This week’s Jonolist award goes to….

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, September 12th, 2013 - 86 comments
Categories: class war, david cunliffe, democracy under attack, greens, housing, labour, leadership, Metiria Turei, news, tv - Tags: , ,

Patrick Gower, ‘Voters view Cunliffe as negative leader’, report on 3 News last night.

What a shocking piece of manipulative reporting about a dodgy poll, using a dodgy analysis.  It’s called a “3 News Special Poll”, and it seems to have focused on asking questions to suit their preconceived notions about one Labour leadership contender.

The poll looks more like an indicator of how the MSM, especially Gower, has covered Labour leadership issues in the past, and the way it’s reported indicates Gower is, yet again, following the ABC agenda.

He gives no details of the sample size or method of gathering this data. And the most significant result, that should have been the headline, is downgraded to insignificance: most people answered “Don’t know” to the questions Gower leads on.  Gower’s poll results:

He [Cunliffe] won’t be happy with a poll showing he is perceived as having more style than substance.

David Cunliffe – 25.8 percent
Grant Robertson – 13.9 percent
Shane Jones – 13 percent
Don’t know – 47.3 percent

And the pollsters believe he talks down to people.

David Cunliffe – 30.7 percent
Shane Jones – 13.0 percent
Grant Robertson – 7.9 percent
Don’t know – 48.4 percent

He also failed the honesty test, while Shane Jones – perhaps unsurprisingly – was rated most honest.

Shane Jones – 17.3 percent
Grant Robertson – 16.3 percent
David Cunliffe – 8.6 percent
Don’t know – 57.8 percent

It’s those negative traits the Labour MPs who dislike Mr Cunliffe point to. But the problem for his detractors is he comes out on top in leadership traits like understanding the economy by a long way.

David Cunliffe – 22.4 percent
Grant Robertson – 12.4 percent
Shane Jones – 12.1 percent
Don’t know – 53.1 percent

And he is also seen as good in a crisis – another good trait.

David Cunliffe – 21.2 percent
Shane Jones – 16.1 percent
Grant Robertson – 15.1 percent
Don’t know – 47.6 percent

Given that Gower has consistently smeared Cunliffe with ABC lines, since Gower manufactured a Cunliffe (non) coup in his reporting of last year’s Labour Conference (as argued by Trotter), Gower seems to have had it in for Cunliffe.  It was seen in his attempt to undermine Cunliffe’s leadership launch by focusing on irrelevant things like Cunliffe’s painting on the electoral office wall.

The bias in favour of the ABCs is seen with these comments in Gower’s report:

It’s those negative traits the Labour MPs who dislike Mr Cunliffe point to.

It seems to only be the ABC views of Cunliffe that Gower is interested in.  Also from Gower’s report last night, his conclusion:

The “anyone but Cunliffe” club is now in overdrive. There are at least 15 MPs out of 34 who truly can’t stand him. Come the decision on Sunday, that may make life really difficult for them.

So this is the main slant of Gower’s piece.  Ignoring or downgrading all the support Cunliffe gets, and failing to really analyse the significance of the “Don’t knows”.

It’s likely most people have yet to make up their own minds about the leadership candidates, perhaps because they have not seen enough of their political performance to make their own assessment.

How does 3 News allow such shockingly biased pieces of reporting to go out on the main 6pm bulletin?  While also ignoring such things as the well explained turn around from ex-Labour president, Mike Williams, previously a supporter of Team Shearer, now saying he voted Cunliffe.  Wouldn’t it have added more “balance” to Gower’s report to have included such a different view?

David has much to learn, just like Helen Clark and John Key when they assumed the leadership of their parties, but he has demonstrated the ability to do so.

And special Jonolist mention goes to bovver boys Espiner and Garner for apparently haranguing Turei into backtracking on her statement that she would like house prices in NZ to fall.

You are NOT the story

You are NOT the story

Or maybe the award should go to 3 News coverage of it and the way it manufactures a Turei backdown?  I don’t watch The Vote (which turns political coverage into a distortionary circus), but did watch last night’s 3 News coverage of the Turei statements on it.

Turei makes a perfectly reasonable statement that house prices need to fall to enable more affordability for those on low incomes.  Garnerand Espiner do a shock-horror bodily response, then keep haranguing Turei for advocating the lowering of the value of their properties for many home owners.

Well many of those home owners have been benefiting from the escalation of housing prices, while other’s are sleeping in garages, on floors, in cars and on the streets.

For New Zealand to become a fairer and more inclusive society; one that cares for all Kiwis, we need better mainstream journalism, not low quality, manipulative and misleading sensationalist Jonolism.

86 comments on “This week’s Jonolist award goes to…. ”

  1. Colonial Viper 1

    Public broadcasting news operating under the highest standards please. Fuck these vainglorious privateers of horse shit.

