Wailing and Nashing of teeth

Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, March 16th, 2023 - 66 comments
Categories: boycott, chris hipkins, david seymour, politicans, stuart nash - Tags:

It is pretty clear to me that leaders acting tough and beating up on members of their team leads to political advantage.

I realised this back in 2010 when my mate Chris Carter succumbed to intense personal pressure and did a couple of silly things.

Then leader Phil Goff went to town on Carter who was quickly expelled from Caucus and then from the Party.  Thankfully more recently saner heads have prevailed and Chris is again a productive member of the party.

Immediately after Carter’s expulsion from caucus Goff’s and Labour’s polling support improved.  Beating up on your fellow politicians never seems to hurt.

Yesterday Chris Hipkins moved quickly to strip Stuart Nash of the Police portfolio.  It was frankly a spectacular own goal.  Nash mentioned on Newstalk ZB how he had rang his mate the Police Commissioner to ask if the police were going to appeal a decision but then it quickly became apparent that he should not have.

The case in point was pretty grim.  From Stuff:

In the June 2021 decision, a Southland man was sentenced to four months’ community detention after he was found with an AR-15, a 12 gauge shotgun, two AR-15 magazines, two Ruger magazines and thousands of rounds of ammunition at his house.

Police’s gun seizure and criminalisation of the man came after the Government banned military style, semi-automatic guns, assault rifles and high-capacity magazines following the Christchurch Terror Attack on March 15, 2019.

A buyback scheme was launched in the wake of the attack and ran until December that year, but the man hid the AR-15 under his mattress until it was found in March 2021.

It’s understood Nash called Coster about a week after the sentencing and expressed his concern about the sentence.

Nash was a government minister when the phone call was made, but he was not Minister of Police at that time.

His call appears to have had no effect.  Again from Stuff:

On Wednesday afternoon, Coster said in a statement: “I regarded the phone call as a venting of that frustration, and nothing more. I felt this was a rhetorical question, not a request, and I did not take any action following the phone call.”

Having said all of this the sentence was well within the Judge’s discretion and Ministers should tread very carefully before commenting on cases.

There has been an attempt to rewrite history and claim that what Nash did is worse than what Maurice Williamson did in 2014.  For instance David Seymour has said this:

“Former Minister Maurice Williamson resigned in 2014 for allegedly interfering in a police investigation into businessman Donghua Liu, but Stuart Nash this morning boasted of calling the Police Commissioner to influence prosecution decisions,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Speaking on Newstalk ZB this morning, Police Minister Stuart Nash boasted that he’d called the Police Commissioner about a case where an accused person was found innocent. “I’ve seen a couple of judgements, and actually one I phoned up the Police Commissioner and said surely you’re going to appeal this?”

“The Police Minister of all people should know that police independence is paramount. We do not want to live in a country where politicians get involved in police prosecution decisions. It wouldn’t be the first time if a Minister in this Government distanced themselves from an issue saying ‘of course we have to respect the independence of police operations.’

I thought this was a stretch.  Williamson was fired for contacting a senior police officer about a prosecution involving Donghua Liu, before Mr Liu pleaded guilty to charges of assault with intent.  From Jared Savage at the Herald:

Maurice Williamson has resigned as a Minister.

It follows Herald revelations he contacted a top ranking police officer after a wealthy businessman with close ties to him was arrested on domestic violence charges.

The Prime Minister’s office is understood to have also questioned Mr Williamson over his involvement with Donghua Liu’s criminal case.

In a statement, Prime Minister John Key says he’s accepted Mr Williamson’s resignation.

“I have been made aware that Mr Williamson contacted Police some time ago regarding their investigation of Mr Donghua Liu,” Mr Key said.

“Mr Williamson has assured me that he did not in any way intend to influence the Police investigation.

“However, Mr Williamson’s decision to discuss the investigation with Police was a significant error of judgement.

“The independence of Police investigations is a fundamental part of our country’s legal framework.

