Will the Christian Conservatives rise again?

Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, May 20th, 2019 - 78 comments
Categories: abortion, Abuse of power, australian politics, climate change, democracy under attack, Environment, global warming, International, Mining, national, new conservatives, religion, same old national, science, Simon Bridges, sustainability, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

National will be licking its lips and thinking that the Australian election will provide them with a roadmap to how to succeed in 2020.

There are a few takeaways.  They need to make sure that a right wing megalomaniac controls the majority of the media and will instruct his channels to spew out anti left propaganda.  And a well financed extreme right wing party will help.

And don’t forget the local.  Labor was hit hard in Queensland probably because of the Adani mine project.

In the adjoining seats the three LNP members of parliament had swings to them of up to 15% converting former marginal seats into safe seats.

The Adani mine shows everything that is wrong with Australian politics.  Put aside the fact that if completed it would release huge amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere as well as wreck the Great Barrier reef not to mention fragile local habitats it makes no economic sense whatsoever.  The price of coal is crashing.  No merchant bank would go near the project, it appears that even merchant banks have minimum ethical standards.

Adani claimed originally that 10,000 jobs would be created but this has subsequently been reduced to 1,468.  Spending billions to create so few jobs makes no sense.

It also had open rights to use artesian water, that commodity that will become more and more valuable in Australia.  It has been estimated that the mine would use 4.6 billion litres of water a year.  Consent was rushed through by the LNP three days before the election even though the report relied on had major faults.  From the Conversation thread linked to above:

Details leaked to the ABC showed the review actually found that Adani’s modelling was “not suitable to ensure the outcomes sought by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Protection Act are met” and that advice for the approval was rushed through in a single afternoon.  

The review found that the modelling was “not sufficiently robust”, over-predicting flows back into the aquifiers it was drawing on and using incorrect measurements for calibration.

The mine owner had also sought a billion dollar government loan to pay for the required rail infrastructure.  Thankfully the Queensland Labor Government has killed this off.

The project should be terminal and put to death. Instead of this it has arguably helped return an incompetent inhumane right wing Government back to power.

But don’t be surprised if we see some similar sort of issue arise in New Zealand.  In fact off sea oil drilling in Taranaki is already serving this function for National.

The other aspect is the role of minor parties.  Clive Palmer’s United Australia party spent $60 million and gained nothing.  Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party did extraordinarily well when you think about how recently her party was implicated in seeking funding from the NRA to weaken gun laws and the defence offered was the senior staffers involved were on the turps.  But Palmer and Hanson both shook Labor voters loose and then directed them over to LNP.  

This underlines the need for National to have similar parties to its right.  And will incentivise plans to have Alfred Ngaro form a new party.

On the weekend the rhetoric was turned up with Ngaro saying that abortion was an unholy holocaust.

Jami-Lee Ross responded quickly:

This morning Bridges confirmed that discussions were reasonably well advanced, contrary to previous indications. 

On Friday Bridges’ office claimed comments about Ngaro were all rumour and speculation.  This reinforced something that he had said earlier. Then this morning he conceded that parts of the story were actually true.  He said this:

The truth is that the story I suppose had parts of it that were substantive and based on substance, some of it was wrong and so that is the reality of it.

Bridges then confirmed that Ngaro had been approached and Bridges had told him to keep Bridges in the loop.

Marvel at the video.

Wonder how a self confessed Christian politician can reconcile the use of fibbing with strongly held Christian beliefs, even if the fibbing is for political advantage.

And it makes you wonder where ACT will be. Because Bridges has also been reported as saying this:

I’m not interested in electorate deals – that’s certainly not something I have canvassed with Alfred or anyone else for that matter.”

But expect local politics to get uglier and more brutal at least in the short term. Although Jacinda is no Shorten and in my view has the ability and the empathy to counter this sort of approach.

78 comments on “Will the Christian Conservatives rise again? ”

  1. Enough is Enough 1

    Jami-Lee Ross standing up for woman's rights is like Don Brash standing up for Maori rights – laughable…

    • Pointing out that abortion actually isn't just like the Holocaust isn't "standing up for women's rights," it's "standing against anti-semitism," and the question is where were the rest of the National Party on this?