  2. Craig GlenEden 2

    Gower sources from within Labour are in the ABC camp thats for sure. Gower always manages to twist some thing to make it reflect badly on Cunliffe.
    Gower has not been a balanced political reporter for a long time but now he has taken it s a step further he just makes shit up on a regular basis in stead of occasionally.

    • Yep, here he is getting spun by the ABCs loud and proud: https://twitter.com/patrickgowernz/status/377644637067816961

      “Sources say Labour’s Anyone But Cunliffe club – ABC – declared/locked in at 15 MPs. 15/34 MPs who can’t stand him, absolutely hate his guts.”

      Silly Gower, haven’t you seen Game of Thrones? When Danaerys Targaryan tells Titan’s bastard she had 10,000 Unsullied, we knew she actually had 8,000. So when Trevor Targaryan tells Gower he has 15 mps, we can infer that he actually has…

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1

        Gower has essentially just confirmed Grant Robertson’s loss* of the leadership contest. Thank you very much Paddy.

        *do the math. And 15 is probably down 2 from just a 1 week ago. Jones camp seems to think it has captured those 2 but it seems unlikely. The tide is turning folks.

      • QoT 2.1.2

        Trevor is not nearly awesome enough to be a Targaryen. Gower on the other hand is a total Cersei.

  3. mickysavage 3

    Good call Karol. I was thinking of writing on the same topic!

    The use of the stats from the poll is utterly appalling. The sample was all voters, including tories, so I am surprised the negatives were not larger.

    With a tiny bit of counter spin they could be presented in an entirely different way. For instance three in four voters do not think that Cunliffe is more style than substance.

    TV3 have descended into news manufacturing mode.

    And don’t get me started on ABC …

    • Bunji 3.1

      Seems like push-polling to me, which is pretty shameful from a major broadcaster.

      Do you think x is <insert negative quality / trait here – why do they ask that maybe they are..?>

      The questions should be of the type: “what qualities / personality traits do you associated with x?”

      edit: fixed munged comment up…

      • Colonial Viper 3.1.1

        That’s not really the definition of push polling. In push polling the person asking the question drops in specific prejudicial facts designed as part of the process.

        For instance, “given that Shane Jones has used Ministerial funds on hotel room porn, how trustworthy would you find him as the new Labour Leader”. Now that’s push polling.

        Otherwise, biased questioning or poorly constructed questioning is all it is.

        • Bunji 3.1.1.1

          yeah, I suppose…

          Other main point is that Cunliffe ranks higher on everything positive / negative => that’s just because more people know him…
          Such a rubbish poll, tells us nothing. Manufactured news.

          • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.1.1

            Publishing of political polls to be banned for 72 hours before E-Day I say. The NZ Herald article says that a lot of people did not vote in the low turnout 2011 election because they figured that the result was already a fait accompli.

            As it turns out, an extra 60,000-80,000 Labour or Green voters would have fucked Key with a record breaking one term in office.

        • I think the term you’re looking for is “leading question”. 🙂 And when you ask a leading question, it can “push” people’s opinions, in a milder way.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 3.2

      No need to give it more creedence than it has. Which is nothing.

      Its just in the style of Ultimate Fight Club because they think it appeals to a younger demographic.

      The US flagship news programs have an average age of the audience in their 60s.

      They would rather die than let that happen here. But the best thing is the younger audience doesnt care anyway.

      The old style beat up is well and truely alive with Gower. But of course well never see the poll results of an audience rating his credibility

  4. chris73 4

    Polls against National: Good

    Polls against Cunliffe: Bad

    Yet the poll seems to back up the viewpoint of many in the labour caucus (even the positive), you lefties like to suggest the people of NZ are waking up and realising what JK is all about so maybe people have realised sooner what Cunliffes all about…

    • framu 4.1

      not quite chris

      gower making shit up = bad

      end of story

      put aside who gowers talking about for a minute, do you think that the way he goes about his job equatable with honest political reporting?

    • onsos 4.2

      These polls support ‘don’t know’. The rest is noise.

  5. geoff 5

    keep haranguing Turei for advocating the lowering of the value of their properties for many home owners.

    this.
    I think Key & Co will push this angle really hard. How should the left counter this? It’s tricky because, quite plausibly, it is true that the value of houses will come down. That’s the purpose of policies like kiwibuild and a capital gains tax. Of course, the line is that these policies will merely ‘take the heat out of the market’ but that’s just doublespeak for stopping prices where they are or reducing prices.
    Now any prospective party is probably going to avoid announcing that they plan to reduce house prices because they would probably perceive that is political suicide. But if policies like kiwibuild occur then that is what will happen (as it should), and Key will be hounding them all the way to the polls with calls of ‘Labour/Greens destroying your hard earned net worth’ and ‘Vote Green/Labour, say hello to negative equity!’

