Waiting on Wong to do right

Written By: - Date published: 6:12 am, November 23rd, 2010 - 67 comments
Categories: by-election, corruption, national - Tags: , , , ,

Why are we waiting for Pansy Wong to resign from Parliament for her corrupt use of her MP’s perks or, failing that, for the Nats to evict her? The theory is the Nats want to avoid a by-election over summer. As Trevor Mallard puts it – Key wants to have his Hawaii holiday in peace. But the NBR’s Matt Nippert has other reasons for Wong’s soft treatment.

Nippert’s article (behind the paywall) says that Wong is a useless electorate MP but has wiggled her way into vital positions within the party that make her difficult to dispense with:

“She was very important for National Party fundraising,” a source said. The insider recounts a party conference in the lead-up to the last election where Mrs Wong hosted a fundraising event that garnered $200,000.

“One Chinese businessman paid $50,000 for John Key’s tie,” the source said. “She was a money-making machine and therefore was given a lot of latitude.”

So, at one event Wong, with her connections in the Asian business community, raised $200,000. That’s a huge amount, enough to fund several electorate campaigns or a good hunk of the national campaign. With the electoral laws tightening up on donations through secret trusts, the ability to fundraise at events like this is something the Nats will be loath to give up. And they don’t have anyone else who brings the connections to the Asian business community, because Wong has been careful to eliminate competition.

A National Party source said Mrs Wong had been very effective in defending her turf. “Pansy and Sammy burned off other potential Asian candidates who might make a challenge and very much tried to own that part of the market.”

Another National Party source recounted a meeting in Mrs Wong’s electorate office in 2007. A young woman wanted to volunteer and said she could bring extensive contacts with the Korean community.

“Pansy pulled herself up to her full height and said she had contacts in the Korean community already. This girl was so humiliated, she never returned. Pansy would eliminate any perceived rivals to her grip on the Asian community.”

It’s a very Darwinistic way of doing politics – a very rightwing way. Like an animal eliminating competition for food sources, Wong forced out of the party people who would bring the same connections she had and, so, undermine her usefulness to the party.

But there’s another reason why a by-election in Botany is something the Nats are trying to delay. While she has been playing Machiavellian games of intra-party politics, being one of the worst ministers on record, and corruptly abusing taxpayer money, Wong has let the local party go to rot:

But this ability to raise funds hasn’t translated into effective grass-roots politics. Party membership of the Botany electorate, where Mrs Wong was elected with a 10,000-vote majority, is understood to be extremely low. Another party source cites the alarmingly low, and very precise, number of 134 National Party members in the electorate.

134 members in a seat where 19,355 people voted National at the last election. That’s disgraceful. To fight and win a by-election convincingly, National will have to draw on the resources of the rest of Auckland big time. And that by-election is coming, once National has the local organisation sorted and alternative routes to money from the Asian business community secured.

Sources said Mrs Wong would probably resign from Parliament and force a by-election.

And if she resigns, the Wongs won’t be left without income. According to filings with the Parliament’s register of pecuniary interests, the Wongs own property in Auckland and Christchurch, and shares in Smith City and Christchurch Gondola New Zealand.

Mr Wong is also a director and shareholder, along with former Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley, in Shipley & Wong. The company was founded in 2002 with the involvement of another former cabinet minister, Wyatt Creech. Mr Creech resigned in 2004. Neither Dame Jenny nor Mr Creech returned calls.

Hmm. There’s that Wyatt Creech up to his ears in another dodgy business along with other former Nats. First Open County Dairy (which John Key has an interest in via the Dairy Investment Fund) and, now, the mysterious companies based out of Wong’s electorate office.  The Nats will want to make damn sure they’ve got any remaining skeletons out of Wong’s closest before the by-election campaign gets going.

Update: A mate points out the resignation may have been delayed by the Pike River disaster, which might explain this quote in a Stuff article “Mr Key flew back to Wellington last night from Auckland after a sudden change in plans”

67 comments on “Waiting on Wong to do right ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Mickysavage 1
    23 November 2010 at 6:26 am

    Interesting. I understand that Bakshi is another who is there for his fundraising prowess rather than his innate talent.

