Time for Govt to bring the cops to heel

Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, June 29th, 2012 - 53 comments
Categories: police - Tags:

Looks like the Police have cost us a fortune in an inevitable lawsuit from Kim Dotcom. Not only were the warrants they used to raid his house illegal, they took things they weren’t entitled to even under those illegal warrants. That’s going to result in everything they seized being inadmissible and the case collapsing.

They aggravated this by playing FBI wannabes, raiding Dotcom’s house with armed 70 armed officers and helicopters, causing distress and public humiliation.

Then they gave their illegally obtained information to the Yanks. Dotcom can and should sue their arses off. It may be the only way they’ll learn.

It’s been a bad run for the cops – the Gwaze prosecution failing; the Urewera raids case falling apart, again due to unlawfully overstepping their warrants; the Bill Liu case ending in not guilty; raiding media offices in the middle of an election campaign at the orders of the Prime Minister and then declaring a person’s actions unlawful, defaming him and violating his right to fair trial; their violent reaction to the Blockade the Budget protests; and now this.

It’s getting to the point where the cops are overstepping the mark so often that you almost fear the consequences of criticising them. Almost.

There’s something wrong within that organisation that is at least as bad as what’s been going on within ACC. The disturbingly ‘activist’, even political, element to some of these actions only makes it worse.

The Government needs to step in and stop the Police overstepping their role.

53 comments on “Time for Govt to bring the cops to heel ”

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  1. Draco T Bastard 1
    29 June 2012 at 11:03 am

    The Government needs to step in and stop the Police overstepping their role.

    But what this government will actually be doing is cheering them on.

    • Fortran 1.1
      29 June 2012 at 1:26 pm

      Upon enquiry, did the Police not oppose this warrant as unlawful, but were told by Crown Law Office (plus FBI) that it was, so get on with it.
      Is this the reason that the police went overboard (helicopters etc) to effectively say to CL and the FBI – up yours.

    • MrSmith 1.2
      29 June 2012 at 6:05 pm

      They may not be cheering when they get the bill for this lot, the bloody incompetent fools, looks like they just pissed away a few more million, (well this could run into millions and millions), all because our police spend to much time watching American TV.
       
      I can see them now ‘just like our PM’, falling all over themselves for the Yanks,, maybe the Police are hoping Key will just change the law ‘again’ to cover up there stupidity.

  2. Kotahi Tane Huna 2
    29 June 2012 at 11:18 am

    Anne Tolley bring the police to heel? I can imagine that: choose any picture of the Urewera action-men and photoshop her into it in “standing on crushed car” pose.

    OK, so now what?

    • mike e 2.1
      29 June 2012 at 11:29 am

      I think this is a result of National cutting back room staff.
      People making complaints to police these days are being fobbed off because front-line staff don’t want to get bogged down in paper work!

  3. DH 3
    29 June 2012 at 11:27 am

    They’d be in it even deeper if the judge had any IT nous, the FBI are treating our justice system with contempt. The bullshit they’ve been spinning about how long it will take to copy Dotcoms data is eye-opening.

    • deuto 3.1
      29 June 2012 at 12:12 pm

      They’d be in it even deeper if the judge had any IT nous…

      While Chief Justice Winklemann may not be an IT expert, I understand that Judge David Harvey is the one who will be hearing the extradition hearing in August* as I understand that he is very much an IT and Internet expert.

      *That was in various news reports some time ago, but unfortunately don’t have time right now to find a link.

      • Rich 3.1.1
        29 June 2012 at 12:29 pm

        The judge needn’t be an expert, any more than the judge hearing a case about construction needs to be a builder, or a judge hearing a maritime case a sailor.

        It’s for each side in the case to provide appropriate evidence on the technicalities in a form that can be understood by a layperson.

        A danger of ‘expert’ judges is that they make decisions based on their own misconceptions.

        • Matthew Whitehead 3.1.1.1
          29 June 2012 at 3:16 pm

          The judge doesn’t need to be an expert, but they do need to inform themselves enough that they can follow the arguments that experts will present. The way many from older generations “understand” the internet and other technology would be an incredibly problematic viewpoint if held by a judge.

          And yes, the flipside of a well-informed judge is that they might have a blindspot that someone hearing arguments for the first time would not have.

      • DH 3.1.2
        29 June 2012 at 1:04 pm

        Don’t hold yr hopes out, he’s probably just another IT luddite when it comes down to it.