    Now as far as I can tell, the voting population is fairly evenly split between those who own or part own a house and those who rent. The half that do will be susceptible to National spin on this topic because it’s their ‘back pocket’. The half that don’t own should, theoretically, be all for the policy because it would mean the real possibility of either getting into a home or lowering their rent. All this means, to my mind, a very close election.

    So do Greens/Labour just try to downplay the potential effects of their policies on house prices and have National continually sniping at their soft spots, claiming this as evidence of the left’s financial recklessness OR do they take a stand and make it a moral issue?

    • chris73 5.1

      I don’t want to comment too much on this as I’m a homeowner myself so I’m biased to begin with but I’d suggest the labour and greens brain trust work together to come up with something because this could quite easily become the hot button issue of the election campaign

      • Pasupial 5.1.1

        Chris73

        If “The Vote’s” vote is at all representative (though it’s not, except maybe coincidentally) then Yay! 72% favoured the Labour/ Green/ NZ 1st argument vs 28% for NACT/ United. Let’s make it the “hot button issue of the election campaign”.

        You are indeed “biased to begin with”, but that’s got nothing to do with you being a home-owner; I too am a home-owner and we couldn’t agree less.

        • geoff 5.1.1.1

          Really? That is somewhat hopeful. I watched a tiny bit which had the nematode Peter Dunne yelling and I quickly switched channels.

      • felix 5.1.2

        Where were you last week when your mates were all saying the paper value of an asset is irrelevant?

        • chris73 5.1.2.1

          Beats me but I tend to follow W. Buffets views more, one of the reasons why i bought mrp shares

      • geoff 5.1.3

        I think you’re out of touch on this issue. Greens/Labour didn’t manufacture this issue, this is something that has been festering away for ~15 years and now it is coming to a head.

    • Greywarbler 5.2

      Good analysis. Years ago National was putting state housing up to market level and there was financial difficulty and people were being forced not just to shift to new suburbs but to shift to new towns to smaller places to lose a bedroom and so reduce rental. I took an interest in this process and was dismayed how little concern there was about people having a decent affordable place to live amongst either the pollies or the population generally.

      Residential property owners certainly won’t want to take a cut in equity, and negative equity would be a nasty shock. For years authors have been making a nice quid from advice on how to game the housing market. Glossy mags have had photos and items about clever Josephine Jammy, only 23, and owns 5 houses – her secrets to success.

      Good, well designed, practical state houses or apartments , with different resident security options, renting, renting to buy, full circle sale (requiring to be sold back to the state on vacating, with a set return on investment to the previous owner), would ease the market slowly. Cut the private johnnies down in importance and monopoly of housing development. And don’t let them sit on empty land that is in suitable areas for housing development, ie close to rail, bus routes, amenities,
      job locations.

      • geoff 5.2.1

        I agree that this is something that would have to occur slowly if backlash is to be avoided.

        However, if interest rates increase significantly then the house of cards will come tumbling down very rapidly.

        This housing bubble is the country’s elephant in the room because nobody wants to publicly talk about what a gigantic sham it is and how incredibly difficult it is going to be to extricate ourselves from it.

        • red rattler 5.2.1.1

          Dunne and Banks were full of shit.
          The only property crash in recent years was caused by neo-liberal market collapses. ’87 and ’08 in particular.
          Policy changes won’t collapse equity, it should be designed to reduce the overvalued housing bubble and restore the real value of housing.
          A decent CGT and massive state rental housing build will do that.
          NZ economy is handicapped by focus on rent rackets in land and in building materials.
          Why should workers have to pay 5 yrs wages for a house and be hostages to Aussie banks for ever?
          Only in the profiteers paradise.

          • phillip ure 5.2.1.1.1

            “..Why should workers have to pay 5 yrs wages for a house and be hostages to Aussie banks for ever?..”

            ..shame we don’t have the system they had in libya before the kleptocrats/obomber struck..

            ..cheap/subsidised housing for all..

            ..a govt grant of fifty grand us for each new married couple..(to help get them started..

            …free education for all to post-graduate level..

            ..most secular arab state..

            ..(this is what so many ‘leftists’ in nz supported america destroying..funny that..!..eh.?..that kink in the continuum when leftist nz’ers wholsale swallowed/parroted the cia-line..

            ..it was quite the surreal-moment..that ‘gadaffi is this months’ ‘baddy’-moment..)

            ..and the most loathsome thing the coiffed-one said on that vote-show..

            ..was when he was asked if he was sure there would still be resthomes when he needed one..

            ..the smugness burst out of him..like an over-ripe carbunkle..

            ..as he sneered:..’i won’t need one’…(translation:..’haven’t you seen that superannuation-scheme me and the other troughers voted in for ourselves..?..whoar..!..then there are the rewards to come my way for my years of work in support of the booze/ciggy-pushers..eh..?

