So what happened? Did trevor get a a whole bunch together and is drip feeding them for effect? Whether they were leaked or not, I think he got a whole bunch. I don’t care whether he did or not, except on the news tonight he implied that this was not the case, yet it doesn’t make sense for someone to give it to him bit by bit. I just hope that it doesn’t backfire on labour as I am feeling quite positive again about our future.
In the only election he contested as party leader, Bill English polled ~15% as preferred prime minister. One would have to be nuts to think he wants to go back to that, or desperate to find something else to talk about besides the whole Peters-Glenn-Labour scandal.
imcheezy. email kiwibank, send them some of the filthy material from Kiwiblog and ask if they want their brand associated with it.
still raining, I think he would be being drip-fed it. Like the secret taper has done, dripfeed to control the pacing and maximise the desired outcomes… if they were just handed over as a block there would have been a risk of Mallard dropping them as one bloack and the opportunity being lost, dripfeeding eliminates that risk.
Others. So, Williams knew in 2005 that he was asked whether giving money to NZF would be ok by Labour, so what? Do you think he tells the PM every conversation he has? Of course he doesn’t, she keeps seperate from donations.
And Clark knew Glenn was saying he gave a donation in 2008 after she asked Glenn that there was a conflcit of evidence.. so what? she always said there was a conflict of evidence.
piggy. English has said he wants to be leader again. He didn’t want to give up the leadership when he lost it, he wanted it back when Brash left, and he expects to get it back someday. Why do you think he’s stuck around in Parliament?
Actually Steve, English has publicly said he wouldn’t challenge Key, so are you suggesting he’s lying? That’s usually the preserve of Laabour ministers.
English isn’t an idiot and knows that Key is a better front man in getting a National Govt in place.
Your analysis, I think, is largely hogwash and is a distaction from the NZF/Glenn disgrace.
the list goes on but no matter what, all the rhetoric around the time of the EFA was clearly just a hollow sham and lies through gritted teeth for the purpose of tilting the playing field.
I have been waiting all year for some evidence to emerge supporting winston bjeikle-peterson’s version and for clark to show some backbone. It has never arrived. Now its september and it is still getting worse for Winston First and (borrowing d4j’s term) Liarbour.
Didn’t these dumb-arse pricks in parliament ever listen to their parents? You know, honesty is the best policy.
EWS: yes, because he could say anything other than that and retain his job.
It may come as a surprise to you that politicians (as with other people) sometimes say one thing and do another. In fact, One John Key did so, promising English his vote in a leadership battle, and then giving it to Brash. That’s the incident to which Steve refers.
Now, you have to admit that even if it’s fairly speculative, it has to be a possibility, right? It can’t be completely ruled out?
L
There’s no doubt Bill English would like to be PM (hey, who in politics wouldn’t?) – but the only door to that is at the end of a very successful six-to-nine year run as Government, during which he earns the nation’s trust and respect as deputy PM and finance minister. There’s zero chance he’d clobber his own hopes with this kind of infantile crap.
What’s more likely, a National shadow minister sabotaging their own chance of being a minister or the Labour party protecting their own ministerial benches?
Ummmmmmmmmmmm….
You guys can’t have it both ways:
– “National have a secret agenda!!!!!”
– “National also have a secret agenda to sabotage their secret agenda!!!!!!!!!!!”
“So what, nothing to see here, move on”. Typical Officer Barbrady comments you can expect from the left when confronted with their own hypocrisy.
You guys are saying you’re bored shitless by what has possibly been the one of the most explosive incidents in NZ politics in the last ten years but I would respectfully suggest you should be scared shitless as the proverbial is about to hit the fan.
Pathetic, the biggest breaking political story in years and the Standard have their heads in the stand
In case you are unaware SP Mr Glen has just been on TV3 saying Mike Williams spent 2 days on his boat a few weeks ago begging for more money and HC phoned 4 times during his visit – these is the same dispicable bunch that have been smearing him as a confused old man. Some nice headlines on stuff too http://www.stuff.co.nz/4686800a6160.html “Winston Peters asked me for money and I told Labour all about it, expat billionaire Owen Glenn told Parliament’s privileges committee this afternoon”
Pathetic, the biggest breaking political story in years and the Standard have their heads in the sand
In case you are unaware SP Mr Glen has just been on TV3 saying Mike Williams spent 2 days on his boat a few weeks ago begging for more money and HC phoned 4 times during his visit – this is the same dispicable bunch that have been smearing him as a confused old man. Some nice headlines on stuff too http://www.stuff.co.nz/4686800a6160.html “Winston Peters asked me for money and I told Labour all about it, expat billionaire Owen Glenn told Parliament’s privileges committee this afternoon”
anyhow, the holier than thou lot have clearly been ‘lying’ in the gutters.
For the few good things this govt has done imo they simply have to go because of the stench of lying, hypocrisy, corruption, nastiness, arrogance and simple dishonesty. Throughout their tenure.
Let the next lot in. To no doubt go and repeat all the same mistakes. What a sheer waste of our working lives having to support this crappola.
In the last week we’ve seen National’s environment, conservation, biofuels, and, now, research, science, and technology policies leaked from within National. The leakages have not just been to the Labour party but to TV3 as well. There’s your hard data. Now which seems more likely?
After Fairbrother and Cullen insulted Glen again (and the publics intelligence) it makes for a great press conference with OG tomorrow … Spring is in the air
in bed with the americans, I mean the english, I mean the monacoans..
secret trusts and undeclared donations..
secret deals between parties..
lack of transparency..
partisan questioning by the select committee..
the list goes on but no matter what, all the rhetoric around the time of the EFA was clearly just a hollow sham and lies through gritted teeth for the purpose of tilting the playing field.
I have been waiting all year for some evidence to emerge supporting winston bjeikle-peterson’s version and for clark to show some backbone. It has never arrived. Now its september and it is still getting worse for Winston First and Labour.
Didn’t these children in parliament ever listen to their parents? You know, honesty is the best policy.
And how is Williams soliciting donations in London and Europe.. I thought that means policy written by the americans, I mean the English, I mean the Monacans. Oh lord knows, better ask Mallard ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
They stink with the rotten odour of compulsive liars and hypocrites. Corrupted by power. Disgusting.
this thread is the biggest argument I have ever read for remedial reading for adults and comprehension tests for blog posting. just as well we are a long way from anyone else otherwise they would be pissing themselves.if these people are representative of the nats or act then the country is in big trouble.
randal – divert! divert! ha ha. sheesh its the way language is going so get with it man. This combined with your “Go Winnie” mantra lights you up. Go Winnie!
You may not have noticed Randal but the country is already in big trouble and most of the world already pisses themselves at NZ’s expense. I don’t though, I feel like crying I’m that ashamed of the behaviour of our government politicians but maybe a remedial reading course might take my mind off it, thanks for the suggestion. BTW try using some capitals at the start of your sentences.
D4J stop impersonating Owen Glenn the man’s taken enough crap from the parliamentarians – we should at least treat him with some respect after he’s fronted with money for the business school, the Millennium institute and has shown parliament up for the den of vipers it is.
It’s always amusing to see how incredibly interested the right is in what a bunch of people on a left-wing blog have to say. Good for the ratings though I guess…
I don’t though, I feel like crying I’m that ashamed of the behaviour of our government politicians…
Just out of interest, which nation’s politicians would you be proud of? No cheating, they have to be a current mob that haven’t had their hides polished by the passing of time and state funerals. The Brits? The Yanks? The Aussies? The french, the Italians, the Russians, or the Japanese?
Apart from the Aussies, (and only ’cause they haven’t had time) most current foreign govt’s get scandals that make our little parish pump gossip sessions laughable. We are talking about less than a million of our little dollars, no favours involved, crikey, no one even got their dick sucked.
Which is not to say I approve, or think it’s not bad or whatever, I’m not defending anything here, but get some perspective if you want to start slagging the country off because of it.
My captcha had one those fncking horrid American ‘z’ spellings. Bloody hegemonic bastards.
Tane – stop being a dork. Labour is in this mess up to its nostrils. But then you’re a Greenie aren’t you, so the whole left field is open top you. Open your eyes laddie, open your eyes….
[Tane: Na, I just find it amusing to see you running around the blogosphere demanding answers from The Standard. Bro, I’ll let you in on a secret, I’ve never met Owen Glenn. Bumped into Helen once at a trade union function, can’t say I recall ever meeting Winston. Explain to me why I or anyone else here should have to write apologies or condemnations of any of these people as and when you demand them. Someone will probably post on this in due course, until then you can discuss the issue in our comments section or go elsewhere. We’re an opinion site, not a news service.]
It’s interesting to watch you because you’re so distorted and believe your own propaganda and can’t see you’re own hypocrisy. It’s a fascinated little vignette on the grotesque tapestry of the last 9 years.
Seriously, for example, let’s all go back to last year before the EFA passed and see how you all took the moral high ground over big money etc etc. I mean how can anyone take you seriously now. How can anyone trust Clark or Cullen. John Key might be evasive and gaffe-prone but he’s not deceitful and untrustworthy when it comes to his commiments.
No one can trust Labour now. You’re joke. Michael Joseph Savage, Bill Rowling, Kirk and Lange would all be ashamed of you and of Clark.