  2. Incognito 2

    So, Mr Bridges is saying “I’d do anything for power, but I won’t do that!”?

    • Sabine 2.1

      no he is saying

      look at what i say

      not what i do.

    • Wensleydale 2.2

      No, he's saying, "I'll do anything for power but I won't do that… until I feel it's necessary, after which I'll do exactly that and probably much worse. And then lie about it. Or blame it on a junior staffer. Who was emotional. Vote National!"

      • Dukeofurl 2.2.1

        Botany may not exist once they do the boundary changes in a few months…goodbye Botany hello Ormiston

  3. Dennis Frank 3

    Come again? "Will the Christian Conservatives rise again?" Rise again, but perhaps without coming? Hmm. Moral conservatives tend to be ambivalent re pornography (covertly pro, openly con) but I agree the possibilities will titillate them.

    It's true that the prospect of a Second Coming also looms large in their thinking. The passive approach of waiting has failed for two millennia so they could be mulling the potential of a proactive switch to a radical option: set the stage to make it happen, via magical thinking. Call a conference of all christians with political aspirations to discover who is really holier than thou. Brian Tamaki could explain why Destiny is the one true church, and all the others could be similarly exclusive…

    • greywarshark 3.1

      In the 12th century according to one of Edith Pargeter's stories, the Brits believed in God's active intervention. A dispute might be fought out by the protagonists with swords and the winner would have received God's blessing and the loser the thumb's down. So a duel with BrIan and Alfred and whoever?

      The decision would be divine.

    • woodart 3.2

      will the christian conservatives rise again. probably, because its usually a christian conservative that gets caught in the wrong bed, at the wrong time, with the wrong sex aid (or sex aide). the moral right are funny as phuck when one of their heroes gets caught with there pants down.

  4. mosa 4

    Bridges " the truth is "

    He must stop using such a wicked turn of phrase.

    It does him no credit.

    • Brutus Iscariot 4.1

      It's the equivalent of Key's "ektually".

    • OnceWasTim 4.2

      say it long enough, and it is so – apparently – (going forwid)

      But ultimately, we're pivoting on our respective platforms so that we can position ourselves to take full advantage of the various conversations blah blah fucking blah rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb, next

      Sometimes I really do wonder how some of them sleep straight at night
      Has anyone ever seen and listened to pigs eating at a trough?
      It’s ekshully quite pleasurable by comparison

    • Incognito 4.3

      The truth is Simon is a post-modernist. See, I learn things here on TS 😉

      • Psycho Milt 4.3.1

        Oh. it's much worse than that. A post-modernist would never claim that an assertion they were making was "The Truth." This is definitely your plain old grifter territory.

  5. Dukeofurl 5

    There is only a push for a Christian Conservative party because there is a surprising amount of money that would flow that way. Rich older Christians seem to want nothing better than 'buy a candidate'

    The Exclusive brethren, The Seventh Day Adventists all have elders who want to play in the political sandpit. The Colin Craig saga showed he was being bankrolled by people such as the Days from Waikato, and national doesnt want that sort of money to be wasted on a fringe candidate when they can 'grow a new Christian party from their own rib'

    • woodart 5.1

      rich older christians want to but a candidate because they think that might help them get a better seat on the plane to heaven. if they were "proper "christians they would know that buying a politian is like having a pet weasel, smelly, unreliable,and likely to bite its owner.

  6. observer 6

    Those pundits prattling on about the prospects for a 'Christian' (not very) party always ignore one basic point.

    The things that get the ultra-conservatives worked up are treated as conscience issues for National (and Labour). There is no way any National leader is going to bind his/her MPs to a deal on abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, etc.

    If you're an ambitious, youngish Nat (Kaye, Bishop, Willis) you don't want that baggage ruining your reputation, even if Simon does. He's only got one shot, so he's desperate … but his MPs aren't. They have a future.

