The SPOTY’s 2018

Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, December 15th, 2018 - 39 comments
Categories: class war, Europe, greens, Iain Lees-Galloway, International, jacinda ardern, labour, Media, national, nz first, Parliament, Politics, Russia, Shane Jones, Simon Bridges, The Standard, uk politics, us politics, winston peters - Tags: , , , ,

Welcome to the Standard’s Politician of The Year 2018!

The awards, which have been run annually since the blog’s founding in 1894, are eagerly awaited by MP’s, media hacks and comms flacks in NZ and worldwide. The SPOTY’s provide an opportunity for the humble reader of NZ’s finest outlet for political musings to give their thoughts on the winners and losers of 2018, both home and away.

Votes will be tallied in the The Standard’s state of the art counting facility and will be ignored, amended and invented to produce the outcomes we like best. It’s democracy, but not as we know it, Jim!

The categories are:

  • Best Government MP
  • Best Opposition MP
  • Best Minister
  • Best Comms
  • Best Media
  • Word of the Year
  • Death of the Year
  • Event of the Year
  • Polly of the Year (overseas)
  • Polly of the Year (NZ)

 

To get you started, here are my completely scientific and impartial picks:

Best Government MP: Overcoming many obvious handicaps Shane Jones has made the best of his year. He’s now the clear frontrunner to take over as NZ First leader when Winston Peters retires in 2032. No other MP in the house has consolidated their position as heir apparent quite as well. Also the only polly to be compared to Pablo Escobar.

Best Opposition MP: Despite a strong run at the title from the MP once known as Maureen Who but now renamed Maureen Pughsless by her own leader, the clear winner is Jami Lee Ross. Ok, he was mainly in opposition to his own party, but wow, what a spectacular way to achieve cut through and name recognition!

Best Minister: There’s lots of Ministers quietly going about their work, bringing fairness, equity and niceness to NZ, but for mine, only one has really stood out. Iain Lees Galloway was dealt a rotten hand in the Sroubek case and arguably played his cards poorly, but he has stood his ground, taken the criticism without bleating and in his other Ministerial role has worked with the coalition parties to significantly improve our employment laws.

Best Comms: Without doubt Hamish ‘Shameless’ Price wins hands down. No lie too great, no outrage too faux for Hamish to promote. Just for the record, Hamish has never drafted, suggested, composed, published, or caused to be published, any of Simon’s tweets, or any of his social media activity. They’re all Simon’s fault, according to Hamish.

Best Media: This  should probably go to a ‘proper’ journalist, but my vote’s with Bryce Edwards. Bryce is annoying, pompous and seems as insulated from real life as a character in a Evelyn Waugh novel. He’s replaced Josie Pagani as the Go To Faux Lefty when the msm needs to put the boot into Labour. However, his Political Round Ups in the Herald are always well compiled and they definitely help promote blogs like the Standard. So good on ya, Bryce, keep plugging away, fella.

Word of the Year: TERF. The rise of identity politics has seemingly peaked with the debate around whether women are women. Special mention to the defiant racist Rachel Stewart for elevating herself to Victim of the Year.

Death of the Year: Sad as I am at the passing of Harry Leslie Smith, the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi has exposed the international links to the odious Saudi regime of governments around the world. The poms tut tutted, but kept flogging arms to the Saudis and the orange one was strangely unable to properly condemn the killing. It’s almost like he owes the Saudis more than he owes the Russians.

Event of the Year: Gotta be the Brexit negotiations. When England voted to leave Europe, dragging the reluctant Scotland, Wales and NI with them, nobody knew just how awful it would turn out. If there is no second Brexit referendum, I predict the Kingdom will be united no more and Scotland will scarper. And a re-united Ireland may well be on the cards, too.

Polly of the Year (overseas): There’s a good case for Jacinda Ardern to pick this one up. She has had an amazing impact offshore and her heartfelt words in support of the family of Grace Millane lifted the bar for what international political leadership should look like. But, it’s Trump for me.  Still stupid, still lazy and still there. A Nixonian exit (via golf cart rather than helicopter) looms in 2019.

