This is Key’s scandal

Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, July 31st, 2013 - 64 comments
Categories: accountability, dpf, john key, making shit up, Media, Parliament, spin, Spying - Tags: , , ,

Key’s loyal retainers are trying to keep him out of the Vance spying scandal. Naturally David Farrar is the most pathetic – Imperator Fish has the last word on that subject (a must read). Turning now to actual journalists, here’s Audrey Young:

Key stands clear of inquiry fallout

Prime Minister John Key is seeking to distance himself from damaging fallout from David Henry’s inquiry into the leak of the GCSB spy agency report, just as his controversial GCSB bill returns to Parliament.

Mr Key has written to the Speaker David Carter to put on the record his disappointment that phone records and swipe card records of the journalist who received the leaked report, Andrea Vance, were handed over to the inquiry that Mr Key’s department commissioned.

And Mr Henry himself weighed in last night to reinforce the statement that he neither requested nor sought the journalist’s phone records. …

Mr Key said in his letter to Mr Carter that on finding out that Parliamentary Service had voluntarily supplied the journalist’s phone records “I was deeply concerned and troubled by this news”.

Sorry Audrey – Key doesn’t get to “stand clear” this scandal, he created it. Remember this, from just 5 days ago?

No action over phone log access attempt

No action will be taken against David Henry for attempting to access phone records of a journalist as he tried to find out who leaked a sensitive report into Government spying, Prime Minister John Key says.

There we have John Key himself acknowledging that Henry requested the Vance phone records (contrary to what Henry is now claiming). This wasn’t a Parliamentary Services “stuff up”. You don’t pass over three months worth of phone records by accident. They were passed over because they were requested by John Key’s enquiry, as he acknowledged above.

However speaking in Korea today Key said he did not believe Henry, a former top public servant brought in to find the leaker, had impinged on any media freedoms and no action would be taken against him.

He said Henry also would be considered for doing future Government reports.

Henry had been asked to carry out an enquiry using terms of reference given to him by the prime minister’ office. Nobody complained about those terms, Key said.

Key set the terms, no one complained (this was all in Key’s office – who the Hell was in a position to “complain”?). Henry was following instructions, nothing to see here, move along.

“He then went out and did his own thing. I wasn’t involved in any of that,” Key said today, adding that he made it clear to Henry that he expected access records to be accessed.

If anyone can work out what that means do let us know.

While no action would be taken regarding Henry’s actions, a different approach might be taken next time.

“Maybe if we go away next time and write another enquiry we’ll be really, really specific in the terms” of reference.

Key said that when the report emerged while he was on a trip to China the media had been “screaming at me” to hold an enquiry because they believed the Government had leaked the report.

This was all done at the direction of Key’s office (Wayne Eagleson –“If you speak to him you speak to me”). They’re trying to throw Parliamentary Services under the bus, but this is Key’s scandal start to finish. Final word to Alistair Thompson in his must read piece today:

But the amount of damage that has been done here should not be underestimated and it will not go away quickly. The Press Gallery will remember this.

Coming on top of the months of obfuscation and outright lying and evasiveness over every aspect of this story from the Kim Dotcom raids and who knew about them when, to the illegal GCSB spying, to the appointment of a child-hood friend of the PM’s as GCSB Director and now the Andrea Vance and Peter Dunne affair – we will remember.

64 comments on “This is Key’s scandal ”

  1. infused 1

    Cool… watch Shearer mumble his way through it.

    • Te Reo Putake 1.1

      Whoop, whoop! Terrain warning, divert now. Whoop whoop!

      • infused 1.1.1

        not diverting shit. This is hardly going to go away quickly. Just pointing out the incompetence of Labour to smash National with this.

  2. yeshe 2

    Thx for your post Anthony ..undoubtedly just as it is. The Alistair Thompson link is a must-must-read for its clarity of summation.

    How does Dunne tolerate this ignominy ? Somehow I keep hoping he will have an epiphany and vote against the GCSB bill — this is his last chance to be remembered for anything decent.

