Why is everything always Jacinda’s fault?

Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, January 10th, 2023 - 57 comments
Categories: labour, Media, national, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

I don’t know if the motivation was to increase social media interaction or just to have a go at the Government but the potentially most ridiculous article of the year has already been posted and we are only 10 days in.

Brook Sabin has posted this article blaming Jacinda Ardern and the Government for, wait for it, lost baggage at Auckland Airport.

He admits that the causes are complex but nevertheless insists that the Government steps in and sorts the situation out.  The last time I checked Auckland Airport was privately owned with Auckland Council being the only public entity shareholder.  If any elected official should step in it should be Auckland mayor Wayne Brown.  This did not stop Brook from blaming the Government while at the same time praising National MP Shane Reti for writing two letters.

As Sabin mentions:

This is a very complex issue that isn’t unique to New Zealand. It involves overseas storms and delays, staff shortages, multiple airlines and an influx of passengers after Covid-19. Auckland Airport is denying fault, saying the airlines and their baggage handlers need to explain. But somebody must take leadership of the issue – because it’s not under control.

Sabin is a self described travel journalist who writes puff pieces on places he has visited.  Before that he was a Political Reporter and played a prominent role in the Donghua Liu attack on David Cunliffe which caused Labour a great deal of damage in the leadup to the 2014 election.  Cunliffe was wrongly blamed for helping Donghua Liu and Labour was pilloried by the press for donations it did not receive.  It subsequently was revealed that at the relevant time National had received a significant donation from Liu and that this was effectively hidden so that it did not appear at the same time that Maurice Williamson was sacked as a Cabinet Minister for helping Liu avoid a prosecution for domestic violence.

As I said previously:

This whole fiasco could have cost Labour the election.  Rob Salmond estimates that it may have cost Labour 2% of the vote and I agree with this.  That is up to three seats and it sucked a lot of momentum out of the campaign.

And you want to know the really funny thing?  There is no evidence of a donation to Labour or of Labour breaking any rules to help Liu.  But there is now pristine evidence of National receiving a donation from Liu and of subsequent action taken by a National Minister to help Liu in a police prosecution that resulted in this Minister being sacked.

New Zealand you got played.

Sabin also excelled himself for his Labour is in Crisis reporting when he claimed that then leader Andrew Little not providing an instant response to the release of the 6,000 page TPP document

From my post at the time:

Andrew Little was said to have a major problem, the release of the TPP was a “six thousand page grenade thrown straight into the Labour Party conference”. The trade deal would “eventually” worth $2.7 billion dollars per year to the New Zealand economy (doncha love it when the media unquestionably adopts the Government spin).  And Labour was set to oppose the deal because it prevented New Zealanders from banning the sale of land to overseas persons.

Little was then attacked for being unable to “give a straight answer” on whether Labour opposed the deal.  Jesus Mary and Joseph.  The text has only just been released.  It is no normal document.  Every single page is full of mind numbing legalese.  It will take months and months for a well researched organisation to properly understand the implications.  Of course Labour will have to take some time to properly consider the implications.

Sabin is the son of former National MP Mike Sabin who resigned nominally for family matters.  Cameron Slater said at the time that allegations against Sabin were  almost too horrible for words.  His father was formerly the Northland MP which National lost to Winston Peters in the subsequent by election.

I half expect Christopher Luxon, if he is not in Te Kuiti or Hawaii, to be filmed with shirt sleeves rolled up sorting out people’s luggage at Auckland Airport next.  And Brook Sabin then reporting on how Luxon showed real leadership.

Of course sons of National MPs are entitled like the rest of us to earn a living.  But national media outlets ought to exercise a modicum of discretion in choosing what articles to run with.  Blaming the Government for problems in a private company that are happening throughout the world in the travel industry is beyond stupid.

57 comments on “Why is everything always Jacinda’s fault? ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Muttonbird 1
    10 January 2023 at 9:45 am

    If you need more baggage staff, here's an idea: pay them more.

    Love this line from Brooke. His National Party of course have been vociferous in attacking all government measures to do exactly that, pay them more.

    • Tiger Mountain 1.1
      10 January 2023 at 1:04 pm

      The Natzos prospective partner ACT have already committed to freezing Minimum Wage rises for 3 years and repealing FPAs, so paying baggage handlers more is a rather remote possiblity–and a fatuous and deceptive statement from Mr Sabin.

  2. roblogic 2
    10 January 2023 at 10:20 am

    Some of the shit they are slinging reminds me of Dirty Politics, but this time it comes with a dose of nasty misogyny and anti-vax Q conspiracy bile.