    Wong has to go quickly so that Key can try a la Worth to refuse to disclose details. But it may not be so easy this time to refuse to provide details especially because others have recently been prosecuted for what appears to be not dissimilar behavior.

    I bet Melissa Lee is smiling …

  2. tc 2
    23 November 2010 at 6:46 am

    Meantime the punters disgust/distrust and general feeling of parliament being full of the worth’s/wong’s/field’s and Blinglish’s gathers more momentum.
    A mood the nat’s will encourage whilst they try and slip the shackles of MMP so they can rule like their idol…..Muldoon.

  3. higherstandard 3
    23 November 2010 at 7:17 am

    Isn’t standard operating procedure to do the dirty on friday afternoon to minimise PR issues ?

    • Marty G 3.1
      23 November 2010 at 7:30 am

      didn’t we have a friday afternoon just a few days ago?

      • higherstandard 3.1.1
        23 November 2010 at 7:48 am

        I think other events might have taken precedence.

        • lprent 3.1.1.1
          23 November 2010 at 8:02 am

          Yeah. It has been a bit noisy. I note that according to the Herald this morning that Pansy Wong took a weeks leave from parliament, which she is now exceeding.

          Perhaps there was meant to be a Friday special. But why they’d hold it up for a perfect cover like a mining disaster is beyond me.

          The same article was also pointing out that the speakers investigation is expected to take a few more weeks, probably after extending it’s scope.

          Update: Dang that predictive soiling on the pad is a pain. Decided that the speaker is a soaker. Even I wouldn’t say that about lockjaw

          • Marty G 3.1.1.1.1
            23 November 2010 at 8:09 am

            predictive “soiling” – lolz.

            • lprent 3.1.1.1.1.1
              23 November 2010 at 8:17 am

              Damn did not see that one. Makes a mockery of the whole sentence. The original misspell would have been more useful..

              Of course doing this in bed whilst mustering the awakedness to rise probably doesn’t help with my command of technology. Eggs, coffee, the bus and work await..

              • Zorr …
                23 November 2010 at 1:37 pm

                Maybe they aren’t using the distraction of the Pike River tragedy as cover because if they release Pansy Wong during it she will take some of the media spotlight and hence take some of the limelight off Jonkey if he manages to come across looking like a leader somehow.

                • Jim Nald …
                  23 November 2010 at 1:59 pm

                  aahh! of course
                  they’ll release pansy’s sob story when jon panties is drying out in hawaii

        • felix 3.1.1.2
          23 November 2010 at 10:49 am

          I’d have thought the news from Pike River was a perfect opportunity to sweep Pansy under the carpet on a Friday afternoon.

  4. burt 4
    23 November 2010 at 7:38 am

    Eddie

    You seem to have forgotten how this works. We need an inquiry with terms so narrow it effectively checks that she completed the paperwork completely. Then once we have determined that she did put her name in the correct box on the expense claim (and even dated it correctly) we hold the report up in parliament and say it exonerates her. Oh, if she threatens to stand as an independent then the shit hit the fan and she becomes instantly accountable.

    Keep up Eddie, you team showed us the way and you supported it for the red team.

    • Marty G 4.1
      23 November 2010 at 7:58 am

      so were those good standards or bad standards, burt? and do you want key to set higher standards than the previous government, which you so hated, or not?

      • burt 4.1.1
        23 November 2010 at 8:54 am

        Shockingly low standards Marty G, but they are the standards that the supporters of the Labour team were comfortable with and supported in the best interests of protecting the precious Labour machine. I feel I can take the high ground and call for her to be charged and processed via the courts if she has broken any laws, but you Labour supporters need to either admit you are partisan hacks and that you have double standards for your team or be consistent and call for her to be protected by her leader long enough to stave off the by-election.

        Where do you stand Marty G? Is it a red vs blue thing perhaps?

    • ghostwhowalksnz 4.2
      23 November 2010 at 8:03 am

      Reality check Burt . She is the one wanting to get out quicker than a fart in the caucus room.