Ashamed.
And yet you persist in this charade.
Fascinating.
[Tane: Spare me the purple prose. I’ve always said big money and anonymous donations have no place in politics, and I think every other author on this site has said that too. The Glenn saga simply adds weight to that view. So where’s the hypocrisy?]
Tane – I take an interest because the double standards so common to this govt (and most actually) seriously annoy me. And this whole scenario is the perfect example.
What really gets me about this situation is the allegations levelled at other parties about “big money” foreign money” “shady deals” “secret trusts” etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc during the EFA fiasco were being repeated in almost perfect copy by those making the allegations at the time they were making the allegations! It is just plain ugly. Ugly ugly ugly. They stink. They have no decency, they are beneath contempt. And I resent the way these creeps hold such a sway over people in their lawmaking while their lies and corruption and deceipt run hard alongside.
The laws the politicians make have a very heavy and direct effect on people’s lives. We have scum making laws to control us. They are not decent people – and this is backed up by Owen Glenn’s tv3 interview comment about his treatment by Clark and mallard etc at the business school opening. Simple indecent human behaviour.
Do you remember Marion Hobbes’ comment at the Select Committee with regard to dodgy partisan aspects of the EFA. She said ‘Sorry, “that’s our kaupapa”.
That’s fantastic. I will remember that for the rest of my political life as the perfect crystalisation or arrogance and ignorance.
Oh and also Owen Glenn’s comment about not wanting to be in the trenches with any of them (clark cullen mallard peters) because they would push you out first. Very very telling.
It just confirms so much about this govt’s participants.
Back on topic for a moment… I find it hard to believe that Bill English would be doing this. He shouldn’t want to destablise Key until after the election.
So, thestandard editor/moderator, is there going to be a blog on the Owen Glenn story?
Are you going to have the guts to do one – you know, to reassure the faithful folk that support Labour?
[Tane: EWS, I’d expect better research from you of all people. There is no editor or moderator on this site. People post on what they like and only as they have the time. We’re an opinion site, not a news service. Having said that, I imagine someone will write something at some stage, and it may or may not be nice to Labour or NZ First. Oh, and your constantly abusive tone is not welcome here. We do this because we enjoy it, not to be spend our evenings answering stupid questions from National Party activists.]
Draco, more sheer frustration and anger at human’s nature at times. You know, the old truism about power corrupting. It seems to have been proven again. Which should be anything but surprising.
So no need for a new system, more just tweaking around the edges to, over time, weed out the risks of this aspect of human nature being allowed to flourish in our system again. All systems the same when it comes to this core aspect of humanity.
Having now blamed it all on some generic human genome type problem, the individual people involved must still without doubt take responsibility for this type of breach of society’s standards. Especially given their position.
Can I put in a vote (in this completely non-voting space, but y’know what I mean) for a single post titled “Put Winston Peters, Owen Glenn and NZ First stuff here” so that I don’t have to read around it everywhere else?
And just some more 2c before I bung some corks in my ears to stop the steam wooshing out..
Clark had better not have the nerve to suggest this fiasco points to the need for the compulsory funding of political parties by the people. Death knell sounding if so.
Hey brett you retard – are you still shopping that house boy line around?
Super Hero – I see you’ve turned up to gloat after being too scared to comment here for ages. That’s the problem with you righties – you’re easily excited – it only ever leads to disappointment…
Oh and super hero – you are a true disappointment.
I want to write a comment about how National released two policies today because they think Labour’s got them, which relates to various conversations in comments today. But I can’t find the comments cos of the accretion of off topic slime.
So… I will start here I guess 🙂
National <a href=”http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2008/09/09/12437374e9c3″released Housing and Building and construction early, claiming they were forced to because they believe Labour has them.
So, my questions are:
1) If they were right, why didn’t Mallard release those instead of Research, Science and Tech?
2) National has clearly made a guess about what’s out there. If they’re right it was a good play, but if they are wrong and Labour releases something else they’ve blown their whole story about a single bundle being lost. They must be very sure. Does this mean they’ve found the leak?
“Tane: Spare me the purple prose. I’ve always said big money and anonymous donations have no place in politics, and I think every other author on this site has said that too. The Glenn saga simply adds weight to that view. So where’s the hypocrisy?”
Tane, with all due respect, I think it’s because everybody knows that if it was a National government defending Peters you’d be calling them out for what they were.
It’s also why people love to hate Bryce Edwards – he might be “left” but he’s prepared to be truthful when it comes to things like this.
There’s no point denying it. The puzzling thing is why you do.
“Clinging to power is all that motivates this dangerous and desperate government” comes to mind. It’s just a shame that you can’t admit that, just as it was true back then, so it is right now. Of course, you can hide behind the process involved with MMP and minority governments, but a flip flop is still a flip flop, no matter how people vote.
[Tane: Dean, it’s not a National Government defending Peters. It’s a Labour Government saying it’ll let the process run its course before making a decision. I think that’s fair enough, and I’m not going to defend Winston Peters, nor do I think Clark should. Don’t even start me on Bryce Edwards.]
3) Why didn’t National do it over the weekend? I assume that means they thought Labour only have Env and Conservation, but why would they think that if they genuinely believed that a single bundle was lost and they knew what was in it?
Vto. Bro I haven’t really followed it. The whole saga peaked far too early for me. Looks like Winston’s a crook, there’s some confusion about what Mike Williams knew or something. The rest I’m not really informed enough to talk about.
It’s also why people love to hate Bryce Edwards – he might be “left’ but he’s prepared to be truthful when it comes to things like this.
People hate Bryce because he is a dick. And a boring dick at that. Trust me – you don’t want to be cornered at a party by this guy…
edit: Brett – you wouldn’t know classy if it bit you on the arse. Because you are a moron. As for the peters “saga”? Just because you wish it doesn’t make it true. If it did you would be popular, handsome and rich…
Tane but its such a big deal, how can you not follow it, reflecting as it does on this govts main participants.
anyway, I’m off to bed with corks jammed in ears. and then off to the boondox for several daze to fill me belly with mullions of tiny whitebait fishes. yum
Just trying to get a feel for the sort of thing you would find unacceptable, because this doesn’t seem to do it for you.
Well speaking only for myself vto, here’s a few things I find unacceptable.
(1) Trying to rort an election by colluding with a third party campaign which breaches electoral finance law, then lying about it to the public. The public seem to agree, because Brash lost his job for this.
(2) Lying to the public about what you intend to do if you win the election, concealing your true hard right agenda behind a bland Labour-lite facade. The public seem to agree, considering the hit National has taken since the secret agenda tapes.
(3) Concealing the identity of donors to the party (who should by the intent of the law be publicly listed) behind shell trusts, and possibly selling out to these secret donors aspects of your policy (eg National’s policy relating to insurance, as per The Hollow Men). The public don’t seem to have woken up to that one in a big way yet, but one good thing to come out of this NZF mess is that now they just might…
But anyway, I haven’t seen such an orgiastic frenzy of right wing indignation here since the last time we had a good “who are The Standard” witch hunt. All very edifying I’m sure. I’m going to go take a walk in the fresh air, deliver some pamphlets. Tally ho.
far out you lot are coming across desperate. You wouldnt think you lot had such a big lead in the polls, unless you suspect something we dont?
but yeah I think the whole two factions thing is fairly plausable. Billy Boy English (east wellington super hero’s catholic idol, hey buddy, hows tracking down the rest of those kiddy fidlers going?) but who else, up to 6 people isnt it?
Then theres the opposing faction, “No Brash, No Cash” et al
ya ya mr sod. saw a very rare weird one once that was really black with frilly red rooster-type mane things around its head. the weirdo rare ones always stick out so will gently return to the h2o. later.
So the middle classes who dominate our parliament are not to be trusted in the trenches. Really?
And they can be (or even tend to be) slimy, smarmy and disloyal?
OMG how revelatory that you shouldn’t trust them as far as you can throw them. C’mon! Nobody from outside the middle class has ever thought otherwise.
This stramash is being propagated by ‘holier than thou’ middle class hypocrisy in the media and some delusional shite that our political masters are somehow honourable.
It’s all bollox.
The only question should be which party has the most preferred policies and which party is more liable to stick closer to their professed policies.
Helen Clark knew because she is the self-proclaimed Chief Political Strategist of the Labour Party. How would the Chief Political Strategist not know of a Chief Political Strategy?
To stick with off topic (sorry Anita!) what is it that Labour has done that is so bad? No one is even attempting to say what, just spewing rhetoric. All this “Stench of Corruption”, “Hypocricy” and so on.
I’ll tell you what has got me riled about it: Clark seemed to have a good idea (I’ll only say that it is not certain) that Glenn had donated to NZF, and possibly (but even more unclear) that Peters had asked. Actually, the latter I’m not sure about – maybe she knew about the donation, but not until her conversation with Glenn did she have any definite word – a conversation Glenn generously mentioned as “Private and Confidential”; as I have stated before, a good reason for Clark to have kept her peace.
So – Clark had evidence Peters was lying, none of it concrete, yet she did not call him on it. This was to avoid the present storm and keep the coalition together, and it seems to me she could have possibly acted to ensure Winston did not lie earlier. So that’s bad management, but Peters is not a Labour MP. I suppose she could have acted on her suspicions and sacked him, but I don’t know if that was a genuine option – this is because I can’t tell if she’d have had enough concrete evidence to have acted without risking getting it awfully wrong.
