Two-term panic gripping the rightwing punditry

Written By: - Date published: 10:52 am, October 26th, 2013 - 102 comments
Categories: election 2014, Media - Tags:

John Armstrong, Tracy Watkins, and Fran O’Sullivan all write today about National’s plunging polls and the growing likelihood that this will be the first two-term National government. They take different approaches – Armstrong: there’s nothing for Key to worry about, Watkins: there was a problem but the tide’s turning back, O’Sullivan: yeah, Key’s fucked.

The fact that they’re all talking about it gives the game away. As the polls continue to show a Labour-Greens win, and more of the Nats’ deadwood is retired in preparation for a reduction in their number of MPs, expect more such punditry.

102 comments on “Two-term panic gripping the rightwing punditry ”

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  1. Tat Loo 1
    26 October 2013 at 11:12 am

    Labour/Greens: this is the time to get sharper and play harder. The polling proof is here: the electorate likes real alternatives, delivered confidently and authoritatively. I mean, really likes.

    The goal now is not simply to knock National out, it is for LAB/GR to hold such a solid majority in Parliament that entering into formal coalition with any other parties (although potentially desirable) is not strictly necessary.

    52% Labour/Greens party vote, please, with Mana-Maori on confidence and supply.

    • Chooky 1.1
      26 October 2013 at 11:23 am

      +1….Winnie can be an optional extra in the new Lab/Green Govt ..( only as long as he behaves himself and is nice to the Greens)

      PS Lprent …I want fangs and a scowl…( like philip ure)….I dont want to look like a shocked pink cookie…make me slime Green with teeth…like a taniwha please

      • Tat Loo 1.1.1
        26 October 2013 at 11:50 am

        lol unf I don’t think lprent can choose the little icon things

        But go to https://en.gravatar.com/ and you can upload your own favourite image and associate it with your Standard email address 🙂

        • marty mars 1.1.1.1
          26 October 2013 at 12:06 pm

          I can live with mine but I wish it was the one millsy got

          meanwhile it is great to see the fear being displayed by the right – light is glimpsed at the end of a dark dark tunnel.

        • Chooky 1.1.1.2
          26 October 2013 at 12:31 pm

          Tat Loo (CV)…I think Iprent has just given us temporary ones ( thanx for icon link ..will think about it when i have time)

      • Lanthanide 1.1.2
        26 October 2013 at 1:21 pm

        Chooky, the avatars are generated randomly based on your email address.

        It seems Lynn’s changed to using the little faces rather than the geometric patterns. Funnily enough, that plugin was written by Shamus Young, author of a gaming/programming/random stuff blog I’ve been going to for years and years: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/

        • Chooky 1.1.2.1
          26 October 2013 at 3:21 pm

          …thanx Lanthanide …my gamer son would be interested in that site because he would like to make games ( me I am just a non- gaming Chooky who would like to be a winged serpent)

          I think I prefer my geometric pattern symbol/motif to the pink cookie ( which does something to me…i think it must be laced with something)

      • Chooky 1.1.3
        26 October 2013 at 1:55 pm

        …my persona is nice Chooky on the perch ….but sometimes I want to be a vicious shadow snake and give a nasty bite….never a pink cookie!

        • Chooky 1.1.3.1
          26 October 2013 at 2:29 pm

          …I want to be vicious sea snake…what about a feathered shape shifter with golden eyes?

        • greywarbler 1.1.3.2
          26 October 2013 at 3:47 pm

          Chooky
          I want to be a meercat – cute but also on the lookout – not easy to put one over. Or remembering that youtube of prairie dog fighting snake, hilarious and admirably brave. So think that might be my choice for avatar.

          As for hens – they can peck – ouch, and they are connected with some of the most existential questions we can ask – Why did the chicken cross the road? And Which came first the chicken or the egg? They go alongside – What is the meaning of life? So you’re a heavy hitter chooky. And people like chickens all round the world. And in car chases they love to direct the cars at peaceful village scenes and while they run into fruit carts, the hens rush off squawking. So all-purpose really, essential in many situations.