      After the ‘triumph’ in Mana , you would think the NP would drooling over the chance to have another ‘win’

  5. freedom 5
    23 November 2010 at 7:52 am

    a few travel expenses is not the important issue or has everyone forgotten Wong had private businesses registered to receive mail at her Electorate office

    also why is her Electorate office the only one with a dedicated foreign language (chinese) phone line

    Even the Maori Electorate Offices don’t have one listed, struck me a s a bit odd

  6. Matthew Hooton 6
    23 November 2010 at 8:17 am

    iPredict suggests only a 43% chance she will resign before the end of the year. See https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=contract_detail&contract=MP.WONG

    • higherstandard 6.1
      23 November 2010 at 8:21 am

      If we were China she’d be out of parliament and her organs would already be harvested.

      • Lanthanide 6.1.1
        23 November 2010 at 9:41 am

        I don’t think so. She’s in the business class, and hasn’t killed anyone or harmed anyone significantly. Sure, she’d be out of office, but probably into something else nicely lucrative.

        • higherstandard 6.1.1.1
          23 November 2010 at 9:53 am

          Nah – bringing the party into disrepute with the resultant loss of face is about as bad as it gets in China.

          • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.1.1
            23 November 2010 at 10:28 am

            Yeah vouch for that, any Politburo member who makes Dear Leader look foolish is all over rova.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 6.2
      23 November 2010 at 10:32 am

      ipredict is not iknow-

      There could be a ‘correction’ coming as inside information could make someone a killing.
      A bit like the SCF bond holders who ‘predicted’ very very nicely thanks to Power & key

  7. Bill 7
    23 November 2010 at 9:47 am

    So does the question arise as to how many wongs it takes to make a wight?

    • Colonial Viper 7.1
      23 November 2010 at 10:29 am

      No, but I am wondering if Labour has managed to successfully find a chink in John Key’s armour.

  8. randal 8
    23 November 2010 at 12:13 pm

    the first thing to ascertain is whether or not she thinks she has done wrong.
    the thing to watch with these tories is that they beleive their own thoughts to be facts and are unable to correctly determine the objective truth about anything.

  9. mickysavage 9
    23 November 2010 at 12:14 pm

    Wow Key has just said on Radio New Zealand that there is no justification for kicking Wong out!!!

    So why did she resign from her Ministerial position again?

    • Jim Nald 9.1
      23 November 2010 at 12:31 pm

      He is joking, right?

      • Colonial Viper 9.1.1
        23 November 2010 at 1:19 pm

        He has said exactly what he needs to for us to kick him out.

      • the pink postman 9.1.2
        23 November 2010 at 2:36 pm

        No he’s not joking Jim N. The trouble is he will smile shrug and wave and the gullible public will say Oh Well ! and go back to Rugby . Beer and women magazines. I can not understand it Its beyond me . But then look at the times working people vote Tory. They never learn . So what do we do.?

        • the pink postman 9.1.2.1
          23 November 2010 at 3:21 pm

          I should of course have also mentioned the so called Royal wedding . Key will use this extravaganza to the full. He will be flouncing around like an eightenth century fop. Bobbing up and down in front of the members of the most parasetic family in Europe . He will be in his element. and the great unwashed will love him for it,Wong or no Wong.

    • felix 9.2
      23 November 2010 at 1:30 pm

      So is this going to be used to hammer them in QT today?

      Or are we not allowed to ask questions ‘cos of the miners and that?

    • higherstandard 9.3
      23 November 2010 at 1:45 pm

      Have you got a link for that – if that is what he did indeed say he’s fucked up big time.

      • Armchair Critic 9.3.1
        23 November 2010 at 2:00 pm

        It would be a real laugh if he’d said:
        “I think the only thing she is probably guilty of is trying to be helpful to some, like her husband.”

        • Jim Nald 9.3.1.1
          23 November 2010 at 2:10 pm

          live streaming from parliament

          listening to the pm read out the government motion re incident at pike river
          is this guy literate? he sounds like he is stuck in the formative years of schooling

          i guess, from now, i shouldn’t feel so surprised or traumatised when i hear him trying to respond to real questions put to him on morning report

          • Carol 9.3.1.1.1
            23 November 2010 at 2:28 pm

            The strangest statement on the Pike River motion, came from Hide, IMO. The others talked, or read statements, with some heart felt emotion. Hide read robotically, was peering at his notes, often as if he wasn’t sure what was coming next.