I guess that’s an open invitation for people to paint a different picture, but try and be specific, if you will indulge me.
Labour’s treatment of Glenn has also been a shocker. Not the ‘confused’ comment – I listened to the whole exchange and Cullen was merely saying that Glenn himself had presented conflicting accounts of what happened (stating there were different destinations for the dnation). But his questioning today of Glenn as to whether he was on the phone to Peters was a bridge too far – trying to discredit him in an adversarial fashion pissed me right off. Perhaps there’s something about the Privileges Committee process that makes that behaviour the norm but I don’t think so. Cullen sure got his back, though, but following on from a few other efforts to run distraction around the situation, I’m pretty disgusted.
That, though, is an issue for Labour. If they want to antagonise and alienate a donor, they will suffer the consequences – but again, it’s not a hanging offence. Frankly, they should have stayed away because the whole thing is an NZF problem and they should have stayed right out of it.
Thought I’d write this to spare Tane the inane inquisition – you guys from the right are blowing it up. It was one short story on the news tonight, equal in length to the leaks. Just because it riles you up, don’t expect the same from others, and don’t go about demanding comments from people here, or criticising a lack thereof. Makes you look like, well I won’t say what I think, but it’s pretty stupid behaviour.
If you don’t believe me, a look at stuff right now and it’s the second of four headlines. It’s a half-frontpage story on the Herald next to the All Blacks which isn’t big (especially from them), no mention on 3 until you get to the news page, and TVNZ leads with the leak story. Makes all you lot look like you need to pause for breath! No doubt it will lead the broadsheet, but have some perspective.
BTW none of them mention Labour at all, and even in the stories there is very limited content – three brief mentions all up. Honestly, outside of a few of you, it’s not likely to be that bad for Labour. What I put above is my understanding of it and I have followed what was going on with reasonable interest. I’m not impartial, but I’m not a nutty lynch-mob participant either. I may be wrong about the final impact, but I’m not saying that because of where my support lies – throughout it has been a media vs Winston issue and it will most likely remain as such.
So when is The Standard, the fine bastion of non partisan political discussion and comment going to be remarking on Owen Glenn’s latest admissions? The left love to chastise the National Party and the right at the slight whiff of a conspiracy, but when systematic corruption by the left is uncovered, The Standard stays silent. Charming.
Oh come off it Matthew. This whole debacle smacks of incompetence and hypocrisy considering how critical the left and Labour have typically been on this sort of behaviour on the right. Remember the Exclusive Brethren debacle? And you are trying to suggest that the Labour Party who according to Owen Glenn knew about the donations and up until recently were soliciting even more donations from Glenn are innocent? Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political funding hits those who fought the hardest for it, and not the National Party which it was ultimately intended to hit? You know as well as I do, if this was involving any party from the Right then this would be front page news with Helen Clark herself calling for John Key and Rodney Hide to resign and hand themselves in for a public flogging.
“[Tane: Dean, it’s not a National Government defending Peters. It’s a Labour Government saying it’ll let the process run its course before making a decision. I think that’s fair enough, and I’m not going to defend Winston Peters, nor do I think Clark should. Don’t even start me on Bryce Edwards.]”
Tane, don’t pretend if it was National in Labour’s place that you’d be insisting that due process was the correct course of action.
You know you wouldn’t. Come on, man. It’s ok to admit you’re biased. It’s not like anyone thinks youre going to agree with anything Fox news churns out, and it’s not likely you’re going to agree with pretty much anything Rodney Hide says.
You’re firmly in the left camp, and that’s cool – you admit and and do a really good job of debating against the right. It’s just ludicrous to pretend that you’d have the same opinion if it was National.
Jared you silly cock, your reply evidences exactly what Matt was talking about. Especially this:
Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political funding hits those who fought the hardest for it
Not as ironic as how something so complex as a computer has made it so simple for idiots to publicise garbage. Do you mean Labour? Precisely how are they in violation of the EFA here? I think perhaps you should go away until you have the vaguest clue of what you are talking about.
Do you mean this?:
Owen Glenn, acknowledged supporter and long time donor to the Labour party appears to have been asked for, and made, donations to the Labour party. SCANDAL!
Matt – thanks. You said what I’ve been meaning to write but couldn’t motivate myself to.
I think Labour has been fairly rude in their treatment of a major donor, and that’ll be bad for a) their wallets and b) their profiles, but that’s about it. I can’t say I’m impressed with Clarks conduct, but what else was she supposed to do? On the one hand she has the word of a major donor – on the other hand she has the very publicly and prominently stated word of the foreign minister who, despite being a slippery prick and probably going to get what’s coming to him (By the way Randal, do you realise that every time you say “go winnie” you sound like you’re a three year old cheering an A.A.Milne book?), has persuaded 130,000 NZ citizens (shudder) that he deserves to have “right honourable” in front of his name. In a clash of credibilities like that, with no definitive evidence either way, I think think there was little more she could do than what she did – namely wait for due process to clarify the conflict.
So when I actually think about it, all I can really find to say is that Labour should have been a fair bit more considerate of Glenn considering his past contributions, and Winston should (and probably will) go down in flames. Here’s hoping. Bye Winnie!
This bitching about “hypocrisy” is just pathetic. Oh my god the government is more critical of the oppositions conduct than of it’s own, quick, call batman! The government doesn’t need to be critical of it’s own conduct – that’s what the opposition party is for. To those clambering up on the hypocrisy pedestal – isn’t it equally hypocritical of National to be criticising Labour at this point? Answer: yes. So what?
Ok, I’m bored again. Basically when you cut away the crap floating around this whole issue comes back to Winston being crooked and incredibly brazen, which is yesterdays (well, yester1996’s) news to anyone with half a brain (I’m looking at those 130,000 of you as I say this). He should go down, Labour should apologize to Glenn and hope he keeps donating in the future (though I’m not sure if he still can as an overseas resident – or is he still NZ?), and people should go back to asking questions about issues that actually mean a damn outside the incredibly narrow circle of what qualifies as “the beltway” in NZ.
—
VTO – I find Winstons behaviour totally unacceptable. He is a liar and a sneak and I’d really love it if he’s done something sufficiently wrong to wind up in jail. That would make me put on my happy face.
The rest of them more or less retain my usual level of esteem for politicians, which is to say “generally very low”. I’ve disliked Mallard for a long time, and while I admire Cullen it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s been pretty rude – wouldn’t be the first time.
Personally I think if people are trying to decide, based on this event, who they want in parliament; once again their eyes should be drawn to the girl standing on the wharf. Vote Green, and get some more adults in the beehive.
It does involve a party from the right – NZ First. It doesn’t involve any party to the left except insofar as that one is in coalition with the party from the right that is involved.
Yes, it’s possible that the PM could have handled the whole affair better but I think you’ll find that out of date rules and conventions got in the way. You’ve got to remember that this is the first time that this type of conduct has come up in a MMP environment in NZ. Even though we’ve had MMP for 15 years we’re still getting used to the whole concept and we don’t have the experience yet to handle all situations. Hopefully this fiasco will result in better rules being implemented.
I meant NZ First you pillock. As per usual, jumping the gun and assuming I meant Labour. To put it further in perspective what you have is a case of Labour needing NZ First’s support and unwilling to risk their support by being overly critical. I never said nor implied that Labour had breached the EFA either. Morally and Ethically however, her and Labour’s actions have been a disaster. Soliciting even more donations?
Sweet of you to clarify that Jared, thanks. Sweet, and fairly overdue considering that at no point in your rant above did you mention NZ first – but did mention Labour twice. Both times critically. Including in the sentence immediately before the one where you make reference to “those who fought hardest” etc.
So actually you did, by association and omission of clarification, imply that Labour had been “hit the hardest” by the EFA. Quite falsely.
As per usual twisting the facts and crying like a wittle bubby when the foul is called.
Morally and Ethically however, her and Labour’s actions have been a disaster. Soliciting even more donations?
Soliciting donations – Oh noes!!!! I don’t know what you think “soliciting donations” means, because you obviously don’t think it means “asking for money” (which is all it does mean) because if you knew that you’d acknowledge that it is legal, ethical, moral, and completely commonplace amongst political parties. Did you think it all came from cakestalls?
You should probably write to Greenpeace, Amnesty International, CCF, Red Cross, World Vision, WWF etc and tell them they’re all immoral and unethical.
I think it is fairly obvious to anyone who even reads the back page of the newspaper that NZ First was the only party implicated in EFA breaches in this instance, so implying that what I said suggested Labour had fallen foul of the EFA is plain ludicrous, and to be honest, a straw mans argument.
Considering the current circumstances surrounding Owen Glenn’s political donations, Labour and Helen’s goal of forming a campaign based on honesty and trust, to seek donations in that manner, and in the current light is yes, I believe, immoral and unethical. In the same respect that if National was to solicit the Exclusive Brethren for donations after the fall out. Also, isn’t the aim of the EFA and Labour’s to improve transparency of political donations to prevent any unfair advantages?