    • Sacha 6.1

      They only have to offer enough concessions to secure support for a term at a time. Plus punishing the poor is an enduring shared value.

      • observer 6.1.1

        Disagree. That works for traditional pollies. You give Winston a few million for the horsies, you give Dunne a job, any job. That's 'a term at a time". Wheel, deal.

        But if it's a deal against conscience voters, and you're voting against what you believe, just for a couple of extra votes, you are screwed. And there is NO way National want to throw away swing voters for a generation.

    • mosa 6.2

      youngish Nat (Kaye, Bishop, Willis) have a future ?

      Shit that is depressing !

      • woodart 6.2.1

        there will be seats on company boards for the most servile ex nat m.p. s though jenny shipleys example will have them checking their personal liability insurance for incompetence……

  7. mauī 7

    I watched Sky News cover the Aussie election and the right wing commentators (pretty much everyone there) were distraught at Tony Abbott's loss. Man of principle, stood up for what he believed in they said,…

    In comparison here we have Simon, another religious odd ball minus any respect and decency his peers would ever be able to spot.

  8. Hooch 8

    From having no mates, National is now running the risk of too many mates. Which is it to be? new cons, blue-greens, Christian party? The danger is they all suck up 4% off of national and fail to get across the line while dropping nationals party vote further than it would have gone without them.

    • observer 8.1

      Blue-Greens are finished before they started. The only (faint) hope for National is a party with a sitting electorate MP (seats aren't simply "gifted" the way some imagine, the likes of Peters, Dunne, Anderton had to be sitting MPs first).

      But as you say, there are too many Judean People's Fronts (Tamaki attacks Ngaro, Moffett attacks New Cons, etc). They can't organise and compromise, because they are all speaking for God, and God doesn't do deals.

    • Wensleydale 8.2

      Bridges is determined to be all things to all people if it'll help him win.

      It won't though. He's fucked.

  9. marty mars 9

    look at the previous leaders of this religious political mix

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Capill

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Craig

    Not very great at all. This will always be their (a Christian Party) problem I think – a not if, but when, problem.

    • Wensleydale 9.1

      Capill used to make me roar with laughter. He was such a pompous arsehole. My old man used to sit on the couch of an evening watching him on the news and saying, "There's something off about that bloke. I don't know what it is… but he's not right."

      And it turns out he was a kiddy fiddler. Those who howl the loudest about the moral decline of society usually have the most to hide.

    • Sabine 9.2

      wow the guy who hit Capill got two years, while Capill a prominent NZler was released after serving 6 years on probation for sexually abusing little girls.

      On 23 March 2005 Capill appeared in the Christchurch District Court charged with indecently assaulting a girl aged under 12. On leaving the court he was assaulted ("punched and left whimpering on the ground") by local sickness beneficiary Daniel McNally, a former boxer.[3] The media referred to Capill, who was then under a name-suppression order, as "a prominent New Zealander".[4] McNally, who had no previous connection to the case, received a two-year prison sentence for the assault.[5] On 1 April 2005 name suppression was lifted and Capill pleaded guilty to a charge of indecently assaulting an eight-year-old girl on four occasions.[6] These events took place between the years of 2001 and 2002, while Capill was leader of Christian Heritage. His activities were brought to an end by the Rev Wally Behan, vicar of St John's Anglican Church, Latimer Square, Christchurch, the church which the Capill family attended. Behan was acting on information received from some of the victims. Further charges of rape and indecent assault against girls aged under 12 (committed during the 1990s) followed.[7][8] As Capill had strongly condemned "sexual perversion" throughout his political career, the revelations had particular impact.[citation needed] Capill's conduct was swiftly condemned by Christian Heritage.[9]

      good grief. good fucking grief.

    • Hey, come on now. To be fair, I personally believe Ngaro is well capable of living up to the legacy of Capill and Craig.

  10. Stuart Munro. 10

    These are just a retread of the Hollow Men who funded National before they found China. Funny thing is they're much more of a minority here than in the US, maybe due to education, or maybe from a self-inflicted negative image. The trick for Labour is in not alienating genuine Christians, who tend to lean left, and vote.