          Sorry I don’t know what this has to do with Two-term panic and the right wing. Just team building stuff really. We chooks and bush birds have to keep off our perches and do our bit.

          • Chooky 1.1.3.2.1
            26 October 2013 at 4:23 pm

            greywarbler ….Re identity crisis

            …I can see you as a Meercat!..a very nice Meercat too….very wise and on the lookout…If you ever get sick of greywarbler then i think you should become Meercat!

            Thanks for your nice kind words about chookys……I am ok about Chooky….(but not being a silly flighty ‘Nat Chooky’ with a pink biscuit …..and with a confortable perch and pearls and a twinset cardigan…as shown at the beginning of this post )….I am a wild Chook! …..

            (Sometimes people make nasty jokes about chooks eg “silly old Chook” or “running around like a chook with its head cut off!” or Tegels chicken ….then I want shapeshift into a little green snake with a nasty bite …and bite ’em)

            • greywarbler 1.1.3.2.1.1
              27 October 2013 at 11:26 am

              Chooky
              I think you make an excellent choice in that name. Being underestimated can be useful in that you can get right to the action, undetected, and then expose the foolish ones with all the crumbs of information you have pecked. And as I said before everyone talks about chicken, every taste is compared to chicken, a lot of sayings revolve around chicken ‘All your chickens will come home to roost” warnings etc.

              And chooks can fly. Wild chooks can lay their eggs in the most suitable nests, they can perch in trees and watch for any dangers.
              They are not bound by backyard wires and fences.

    • Brett Dale 1.2
      26 October 2013 at 1:16 pm

      Tat Loo:

      What people want and what people get is entirely different.

    • Rhinocrates 1.3
      26 October 2013 at 1:26 pm

      Indeed – a real alternative. It makes Mumblefuck’s bullshit about how Labour needs to move to the “centre” and National votes being worth “twice as much” as votes from the eight hundred thousand who stayed at home look ever more stupid. Someone please take that man away, put him in a nice terracotta pot with good soil next to a mango tree and see to it that he’s watered regularly.

      He should be an old National backbencher waiting to be put out to pasture, along with Gaffe and Thing (and Mallard is simply beneath contempt).

      Here’s hoping for a Labour renewal in 2014 with fresh blood and talent!

      • Chooky 1.3.1
        26 October 2013 at 5:33 pm

        mmmm Rhino….like your icon ! …where did you get it from?

        ….Looks sort of Miro ‘ish’…or traffic light ‘ish’ on a black night after you have been to a party

        • Rhinocrates 1.3.1.1
          26 October 2013 at 9:04 pm

          The icon’s HAL 9000 crossed with Spider Jerusalem (see the comic, Transmetropolitan). The graphic is a bit of crude photoshopping and it’s supposed to indicate that my personality is similar… no I can’t imagine what that would be like either. Cheers.

    • David H 1.4
      27 October 2013 at 10:24 am

      “Labour/Greens: this is the time to get sharper and play harder. ”

      And Please, Please, Please, no more of those horrendous own goals.

      Tho’ I do hope that David Cunliffe would have had a chat to all, about these things.

      • logie97 1.4.1
        27 October 2013 at 11:15 am

        In the last couple of months, we have had announcements of “under-performing” or invisible NAT mps not seeking reelection in 2014. A steady removal of dead wood. Probably had the hard word put on them by their leader. The Labour Party could/should have been doing this on a regular basis as well. (Despite their undisputed hard work and sound arguments and loyalty to the Greens, it is noticeable that the absence of Sue Bradford, Nandor Tanczos and Keith Locke from parliament has appeared to make the Greens more electable.)

        • Tat Loo (CV) 1.4.1.1
          27 October 2013 at 11:19 am

          +1

          Although as you say let’s not put Bradford, Tanczos and Locke in the same category of “deadwood” like some other MPs.