Polly of the Year (NZ): C’mon, do I have to say it? Yes, it’s Winston Peters who (wait … some mistake surely … consults notes … ). As you were, everyone! It’s Jacinda Ardern. Of course it is. DJ of the year, mum of the year, polly of the year, leading contender to take over from Steve Hansen, there is simply no stopping the most popular PM ever.

So there’s my picks. What’s yours? No need to nominate in every category; nobody really cares who’s opposition MP of the year. Sorry, David Seymour. I know this was pretty much your last chance to shine.

And it’s not too late to invent new categories if you want. But don’t bother with blogger of the year. There’s a lawyer out West Auckland way who’s got that sown up 😉

 

39 comments on “The SPOTY’s 2018 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Robert Guyton 1
    15 December 2018 at 1:36 pm

    Sarah Dowie for putting Invercargill on the map.

  2. greywarshark 2
    15 December 2018 at 1:44 pm

    Shane Jones
    For trying to get his nevvies off the couch.

  3. patricia bremner 3
    15 December 2018 at 2:24 pm

    Phil Twyford as Minister of Transport, tidying the mess Simon Bridges left in NZTA.

    • jam tomorrow 3.1
      16 December 2018 at 11:09 am

      Go, Phil – a hard worker who has a huge job (housing and transport) and while being criticised by an opposition whose neglect caused the social problems we now face,
      always remains affable and realistically optimistic .

  4. r0b 4
    15 December 2018 at 2:37 pm

    Polly of the year is surely Simon Bridges – for doing more than anyone else to ensure the re-election of a Labour led government in 2020. Go Simon!

  5. patricia bremner 5
    15 December 2018 at 2:54 pm

    Most effective Minister. Khris Faafoi Socking it to Loan Sharks.

    • Rae 5.1
      15 December 2018 at 7:21 pm

      Kris Faafoi has been a bit of a revelation, I think he has a head down, bum up attitude to his job, and his ego, if it exists, definitely takes a back seat.

      • OnceWasTim 5.1.1
        15 December 2018 at 9:19 pm

        +1. And Little for the same reasons ( and especially when you take into account is Pike River Mine efforts and his standing down which allowed all this to happen in the first place )

        • Rae 5.1.1.1
          17 December 2018 at 8:06 am

          Yes, absolutely Andrew Little, was going to do another post to say something similar, but got sidetracked. Another one doing the job with little regard to his own ego. And doing his job very well, he is the unsung hero of the Labour party’s revival. Please, no-one point this out to Simon.

          • Ffloyd 5.1.1.1.1
            17 December 2018 at 9:03 am

            Andrew Little without a doubt. He is truly country first. Was going to say nz first but didn’t look quite right.

    • Heather tanguay 5.2
      15 December 2018 at 7:28 pm

      Kris has done a fantastic job on a number of different fronts

      • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1
        15 December 2018 at 7:44 pm

        [citation needed]

        • Ankerrawshark 5.2.1.1
          15 December 2018 at 9:36 pm

          Draco my dodgy air bags for one. When the list came out under national our car wasn’t on it. Under Labour kris had a new list and made the deadline tighter and compulsory. We had them fixed within the week.

          Yes Kris Faafoi has been a quiet outstanding achiever

    • Stunned Mullet 5.3
      15 December 2018 at 9:18 pm

      Agreed along with Robertson the only two that have got on with their jobs.

  6. patricia bremner 6
    15 December 2018 at 2:58 pm

    I mustn’t disappoint my critics LOL LOL
    Jacinda Ardern for Polly of the Year!! By an ever increasing margin.

  7. Adrian Thornton 7
    15 December 2018 at 3:04 pm

    Best Polly (International) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

    Unfortunately as a Socialist I will have to leave the position of Polly of the year (NZ ) vacant yet again, still not one soul brave enough, active in NZ politics to come out in direct opposition to free market liberalism…very disappointing, but also disappointingly, not at all surprising.

  8. Upapua 8
    15 December 2018 at 3:27 pm

    Surely Simon, the unpopular, strong leader, of the most popular party in politics. who singularly stands by all his directions, signposts, statements and friends, alone deserves a gong. He most thinking correctly deserves it. Paula and he could accept it on behalf of the team.

