foot – RIGHT FROM THE START.
A comment made by someone I fully agree with is “Labour are Centrist Tossers”. They and Nact are almost like a Two-headed one party system.The same trick has been foisted on Americans for 65 years and they are paying big time now.
You have a point, maybe this is why when someone needs to pull out a powerful Lefty quote or example from a Labour leader they have to go back 40 frakkin’ years.
Yeah, been noticing that myself. The left truly crumpled when Labour went RWNJ in the 1980s. They’ve moved to the centre since but they’re still more right wing than left.
Completely agree Marty.
Here are some questions the Opposition should be asking:
1. Why was the scheme rolled over in April 2010 and why was “interest” included when the company was clearly in trouble?
2. What questions were asked about the huge expansion of SCF’S loan book from the start of the scheme in November 2008?
3.Why did the government just “hand-over” $1.7 billion when the amount of their obligations was not clear? Wouldn’t it be more usual business practice to unwind the company then decide who is obliged to pay what.
4. Where is the $1.7 billion coming from – borrowing, cuts in public expenditure, increased taxes?
5. Why have the government paid money to people they are not even obliged to ($20million to foreign investors)? Imagine the uproar from MSM if they paid extra money to the unemployed to stop them being a nuisance at the benefits office.
6. Why was Kerr given preferential treatment?
7. Who’s behind the “sharks” that are now circling the carcass?
8. Finally, where are the skeletons? as there are bound to be some.
There’s a stink around this matter and it crosses the political divide. Many of the right ideologically oppose the states involvement, many others will smell a big fat rat and don’t like their money being wasted.
I do hope Labour/Greens are keeping there powder dry rather than rolling over. This issue will not go away and expect some real skeletons to show up in the run-up to the next election.
Believe me, Winston will be all over this, it’s playing on his home ground. Didn’t issues of trust and honesty, whipped up by NAct, bite him at the last election? Revenge is sweet as they say.
Kerr wasn’t specifically given preferential treatment. Torchlight had provided a loan facility to SCF, and by nature, preferential creditors considering the receivership structure, Torchlight would have been first in line under the receivership to be paid out. Remember, you are confusing the receivership and the deposit guarantee scheme. One is an incredibly regulated process to ensure creditors get paid according to their priority, the other was provided to reassure investors they wouldn’t lose their money.
Now, you might argue there is a lack of congruence between the Retail Deposit Scheme and the Receiverships Act, but, Torchlight would have been paid out irrespective of the Retail Deposit Scheme, its how creditors are prioritised in a receivership. What the government did was utilise the Receiverships Act and paid out Torchlight so that they had clear rights to SCF’s assets. Plain and simple. Not paying Torchlight and other priority creditors OTHER than bond/debenture holders out when there was clearly the assets in the business to pay them (as they are entitled to under the Receiverships Act) would have been incredibly messy as Torchlight could have just called in their own Receivers and sold the assets off themselves in a fire sale.
But hey, whats logical about that.
Stop press!
Goff has spoken out… on an issue that really doesn’t matter at all.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10671155
Well, in his defence, It was a rather shocking hat.
It may not matter to you, Juan, but it matters to me. I’d prefer my head of state to be a kiwi, not some German pensioner or her Greco/Germanic son. Bloody foreigners, coming here, putting their faces on our money. Next thing we know, they’ll be making us fight their wars for them.
Pretty sure there are about four million kiwis out there who think that the price of petrol, meat and milk are more important than who we have minted on our coins.
There is a new self appointed Aristocracy rising in this country which needs to be fought tooth and nail. But its not based in Buckingham Palace. Just ask the Right Honourable PM and his mates.
captcha: million
Next thing we know, they, and the rest of their little commonwealth, will be defending us if we’re invaded from abroad.
I’m going to disagree with you there. Becoming a republic does matter but, at this moment in time, doesn’t matter quite as much as NACT giving $1.8b of taxpayer money to their rich mates.
It matters, but it might not be the most pressing issue right at this moment.