Of course this is not the end of the story.  Donghua Liu had been a significant donor to the National Party.  He had been awarded residency status despite official advice not to do so and Maurice Williamson had made representations on his behalf.

And the party went to extraordinary lengths to hide a second donation that Liu made to the party.  The day before Williamson was sacked National should have declared this donation.  That they avoided doing so had a major bearing on the election.  Labour was blasted for receiving donations from Donghua Liu that did not actually happen whereas there was pristine evidence that National had received donations from him and that a senior Minister went into bat with the police for him.  As I said previously New Zealand you were played.

In my view the two cases are not comparable.  Nash has paid a price for his inappropriate comment.  But a question about if an appeal will be lodged is not the same as making representations to the police about an active case involving a party donor.

66 comments on “Wailing and Nashing of teeth ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Gosman 1
    16 March 2023 at 1:02 pm

    The rules do not make distinctions based on the nature of the case that a Minister is discussing with the Police. ANY contact is deemed inappropriate.

    • James Simpson 1.1
      16 March 2023 at 1:47 pm

      Agreed.

      The whataboutism with Williamson doesn't change the fact of what Nash did.

      It is either right or wrong.

      • Anne 1.1.1
        16 March 2023 at 3:19 pm

        Yeah… and black is white and white is black.

      • gsays 1.1.2
        16 March 2023 at 6:07 pm

        Too right James, it seems it's whataboutism when 'they' do it.

        I have been awaiting the spin and hear what defending the indefensible sounds like. Point out a very low bar and intimate it isn't as bad as that.

        Like a lot of these sort of issues, action occurs when we, the hoi polloi, find out about it. I can't help but feel Nash's actions aren't a surprise to the main players.

        Labour, just like National but. …..

    • Patricia Bremner 1.2
      16 March 2023 at 5:22 pm

      Then Gosman, how do you find Judith Collin's interference in the Bain case. Boy oh Boy. Rules get bent out of shape "when it serves."

      Plus your friend who would not accept the court’s ruling regarding her son.
      Both these women are still “serving” Nats.
      They should be discarded ahead of Nash.imo

    • bwaghorn 1.3
      16 March 2023 at 5:59 pm

      Maybe , but usually the sentence is adjusted to reflect how bad the we offending was.

    • adam 1.4
      16 March 2023 at 8:00 pm

      So your saying your house boy got it wrong?

  2. Ad 2
    16 March 2023 at 2:42 pm

    PM Hipkins is racing his ship marginally faster than National by chopping everything above the waterline into his campaign furnace.

    Policy, funding or personnel are being burnt.

    Caucus now realize every one of them are simply flammable risk.

    • tsmithfield 2.1
      16 March 2023 at 2:53 pm

      I don't know if being burnt is the correct analogy. I think it is more of a case of putting all the unpopular stuff into the fridge for later. A point the Nats need to drive home. A vote for Labour means a vote for every hated policy being resurrected after the election.

      • AB 2.1.1
        16 March 2023 at 3:12 pm

        Nah – Hipkins will never do anything that is genuinely and reasonably hated by a lot of people. Things that are necessary and where the hate is manufactured by disinformation, anti-Ardern lunacy, or the ZB/NewsHub/Herald/RW Thinktank nexus, he might just wait a bit until people calm down. What he should absolutely do however, is find things that the majority of people love and National hate, then do as many of them as he can.

      • Robert Guyton 2.1.2
        16 March 2023 at 3:21 pm

        "A point the Nats need to drive home."

        Why?

        • tsmithfield 2.1.2.1
          16 March 2023 at 3:53 pm

          All the stuff he is dumping because he thinks it is unpopular.

          That can be a double edged sword because it suggests he doesn't really believe in anything, and anything is expendable for votes.

          • Robert Guyton 2.1.2.1.1
            16 March 2023 at 4:37 pm

            Your reply doesn't make sense in light of your claim that he's not really dumping anything – just consigning it "into the fridge for later".

