When campaigns go bad

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:43 am, October 8th, 2020 - 50 comments
Categories: Dirty Politics, Judith Collins, national, same old national - Tags: emma mellows, hamish price, simon lusk

It seems every day there is a new catastrophe for Judith Collins to deal with.

The latest is National arranging for Party activists to be normal members of the community and also to spontaneously line the side of Ponsonby Road at regular intervals to say nice things to Judith and give the perception that she is popular.

The only problem, dear reader, is that the media worked out it was a ruse.

All politicians do public walk abouts. I accompanied Jacinda Ardern on one last election in New Lynn. The intention was to walk through Lynnmall and get a few photos taken.

The problem was that people loved her. They flocked to her. Whether they were superannuants, middle aged, teenagers or young people they all wanted to have their photo taken with her.

This photo that I took sums up the day. A very young child could not help but to be happy in Jacinda’s presence.

We gave up the idea of the walk through and back tracked our steps. There were just too many people wanting to have selfies taken with Jacinda.

Our walk abouts include party members. But pretty well all of us wear Labour T shirtsor rosettes and we are there proudly in support.

Recent reports suggest that Jacinda is just as or even more popular than three years ago. Wherever she goes she is mobbed.

Obviously National thinks this is a problem. Which is why they planned and organised a “spontaneous” uprising of people interest in Judith as she walked along Ponsonby Road with Auckland Central candidate Emma Mellows.

But there was a problem. The media worked out what was happening.

The idea was to get film of Judith talking to ordinary people. But there was a second problem, ordinary people did not want to have a bar of talking to Judith. So National stacked the street with party activists instead.

Scenes became farcical as Hamish Price, right wing twitter troll, who I understand is Wellington based, was identified as one of the people expressing spontaneous support. Hilarity on twitter ensued as he seemed to have difficulty remembering his name but he did concede that he was involved in National. He apparently just happened to be on Ponsonby Road at the time, equidistanced from other National Party activists all wanting to say nice things about Judith while the cameras rolled, and this had nothing to do with the fact that he has a significant role in Emma Mellows’ campaign.

I am a bit surprised that Hamish was there. As far as I can tell he actively opposed dirty politics and I thought he would not be happy to support Judith. Simon Lusk described him as “a nasty, offensive and divisive self important fool of a man that should be avoided at all costs by any candidate.” Emma Mellows is possibly thinking similar thoughts right now.

Judith must have regretted that she did this walk. Not only was there the idiotic crowd sourcing idea but one shop refused to let her enter and she went into a cafe where a random M&M poll suggested that Labour was well ahead in this uber wealthy part of town. As they say in politics these were not good visuals.

Benedict Arnold had two words for it, cheeky and clumsy. I would have three words to describe what happened, freakin amateur hour.

50 comments on “When campaigns go bad ”

Comments are now closed

Stephen D 1

8 October 2020 at 7:54 am

It’s beginning to look like Judith is having to run this campaign by herself. Discussing policy, organising walkabouts, 2 hours with Hosking.
Have the rest of the National Campaign team decided enough was enough, and have walked away completely to distance themselves from the oncoming disaster of a 20 something result?
- I Feel Love 1.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 8:01 am
  
  My impression too, she seems very alone.
  
  Also, "dumb dumb dumb".
Robert Guyton 2

8 October 2020 at 8:01 am

The Civilian makes merry with the situation:

" The unveiling of the stunt by television news this evening has prompted a hurried removal of all future planted supporters, of which there are said to be hundreds.

1 News spoke with a woman this evening who has been glued to the pavement in Anzac Square, just outside the Dunedin Railway Station, in anticipation of a coming visit by Collins.

“They installed me here about three days ago,” she told 1 News’ Jessica Mutch, “and I hear Judith is coming tomorrow, I think, and I’ve had plenty of time to rehearse the lines, so, hopefully…”"

http://www.thecivilian.co.nz/national-party-scrambles-to-remove-hundreds-of-supporters-pre-planted-over-a-week-in-advance/
Ad 3

8 October 2020 at 8:09 am

This is beginning to make up for 2014.