    Jacinda haters are either irrational nutcases or cynical poisoners of discourse.

    https://twitter.com/jukic_d/status/1611867253825507330?s=46&t=u0_DKaD_eER48xFift3BYA

  3. Mike the Lefty 3
    10 January 2023 at 10:29 am

    The "Everything is Jacinda's fault" has taken on the mystical insanity of a medieval witch hunt and it reflects poorly on the National Party that they think it is OK to use this mentality for their own ends. After all, they purport to be a government in waiting comprised of intelligent rational people who surely know there are many things that happen that government cannot control. People that ally themselves to the rabid right loony brigade for political gain are not worthy of running this country, in my opinion.

    • AB 3.1
      10 January 2023 at 10:51 am

      reflects poorly on the National Party that they think it is OK to use this mentality for their own ends

      It's a continuum – at the margins, the establishment right (National) morphs into the fringe, conspiracy-constructing, hyper-libertarian, hyper-masculine right. So National probably just do stuff this seamlessly and unconsciously – it comes naturally without any planning or forethought.

  4. Shanreagh 4
    10 January 2023 at 10:32 am

    Reminds me of the attacks on the PM for the empty supermarket shelves and shortages during Covid that spurred me on to do a couple of sarcastic responses about her swinging herself on a XXX wheeler driving through the night to reach my supermarket to stock the shelves.

    Turns out she has been having a break and not doing her stint at the Auckland baggage area of Air NZ on the way through driving the XXX wheeler.

    Terrible Mildred, terrible I say.

  5. Westykev 5
    10 January 2023 at 10:53 am

    Unless Jacinda is the Minister of Transport she is not even mentioned in the linked article. The "baggage issue" at the Airport does have the potential to impact on our tourism industry and as such a please explain is in order.

    • Patricia Bremner 5.1
      10 January 2023 at 11:10 am

      "Please explain" should go to Mayor Brown.

      • Westykev 5.1.1
        10 January 2023 at 11:37 am

        Yes, with the Auckland City Council shareholding of 18% he probably should but a please explain by a government minister carries more weight.

      • Tiger Mountain 5.1.2
        10 January 2023 at 1:20 pm

        It should, and it would needle “Browny” because his answer to most things is sacking staff and reducing their conditions–which would go down well with an understaffed group that should be paid more!

        Mayor Brown’s attitude to workers is “Daily floggings will continue until morale improves”

  6. Patricia Bremner 6
    10 January 2023 at 11:09 am

    Any shortages muddles or staffing issues bring the latest meme. "What's Jacinda going to do about that?"

    This is intended to detract and obscure from what has been achieved.

    It is also "look over there!! Not here thank you" A way of deflecting attention from their own paucity of ideas.

    Some in the National camp believe the fight is won, but others know how these things can turn on a well placed rumour (as you indicated Micky)or an incident or funnelling of a meme such as " They have lost control of the Country".

    The right find Jacinda's success hugely galling, hence the attacks. They will intensify, and there could come a point where people become less apathetic and begin to fight back.

    Any situation of anger or frustration will be used by the right. One thing I know for sure.. they won't throw eggs, except metaphorically.

    Jacinda and her team need to develop strategies to overcome attacks, which will be, as Prince Harry says "Done by collaboration". We know all about that, as the press seem to know in advance what areas are being targeted next.

    We are in the fight of our lives. The climate and the young need us to win this one. So donate. You can be sure the right will have a war chest, not all of it from NZ I would think. Come on Labour and Greens, even if we win, it will be a much smaller team next Parliament. imo

  7. Corey Humm 7
    10 January 2023 at 12:15 pm

    It's stupid but it's not unique to Ardern.

    Everything is always the leaders fault. It feels good to blame someone sometimes.

    I remember blaming John Key for virtually everything wrong going on in my life and everyone else did too

    I remember an old lady on the news blaming John Key cos she got stuck up a hill during a snow day.

    "Thanks Obama" was so common it was a meme that everyone would blame Obama for everything.

    The leader is always to blame for everything.

    They love you for the first three years, after 4 years they are sick of you and by 5,6,7 years absolutely hate you.

    Arderns govt has been more deeply involved in our personal lives than any previous modern govt. Even non activist labour voters tell me 'its been a long 8 years" because they think this govt is in it's third term, that's how long these 5 years have felt.

    Ardern gets special mention because from social media, to international media, to live streams, to lockdowns, daily press conferences, the terrorist attack, legislating everything from hate speech to rain water to flavors of vape juice and cigarettes no govt has ever felt so actively involved in our personal lives so when we can't get out of our driveway cos of roadworks for six months, or when we can't get an egg it's Arderns fault.

    I will say the airport thing is especially weird but again, the longer you're in the more you're blamed for, the more you're involved with the day to day lives of the public and the less those day to day lives are improving, the more they are gonna resent you and blame you.