            What do you really mean?

    • SPC 2.2
      16 March 2023 at 2:57 pm

      Really … a lot of them are dependent on his strategy working to keep their place in the caucus.

    • Patricia Bremner 2.3
      16 March 2023 at 3:21 pm

      Look at the culprit. The PM had no room to hedge as Nash burnt his credibility publicly.

  3. tsmithfield 3
    16 March 2023 at 4:36 pm

    Nashy could be gone.

    Sounds like it wasn't his first offence. Barry Soper will be talking about it on ZB at 4.45.

    • Robert Guyton 3.1
      16 March 2023 at 4:38 pm

      Well, if Barry's got the scent…Nash'll be fine 🙂

      • tsmithfield 3.1.1
        16 March 2023 at 4:40 pm

        If it is fact it doesn't matter who said it. Apparently the Attorney General had seriously considered prosecuting for a similar thing previously. Anyway, we will find out soon enough I expect.

        If it is true it probably doesn’t put Hipkins in a very good light if he was aware of the previous offence.

        If he sacks Nash completely now, and it turns out he already knew about the first offence, questions will be raised about why he didn’t do the full Monty on the first take.

        • tsmithfield 3.1.1.1
          16 March 2023 at 4:59 pm

          Yep. On the Herald as well now.

          Apparently, the comments were made prior to the trial, and hence could have potentially caused a mistrial.

          From the article:

          Cabinet minister Stuart Nash is set to come under further pressure amind revelations the Solicitor General had considered prosecuting him for contempt over public comments he had made after the arrest of Eli Epiha in the case of the killing of police constable Matthew Hunt.

          “amind” Don’t they run a spell check??

          • SPC 3.1.1.1.1
            16 March 2023 at 10:28 pm

            It's an interesting timeline.

            17 June the Southland farmer gets HomeD.

            19 June a policemen is shot.

            An arrest date .. hard to find.*

            To Nash the point of the arms legislation was to prevent killings.+

            He makes a public comment on ZB radio in 2020*+ after the arrest and via the SG and AG gets a warning. By that time he had already talked by phone to police about the Southland sentence.

            Then in 2022 makes a public comment about that phone call. As Police Minister, asking for trouble …

            Obviously using the ZB platform to reassure the public of his personal concern about (gun) violence and public safety, but doing so in that way when already having been warned … .

            …

            I once peered into a Minister's office one evening, it was awhile ago now (parliament buildings era, couch by desk) and I suspect I saw evidence of the location of one of Matiu Rata's comics – one just hope it was returned without fish 'n' chip stains.

        • Robert Guyton 3.1.1.2
          16 March 2023 at 7:14 pm

          "Apparently the Attorney General had seriously considered prosecuting.."

          And did the Attorney General prosecute..?

        • Incognito 3.1.1.3
          16 March 2023 at 8:29 pm

          … questions will be raised about why he didn’t do the full Monty on the first take.

          Because Hipkins wasn’t PM at the time [June 2020]?

          • tsmithfield 3.1.1.3.1
            16 March 2023 at 10:20 pm

            By first take I was meaning when he stood him down from the Police role the other day. The second take hasn't happened yet…

    • AB 3.2
      16 March 2023 at 5:35 pm

      Nashy saying the sorts of things that one would expect from Mark Mitchell is not a good look. Seems that when Nashy goes on ZB he overdoes the regular bloke keen to take it to the crims persona – and forgets to hedge it all with clear statements about the operational independence of the police and courts. It's understandable on that swamp of knee-jerk, right-wing idiocy – anything less would get lambasted as soft on crime. But when he adopts that persona, he needs to be a whole lot smarter and more cynical about the ZB morons interviewing him, and where their loyalties lie.