    Also noticeable absence of anything to do with these issues on Stuff this morning — is this part of the secret rumblings maybe ?? Is an explosion coming ?

    • bad12 2.1

      What makes you think that Peter ‘the Hairdo’ Dunne will not be standing again at the 2014 election, everything i have read and seen of Him would suggest that He is going to…

      • Veutoviper 2.2.1

        Tracey Watkins also has another opinion piece on Stuff that I read early this morning on the situation re Press Gallery reporters – but it was not highlighted on the main Stuff page.

        http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/8984706/Truth-a-long-time-coming

        • Colonial Viper 2.2.1.1

          A deeply embarrassed Carter owned up to the breach and offered Vance an extraordinary apology.

          Only days ago, Carter gave Parliament an assurance that the phone records were not handed over.

          The admission raises more questions than it answers…

          Smells like a limited hangout to me.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_hangout

          A limited hangout, or partial hangout, is a public relations or propaganda technique that involves the release of previously hidden information in order to prevent a greater exposure of more important details.

          It takes the form of deception, misdirection, or coverup often associated with intelligence agencies involving a release or “mea culpa” type of confession of only part of a set of previously hidden sensitive information, that establishes credibility for the one releasing the information who by the very act of confession appears to be “coming clean” and acting with integrity; but in actuality, by withholding key facts, is protecting a deeper operation and those who could be exposed if the whole truth came out. In effect, if an array of offenses or misdeeds is suspected, this confession admits to a lesser offense while covering up the greater ones.

      • bad12 2.2.2

        And the ‘snow flakes fall ever thicker’, i will assume at this early stage that the House speaker will now ‘protect’ the Slippery little Shyster from further probing during Parliaments Question Time by simply pointing at the Privileges Committee Inquiry being the place to ask such questions,

        Delay, Deny, Denigrate, and abuse, cover up the truth until such time as the heat of the matter dies down, then release a weak,insipid untrue account of events which exonerates the Prime Ministers Office….

  3. amirite 3

    I hope the media pounce and hold on this because the apathetic public needs a goddamn wake-up.

  4. bad12 4

    i have posted this comment elsewhere today but it is topical so i will repeat it at the risk of boring everybody,

    Here’s what i think happened, and to a certain extent the trail can be followed albeit it does get confusing,

    Slippery the PM set up the inquiry giving Henry his instructions and telling Him that if He needed any help to ask Eagleson,

    Henry went to Dunne and asked for His phone records which Dunne refused, it is Dunne’s contention that Henry then went to Parliamentary Services but i do not believe that to be the case,

    i believe that Henry went to Eaggleson with the request that He (Eagglson), get the phone records which Eagglson did which makes Henry’s claim of not having asked for the phone records about 1/2 true,

    Yesterday at question time in the Parliament Russell Norman directly asked the prime Minister whether or not His(Slippery’s), Chief of Staff had in fact asked parliamentary Services for the phone record,

    The Slippery little Shyster answered with words to this effect, ”i am not aware if my Chief of Staff asked Parliamentary Services for those phone records”, ”but i apologize if He did”, WTF,

    The WTF of course is mine, and, i wouldn’t expect the media, television or any other, to hold the Slippery little Shyster to account for what is becoming obvious as from television, to print, to radio, they are all, while issuing the odd ”hurrumph” as you have quoted in this post, to a man/woman running with the ‘Line’ naughty Parliamentary Services for having released the phone records,

    What i see is the usual ‘media snow flake shower’ accusing the wrong people of wrongdoing while allowing the Prime Minister complete exoneration when in actual fact it is becoming glaringly obvious that it was the Prime Ministers office that requested/demanded that Parliamentary Services release those phone records…

  5. quartz 5

    “Blame the help”, eh? Cowards.

  6. King Kong 6

    Have you thought that this might be deliberate.

    Feed Labour a superficial poll bounce on an issue that will be forgotten in a few months time in order to keep Labour liability #1 at the helm. This would ensure a National victory at the next election with the election campaign resembling a blood sport.