The EFA, heralded as the ultimate weapon against anonymous big money influence in our elections by Labour and it’s supporters and which has since been criticised by the Electoral Commission as having a “chilling effect” on public participation, contained specific provisions designed NOT to exclude big money donor Owen Glenn who without doubt fits Cullen’s description of a “rich prick”.
Looks like they needn’t have gone to the effort as I doubt he’ll be contributing much now so good luck with tapping into the grass roots support base for your fund raising this election. I’m sure the grafters will see Labour as a party of transparency and integrity and dig deep.
This whole debacle smacks of incompetence and hypocrisy considering how critical the left and Labour have typically been on this sort of behaviour on the right. Remember the Exclusive Brethren debacle? And you are trying to suggest that the Labour Party who according to Owen Glenn knew about the donations and up until recently were soliciting even more donations from Glenn are innocent? Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political funding hits those who fought the hardest for it…
Don’t blame me for your lousy phrasing, I’m not the one who wrote it. If you think my selective highlight above misrepresents what you wrote then please, elaborate, and explain how you pointed to NZ First and are not trying to smear labour by association.
OH! Now I see it!
This whole debacle smacks of incompeteNce and hypocriSy considering how critical the lEft and Labour have typically bEen on this sort of behaviour on the right. Remember the Exclusive Brethren debacle? And you are trying to suggest that the Labour Party who according to Owen Glenn knew about the donations and up until recently were soliciting even more donations from Glenn are innocent? Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political Funding hits those who fought the hardest for it, and not the National Party which it was ultimately intended to hit?
Sorry man, missed it the first time through, my bad. That’s what happens when you spell Z phonetically.
—
It’s not unethical at all you munter, he’s an acknowledged major donor. You clearly fall into the previously mentioned category of people who don’t understand the difference between undisclosed secret donations (by special interest groups with a barrow to push) and openly disclosed donations.
“Also, isn’t the aim of the EFA and Labour’s to improve transparency of political donations to prevent any unfair advantages?” – Yes, which is why they would have had to disclose any donation they have or do get from Glenn, and why the subterfuge you’re protesting is a load of crap. You wanted Labour to announce they were trying to get donations from Glenn? Yeah, that’s newsworthy…
“big money donor Owen Glenn who without doubt fits Cullen’s description of a “rich prick'”
No, actually, he doesn’t. You see, you can tell “rich pricks”. Find a group of rich people, and look for the pricks. They’re the “rich pricks”. Other’s in the group are just rich.
Pricks can be characterised by many things, among them a sentiment that cynical attacks on a nations currency leading to economic collapse and suffering are a perfectly reasonable way to make money because hey – it’s a market.
You can also tell rich pricks apart from rich people because pricks tend to appear to have no friends. This is an illusion created by the fact that no one actually likes them.
So, the collapse of the economy is all the fault of John Key and his trading mates, and nothing to do with the economic shambles left behinsd by our last true left wing PM, Sir Robert?
Your fantasy world must be a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.
It just doesn’t make sense that Bill English is planning to roll John Key when they have the best chance at forming a government since 1993.
And if Trevor has access to all of National’s really dirty secrets, how come he isn’t releasing all of that sectret agenda stuff you guys talk about all the time. Could it be because there isn’t a secret agenda? Nah, that’s probably not it.
I just don’t know what the world is coming to, I really don’t.
And if Trevor has access to all of National’s really dirty secrets
No one says he does. Trevor has access to whatever the Nat leaker drops on his desk.
how come he isn’t releasing all of that sectret agenda stuff you guys talk about all the time. Could it be because there isn’t a secret agenda?
The secret agenda won’t be written down Billy. It will be known to most, and told to the party faithful at their gatherings, to help them swallow the Labour lite facade that National needs to adopt to make themselves (deceitfully) electable.
Phil – our economy has not collapsed. Go and look out the window. See people going to work, and getting paid, and having relatively easy access to credit, and not starving, and having functional state services (police, health, welfare, education) etc? That’s how you can tell.
Compare it to… ohhh… say Thailand in the late 90’s.
T-rex – thanks for jumping in. I should know better than to write something like that before going to bed. Given our history of writing the same thing at the same time, it’s fortunate you didn’t bash out a marathon post saying the same thing as mine!
Still, I was genuinely interested in hearing what Labour had done wrong, specifically, as opposed to “you were against secret trusts and now you are vaguely associated with one somehow, though I will neglect to specify how” sort of comments.
Labour has properly decleared their donations, so there’s nothing wrong with them trying to get further donations – apart from the fact that they’ve bagged the man they’re asking for money from – but that’s labour’s problem, not anyone else’s. Well apart from Glenn, unfortunately.
T-Rex – Point taken – he gives money away. I question so-called charity from these rich guys when they’ve made that money by treating their workers badly – I would love to see the Warehouse provide better conditions of employment. Of course, unlike a charity that isn’t tax deductible…
As for the Owen Glenn situation – it’s actually nice to have a site without his face all over it.
Billy I tend to agree about English. Why would he be doing this before the election? If he wants to roll Key for the job he’s got to get him into the job first, surely?
Just doesn’t add up. Then again I’ve never been much of a chess player.
p.s. this thread must be what whaleoils’s blog would look like if anyone went there.
mike: these people have jobs. They’re not paid bloggers, and they post on what interests them. I guess when HC fires Peters they will find the political implications interesting and will blog about it. Until then, please, hold your breath.
“..And still no post on the Peters/Clark/Glen fiasco. What a joke”
That is not news! And certainly not of interest to the broader labour movement. National’s difficulties with their policy release are of primary interest, but that stuff about coalition partner and Foreign Affairs minister Winston and electoral funding and possible/probable lies in parliament and to the privileges committee are just a media beat-up!
Would be interesting to see Steve do a post on, “What is more likely” relating to the Owen Glenn testimony vs the Fairbrother/Cullen hypothesis of Wayne Peters having Winston’s phone and impersonating him.
[Insert Lyn comments about Standard contributors posting about what they want, when thy want…etc etc etc]
Hey J Mex, you could go and help Mike start his blog, and you two funsters could post whatever you want whenever you want. Knock yourselves out. Please.
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
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. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 - ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
I’ve never been in a caucus of MPs, but don’t you usually gather in papers like that at the end, to avoid accidents?
Any guesses on what the fourth policy is?
What is more likely? That Helen Clark had no idea that Mike Williams gave Owen Glenn the green light to give Winston his hundred grand bribe
Or: Helen orchestrated the the whole sordid affair and is now desperately trying to distance herself from her obvious corruption.
“Any guesses on what the fourth policy is?”
Keeping Owen Glenn quiet?
Smearing Owen Glenn and pretending the Cash-for-Honours saga doesn’t exist?
Keeping the stench of corruption from Helen and Mike Williams overpowering the rotting corpse of Winston First?
So many questions indeed…
Or: neither.
False dichotomies are easy, but the world usually isn’t that simple.
Above goes for both the post and kisekiman’s comment above.
L
Erm, the second one!
By the way, is it just me or there a lovely big green banner-ad for Kiwibank over at Farrar’s at the moment?
It’s our’s, you know!
So what happened? Did trevor get a a whole bunch together and is drip feeding them for effect? Whether they were leaked or not, I think he got a whole bunch. I don’t care whether he did or not, except on the news tonight he implied that this was not the case, yet it doesn’t make sense for someone to give it to him bit by bit. I just hope that it doesn’t backfire on labour as I am feeling quite positive again about our future.
[lprent: Bye dad]
So how does the great helmswoman and supermanager credibly claim she knew nothing about the NZF and Owen Glenn.
You guys are stuffed.
Goodnight nurse.
In the only election he contested as party leader, Bill English polled ~15% as preferred prime minister. One would have to be nuts to think he wants to go back to that, or desperate to find something else to talk about besides the whole Peters-Glenn-Labour scandal.
imcheezy. email kiwibank, send them some of the filthy material from Kiwiblog and ask if they want their brand associated with it.
still raining, I think he would be being drip-fed it. Like the secret taper has done, dripfeed to control the pacing and maximise the desired outcomes… if they were just handed over as a block there would have been a risk of Mallard dropping them as one bloack and the opportunity being lost, dripfeeding eliminates that risk.
Others. So, Williams knew in 2005 that he was asked whether giving money to NZF would be ok by Labour, so what? Do you think he tells the PM every conversation he has? Of course he doesn’t, she keeps seperate from donations.
And Clark knew Glenn was saying he gave a donation in 2008 after she asked Glenn that there was a conflcit of evidence.. so what? she always said there was a conflict of evidence.
piggy. English has said he wants to be leader again. He didn’t want to give up the leadership when he lost it, he wanted it back when Brash left, and he expects to get it back someday. Why do you think he’s stuck around in Parliament?
Oh Dear, Owen Glenn on Campbell and he isn’t happy…
Mike Williams on Owen’s boat in the South of France asking for more money, Helen calling four times in a day to Mike Williams on his yacht…
So back to the question:
“Which seems more likely?’
Actually Steve, English has publicly said he wouldn’t challenge Key, so are you suggesting he’s lying? That’s usually the preserve of Laabour ministers.
English isn’t an idiot and knows that Key is a better front man in getting a National Govt in place.