            ..i’ll be sweet riding’..)

            ..that was when my metaphorical-brick went thru the telly-screen..

            ..and the funniest moment was vassal to the oppressors..lotu-liga…getting totally fucken monstered..

            ..he was so far out of his depth waterwings would have been essential..

            ..and what monstered him..?

            ..the question:’what has yr govt done in the last five years to help firsthome-owners..?

            ..his mouth opened and closed like a guppy on land..

            ..and the final ‘vote’ in that show..?

            ..72% against the govt…28% for the govt…

            ..(that result should have them packing their pants down at natty-hq..)

            ..phillip ure..

            • karol 5.2.1.1.1.1

              And Campbell Live took lotu-liga to task over his Vote claim that there are 1100+ houses for sale under $500,000. Campbell Live could only find about 500.

      • s y d 5.2.2

        Josephine Jammy (great name), only 23!, is merely a sharemilker of the poor, extracting wages, accomodation supplements and WFF payments, taking her cut and passing the rest on to the mortgage holders of ‘her’ 5 houses.

        Sadly we are all being milked. Free “money” anyone?

    • just saying 5.3

      I have a small mortgage and a home, and I don’t care if its selling price (and therefore the value of my only asset) decreases. It doesn’t affect me because I bought the house to live in. If I need to move somewhere else, prices will be proportionally cheaper.

      Those who have recently bought, with big mortgages, may go into negative equity, which is pretty shitty for them, at least in theory. But most of those will be in that position because of their good fortune and will work their way out, and they still get to live in their homes, and can still trade it for something similar, and the interest rates will be whatever would have been anyway. Capitalists should appreciate that all investment involves risk.

      I know a couple of families who’ve been living in negative equity for decades, who will struggle to ever get into positive equity. It wasn’t so long ago that banks were falling over themselves to encourage people to take on often unmanageable debt to fund a lifestyle they couldn’t afford. Yet their was none of the panic-mongering over what they were doing to “hard working Mums and Dads”, no moral approbation, despite the fact that the banks were acting out of venal self-interest, whereas the left is acting in the interests of the community as a whole.

      There will be some already disadvantaged people hurt. I hope they will be given the help they need to keep a warm, dry roof over their heads. Mana’s housing policies would certainly be of help to them.

      edit: on second thoughts people with negative equity are probably be stuck living where they are until they are in credit again.

      • Greywarbler 5.3.1

        ‘Banks acting in venal self interest’. They almost flayed their financial staff with whips with a barbed wire tip to ‘encourage’ them to achieve ‘sales’ targets. Don’t know what their current practice is but that approach is likely to be their default response to market opportunity.

      • geoff 5.3.2

        It wasn’t so long ago that banks were falling over themselves to encourage people to take on often unmanageable debt to fund a lifestyle they couldn’t afford.

        I thought I read/heard somewhere that, even as recently as a few months ago, banks were giving some people 0% equity loans in Auckland on the basis of rising property prices. That is exactly the kind of madness that caused the GFC.

    • Salsy 5.4

      The points about locking out a generation of homeowners seem to really resonate with New Zealanders. However the right have as you say latched on this as a ‘crisis for current home owners – regulation means losing equity’.

      I cant help thinking Turei should have been better equipped – words like ‘Stabilising’ house prices are far less inflammatory than ‘Falling’ and ‘Dropping’. They need a careful language for this policy and a carefully consdered rebuttle.

      Also, I cant help seeing the Auckland housing market starting to look a lot like the NZ$. No wonder Key’s mates are all for letting the gamble go on.

    • Rodel 6.1

      OMG That is the best. I have been puzzled for weeks and you have caused an epiphany.
      Thanks. It’s soooo apt and yes my son (or daughter) I forgive you.
      A photo should be flashed subliminally every time its mouth opens on TV3. Haaaaaaaaaaa

  6. Sable 7

    The mainstream media in NZ are the informational equivalent of McDonalds. I don’t even know why we are even discussing them anymore.

  7. David H 8

    I wonder if you can get booted off of Twitter for Calling Gower a Dodgy Jonolist? Oh well no great loss.

  8. Dean Reynolds 9

    Gower works for the National Party

  9. Steve 10

    Spot on Karol. Gower’s pathetic little smear/poll last night was just a new low in his series of anti-Cunliffe beat-ups.

    The sad thing is that he almost certainly considers he is being “oh so clever” with his manufactured little stories.

    Maybe he should credit the audience with a bit more intelligence and be a journalist for a change. Probably too hard for him though and not nearly as much fun.

