This Government’s citizenship priorities

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, March 24th, 2017 - 52 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, Environment, national/act government, Politics, sustainability, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

Michael Tavares is a young man who has residence in New Zealand and wants to become a New Zealand citizen so that he can be a Green Party candidate in this year’s Parliamentary election. He is a kiwi through and through. He recently married a kiwi woman. He has lived here for a number of years. He celebrates the beauty of our country and is very keen to preserve our environment.

There was one problem with his application for citizenship. He has a criminal conviction within the past three years and under the Citizenship Act could not be granted citizenship unless he persuaded the Minister of Internal Affairs that there were exceptional circumstances relating to the conviction.

He has a conviction for trespass, which on the scale of things is one of the least serious offences under New Zealand law. The circumstances of that offence are that a magnificent 500 year old Kauri was being threatened with being felled. Michael set up home in the tree for a few days to make sure that it was safe.

His offending was in keeping with all notions of peaceful non violent protest. And it was successful. The tree is still standing today doing what trees do by beautifying the area, sequestering carbon, providing a home for birds and holding Titirangi’s steep hills together. When agreement was reached with the people who wanted to fell the tree Michael climbed down and transported himself to the New Lynn Police Station and handed himself in. Greater cooperation with the authorities is hard to imagine.

He then appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the charge. But for the negative attitude of the complainants he should have received a discharge without conviction and then been granted citizenship. As it was he was convicted and put on good behaviour for 12 months. No further penalty was imposed.

Many people supported him and cheered him on.  Many people, myself included, thought that he should be given a medal rather than a conviction.  Even Helen Clark supported him and said that it was “extraordinary in this day and age that a permit would be given to fell a 500 year old kauri tree”.

In my view he is not only the sort of person that we should welcome to New Zealand. He is also the sort of person that we need in Parliament. The state of our environment is such that we need as many passionate determined protectors of the environment in Parliament as we can get.

But this Government has refused his request for citizenship.  He can apply again next year and the ban will not then apply but this is not much consolation to him as he needs to be a citizen to run for Parliament.

His treatment should be contrasted with that of another person who not so long ago applied for citizenship.

Peter Thiel is a very wealthy American. He likes New Zealand and following his grant of citizenship bought a large piece of land in the South Island presumably as a bolt hold in case post Trump America implodes.

This New York Times article provides some background. From the article:

Mr. Thiel, worth a reported $2.7 billion, was a founder of the online payments site PayPal and the data company Palantir. He secretly funded the lawsuit that killed off Gawker, the network of gossip sites that outed him, accurately, as gay.

When Mr. Trump won, Mr. Thiel emerged as a key adviser. He has spent much of the time since the election in New York, advising the transition team. His recommendations are under consideration for significant jobs.

As a byproduct, he has become famous, a fate many of his peers in Silicon Valley would go out of their way to avoid. Mr. Thiel has been reported as a possible Supreme Court justice, as a potential candidate for governor of California, and, most recently, as President Trump’s potential ambassador to Germany.

Mr. Thiel’s admiration for New Zealand is longstanding. “Utopia,” he once called it. He has an investment firm in the country that has put millions into local start-ups. He also owns lavish properties there, which his Silicon Valley friends hope to fly to in the event of a worldwide pandemic.

He is willing to help his fellow humans, as long as they are also rich.  He once described incidences of date rape as belated regret.  He has some strange views.

Even though he did not meet policy requirements, specifically he did not even live in New Zealand, he was granted citizenship by Nathan Guy in 2011.  From Radio New Zealand:

Mr Guy, who was the internal affairs minister at the time, said Mr Thiel was granted citizenship under a provision of the Citizenship Act that stated it would be “in the public interest due to exceptional circumstances of a humanitarian or other nature”.

However, he said he did not recall dealing with Mr Thiel’s application.

“As minister I tended to follow the advice of DIA officials on these issues; I’m advised officials recommended granting citizenship in this particular case.”

Thiel’s treatment was exceptional.  The only other occasions this Ministerial power was used involved two unborn babies.

These examples provide a perfect example of how this Government works.  If you are rich and right wing the welcome mat is rolled out.  If you are passionate about the environment they will do nothing.