Your analysis, I think, is largely hogwash and is a distaction from the NZF/Glenn disgrace.
eshilly jk declared owen glenn to be ‘in compos mentis’. what sort of latin is that?
big money influence..
secret trusts and undeclared donations..
secret deals between parties..
lack of transparency..
partisan questioning by the select committee..
the list goes on but no matter what, all the rhetoric around the time of the EFA was clearly just a hollow sham and lies through gritted teeth for the purpose of tilting the playing field.
I have been waiting all year for some evidence to emerge supporting winston bjeikle-peterson’s version and for clark to show some backbone. It has never arrived. Now its september and it is still getting worse for Winston First and (borrowing d4j’s term) Liarbour.
Didn’t these dumb-arse pricks in parliament ever listen to their parents? You know, honesty is the best policy.
EWS: yes, because he could say anything other than that and retain his job.
It may come as a surprise to you that politicians (as with other people) sometimes say one thing and do another. In fact, One John Key did so, promising English his vote in a leadership battle, and then giving it to Brash. That’s the incident to which Steve refers.
Now, you have to admit that even if it’s fairly speculative, it has to be a possibility, right? It can’t be completely ruled out?
L
…Anyway you are just paid pawns writing what you are told to write, doing your job as they say, so you have to deny the truth.
[Tane: And that’s Johnty banned for life, following his warning earlier today. None of us are paid to write here or directed to do so by anyone.]
There’s no doubt Bill English would like to be PM (hey, who in politics wouldn’t?) – but the only door to that is at the end of a very successful six-to-nine year run as Government, during which he earns the nation’s trust and respect as deputy PM and finance minister. There’s zero chance he’d clobber his own hopes with this kind of infantile crap.
What’s more likely, a National shadow minister sabotaging their own chance of being a minister or the Labour party protecting their own ministerial benches?
Ummmmmmmmmmmm….
You guys can’t have it both ways:
– “National have a secret agenda!!!!!”
– “National also have a secret agenda to sabotage their secret agenda!!!!!!!!!!!”
“So what, nothing to see here, move on”. Typical Officer Barbrady comments you can expect from the left when confronted with their own hypocrisy.
You guys are saying you’re bored shitless by what has possibly been the one of the most explosive incidents in NZ politics in the last ten years but I would respectfully suggest you should be scared shitless as the proverbial is about to hit the fan.
See ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya.
Pathetic, the biggest breaking political story in years and the Standard have their heads in the stand
In case you are unaware SP Mr Glen has just been on TV3 saying Mike Williams spent 2 days on his boat a few weeks ago begging for more money and HC phoned 4 times during his visit – these is the same dispicable bunch that have been smearing him as a confused old man. Some nice headlines on stuff too http://www.stuff.co.nz/4686800a6160.html “Winston Peters asked me for money and I told Labour all about it, expat billionaire Owen Glenn told Parliament’s privileges committee this afternoon”
Pathetic, the biggest breaking political story in years and the Standard have their heads in the sand
In case you are unaware SP Mr Glen has just been on TV3 saying Mike Williams spent 2 days on his boat a few weeks ago begging for more money and HC phoned 4 times during his visit – this is the same dispicable bunch that have been smearing him as a confused old man. Some nice headlines on stuff too http://www.stuff.co.nz/4686800a6160.html “Winston Peters asked me for money and I told Labour all about it, expat billionaire Owen Glenn told Parliament’s privileges committee this afternoon”
[Banned]
wheres the mention of the peters saga, and williams going cap in hand to owen on his boat.
Hahahaahah
Show us some evidence to support your theory, because thats all it is at the moment, you need actual hard data to back it up.
and what theory would that be?
stuck in moderation. bah.
anyhow, the holier than thou lot have clearly been ‘lying’ in the gutters.
For the few good things this govt has done imo they simply have to go because of the stench of lying, hypocrisy, corruption, nastiness, arrogance and simple dishonesty. Throughout their tenure.
Let the next lot in. To no doubt go and repeat all the same mistakes. What a sheer waste of our working lives having to support this crappola.
garth mcvicor:
See the topic of this post.
Brett Dale:
In the last week we’ve seen National’s environment, conservation, biofuels, and, now, research, science, and technology policies leaked from within National. The leakages have not just been to the Labour party but to TV3 as well. There’s your hard data. Now which seems more likely?
After Fairbrother and Cullen insulted Glen again (and the publics intelligence) it makes for a great press conference with OG tomorrow … Spring is in the air
big money influence..
in bed with the americans, I mean the english, I mean the monacoans..
secret trusts and undeclared donations..
secret deals between parties..
lack of transparency..
partisan questioning by the select committee..
the list goes on but no matter what, all the rhetoric around the time of the EFA was clearly just a hollow sham and lies through gritted teeth for the purpose of tilting the playing field.
I have been waiting all year for some evidence to emerge supporting winston bjeikle-peterson’s version and for clark to show some backbone. It has never arrived. Now its september and it is still getting worse for Winston First and Labour.
Didn’t these children in parliament ever listen to their parents? You know, honesty is the best policy.
And how is Williams soliciting donations in London and Europe.. I thought that means policy written by the americans, I mean the English, I mean the Monacans. Oh lord knows, better ask Mallard ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
They stink with the rotten odour of compulsive liars and hypocrites. Corrupted by power. Disgusting.
[lprent: Bye dad]
Is it just me or does anyone else find it sad (and ironic) that “Who wants to be a Millionaire NZ” has to be filmed in Aussie with expat kiwi’s?
Oh well at least a swag will be coming home sooner after todays developments..
this thread is the biggest argument I have ever read for remedial reading for adults and comprehension tests for blog posting. just as well we are a long way from anyone else otherwise they would be pissing themselves.if these people are representative of the nats or act then the country is in big trouble.
randal – divert! divert! ha ha. sheesh its the way language is going so get with it man. This combined with your “Go Winnie” mantra lights you up. Go Winnie!
See ya Owen, bring your boat next time.
You may not have noticed Randal but the country is already in big trouble and most of the world already pisses themselves at NZ’s expense. I don’t though, I feel like crying I’m that ashamed of the behaviour of our government politicians but maybe a remedial reading course might take my mind off it, thanks for the suggestion. BTW try using some capitals at the start of your sentences.
Best comment of the day definitely goes to Owen Glenn
…Mr Glenn became frustrated about continual questions on whether he sure if it was Mr Peters he spoke to about the donation, he recognised his voice.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen asked whether the person talked like Mr Peters usually did.
Mr Glenn repeated that he was very sure.
“I knew it wasn’t you Dr Cullen…you already had your $500,000.”
D4J stop impersonating Owen Glenn the man’s taken enough crap from the parliamentarians – we should at least treat him with some respect after he’s fronted with money for the business school, the Millennium institute and has shown parliament up for the den of vipers it is.
Owen is having a press conference tommorrow too.
Better get the Bollinger on ice.
Will he confirm that Clark/Williams asked him to buy the Maori Party with $250,000 to go with Labour and buy the election?
Or is Tariana saving that until the end, to put the knife into Helen herself?
Guys we shouldnt be talking about Owen Glenn talking to the select committee, even though like every news network is leading with it.
Its just not news! How do I know this? The Standard havent done a post about it yet, therefore it isnt even worth talking about
It’s always amusing to see how incredibly interested the right is in what a bunch of people on a left-wing blog have to say. Good for the ratings though I guess…
kisekiman
Just out of interest, which nation’s politicians would you be proud of? No cheating, they have to be a current mob that haven’t had their hides polished by the passing of time and state funerals. The Brits? The Yanks? The Aussies? The french, the Italians, the Russians, or the Japanese?
Apart from the Aussies, (and only ’cause they haven’t had time) most current foreign govt’s get scandals that make our little parish pump gossip sessions laughable. We are talking about less than a million of our little dollars, no favours involved, crikey, no one even got their dick sucked.
Which is not to say I approve, or think it’s not bad or whatever, I’m not defending anything here, but get some perspective if you want to start slagging the country off because of it.
My captcha had one those fncking horrid American ‘z’ spellings. Bloody hegemonic bastards.
Tane – stop being a dork. Labour is in this mess up to its nostrils. But then you’re a Greenie aren’t you, so the whole left field is open top you. Open your eyes laddie, open your eyes….
[Tane: Na, I just find it amusing to see you running around the blogosphere demanding answers from The Standard. Bro, I’ll let you in on a secret, I’ve never met Owen Glenn. Bumped into Helen once at a trade union function, can’t say I recall ever meeting Winston. Explain to me why I or anyone else here should have to write apologies or condemnations of any of these people as and when you demand them. Someone will probably post on this in due course, until then you can discuss the issue in our comments section or go elsewhere. We’re an opinion site, not a news service.]
It’s interesting to watch you because you’re so distorted and believe your own propaganda and can’t see you’re own hypocrisy. It’s a fascinated little vignette on the grotesque tapestry of the last 9 years.
Seriously, for example, let’s all go back to last year before the EFA passed and see how you all took the moral high ground over big money etc etc. I mean how can anyone take you seriously now. How can anyone trust Clark or Cullen. John Key might be evasive and gaffe-prone but he’s not deceitful and untrustworthy when it comes to his commiments.
No one can trust Labour now. You’re joke. Michael Joseph Savage, Bill Rowling, Kirk and Lange would all be ashamed of you and of Clark.
Ashamed.
And yet you persist in this charade.