    This is why , I wish we'd go back to having boring, unpopular prime ministers who stay in the background doing work 99% of the time and aren't on our screens all day everyday, in photography the more exposure you're subject gets the quicker it burns and that's true with celebrities and polis

    • Muttonbird 7.1
      10 January 2023 at 1:08 pm

      Funny that because I haven't heard a peep out of the government, its leader, ministers, or MPs since before Christmas. But hardly a day has gone by in that time where we haven't seen some opposition MP publicising themselves.

    • Tiger Mountain 7.2
      11 January 2023 at 3:50 pm

      As a long time politics participant and news follower I see things a little differently, but I like your post above Corey because it describes a certain group of New Zealanders non thinking ways very well. And as you say other countries populaces as well.

      I don’t give one about the middle class and petit bourgeoisie who got their second tier more generous COVID MSD benefits without having to battle case managers, and got two years of media wailing for their cafes to be opened and travel plans accommodated.
      Am more interested in involving the alienated, non and intermittent voters and new gen voters.

  8. Kat 8
    10 January 2023 at 12:25 pm

    It's the old death by a thousand cuts trick……and then the slurs and slogans are lit up…..shambolic, wasteful, out of control, communist, iwi lovers, anti business, anti farmer, never had a real job, elitist, out of touch, soft on crime, time for a change……blah blah blah……..

    And then it's….. vote National for a brighter future…….yeah right

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwZNG7Uuu7g

  9. tsmithfield 9
    10 January 2023 at 12:25 pm

    I won't say much about the aricle referred to here, other than it does seem a bit silly.

    However, it probably isn't surprising that Ardern would be the target of the opposition, given that the popularity of Labour seems to have been tied very much to the popularity of Adern since she was elected. Hence, I suspect the logic would be to undermine Labour, first undermine Ardern.

  10. Peter 10
    10 January 2023 at 12:27 pm

    Ardern only needs to look in a certain direction and some have her the worst dictator in the history of the world.

    People don't want the government to be in charge of anything, so the government is not in charge of everything.

    But suddenly sometimes we want them to be in charge so we can blame them. Crazy.

    This year is going to be a real doozy. The media crap with it being election year is going to be the worst ever. It's going to be a fractured and divisive time but the nonsense from the likes of Sabin need to be called out. Not doing so is conceding there is truth and worth behind what they say.

  11. Tiger Mountain 11
    10 January 2023 at 12:56 pm

    Well, Brooke Sabin was a little crawler at Taipa Area School in early 00s which my son attended too, and at one point Brooke was student rep to the BOT. My partner was an elected member of the BOT, as was one Detective Mike Sabin who was also Chair.

    Mr Sabin then a serving Police member distinguished himself, I was told by several other community members, by asking for details on parents he was interested in for his law enforcement capacity while on school premises ostensibly on BOT business.

    Sabin senior had several marriages and ex partners in the North. His case related to teenage girls of a current partner which I will not go into further here, suffice it to say he was tried in the Whangārei Court under some attempted secrecy re his appearance, represented by Arthur Fairley of Thompson Wilson. Opinion only is that if Sabin had been tried in Auckland he would likely have got a different result. [lprent: deleted] Anyway…

    The record reveals what a dodge pot junior Natzo “travel writer” Sabin is. It is just another element in manufacturing consent for a National/ACT Govt. that should be challenged as Micky has done.

    [lprent: This is subject to permanent suppression order by Mike Sabin that doesn’t appear to have been lifted. The public explanation of request to enforce the court order is:-

    Section 15 of the order dated 13.04.16 granting permanent name suppression for the applicant (Michael Lewis SABIN) – with the effect of_ Permanent order prohibiting publication of defendant’s name, address or any identifying particulars. Publication of names, addresses, occupations or identifying particulars, of complainants prohibited by s 203 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011. Publication of names, addresses, occupations or identifying particulars, of any complainants under the age of 18 years who appeared as a witness prohibited by s 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.

    I’m a bit puzzled by the complaint to google. Our site with a number of others is listed. You’d think that I would have had a message requesting removal. But I can’t see that in the email stream. I’ve requested to see the full URL(s).

    The Lumen Database appears to be an interesting project. But it is a little annoying to use as an operator because there isn’t any information about exactly what is an issue.

    There are three links in the search for thestandard.org.nz. I couldn’t see what on the site the two from Jan 03 2020 were referring to. ]

      • Tiger Mountain 11.1.1
        10 January 2023 at 2:59 pm

        I guess that also rules out quoting a 4.5.2016 Stuff piece that uses terms such as “Prominent man’s trial” with no personally identifying details?