52 comments on “This Government’s citizenship priorities ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. james 1
    24 March 2017 at 9:33 am

    This is a really interesting post.

    Lets look at his application on its own merit.

    So we have someone who has broken the law, so by default cannot get citizenship for a number of years.

    He pleaded guilty -which is to be commended. But there is zero doubt that he broke the law.

    “He then appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the charge. But for the negative attitude of the complainants he should have received a discharge without conviction and then been granted citizenship”

    Remembering here that what you call the complainants are indeed the victims in this case – They did nothing wrong, and they have been impacted a lot by Tavares actions.

    It is right and correct that their views get taken into account in sentencing – is this not the norm? Who are we to say how the victims are impacted?

    Anyway – he now wants to be am MP – good on him. But do you really think that is an exceptional circumstance?

    Its called consequences for his actions. He should have thought of this before he broke the law – there were other ways to protest legally (as many others did).

    • DoublePlusGood 1.1
      24 March 2017 at 9:54 am

      What are people supposed to do then when breaking the law is the right thing to do?

      • james 1.1.1
        24 March 2017 at 10:07 am

        The right thing to do according to whom?

        If he thought he was doing the right thing and wanted to argue that he had his chance – but pleaded guilty, understanding the implications.

        • DoublePlusGood 1.1.1.1
          24 March 2017 at 1:10 pm

          The right thing according to people with principles.

          • inspider 1.1.1.1.1
            24 March 2017 at 1:28 pm

            Yes well it was the wrong thing to do according to 1000 years of English law. I put that ahead of an ex American’s principles regarding a highly disputed “500 year old” tree.

        • AB 1.1.1.2
          24 March 2017 at 6:31 pm

          Oh bollocks.
          Let’s take a virtue-based approach to the ethics of the situation.
          Did Mr Tavare’s actions stem from self interest? Did he acquire any personal gain from his actions – either material or pecuniary? Nope. Did he cause harm to anyone? Nope.
          Was he performing an action that he honestly and reasonably believed was in the public interest? Yep.
          So there is every reason to say that is actions were virtuous and ethical though nominally illegal. Let him stay.

          Punitive right wingers with a viciously narrow law-based or rule-based ethics are a curse

          • Andy 1.1.1.2.1
            24 March 2017 at 6:56 pm

            Let’s take a virtue ethics point of view. Aristotlean Ethics qualify. They seek to answer the question “what would a Great Man of well-tempered habits do, under these circumstances?”

            I believe a Great Man would uphold the integrity of the Law, seek to have it amended by legal means, and preserve his own credibility and reputation so that he may make a positive contribution as an MP.

            The rationale you have described isn’t really Virtue Ethics. IMO it’s Consequentialist.

      • Steve Wrathall 1.1.2
        24 March 2017 at 1:26 pm

        Then go ahead and break the law…and suffer the consequences. And he has.

    • mickysavage 1.2
      24 March 2017 at 10:11 am

      I think that protecting the environment is an exceptional circumstance.

      The Government thought that Thiel’s case provided one. Why not Tavare’s case?

      • james 1.2.1
        24 March 2017 at 10:15 am

        I guess different people have differing views of “exceptional circumstance”.

        I dont know enough about Thiels (somewhat more confusing and complicated) citizenship.

        Regardless – Tavare’s should have to stand up on its own merits.

        • Keith 1.2.1.1
          24 March 2017 at 10:23 am

          Confusing and complicated…..well that is one way of describing the National Party donation laundry.

          • KJT 1.2.1.1.1
            24 March 2017 at 11:20 am

            Thiel, Donated to the National party, and no doubt some useful directorships will go to retired Nat cronies, later.

            Tavare’s, hasn’t any money to offer.

            Simple.

          • McFlock 1.2.1.1.2
            24 March 2017 at 1:39 pm

            seems to be the tory go-to complaint when something is wrong but suits them: it’s all too hard to understand, whatever can we do…

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.2.1
              24 March 2017 at 1:59 pm

              +1

              It truly is amazing how often the Tories come out with the Too Hard line or its corollary Unintended Consequences.

              All just excuses for not changing things that are wrong.

