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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    Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General, John Ryan, has joined the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • India makes a big bet on electric buses
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Spengeman People wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
    13 hours ago
  • Bernard’s pick ‘n’ mix of the news links at 6:36am on Tuesday, April 23
    TL;DR: These six news links stood out in the last 24 hours to 6:36am on Tuesday, April 22:Scoop & Deep Dive: How Sir Peter Jackson got to have his billion-dollar exit cake and eat Hollywood too NZ Herald-$$$ Matt NippertFast Track Approval Bill: Watchdogs seek substantial curbs on ministers' powers ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    15 hours ago
  • What is really holding up infrastructure
    The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    17 hours ago
  • “Pure Unadulterated Charge”
    Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    17 hours ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks for Monday, April 22
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: writes via his substack that’s he’s sceptical about the IPSOS poll last week suggesting a slide into authoritarianism here, writing: Kiwis seem to want their cake and eat it too Tal Aster writes for about How Israel turned homeowners into YIMBYs. writes via his ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The media were given a little list and hastened to pick out Fast Track prospects – but the Treaty ...
     Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Just trying to stay upright
    It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • “Unprecedented”
    Today, former Port of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson went on trial on health and safety charges for the death of one of his workers. The Herald calls the trial "unprecedented". Firstly, it's only "unprecedented" because WorkSafe struck a corrupt and unlawful deal to drop charges against Peter Whittall over Pike ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Time for “Fast-Track Watch”
    Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on fast track powers, media woes and the Tiktok ban
    Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
    1 day ago
  • The Government’s new fast-track invitation to corruption
    Bryce Edwards writes-  The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    1 day ago
  • Maori push for parallel government structures
    Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • An announcement about an announcement
    Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • All the Green Tech in China.
    Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Western Express Success
    In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick ‘n’ mix of the news links at 7:16am on Monday, April 22
    TL;DR: These six news links stood out in the last 24 hours to 7:16am on Monday, April 22:Labour says Kiwis at greater risk from loan sharks as Govt plans to remove borrowing regulations NZ Herald Jenee TibshraenyHow did the cost of moving two schools blow out to more than $400m?A ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to April 29 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #16
    A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
    2 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Government’s new fast-track invitation to corruption
    The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • Thank you
    This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Determining the Engine Type in Your Car
    Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Become a Race Car Driver: A Comprehensive Guide
    Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
    3 days ago
  • How Many Cars Are There in the World in 2023? An Exploration of Global Automotive Statistics
    Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
    3 days ago
  • How Long Does It Take for Car Inspection?
    Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
    3 days ago
  • Who Makes Mazda Cars?
    Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
    3 days ago
  • How Often to Replace Your Car Battery A Comprehensive Guide
    Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
    3 days ago
  • Can You Register a Car Without a License?
    In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the Rule If you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
    3 days ago
  • Mazda: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Reliability, Value, and Performance
    Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
    3 days ago
  • What Are Struts on a Car?
    Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
    3 days ago
  • What Does Car Registration Look Like: A Comprehensive Guide
    Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Share Computer Audio on Zoom
    Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
    3 days ago
  • How Long Does It Take to Build a Computer?
    Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Put Your Computer to Sleep
    Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
    3 days ago
  • What is Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT)?
    Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
    3 days ago
  • iPad vs. Tablet Computers A Comprehensive Guide to Differences
    In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
    3 days ago
  • How Are Computers Made?
    A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Add Voice Memos from iPhone to Computer
    Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
    3 days ago
  • Why My Laptop Screen Has Lines on It: A Comprehensive Guide
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    3 days ago
  • How to Right-Click on a Laptop
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    3 days ago
  • Where is the Power Button on an ASUS Laptop?
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    3 days ago
  • How to Start a Dell Laptop: A Comprehensive Guide
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    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Serious populist discontent is bubbling up in New Zealand
    Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • How to Take a Screenshot on an Asus Laptop A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Instructions and Illu...
    In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Factory Reset Gateway Laptop A Comprehensive Guide
    A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
    3 days ago
  • The Folly Of Impermanence.
    You talking about me?  The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
    3 days ago
  • A crisis of ambition
    Roger Partridge  writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
    Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • The worth of it all
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    4 days ago
  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    4 days ago
  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
    Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
    4 days ago
  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    4 days ago
  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
    Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
    4 days ago
  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    4 days ago
  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
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    4 days ago
  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
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    4 days ago
  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    4 days ago
  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    4 days ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    4 days ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    4 days ago
  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
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    4 days ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
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    4 days ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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    4 days ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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