          • logie97 1.4.1.1.1
            27 October 2013 at 11:31 am

            Of course. I didn’t mean for it to read like that. I should have made a separate comment to make that point. (My apologies Sue, Keith and Nandor)

        • Populuxe1 1.4.1.2
          27 October 2013 at 4:23 pm

          In the case of Bradford, Mana acted like a sacrificial anode, drawing out the unpalatable elements

  2. Sable 2
    26 October 2013 at 11:16 am

    With regards to these rags what can I say:

    “soft, thick and absorbent”

    Well probably not, but still good for the parrot and cats poop tray.

  3. captain hook 3
    26 October 2013 at 11:48 am

    this national government was elected solely on the basis of it being their “TURN”.
    Well they have had their turn and now it is time for them to go.
    and the sooner the better.

  4. QoT 4
    26 October 2013 at 12:41 pm

    Actually written by Armstrong: “The message from Key this week is crystal clear – any changes in the landscape are going to be at his behest, not that of others.”

    Translated: “The message Key’s office sent to me this week is crystal clear – play up the idea that he’s in charge and the Greens are extremists but Colin Craig is a palatable voice of reason.”

    Watkins says “National insiders” are “talking up” Colin Craig for an Auckland seat- he’s “believed good for at least 3 per cent on election night” and O’Sullivan basically says National is looking at gifting Craig a North Shore seat – as does Audrey Young.

    Either National are trying to scare Peters back into line or they’re seriously going with a strategy of moderating the Conservatives’ reputation for them. Which raises an important question:

    Do the National voters of North Shore want to become laughingstocks like their Epsom compatriots?

    • Chooky 4.1
      26 October 2013 at 1:09 pm

      QoT …good points

      I also think the Nats will be working out how to play the Winnie NZF vote…( clever tricks and devious plans….spinning like a mad dog with rabies…. because he is their only hope!)

      eg. Nats will be planning to push candidates standing for NZF who are really dyed in the wool Nats…..but who overtly stand on single issues which are popular with the Left of Centre ….and hence hope to plunder the Left of Centre vote…(.covertly however they will be pushing the right anti Green anti socialist agenda)

      Ultimately it will be up to Winnie which way he goes …because quite frankly there is no NZF without Winnie …..but he will destroy his personal credibility and integrity if he goes with National…that is why I think he is for the Labour/Green coalition’s taking if they dont alienate him

      …That all said I would NOT vote for him this time around if one wants to be sure of a Labour/Green victory outright

      the best place for Winnie is as an optional extra

    • Tim 4.2
      26 October 2013 at 5:40 pm

      Armstrong’s been listening to a guy across the ditch called Tarn Yabbit – everything’s just “crystal clear” to him.
      Christ! why do we even bother listening to these hacks!

    • ak 4.3
      26 October 2013 at 11:36 pm

      Spot on, your majesty. Note also Armstrong’s stress on “just one” poll – the self-fulfilling prophesy of repeated reporting of favorable polls long ago identified by the Natsies as a winning ploy.

      And rarely will you ever see something so base and crude as the employment of a random comment from a nine-year-old for propaganda purposes: “It’s cool on the benefit” plastered prominently on Stuff and many of its lesser organs all day.

      Desperate cretins evacuating themselves with the very same shallow, venal animalism that they inflict such misery on the weak.

      Untidy, unfortunate even; but just a natural excremental by-product of Progression and justice of a most sweet poetic kind.

  5. aerobubble 5
    26 October 2013 at 12:46 pm

    English come up with the reason why CGT was useless, its a tell on how far intelligent people fall I suppose. That because housing was so costly in UK, OZ, and they have a CGT it would be useless here. So let’s pick this to bits, if a CGT irrelevant to housing prices then why bring it up, but worse, what if the analysis is wrong, that our lack of a CGT causes our housing prices to be much higher.
    Oh, wait, I’ve heard something like that before, Garth was on about it, Labour has been, the Greens have, they all say that the CGT increases house prices. So evidence is clear, English is the biggest idiot to be claiming very large highly mature markets like Sydney and London, that rely on a broad deep economy should mean Auckland prices which are backed mostly by a primary exporting country are comparable. But worse, our affordability is up near the top, people just can’t get into ownership.