      • inspider 1.2.2
        24 March 2017 at 1:25 pm

        Perhaps you are in a good position to advise why his lawyer didn’t argue that in his case.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.3
      24 March 2017 at 10:45 am

      They did nothing wrong

      Actually, they did. Sure, cutting down the tree may have been legal but it certainly wouldn’t have been moral. It is this point which allowed the tree to still be standing today.

      Which makes his actions to prevent the trees destruction also moral and right and thus the conviction wrong.

  2. ropata 2
    24 March 2017 at 10:00 am

    NZ is only “utopia” for the super rich. It used to be a decent place for everyone but pricks like Thiel and klingons like Key have exploited/sold the common wealth for their own private gain.

    • lloyd 2.1
      26 March 2017 at 11:47 pm

      Ropata, you are insulting Klingons. A Klingon would make it very clear that they were taking your property (and they would probably terminate you with extreme prejudice at the same time).

      I have strongly suspected that John Key and most of the Cabinet are actually Cylons. These devious cyborgs are always trying to gain power over real humans and do this by insinuating themselves into human society. If you want analogies of political skulduggery you must check out episodes of Battlestar Galatica.

  3. Keith 3
    24 March 2017 at 10:21 am

    Peter Thiel is rich. Michael Tavares is not. End of story!

    • james 3.1
      24 March 2017 at 10:34 am

      Michael Tavares broke the law and was found guilty in a NZ court of law – Peter Thiel wasnt. End of story.

      And to prove my argument is more valid than yours – he had not of broken the law – he would prob be a citizen now – regardless of his wealth.

      [lprent: You appear to be diversion trolling. The post was about exceptional circumstances and citizenship. As a number of people have pointed out to you so far. To date I haven’t seen you deal with that, in fact you appear to be avoiding dealing with it.

      If you want others to take personal responsibility for their actions, then YOU can damn well do it here as well.

      Banned for 4 weeks for diversion trolling. ]

      • Hanswurst 3.1.1
        24 March 2017 at 10:56 am

        Michael Tavares broke the law and was found guilty in a NZ court of law – Peter Thiel wasnt. End of story.

        No, this particular story ends (for the moment) with “exceptional circumstances”. Keith’s comment takes that into account. Yours is the comment of someone who was either too lazy to read the last chapter or too disingenuous to concede that it existed.

        • inspider 3.1.1.1
          24 March 2017 at 1:43 pm

          It’s not exceptional circumstances to want to run for parliament, just as “I might want to apply for a job that I have no guarantee of even getting an interview for” is unexceptional.

          If he had secured a nomination of a party subject to citizenship, then that might be close, but his personal whim is not enough.

          More importantly why did his lawyer not push for diversion or dwc. The court is not bound by the views of the victims.

          • mickysavage 3.1.1.1.1
            24 March 2017 at 2:04 pm

            I understand the Green Party had accepted his nomination for its list.

            The complainant has a big say if diversion is granted. A dwc was applied for but the police and the complainants opposed it.

            • inspider 3.1.1.1.1.1
              24 March 2017 at 2:21 pm

              I suppose given the time and cost he caused the police they might not have been well disposed. Perhaps he also wasn’t that apologetic.

              Simple rule, when in another country, follow the rules as much as possible.

              • Michael Tavares …
                25 March 2017 at 9:04 pm

                I didn’t apologise, but I did hand myself in. I’d said in advance through the media that i would, and this the police weren’t I even there when i came down.
                I also pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. I wouldn’t say i could have taken any less of the police’s time except for if i had not done this thing at all.

      • Keith 3.1.2
        24 March 2017 at 10:57 am

        He broke the law, give me a break. Yep, just like an armed robbery of a gas station, eh James? All torn up that Capital Punishment was repealed?

        He protested in a 500 year old Kauri tree to save it been felled so some arsehole could play Monopoly and improve their views. Crime of the millennium if I’ve ever heard. Maybe he should have been horsewhipped instead and then deported!

        I bet the National Party were so glad that they had that turd to cling to but they would have turfed him out anyway. Not one of their type$ if you know what I mean.

        However if he had say, oh I don’t know, helped fund some business deal, one where the tax payers took all the risk, for, oh I don’t know, some cloud computing thingy run by a loyal National Party supporter and then made a few million, risk free, well maybe then Mr Tavares may have stood a chance. And if his bank account ended in 10 zero’s even better.