I might even start enjoying it if it keeps up.
- Antonina 3.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 7:16 pm
  
  It will take a lot to make up for 2014!!
mac1 4

8 October 2020 at 8:29 am

Collins comes to our town on Friday. I suspect the local MP, who has his problems with the locals regarding him as ineffectual and lazy, is regretting her pending visit.

On the subject of having the supporters come out, a National Party spokesperson came to town to talk to the Chamber of Commerce. If the local National members who were unconnected to any local business had not been there he'd have been pretty lonely.

At least they know not to go to a pub two weeks before an election and risk the feedback from going round the tables meeting and greeting. Instead they sat at a safe table, like Judith did with her candidates Lee and Mellow in Ponsonby.

National- being seen but not daring to meet.
observer 5

8 October 2020 at 8:45 am

It couldn't have happened to a nicer pair – Judith and Hamish deserve each other.

PS Benedict Collins, not Arnold. Though some angry Nats might think he's a traitor …
mosa 6

8 October 2020 at 9:04 am

I am surprised she hasn't dragged that shyster Key along on her meet the grateful public walkabouts.
- Wensleydale 6.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 9:27 am
  
  Key probably values too much the tattered vestiges of his reputation to risk utter ruination at the hands of a Collins 'walkabout'.
  - Chris 6.1.1
    
    8 October 2020 at 12:13 pm
    
    Yes, key wouldn't darken collins' door.
Patricia Bremner 7

8 October 2020 at 9:26 am

It is rather a case of "Where is the Public when you need them?"

Condescension is not attractive, with her scoffing and grating laugh very offensive.

Her looking glass told her she was charming, and she believed her own PR, so it must be galling for her to realise we don't buy her makeover.

Poor wee thing. I am enjoying this.
Enough is Enough 8

8 October 2020 at 9:33 am

CB poll out tonight isn't there?

It will be very interesting as the only regular poll over the campaign.

Has Judith done enough to bring any voters back to National and deny Labour an historic majority.

I am picking L47, Green 5, National 32, Act 8, Maori 2, NZ1 2, Ncon 2.
- Dennis Frank 8.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 10:20 am
  
  Seems reasonable. I'll take a punt on Lab 48, Nat 33, Greens 7, Act 5, MP 2, NZF 2, ANZ 1.5, NC 1.5. I'm factoring in Judith's dog whistle as getting a few strays back in behind…
- Chris 8.2
  
  8 October 2020 at 12:17 pm
  
  Collins' recent gaffs like the public prays and policy on the hoof / leaking / disunity fiasco will make this poll particularly interesting. If those things don't bring support down close to where English was in 2002 little else will.
  - mac1 8.2.1
    
    8 October 2020 at 12:39 pm
    
    After the poll tonight, and then Judith's public meeting in a 700 seat theatre, tomorrow, we'll see. Last year at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in the same theatre Ardern got three hundred. I'm picking, like you, Chris, a 2002 scenario.
    - Chris 8.2.1.1
      
      8 October 2020 at 1:26 pm
      
      I'm hoping it'll be like 2002, but what makes collins so divisive and polarising also makes predicting the public's response to her behaviour difficult. The nats put her in there because there was nobody else while they groomed the next john key, they were polling so low they'd given up winning, it was an opportunity to finally end her champing at the bit to be PM, but importantly she also had the potential to save a few jobs by bringing support up to or above 30%. It's the latter we're all hoping she fails to do, of course, although if she'd played her cards right she may've managed to pull it off. The public prayers in particular, I think, may have put a lot of people off. Tonight could be a litmus test. Here's hoping.
    - mac1 8.2.1.2
      
      9 October 2020 at 1:25 pm
      
      Report from the meeting in Blenheim. Collins spoke in the smaller side theatre to about 180 people including four NZLP members. Mostly an older audience attending, Collins, ironically standing in front of her poster with "Strong Tea Moro Bars Better Scones" on it, criticised the government for speaking in slogans.
      
      A stalwart Nat in front of me told me he saw the election as a foregone conclusion…….. and that he saw that Labour could govern alone and didn't want the Greens involved.
  - woodart 8.2.2
    
    8 October 2020 at 4:40 pm
    
    there were more parliamentary lifeboats for defecting natz to swim to in 2002. now, there is only one that is going to be in welly next term. natz who actually care about others would rather go down on the good shit,er ,ship national ,than climb onto tinydancers dingy, and be surrounded with gun nuts and worse.?
Muttonbird 9

8 October 2020 at 10:05 am

Labour should just quietly announce JA will be with Helen White in Ponsonby on Monday lunchtime after her 2 hour Hoskings interview which she should do in studio as opposed to Collins who phoned it in on a terrible line.

