Tolley upsets Youth Parliamentarian

Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, July 18th, 2019 - 55 comments
Categories: Parliament - Tags:

Youth Parliament is currently sitting.  This is a yearly event where young passionate people selected by individual MPs get the chance to visit Parliament and take part in debates and select committee meetings and get a taste of how the country’s house of representatives operates.  For one particular youth MP the visit was not something she may wish to remember.

From Boris Jancic at the Herald:

A teen was reduced to tears after her speech about a friend’s suicide during a Youth Parliament debate was interrupted by senior National MP Anne Tolley.

Lily Dorrance, 17, was talking about mental health and describing her loss in Parliament’s debating chamber yesterday when Tolley, presiding as chair, rebuked her for reading from notes.

“It was such a sensitive topic and it came from my heart,” Dorrance told the Herald last night. “And she was trying to tell me because I was reading it it wasn’t coming from my heart.

“When she interrupted me it was awful … As soon as I sat down I burst into tears and had to leave … It was just humiliating.”

Here is the video.

And here is video of how she treated a new National MP in the house about the same issue.

Tolley has since apologised.  But dang these are young people way outside their comfort zone.

Parliament can be a bear pit and a festering cess pit of back stabbing and unmet personal ambition.  But it does not have to be this way all of the time.

55 comments on “Tolley upsets Youth Parliamentarian ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Enough is Enough 1
    18 July 2019 at 1:40 pm

    Why is this news?

    Tolley inadvertently upset her and apologised for it.

    • michelle 1.1
      18 July 2019 at 2:07 pm

      stop making excuses for her bad behaviour for a very senior politician this is not acceptable she is not suited to sit in that chair kick her out now

    • Anne 1.2
      18 July 2019 at 3:22 pm

      That is the way it came across to me too EiE.

      Mind you, I think Anne Tolley was being unfair about the fact the young lady was reading her speech. The Parliamentary Debating chamber is daunting enough for new MPs let alone a teenage girl. But I do believe Tolley was just trying to gently explain to the girl what is normal procedure. She would have been far better to have let it pass and I expect she will in future.

      • Dukeofurl 1.2.1
        19 July 2019 at 10:08 am

        Its issometimes allowed for Mps to read from their notes.

        It used to be not allowed but that changed some time back

        Speakers Rulings

        Reading speeches 5 Where possible, members should not read speeches. However, no member, other than the Speaker, may interrupt a member who is speaking to suggest a breach of this convention, and the Speaker may allow speeches to be read in some circumstances. Such circumstances may relate to the technical nature of the material under discussion, or the relative experience of the member concerned.

        https://www.parliament.nz/media/4500/speakers-rulings-2017-final-pdf-version.pdf

        Page 46

        • Muttonbird 1.2.1.1
          19 July 2019 at 10:14 am

          Wow. I guess Tolley doesn't know shit after all.

          This is at odds with VV supporting her as a good speaker.

        • Sacha 1.2.1.2
          19 July 2019 at 10:18 am

          Youth Parliament has different standing orders. Participants were instructed to prepare speeches.

    • mauī 1.3
      18 July 2019 at 9:59 pm

      Watch the first general debate speech, Tolley almost had the Youth Parliament in open revolt laying down her draconian rules.

      • Muttonbird 1.3.1
        18 July 2019 at 11:03 pm

        Sounds like they were all a bit shocked at her behaviour.

        Nice work on trying to encourage the next generation, idiot. That she realised her mistake afterward adds to the fact she had no idea what she was doing.

        Get off the stage, Tolley.

      • Grantoc 1.3.2
        19 July 2019 at 11:04 am

        They're not her rules. They're set by whoever is responsible for arranging youth parliaments. Tolley is not that person.

        • Muttonbird 1.3.2.1
          19 July 2019 at 11:13 am

          And she got it wrong. Admitted as such.

          Tolley misinterpreted the rules and doubled down when challenged. I've seen this on the kids' sport fields. Gung-ho dads making a mistake and threatening the boys who question it.

        • mauī 1.3.2.2
          19 July 2019 at 11:21 am

          Comment 8.1 – They were asked by those organizing youth parliament to have pre-written speeches for reading in Parliament months prior.

    • gsays 1.4
      19 July 2019 at 2:14 pm

      Why is this news?

      Parliament and the National party have enquiries concerning bullying. There is two ticks.

      The deputy speaker was not prepared enough to know the youth were operating under a different set of rules. Another tick.

  2. michelle 2
    18 July 2019 at 1:59 pm

    tolley is nothing but a bully people like her should not be in parliament she is showing she is past it or was she having a man o pause moment, she is just one nasty piece of work and she is abusing her power the old bag i wouldn't let her talk to my daughter like that especially when we look at he subject suicide she should not be there get rid of her

    • New view 2.1
      18 July 2019 at 7:47 pm

      She most likely wouldn’t want to talk to your daughter. The incident was unfortunate but Ill think you’ll find that Ann Tolley was trying to give this young lady a genuine experience of what she might expect while addressing Parliament. We know that wouldn’t suit you Machelle but then you most likely wouldn’t survive there either. No doubt the young lady expected a sympathetic hearing from Tolley but real life’s not like that. We live in a tough ruthless real world not the PC bull shit world that most people experience on social media or addressing their class at school. I think you’ll find that Ann Tolley has done this girl a big favour. She’ll either never do anything like that again or she’ll come back strong and maybe become a politician that really counts. And as for your man o pause comment. What’s that about. Not too many men involved with this one.