    A Chinese sounding name for the category would reflect the diversity accommodation available in Nationals interested parties and spice up the bbq….

    #28. Plum advice marinated, slow released spices, woke-roasted duck, topped a breakdown of wilted lettuce and bitter crushed nuts. Political Course of the Year.

  9. Ad 9
    15 December 2018 at 3:45 pm

    BEST MINISTER:
    Nicholas Maduro for inheriting a spectacular Bolivarian political dynasty, sitting on top of every socialist policy imaginable and a black fountain of national wealth, and squandering it faster than any two-bit rapper with one hit, gold teeth and an Uzi.

    BEST OPPOSITION MP:
    Jeremy Corbyn, for doing the pure political thing of enabling May and the Conservatives to ignite like a lump of burning human shit swinging in the wind, rather than doing the principled thing. I like them darker.

    BEST MINISTER:
    Shane Jones, for having more swagger than Al Pacino rolling in to Nightcaps in a Bentley, bigger balls than Jeff Bezos trading off New York and Atlanta, and for turning a hundred solid National mayors into bigger dumbstruck fawning fools than those girls in the front row at Elvis The Comeback Special 1968.

    BEST COMMS:
    Prime Minister Ardern for most shameless pimping of her own baby at the UN since Imelda Marcos learned to turn in her first pair of pumps.

    BEST MEDIA:
    Scoop, for self funding, self-reporting, being the release go-to, and still tilting leftward without being Labour’s pet labradoodle.

    DEATH OF THE YEAR:
    Grace Millane; for enabling New Zealanders to spin shame into global redemption in one of the strongest years for feminist protest the world has seen in 50 years.

    As Bono sang once:
    “Grace
    is the name for a girl.
    It’s also a thought that
    Could change the world”

    EVENT OF THE YEAR:
    COP 24, for reminding us that we can but form our own local actions like a finger raised to the Eagle of Death

    POLITICIAN OF THE YEAR:
    Xi Jinping, for ascending to an even more perfect state of constitutional perpetual power than Papal infallibility of 1870
    I’d take that as a win.

    POLLY OF THE YEAR (OVERSEAS)
    Agreed; Donald Trump for the most predictable operatic arc since Joan.
    As The Highlander said, “I have something to say
    It’s better to burn out
    Than to fade away”

    POLLY OF THE YEAR (NZ)
    Simon Bridges, for giving me the longest punchline payoff of opposition politics done worse than Goff, Little, and Cunliffe. It’s a long, long payoff, but it’s as satisfying as an armchair Corona off ice after mowing the lawn.

    • Puckish Rogue 9.1
      15 December 2018 at 5:06 pm

      Not to be a pedant but it wasn’t The Highlander who said it, it was The Kurgan, saying it to The Highlander 🙂

    • RedLogix 9.2
      15 December 2018 at 5:44 pm

      Talented mate. 🙂

      Reminds me I may have to give Scoop some dosh again. Labradoodle indeed.

  10. JennyHow to get there? 10
    15 December 2018 at 4:04 pm

    Politician of the year?

    Gotta be the Prime Minister

  11. Tony Veitch [not etc.] 11
    15 December 2018 at 4:44 pm

    Best polly of the year (NZ)

    Drum roll: Soimon Bridges – for services to the Coalition Government.

  12. Ankerrawshark 12
    15 December 2018 at 4:54 pm

    Best govt mp…..Twyford for attempting so much, including the meths thing and coping so much (bull)shit

    Best opposition……Jami lee Ross

    Best comes…..Jacinda Ardern, country mile and that pic at buckingham palace

    Best media…the standard or scoop

    Death, utterly tragic grace millane. My heart felt sympathy to her family

    Politician of the year. Jacinda Ardern
    Politician of the year overseas. Still jacinda

    Event of the year. On going climate change

  13. mickysavage 13
    15 December 2018 at 7:31 pm

    Heh very good idea TRP and something we should keep doing for the next 124 years …

    Anyway …

    Best Government MP: Simon Bridges …

    Best Opposition MP: I agree JLR. He captured the attention of the media in a way no other opposition MP did.