The contrast to Collins' manufactured walkabout would create memorable pictures.
Tricledrown 10

8 October 2020 at 10:22 am

The Strong team has a Strong Stench of swamp gas as trolls,Back Stabbers ,sycophantic supporters all writhing in the sewer of Dirty politics that has more leaks than a sieve.

All Nationals past lies and cunning plots have come home to roost ,the rot has set in and looks terminal.
ScottGN 11

8 October 2020 at 10:28 am

Judith’s stand up after touring the Potemkin Village in Ponsonby

“I’ll tell you what Tova/Susie/Jenna, there will no more of this nonsense once I become Empress of all the Russias!”.
Peter 12

8 October 2020 at 10:29 am

It was funny early this morning hearing the radio callers so upset about the state broadcaster not just highlighting Collins Ponsonby day but opining on it.

Apparently Collins being one of the first items on state radio and TV everyday with nothing events and her mindless comments is good. Critical for us to see her, hear her.

Being on there exhibiting mindlessness when they don't like it is bad. I love it.
Byd0nz 13

8 October 2020 at 10:30 am

2 hours with Hosking, yuk, why bother. Hope she has a sick bag in her purse.
- Kiwijoker 13.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 10:50 am
  
  Birds of a feather!
- Wensleydale 13.2
  
  8 October 2020 at 11:11 am
  
  She'll be in her element. Hosking will nod sagely, smile agreeably, and once again expound on the countless ways the current government is a cancer upon the nation. He's an obedient minion. Collins will love it.
Brian Tregaskin 14

8 October 2020 at 11:17 am

There is a lot more to the story here –read the comments

https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/10/07/come-on-auckland-central-national-voters-you-dont-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-hamish-price-do-you/
ScottGN 15

8 October 2020 at 12:38 pm

So this morning National wheeled out Key to put in a good word for Jude. The fact they put him onto Hosking’s show on NewstalkZB, probably the most reliably pro National radio show in the country, really tells us that they’re way more worried about losing their voters than trying to pick up any off Labour.
- Dennis Frank 15.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 1:51 pm
  
  I get a whiff of circling the wagons. Funny that Key agreed to be a wagon – after Collins wrote that stuff in her memoir about him being mean to her, which then got splashed all over the media. Must mean he retains a tribal affinity for National, I suppose. Or keen to become our US ambassador asap…
- Chris 15.2
  
  8 October 2020 at 2:03 pm
  
  Collins had one job and one job only which was to save a few nat jobs. The outcome's still not clear but hopefully she's managed to stuff that up. too.
- Incognito 15.3
  
  8 October 2020 at 2:34 pm
  
  JPK said this of JC:
  
  … she's looked confident and strong …
  
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/10/nz-election-2020-sir-john-key-showers-judith-collins-with-praise-says-she-s-campaigning-really-really-well.html
  
  Keeping up the appearances is all that matters because perception rules in politics. Never mind that confidence doesn’t mean competence and strong doesn’t mean capable. Faint praise 😉
  - mac1 15.3.1
    
    8 October 2020 at 3:22 pm
    
    Here's what John Key is reported in the above Incognito’s citation as saying.
    
    "The reality is – I think she's been campaigning really really well."
    
    This man believes that reality is what he thinks!
    