    Absolute genius.

    • amirite 6.1

      Turning the whole media community against you, that’s genius? Riiiiight….

    • tricledrown 6.2

      KK have a cup of tea and a sit down your redneck has veins ready to pop!

    • North 6.3

      Might be deliberate ? Which if it were would mean we live in a fascistic oligarchy.

      “Not boverred” KK ?

  7. tracey 7

    Lets not forget the press conference when key asked journalists if they really wanted their emails revealled???

    • Jackal 7.1

      Yep! The journalist’s must be wondering if this is the tip of the surveillance iceberg…an iceberg that will likely sink the bad ship National. Certainly their captain doesn’t have both oars in the water and is looking decidedly drunk at the helm.

  8. captain hook 8

    Its more than just a scandal.
    Kweewee has gathered around him a whole gang of hairy assed schoolboy familiars who cant read and dont give a stuff as long as they bask in the glow of the chosen one.
    Well its starting to smell like a dead mackerel in the moonlight.
    When there are fullscale nincompoops like David Carter giving out carte blance to any dweeb in a suit then the parliament and our democracy is in real trouble.

  9. burt 9

    David Henry – The guy who wrote to Labour before the 2005 election and was ignored… He made a bad call… he changed the rules… Now … It’s all different.

    He has a long history of being a highly principled player – pity self serving defenders of corruption only listen to him when it suites their self serving corrupt agenda.

    • ak 9.1

      Ahhh….wee burt reminds us that nine years ago Labour did something that he considered wrong. How suite.

    • tricledrown 9.2

      Keys promise of higher standards just another lie Burt!

  10. Veutoviper 10

    I posted this on the Media Honeymoon thread, but it is also very relevant here – and a Must Listen IMO.

    Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s excellent interview on Nine to Noon this morning, in which he considered that the checking of phone records etc of MPs/Ministers by the Henry Inquiry was in itself a breach of Parliamentary Privilege.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2563981/phone-records-handed-over-during-gcsb-investigation

    He covers this in the first two minutes or so of the interview, but the whole interview is well worth listening to as he gives an excellent overview of the history of the Parliamentary Services, their role, their culture; and of particular relevance here – his views (not particularly complimentary) on how the Henry Inquiry was set up and its wide TORs, and Henry’s lack of legal qualifications; and the wider ramifications of the whole fiasco vis a vis democracy.

    If Palmer’s points are picked up (as they should be IMO) this can of worms gets bigger and bigger.

  11. Te Reo Putake 11

    An excellent statement from the journos’ union:

    Journalists’ union condemns release of phone records:

    The Parliamentary Service’s decision to hand over a reporter’s telephone records to the Henry Inquiry strikes at the core of journalistic freedom, says the union that represents journalists, the EPMU.

    Although Mr Henry has stated he did not request the information and returned it immediately, the fact it was made available is deeply concerning.

    Protection of sources is a key ethical consideration for journalists. When sources know they can provide information to journalists without fear of retribution, they are able to hold authorities to account.

    If government agencies are able to delve into journalists’ communications, it will seriously impede the flow of information to journalists and have a chilling effect on media freedom.

    The revelations are particularly concerning in the context of allegations that the New Zealand Defence Force monitored journalist Jon Stephenson’s communications in Afghanistan, and at a time when the Government intends to pass a contentious law which will allow the GCSB to legally spy on New Zealanders.

    The EPMU welcomes the strong statements made by the Speaker and the Prime Minister criticising the release of Andrea Vance’s telephone records.

    However, this release occurred because of an investigation initiated by the Prime Minister, whose office was active in advising the Parliamentary Service to supply Peter Dunne’s phone records. It is likely the Parliamentary Service would have felt under pressure to be as helpful to the inquiry as possible.

    The public and the news media need reassurance that the Government is committed to the highest ideals of democracy. There must be a full and open inquiry into both the release of Andrea Vance’s telephone records and the alleged monitoring of Jon Stephenson.