  10. bad12 11

    Anyone thinking that the Labour/Green housing policies which put first home buyers into affordable homes will radically alter the existing market in places like Auckland is suffering delusions,

    There will still be a very large demographic in that Auckland market who will want to continue their upwardly mobile journey up the ‘property ladder’, so while injecting 1000,s of Kiwibuild properties into the likes of Auckland will slow the market on the demand side the only means of such a ‘build’ radically altering Auckland property prices would be if a large number of these houses were to enter the Auckland property market a the same time,

    The facts are that Labour/Greens affordable housing plans will see the houses built and sold to first time home buyer ‘outside’ of the market which i would imagine will be by application and via a ballot process,

    My advice to Labour and the Greens is that they should specify at the start of the sale process that Houses built and sold under the Governments programs must be offered back to the Government at a fair value based upon the original sale price if the first home buyer wishes to sell within 10 years of original purchase…

  11. Pasupial 12

    I tried to watch “The Vote” online last night, but stopped shortly after Espiner’s (supposedly questioning on behalf of the opposition team); “let’s bring some sanity back with Mr Banks” [at 26:52]. Never before (and hopefully never again) has that particular combination of words been uttered.

    The Turei edit-with-a-hatchet job on the 6pm “news” was under the byline of Brook Sabin, and bears only the vaguest resemblance to the debate itself. Where I thought it was quite clear that she wanted to increase affordability for NZ citizen home buyers. What I found annoying is how she allowed herself to badgered on a later interview to make a retraction of her earlier statement. Though I fully believe that the “U-turn” was as created in the editing booth as the original controversy.

    I guess I’d better get back and finish watching “The Vote”… I’ll just remove from the room; any sharp implements that can be shoved into the ears, first though. Suggest that anyone else who chooses to wallow in that crap does the same.

    • Mike S 12.1

      “let’s bring some sanity back with Mr Banks”

      Don’t you recognise a bit of sarcasm when you hear it? He was playing to the audience, inferring Mr Banks opinion won’t be a sane one.

      The good thing about the vote last night was the overwhelming support for the opposition at around 75%, this was in Epsom too!

      • Pasupial 12.1.1

        I took it more in an ironic; after that Dunne-rant even Banks will seem sane in comparison, kind of way… It is still an abomination of a sentence to me though, which I hope never to hear again used about John Banks.

  12. Bill 13

    Gee – and there was me thinking it was unsustainable speculative bubbles that caused house prices to crash. Silly me. Also silly, I guess, to suggest people just buy houses to live in the fcking things!?

    CGT and a state house build will only slow the rise in house prices temporarily. The speculative property bubble will be expanded because banks are given free reign to loan to prospective homeowners who can be foreclosed on rather than to small businesses.

    Last silly suggestion – nationalise the banks or regulate the fck out of them so that they operate in ways other than solely to their own money grabbing advantage…ie, to ensure a component of social or other good is factored into their loans.

  13. ianmac 14

    A good response to the “so you want house prices to fall?” would be:
    “So you want house prices to keep on rising and rising out of reach?”
    The Right seem to be working hard to force house prices upwards. Why are they not challenged on this?

    • Colonial Viper 14.1

      It’s not just the Right. Plenty of rental property owning social liberals would quite like house prices to keep rising too.

      • Mike S 14.1.1

        Let’s face it, no house owner wants the price of their asset to fall. That is part of the problem in that a large number of voters are still house owners so love the fact that they get wealthier week by week.. That percentage is falling, however and will eventually, in a couple of generations, get to the stage where the government is forced into addressing the issue comprehensively, which neither Labour or National are currently proposing to do. Although at least Labour is advocating policies which lead us in the right direction.

  14. Bill 15

    On the other thrust of the post; journalists have been inculcated with the values of power. And those values tend to be inimical to our better interests. From what David Cunliffe has said, his values are inimical to the elite’s values and interests…and therefore by default, also inimical to the adopted values of most employees within the ‘news’ industry. So expect an onslaught.

    Thing is, there is no point just ‘slagging them off’. They have to be robustly countered and their opinions sidelined and replaced in the social conscience. And the only way I can see that happening is if the general populace adopts aspects of any new Labour vision as their own… and so reacts against the bullshit spins in such a way that the resolve to demand a break from the ‘acceptability’ of being viewed as competing and atomised individuals deepens and broadens and even gains steam the more the negative spin is spun.

    Such things happen from time to time – usually when one political party’s negative campaigning backfires. This time it is going to be much more than just a single party’s negative campaigning though but, somewhat ironically, that could provide the fuel to much further down a path that embraces decent human values. All the push back needs is a spark…an articulation of a vision that resonates at a deep enough level to provide an intrinsic reformation of apparent default positions/beliefs.

    At least, I think that’s how new momentums begin and old habits get discarded.

  15. emergency mike 16

    Funny, I didn’t see the question:

    “Which candidate is most likely to have a full-blown porn addiction?”