    But wait, its worse. Turns out that Greenpeace essential did do a far analysis of oil spillage, that their analysis of 10,000 barrels of lmedium crude is realistic, that a Mexico Gulf spill that cannot be easily capped in 14 days is a real scenario. Where ‘The Nation’ did not ask the obvious question of the expert, that she had done her own analysis of medium crude, of the rate of barrels she thinks is likely in a exploration well like the one in the Mexico Gulf. But hey its not like ‘The Nation’ doesn’t look bad when Greenpeace send over someone basically say the oil lobbby is lying.

    Because that’s what English is doing, that’s what the oil industry is doing, when they lie and then call the ordinary questions about risk that arise as being nothing more that scaremongering.

    But then to cap it off, to have Dunne of all people sound off that calling people scaremongers wasn’t a good look. Geez, anyone can tell attacking the messager is pretty much indicative of a failure to address the message because they likely can’t.

    But it gets worse!!!

    Joyce claims victory, he sold them, for less, but he sold them. And the icing! Labour are proven evil scaremongers, as investors implicitly believe Labour will win the next election. Joyce essentially is claiming he thinks Labour will win the next election.

    Surely anyone who watches National can see they have lost their way, desperately blaming the opposition for running the country poorly, having been so strong in government they left it for National to fail to address any of the problems NZ has.

    Oh, what a National farce.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      26 October 2013 at 3:06 pm

      English come up with the reason why CGT was useless, its a tell on how far intelligent people fall I suppose. That because housing was so costly in UK, OZ, and they have a CGT it would be useless here.

      Why are house prices so high?
      Because the private banks create unlimited amounts of money and there’s no way for a CGT to correct for that.

      • aerobubble 5.1.1
        31 October 2013 at 11:20 am

        Yes, and guess what, Auckland house prices are supposed to be up there with Sydney and London. WTF. Where’s the value, has Auckland got a regional sharemarket, a finance industry, a backyard of desert mines, no. Its the bald face lie implicit in the housing debate that Auckland housing is somehow so supreme that it can match it with world cities. Its the biggest rigged market in any western democracy. The houses leak, the building materials are overpriced, the builders are underskilled (or gone to OZ), the insurance is naff, a saver for a home doesn’t even have a saving guarantee!!!

  6. Adrian 6
    26 October 2013 at 1:29 pm

    On avatar envy, to quote ” Everybody wants to be Mr Black “.

  7. Rhinocrates 7
    26 October 2013 at 1:41 pm

    Here’s a joke that Russians used to – and probably still tell – about the official media. Pravda, means “Truth” and Isvestia means “News”, so they say: There is no truth in The News and no news in the Truth.

    It’s a pity that we can’t make similar puns about T’ Herald and NBR.

    I’m also reminded of another line – “Never believe anything until it’s been officially denied.” I suppose now it’s a case of “If they’re shaking their pom poms more vigorously, then you know they need to change their underpants.”

    Armstrong is his usual sycophantic self (you know it’s going to take several hours of delicate surgery to remove his tongue from Key’s arse) and Watkins is as dull as ever, but O’Sillyvan does actually have a brain and sometimes it even works when she forgets to deprive it of oxygen, but look at this: “at times absurd accommodations with rump parties”

    Woo! Smell the condescending sense of entitlement there!

    Akshully, I’m kinda missing Hoots – I wish that that monkey would come back and caper for us so that we could have a laugh, as long as he doesn’t get sexist and racist.