    It is clear we cannot trust Government agencies to look into their own activities. In the interests of openness and rebuilding public trust, the Government must also review the operations of its intelligence agencies before giving the GCSB further powers.

  12. tracey 12

    Who in parliamentary services authorised the handing over and/or handed them over. There must be a who or whos

  13. Treetop 13

    Dunne is such a coward, he spills the beans to Vance and Dunne probably feels betrayed by Vance for doing her job. The PM goes tut tut and Dunne cannot pretend that he did not open his gob. The PM is not interested enough in getting to the bottom of the contents of Dunne’s emails to do with the Kitteridge report because Key would then be a vote short.

    Does Key think that the GCSB legislation is going to be a fix all for any incident which threatens his government?

    The biggest attack in this country is occurring in the Beehive by the government.

  14. aerobubble 14

    Oh the irony. A contractor arguably reading the request provide logs and other data he should not of.
    Ironic as the PM considers that arguable legality to be the new low standard necessary for all government. Yes, you guess it, if you can find an opinion that argues that something that is obviously illegal, isn’t then you can whitewash it. Now the PM is now having to defend just that, that he is not responsible because a contractor arguably acted lawfully when providing his inquiry with logs about a journalist. Arguable there now is no press freedom, welcome to dictatorship Aotearea.

  15. Dv 15

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8986200/Keys-office-ordered-records-released

    Prime Minister John Key has confirmed his chief of staff told Parliamentary Service staff to supply records to a ministerial inquiry after the department initially refused to cooperate.

    OOPS

    • Poission 15.1

      Wayne Eagleson is the culprit.he needs to be questioned at the select committee.looks like Farrar got it wrong again.

      • Treetop 15.1.1

        Eagleson and Dunne have had a close working relationship, Dunne as revenue minister and Eagleson at the IRD.

        • aerobubble 15.1.1.1

          Exactly. By muddling the investigation, Eagleson has put the content of the documents out of the picture. In US cop show parlance, he allegedly imposed himself on a ongoing investigation into a national security leak – the kitteridge report. His motives? friendship, loyalty to Key? and even keeping his job should Dunne be forced to walk? Key should excise the cancer sooner than later.

    • Treetop 15.2

      Up set the PM and you (chief of staff) could be looking for a new job, this is why I think that the person was following instructions from the top. Sometimes there is no pleasing your boss.

    • calltoaccount 15.3

      Uh oh, Key’s rebuttal, from the link…

      But Key said it was clear to everyone that the request was in relation to ministers, and not journalists.

      “He was clear that was for minsters and staff, not journalists. Everyone understood that was outside the terms of reference.”

      • r0b 15.3.1

        Apparently “everyone” did not…

        Another flimsy cover-up lie.

      • BLiP 15.3.2

        Ooooh, and another one for the list. Thank’s John, I’m lovin’ it . . .

        the terms of the enquiry made it clear to everyone that it was only the phone records of parliamentary staff and ministers that were to be provided

        . . . if it was “clear to everyone” then why did his own Chief of Staff put the pressure on Parliamentary Services and, speaking of Wayne “If you speak to him you speak to me” Eagleson, what’s his role in all this? Didn’t our infrequent but entirely welcome contributor “CrosbyTextor” mention something about a stitch-up to knobble Dunne . . . amusing at the time, perhaps prescient also, even if it was Kevin Taylor who was identified as being part of that “while he’s overseas” covert PR operation.

        Good to see the media get its act together over this. Oddly enough, it can’t usually be bothered bestirring itself since abandoning its Fourth Estate principles in some corporate profit-driven chase for eyeballs, but when the government’s actions impact directly on that pursuit, watch out. Perhaps now the spotlight will turn on our Prime Minister, John Key, and his performance across all his portfolios. Is there one he hasn’t mangled? So far as his handling of the GCSB/SIS portfolio is concerned, he has, in effect, been so incompetent as to be commit treason. What scant confidence the public may have had in its guardians, including even, to some extent, the armed forces, has been trashed thanks to his clumsy mendacity and bumbling, mumbling obfuscation.