      • michelle 2.1.1
        19 July 2019 at 8:20 am

        new view stop talking a load of bullshit this is our future generation and we should be empowering them and giving them the confidence they need to succeed but instead we have old bags like her in parliament abusing her power she looked like she was having a minties moment picking on a young girl basically. Dont talk to me about toughness people like me were born tough but i wasn't brought up to treat people like that we have to be tough to put up with shit that comes out of people like you who talk a load of kaka and to put up with all the racist bullshit in our own country.

        • New view 2.1.1.1
          19 July 2019 at 9:39 am

          You are sounding like the old bag to me Michelle. Big tough words but no backbone. Anne Tolley new she had been a bit tough considering the subject matter and apologised, but the idea of that forum is to teach the politicians of the future what they will be dealing with. You are not going to sell a subject like that by reading from notes. The young lady won’t make that mistake again. She had something important to say but it’s how you say it. You seem to have a giant chip on your shoulder. I can’t remember race being part of the conversation.

          • michelle 2.1.1.1.1
            19 July 2019 at 11:31 am

            you sound like a national politician or one of their bum boys

            • Muttonbird 2.1.1.1.1.1
              19 July 2019 at 11:35 am

              I always laugh at usernames like 'New view'.

              Invariably they are not new, but old and tired.

            • New view 2.1.1.1.1.2
              19 July 2019 at 1:35 pm

              Not all National politicians are male Michelle. You seem to have a problem with males, hence the male o pause comment in your previous comment. You’re entitled to your opinion but when you disagree with someone it doesn’t take long for the nasty remarks to surface. I’m not a politician but am male. I have a wife and two kids and have a couple of grandchildren so am not a bum boy as you put it. Take the chip off your shoulder and enjoy life a bit.

              • michelle …
                19 July 2019 at 1:46 pm

                new view you are a bit patronising i don't mind being called an old bag but I am the same age as judeath and tolley but thanks to my good Maori genes i don't have as many wrinkles as them and i have been brought up to share and be kind to people especially visitors. I like many of our Maori people are on a crusade for change we have had enough and i have just started to speak out and i can talk about life experiences you would not be able to relate to.

          • mauī 2.1.1.1.2
            19 July 2019 at 11:35 am

            Now you mention it… the speaker could barely pronounce Maori student names either. Strange from someone apparently representing the east coast. Either she just doesn't care, is still living in the 1950s or it was another powerplay.

  3. veutoviper 3
    18 July 2019 at 2:20 pm

    mickeysavage

    I don't know whether you are aware but there has been some discussion on this over on Open Mike today at 6. Having had some involvement in a couple of Youth Parliaments in the past, I have commented there at quite some length, but the comments here so far are such that I am not inclined to comment further.

    [Being a pedant, however, – the Youth Parliament is not currently sitting as per your first sentence. It finished yesterday.]

    • mickysavage 3.1
      18 July 2019 at 4:00 pm

      Thanks VV I just had a read. I think your points are well made. Tolley could be accused of being very clumsy and insensitive I guess but it is still a bad look.

      I am pleased that they decided to declare a climate emergency. Young people get it.

      • McFlock 3.1.1
        18 July 2019 at 6:28 pm

        Yeah it's all a bit of an overreaction. She was a bit clumsy and patronising at a really inopportune time, but I'm not sure it deserves much in the way of attention.

        But then maybe that's just a perception of everything looking much less stupid these days due to the twitterer in chief. Broke my "fuck this is awful" filter.

  4. Chris T 4
    18 July 2019 at 2:29 pm

    If that is all it takes to get a teenager crying these days (and Tolley apologised for some reason), NZ is turning slightly fragile.

    • I feel love 4.1
      18 July 2019 at 3:26 pm

      "it's PC gone mad!!!" – Christ, some people do go a bit soft over suicide don't they? So only "slightly fragile" as opposed to "full frontal hard core mad max battletruck fragile"?

      I understand what @veuto is saying but I also think this teen could have been cut a bit of slack, it really does show Tolley as an insensitive and put of touch bully with a severe lack of empathy, but hey, right wingers and parliamentarians seem to get off on that.

      • Muttonbird 4.1.1
        18 July 2019 at 4:01 pm

        Yep, they all need to toughen up!

        A bit of bullying never hurt anyone.

        I didn't get where I am today without a bit of bullying!

        Bad-jelly the Witch will get them to stop sobbing over suicide, yes she will.

        They've just got to get over it…

        Honestly, what was the malignant Tolley thinking when she cut down the young lady who was delivering a personally painful speech about mental health.

        Was she even listening at all?