  8. JonL 8
    26 October 2013 at 2:42 pm

    Whilst I’d like to believe it possible, there’s still a while to go before any elections. I just hope Labour don’t just say ” Well. looks like we’ll win now” and sit on their arses for the interim! The right have yet to roll out the full force of their dirty tricks brigade, and the bulk of the population are still highly susceptible to flip flopping, without anything firm and positive from “the left”

  9. bad12 9
    26 October 2013 at 3:29 pm

    Is Fran from the National Party NZ Herald on the turps or something, perhaps in Her dotage She just likes to make mischief,

    This in ”s as if a direct quote from Slippery the Prime Minister would be enough to get the likes of the ‘Hairdo’ spitting at the slight against His ego,

    ”I’ve still got options even if i currently have to rely on a few cot cases to the left and right of me to get my team over the line in Parliament”,

    Of course the flecks of spittle may fly from the ‘Hairdo’ after His reading of such ungracious remarks attributed it would seem by Fran O’Sullivan to the PM, on the other hand tho we could probably expect Banks upon having the comment read to Him to simply genuflect, bow deeply, and intone ”yes master” a number of times,

    While Fran is dabbling in the art of mischief making in today’s version of the National Party news that doddering old man Armstrong is positively diving head first into the pool of the absurd, i have a suspicion that He hasn’t been long ago put out to pasture coz he holds shares in the company that prints His appalling rubbish,

    ‘The Prime Minister came out all guns blazing over sky city’, Lolz with the patently false claim that Labour have been making deals with Sky-city and looking every bit the compulsive liar as He produced not a shred of proof, not a name, date, nor place,

    There are not that many people left in this country that would buy a used power station off of the Slippery little Shyster, there’s one hell of a lot less that now believe any of the sniveling trail of lies that regularly leave that ones mouth, bring on November 2014, that’s what i say…

  10. The Pink Postman 10
    26 October 2013 at 3:46 pm

    Good to see David Cunliffe visiting the unemployed this week. At last we have a leader who is in touch with working people .Now that he has started to visit the unemployed I’m hoping he will make it a regular thing to visit the unemployed ,the beneficiaries , and the under paid working poor .These are the people that should and will vote Labour we approach them with good Socialist , and Social Democratic policies. Well done David please carry on with these visits ,that’s where the votes are .They are the ones who did not vote last time .If we get those people out to vote look out ,then good bye you slimy Tories,

    • Tat Loo (CV) 10.1
      26 October 2013 at 4:00 pm

      Where did he visit TPP?

    • Timothy Holmes 10.2
      27 October 2013 at 4:55 am

      To be fair, “the unemployed” are not “working people”. And as I’m unemployed and in Australia, without any benefits, I think I can make that distinction

      • QoT 10.2.1
        27 October 2013 at 6:43 pm

        I don’t think that kind of semantic division is helpful, especially in a time of high unemployment. It buys into the right’s idea that everyone in work is a Deserving Person and everyone who’s out of work is a Lazy Bludger – when the difference between working and being unemployed is a very, very fine one for many working-class NZers.

        • Macro 10.2.1.1
          27 October 2013 at 7:46 pm

          True… I know of one young person who works very, very, hard – every day, every day of the year and is unemployed by the traditional definition. She has not slacked once – I know – because when she is not in Auckland rehearsing or performing or volunteering her time for causes for social change, she lives with me. She has achieved much and demands little, were it not for the fact that she has a support base, her productive capacity would be much reduced. I know of a number of young people like her, existing on non-jobs, in order to work in the area they find the most creative and challenging. A universal income would greatly assist and remove this stigma of “Bludger”

          • Chooky 10.2.1.1.1
            27 October 2013 at 8:06 pm

            +100,000% Macro……it is a crime what this government is doing to some young people!!!…..

            …and then you see the shenanigans of Auckalnd

  11. Anne 11
    26 October 2013 at 3:50 pm

    Just wanna see what my gravatar looks like.

  12. finbar 12
    26 October 2013 at 5:32 pm

    The Nats are heading for a kicking,and they know it.They cry the market is in their favour, as they cover the dismal failure of selling our assets to a investor greed, that finds favour elsewhere for the Kiwi investor.They are against the wall and may it continue.

  13. Tracey 13
    26 October 2013 at 5:35 pm

    If fran says hes fucked he might just be.

  14. North 14
    26 October 2013 at 9:02 pm

    ….guess I gotta be happy with an amalgam of a sheriff’s badge and a medieval torture implement.