Nice work Marty, Jenny’s got it sussed….a disinterested lazy opposition who seem to be doing nothing to win back power in 2011.
Labour have the talent but it’s being suppressed by the old guard who are enjoying their turn with the leadership titles. Carter had a point but went about it all wrong damaging the entire partys chances in the process.
As I’ve said many times to some party faithful …..you know what it takes as the game’s changed but you persist with outdated tactics and people because that’s the Labour way….the public service of NZ politics….slow/process focused/too many factions all having their 5c worth.
When Goff speaks he’s boring when he should be setting the place alight on any issue….FFS !!
Have a listen to this interview with Goff on the matter…
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/fop/2010/09/focus_on_politics_-_finance
Warning: It’s a depressingly lame, amateurish effort 🙁
The nadir is when a reporter explains to Goff the Labour party’s policy on the guarantee scheme.
I disagree with you Marty on this issue (I know, pretty predictable).
Here is what Mallard posted yesterday on Red Alert. I will repeat it in full.
Parliament sits this week. OIAs have been lodged. Expect to see something very soon.
Mallard putting a post on Red Alert is a thoroughly limp response Micky. It’s telling that that’s where to have to point to for evidence of a response from Labour, don’t you think?
Someone should tell the Labour PR team about TV, newspapers and radio – they’re great for reaching a slightly larger and broader audience than the fawning few who bother reading Dead Alert.
It’s pathetic.
If they can’t fight this, then there’s not much hope of them actually running a government
and if they’re getting responses like this on a site like this, what do think their chances of winning an election are?
Yeah, sprout, the MSM are just gagging for the opportunity to publicise Labour’s position on everything, eh. Now that you’ve so succinctly nailed Labour’s failings, dya wanna tell us why the Greens are MIA?
who knows about the Greens, perhaps they’re similarly gutless or incompetent.
i am vaguely familiar with the possibility the MSM are not especially interested in publicizing Labour’s position, but there’s one thing the MSM love more than neo-liberal policy, and that’s a ratings boosting, populist, fat cat ripping off the little guy story. especially when it has a whiff of senior politicians’ blood on it.
there are nearly 2 billion reasons why Lab and Grn should be able to sell this story – so far there’s no evidence of either barely lifting a finger.
here’s an angle: the same amount of money needed to rebuild our second largest city after its ravaged by a massive earthquake is being spent on English’s southland farmer mates and Key’s financial speculator mates. 2 billion for each. think that might fly in the media if either Lab or Grn could give a fcuk?
there are nearly 2 billion reasons why Lab and Grn should be able to sell this story – so far there’s no evidence of either barely lifting a finger.
Whose job is it to rark up the press and write cutting soundbites ?
Hope its not Fa’afoi…but if it is, then that explains why they’d want to move him on to the patsy role Laban vacated and get someone with some cojones in there, even if she be a female.
I wonder if Cactus Kate would be up for a bit of moonlighting 🙂
Yeah, that post by Mallard would have been better as a guest post on here. Red Alert isn’t dead but I’m sure that The Standard has more readers and a broader base.
This is a slow burner of an issue and the public response is going to get worse and worse as the details emerge. Labour cannot go for it right now, after all they set the scheme up. When the “due diligence” analysis emerges there will then be an opportunity to go on the offensive.
You’re right mickeysavage, but what concerns me is that Labour will still miss the boat if they continue to be too cautious. I’m not suggesting they jump in at the deep end without the relevant material at their fingertips – and that takes time – but in the meantime it’s up to them to keep the issue alive and kicking. You can be rest assured Key, English and co. will do everything in their power to bury it.
I see some (note some) parallels here with the Winebox Affair. Interestingly, that one also rumbled on under the radar for months before the shit began to hit the fan. Indeed, it was a satirical piece in the now defunct ‘Independent’ in 1992 that first brought that matter to public attention.