    • observer 10.1

      Yes, the word Christian should not be used as an insult. Or a synonym for far Right. It is not.

    • woodart 10.2

      yes, real christians care about the less fortunate, not want to punish them, or rip them off.

    • AB 10.3

      Quite – if Simon wants to cuddle up to selective bible literalists then he'll find that kiwis on the whole despise these clowns who are actually Christian heretics guilty of bibliolatry.

  11. Sacha 11

    Am I right in gleaning this morning that Farrar's polling must have told the Nats their voters do not support a dodgy electorate deal?

    Yet they will want insurance that a vote for a christian tory ally is not wasted again.

    • Rae 11.1

      Not at all, because Bridges has only emphatically, on record, ruled out Botany, and maybe a little bit, Ellerslie, he hasn't ruled out any other electorate.

      • Sacha 11.1.1

        I meant in this case. Yes, he ruled it out after being vague on the matter last week. Wonder what happened in between ..

  12. greywarshark 12

    How would USA Christian groups advance National Party interests here? Because they could, National could learn and probably earn a lot. Perhaps they would like to set up a large cult-centred evangelical farm, or teach Scientology in a bigger way than at present.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/389603/us-at-centre-of-national-s-foreign-policy-bridges : US at centre of National's foreign policy – Bridges

    Mr Bridges said National would prioritise New Zealand's relationship with the US, and "leverage the strong, security, economic and political ties between the two countries".

    The document said "no country has done more to promote democracy, freedom and security around the world than the United States", with both countries sacrificing together.

    He said National would participate in the upcoming debate about the future of New Zealand's presence in Iraq as part of a US-led mission.

    Mr Bridges also committed to "aggressively" pursuing a free trade deal (FTA) with the US.

    "We do have to win Washington's trust and attention … and have the political will to follow it through…".

    Edit:
    However, a guest panellist at the launch of the document, former trade negotiator Charles Finny, disagreed saying he did not believe the time was right to pursue an FTA as the deal for the agricultural sector would not be good enough.

    As for China, Mr Bridges said National would “further” the strong and dynamic relationship, and aim to meet the goal of doubling two-way trade to $60 billion by 2030.

    The document states Australia remains New Zealand’s most important and comprehensive relationship.

    Mr Bridges also signalled a move to allow New Zealand to act independently of the United Nations through a law change giving this country the ability to “autonomously” impose sanctions on countries where it believes it’s warranted, and “outside of the ‘held hostage’ United Nations sanctions regime”.

    Considering this – “As for China, Mr Bridges said National would “further” the strong and dynamic relationship, and aim to meet the goal of doubling two-way trade to $60 billion by 2030.” How does this fit into the knowledge that we must stop planning on growth of economies and think about slowing climate change to try and calm it, and concentrate on sustainability, and surely build resilience. We can’t keep exporting and importing as at present Simple Simon, if we want all to have a pie, man.

  13. Mark 13

    <i>Yes, the word Christian should not be used as an insult. Or a synonym for far Right. It is not. </i>

    Agree here.

    However it is good to have the views of people like Ngaro out in the public square, even though I personally would not vote for such a person or party.

    If Ngaro plays his cards right he could well get a lot of votes from Pasifika, obviously, South Africans, Koreans (many of whom are Roman Catholic), Asian migrants, particularly Chinese who take to Christianity with gusto when they arrive here.

    A genuine socially conservative voice is missing from NZ politics, and would add value to political discourse in this country. With it, we may have been able to avoid idiocies like Bradford's anti-smacking law.

    • Sabine 13.1

      well surely this country does not need an idiotic anti – smacking law, cause frankly we like to beat / abuse them properly, not just a little smacking, no only proper beatings will do. /s

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12017200

      A man who beat his baby son around his face and head then jammed a solid object in his mouth causing significant injuries has been sentenced to 9 months home detention.

      https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/baby-southland-flown-aucklands-starship-hospital-serious-injuries-police-investigating

      A five-week-old baby has been hospitalised with serious injuries, which Invercargill police believe are non-accidental.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/106245150/childrens-minister-alarmed-at-numbers-of-proven-child-abuse from 2018

      More than 10,000 Kiwi children were recorded as being abused last year – something the Children's Commissioner has labelled New Zealand's "enduring shame".