Fascinating.
[Tane: Spare me the purple prose. I’ve always said big money and anonymous donations have no place in politics, and I think every other author on this site has said that too. The Glenn saga simply adds weight to that view. So where’s the hypocrisy?]
Blah blah blah
Tane – I take an interest because the double standards so common to this govt (and most actually) seriously annoy me. And this whole scenario is the perfect example.
What really gets me about this situation is the allegations levelled at other parties about “big money” foreign money” “shady deals” “secret trusts” etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc during the EFA fiasco were being repeated in almost perfect copy by those making the allegations at the time they were making the allegations! It is just plain ugly. Ugly ugly ugly. They stink. They have no decency, they are beneath contempt. And I resent the way these creeps hold such a sway over people in their lawmaking while their lies and corruption and deceipt run hard alongside.
The laws the politicians make have a very heavy and direct effect on people’s lives. We have scum making laws to control us. They are not decent people – and this is backed up by Owen Glenn’s tv3 interview comment about his treatment by Clark and mallard etc at the business school opening. Simple indecent human behaviour.
vto,
Do you remember Marion Hobbes’ comment at the Select Committee with regard to dodgy partisan aspects of the EFA. She said ‘Sorry, “that’s our kaupapa”.
That’s fantastic. I will remember that for the rest of my political life as the perfect crystalisation or arrogance and ignorance.
Oh and also Owen Glenn’s comment about not wanting to be in the trenches with any of them (clark cullen mallard peters) because they would push you out first. Very very telling.
It just confirms so much about this govt’s participants.
“John Key might be evasive and gaffe-prone but he’s not deceitful and untrustworthy when it comes to his commiments.”
evasive = deceitful and untrustworthy – therefore John Key is deceitful and untrustworthy.
Yes Key is gaffe-prone – an incompetent politician. Clark on the other hand has a long record of being a supremely competent politician.
So, what you’re saying here, vto, is that we need a new political system because the Liberal Democrat model that we’re using is massively corrupt?
“Clark on the other hand has a long record of being a supremely competent politician.”
If she had not mislead the public for most of this year and come clean she may well have been remembered that way.
Back on topic for a moment… I find it hard to believe that Bill English would be doing this. He shouldn’t want to destablise Key until after the election.
So, thestandard editor/moderator, is there going to be a blog on the Owen Glenn story?
Are you going to have the guts to do one – you know, to reassure the faithful folk that support Labour?
[Tane: EWS, I’d expect better research from you of all people. There is no editor or moderator on this site. People post on what they like and only as they have the time. We’re an opinion site, not a news service. Having said that, I imagine someone will write something at some stage, and it may or may not be nice to Labour or NZ First. Oh, and your constantly abusive tone is not welcome here. We do this because we enjoy it, not to be spend our evenings answering stupid questions from National Party activists.]
Draco, more sheer frustration and anger at human’s nature at times. You know, the old truism about power corrupting. It seems to have been proven again. Which should be anything but surprising.
So no need for a new system, more just tweaking around the edges to, over time, weed out the risks of this aspect of human nature being allowed to flourish in our system again. All systems the same when it comes to this core aspect of humanity.
Having now blamed it all on some generic human genome type problem, the individual people involved must still without doubt take responsibility for this type of breach of society’s standards. Especially given their position.
Can I put in a vote (in this completely non-voting space, but y’know what I mean) for a single post titled “Put Winston Peters, Owen Glenn and NZ First stuff here” so that I don’t have to read around it everywhere else?
Yeah I know, that’s not the point but… 🙂
And just some more 2c before I bung some corks in my ears to stop the steam wooshing out..
Clark had better not have the nerve to suggest this fiasco points to the need for the compulsory funding of political parties by the people. Death knell sounding if so.
Tane:
Its always interesting and funny to see what the left are up too?
Anita, there’s no point. Just let them get it out of their system.
Hey brett you retard – are you still shopping that house boy line around?
Super Hero – I see you’ve turned up to gloat after being too scared to comment here for ages. That’s the problem with you righties – you’re easily excited – it only ever leads to disappointment…
Oh and super hero – you are a true disappointment.
Mr Glenn gonged the witch smack in the head!
Tane, the whole thing doesn’t seem to concern you at all? Jaded? Cynical? Commonplace?
Just trying to get a feel for the sort of thing you would find unacceptable, because this doesn’t seem to do it for you.
vto –
“this fiasco points to the need for the compulsory funding of political parties by the people.”
She hinted at that last week – i thought she would go further with it. You might be best served to keep those corks in your ears.
Tane,
I know, but I want a filter 🙂
I want to write a comment about how National released two policies today because they think Labour’s got them, which relates to various conversations in comments today. But I can’t find the comments cos of the accretion of off topic slime.
So… I will start here I guess 🙂
National <a href=”http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2008/09/09/12437374e9c3″released Housing and Building and construction early, claiming they were forced to because they believe Labour has them.
So, my questions are:
1) If they were right, why didn’t Mallard release those instead of Research, Science and Tech?
2) National has clearly made a guess about what’s out there. If they’re right it was a good play, but if they are wrong and Labour releases something else they’ve blown their whole story about a single bundle being lost. They must be very sure. Does this mean they’ve found the leak?
“Tane: Spare me the purple prose. I’ve always said big money and anonymous donations have no place in politics, and I think every other author on this site has said that too. The Glenn saga simply adds weight to that view. So where’s the hypocrisy?”
Tane, with all due respect, I think it’s because everybody knows that if it was a National government defending Peters you’d be calling them out for what they were.
It’s also why people love to hate Bryce Edwards – he might be “left” but he’s prepared to be truthful when it comes to things like this.
There’s no point denying it. The puzzling thing is why you do.
“Clinging to power is all that motivates this dangerous and desperate government” comes to mind. It’s just a shame that you can’t admit that, just as it was true back then, so it is right now. Of course, you can hide behind the process involved with MMP and minority governments, but a flip flop is still a flip flop, no matter how people vote.
[Tane: Dean, it’s not a National Government defending Peters. It’s a Labour Government saying it’ll let the process run its course before making a decision. I think that’s fair enough, and I’m not going to defend Winston Peters, nor do I think Clark should. Don’t even start me on Bryce Edwards.]
3) Why didn’t National do it over the weekend? I assume that means they thought Labour only have Env and Conservation, but why would they think that if they genuinely believed that a single bundle was lost and they knew what was in it?
lprent,
Any chance of preview until edit comes back?
[lprent: I’ll try to find some time… ]
Vto. Bro I haven’t really followed it. The whole saga peaked far too early for me. Looks like Winston’s a crook, there’s some confusion about what Mike Williams knew or something. The rest I’m not really informed enough to talk about.
Robinsod:
Name calling, classy, although thats slightly better than Tane’s lame attempt to brush off the Peter’s saga has a non story.
It’s also why people love to hate Bryce Edwards – he might be “left’ but he’s prepared to be truthful when it comes to things like this.
People hate Bryce because he is a dick. And a boring dick at that. Trust me – you don’t want to be cornered at a party by this guy…
edit: Brett – you wouldn’t know classy if it bit you on the arse. Because you are a moron. As for the peters “saga”? Just because you wish it doesn’t make it true. If it did you would be popular, handsome and rich…
Tane but its such a big deal, how can you not follow it, reflecting as it does on this govts main participants.
anyway, I’m off to bed with corks jammed in ears. and then off to the boondox for several daze to fill me belly with mullions of tiny whitebait fishes. yum
Yo – vto! – Good stuff bro but make sure you put the golden ones back – they’re too rare to be scoffing in a fritter…
Just trying to get a feel for the sort of thing you would find unacceptable, because this doesn’t seem to do it for you.
Well speaking only for myself vto, here’s a few things I find unacceptable.
(1) Trying to rort an election by colluding with a third party campaign which breaches electoral finance law, then lying about it to the public. The public seem to agree, because Brash lost his job for this.
(2) Lying to the public about what you intend to do if you win the election, concealing your true hard right agenda behind a bland Labour-lite facade. The public seem to agree, considering the hit National has taken since the secret agenda tapes.
(3) Concealing the identity of donors to the party (who should by the intent of the law be publicly listed) behind shell trusts, and possibly selling out to these secret donors aspects of your policy (eg National’s policy relating to insurance, as per The Hollow Men). The public don’t seem to have woken up to that one in a big way yet, but one good thing to come out of this NZF mess is that now they just might…
But anyway, I haven’t seen such an orgiastic frenzy of right wing indignation here since the last time we had a good “who are The Standard” witch hunt. All very edifying I’m sure. I’m going to go take a walk in the fresh air, deliver some pamphlets. Tally ho.
far out you lot are coming across desperate. You wouldnt think you lot had such a big lead in the polls, unless you suspect something we dont?
but yeah I think the whole two factions thing is fairly plausable. Billy Boy English (east wellington super hero’s catholic idol, hey buddy, hows tracking down the rest of those kiddy fidlers going?) but who else, up to 6 people isnt it?
Then theres the opposing faction, “No Brash, No Cash” et al
interesting times!
ya ya mr sod. saw a very rare weird one once that was really black with frilly red rooster-type mane things around its head. the weirdo rare ones always stick out so will gently return to the h2o. later.
+staying on topic…is it an implant or is it a rug…which is more likely?