Well said MS above, this is indeed a slow burner. Rod Oram really gets stuck into Hbbard in today’s SST
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion/4096745/The-harsh-truth-on-Hubbard
and there is more background here
http://www.lostsoulblog.com/2010/08/let-finger-pointing-begin.html
SCF is just one part of the Hubbard house of cards, though. The statutory managers have found serious ‘shortcomings’ in the Hubbard-managed investment funds – HMF and Aorangi Securities. Investors in these are not covered by the GG and may get 50c in their $ back, or even less. It’s anyone’s guess at present, and there are hundreds of investors and serious money involved.
And now we find something like 500 (!) registered companies owned or controlled by the Hubbards. Again, it’s anyone’s guess at present what has gone on with these. Then there are the charitable trusts……….
It will take weeks of work by the SMs for all this to be fully examined. But the biggest political question remains -why was the GG rolled over in April, when alarm bells had been ringing publicly for months?
Labour is not finished.
If Labour come out strongly and make a stand on the things that really matter to their target constituents as well as agree to start talking to any other party that could help them form a majority to turf out the Nats.
Even on current stats the possibility of forming a Labour led coalition in 2011 is a real possibility.
All that is missing is the political will.
capcha – “actions”
While I share everyones frustration, the attack on this needs to be managed well and Cunliffe will want to have all the info before he wades in.
The msm are not exactly Labour and the Greens mates to be fair so they will probably only get one crack at getting it right. As Marty has pointed out the leaders of both parties did not do well on the first attempt, I just hope they leave this to Cunliffe to deliver, Goff needs to keep out of this.
quote:”Goff needs to keep out of this”
Remind me, why exactly is Goff leader?
It’s a bit unheard of to hand the really big populist issues to someone else to front.
If all else fails maybe and intensive course of acting lessons and a script might help.
Goff needs to stay out of it because this is not his strong area (finance). A good leader (just saying) knows when to go to his or her team. Goff is the team captain he is not the team.
As others have pointed out this will slowly unravel and then Goff can lob acid into the wounds created by Cunliffe and others.
Leaders don’t have to be in the front of everything all the time. Its important that both Labour and the Greens work constructively together on this.If this opportunity is lost then the Nat’s will almost defiantly get three more years and if that happens this country is stuffed. Goff needs to show that he has a cabinet that can do the job, this strategy of Goff fronting everything has not and will not work.
Labour and the Greens have to show they can work together and that they can govern this is just the kind of issue the opposition needed.
Sorry that was a cheap shot. Just feel so damn frustrated about this.
I agree with you about the team focussing on the matters in which they have portfolios or particular expertise. It’s just that Goff has particular powers as leader. For example it would look a bit strange if it was Cunliffe that called a press conference and demanded an independent inquiry.
Would LOVE to see a red-green unified front on this.
Red Rosa,
“Why was the GG rolled over in April, when alarm bells had been ringing publicly for months?”
Reply: You know why…
Land and assets. This is a wonderful way for Key to flick off our land and assets to his mates, both foreign and home-grown, while declaring with a bigger smile than usual, showing his shark teeth to their best advantage, that he’s SAVING us that money, that $400 per Kiwi, by getting a great portion back of the $1.7billion he’s given to the people who just stick it in their overseas banks along with their other billions.
And everyone, every stupid New Zealander that will vote him back in, come 2011 unless we stop it, will think ‘what a great guy’. It makes me puke how stupid NZers are when it comes to the rich white male who turned us into serfs in our own country.
If it was an insurance scheme it is like offering insurance on a car after it has crashed.
If people want a headline it is this:
The amount paid to SCF financiers will be comparable to the cost of reconstructing Christchurch.
Pretty chilling …
Well, the fact Labour set up the guarantee scheme in the first place makes it kind of hard to be holier than thou about the bailout, does it not? Hopefully it will teach them a lesson to think things through before they make rash policies… nah, doubt it.
You’ve gotta be a RWNJ with a pseudonym like that Kleefer. And you’ve gotta be uninformed ,stupid and ignorant to qualify as a RWNJ. Congratulations on both counts.