      Figures released under the Official Information Act show that between its creation in April 2017 and March 2018, Oranga Tamariki recorded 13,966 substantive findings of abuse.

      Those numbers were made up of 11,519 individual children – with some young people having more than one incident of proven abuse against them.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/68936884/ from 2015

      A child is admitted to a New Zealand hospital every second day with injuries arising from either assault, neglect or maltreatment, research says.

      Nearly half of them are aged under five.

      The figures, which are likely under reported, are contained in a 2012 report prepared for the Ministry of Health by the NZ Child and Youth Epidemiology Service.

      but yes, a 'proper' genuine, socially conservative voice is needed to do away with idiocies like Brandford's anti – smacking law.

    • Stuart Munro. 13.2

      "it is good to have the views of people like Ngaro out in the public"

      Really? Like most of the Gnats the only thing he really believes in is being elected.

      As for the Koreans, they're by no means a pushover for insincere folk playing the religion card. Now, I haven't been following Ngaro closely, but is he actually active in Christian circles, or just a core around which Gnat strategists figure a malleable voter block will crudesce?

    • weston 13.3

      Good grief !! Another so called christian still miffed cause he cant wack his kids anymore .Dunno weather youve ever noticed Mark but homo sapiens is THE most violent animal on the planet an we have been for some time ; do you really think we dont pass on the trait to our children ??Sue bradfords child discipline bill hasnt stopped humans being violent but at least it draws a thin line in the sand which sayes think about it mate the next time you raise your arm !!If you cant see the logic in creating a law like this then maybe you should just drop down onto all four again but then i suppose you dont believe in evolution either ?

  14. Mark 14

    Yeah, and has Bradford's law made one iota of difference, reduced the child abuse rates in this country at all?????

    • Sabine 14.1

      well as you said the law is idiotic and obviously the good people that beat their children and wifes to pulp need a good socially conservative party to not do so.

      I would have called the bill the 'anti criminal violent assholes (non gendered btw) beating their children to death law ' but then some call me outspoken and foul mouthed..

      but if you believe that a group of people who actually believe that women and children are property as defined by the bible will stop bashing their wifes and children when a man who has the same believes create a party that is supposedly socially conservative because the current lot of conservatives is not conservative enough, then i guess your issue is not with the abuse rates and the death rates, but rather with the fact that a women actually tried to do something no matter how small.

      • woodart 14.1.1

        agree sabine. the idea of sue bradford(or any woman) introducing a law that affects the ownership and discipline of chattels is abhorrent to some ….as is the idea that a pregnant women has the right to do with her body as she wishes…..

    • Rae 14.2

      Well it seems to have stopped instances of parents taking to kids with objects like horse whips, then being able to get away with it in a court of law as somehow they were able to convince that it was an act of "reasonable force", because that is all that law change was, removing the reasonable force clause as it was far too open to interpretation. It was the right thing to do

      • Chris T 14.2.1

        Care to post links to stats of the cases of parents taking to their kids with "horse whips" dropping since the law went through.

        What we do know is it hasn't stopped any scum parents beating and killing their kids.

        Apart from that it seems to have been a bit virtue signalling and that is about it

        • Rae 14.2.1.1

          Here you go, it was the Otago case that had particularly stuck in my mind. It was and is not virtue signalling, the problem was that the definition of what was "reasonable force" was far, far too open to interpretation and it was only that which was removed from the law. Again, it was the right thing to do.

          Sorry for length of time to respond, been PC-less for a few days.

          https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10329981

  15. swordfish 15

    .

    On the weekend the rhetoric was turned up with Ngaro saying that abortion was an unholy holocaust.

    His target constituency:

    .
    2014 NZES

    Question: "Abortion is always wrong ?"