      • toad 9.3.2
        23 November 2010 at 2:25 pm

        Here you go, HS:

        The Prime Minister says there are no signs that Pansy Wong has broken the rules to such an extent that would justify kicking her out of caucus.

        “It’s always an enormous call to throw someone out of the caucus,” John Key said at parliament today.

        “Nothing I have heard in terms of the allegations would drive me to believe that she shouldn’t be a member of the caucus.”

        • higherstandard 9.3.2.1
          23 November 2010 at 2:31 pm

          Staggering – I always thought theft as an employee was a case of instant dismissal.

          Obviously normal rules don’t apply in the den of thieves.

          • burt 9.3.2.1.1
            23 November 2010 at 2:47 pm

            Staggering – I always thought theft as an employee was a case of instant dismissal.

            Not in parliament, it carries the horrendous punishment of being required to say “sorry” and pay it back. However considering Clark & Peters, sorry is optional and so is paying it back.

          • Akldnut 9.3.2.1.2
            23 November 2010 at 2:53 pm

            WTF it’s just another case of “Do as I say – not as I do”, hypococritical and cunninng thieves!

            Burt I haven’t heard these pricks say sorry for anything or come clean until they’re at the point of no return

  10. Draco T Bastard 10
    23 November 2010 at 12:59 pm

    I think I/S has it right on No Right Turn:

    The real reason is that by keeping Wong out of the spotlight, National can preserve its reputation and manage the fallout from whatever is uncovered. The government’s desire to manage its image is being put before a fundamental democratic principle: accountability.

    She should have been gone from parliament immediately.

  11. bobo 11
    23 November 2010 at 1:32 pm

    The longer Wong stays the better for Labour which can attack Key for his “higher” standards. A long drawn out affair is always the most damaging..

  12. Anne 12
    23 November 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Agree with bobo.
    Labour has the opportunity to hammer the issue every question time from now until Xmas.
    But will they? I have a fear they will once again be risk aversive because of the Pike Mine disaster.

  13. Irascible 13
    23 November 2010 at 3:11 pm

    The story about Pansy’s behaviour and her value as a fund raiser for Key & co recalls a certain Steven Ching whose name is raised by the Herald every-time they want to crucify Labour and its relationship with the Chinese community.
    I wonder when the Herald will start referring to Pansy & Sammy as being the Nat’s toxic names and questioning the honorability of their behaviours and attitudes.
    I’m not holding my breath… as if that nice member for Hawaii, Mr Key says she’s nice and not to be hassled out of Parliament by the media daring to question her behaviours she must be untouchable.

  14. gobsmacked 14
    23 November 2010 at 3:53 pm

    This is why Key is playing for time:

    http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2010/4602/

    The significant point here is not the slight shift to the opposition, because that’s within the margin of error. There’s no real change in the poll.

    But hold on a moment. This is the first opinion poll taken after the Hobbit “triumph”. When almost every political commentator in the media told us that National would reap great rewards in the polls. They were (as usual) wrong.

    This is relevant to the Wong shambles, because you can be certain National’s private polling is saying the same thing. In other words, there is no “buffer” for an early election. Key would call an early election, if he was certain of victory. (So would any PM, to be fair). But he isn’t certain. Especially with his dysfunctional support parties.

    So he wants Wong to stay put, and out of sight. He doesn’t want a by-election, and the only other way to avoid that, is to have an early general election.

    Ain’t gonna happen.

    • Draco T Bastard 14.1
      23 November 2010 at 4:22 pm

      In other words, there is no “buffer” for an early election.

      And they’d need a fairly large buffer as calling an early election tends to make the electorate suspicious of the government which eats away at their support.

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    Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 1
    Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 days ago

  • Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Finally
    Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...
    Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
    David Farrar writes  –  1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
    There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • We need to talk about Tory.
    The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago

  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • National’s murderous smoking policy
    One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    New Zealand has  a chance  to  rise  again. Under the  previous  government, the  number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing  year by year. The Luxon-led government  must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising  the  pillars  of the economy. After the  mismanagement  of the outgoing government created   huge ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    7 days ago

  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    7 days ago

  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 week ago

  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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