    Best Minister: Sepuloni, Twyford and Little are my favourites. I think Twyford though, if he makes a big enough dent in the housing crisis and reaffirms the idea that social housing is a necessity as well as a good think then there will be political advantage for the left for decades to come, not to mention kids growing up with way better lives than they would have otherwise had.

    Best Comms: Haha yeah Price wins hands down. Is there any truth to the rumour that he is a Labour black ops plant with a mandate of bringing ridicule to National?

    Best Media: Mihinarangi Forbes for opening a real view into what is happening in Aotearoa NZ.

    Polly of the Year (NZ): Jacinda. For insisting that the art of politics should be a more decent and gentle practice.

    • Kat 13.1
      15 December 2018 at 8:38 pm

      Everyone has their opinion and Audrey Young certainly has hers. For once I agree with her in that Winston is her polly of the year. Jacinda transcends politics and is more “The Leader” of the year(s).

  14. Tamati Tautuhi 14
    16 December 2018 at 6:48 am

    Agree with Audrey Young Winston Peters NZF for putting a stable Coalition in place.

    Jacinda a close second for bringing humility and some compassion to politics despite the attacks on her and her partners credibility via the RWNJ Media here in New Zealand.

  15. vto 15
    16 December 2018 at 7:01 am

    Given pollys are shameless at times, in recognition of that most glaring of traits I suggest John Key… the most shameless politician, and probably person, in new zealand ever…

    shameful and shameless

    (once a polly always a polly)

  16. vto 16
    16 December 2018 at 7:07 am

    In the same way that white New Zealanders have gravitated to Grace Mullinane’s death due to her “white young prettiness” (quote Alison Mau), I wonder how much of that same gravitational effect towards “white young prettiness” has factored into Jacinda’s popularity position

    … after all, Labour’s popularity went sky high after Andrew Little when nothing changed except the front

    prejudices eh, they are tough to break, almost impossible

    • Ankerrawshark 16.1
      16 December 2018 at 9:39 pm

      vto I think your comments are unfortunate.

      Ms ardern is popular because she represents generational change and she is authentic articulate and extremely competent. She is appealing to look at, but that wouldn’t wash without the aforementioned qualities.

      It’s possible to argue Simon Bridges is attractive to look at, but his qualities mean that is overlooked.

      I am sick of people analysing and making assumptions that the outpouring of grief for grace is because she was pretty. I find that offensive

      • Gabby 16.1.1
        17 December 2018 at 8:28 am

        Slick’ll be fine now he’s learning to croak like Baaarpbaaarp Coleman. Instant credibility from the vocal deepfry.

    • Rae 16.2
      17 December 2018 at 8:16 am

      Not so sure about the reasons given by critics for the outpouring of sentiment for Grace Millane.
      I recall some years, so many years, my 19 year old daughter not arriving as scheduled from the USA after a stint as a camp counsellor in an eastern state. I recall as if it were yesterday, the indescribable feeling that my daughter could be in some dumpster somewhere, and how alone and afraid she would have been. Turned out she’s gotten confused with all the time zone changes and missed her flight, but those were some incredibly terrifying hours until she showed up.
      I think, in so many ways, so many of us can relate to Grace and her family, I am not at all sure who she was had that much bearing, as soon as I heard of her missing, I thought of my daughter and that time.
      You only now have to compare that to the outrage at the seeming privilege being shown to that hit and run driver sentenced to home d and community service.

  17. mikesh 17
    16 December 2018 at 8:43 am

    Politician of the year — Justin Lester, for sticking to his guns on the cycle lanes issue despite many predictions that he will lose in 2019 because of it.