    % Agreement

    (The two groups of voters way out in front)

    Conservative Party voters 49%

    Maori Party voters 37%

    The NZES regression model suggested Regular (Weekly) Church Attendance was by far the most important factor associated with staunch opposition to Abortion.

    Authoritarian attitudes along with Pasifika, Maori & Asian ethnicity were also correlated, albeit to a lesser degree.

    • swordfish 15.1

      Of course, given that 2014 Con voters almost certainly swung heavily to the Nats in 2017 … Alf's core targets will presumably lie elsewhere:

      The 37% of Maori Party voters implacably opposed to Abortion

      The 25% of NZF voters implacably opposed to Abortion

      The 22% of Labour voters implacably opposed to Abortion

      Otherwise, of course, he's not growing that Right Bloc vote.

      As Sacha & Ad have implied, making inroads into that morally conservative Pasifika (& to a somewhat lesser extent, Maori) Labour vote would be living the dream for Alf & Simon.

      Hasn’t been successful in the past, mind (well, apart from Taito Phillip Field’s brief rebellion in Mangere)

      • swordfish 15.1.1

        … which caused a fairly mild desertion among South Auckland Pasifika Labour voters.

        (& pretty much zero desertion in Porirua)

      • Sacha 15.1.2

        The Nats would welcome any ally who takes votes from Winston.

        • swordfish 15.1.2.1

          Yep … of course knocking them out of Parliament is the other key factor.

  16. Ad 16

    Since Labour has done so little to to improve Auckland Pasifika incomes, they could well be in play.

    Labour should talk to Alf fast.

    • Sabine 16.1

      well the minimum wage is currently 17.70$ so i don't quite see what you are on about.

      How much do you think the GST increase under national diminished the min wage at the time? Oh that is different?

      yeah, right Tui.

    • Sacha 16.2

      Conservative Pasifika voters have been a constituency for several election cycles now. Be interesting to see if Ngaro can win their trust.

      • Dukeofurl 16.2.1

        Conservative Pasifika voters dont seem to exist as a constituency

        For Mangere 2017 results

        The Labour Candidate got 18810 votes

        The Labour Party got 19931 votes.

        Oh the Conservative Party got 73, back in 2014 when its was Colin Craig leading Conservative party it was 839, even less than Greens (1084) who dont usually do all that well in seats with these demographics.

        The reality seems that Pasifika voters prefer labour and not some mythical Christian/Conservative group , especially if its sort of hobby for rich european 'evangelicals'

    • Labour should talk to Alf fast.

      What do you picture them saying to someone who thinks abortion is just like the Holocaust? Other than "What the fuck is wrong with you, man?" I mean.

  17. SHG 17

    Labour NZ can't make Labor AU's biggest mistake – running the campaign from Victoria, with Victorian election tactics, when the electorates that would swing the election were in Queensland and NSW and Tasmania.

  18. National can throw whatever they like at the Col.

    However they will not get within a bulls roar of the Col come next election because of Jacinda. There is no one currently in parliament in any party that can match her, not one person.

    As for a religious based party, it will be like peeing into a Canterbury nor wester.

    • Puckish Rogue 18.1

      "There is no one currently in parliament in any party that can match her, not one person."

      Hold my beer:

      https://www.facebook.com/judithcollinsmp/photos/a.561528207258270/561528227258268/?type=3&theater

      • Sabine 18.1.1

        bwahahahahahahahahahah

        oh bless

      • Nice photo, but thirty years ago, really ??

        Come on, we all had our youth in our time.

        Any way, I wasn't talking about looks, I was talking about being a very capable leader and ability on the world stage.

        • Puckish Rogue 18.1.2.1

          I don't blame you for focusing on her looks but its not Judes fault she was born with pleasingly symmetrical features

          • Sabine 18.1.2.1.1

            oh now you are just searching for it

            lol

            lol

            lol

            • Mark 18.1.2.1.1.1

              wow oh wow oh fucken wow!!!! I think I'm in luv!