        Article here about copying Doctoms data so it can be returned to him…

        “FBI told to copy seized Dotcom data”

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10813260

        They state there’s 130 odd computers & hard drives there and if each computer has a 1 terabyte hard disk that’s close to the 150 terabytes they say they need to copy. You can copy all that in a day if you wanted to, it’s not exactly difficult to clone disks. Might take months if they did one disk at a time but the FBI aren’t that stupid.

        • McFlock 3.1.2.1
          29 June 2012 at 1:11 pm

          Might take months if they did one disk at a time but the FBI aren’t that stupid.

          They could be if they wanted to be… 

          • DH 3.1.2.1.1
            29 June 2012 at 1:13 pm

            No, they just think that NZ judges are stupid.

            • Colonial Viper 3.1.2.1.1.1
              29 June 2012 at 2:12 pm

              Or they think judicial independence is stupid. And an unnecessary nuisance.

          • Robert Glennie 3.1.2.1.2
            29 June 2012 at 4:02 pm

            The F.B.I. have been known to bungle before, as have the New Zealand Police (Arthur Allan Thomas for example). The difference is we can – hopefully hold the N.Z. Police to account. Can’t do that with the F.B.I., and even if we could, it would probably need a sea change in that organisation for changes to be effective.

        • deuto 3.1.2.2
          29 June 2012 at 2:05 pm

          Don’t hold yr hopes out, he’s probably just another IT luddite when it comes down to it.

          LOL. I suggest you (and Rich) research Judge Harvey’s background and qualifications before making such generalisations. He is NZ’s probably leading member of the judiciary when it comes to IT and Internet matters and the law. As well as being a DC judge, he also lectures at AUT on IT and the law, and presents at conferences etc on matters such as copyright and the Internet. A quick trip to Google will expand your knowledge. By the way, he is also the judge who ruled that Dotcom be released and be able to return to Coatsville etc etc.

        • Rich 3.1.2.3
          29 June 2012 at 4:01 pm

          So Dotcom’s lawyers needed (if it came to that, which I don’t think it did) to assert that the files could be copied in a day. If the Crown disputed that, then they get an expert witness to swear an affadavit (it’s all done on paper at this level) to that effect.

          The judge can then make the call – they don’t need to be a bulk storage expert.

          (Also, Judge Harvey is an expert, as I understand it, on how new technology impacts the law. That’s not the same as being an expert on SATA and copy programs).

          • DH 3.1.2.3.1
            29 June 2012 at 5:50 pm

            Dotcom can look out for himself. I read the Herald article & thought the FBI ‘expert’ was insulting the judge and by association insulting our justice system and us. Big cop from the US comes here & treats us like a bunch of country bumpkins. I wished the judge had the nous to ask the right questions & then throw the book at the bastard when it dawned on him the guy was taking him for a ride. Wishful thinking….

  4. Dv 4
    29 June 2012 at 11:31 am

    I liked the argument that it was OK to take Dotcoms data out of the country because it was only copies.

    Are they still running that line.

  5. higherstandard 5
    29 June 2012 at 11:33 am

    I’ll think when this all comes out in the wash that you’ll find crown law is the party in error rather than the police.

    • Deano 5.1
      29 June 2012 at 12:37 pm

      the judge found the police overstepped the warrants, even if those warrants had been legal.

      • higherstandard 5.1.1
        29 June 2012 at 12:47 pm

        A little birdie tells me that the police told crown law that the warrants were cak and were told to action them regardless.

      • Vicky32 5.1.2
        29 June 2012 at 3:25 pm

        the judge found the police overstepped the warrants, even if those warrants had been legal.

        Sadly I am not surprised…

    • Fortran 5.2
      29 June 2012 at 1:28 pm

      Yes – I agree – we should enquire further about the role of Crown Law (FBI).

  6. Glg 6
    29 June 2012 at 11:39 am

    Interestingly in the judges decision she mentions that police don’t want Mr Dotcoms CCTV footage returned to him, even if they have to give him copies of everything they seized. Why would that be? Don’t they want the public of NZ to see how nicely they can charge out of helicopters, or do they thnk actual images of our boys in black pointing guns at women and children? Urewera raid anyone?

  7. Tom Gould 7
    29 June 2012 at 11:49 am

    Too much TV, I reckon. Plenty of macho swagger, just like their idol Crusher, yet not a whimper when a leaked memo says their wages will be cut. Nor when front line resources, like cars, were cut. Imagine if the other lot tried that? Another march on Parliament, I bet. Looks to me like they have become completely politicised. And we all know where that leads.