      Though I do wonder how National's laura norder base will enjoy seeing their party being all woke and politically correct by going after Nashy – just because he had the guts to tell it like it is? '

      Edit: though it’s entirely possible that after having got Nash sacked, the Nats will turn on a dime and say “Nash was the only one in Labour not soft on crime, and they sacked him.” (Never make the mistake of thinking Nats have principles.)

      • Robert Guyton 3.2.1
        16 March 2023 at 7:16 pm

        "Though I do wonder how National's laura norder base will enjoy seeing their party being all woke and politically correct by going after Nashy – just because he had the guts to tell it like it is? "

        Yes. They will. Get some guts!!!

        • Sanctuary 3.2.1.1
          17 March 2023 at 7:43 am

          I agree – while the MSM/press gallery love this sort of thing – they get to be consulted as savvy "analysts", they get the thrill of getting a scalp, and they flatter their egos by being seen as important. The press gallery culture in particular seems to acclimatise its members to this sort of pack behaviour, and it spreads like an infectious disease through their ranks. it relieves them of the need to think, or of the labours of investigation into real stories.

          what is going to save Nash though is the general public will be broadly supportive of his intentions. As far as a majority of voters are concerned his crime is one of over-enthusiasm in pursuit of getting the crims. That means the opposition can only chase the story so far before falling victim to triangulation. It would be quite different if he were Nahia Mahuta ringing the police commissioner to suggest they not bother appealing the lenient sentence of a gang member. That would be a scandal that would have the Pakeha majority outraged. Such is the structural racism of our land.

          And just BTW – I think Nash is a complete nob.

      • tsmithfield 3.2.2
        16 March 2023 at 10:14 pm

        There is a principle at stake though. As I pointed out below, the easiest way to see how wrong it is is to imagine what it would be like if Nash was calling for protesting teachers to be arrested or given a harsh sentence.

        There is a big problem if politicians start trying to direct police or judiciary against people they don't like. That is why it is such a big issue.

        • Patricia Bremner 3.2.2.1
          17 March 2023 at 11:29 am

          Judith Collins, Barbara Kruriger, both interfered in court decisions. Why are they still there?
          I don’t support what Nash has done, but accountability is not high in the National Party at times.
          Whataboutism I know, but they are still there!!

  4. Stuart Munro 4
    16 March 2023 at 5:26 pm

    I have no sympathy for Nash, whose performance in the fisheries portfolio brings a miasma of putrefaction to everything he touches even without name-dropping Dennis the Menace's dog.

    But, is this not the second time in recent memory that Labour is taking advice from David Seymour? Of the many advisors available to the PM, Seymour is not the one best attuned with the public good, much less those issues of concern to, and preferences of, Labour supporters.

    That police ministers must be scrupulous in their communications is fair, but it is important not to wantonly extend such strictures beyond their natural range. Nash did not break the convention because he was not then minister, and punishing him merely to gratify Seymour is simply weak.

    • bwaghorn 4.1
      16 March 2023 at 6:07 pm

      Oh common if the crim Nash wanted the book thrown at had of been a ram raider instead of a gun nutter with an assault rifle under the mattress seymours fringe loon party would have been right behind it.

      • tsmithfield 4.1.1
        16 March 2023 at 7:30 pm

        The point is he fired his mouth off before the trial. Doing that had the potential to cause a mistrial.

        It is not right for politicians to be telling the police or judges what to do. In another setting, that sort of behaviour could be downright sinister. Nash ranting on a populist issue doesn't make it right.

        • Stuart Munro 4.1.1.1
          16 March 2023 at 8:41 pm

          His ranting (if that characterisation were appropriate) was in his capacity as an acquaintance of the police commissioner. And that's how much weight it carried.

          But Hipkins has chosen to lend gravitas to Seymour's whining, which it lacked on its merits. An own goal so egregious I find myself on the same side as the normally unspeakable Mr Nash.

          • tsmithfield 4.1.1.1.1
            16 March 2023 at 10:09 pm

            But that was the second offence, having being warned by Parker on a previous occasion. So there is form.