        The NZ National Party top level play for keeps, and can affect millions of working class people as evidenced by the 1991 Employment Contracts Act and the Ruth Richardson Mother of all Budgets. So what compunction should there be in identifying some of these people really–apart from the legal restraint LPrent has drawn our attention to in this case, and potential implications for the Standard operators.

        NZ National selections have had some interesting results. Ex Police member, and ex Northland MP Matt King has had a spin out by the looks of things, and the guy Mr Sabin beat for selection–Mark Tan–was on the front page of the Northland Age last year in a photo identifying him as a brick thrower at Police in the occupation of Parliament. Mr Tan was Principal of Abundant Life Christian School on sabbatical due to an anti Vaccination position. Sorry if such info offends the delicate sensibilities of some readers.

        • lprent 11.1.1.2
          10 January 2023 at 5:12 pm

          I guess that also rules out quoting a 4.5.2016 Stuff piece that uses terms such as “Prominent man’s trial” with no personally identifying details?

          I can't see how that would violate the conditions of the court order. It doesn't have "defendant’s name, address or any identifying particulars". Nor "names, addresses, occupations or identifying particulars, of complainants". Of course I'd have to look at what you quote.

          So what compunction should there be in identifying some of these people really–apart from the legal restraint …

          Basically I feel that court suppression orders are a public good overall. I have racked my brains and reading about alternatives and haven't come up with anything better in legal intent. I won't go into that today – but I believe that overall gives better legal and societal outcomes.

          So far all of the arguments against the legal intent of suppression orders that I have seen mostly fall into various bounds of of a bucket tag I call prurient salaciousness. The only one that may have some validity is to enable other victims to come forward. But in reality, it usually seems that word gets around and people talk to the police without that.

          However court suppression orders are just a public nuisance in how they operate in that they presume that we're still using some kind of 19th century operation of media. If they come up for review, I'll have no hesitation in spending time pushing for some reform of the operation of suppression orders.

          The current system is ridiculous and just too hard to follow in a modern publication. It presupposes that the publication, each author, each moderator, and each commenter on this site has access to each court like a court reporter within the country to hear or read the suppression order and to know what is suppressed.

          That is because each of these groups are effectively operating with information that comes from the courts or just from rumour. They have publication ability in a public forum (ie this site). They also have absolutely no way of knowing if the information that they are publishing is in violation of a suppression order because there is no online index of what suppression orders are in force.

          I take spending time in court for other peoples stupid decisions that have no justifications about why I should do so extremely seriously. That is a waste of my time.

          I'd prefer spending the time educating the foolish twits like you who'd would want to put me at the risk of wasting my time in court, and do it without even bothering to arguing a case about why breaking a particular suppression order was warranted.

          • Tiger Mountain 11.1.1.2.1
            10 January 2023 at 5:24 pm

            Thanks for putting the effort in, all points noted.

            And really you have cracked it with “They also have absolutely no way of knowing if the information that they are publishing is in violation of a suppression order because there is no online index of what suppression orders are in force.”

            I must relay that I had no inkling that such a strong order was in place on the S***n case. And none of my political friends up North including NZLP members have ever mentioned it, even though his name still comes up now and then in discussions.

            But nonetheless a reminder to all to think twice before hitting “Submit Comment”.

    • Incognito 11.2
      10 January 2023 at 2:12 pm

      Your comment is nothing but a character assassination of both father and son Sabin. Still, it is good to know and be reminded who are the National Party shills in the NZ MSM.

  12. Thinker 12
    10 January 2023 at 1:15 pm

    The title of this article is "Why is everything Jacindas fault?" and the answer lies inside the body of the text.

    Jacindas needs to quickly approach Luxon, front-face him with the media present and ask him if he stands by Sabines comment, and whether voters can count on National raising the minimum wage as a guaranteed policy, if they become the government. Luxon then has to choose between backstabbing one of his MPs or alienating his support base.

    IMHO, Labour's efforts to maintain the moral high ground, while laudable, have a price to pay. Dirty Politics is disgusting and should never be contemplated, but there's a continuum of grey between Sainthood and dirty politics, much of which is tolerated, if not expected, by the voting public.

    Kiwis are proud of the saying "its not winning thst counts, its how you play the game". True, but not helpful when facing an opponent that believes the opposite to be true. I'm reminded of Dame Judi Dench, in "Chronicles of Riddick", whose character said "The best way to fight evil is not with good – you must confront it with another kind of evil."

    • Tiger Mountain 12.1
      10 January 2023 at 1:26 pm

      Yes, a bit more “arrogant prick” and a little less high ground. The appalling misogynistic abuse directed at the PM shows the Nats & ACT are totally not about playing nice.

    • Anne 12.2
      10 January 2023 at 2:16 pm

      I'm reminded of Dame Judi Dench, in "Chronicles of Riddick", whose character said "The best way to fight evil is not with good – you must confront it with another kind of evil."