    How about:

    “Who is an arse-scratcher?” or “Which one is too fat?” or “Which one would you let date your daughter/son?” That way we could learn some fun stuff about voter perceptions aye Paddy? Unless 50% say “Don’t know”, then your poll’s pretty lame.

  16. Saarbo 17

    Gower’s obsession with attacking Cunliffe is starting to move into really weird territory, Gower needs to get out of his bubble for a few months and sort himself out.

    and really impressed with Metiria Turei last night, having the courage to state the obvious, that the only way house prices are going to be made affordable is for house prices to fall. I know this is an incredibly complex issue, but one of the solutions is for a slow reduction in the cost of houses over the next approx 10 to 20 years. The cost of housing in NZ is the heart of our poverty problem, as house rental cost is a function of house cost. Renting a house is the largest cost for families. A CGT is a good start, but it is only that, a start.

    • Bunji 17.1

      Lower house prices aren’t just good for people who aren’t in houses, they’re also good for people in starter homes who’ll be buying a bigger house.

      And, except for those dying and no longer needing a house (who have bigger problems to worry about), slowly decreasing house prices only really affects housing investors. Those who just own their own home… well they still need somewhere to live. If they want to change houses, the fact that their house will sell for less is balanced by the fact that the house that they want to buy will be cheaper.

      Of course getting people to accept that their net worth is a smaller number, but just as useful can be hard…

      • Saarbo 17.1.1

        Oh hell yes, its going to be a hard thing to sell…many boomers have become mini donald trumps, just enjoying their ‘passive income’, they wont accept it easily. But I would imagine that very few are Labour voters these days…

      • Greywarbler 17.1.2

        Ooh I can remember… when we sold our summerhill stone 3 bedroom house for $10,000 in the 1960’s. Milk was once 4c a pint, and the milk used to be ladled out into billies. Those were the days. I think a basic wage for a semi skilled person was about $1,000. Today it’s about $35,000 and can one buy a nice single 3 b/rm house in brick/summerhill on a fifth of acre for $350,000 in a city?

    • Mike S 17.2

      A true public bank (not Kiwibank) with 0% interest mortgages for first home buyers would go a long way to helping resolve the issue without necessarily lowering the value of a home owners asset.

  17. chris73 18

    “Which candidate is most likely to have a full-blown porn addiction?”

    – Put that question out to all the parties…

  18. karen 19

    Hopefully someone has put in an official complaint about Gower as TV3 seem to be clearly in breach of Broadcast Standards. I’d do it myself but a bit stretched this week.

  19. Ad 20

    Stop kvetching.

    Don’t expect any Labour leader to get a ‘honeymoon’. Capital is on the attack from inception – that’s permanent reality.

    We should hold Labour to account to engage and charm the media far better. Whoever the Leader is.

    • Colonial Viper 20.1

      Yep. It doesn’t matter whether Robertson or Cunliffe wins, the media is going to be smashing at both the moment the result is announced.

    • Greywarbler 20.2

      That’s a good word, kvetch. It goes alongside chutzpah for the start of my Yiddish list.

    • karol 20.3

      The MSM reporting has gone down hill in recent decades. Should we just put up with it without criticism?

  20. bad12 21

    My view on the Jonolism of Gower and Garner??? Labour should repay such biased bulls**t in kind, TV3 has for the past 5 years ran under the auspices of Gower and Garner with Espiner singing along like one of the choir-boys an overt anti-Labour campaign,

    The incoming Labour/Green Government should reward this Jonolism by ensuring that TV3 get not a cent more of Government funding full stop,

    Who care if the pus filled organ of the elite that that Television network has chosen to become implodes financially into it’s own pile of bulls**t,

    Labour/Greens can then use the monies saved to set up a real public broadcasting channel…

    • Colonial Viper 21.1

      The incoming Labour/Green Government should reward this Jonolism by ensuring that TV3 get not a cent more of Government funding full stop,

      the right sentiment, but that’s not the way to do it.

      • bad12 21.1.1

        And the why of why that’s not the right way to do it???…

        • Colonial Viper 21.1.1.1

          Access to decision makers is one factor of several, for instance.

          • bad12 21.1.1.1.1

            Access to decision makers CV, and you think that once the Government, Labour will suddenly be treated with any respect by Gower, Garner and Espiner???,

            Admittedly those 3 are simply the monkeys dancing to the Organ Grinder;s tune whomever that organ grinder happens to be at the moment, the banks holding TV3’s growing pile of bad debt being my pick,

            i would suggest to you that those 3 clowns will spend even more of their time ‘making s**t up’ once there is a Labour/Green Government,

            Of course the way you have written your comment could lead someone to think you are referring to TV3 as the ‘decision makers’…

  21. karol 22

    Groan.

    3 news have another poll on the Labour Leadership coming up tonight – promoting Jones?