  15. Bill 15
    26 October 2013 at 11:02 pm

    So that graphic – the bird’s got a head. Why does the bird have a head?

    • lprent 15.1
      26 October 2013 at 11:17 pm

      Ah yes – you are anticipating. This is the panic just before it lost the head, rather than the reflexive neurological activity performed by rote afterwards. In other words for the bird to feel panic, it must still have a head.

      After the beheading, we’d subsequently expect the ritual disembowelment as a faction grabs the National party and hollows out a place to get stuffed.

      • Bill 15.1.1
        27 October 2013 at 2:34 pm

        “In other words for the bird to feel panic, it must still have a head.”

        That would be assuming that the creature referred to via the image, does indeed have its brains in its head and not somewhere else… like up its arse for example.

      • Chooky 15.1.2
        27 October 2013 at 7:17 pm

        Lprent ..I dont think you should be doing this to chooks!…..who runs Nact?…not girl chookies or birds ……but boy rats and ferrets and stoats and weasels!

        ….sexism?

      • Chooky 15.1.3
        28 October 2013 at 8:27 am

        @ Lprent ..re chooky bird losing its head , panicking, ritual disembowelment and then getting stuffed ..

        Vegans and vegetarians would not like this sort of talk.

        ….and nor do feminists!

        …especailly when that feminist is me and my motif is a Chooky.!….and I have never voted National in my life and nor do i think women run the National Party….

        • lprent 15.1.3.1
          28 October 2013 at 9:04 am

          Yeah, but I spent a lot of time on farms in my youth and never really got into the sensitivity thing when it came to animals (including small children and most adults). I just describe things as I see them.

          In the case of all animals (including humans) I also accurately describe their behaviour as I see it. This sense of accurate reality prevents me from getting too judgemental. So when other people talk about a person’s peaceful death, as an ex-medic I’m all too aware of the nappy required for the release of sphincters on death. And chickens do what chickens do… So do political parties. Accuracy is a continual defence against delusion…

          For instance in the case of children, I usually rename them as “Horrible X” where X is the number at which their proud parents presented them to me for my inspection through the generations. That is why horrible 2a (who I was around with yesterday) is a lovely animal who may eventually be interesting to irritate.

    • Olwyn 15.2
      27 October 2013 at 12:01 am

      You have to win the prize for the coolest little icon Bill- sagely smiling, rolling its eyes with an eyebrow raised. And a nice colour too. 🙂

      • Bill 15.2.1
        27 October 2013 at 2:37 pm

        heh. And there was me reckoning it was a particularly washed out shade of green. And wearing upside down glasses to boot. But I can go with ‘sage’ 😉

  16. ScottGN 16
    27 October 2013 at 8:23 am

    Interesting that the Herald online is still showing zero comments in response to Armstrong’s column. He usually gets quite a few.

  17. cathy 17
    27 October 2013 at 8:45 am

    I am a green ,but have say i think it was the labour leadership election that has turned the tide i agree it time to up the preassure. if labour/greens can just get a few of those 800 thousand to vote then the nail will really be hit home .haft a percent the quater here there goners, next election i want help door knocking in south auckland and team up with some labour activists

  18. Craig 18
    27 October 2013 at 11:42 am

    I see the Conservative Party is currently being talked up as National’s little helper. Oh really? Some questions come to mind about this marriage of Con-venience…

    1. Colin Craig has never held public office

    2. The Cons oppose asset sales, the core of National’s fiscal policy

    3. Where is all the money for this endless plethora of binding referenda going to come from?

    4. Remember 1996? What if the Cons scare social liberal voters away from the Nats?

    5. Given the Cons’ ludicrous anti-Treaty stance, could they work with the Maori Party?

    6. Are NZF and the Cons actually after the same voter share? Might they cancel each other out?

    7. Shouldn’t someone do a thorough background check of Con candidate backgrounds?

    8. Can Colin Craig actually win a constituency?

    • Rhinocrates 18.1
      27 October 2013 at 4:49 pm

      A few observations…

      1. When has that stopped anyone from thinking that they’re entitled to the heated rear seat of a BMW or idiots from voting for them? See the whole Maori Party for evidence. Every one of them is totally inadequate and yet they got votes and nice warm seats for their flabby arses.