    • Glg 7.1
      30 June 2012 at 9:09 am

      You don’t think when Howard Broad came out and said there would be no problem with Shipley lowering the drinking age, that wasn’t political? I’d say most cock ups from the police of late have been political.

  8. tsmithfield 8
    29 June 2012 at 12:23 pm

    I also think it is quite disgraceful the way the police have been behaving. I expect Dotcom will be able to sue the government for millions over this.

    Things don’t look to be going too well for the police in the Scott Guy case either. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see an acquittal in this case. I thought one of the things the police needed was evidence. However, they haven’t actually produced anything that links the accused to the crime scene. Their whole case appears to boil down to linking the fact that the accused didn’t like Guy so therefore he must have killed him.

    Lately the standard of police work I have been seeing has left me entirely unimpressed.

    • Lanthanide 8.1
      29 June 2012 at 12:29 pm

      Certainly Ewen looks very suspicious, but from the (detailed) reports in the media I agree that I don’t think they’re going to reach the “beyond reasonable doubt” threshold.

      • tsmithfield 8.1.1
        29 June 2012 at 1:08 pm

        I agree that he has done some very dodgy stuff that requires a lot of hate. However, to go to the level of actually killing someone requires a lot more hate than required for just damaging property.

        The key thing for me is that most of the police evidence relies on lots speculation and adjustment of the facts.

        For instance accepting one of the witnesses was right about his clock being inaccurate when there is no evidence to support the rationale the witness gave for the clock being inaccurate. There are no witnesses to the shooting. There is no evidence tying the alleged murder weapon to the crime, and the evidence of the supposed footprint looks pretty dodgy as well, since even the crown witness agrees that it doesn’t match the sample produced. This point raises issues about how well the police have done their homework. One would assume that the police would at least ensure that the boot sample they produced in evidence matched the sole impressions at the scene.

        • Glg 8.1.1.1
          30 June 2012 at 9:14 am

          Let’s not forget inability to locate car seen, to wonder if perhaps the alibi the P addict gave her burglar partner may not be all that reliable, inability to locate the ‘dead’ puppies, the insistence when MacDonald said one of the puppies was gone earlier, that meant dead, not taking a plaster cast of the car print next to the car, No forensic analysis of the emails Scott Guy checked ! I am however surprised that they don’t try to hang this one on Scott Watson……….oh wait……

    • mike e 8.2
      29 June 2012 at 12:37 pm

      Yes the silly monetarist totally agree its going to get worse before it gets better under Nationals sinking lid policy

  9. mike e 9
    29 June 2012 at 12:41 pm

    It was unbelievable that the forensic scientist hadn’t searched divers supply sites on the internet.
    but on the other hand Ewen Mc Donalds Mistake of saying he was shot before anyone else has let him wide open.

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 9.1
      29 June 2012 at 12:57 pm

      I think the remark about being able to see the lights of the ute through the bars of the gate is pretty damning too – by the time he got there post-shooting he wouldn’t have – it was in the pre-dawn darkness that it made such an impression on him.

      Suspicious as all hell, but proof beyond reasonable doubt?

      • tsmithfield 9.1.1
        29 June 2012 at 1:20 pm

        I agree that sort of stuff is suspicious. But, as the defence counsel is doing, it is possible to come up with credible explanations or counters to that sort of stuff.

        IMO this sort of stuff isn’t really evidence unless it is supported by some hard facts. That is what is lacking in this case. The defence has also put forward a credible alternative for the murder. IMO if there is a credible counter explanation for the facts, then reasonable doubt has to apply. If I was on that jury I don’t think I could find him guilty.

        I have been a foreman on a jury, and in the case I was involved with, there was a helluva lot more hard evidence that has been put forward here.

    • Treetop 9.2
      29 June 2012 at 2:46 pm

      I think Scott knew the killer because he would not have got out of the ute, (which was left running) and he would have probably seen the rifle as the headlights were on and he stood infront of the ute in the most exposed position. Scott would have been more cautious than he would have been in the past due to the vandalisation of his home when it was being built, an old house on the farm being burnt down and a second child on the way. For the killer to know that there was a short window period for the crime to occur, the killer was aware of Scott’s usual routine. I think that Ewen owned two pairs of dive boots in size 9 and size 11, thick tramping socks would have been worn with the size 11 when out hunting.