    • karol 22.1

      Ah, well no – just irrelevances. Jones is not considered by many to be rehabilitated. Of the 3 Contenders, Jones is most favoured to host a barbie – count me out.

      Actually – Cunliffe gave the most engaging response to the barbie question/result.

  22. feijoa 23

    Back to housing, sorry, – It’s interesting the way the Nats call a house an asset. I don’t think of my house as an asset- it’s a home that I live in ffs

    One of my concerns is about whether my children will be able to afford a house, not about the value of my own house going down a few thou

    • karol 23.1

      And on housing, Wayne Hope on Citizen A tonight, floating the idea of council housing, not just state housing.

  23. karol 24

    Poem, your links got to Standard posts, not 3 News website.

  24. Poem 25

    yes, just removed the comment to redo the links.

  25. Poem 26

    I have been banned from posting on the TV3 website after calling Garner, Espinor, Gower, Rachel Smalley and the rest of the TV3’s so called “reporters” liars and bullshitters and a discredit to the profession. Also laid a complaint as well.
    Easy to get around it though, I made up another email address today and posted 3 more comments. Unfortunately there’s a glitch and cant do any links.

    Another great article Karol. I stopped watching the vote as well, after Garner and Espinor shamefully and disgustingly made POVERTY a cheap scoring game show. Get info from other sources now.

  26. Venezia 27

    I could not believe that TV3 could allow Gower to air such tripe as news that night. He is a disgraceful, sad example of what Journalism has been reduced to in this country.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • “Financially reckless” Parker ignores election
    Environment Minister David Parker is pressing ahead with a report which will almost certainly advocate greater rights for Maori over water allocation. Parker has set up a working group to investigate allocation, and he has done so only 12 days before an election. And just over three weeks ago ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 hours ago
  • At a glance – Climate scientists would make more money in other careers
    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 ...
    11 hours ago
  • Chris Trotter: Nostalgic for a joyous Left
    I WAS A CAPTAIN COOK MAN, Grant Robertson was a Robbie Burns man. If you know anything about the great student pubs of Dunedin in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, those allegiances should tell you a lot. While I was at varsity, the “Cook” had a reputation for entertaining more ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    13 hours ago
  • Spray, spray, spray. There we go. Problem solved.
    Good old WD40. Is there nothing it can't do?Door squeaking? No problem, WD-40.Chewing gum stuck to the carpet? No worries, WD-40. Crayon marks? Spanner rusted up? Zipper won't undo? WD-40. WD-40. WD-40. It can even waterproof your shoes, I hear.(More Than A Feilding makes no warranty as to the efficacy of WD40 ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    14 hours ago
  • Taxpayers might be piste off, as govt lending to ski field is lifted to $50m – but more corporate ...
    Buzz from the Beehive The distributions of two dollops of corporate welfare have been proudly announced in government press statements today, but neither mentions or relates to the further taxpayer funding for ski fields on the skids. The government’s official website tells of $7 million being provided to boost aerospace ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    15 hours ago
  • The police know they suck at the OIA
    In recent years I've done a long series of posts poking into police OIA data and how it hides how badly the police suck at carrying out their obligations under the Act. And in a response to a recent request, it seems the police have been doing the same. A ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    15 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s disdain for the Press debate
    Christopher Luxon evidently thinks this election is SO in the bag that he can afford to spurn the still-undecideds, the entire South Island, and the old Christchurch money that still reads the Press and shops at Ballantynes. We should all shed a tear for the National Party candidates across the ...
    17 hours ago
  • ELIZABETH RATA: Two Treaties of Waitangi – the Articles Treaty and the Principles Treaty
    Elizabeth Rate writes – There are two versions of the Treaty of Waitangi.  The first is the 1840 Treaty – the ‘Articles Treaty’. The second is what I call the ‘Principles Treaty’. It dates from 1986 when the principles were first included in legislation. Astonishingly, the parliamentary ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: When it's ok to borrow to invest
    Mayor Wayne Brown, a Northland land-banker himself, appears relaxed about borrowing to invest in land but not in, for example, transport infrastructure and services. File photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: You couldn’t make this stuff up. A mayor determined to cut council debt by selling shares in a monopoly business because ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago
  • How well do our Rapid Transit Stations perform
    As we invest in our public transport network, it’s critical that we not only invest in transformative projects like the City Rail Link, but that we also get as much use as we can out of the network we already have – which will also maximise the outcomes of those ...
    23 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Ten reasons Labour’s support has halved
    The Labour Government was elected with 50 per cent of the vote three years ago, but current opinion polls show their vote could halve in this year’s election, which would be one of the biggest plunges in political history. Most polls have Labour on about 26 per cent. And the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    23 hours ago
  • Elizabeth Rata: Two Treaties of Waitangi: The Articles Treaty and the Principles Treaty
    Commentary There are two versions of the Treaty of Waitangi.  The first is the 1840 Treaty – the ‘Articles Treaty’. The second is what I call the ‘Principles Treaty’. It dates from 1986 when the principles were first included in legislation. Astonishingly the parliamentary representatives who inserted the word ‘principles’ ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    23 hours ago
  • Climate Emergency!
    It’s hard not to become a bit blasé towards climate change headlines. Flooding kills hundreds - blah. Catastrophic droughts - blah blah. One-in-a-hundred year events happening every year - blah blah blah.The earth had its highest temperature on record - again. Think we’ve read that one.So many articles telling us ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    24 hours ago
  • The Kākā Project: The economics of sufficiency
    The Kākā’s climate correspondent and had a chat with environmental historian and author Catherine Knight about why ‘feel good' actions like recycling and owning an electric car are unlikely to be enough to create a transition to zero emissions, let alone a just one. Knight says comments like ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Chippy misses a chance
    National leader Christopher Luxon has pulled out of any rescheduling of tonight’s Press debate, which has had to be cancelled because Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has Covid. The cancellation has given National an excuse to avoid a debate, which was always going to be a risk for Luxon. But ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • The Angry Majority.
    The People's Champion vs The People's Prosecutor: It is the news media’s job to elicit information from politicians – not to prosecute them. Peters’ promise to sort out TVNZ should be believed. If he finds himself in a position to carry out his threat, then it will only be because ...
    2 days ago
  • Verrall is chuffed by govt’s latest push into pay equity while Woods enthuses about an $11m spend ...
    Buzz from the Beehive The headline on a ministerial press statement curiously expresses the government’s position when it declares:   Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers. Is it not enough to declare just one commitment? Or is the government’s commitment to pay equity being declared sector by ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • A very worthy coalition partner for Seymour and Luxon
    There have been 53 New Zealand Parliaments so far. The 39th of them was elected in 1978. It was a parliament of 92 MPs, most of them men. The New Zealand Music Awards that year named John Rowles Male Vocalist of the Year and — after a short twelve months ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Labour still protecting the status quo
    Aotearoa has a cost of living crisis. And one of the major drivers of this crisis is the supermarket duopoly, who gouge every dollar they can out of us. Last year, the Commerce Commission found that the duopoly was in fact anti-competititve, giving the government social licence to fix the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s myths about the desolated state of the economy
    Familiarity breeds consent. If you repeat the line “six years of economic mis-management” about 10,000 times, it sounds like the received wisdom, whatever the evidence to the contrary. Yes, the global pandemic and the global surge in inflation that came in its wake occurred here as well – but if ...
    2 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Hapless Hipkins and his racism
    Michael Bassett writes – Without so much as batting an eyelid, Chris Hipkins told an audience on Saturday that there had been “more racism” in this election campaign than ever before. And he blamed it on the opposition parties, National, Act and New Zealand First. In those ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: The ‘recession’ has been called off, but some households are still struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates. Brian Easton writes – Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Richie Poulton's lament
    “You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • North-western downgrades
    This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Has Webworm Found New Zealand’s Weirdest School?
    Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Another mother of a budget
    A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • A crucial week starts as early voting opens in the NZ Elections … it’s been a ride so far. Are y...
    Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    3 days ago
  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    4 days ago
  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    4 days ago
  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    4 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    5 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    6 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    7 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    1 week ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    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 ...
    1 week ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    1 week ago