    "Cogito ergo est." (That's for In Vino.)
Sacha 16

8 October 2020 at 2:19 pm

Best short clip from the TVNZ story – note the fake interaction right at the start.

https://twitter.com/joshwlkr/status/1313725621801947138
Incognito 17

8 October 2020 at 2:20 pm

Just one word: shambolic.
- AB 17.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 2:42 pm
  
  With emphasis on the first syllable. It appears that Jude both receives and gives devotion of dubious veracity.
  - Incognito 17.1.1
    
    8 October 2020 at 2:47 pm
    
    Shambolic
    
    /ˈʃambɒlɪk/
    - greywarshark 17.1.1.1
      
      8 October 2020 at 3:47 pm
      
      Lots of bollocks – hyperbolic.
  - woodart 17.1.2
    
    8 October 2020 at 4:45 pm
    
    also known as " both sucks and blows"
Adrian 18

8 October 2020 at 2:54 pm

In yesterdays 3 way interview Mellow took credit for organising the greeters. Wants to be an MP but couldn't even get that right.
- Incognito 18.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 2:59 pm
  
  There’s nothing wrong with inviting supporters over for a meet & greet. However, the media smelled a rat because it was more staged than The Truman Show.
Muttonbird 19

8 October 2020 at 4:11 pm

Party supporters usually identify themselves by wearing rosettes or T-shirts, or carrying signs.

Not these ones though, they went incognito.
- Peter 19.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 4:31 pm
  
  You mean trying not be be seen to belong to the National rabble with it being preferable pretending to be a normal citizen on the street?😊
- woodart 19.2
  
  8 October 2020 at 4:47 pm
  
  what would you call a blue plant?
  - AB 19.2.1
    
    8 October 2020 at 5:47 pm
    
    "Algae". On a bilious day, "pond scum".
ken 20

8 October 2020 at 4:42 pm

Judith wanted to be the mean girl, and make Jacinda cry.

Now it's Judy's turn to cry.
ScottGN 21

8 October 2020 at 5:28 pm

How could it possibly not occur to any of Collins’s media people that cancelling a media visit to a supporter at the last minute and not letting them know might generate a few unhelpful headlines?
- Andre 21.1
  
  8 October 2020 at 5:44 pm
  
  Totes worth it to avoid having to choke down cheese rolls and pretend to like them.
Red Blooded One 22

8 October 2020 at 5:36 pm

https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/07-10-2020/judith-collins-walks-into-a-nightmare-on-ponsonby-road/

Well I've not heard of that particular Optometrist shop in Ponsonby before, but I know where I'm going for my long overdue eye test next time I make the 5 hour drive to Auckland.
Ffloyd 23

8 October 2020 at 8:04 pm

John Key. .. Yesterdays Man….. man.
froggleblocks 24

8 October 2020 at 9:22 pm

“a nasty, offensive and divisive self important fool of a man that should be avoided at all costs by any candidate.”

Wouldn't that also sum up Simon Lusk pretty well?

So why are you taking Simon's appraisal of Hamish as if it has any merit or value whatsoever?
- PsyclingLeft.Always 24.1
  
  9 October 2020 at 1:13 pm
  
  Well…could be it takes a slime (Lusk) to know another slime (Price) ?
  
  https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/19-10-2018/i-am-just-motivated-to-cut-throats-meet-jami-lee-rosss-political-mastermind/

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2 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
2 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
2 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
2 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
2 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
3 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
3 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
3 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
3 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
3 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
4 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
4 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
4 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
4 days ago

Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts
Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
4 days ago

Or is that just they want us to think?
Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
5 days ago

Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
Skeptical Science
5 days ago

Arguing over a moot point.
I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
5 days ago

No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
Bowalley Road
5 days ago

Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
6 days ago

Sad tales from the left
Michael Bassett writes – Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

In Whose Best Interests?
On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
6 days ago

Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

Small accomplishments and large ironies
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
6 days ago

Accelerating the Growth Rate?
There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
PunditBy Brian Easton
6 days ago

The only thing we have to fear is tenants themselves
1. Which of these acronyms describes the experience of travelling on a Cook Strait ferry?a. ROROb. FOMOc. RAROd. FMLAramoana, first boat ever boarded by More Than A Feilding, four weeks after the Wahine disaster2. What is the acronym for the experience of watching the government risking a $200 million break ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

Peters talks of NZ “renewing its connections with the world” – but who knew we had been discon...
Buzz from the Beehive The thrust of the country’s foreign affairs policy and its relationship with the United States have been addressed in four statements from the Beehive over the past 24 hours. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters somewhat curiously spoke of New Zealand “renewing its connections with a world ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Muldoonism, solar farms, and legitimacy
NewsHub had an article yesterday about progress on Aotearoa's largest solar farm, at "The Point" in the Mackenzie Country. 420MW, right next to a grid connection and transmission infrastructure, and next to dams - meaning it can work in tandem with them to maximise water storage. Its exactly the sort ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
1 day ago

Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunches
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals bill
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...
Greens
3 days ago

Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project instead
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priority
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful law
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
Greens
6 days ago

Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homes
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on media
The action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Landlord Government leaves little hope for renters
The Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Opportunity to build a more sustainable economy
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust past
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environment
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to Government
Tens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention Office
Labour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

CCC issues warning over further climate delay
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Luxon targets are lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt priorities
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Methane target review is dangerous duplication
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled students
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National must take mental health seriously
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwards
The Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cuts
New Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing plan
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do list
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this April
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 hours ago

Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
9 hours ago

Taupō takes pole position
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
10 hours ago

Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
12 hours ago

Government backing mussel spat project
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
12 hours ago

Government focused on getting people into work
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
15 hours ago

Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
16 hours ago

Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
20 hours ago

Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Inflation coming down, but more work to do
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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 Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

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 ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Roads of National Significance planning underway
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Navigating an unstable global environment
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Joint US and NZ declaration
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
The coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

Group plans work to improve safety of female MPs
New research shows harassment of elected officials - especially women - is on the rise. ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid vote
Ukraine's Prime Minister says his country desperately needs the US to approve long-stalled security assistance. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

Crown lawyers attempt to block Waitangi Tribunal summons to Minister for Children
The Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...
Radio NZ – political
7 hours ago

Luxon refuses to guarantee public consultation on AUKUS Pillar 2
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's "far too premature" to be confirming whether the public would be consulted on joining AUKUS Pillar 2. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating text
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Falls, fractures and self-harm: 4 charts on how kids’ injury risk changes over time and differs fo...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Choice and control: will NDIS reforms mean people with disability don’t get to decide who they liv...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground Picture Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Asbestos in playground mulch: how to avoid a repeat of this circular economy scandal
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Cloudy Designs/Shutterstock Right now, there’s a global race underway. The goal: bring back manufacturing and energy jobs as the energy transition speeds up. In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won't say if government will consult public on joining ...
Asked multiple times if the public will be consulted on joining the defence pact, Luxon repeatedly said that was yet to be worked through. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

Watch live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks in Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters on the third leg of his Southeast Asia trip, from Manila in the Philippines. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Māori lawyers call Shane Jones' Waitangi Tribunal comments 'inappropriate'
The Māori Law Society says his comments breach the principle of the separation of powers and the Cabinet Manual. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Abortions Increase 25% Since Law Change
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...
Scoop politics
11 hours ago

Over Half Of New Zealanders Feel That The Country Is In Decline And That Our Society Is Broken
Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...
Scoop politics
11 hours ago

Australia’s new defence strategy is big on ideas, but lacks one key ingredient: well-trained soldi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University There have been a lot of defence announcements recently about buying new equipment, building up Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, creating local jobs, new legislation to support AUKUS and even a new defence chief. In ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
11 hours ago

What does Steve Smith’s Stateside signing mean for cricket in the US – and Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney Steve Smith, one of this generation’s finest batters, has conquered much of the cricketing world during his career, and he now has set his sights on a new frontier: the United ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
11 hours ago

A love letter to Wellington: when i open the shop by romesh dissanayake, reviewed
Madeleine Ballard reviews the debut novel from romesh dissanayake. when I open the shop, the debut novel by Naarm-based Aotearoa writer romesh dissanayake (Sri Lankan, Koryo Saram), is a narrative of grief. Devendra loses his mother, opens a noodle shop on The Terrace, grieves, and emerges changed. But just as ...
The SpinoffBy Madeleine Ballard
11 hours ago

Minister Concedes Contractors Will Be Hired To Do Work Of Axed Ministry Of Education Staff
The PSA can’t believe that the Minister of Education is happy for her ministry to hire contractors at the same time it is dismissing 565 workers. ...
Scoop politics
11 hours ago

Attempt to bar diplomat from Myanmar military junta fails
Myanmar community members applied to the courts to bar the diplomat from attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ...
Radio NZ – political
12 hours ago

LGNZ Welcomes Govt Earthquake-prone Buildings Decision
LGNZ has advocated for this decision as part of a remit led by Manawatū District Council. ...
Scoop politics
12 hours ago