So the middle classes who dominate our parliament are not to be trusted in the trenches. Really?
And they can be (or even tend to be) slimy, smarmy and disloyal?
OMG how revelatory that you shouldn’t trust them as far as you can throw them. C’mon! Nobody from outside the middle class has ever thought otherwise.
This stramash is being propagated by ‘holier than thou’ middle class hypocrisy in the media and some delusional shite that our political masters are somehow honourable.
It’s all bollox.
The only question should be which party has the most preferred policies and which party is more liable to stick closer to their professed policies.
Helen Clark knew because she is the self-proclaimed Chief Political Strategist of the Labour Party. How would the Chief Political Strategist not know of a Chief Political Strategy?
Robinsod:
I wouldn’t know classy? Yet you call me a retard.
By the way, last election I split my vote between Labour and New Zealand first.
Robinsod:
Two out of three anit bad.
To stick with off topic (sorry Anita!) what is it that Labour has done that is so bad? No one is even attempting to say what, just spewing rhetoric. All this “Stench of Corruption”, “Hypocricy” and so on.
I’ll tell you what has got me riled about it: Clark seemed to have a good idea (I’ll only say that it is not certain) that Glenn had donated to NZF, and possibly (but even more unclear) that Peters had asked. Actually, the latter I’m not sure about – maybe she knew about the donation, but not until her conversation with Glenn did she have any definite word – a conversation Glenn generously mentioned as “Private and Confidential”; as I have stated before, a good reason for Clark to have kept her peace.
So – Clark had evidence Peters was lying, none of it concrete, yet she did not call him on it. This was to avoid the present storm and keep the coalition together, and it seems to me she could have possibly acted to ensure Winston did not lie earlier. So that’s bad management, but Peters is not a Labour MP. I suppose she could have acted on her suspicions and sacked him, but I don’t know if that was a genuine option – this is because I can’t tell if she’d have had enough concrete evidence to have acted without risking getting it awfully wrong.
I guess that’s an open invitation for people to paint a different picture, but try and be specific, if you will indulge me.
Labour’s treatment of Glenn has also been a shocker. Not the ‘confused’ comment – I listened to the whole exchange and Cullen was merely saying that Glenn himself had presented conflicting accounts of what happened (stating there were different destinations for the dnation). But his questioning today of Glenn as to whether he was on the phone to Peters was a bridge too far – trying to discredit him in an adversarial fashion pissed me right off. Perhaps there’s something about the Privileges Committee process that makes that behaviour the norm but I don’t think so. Cullen sure got his back, though, but following on from a few other efforts to run distraction around the situation, I’m pretty disgusted.
That, though, is an issue for Labour. If they want to antagonise and alienate a donor, they will suffer the consequences – but again, it’s not a hanging offence. Frankly, they should have stayed away because the whole thing is an NZF problem and they should have stayed right out of it.
Thought I’d write this to spare Tane the inane inquisition – you guys from the right are blowing it up. It was one short story on the news tonight, equal in length to the leaks. Just because it riles you up, don’t expect the same from others, and don’t go about demanding comments from people here, or criticising a lack thereof. Makes you look like, well I won’t say what I think, but it’s pretty stupid behaviour.
If you don’t believe me, a look at stuff right now and it’s the second of four headlines. It’s a half-frontpage story on the Herald next to the All Blacks which isn’t big (especially from them), no mention on 3 until you get to the news page, and TVNZ leads with the leak story. Makes all you lot look like you need to pause for breath! No doubt it will lead the broadsheet, but have some perspective.
BTW none of them mention Labour at all, and even in the stories there is very limited content – three brief mentions all up. Honestly, outside of a few of you, it’s not likely to be that bad for Labour. What I put above is my understanding of it and I have followed what was going on with reasonable interest. I’m not impartial, but I’m not a nutty lynch-mob participant either. I may be wrong about the final impact, but I’m not saying that because of where my support lies – throughout it has been a media vs Winston issue and it will most likely remain as such.
So when is The Standard, the fine bastion of non partisan political discussion and comment going to be remarking on Owen Glenn’s latest admissions? The left love to chastise the National Party and the right at the slight whiff of a conspiracy, but when systematic corruption by the left is uncovered, The Standard stays silent. Charming.
Oh come off it Matthew. This whole debacle smacks of incompetence and hypocrisy considering how critical the left and Labour have typically been on this sort of behaviour on the right. Remember the Exclusive Brethren debacle? And you are trying to suggest that the Labour Party who according to Owen Glenn knew about the donations and up until recently were soliciting even more donations from Glenn are innocent? Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political funding hits those who fought the hardest for it, and not the National Party which it was ultimately intended to hit? You know as well as I do, if this was involving any party from the Right then this would be front page news with Helen Clark herself calling for John Key and Rodney Hide to resign and hand themselves in for a public flogging.
“[Tane: Dean, it’s not a National Government defending Peters. It’s a Labour Government saying it’ll let the process run its course before making a decision. I think that’s fair enough, and I’m not going to defend Winston Peters, nor do I think Clark should. Don’t even start me on Bryce Edwards.]”
Tane, don’t pretend if it was National in Labour’s place that you’d be insisting that due process was the correct course of action.
You know you wouldn’t. Come on, man. It’s ok to admit you’re biased. It’s not like anyone thinks youre going to agree with anything Fox news churns out, and it’s not likely you’re going to agree with pretty much anything Rodney Hide says.
You’re firmly in the left camp, and that’s cool – you admit and and do a really good job of debating against the right. It’s just ludicrous to pretend that you’d have the same opinion if it was National.
“People hate Bryce because he is a dick. And a boring dick at that. Trust me – you don’t want to be cornered at a party by this guy ”
Yes, it must be bloody horrible speaking with someone from the left who doesn’t think the EFA was a brilliant idea.
Jared you silly cock, your reply evidences exactly what Matt was talking about. Especially this:
Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political funding hits those who fought the hardest for it
Not as ironic as how something so complex as a computer has made it so simple for idiots to publicise garbage. Do you mean Labour? Precisely how are they in violation of the EFA here? I think perhaps you should go away until you have the vaguest clue of what you are talking about.
Do you mean this?:
Owen Glenn, acknowledged supporter and long time donor to the Labour party appears to have been asked for, and made, donations to the Labour party. SCANDAL!
Matt – thanks. You said what I’ve been meaning to write but couldn’t motivate myself to.
I think Labour has been fairly rude in their treatment of a major donor, and that’ll be bad for a) their wallets and b) their profiles, but that’s about it. I can’t say I’m impressed with Clarks conduct, but what else was she supposed to do? On the one hand she has the word of a major donor – on the other hand she has the very publicly and prominently stated word of the foreign minister who, despite being a slippery prick and probably going to get what’s coming to him (By the way Randal, do you realise that every time you say “go winnie” you sound like you’re a three year old cheering an A.A.Milne book?), has persuaded 130,000 NZ citizens (shudder) that he deserves to have “right honourable” in front of his name. In a clash of credibilities like that, with no definitive evidence either way, I think think there was little more she could do than what she did – namely wait for due process to clarify the conflict.
So when I actually think about it, all I can really find to say is that Labour should have been a fair bit more considerate of Glenn considering his past contributions, and Winston should (and probably will) go down in flames. Here’s hoping. Bye Winnie!
This bitching about “hypocrisy” is just pathetic. Oh my god the government is more critical of the oppositions conduct than of it’s own, quick, call batman! The government doesn’t need to be critical of it’s own conduct – that’s what the opposition party is for. To those clambering up on the hypocrisy pedestal – isn’t it equally hypocritical of National to be criticising Labour at this point? Answer: yes. So what?
Ok, I’m bored again. Basically when you cut away the crap floating around this whole issue comes back to Winston being crooked and incredibly brazen, which is yesterdays (well, yester1996’s) news to anyone with half a brain (I’m looking at those 130,000 of you as I say this). He should go down, Labour should apologize to Glenn and hope he keeps donating in the future (though I’m not sure if he still can as an overseas resident – or is he still NZ?), and people should go back to asking questions about issues that actually mean a damn outside the incredibly narrow circle of what qualifies as “the beltway” in NZ.
—
VTO – I find Winstons behaviour totally unacceptable. He is a liar and a sneak and I’d really love it if he’s done something sufficiently wrong to wind up in jail. That would make me put on my happy face.
The rest of them more or less retain my usual level of esteem for politicians, which is to say “generally very low”. I’ve disliked Mallard for a long time, and while I admire Cullen it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s been pretty rude – wouldn’t be the first time.
Personally I think if people are trying to decide, based on this event, who they want in parliament; once again their eyes should be drawn to the girl standing on the wharf. Vote Green, and get some more adults in the beehive.
It does involve a party from the right – NZ First. It doesn’t involve any party to the left except insofar as that one is in coalition with the party from the right that is involved.
Yes, it’s possible that the PM could have handled the whole affair better but I think you’ll find that out of date rules and conventions got in the way. You’ve got to remember that this is the first time that this type of conduct has come up in a MMP environment in NZ. Even though we’ve had MMP for 15 years we’re still getting used to the whole concept and we don’t have the experience yet to handle all situations. Hopefully this fiasco will result in better rules being implemented.