      Brilliant.

      Someone needs to email this message to Labour's leading lights including the prime minister. It does not mean they need to stoop to the same low level, but it does mean they need to respond with much more vigour and double back on them at every opportunity.

      Sweet smiles and lofty expressions don't cut it with Joe and Mary Bloggs.

      Do some research on David Lange! He knew how to do it.

      https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/32901/david-lange-and-the-oxford-union-debate

      • Thinker 12.2.1
        10 January 2023 at 2:51 pm

        If you like that, you'd love the Irish man Liam Devlin, in "The Eagle Has Landed"…

        "It's alright Father, I'm just teaching him about the Holy Trinity. Do you know it [Chris]? Footwork, Timin' and Hittin'. Learn these, my old uncle used to say, and you'll inherit the earth just as surely as the meek" wink

    • Incognito 12.3
      10 January 2023 at 3:11 pm

      Just wonderful! Common sense ‘wisdom’ and political strategy from a fictional character in a dystopian SF movie. In other words, let’s turn the sprinklers on them, metaphorically speaking, of course? You are not much of a thinker, are you?

      My idea is to hold both the Opposition and Government to account or rather, all political parties standing in the General Election and vying for the Treasury benches.

      • Thinker 12.3.1
        11 January 2023 at 10:54 am

        Incognito, did you wonder if the fictional character from a scifi, dystopian movie was based on realpolitik, instead of the other way around? Art reflects life.

        For common-sense 'wisdom' and political strategy, I recommend:

        Machiavellis "The Prince", Sun-Tzu's "Art of War", Bing Fa/36 strategies, most of Basil Liddell-Hart's strategic stuff, Winston Churchill's own works and works about him.

        For you personally, Incognito, "How to win friends and influence people" might be helpful, too…

        • Incognito 12.3.1.1
          11 January 2023 at 11:56 am

          Fighting evil with evil is realpolitik? You need a bigger coffee table and/or a bigger TV screen, obviously.

          Art makes me feel and think. For just feels, I’d suggest MSM headlines & clickbait, talk back radio, or SM (that stands for Social Media, not that other touchy-feely stuff). That said, when I listen to Chris Luxon speak I feel nothing and my brain switches off until his mouth stops moving – miserable moments in my life that I will never want to get back and relive anyway even if I could. That is not realpolitik but mind-numbing humming noise for braindead zombies.

          You are mistaken, of course, if you want to make friends you should join Facebook and collect your desired FB reacts. Here on TS you come for robust debate that goes beyond wisecracking slogans and bumper stickers that are no substitute for strong decisive leadership & teamwork, a clear vision, and a coherent policy framework.

  13. bwaghorn 13
    10 January 2023 at 1:41 pm

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/auckland/auckland-top-stories/300781225/mp-wants-faster-payout-of-travel-insurance-claims-amidst-lost-luggage-saga

    So day one has sabin begging for government intervention, day 2 has dr reti wading in, hmmmm couldn't possibly be staged now could it??

  14. Incognito 14
    10 January 2023 at 2:13 pm

    Isn’t it the Editors who write the headlines? If so, is Stuff’s Travel Editor on holiday and is its Political Editor standing in for her?

  15. Thinker 15
    10 January 2023 at 2:56 pm

    If you like Chronicles of Riddick quote, you'd love Donald Sutherland as Liam Devlin, the Irish man, in "The Eagle Has Landed"…

    "It's alright Father, I'm just teaching him about the Holy Trinity. Do you know it [Chris]? Footwork, Timin' and Hittin'. Learn these my old uncle used to say and you'll inherit the earth just as surely as the meek."

    wink

  16. tc 16
    10 January 2023 at 4:12 pm

    The roster finally comes to brooks turn and that's the best he can do.

    Stick to travel buddy and stuff shows its just another dp outlet.

  17. Tiger Mountain 17
    10 January 2023 at 4:25 pm

    • bwaghorn 17.1
      10 January 2023 at 5:17 pm

      Excellent!! Right wingers are just like common crooks hate the establishment right up till they need help.

  18. Stuart Munro 18
    10 January 2023 at 5:00 pm

    I imagine the strategy is to fight a PM with name recognition that Gnat leaders can only dream of – poison the reputation – because Luxon cannot compete on charisma.

    It is a bit tragic though – this level of press bias is how Putin retains power. NZ media should be ashamed of themselves – as they queue for jobs at MacDonalds having lost their undeserved media roles.

  19. Mike the Lefty 19
    10 January 2023 at 6:34 pm

    Its Jacinda's fault that we have so many of the rabid right still alive. If she had done what they wanted most of them would have been dead by now from COVID, alcohol poisoning, high speed traffic accidents, drownings, or smoking related diseases and we would be largely free from their incessant posturing and self-inflicted martyrdom.