AUKUS Pillar 2 a 'fragrant, methane-wrapped bull***' – Bob Carr
The former Australian Foreign Minister has continued to warn New Zealand against joining the defence pact. ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

Enforceable undertaking issued to abc accounting services limited after continued non-compliance.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has accepted an enforceable undertaking agreement from ABC Accounting Services Limited (ABC) under section 81 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). ...
Scoop politics
13 hours ago

REVEALED: RNZ’s Hypocrisy Over Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Radio New Zealand (RNZ) spent $71,842.53 on Facebook advertising over the past 12 months, despite earlier this year coming out in support of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill , which would force the likes ...
Scoop politics
13 hours ago

Police rejected 'very good offer' – Mark Mitchell
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says the pay offer rejected by police was the best the government could put forward under difficult financial circumstances. ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

How can we have truth-telling without the Voice? Our research shows a way forward
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The Uluru Statement from the Heart set out the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for “Voice, Treaty, Truth”, in ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

NZ education scores must improve – but another polarising ideological pivot isn’t the answer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn E Wood, Associate Professor in Education, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images You don’t need to look hard right now to see concerns about Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system. Declining performance in international testing has been ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

An updated tally of the public sector job cuts
The coalition government has made it well known it expects departments to cut roles. We break down the numbers as they currently stand. Updated: 12pm, April 18 Before last year’s election, both National and Act made it clear that the public service was squarely in their crosshairs. Both parties, now ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
13 hours ago

Confessions of an unlikely petrolhead
Checkered Flag director Natalie Wilson on her lifelong love of motorsport, and the allure of Pukekohe Park Raceway. One childhood summer when my world revolved around winning stuff off the radio, I bagged tickets to Western Springs Speedway and then to Waikaraka Park in what was a dream season for ...
The SpinoffBy Natalie Wilson
13 hours ago

'Ambitious' trade pledge headlines Luxon's Thailand stop
The Prime has announced a commitment to triple two-way trade with Thailand by 2045, but it only requires maintaining current growth. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

‘The right person’: What did Solomon Islanders vote for?
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara After a relatively well organised and peaceful day of voting in Solomon Islands yesterday, the electoral commission is working with donor partners to safely transport ballot boxes from polling stations all over the country to centrally located counting venues. It is a ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
14 hours ago

What it’s like to be made redundant by the Ministry of Education
I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. It is a Friday. I’m in the middle of an online Teams hui working out the finer details of a series of workshops we’ll be presenting next week. It’s a ...
The SpinoffBy Anonymous
15 hours ago

What are ‘Ozempic babies’? Can the drug really increase your chance of pregnancy?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University Joshua Rodriguez/Unsplash Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Why the kookaburra’s iconic laugh is at risk of being silenced
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diana Kuchinke, Lecturer in Ecology, Federation University Australia Linda Robertus/Shutterstock Once, while teaching a class of environmental science students in China’s Hebei University of Science and Technology, I asked who knew what a laughing kookaburra was. There were many blank faces. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato smolaw11/Getty Images School truancy has been a concern across the political spectrum for years. But proposed solutions have largely failed to address the core reasons for unexplained school absences. Despite the apparent ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

‘Listening is the most important part’: 10 things students with disability and their families wa...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Cain, Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Arts Education, Australian Catholic University Agence Olloweb/Unsplash, CC BY About 90% of Australian students with disability attend mainstream schools. Equitable access and participation in education is a fundamental human right. But as last ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Will global oil supply be at risk if Iran and Israel pull the Middle East into war?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University Tensions in the Middle East have escalated following Iran’s weekend missile and drone attacks on Israel, heightening concerns of a wider conflict. As with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

No, getting your boyfriend to peel an orange won’t prove his loyalty. Why TikTok relationship ‘t...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University Shutterstock Have you ever wondered if your partner really loves you? Well apparently so have thousands of TikTok users, who are testing their theories for the world to see. In ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

New Zealand’s Annual Emissions Fell In 2022, For Third Successive Year
This is the third successive decrease year-on-year. New Zealand’s gross emissions for 2022 were 78.4 Mt CO2-e. ...
Scoop politics
16 hours ago