        I think its becoming increasingly apparent across wider sections of the public, as Alistair Thompson points out, that we are dealing with a “rogue government”. Now that its true nature has finally been exposed directly to the typically indolently cooperative media, attention might also turn to how John Key’s tenure has impacted upon those National Ltd™ has already victimised.

    • Colonial Viper 15.4

      Since when do PS staff follow instructions from the Prime Minister’s office around other MP’s metadata?

      • calltoaccount 15.4.1

        Rob/CV: The “everyone” being the staff being set up for blame for a ‘mistake’. The PS would have been correct to pass on Dunne’s data, but went too far with Vance’s, in this version.

        I thought we had JK when I saw the headline; just needs all the ends tied up to rule out the obvious rebuttals. These liars are expert liars after all. 😉

  16. tracey 16

    Yup self interest rules. It was ways going to the the p gallery feeling threatened to start looking deeper

  17. tracey 17

    Yup self interest rules. It was ways going to the the p gallery feeling threatened to start looking deeper

  18. bad12 18

    From today’s question time in the Parliament, the smoke clears a little as both Russell Norman and David Shearer take turns at making the Slippery little Shyster ‘spin’,

    And, doesn’t He do it well our Prime Minister, ‘spin’ that is, changing direction at will all the while declaring ‘i have no responsibility’,

    The gist of the Prime Ministers replies, His chief of Staff, Eaggleson told all Ministers who had access to the report, the contents of which where leaked to Vance the Dominion Post reporter, to allow the Henry inquiry to access their phone records,

    His Chief of Staff who emailed Parliamentary Services with a request that they provide to the Henry inquiry phone records between all Ministers who had access to the leaked report and the DomPost reporter Vance,

    This the Prime Minister now claims absolves Him from responsibility as what the Eaggleson email really ‘Meant’ was that they only wanted the Ministers in questions side of the phone record TO the DomPost reporter Vance, and that the email didn’t ‘Mean’ that the inquiry wanted the DomPost reporter Vance’s phone records TO the Ministers in question,

    That absolves the Prime Minister of nothing, and my view is that Parliamentary Services should withhold all service to the Prime Ministers Office until such time as He makes a full apology to Parliamentary Services for having released the phone records of Vance to the Henry inquiry…

    • marty mars 18.1

      I agree that key doesn’t do spin well – he’s a liar and an ‘off the cuff’er and those two attributes always end up in trouble. He’ll keep telling more and more lies to cover up the original lies and the story or spin will get more nonsensical and stupid. Time to bring the hammer down on this turd and squash him politically – not even the mythical middlenz like shitspinning liars.

  19. Tigger 19

    Imp Fish nails Farrar’s hypocrisy in such an elegant way that it is a masterpiece. Praise Jebus for blogs like that, and this, for keeping me sane.

  20. tsmithfield 20

    There is to be a public enquiry into the whole affair.

    So, if Key is lying, it should come out.

    • yeshe 20.1

      interesting that Dunne’s name is not on the list .. ??

    • lprent 20.2

      Perhaps they should get someone independent to set the terms of the enquiry this time. Somehow letting John Key and his staff do that last time has just looked extremely shifty to ANY outside observation – wouldn’t you agree?

      You realise that this will be the third (oops fourth) enquiry into this pile of crap. The first being the whitewash from our ancient Inspector General of using the GCSB to bug DotCom

  21. Adrian 21

    Ever hear of a Chief of Staff doing something without making sure it is what his immediate senior actually wants. Nothing in writing of course. This is the most corrupt government in our history.