      2. They’ll oppose it right up until the moment that they’re paid not to. They’ll say that there are “special circumstances” or “Once all the facts are in…”

      3. Talk about binding referenda is free.

      4. 1996? A goldfish can’t even remember the last ten seconds.

      5. See 2.

      6. Apparently. With good luck, they’ll drag each other below the 5% threshold.

      7. Yes, but that would involve work.

      8. Probably not, but maybe. The worthy burghers of Epsom are now people everyone points at and giggles about, but maybe Craig’s locals are also inbred enough to be playing banjoes…

      • KJT 18.1.1
        29 October 2013 at 8:03 am

        Well. They are right about binding referenda.

        Why should 120 people in Parliament be able to dictate to the rest of us.

        It is no accident that Switzerland is one of the most stable and prosperous societies on earth, despite being home to a least 4 distinct ethnic groups, and despite being in the centre of, historically, constantly warring neighbours.

        Don’t like the rest of their policies however.

        And shame that National has kept the threshold that allows an electorate seat to drag in a non-proportional number of MP’s in tail.

        • Craig Y 18.1.1.1
          29 October 2013 at 4:07 pm

          Ah- that would be the Switzerland in which Zurich provides state-managed heroin to licensed addicts, allows assisted suicide in the Dignitas facility, bans mosques because of skyline “visual infringement”, etc…all because of binding referenda! One wonders what social conservatives would say if they came across all that fine print?

          • McFlock 18.1.1.1.1
            29 October 2013 at 5:16 pm

            And the fact that “banning mosques:Visual infringement” is a bit of a “chicken:egg” situation is exactly why I’m a bit wary of binding referenda, with the Californian experience as a sweetener.

            • KJT 18.1.1.1.1.1
              29 October 2013 at 5:43 pm

              They don’t actually. They banned minarets and muezzins.

              Same as we ban church steeples which don’t fit within planning rules and church bells at 6 am.

              I don’t think most New Zealanders would be happy with amplified prayers you can hear over the whole province at 6am either.

              That you, personally, don’t agree with some democratic decisions is not an argument against democracy.

              The fact is our representative democracy (an oxymoron) makes stupid ill thought out, or entirely self serving and antisocial decisions, constantly.

              Why allow voting at all. You can just be our, hopefully, benevolent dictator.

  19. Craig 19
    29 October 2013 at 8:58 am

    1. Yes, but Colin Craig has never held public office and has lost twice beforehand, once as Auckland Mayoral candidate, and then again as Rodney electoral candidate.

    2. What I’m trying to say is that the Cons oppose *both* asset sales *and* the Labour/Green capital gains tax. What * is * their fiscal management policy, exactly?

    3. Yep, but referenda themselves aren’t. They cost about $9m a pop.

    4. In 1996, what happened was that the Christian Coalition were exposed as a pack of weirdo wingnuts and dragged National and ACT down with them. Incentive to do some digging in order that history repeats itself, je pense.

    5. See 2. And if they’re after Winston’s older voters, they oppose asset sales.

    6. Yes, I hope so too. I’d like to see it happen so that Labour and the Greens can have a coalition and National is left with no-one on the centre-right to cuddle up to.

    7. Yes, and I intend to do it.

    8. Don’t forget, at least Epsom had the good taste to slash Banks’ majority down to two thousand. One wonders how we can insure that the new constituency is not on the North Shore.

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  • 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
    1 hour 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 hours 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 ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    6 hours 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 ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    6 hours 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 ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    7 hours 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, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    7 hours 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 ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    7 hours 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 ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    7 hours ago

  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
    Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    7 hours ago

  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
    The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    7 hours 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 ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    7 hours 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
    13 hours 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. ...
    Skeptical Science
    15 hours 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
    16 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    17 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    23 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five 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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    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’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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