    But I suppose the rabid right's wrath is what you earn by caring about your country enough to try and protect them from harm by diminishing their precious "freedom".

    They don't deserve it.

  21. Peter 21
    11 January 2023 at 7:39 am

    All those headlines are the exact stuff of Simeon Brown and David Seymour.

  22. Weasel 22
    11 January 2023 at 11:04 am

    Lost baggage is an absolute tragedy for those poor young OEs returning for Lucy and Olliver's big wedding day, but what about Potholegate? Now there's a real problem. Two motorists had their tyres on their double-cab ute damaged and Jacinda is not out their with her shovel. Heavyweight problems like lost baggage and potholes shows what a deep hole Jacinda has lead Aotearoa down.

  23. BAW 23
    11 January 2023 at 11:42 am

    Nat voter here.

    Who ever said the public were rational? Legally Jacinda is not responsible. But if the mood of the country turns, then she ends up getting tared with the same brush.

  24. remo.rogermorris 24
    15 January 2023 at 2:52 pm

    Why?

    Because Ardern is a ruthless and ambitious WEF trojan horse. Representing the international 'rules-based' (deepstate) power elite; Friend of NATO's 'Strategy of tension' social engineers and mandator of big Pharma eugenicists, the needle cultists of empire; determined to force us into a uni-polar, technoc.rat.ic, 'world order'

    Is why.

    [The conspiracy virus has rotten away big parts of your brain. To avoid spreading the disease I warn you that you will be quarantined for at least 1 year if/when you have another episode of your virus-induced stupidity in this site instead of dumping it, if you must, on SM such as Twitter or FB. I doubt it will happen but I hope you will get better soon – Incognito]

    • Incognito 24.1
      15 January 2023 at 8:45 pm

      Mod note

    • Shanreagh 24.2
      15 January 2023 at 9:12 pm

      Goodness me, you can surely do better than that remo.

      I find the very best conspiracy theorists have the facility to link in the faked moon landing, the grassy knoll at JFK's assassination, 9/11 being an inside job or was that an outside job and the lizard people of David Icke into the narrative.

      Your post does not mention any of these.

      Poor show really. Though do the needle cultists have the ability to effect shape shifting between lizards and humans? Is that what is being left unsaid? Along with Pizzagate. There used to be a couple of CTs about the Pope but perhaps these have been dropped

      Anyway toodle pip, hope all is well and if not get better soon.

      Heavy sarcasm. No response required.

    • remo.rogermorris 24.3
      16 January 2023 at 6:18 pm

      Thank you for your concerns regarding my mental health. Although they do fall into a patterned response avoiding all issues except the personal.

      I must confess; the mandating of an experimental mRNA 'gene therapy'; now implicated worldwide in the deaths of thousands, with hundreds of thousands of HARMS; a toxin injected under fear and loathing into the arms of my children and grandchildren – without informed consent; is a particular cross to bear. I consider it a programmed assault by propagandists and eugenicists out of the WEF and WHO/GAVI/Tavistock think tanks; implemented by an idiot Government bent on it's own purposes; so it has certainly been a trial of the extreme.

      That said, what you are attempting to smoke me with ('rotten"conspiracy', 'virus' etc), is called a 'crippled epistemology'. Crippled thinking. This derogatory was designed by Cass SUNSTEIN and Adrian VERMULE in their Obama era 'Conspiracy theory' paper; an administrative assault against the dangerous evidence based 911 truth movements' gaming the media firewall in 07-08. These two apparatchiks of the wokist/deepstate, were engaged to identify strategies for government actions, in response to effective on-line advocacy against Official 911 Narratives. How to attack the investigative independents' who were effective… those finding evidence of the conspiracies Governments are determined to keep. 911, for instance Shanreagh, is most certainly a false flag operation by deepstate. A demolition. Just as John Kennedy was indeed, shot twice from the front. In the throat, and in the face. The fact you cannot understand it, means you are not asking the right questions. Something Leni Riefenstahl understood as 'the submissive void'.

      The Sunstein/Vermule paper strategises different online tactics and means of infiltration by security services, to destabilise groups struggling with the narrative control firewall. 'TheDisinformationProject' in NZ examples one such effort to control the narratives here. Arderns 'ChCh Call', another.

      In this particular, the 'bundling' argument Shanreagh uses; where bona fide and provable Conspiracies (JFK/911), are purposefully 'bundled' with extreme, Flat-earth type limited hangouts; is a method designed to neuter by association. So that anyone newly contending with the impossible 'fire induced' physics of 911 freefall (says it all ) sees that 'lizard people' connotation, ceases immediately – not wanting to be branded. Shapeshifter and lizard people being most popular 'bundlers' but insults vary. Anti-semite and holocaust denier tend to be the final curses.