        But no this man who gave a fuck about the environment is dead to us. Certainly not the kind of person we want here!

  4. Anne 4
    24 March 2017 at 11:14 am

    And don’t forget Peter Thiel went on to effectively defraud the NZ tax-payer of ten million dollars. Less than a drop in the bucket for this ultra rich bastard perhaps, but money that could have been spent in NZ for the benefit of NZers. And don’t forget he also believes… women should have never been given the vote!

    And Thiel is deemed to be more worthy of citizenship than an upstanding, honest individual who is sufficiently dedicated to this country that he actually lives here!

  5. Michael Tavares 5
    24 March 2017 at 11:44 am

    Thank you for this article. And I appreciate the kind and supportive comments.

    With or without the piece of paper, this place is my home. I love the beauty of the people and the environment here. I’m not going anywhere.

    I’ll apply again next year after June 12th. I have more of my life ahead of me than behind. I’ll be fine.

    And I’ll continue to do all i can towards creative a fairer, more sustainable society, and a cleaner environment underpinning it all.

    Thank you all again.

    Michael Tavares.

    • mickysavage 5.1
      24 March 2017 at 12:00 pm

      Cheers Michael and thanks for all you have done for our environment.

      • Steve Wrathall 5.1.1
        24 March 2017 at 1:30 pm

        Yes. Thanks to this clown, anyone with a tree they want removed will be a mug if they go through the proper channels (as the owners did) to get permission. Better to surreptitiously poison it and after a while, oh no, damned kauri dieback syndrome strikes again.

    • Sabine 5.2
      24 March 2017 at 12:00 pm

      well said.

    • Matthew Whitehead 5.3
      24 March 2017 at 1:15 pm

      Cheers, keep up the good work, you belong here for sure, and it’ll just have to be someone else’s turn to get arrested to stop immoral actions until you’ve got your citizenship sorted. 😀

  6. Anno1701 6
    24 March 2017 at 12:23 pm

    NZ doesnt like independent thinkers/actors

    we like sheep…….

  7. Ethica 7
    24 March 2017 at 1:24 pm

    Peter Thiel has IT expertise and data relevant to winning elections for the National Party (and the Republicans etc)

  8. saveNZ 8
    24 March 2017 at 1:38 pm

    If he did a u turn, clear felled Titirangi and put in an application to build 50,000 McMansions, export the Kauri wood, a gigantic waste water plant in the bush with a export water bottling facility and a $5000 donation to the Natz, I’m sure he will be welcomed into NZ with open arms.

    Cheat and bribe, develop and export our natural resources, that’s how you get into this country.

    • ropata 8.1
      24 March 2017 at 1:47 pm

      Might have to bump up the donation to $50K but sounds about right. And he wouldn’t have to actually build anything, just have a “plan” that provides a good photo op for Nick Smith

      • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1
        24 March 2017 at 2:04 pm

        Oh, he’d build something but it’d be paid for by the taxpayers and he’d make millions on it just as his cut of the taxpayer spend.

        • ropata 8.1.1.1
          24 March 2017 at 7:13 pm

          And the new (probably leaky) subdivision would be quickly purchased by a foreign investment fund so that exorbitant rent could be extracted from desperate young Kiwis.

          • saveNZ 8.1.1.1.1
            24 March 2017 at 8:29 pm

            Then the council aka local rate payers will be called in to pay billions for the rebuild.

            • saveNZ 8.1.1.1.1.1
              24 March 2017 at 8:50 pm

              don’t forget as well, we need an extra couple of lanes built for the extra traffic at the cost of a few billion to roading contractors and a 5 year road works delay for residents.

              What, there’s now too many cars so lets tax a commuter tax on those workers using their cars travelling from Titirangi.

              Put up the waste water charges too, to pay for the infrastructure with all that extra pollution going into the sea and all.

              Someone has to pretend to develop public transport too, so a few million for consultants each year should do it, and keep that consultation going for a decade at least. In the mean time demolish some historic buildings and trees just in case they could get in the way – someone has to look like they are doing something.

              Thankfully there is such a public stink, we can spend 5 million of rate payer money on private “environmental’ lawyers and planners at $500 p/h just so we can fight the residents for a year or so, to knock down the trees and historic buildings. Fucking NIMBYS.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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