              • Mark

                I've figured that the main reason why older woman lose their looks compared to their youth is the weight they put on, and the puffed up face

                If they did some intermittent fasting, or some low carb, their faces would hollow out a bit and they would resemble their youthful selves a lot more but with a bit more maturity and class.

                It could just be a kiwi woman problem though. When I was in Europe, at first any darked haired woman I viewed from behind I almost was fooled into thinking they were asian ……until I got wind of the fact that slim white woman are a common item, in Europe that is. There is something about the depressive attitude of kiwi woman which leads them to calorie overload, and a miserable snarky attitude….what a waste of potential!

                • Drowsy M. Kram

                  "Youth is wasted on the young."

                  The real tragedy of Collins is the tragedy of her wasted youth, her stunted mind, her drudging over her clods and pigs until she has become a clod and a pig herself—until the soul within her has smouldered into nothing but a dull temper that hurts herself and all around her.

                • If they did some intermittent fasting, or some low carb, their faces would hollow out a bit…

                  That's a recent fad. Look at any Hollywood actress appearing a costume drama set in earlier centuries and compare them to paintings of actual women of the time – the locals back then would have pitied the modern actresses as obviously suffering from some debilitating illness and presumably not having long to live.

        • Psycho Milt 18.1.2.2

          Nice photo, but thirty years ago, really ??

          Very flattering! Try forty.

          EDIT: D’oh! The date’s in the post: it was 42 years ago.

  19. Sabine 19

    sadly we don't have someone like him start a new party.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2377&v=CQzZowezRM4

    • WeTheBleeple 19.1

      "There is a brand of religious conservatism that will praise the wolves while they devour the poor"

      There 's also a tendency of the poor to turn to spiritual solutions when problems become overwhelming. This is played upon by the conservative (rich so called) christians – 'gay marriage causes earthquakes' and other such wisdom for the masses.

      Climate change has many christians convinced it's end times therefore Jesus is about to turn up and save them. This makes them ineffective and even detrimental to efforts to fix our issues. Malleable and molded to fit conservative agendas. Suppressing themselves with the false narratives of the truly wicked – Convenience Christians, those hypocritical pious pampered pricks.

      • Sabine 19.1.1

        And when you can't afford the doctor, praying is the next affordable medicine as it costs you nothing.

  20. Jackel 20

    Are the Tories taking an American line here? Waiting for the rapture while voting for the guy with the best hair cut and a face that looks most like you know what.

  21. A 21

    I look forward to these Christian Conservatives stating that they want to see welfare reforms that support mothers or fathers who don't abort. Safe bet that doesn't happen.

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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    17 hours ago
  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    23 hours ago
  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    24 hours ago
  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    1 day ago
  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshit
    Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • ELE LUDEMANN: It wasn’t just $55 million
    Ele Ludemann writes –  Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 1-December-2023
    Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • Shane MacGowan Is Gone.
    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
    2 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
    2 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, ...
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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 ...
    4 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 ...
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    5 days 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
    5 days 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 ...
    5 days 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
    6 days 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
    6 days ago
  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • The stupidest of stupid reasons
    One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • A website bereft of buzz
    Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being  sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found ….  Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: A new Ministry – at last
    Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Luxon's Breakfast.
    The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL:  Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreement
     Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item:   Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki:     “Section ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record. Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    6 days ago
  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    6 days ago
  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    1 week ago
  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Cans of Worms.
    “And there’ll be no shortage of ‘events’ to test Luxon’s political skills. David Seymour wants a referendum on the Treaty. Winston wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Labour’s handling of the Covid crisis. Talk about cans of worms!”LAURIE AND LES were very fond of their local. It was nothing ...
    1 week ago
  • Disinformation campaigns are undermining democracy. Here’s how we can fight back
    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Misinformation is debated everywhere and has justifiably sparked concerns. It can polarise the public, reduce health-protective behaviours such as mask wearing and vaccination, and erode trust in science. Much of misinformation is spread not ...
    1 week ago
  • Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is not even an entry in Wikipedia. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    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
    1 week 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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