            And trying to minimise it a mate talking to a mate actually makes it worse if you think about it.

            Imagine how upset those on the left would be if Nash had been calling over the radio for the police to start arresting say… protesting teachers or something like that. There would be howls of outrage from the left, and hopefully the right as well. Because it is the thin edge of the wedge.

            • Stuart Munro 4.1.1.1.1.1
              17 March 2023 at 6:04 am

              Pfft – right wing censorship and faux outrage must be firmly opposed.

              The right to personal political expression is muted, not lost, in office.

              Hipkins may believe there was the appearance of intellectual rigor in his action, but, outside ACT's circle of slavering gun nuts, the public are not especially supportive of gun nut jobbery, and many likely agree with Nash.

              • tsmithfield …
                17 March 2023 at 6:59 am

                and many likely agree with Nash.

                I agree with you on that. And that is why he may keep his job. I probably agree with the sentiments he expressed as well. And I actually quite like Nash. But, I think we all need to be concerned about the precedent this sort of behaviour sets, and what future ramifications there could be if that behaviour is not sanctioned sufficiently.

                The right to personal political expression is muted, not lost, in office.

                Sure. The right to personal expression still exists in politics. But in a general, but not specific sense. So:

                "I think criminals who commit horrendous crimes should be locked up for longer" is OK so far as political expression is concerned.

                But saying before a trial:

                "What Joe Bloggs did is horrendous and he needs to be locked up for a long time" definitely is not. Because it could be seen as an attempt to influence the process and may have unforseen consequences in terms of a possible mistrial.

                While the public may well agree with the sentiment, they may be a lot less forgiving if expressing that sentiment allowed a nasty criminal back on the streets.

              • tsmithfield …
                17 March 2023 at 7:03 am

                Pfft – right wing censorship and faux outrage must be firmly opposed.

                So, do you think that left wing censorship and faux outrage is good and should be encouraged?

                • Stuart Munro …
                  17 March 2023 at 2:12 pm

                  So, do you think that left wing censorship and faux outrage is good and should be encouraged?

                  Why would you think that? We have had several successive instances of this phenomenon, Campbell, Lineker, and now Nash.

                  Once is happenstance – twice coincidence – thrice enemy action.

                  If you have comparable Left instances I am sure we are all ears.

            • SPC 4.1.1.1.1.2
              17 March 2023 at 12:59 pm

              No it was not, the timeline would indicate that the phone talk with a policeman was prior to the public comment at the arrest of the person who shot the police officer – that led to the SG and AG warning.

  5. Phillip ure 5
    16 March 2023 at 5:33 pm

    Hipkins doesn't want to fire nash because centre/right voters like him…end of story..

    One gets the feeling hipkins would clasp cleopatra's asp to his bosom..if it would help him get over the line..

    But nash is looking untenable..

    • Phillip ure 5.1
      16 March 2023 at 5:49 pm

      And…re nash in fisheries..my boy has just done his master's thesis..and it includes some pretty sharp comments on how nash was/is owned by those he is meant to regulate..

      And it does bear remembering how nash won his seat..

      Remember how local righties supported him to the extent they got that piece of work from the sensible sentencing trust to stand and split the right vote in what had been a safe tory seat..

      It pays to remember history. .and I won't be sad to see him go…

      I can't think of any labour politician that is more right-wing than him…

      No loss…

    • Robert Guyton 5.2
      16 March 2023 at 7:17 pm

      Cleo had an asp?

      Nice to see you back in the commentary box, Phillip.

      • Phillip ure 5.2.1
        16 March 2023 at 9:34 pm

        Yes..she committed suicide by clasping one to her bosom..

        Hello Robert..thank you for your welcome..

        It's election year..a time when arguments can matter..

        I am also contemplating wading back into the kiwiblog swamp..

        To bait and harrass them..in a general sort of way..