    • michelle 4.2
      18 July 2019 at 3:47 pm

      and so she should Chris she was nasty and did you see the way she spoke to the young women telling her to sit down like a dog she wouldn't get away with this talking to adults like this or maybe she does and that is why she continues to be a c…t

      • Chris T 4.2.1
        18 July 2019 at 4:03 pm

        She would do it to an adult.

        Speakers do it all the time.

        • Muttonbird 4.2.1.1
          18 July 2019 at 4:10 pm

          Tolley shouldn't be allowed near children.

        • mauī 4.2.1.2
          18 July 2019 at 4:15 pm

          Yep, looks like she does do it all the time. Silenced one young woman in Speech 1 and two more in Speech 8. And this is just one mornings work…. how odious.

          • Chris T 4.2.1.2.1
            18 July 2019 at 4:45 pm

            Mallard does it all the time

            It is the speakers job

            • Rapunzel 4.2.1.2.1.1
              18 July 2019 at 5:21 pm

              To Parliamentarians maybe but a young person in a "trial" situation talking about suicide I for one have no doubt that Mallard would have listened by using judgement as to whether it was quite the right time to push on about "rules". Tolley as the Opposition does now, and when they were last in govt, they like to appear to "hear" but they are not listening.

            • michelle 4.2.1.2.1.2
              19 July 2019 at 8:23 am

              does mallard do it to the youth that are there to talk about suicide

            • Sacha 4.2.1.2.1.3
              19 July 2019 at 8:32 am

              The Speaker's job is to apply the (correct) Standing Orders. No surprise that Tolley's reach exceeded her grasp yet again.

    • Cinny 4.3
      18 July 2019 at 6:25 pm

      The young girls friend committed suicide, our youth suicide rates are among the highest in the developed world.

      Geez chris, have a heart ffs. If we started listening to our teens instead of telling them what to do or accusing them of being 'sensitive' because one of their friends killed themselves, maybe it would lower our suicide rate.

    • Gabby 4.4
      19 July 2019 at 6:16 pm

      They're not all big n tough like your mum christy.

  5. Ken 5
    18 July 2019 at 3:42 pm

    Evil nasty woman.

  6. Morrissey 6
    18 July 2019 at 3:46 pm

    Horrible.

  7. marty mars 7
    18 July 2019 at 4:09 pm

    Yuck. While she was talking about the most awful subject too. Way to go trolly you disgrace – interrupting that young woman like a first class prickess. So embarrassed this happened but shows why our suicide rates are high – ears are painted on.

    • Muttonbird 7.1
      18 July 2019 at 4:11 pm

      Yup, I doubt she was listening. Probably felt that doing youth parliament was beneath her.

  8. Robert Guyton 8
    18 July 2019 at 7:24 pm

    I feel the anguish of the young would-be politicians, but felt Tolley's actions were appropriate. It was entertaining to hear the points of order made to challenge the Speaker and I enjoyed her responses and her tolerance for the situation. It would have been a tough one for any Speaker to handle; after all, those young people had voluntarily entered the Pit of Despair and will benefit greatly from not being soft-soaped, in my opinion.
    That said, I didn’t listen right through to the point being criticised but the general tenor was, I felt, reflective of life in the House.

  9. peterlepaysan 9
    19 July 2019 at 12:46 am

    Anne Tolley is a caring sensitive person immersed in the

    National party?

    I feel the need for a certain brand of beer coming on.

  10. tc 10
    19 July 2019 at 6:44 am

    Where’s private citizen Wayne on this classic display of national party arrogance and ineptitude ?

    She’s still waiting for the chancellor to come along in his helicopter.

  11. Jimmy 11
    19 July 2019 at 12:12 pm

    People always say Judith Collins is a tough 'hard as nails' woman.

    Personally, I have always been of the opinion, that Anne Tolley makes her seem like a pussycat.

  12. JustMe 12
    21 July 2019 at 11:01 am

    Isn't it rather ironic that National so depend on the written and readable word to get their opinions across to the general public and yet one of their very own MPs i.e one Anne Tolley chastises a young woman for reading from notes????!!!! Rather odd all that i.e National bullying a young woman for reading from notes but not a voice from them when it comes to the written word in say the NZ Herald which many of us know is the Mouthpiece of the NZ National Party???!!!!!!!1 It certainly comes across to me that the NZ National Party MPs are incapable of reading from the written notes when it suits them.
    I can only assume Anne Tolley cannot read properly and therefore she is taking out such a hindrance upon another i.e the 17 year old.
    This ‘holier than thou’ attitude by Tolley is complete indication that National do not merit being voted for at the upcoming general election.

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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

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

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

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

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

  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshit
    Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48 2023
    Open access notables From this week's government/NGO section, longitudinal data is gold and Leisorowitz, Maibachi et al. continue to mine ore from the US public with Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Fall 2023: Drawing on a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, the authors describe how registered ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • ELE LUDEMANN: It wasn’t just $55 million
    Ele Ludemann writes –  Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 1-December-2023
    Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago

  • Shane MacGowan Is Gone.
    Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 1
    Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

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

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Finally
    Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...
    Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
    David Farrar writes  –  1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
    There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • We need to talk about Tory.
    The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    7 days ago

  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    1 week ago

  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago

  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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