  • Youth justice programme expands to break cycle of offending
    The successful ‘Circuit Breaker’ fast track programme designed to stop repeat youth offending was launched in two new locations today by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis. The programme, first piloted in West and South Auckland in December last year, is aimed at children aged 10-13 who commit serious offending or continue ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Major milestone with 20,000 employers using Apprenticeship Boost
    The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost initiative has now supported 20,000 employers to help keep on and train up apprentices, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni announced in Christchurch today. Almost 62,000 apprentices have been supported to start and keep training for a trade since the initiative was introduced in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Government supporting wood processing jobs and more diverse industry
    The Government is supporting non-pine tree sawmilling and backing further job creation in sawmills in Rotorua and Whangarei, Forestry Minister Peeni Henare said.   “The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan identified the need to add more diversity to our productions forests, wood products and markets,” Peeni Henare said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Government backing Canterbury’s future in aerospace industry
    The Government is helping Canterbury’s aerospace industry take off with further infrastructure support for the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, Infrastructure Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “Today I can confirm we will provide a $5.4 million grant to the Tāwhaki Joint Venture to fund a sealed runway and hangar ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Updated forestry regulations increase council controls and require large slash removal
    Local councils will have more power to decide where new commercial forests – including carbon forests – are located, to reduce impacts on communities and the environment, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “New national standards give councils greater control over commercial forestry, including clear rules on harvesting practices and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-10-03T17:48:19+00:00