        • Patricia Bremner 5.2.1.1
          16 March 2023 at 10:06 pm

          devil Oh yes.. bother them.

          • Phillip ure 5.2.1.1.1
            17 March 2023 at 9:38 am

            I don't know if I have the stomach for it…

            I went and had a look..and good grief!… it's even worse than it used to be….there is some deeply delusional crap going on there…real table-leg chewing stuff..

            I blame trump…

        • Incognito 5.2.1.2
          18 March 2023 at 9:48 am

          I am also contemplating wading back into the kiwiblog swamp..

          To bait and harrass [sic] them..in a general sort of way..

          groan

          And RWNJs will come over here and return the favour, which is just what we need in Election Year or any year for that matter. Why don’t you use Social Media for baiting & harassing each other? It is perfect for that!

  6. Darien Fenton 6
    16 March 2023 at 10:38 pm

    A couple of points : firstly, the Chris Carter situation was completely different. He undermined the leadership and his caucus colleagues by distributing a letter to the media. I remember it well. He hurt a lot of us by this action because we liked Chris. I am glad he is back, and would also say he did a lot of productive work in Afghanistan. Secondly, there is a game in Parliament, where the opposition tries to score by taking down a Minister to undermine the government. They are like wolverines who smell blood often aided and abetted by the media. Stu hasn't helped, but be careful you don't get too caught up in the game, which is not only to destabilise the government, but in Stu's case, take the seat of Napier from Labour.

    • Anne 6.1
      16 March 2023 at 11:43 pm

      I can picture the scenario:

      Nash was extraordinarily stupid to have mentioned that Coster phone-call to Hosking of all people. The moment he got a chance Hosking would have been on the phone to Luxon's office and spreading it around among his National Parry mates. I have the impression they had all their ducks in a row before they went public.

      Nash can be his own worst enemy sometimes. He appears to have some difficulty judging some individuals for what they are. Never ever trust a Nat no matter how jolly they may seem to be. It is not in their bones to be straight up and honest about anything unless it is to their advantage.

      • tsmithfield 6.1.1
        17 March 2023 at 5:11 am

        “Nash can be his own worst enemy sometimes. He appears to have some difficulty judging some individuals for what they are.”

        Doesn't that indicate a big problem though. Because it sounds to me that he is a loose cannon with a motor-mouth. So, what is to say he won't do this sort of thing again? It may not have had any negative consequences to date. But next time it might.

        • Anne 6.1.1.1
          17 March 2023 at 10:52 am

          Yes, it does indicate he has a problem. He opens his mouth sometimes before engaging his brain. It should be the other way round. He's not alone. We've all done it, but most of us learn over time when to keep our mouth shut. Poor old Stuart hasn't quite got the hang of it yet.

          It wasn't a serious case of misjudgment and Coster himself has said so, but he did need to be taught a lesson.

          As for NAct calling for his head on a chopping block… that is very much a pot/kettle response and should be treated as such.

          • tsmithfield 6.1.1.1.1
            17 March 2023 at 10:59 am

            In many respects, Nash is one of the likeable and effective MPs in the Labour ranks. So, I don't wish him ill-will.

            One of the key considerations is whether he is likely to offend again in the future. As the saying goes, previous behaviour is the best indicator of future behaviour. And there has been previous behaviour on two occasions now that we are aware of.

            As I said, such mis-speaks could potentially have drastic consequences. That is what worries me about Nash. Because I am not sure if he can help himself.

            • tc 6.1.1.1.1.1
              17 March 2023 at 12:33 pm

              Effective for who ? Fisheries industry aside.

              You're onto it, he can't help himself and did the right thing resigning.

              Underperforming is something he's got plenty of form in and the police need a shake his matey approach isn't suitable for. Never rated him.

      • Lukas 6.1.2
        17 March 2023 at 6:48 pm

        Anne, you do realise that Nash made these comments on a live interview? Hosking did not need to “jump on the phone to Luxon’s office” because the comments were broadcast live on the highest rating morning radio show in the country. There is no vast right wing conspiracy involved in this!