Oranga Tamariki job cuts: 'We can't establish what their endgame is'
Oranga Tamariki has failed to explain how hundreds of job cuts will achieve a better outcome for children, a children's advocate says. ...
Radio NZ – political
16 hours ago

Help Me Hera: My parents won’t help out with my kids
They pressured me to have children, and I had two. Now they won’t lift a finger. Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Hi Hera, I suspect it’s a familiar pattern. Back in the day, as a single gal, I was plagued with questions from my parents about when I would find ...
The SpinoffBy Hera Lindsay Bird
16 hours ago

Care Workers Call For Fairness On Pay Equity Anniversary
“The Government has an opportunity here to really correct the course for the care and support workforce, and the people they look after. This cannot be just another area left in the cold, we need real leadership to ensure the proper quality of care ...
Scoop politics
17 hours ago

First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Stewart, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University The western passage of the Umm Jirsan lava tube. Green Arabia Project If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Teachers worry about curriculum, NCEA changes amid staff cuts
More than 500 jobs are likely to be cut at the Education Ministry with concerns about how the curriculum and NCEA changes will now be managed. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

Government IT systems need a $800m overhaul
The government is facing a bill of more than $800 million to overhaul back-office IT systems, and attempts to lessen its impact have hit delays. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

Over 3,000 public service jobs now proposed to go
The Ministry of Education confirmed a proposal to reduce headcount by 565, while Oranga Tamariki’s proposal would result in a loss of 447 jobs, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Ministry of ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
17 hours ago

Kāinga Ora delays building projects ahead of review
Kāinga Ora is unable to say how many new KiwiBuild developments have been delayed as it waits for the outcome of the government's independent review of the state housing agency. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

Owners of earthquake prone buildings given four extra years to complete strengthening
A review into the regulations was also being brought forward. ...
Radio NZ – political
19 hours ago

Corrections Accepts Recommendations Following Auckland Prison Inspection
The Inspectorate made three overarching recommendations following the inspection, all of which have been accepted in full by Corrections. ...
Scoop politics
19 hours ago

Auckland’s dumped Commonwealth Games bid has lessons for Christchurch
The crippling cost and complexity of Christchurch’s Commonwealth Games ambitions have become clearer The post Auckland’s dumped Commonwealth Games bid has lessons for Christchurch appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy David Williams
20 hours ago

Oranga Tamariki services for at-risk children will get better after job cuts, minister says
"We need to make sure that every dollar we're spending is actually for the benefit of our young people," says Children's Minister Karen Chhour. ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

How the coalition plans to replace the quickly scrapped Māori Health Authority
The coalition government got rid of the Māori Health Authority in a hurry. What is it doing now instead? ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

How to tell if your child is well enough to go to school or is in fact sick
David Seymour announced new guidelines this week for sending your kids to school with symptoms. Emily Writes sums them up. Parents knee deep in snotty tissues and buckets of vomit were granted a much-welcome reprieve by associate education minister David Seymour on Wednesday with the announcement that he will advise ...
The SpinoffBy Emily Writes
20 hours ago

We’re asking the wrong questions about treaty settlements
When the Crown is the self-appointed ultimate authority over a process to deal with Crown misconduct, we run into big issues, writes Tina Ngata. “What’s it going to take for Ngā Puhi to settle” was the headliner statement on Q&A last weekend, as Ngā Puhi chair Mana Tahere was interviewed ...
The SpinoffBy Tina Ngata
20 hours ago

Book of the Week: Mothering in late-stage capitalism
I think a capitalist patriarchy that relies on monogamous heterosexuality and gender essentialism is the worst system to ensure the survival of our species. Just watch an episode of MAFS Australia. I don’t think there’s anything natural or normal about this system, instead I think it’s a construct kept in ...
NewsroomBy Pip Adam
20 hours ago

Luxon spreads his wings in Thailand
Luxon touched down in Thailand late on Tuesday night, before launching into a packed day of business breakfasts and bilateral meetings in the kingdom’s capital. The visit to Thailand comes after Luxon’s Singapore swing – somewhat of a love-in for the Kiwi Prime Minister, where he shmoozed high-net worth individuals, ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
20 hours ago