      It is also reasonable to point out that the term 'conspiracy theorist' itself was weaponised by CIA, in response to mounting evidence CIA were directly responsible (with allies) for murdering their President. A document obtained under FOIA by NYT's in 1976 CIA/1035-960//NURNAD labeled “PSYCH” for “psychological operations” coined the phrase “conspiracy theory” and “conspiracy theorists", to attack anyone who challenged the official narrative from the Warren Commission. It also has a CS indicated on it, which stands for “clandestine services” unit. It also self identified CIA's role 'to guard against the illicit transformation of probability into certainty'; that these are vast conspiracies., run by the intelligence networks and their government enablers. Illicit only because 'they' decide the legality.

      So; while you call me 'conspiracy theorist' for calling the sainted one a WEF trojan Horse, deserving of any blame the past 3 years throws up; be careful. It may be you, are the useful idiots.

      [Goodbye – Permanent ban. You are taking the piss and blatantly ignoring a Moderator warning with a major dump of conspiracy garbage. But what’s most disappointing is that you did not provide a single link to back up your assertions, which is a requirement on this site to enable robust quality debate – Incognito]

  25. Shanreagh 25
    15 January 2023 at 9:26 pm

    Just to add, with NZ coming up to an election that we hope will be fought on fair grounds the continued spouting of CTs is an absolutely unwanted part of any election just as these conspiracists were an absolute distraction from the work being done to keep us all safe during the pandemic.

  26. RP Mcmurphy 26
    21 January 2023 at 10:22 pm

    sabin is a shill. shills do what their masters tell them. sabin is a a tory shill and their policy is evryfing is da gubmints folt.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Climate Change: The wrong direction again
    In 2019, Aotearoa legislated a methane reduction target of 10% (from 2017 levels) by 2030. Dirty farmers think it is unfair that they should be expected to cut their pollution by a fraction of what the rest of us are doing, and want to do less. Meanwhile, the Food and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    29 mins ago

  • Top 10 for Monday, December 11
    Luxon does not see the point in Treasury analysing the impact of some of his government’s ‘first 100-day’ reforms. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Monday, December 11, including:Scoop of the day: A Treasury ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 hours ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: How should we organise a modern economy?
     Alan Bollard, formerly Treasury Secretary, Reserve Bank Governor and Chairman of APEC, has written an insightful book exploring command vs demand approaches to the economy. Brian Easton writes – The Cold War included a conflict about ideas; many were economic. Alan Bollard’s latest book Economists in the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago

  • Coalition Circus of Chaos – Verbal gymnasts; an inept Ringmaster, and a helluva lot of clowns
    ..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.The Curtain Closes…You have to hand it to Aotearoa - voters don’t do things by halves. People wanted change, and by golly, change they got. Baby, bathwater; rubber ducky - all out.There is something ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    6 hours ago

  • “Brown-town”: the Wayne & Simeon show
    Last week Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown kicked off what is always the most important thing a Council does every three years – update its ‘Long term plan’. This is the budgeting process for the Council and – unlike central government – the budget has to balance in terms of income ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    8 hours ago

  • Not To Cast Stones…
    Yeah I changed my wine into waterHad a miracle or four since I saw youSome came on time, some took a whileLocal Water Done Well.One of our new government’s first actions, number 20 on their list of 49 priorities, is the repeal of the previous government’s Water Services Entities Act 2022. Three Waters, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    8 hours ago

  • So much noise and so little signal
    Parliament opened with pomp and ceremony, then it was back to politicians shouting at and past each other into the void. Photo: Office of the Clerk, NZ ParliamentTL;DR: It started with pomp, pageantry and a speech from the throne laying out the new National-ACT-NZ First Government’s plan to turn back ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    9 hours ago

  • Lost in the Desert: Accepted
    As noted, November was an exceptionally good writing month for me. Well, in an additional bit of good news for December, one of those November stories, Lost in the Desert, has been accepted by Eternal Haunted Summer (https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/) for their Winter Solstice 2023 issue. At 3,500 words, ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    16 hours ago