      The question which a juror has to ask is, proof beyond reasonable doubt?

      Knowing Scott was shot is the giveaway and some of Ewen’s comments were carefully orchestrated to see if anyone was onto him. When I first saw Ewen on trial he clamped his teeth down on his lower lip and he did not look comfortable. Not taking the stand in his defence he did not want to contradict himself. Were I innocent I would have taken the stand. When you tell the truth it is more likely to be remembered than when you tell a lie.

      • Richard Christie 9.2.1
        29 June 2012 at 3:33 pm

        ooh yes, and his eyes are too close together!

      • Murray Olsen 9.2.2
        30 June 2012 at 3:25 am

        Ewen’s lawyer would probably have advised him not to take the stand. Without judging this particular case at all, it’s not enough to be innocent. You also have to act in a manner that the jury will interpret as innocent in the face of hostile questioning.

  10. captain hook 10
    29 June 2012 at 1:07 pm

    they dont call them the Keystone Cops for nuthin dude!
    But my opinion is that as the labourer is worth his hire then even if the profits from cultural artifacts may be enormous the creators are still entitled to reap the rewards of their efforts without parasites and leeches stealing off them with technology.

  11. Leopold 11
    29 June 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Pity NZ dosen’t have a ‘not proven’ verdict for a jury, as in Scottish law

  12. BLiP 12
    29 June 2012 at 3:52 pm

    .

    I reckon this situation is a miscarriage of justice from start to now. What pisses me off the most is how the New Zealand Police lubed up and gasped in wonderment as the FBI turned all of them into little bitches. And they want a payrise?

    What. Ever.

  13. Robert Atack 13
    29 June 2012 at 4:08 pm

    I’m looking forward to seeing the raid footage that must have been illegally taken from .com’s security cameras, their must be a few SIS/FBI boffins not wanting to be seen on You Tube, and picture the armed cops standing over a pregnantee.

  14. deemac 14
    29 June 2012 at 5:13 pm

    I think I’ll save my sympathy for the people who can’t afford to spend squillions on fancy lawyers

  15. Maggie May 15
    29 June 2012 at 5:47 pm

    I do not think the government wants to step in and stop the police from doing anything.

    I think the police raided Dot Com with knowledge and agreement from the government, with a “don’t tell me when you do it, and then we can say I didn’t know”.
    That sounds more like the way John Key operates his business deals. He also probably thought he was going to get a favourable response from US interests as well.

    What does the government care if Dot Com sues it’s only the tax payer who foots the bill, and Key can retire with his millions, he’s okay, must think of personal responsibility, choices one makes in life – like electing National as our government.

  16. Rusty Shackleford 16
    29 June 2012 at 7:36 pm

    http://thestandard.org.nz comes down on the side of property rights. About time.

  17. ochocinco 17
    29 June 2012 at 7:57 pm

    It’s not ALL the Police you numpties.

    There’s a common theme with several mistakes lately… OFCANZ were behind the Dotcom investigations… not NZ Police.

    Also, if you really think Kim Dotcom is innocent despite being (a) a convicted fraudster and (b) having attempted to bribe our politicians, then you’re a fool.

    I could also name the dozens and dozens of successful Police operations, but you probably don’t care about them. Like the one run by a now-defunct department of police that led to the arrest of a Chinese criminal working out of NZ and selling counterfeit drugs (which is about as immoral and hideous as you can imagine) – also done with ICE (involved with Dotcom).

    The fact is that “Crusher” Collins brought in a bad culture into Police. Under Howard Broad there was real hope… the jackboots at the top now are the worst possible throwbacks imaginable.

  18. Richard McGrath 18
    29 June 2012 at 9:05 pm

    I agree with the general tenor of this thread. The police need to respect the rights of all people, rich or poor. This was an unmitigated cock-up.

  19. infused 19
    30 June 2012 at 12:57 am

    This was known right from the start, hence why the CCTV footage was never released.

    This was driven from somewhere else though. I don’t know who… I forgot the name of the bill that failed in USA (Copyright). Right after it fails, dotcom is raided….

    This will cost us a fortune.

  20. ochocinco 20
    30 June 2012 at 8:45 am

    Also, why are we on the left supporting a capitalist like Kim Schmidt/Dotcom?

    He is worse than the filthiest, most parasitic Kulak ever… he deserves nothing except 15 years hard labour for crimes against the working class.