I meant NZ First you pillock. As per usual, jumping the gun and assuming I meant Labour. To put it further in perspective what you have is a case of Labour needing NZ First’s support and unwilling to risk their support by being overly critical. I never said nor implied that Labour had breached the EFA either. Morally and Ethically however, her and Labour’s actions have been a disaster. Soliciting even more donations?
Sweet of you to clarify that Jared, thanks. Sweet, and fairly overdue considering that at no point in your rant above did you mention NZ first – but did mention Labour twice. Both times critically. Including in the sentence immediately before the one where you make reference to “those who fought hardest” etc.
So actually you did, by association and omission of clarification, imply that Labour had been “hit the hardest” by the EFA. Quite falsely.
As per usual twisting the facts and crying like a wittle bubby when the foul is called.
Morally and Ethically however, her and Labour’s actions have been a disaster. Soliciting even more donations?
Soliciting donations – Oh noes!!!! I don’t know what you think “soliciting donations” means, because you obviously don’t think it means “asking for money” (which is all it does mean) because if you knew that you’d acknowledge that it is legal, ethical, moral, and completely commonplace amongst political parties. Did you think it all came from cakestalls?
You should probably write to Greenpeace, Amnesty International, CCF, Red Cross, World Vision, WWF etc and tell them they’re all immoral and unethical.
I think it is fairly obvious to anyone who even reads the back page of the newspaper that NZ First was the only party implicated in EFA breaches in this instance, so implying that what I said suggested Labour had fallen foul of the EFA is plain ludicrous, and to be honest, a straw mans argument.
Considering the current circumstances surrounding Owen Glenn’s political donations, Labour and Helen’s goal of forming a campaign based on honesty and trust, to seek donations in that manner, and in the current light is yes, I believe, immoral and unethical. In the same respect that if National was to solicit the Exclusive Brethren for donations after the fall out. Also, isn’t the aim of the EFA and Labour’s to improve transparency of political donations to prevent any unfair advantages?
The EFA, heralded as the ultimate weapon against anonymous big money influence in our elections by Labour and it’s supporters and which has since been criticised by the Electoral Commission as having a “chilling effect” on public participation, contained specific provisions designed NOT to exclude big money donor Owen Glenn who without doubt fits Cullen’s description of a “rich prick”.
Looks like they needn’t have gone to the effort as I doubt he’ll be contributing much now so good luck with tapping into the grass roots support base for your fund raising this election. I’m sure the grafters will see Labour as a party of transparency and integrity and dig deep.
This whole debacle smacks of incompetence and hypocrisy considering how critical the left and Labour have typically been on this sort of behaviour on the right. Remember the Exclusive Brethren debacle? And you are trying to suggest that the Labour Party who according to Owen Glenn knew about the donations and up until recently were soliciting even more donations from Glenn are innocent? Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political funding hits those who fought the hardest for it…
Don’t blame me for your lousy phrasing, I’m not the one who wrote it. If you think my selective highlight above misrepresents what you wrote then please, elaborate, and explain how you pointed to NZ First and are not trying to smear labour by association.
OH! Now I see it!
This whole debacle smacks of incompeteNce and hypocriSy considering how critical the lEft and Labour have typically bEen on this sort of behaviour on the right. Remember the Exclusive Brethren debacle? And you are trying to suggest that the Labour Party who according to Owen Glenn knew about the donations and up until recently were soliciting even more donations from Glenn are innocent? Isn’t it ironic that a bill, the EFA, brought in to counter so called undertable political Funding hits those who fought the hardest for it, and not the National Party which it was ultimately intended to hit?
Sorry man, missed it the first time through, my bad. That’s what happens when you spell Z phonetically.
—
It’s not unethical at all you munter, he’s an acknowledged major donor. You clearly fall into the previously mentioned category of people who don’t understand the difference between undisclosed secret donations (by special interest groups with a barrow to push) and openly disclosed donations.
“Also, isn’t the aim of the EFA and Labour’s to improve transparency of political donations to prevent any unfair advantages?” – Yes, which is why they would have had to disclose any donation they have or do get from Glenn, and why the subterfuge you’re protesting is a load of crap. You wanted Labour to announce they were trying to get donations from Glenn? Yeah, that’s newsworthy…
“big money donor Owen Glenn who without doubt fits Cullen’s description of a “rich prick'”
No, actually, he doesn’t. You see, you can tell “rich pricks”. Find a group of rich people, and look for the pricks. They’re the “rich pricks”. Other’s in the group are just rich.
Pricks can be characterised by many things, among them a sentiment that cynical attacks on a nations currency leading to economic collapse and suffering are a perfectly reasonable way to make money because hey – it’s a market.
More examples.
Michael Fay – Rich Prick
Gareth Morgan – Rich
David Richwhite – Rich Prick
Stephen Tindall – Rich
You can also tell rich pricks apart from rich people because pricks tend to appear to have no friends. This is an illusion created by the fact that no one actually likes them.
T-Rex.
Shame Labour have screwed Owen Glenn over.
Nice one labour. Shame about the morals.
‘-rex,
So, the collapse of the economy is all the fault of John Key and his trading mates, and nothing to do with the economic shambles left behinsd by our last true left wing PM, Sir Robert?
Your fantasy world must be a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.
T-Rex, Tindall got rich by screwing workers and suppliers to the wall on wages/prices. So how is he not a rick prick?
John Key said the fourth policy is most probably Health. On Breakfast this morning.
I propose to post on topic. Not always. Just now.
It just doesn’t make sense that Bill English is planning to roll John Key when they have the best chance at forming a government since 1993.
And if Trevor has access to all of National’s really dirty secrets, how come he isn’t releasing all of that sectret agenda stuff you guys talk about all the time. Could it be because there isn’t a secret agenda? Nah, that’s probably not it.
I propose to post on topic. Not always. Just now.
I just don’t know what the world is coming to, I really don’t.
And if Trevor has access to all of National’s really dirty secrets
No one says he does. Trevor has access to whatever the Nat leaker drops on his desk.
how come he isn’t releasing all of that sectret agenda stuff you guys talk about all the time. Could it be because there isn’t a secret agenda?
The secret agenda won’t be written down Billy. It will be known to most, and told to the party faithful at their gatherings, to help them swallow the Labour lite facade that National needs to adopt to make themselves (deceitfully) electable.
Phil – our economy has not collapsed. Go and look out the window. See people going to work, and getting paid, and having relatively easy access to credit, and not starving, and having functional state services (police, health, welfare, education) etc? That’s how you can tell.
Compare it to… ohhh… say Thailand in the late 90’s.
Dom:
I’m no fan of the warehouse. The difference is one of degree. Oh, and also http://www.tindall.org.nz/.
Maybe Tindall IS a prick – I don’t know the guy, couldn’t tell you. But he doesn’t seem like one to me.
functional state services (police, health, welfare, education)
Bah… there goes the morning coffee!!
Remind me, the report out early this week saying (as a result of a cruddy health system) how many people would die?
T-rex – thanks for jumping in. I should know better than to write something like that before going to bed. Given our history of writing the same thing at the same time, it’s fortunate you didn’t bash out a marathon post saying the same thing as mine!
Still, I was genuinely interested in hearing what Labour had done wrong, specifically, as opposed to “you were against secret trusts and now you are vaguely associated with one somehow, though I will neglect to specify how” sort of comments.
Labour has properly decleared their donations, so there’s nothing wrong with them trying to get further donations – apart from the fact that they’ve bagged the man they’re asking for money from – but that’s labour’s problem, not anyone else’s. Well apart from Glenn, unfortunately.
..And still no post on the Peters/Clark/Glen fiasco. What a joke
[mike. if you want a post on a certain topic within a certina timeframe, go write your own blog. There is a post on Peters now. SP]
T-Rex – Point taken – he gives money away. I question so-called charity from these rich guys when they’ve made that money by treating their workers badly – I would love to see the Warehouse provide better conditions of employment. Of course, unlike a charity that isn’t tax deductible…
As for the Owen Glenn situation – it’s actually nice to have a site without his face all over it.
Billy I tend to agree about English. Why would he be doing this before the election? If he wants to roll Key for the job he’s got to get him into the job first, surely?
Just doesn’t add up. Then again I’ve never been much of a chess player.
p.s. this thread must be what whaleoils’s blog would look like if anyone went there.
mike: these people have jobs. They’re not paid bloggers, and they post on what interests them. I guess when HC fires Peters they will find the political implications interesting and will blog about it. Until then, please, hold your breath.
“..And still no post on the Peters/Clark/Glen fiasco. What a joke”
That is not news! And certainly not of interest to the broader labour movement. National’s difficulties with their policy release are of primary interest, but that stuff about coalition partner and Foreign Affairs minister Winston and electoral funding and possible/probable lies in parliament and to the privileges committee are just a media beat-up!
Would be interesting to see Steve do a post on, “What is more likely” relating to the Owen Glenn testimony vs the Fairbrother/Cullen hypothesis of Wayne Peters having Winston’s phone and impersonating him.
[Insert Lyn comments about Standard contributors posting about what they want, when thy want…etc etc etc]
Hey J Mex, you could go and help Mike start his blog, and you two funsters could post whatever you want whenever you want. Knock yourselves out. Please.
In the mean time, the thread you were looking for is here:
http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=2988