        • Anne 6.1.2.1
          17 March 2023 at 7:22 pm

          "There is no vast right wing conspiracy involved in this!"

          Who said there was. surprise

          Go back to Kiwiblog. Its more your level.

    • Phillip ure 6.2
      18 March 2023 at 9:42 am

      @ ms. Fenton ..

      Maybe labour could ask that toe-rag from the sensible sentencing trust to stand again..?

      To split that right-wing vote…?

      It worked a treat that other time..

  7. Incognito 7
    17 March 2023 at 8:44 am

    The worst outcome of all this is that it emboldens Newstalk ZB and its MO.

    • Maurice 7.1
      17 March 2023 at 8:54 am

      Even worse is the perception that much of Parliament (not just the Government!) is full of gaffes and gotchas which makes them ALL look tired and past their use by date.

      Perhaps we the voters need to do a clean sweep and replace them with a new bunch … who will inevitably become the same?

    • Sanctuary 7.2
      17 March 2023 at 8:55 am

      Yeah – they'd taken a Fox/Dominion text messages credibility hit due to their irresponsible culture war angles on Gabrielle, now Nash has put the likes of Hosking and Soper back on the news agenda.

    • Craig H 7.3
      17 March 2023 at 10:07 am

      Annoyingly so. On the other hand, it's now the perfect example to add to any answer by ministers to questions about particular sentences/crimes/policing in general. "Sorry, can't answer that as operational independence of the Police must be maintained." Followed by "see Minister Nash's example for why I won't be commenting further" and an unspoken 'especially not to the likes of you'…

  8. Ad 8
    17 March 2023 at 12:14 pm

    Prime Minister Hipkins needs to figure that it's not enough to stop things or fire people.

    This mode of smashing everything and anyone that tilts his rudder away from winning the election has to stop at some point.

    Pure political management just isn't enough.

    We will vote for people and parties that give us a reason.

    In the words of the Prophet Springsteen, "At the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe."

    Hey Hipkins: give us a reason to vote for you.

  9. Corey 9
    17 March 2023 at 12:21 pm

    Stuart is extremely popular in his region and brings in votes.

    He was beyond stupid to say he tried to interfere in a case like that and on zb of all places and if the allegations about his relationship with the forestry industry are true then he is even more foolish.

    Hes a proud descendant of Walter Nash, that ruthless bastard who demanded Nordmeyer make the black budget as painful as possible while running around showing everyone his gold watches and pendents and somehow was shocked when kiwis through him out after one term for inflicting so much hardship on them.

    • Phillip ure 9.1
      19 March 2023 at 8:18 pm

      @corey..

      My understanding is that nash was lange..and nordmyer was his douglas…

      And that like lange nash can be criticised for not standing up to him..

      And nash had a bit of the ardern about him..

      Both seeming more comfortable with big ideas on the international stage..

  10. Maurice 10
    17 March 2023 at 7:33 pm

    This may only be the start – another one gone

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/486186/labour-mp-for-whangarei-announces-retirement

    Labour MP Emily Henderson will retire from politics at the upcoming election after three years representing Whangārei.

    Henderson made history as the first woman electorate MP to represent Whangārei and the first Labour MP for Whangārei in over 45 years.

    She was first elected in 2020, narrowly beating National MP Dr Shane Reti.

    • Craig H 10.1
      17 March 2023 at 9:06 pm

      A few MPs have already announced retirements, so she isn't exactly the start of that trend, but agree that there could be a few more yet.

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    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
    5 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
    6 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
    7 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
    9 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
    11 hours 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
    11 hours 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
    12 hours 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
    12 hours 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
    13 hours 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
    14 hours 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
    15 hours 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
    17 hours 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
    18 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, 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?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
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  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
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  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
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  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
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  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
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  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
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  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
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  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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