  22. bad12 22

    From the mouth of Peter ‘the Hairdo’ Dunne via RadioNZ National while i was getting tonight’s dinner in the oven,

    ”Henry came to Me asking for My phone records so that they could be compared with Vance’s phone records”, unquote,

    Is Dunne creating mischief by telling porkies or is Dunne telling the truth???, if that was the truth from Dunne then it becomes obvious that the Prime Ministers claim made in the Parliament today that Eaggleson’s email was intended to solicit from Parliamentary Services only Ministers phone records is an utter and total piece of bulls**t,

    If what Dunne is publicly saying is true then it becomes obvious that my previous assertion that it was Henry who approached Eaggleson for help as the Prime Minister had told him to do and Eagglson sent the email to Parliamentary Services acting on the instruction of the Prime Minister which he had previously given to Eagglson,

  23. bad12 23

    As we all have come to expect, John Armstrong but BrainsWeak, the titular head of the Fifth Column of New Zealand Jonolism and Herald political commentator made a brief appearance on RadioNZ’s afternoons with Jim Mora and stuck strictly to the Slippery little Shysters ‘spin’ that the release of Vance’s phone records was the fault of Parliamentary Services,

    It appears also that it wasn’t only the Parliamentary phone systems records that they went after, there appears to have been at least an attempt to get at Her cell phone data as well…

  24. Jane 24

    I do care quite a bit about what is going on in the country and the direction, but I don’t think I care much about this issue and haven’t found many outside of the politically interested group that do either.

    Politicians and Journolists all swim in the same shallow mud filled pond and there is only a marginal difference as to which I trust less, the polictical jounolists churn out an endless supply of dross and are happy to cut stories so as to make them fit their narrative and love being part of the story. Vance allegedly published a leaked copy of an unreleased report so her paper could get the ‘scoop’, everyone screamed for an enquiry and now are crying that they might have been enquired into.

    The more I think about it I’m starting to wonder how healthy this secret relationship between politicians and jouronolists really is, all the nudge nudge wink wink, leak this, cosy that, how does anyone know what sort of influence the press gallery hold over MP’s? It could well be an environment riddled with corruption, is it time that all correspondence between jounolists and MP’s to be published? Everyone is vigilant to the influence of business, foreign powers, unions, donors etc but how about some sunlight on what goes on here. Jounolists are always telling us that we must trust them, they know what the real story is, they are so important, time for them to be honest themselves!

    • bad12 24.1

      i am amused, ”but you don’t care”…

      • Jane 24.1.1

        Ha ha, by the end I was thinking that to! I suppose I care less about what may or may not have been leaked, released, requested because it’s politians and journalists and cared more about the secrecy going on and why shouldn’t we get to see all records.

        • bad12 24.1.1.1

          Lolz, i am amused that you don’t care and then go on to a list of Government corruption that has never been exposed in this country, except where that corruption is carried out openly such as in the Sky city casino deal between that organization and the present Government,

          i am sure others could add a fair few more instances to the above as well,

          Of course the fact that this Government’s accessing of a member of the media’s phone records by accident or design whether legal or illegal will soon be possible for any Prime Minister to order once the GCSB Legislation is passed in the House has not it would seem entered your calculation of what is or isn’t of interest,

          Once such Legislation is passed the uncovering of any of the corruption that would catch your interest will become just that much more unlikely because any Government will know who each journalist has spoken to at any given time, thus have every opportunity to catch and punish those who would expose such corruption befor that exposure became public…

    • karol 24.2

      Yes, but up til recently, the press gallery have sucked up the the NAct government. A rift between them and mutual suspicions could have a lasting impact on how the government is reported.

  25. I read Imperator Fish’s post that Anthony referred to in his opening post. It is Must Read stuff.

    If I were Farrar, I would’ve cringed at Scott’s razor sharp observations.

    http://www.imperatorfish.com/2013/07/he-delivers-and-how.html

  26. TruthSeeker 26

    The most intriguing aspect of the email that Key tabled in the House today is the date on it: 30 May.

    The inquiry was announced on 15 April and completed on 5 June.

    So the inquiry was in its sixth week when Henry finally requested the phone records on 30 May; the very same day referred to phone records in the House. Intriguing.