  18. Ad 18
    16 December 2018 at 9:31 am

    Colin Craig – services to Christian workplace relations

  19. Fireblade 19
    16 December 2018 at 7:22 pm

    Best Opposition MP, David Seymour. Like the entire opposition, he’s done bugger all, but with David everyone knows…

    YOU SHOULD BE DANCING

    (Soul Train 1976)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9u4Su0J4Zg

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    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    4 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week  Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • The End Of The World.
    Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Climate Town: The Brainwashing Of America's Children
    Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Has There Been External Structural Change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase. Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • Another Labour bully
    Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Climate Change: Ignoring our biggest problem
    Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • JERRY COYNE: A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand
    JERRY COYNE writes –  If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Good news on the GDP front is accompanied by news of a $5m govt boost for Supercars (but what about ...
    Buzz from the Beehive First, we were treated to the news (from Finance Minister Grant Robertson) that the economy has turned a corner and New Zealand never was in recession.  This was triggered by statistics which showed the economy expanded 0.9 per cent in the June quarter, twice as much as ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • The Scafetta Saga
    It has taken 17 months to get a comment published pointing out the obvious errors in the Scafetta (2022) paper in GRL. Back in March 2022, Nicola Scafetta published a short paper in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) purporting to show through ‘advanced’ means that ‘all models with ECS > ...
    Real ClimateBy Gavin
    7 days ago

  • Friday's Chorus: Penny wise and pound foolish
    TL;DR: In the middle of a climate emergency and in a city prone to earthquakes, Victoria University of Wellington announced yesterday it would stop teaching geophysics, geographic information science and physical geography to save $22 million a year and repay debt. Climate change damage in Aotearoa this year is already ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Calling the big dog’s bluff
      For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step
     Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now being asked: how low can you go?It seems such an unlikely question because this doesn't feel like the kind ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    1 week ago

  • A Womance, and a Nomance.
    After the trench warfare of Tuesday night, when the two major parties went head to head, last night was the turn of the minor parties. Hosts Newshub termed it “the Powerbrokers' Debate”.Based on the latest polls the four parties taking part - ACT, the Greens, New Zealand First, and Te ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • When The Internet Rushes To Your Defense
    Hi,You can’t make this stuff up.People involved with Sound of Freedom, the QAnon-infused movie about anti-child trafficker Tim Ballard, are dropping like flies. I won’t ruin your day by describing it here, but Vice reports that footage has emerged of executive producer Paul Hutchinson being inappropriate with a 16-year-old trafficking ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago

  • Doubts about Robertson’s good news day
    The trading banks yesterday concluded that though GDP figures released yesterday show the economy is not in recession, it may well soon be. Nevertheless, the fact that GDP has gone up 0.8 per cent in the latest quarter and that StatsNZ revised the previous quarter’s figure to show a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago

  • The Votes That Media Dare Not Speak Its Name
    .Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..A recent political opinion poll (20 September) on TV1 presented what could only be called bleak news for the Left Bloc:National: 37%, down two points equating to 46 seatsLabour: 27%, down one point (34 ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    1 week ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #38 2023
    Open access notables At our roots Skeptical Science is about cognition of the results of climate science research in the minds of the entire human population. Ideally we'd be perfectly communicating understanding of Earth's climate, and perfectly understood. We can only approximate that, but hopefully converging closer to perfection. With ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Failing To Hold Back The Flood: The Edgy Politics of the Twenty-First Century.
    Coming Over The Top: Rory Stewart's memoir, Politics On The Edge, lays bare the dangerous inadequacies of the Western World's current political model.VERY FEW NEW ZEALANDERS will have heard of Rory Stewart. Those with a keen eye for the absurdities of politics may recognise the name as that of the ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience
    $12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...
    Ko tēnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tō tātou reo rangatira. Ko te wā tuku reo Māori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tēnā me tēnā o tātou, ka tū ā te Rātū te 14 o Mahuru, ā te 12 o ngā hāora i te ahiahi. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • New Wildlife Act to better protect native species
    The 70-year-old Wildlife Act will be replaced with modern, fit-for-purpose legislation to better protect native species and improve biodiversity, Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime has announced.   “New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” Willow-Jean Prime said.   “More than 4,000 of our native species are currently ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Further safety initiatives for Auckland City Centre
    Central and Local Government are today announcing a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement Police scaling up their presence in the area. “Police have an important role to play in preventing and responding to crime, but there is more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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