New Zealand’s crisis of confidence
Three in five New Zealanders say our country is in decline and our society is broken, exclusive new polling reveals The post New Zealand’s crisis of confidence appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
20 hours ago

Daily crossword, Thursday 18 April
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 18 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
20 hours ago

New Zealand broken and in decline, Kiwis say
A global wave of disillusionment and disenfranchisement has not spared New Zealand, with a majority of respondents to a survey here agreeing that New Zealand society is broken and the country is in decline. Ipsos New Zealand asked 1001 Kiwis about their hopes for the future and their views of ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
20 hours ago

Labour all at sea against Govt’s legislative blitzkrieg
Opinion: The embittered negativity of Labour’s prominent spokespeople is preventing political exploitation of rapid Government change The post Labour all at sea against Govt’s legislative blitzkrieg appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Peter Dunne
20 hours ago

Staff shortages key to Auckland Prison’s failure to uphold inmates’ rights
Opinion: At a time when government departments are shedding workers to fund budgetary cuts, the news that staff shortages have caused prisoners to be in solitary confinement for periods longer than eight months is frightening. This revelation is one of several in the Prison Inspectorate’s most recent report, published ...
NewsroomBy Christine McCarthy
20 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 18 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 18 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
20 hours ago

Police briefings show finances at ‘tipping point’
There is a forecast deficit of $120m only brought down to $56m through cost-cutting measures The post Police briefings show finances at ‘tipping point’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Emma Hatton
20 hours ago

Pharmac and the keys to the drug cupboard
Close to 3,500,000 prescriptions for paracetamol are written in New Zealand every year. It’s just one of the treatments funded by Pharmac, the drug agency that barters with pharmaceutical companies to get medicines for us at the lowest cost possible. Currently its yearly budget is about $1.5 billion, but apparently ...
NewsroomBy Davina Zimmer
20 hours ago

A montage of West Papuan everyday life from hip-hop to protest songs
I came to this evening of short films not sure what to expect. I have a history with West Papua (here referring to the Indonesian part of the island of New Guinea, which comprises five provinces, one named “West Papua”) from my days fronting the legendary West Papuan band Black ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
1 day ago

Ministry of Education plans to cut 565 roles
It makes the proposal the biggest single slash to a public service agency so far. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Oranga Tamariki proposes to cut more than 400 jobs
About 1900 roles would be affected overall - either changed or disestablished - in the "scope of restructuring work". ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Independent MP Dai Le on the church attack in her electorate
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra After the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in an Assyrian Orthodox Church in Wakeley on Monday, and the killings in Bondi Junction shopping centre just two days earlier, many people in Sydney and in ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Government issues guidelines for when sick children should be kept home from school
Covid-19? Symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or head lice? Your children should be at home, new government guidelines say. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Australia’s long-sought stronger environmental laws just got indefinitely deferred. It’s back to...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University We’ve long known Australia’s main environmental protection laws aren’t doing their job, and we know Australians want better laws. Labor was elected promising to fix them. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

AI is making smart devices – watches, speakers, doorbells – easier to hack. Here’s how to stay...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chao Chen, Deputy Director, Enterprise AI and Data Analytics Hub, RMIT Univeristy, RMIT University Ivan Bandura/Unsplash From asking our smart speakers for the weather to receiving personalised advice from smartwatches, devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly streamlining our routines ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Police Association members reject latest government pay offer
Police Association says members are looking for a sincere effort by the government to address the cost of living crisis and recognise the increasing dangers officers faced. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Global coral bleaching caused by global warming demands a global response
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Britta Schaffelke, Manager International Partnerships and Co-ordinator of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), Australian Institute of Marine Science Bleached coral at the Keppel Islands in the southern Great Barrier Reef in early March 2024. © AIMS | Eoghan Aston ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

The beginnings of modern science shaped how philosophers saw alien life – and how we understand it...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip C. Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland Wikipedia Speculation about extraterrestrials is not all that new. There was a vibrant debate in 17th-century Europe about the existence of life on other planets. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Families including someone with mental illness can experience deep despair. They need support
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Cole, Lead, Mental Health, Edith Cowan University In the aftermath of the tragic Bondi knife attack, Joel Cauchi’s parents have spoken about their son’s long history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17. They said they were ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

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