  27. bad12 27

    Listening to RadioNZ National this morning it appears that i have missed AN EMAIL, i describe the contents of what i though was THE email from the Prime Ministers Chief of staff Eaggleson to Parliamentary Services,

    The Email i describe above and how i describe it is pretty much correct, but there appears now to be a second Email from Eaggleson to the Parliamentary Service of an entirely different nature,

    The second Email from Eaggleson to the Parliamentary Service is said to contain such niceties as a demand to Parliamentary Services from the Office of the Prime Minister that they accord the Henry inquiry access to any information He requests and hand over ‘any relevant data’,

    So the plot thickens, i better track down the actual words of this Email…

  28. bad12 28

    At some point in the examination of Slippery the Prime Minister’s entrails surrounding the Vance phone records scandal Russell or Dave should ask Him this question,

    Did anyone from the Prime Ministers Office or the Henry inquiry itself at any time ask the cell phone providers of both Dunne and Vance for access to the records of their cell phones,

    Now that should get the Slippery one ‘spinning’ at full speed…

  29. tracey 29

    This what separates farrar from whaleoil. Ironic that he posted it from usa.

  30. bad12 30

    Now that is sad, the head of Parliamentary Services has resigned, as we learn today from questioning of the Prime Minister by Russell Norman today, there are 2 emails from the Prime Ministers Chief of Staff to Parliamentary Services which using different language ask/demand that Parliamentary Services hand over data to the Henry inquiry,there are also 22 unreleased emails from the Henry inquiry to [public services,

    Possibly buried in the 22 emails that the Henry inquiry sent to Parliamentary Services is the real truth of what the Henry inquiry was trying to elicit from Parliamentary Services,

    Steven Joyce, speaking on behalf of the absent Prime Minister at question time today refused Russell Norman’s request that the 22 Henry emails be released and tabled in the Parliament,

    How toxic these 22 Henry emails are to the Prime Ministers reputation,(haha yes joke),will probably decide whether or not these emails are released…

  31. bad12 31

    Peter Dunne on Prime News just now has just confirmed what i was alluding to in a couple of comments about Dunne and Vance’s personal mobile phone data being sought by the Henry inquiry,

    Dunne says that Henry came to Him during the inquiry with questions about specific conversations made between Dunne and Vance on their mobile phones…

    • bad12 31.1

      PS, these may have been specific text conversations as opposed to voice ones, Dunne on Prime-News tonight did not differentiate…

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    Buzz from the Beehive The Minister of Defence has returned from Noumea to announce New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting and (wearing another ministerial hat) to condemn malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government. A bigger cheer from people who voted for the Luxon ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • ELIZABETH RATA: In defence of the liberal university and against indigenisation
    The suppression of individual thought in our universities spills over into society, threatening free speech everywhere. Elizabeth Rata writes –  Indigenising New Zealand’s universities is well underway, presumably with the agreement of University Councils and despite the absence of public discussion. Indigenising, under the broader umbrella of decolonisation, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the skewed media coverage of Gaza
    Now that he’s back as Foreign Minister, maybe Winston Peters should start reading the MFAT website. If he did, Peters would find MFAT celebrating the 25th anniversary of how New Zealand alerted the rest of the world to the genocide developing in Rwanda. Quote: New Zealand played an important role ...
    2 days ago
  • “Your Circus, Your Clowns.”
    It must have been a hard first couple of weeks for National voters, since the coalition was announced. Seeing their party make so many concessions to New Zealand First and ACT that there seems little remains of their own policies, other than the dwindling dream of tax cuts and the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 8-December-2023
    It’s Friday again and Christmas is fast approaching. Here’s some of the stories that caught our attention. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered some of the recent talk around the costs, benefits and challenges with the City Rail Link. On Thursday Matt looked at how ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • End-of-week escapism
    Amsterdam to Hong Kong William McCartney16,000 kilometres41 days18 trains13 countries11 currencies6 long-distance taxis4 taxi apps4 buses3 sim cards2 ferries1 tram0 medical events (surprisingly)Episode 4Whether the Sofia-Istanbul Express really qualifies to be called an express is debatable, but it’s another one of those likeably old and slow trains tha… ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 8
    Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    2 days ago
  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    3 days ago
  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    3 days ago
  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    4 days ago
  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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
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  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
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