  • This Government and their Rightwing culture-war flanks picked a fight with the country… not the ot...
    ACT and the culture-war warriors of the Right have picked this fight with Te Ao Māori. Ideologically-speaking, as a Party they’ve actually done this since inception, let’s be clear about that. So there is no real need to delve at length into their duplicitous, malignant, hypocritical manipulations. Yes, yes, ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    18 hours ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #49
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Dec 3, 2023 thru Sat, Dec 9, 2023. Story of the Week Interactive: The pathways to meeting the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C limit The Paris Agreement’s long-term goal of keeping warming “well below” ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • LOGAN SAVORY: The planned blessing that has irked councillors
    “I’m struggling to understand why we are having a blessing to bless this site considering it is a scrap metal yard… It just doesn’t make sense to me.” Logan Savory writes- When’s a blessing appropriate and when isn’t it? Some Invercargill City Councillors have questioned whether blessings might ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Surely it won't happen
    I have prepared a bad news sandwich. That is to say, I'm going to try and make this more agreeable by placing on the top and underneath some cheering things.So let's start with a daughter update, the one who is now half a world away but also never farther out ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Let Them Eat Sausage Rolls: Hipkins Tries to Kill Labour Again
    Sometimes you despair. You really do. Fresh off leading Labour to its ugliest election result since 1990,* Chris Hipkins has decided to misdiagnose matters, because the Government he led cannot possibly have been wrong about anything. *In 2011 and 2014, people were willing to save Labour’s electorate ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • Clued Up: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    “But, that’s the thing, mate, isn’t it? We showed ourselves to be nothing more useful than a bunch of angry old men, shaking our fists at the sky. Were we really that angry at Labour and the Greens? Or was it just the inescapable fact of our own growing irrelevancy ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • JERRY COYNE: A powerful University dean in New Zealand touts merging higher education with indigeno...
    Jerry Coyne writes –  This article from New Zealand’s Newsroom site was written by Julie Rowland,  the deputy dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland as well as a geologist and the Director of the Ngā Ara Whetū | Centre for Climate, Biodiversity & Society. In other ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Ain't nobody gonna steal this heart away.
    Ain't nobody gonna steal this heart away.For the last couple of weeks its felt as though all the good things in our beautiful land are under attack.These isles in the southern Pacific. The home of the Māori people. A land of easy going friendliness, openness, and she’ll be right. A ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Speaking for the future
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.MondayYou cannot be seriousOne might think, god, people who are seeing all this must be regretting their vote.But one might be mistaken.There are people whose chief priority is not wanting to be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • How Should We Organise a Modern Economy?
    Alan Bollard, formerly Treasury Secretary, Reserve Bank Governor and Chairman of APEC, has written an insightful book exploring command vs demand approaches to the economy. The Cold War included a conflict about ideas; many were economic. Alan Bollard’s latest book Economists in the Cold War focuses on the contribution of ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago

  • Willis fails a taxing app-titude test but govt supporters will cheer moves on Te Pukenga and the Hum...
    Buzz from the Beehive The Minister of Defence has returned from Noumea to announce New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting and (wearing another ministerial hat) to condemn malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government. A bigger cheer from people who voted for the Luxon ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • ELIZABETH RATA: In defence of the liberal university and against indigenisation
    The suppression of individual thought in our universities spills over into society, threatening free speech everywhere. Elizabeth Rata writes –  Indigenising New Zealand’s universities is well underway, presumably with the agreement of University Councils and despite the absence of public discussion. Indigenising, under the broader umbrella of decolonisation, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the skewed media coverage of Gaza
    Now that he’s back as Foreign Minister, maybe Winston Peters should start reading the MFAT website. If he did, Peters would find MFAT celebrating the 25th anniversary of how New Zealand alerted the rest of the world to the genocide developing in Rwanda. Quote: New Zealand played an important role ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • “Your Circus, Your Clowns.”
    It must have been a hard first couple of weeks for National voters, since the coalition was announced. Seeing their party make so many concessions to New Zealand First and ACT that there seems little remains of their own policies, other than the dwindling dream of tax cuts and the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 8-December-2023
    It’s Friday again and Christmas is fast approaching. Here’s some of the stories that caught our attention. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered some of the recent talk around the costs, benefits and challenges with the City Rail Link. On Thursday Matt looked at how ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago

  • End-of-week escapism
    Amsterdam to Hong Kong William McCartney16,000 kilometres41 days18 trains13 countries11 currencies6 long-distance taxis4 taxi apps4 buses3 sim cards2 ferries1 tram0 medical events (surprisingly)Episode 4Whether the Sofia-Istanbul Express really qualifies to be called an express is debatable, but it’s another one of those likeably old and slow trains tha… ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 8
    Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 days ago

  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    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
    6 days ago

  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago

  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago

  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  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. Brian Easton writes – The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 week ago

  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 week ago

  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • COP28 National Statement for New Zealand
    Tēnā koutou katoa Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. An island nation at the bottom of the Pacific, New Zealand is unique.          Our geography, our mountains, lakes, winds and rainfall helps set us up for the future, allowing for nearly 90 per cent of our electricity to come from renewable sources. I’m ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks 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
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-12-11T02:31:09+00:00