    • Richard Christie 20.1
      30 June 2012 at 11:17 am

      @ochocino

      I could also name the dozens and dozens of successful Police operations, but you probably don’t care about them……He is worse than the filthiest, most parasitic Kulak ever… he deserves nothing except 15 years hard labour for crimes against the working class

      I note you are an apologist for police operations and all too ready to assign guilt before trial.

      The fact is that “Crusher” Collins brought in a bad culture into Police. Under Howard Broad there was real hope… the jackboots at the top now are the worst possible throwbacks imaginable

      Broad proudly announced the arrest of several innocent workers at the Christchurch Creche in 1992, so involving himself in one of NZ worst witch-hunts (literally, a witch-hunt) recently he signed off the Urewea raids, amongst other things.

      NZ is better off without those who blow with the wind.

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  • Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses

    The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • A Time For Unity.

    Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again

    National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.

    A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation

    Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession

    The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago
  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

    This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    4 days ago
  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 99

    Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

    One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

    This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago
  • Can Brown deliver his roads

    The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

    Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

    A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago
  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

    On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

    There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

    A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

    This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago
  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears

    I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When Do We Look Away?

    Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The decades just fly by

    You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: August

    Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?

    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • White Noise

    Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.

    Norman KirkPrime Minister of New Zealand 1972-1974Born: 6 January 1923 - Died: 31 August 1974Of the working-class, by the working-class, for the working-class.Video courtesy of YouTubeThese elements were posted on Bowalley Road on Saturday, 31 August 2024. ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Claims and Counter-Claims.

    Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent  that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand Honours Maori King ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • The Principles of the Treaty

    Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.

    An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • A Big F U to this Right Wing Government

    Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: James Shaw’s legacy keeps paying off

    One of the central planks of the previous Labour-Green government's emissions reduction policy was GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry). This was basically using ETS revenue to pay polluters to clean up production, reducing emissions while protecting jobs. Corporate welfare, but it got the job done, and was often a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Gravity

    Oh twice as much ain't twice as goodAnd can't sustain like one half couldIt's wanting moreThat's gonna send me to my kneesSong: John MayerSome ups and downs from the last week of August ‘24. The good and bad, happy and sad, funny and mad, heroes and cads. The week that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Ditch the climate double speak and get real

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The Government announced changes to the Fast-Track Approvals Bill on Sunday, backing off from the contentious proposal to give ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to August 30

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest science of changing sea temperatures and which emissions policies actually work; on the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • This Govt’s infrastructure strategy depends on capital gains taxes & new road taxes

    Billions of dollars in value uplift was identified around the Transmission Gully project, but that was captured 100% by landowners and not shared to pay for the project. Now National is saying value capture should be used for similar projects. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/ Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 30-August-2024

    Kia ora and welcome to the end of another week. Here’s our regular Friday roundup of things that caught our eye, in the realm of cities and transport. If you enjoy these roundups, feel free to join our growing ranks of supporters by making a recurring donation to keep the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Table Talk: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.

    “That’s the sort of constitutional reform he favours: conceived in secret; revolutionary in intent; implemented incrementally without fanfare; and under no circumstances to be placed before the electorate for democratic ratification.”TO SAY IT WAS RAINING would have understated seriously the meteorological conditions. Simply put, it was pissing down. One of ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Big Norm and Chris Hipkins

    It’s 50 years ago today that “Big Norm” Kirk died of a heart attack in Wellington’s Home of Compassion. Home of Compassion. Although he was Prime Minister for only 623 days, he has an iconic place in New Zealand history, particularly Labour history. When Labour leaders like Jacinda Ardern recite ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35 2024

    Open access notables Arctic glacier snowline altitudes rise 150 m over the last 4 decades, Larocca et al., The Cryosphere: We mapped the snowline (SL) on a subset of 269 land-terminating glaciers above 60° N latitude in the latest available summer, clear-sky Landsat satellite image between 1984 and 2022. The mean SLA was extracted ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

    A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report.  “It will have the mandate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

    New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

    Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

    5 September 2024  The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

    As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

    Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations.   “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • More choice and competition in building products

    A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

    On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

    Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

    The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  “That is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape

    The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government backs women in horticulture

    “The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says.  “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout

    The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003

    Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants.  “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New priorities to protect future of conservation

    Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti

    A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand

    The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Delivering priority connections for the West Coast

    A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington

    A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki

    A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland

    A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland

    A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure

    A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui

    A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...
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  • Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay

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