Winston’s Worries
Written By:
- Date published:
2:14 pm, April 21st, 2020 - 30 comments
Categories: nz first, Politics -
Tags: nz first, shane jones, winston peters
There are rumours bobbing around the beltway bubbles about the state of NZ First.
The party has been awkward in Government, with bovine blusterer Shane Jones regularly putting his gumboots in his gob. NZ First have regularly stymied good policy, particularly if it affects ‘industry’, their codeword for the Talleys group.
Since the lockdown, NZ First has been able to contribute bugger all, which might explain the bubble breaking fishing photo, where the party leader seemed to be trolling the Government he helps lead.
I can understand Winston Peters feeling left out. But it wasn’t a good look.
Yesterday, Peters failed in the High Court to link various people, including two National Party politicians, to the leak of his personal superannuation details in 2017.
He alleged his privacy was breached when details of his unintentional seven-year national superannuation overpayment were given to the media, just before that year’s election.
The High Court has ruled that the identity of the leaker cannot be proven and Peters’ claims for damages and declarations have been thrown out.
That’s got to be annoying for Peters, but it’s hardly a body blow. However, there will be questions about whether the taxpayer should be paying his legal bills, given the brutal outcome.
What might be considerably more damaging is the announcement this morning that the SFO will release its findings into the opaque financial arrangements behind NZ First before the September election.
If NZ First already knew that the outcome was going to be made public sooner rather than later, that might explain their calls for a delay in the election. A later polling date would give them more time for damage control, if it were needed.
My read of the use of the New Zealand First Foundation to collate donations is that it is an attempt to mimic the National Party’s dodgy Waitemata Trust.
Like the Tories, NZ First could be about to find out that not maintaining social distance from supposedly independent donation entities wrong is an expensive mistake, both financially and politically.
Finally, I hear gossip that an email from within NZ First’s inner sanctum has unintentionally gone wider than intended and its contents are not helpful to the party. As always, I take such rumours with a liberal pinch of salt.
However, if there is substance to it, then I think we should be told.
You know, apart from that one time in 2008, NZ First has confounded expectations every polling day. My gut feeling is that this election will be the same and the party will make it back into Parliament.
Whether they really deserve to make it back into Government is another matter altogether.
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- Conference of Pacific Education Ministers – Keynote AddressE nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...1 day ago
- New $13m renal unit supports Taranaki patientsThe new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...1 day ago
- Second Poseidon aircraft on home soilDefence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...1 day ago
- Further humanitarian aid for Türkiye and SyriaAotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...1 day ago
- Community voice to help shape immigration policyMigrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...1 day ago
- State Highway 3 project to deliver safer journeys, better travel connections for TaranakiConstruction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...1 day ago
- Ginny Andersen appointed as Minister of PolicePrime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...2 days ago
- Government confirms vital roading reconnectionsSix further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...2 days ago
- Foreign Minister Mahuta to meet with China’s new Foreign MinisterForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...2 days ago
- Education Ministers from across the Pacific gather in AotearoaEducation Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...2 days ago
- State Highway 5 reopens between Napier and Taupō following Cyclone GabrielleA vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...2 days ago
- Special Lotto draw raises $11.7 million for Cyclone Gabrielle recoveryInternal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...3 days ago
- Government delivers a $3 million funding boost for Building Financial Capability servicesThe Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...5 days ago
- Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao – new Chair and memberMinister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...5 days ago
- Scholarships honouring Ngarimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion announcedFifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...5 days ago
- Appointment of Judge of the Court of Appeal and Judge of the High CourtHigh Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...5 days ago
- NZ still well placed to meet global challengesThe economy has continued to show its resilience despite today’s GDP figures showing a modest decline in the December quarter, leaving the Government well positioned to help New Zealanders face cost of living pressures in a challenging global environment. “The economy had grown strongly in the two quarters before this ...5 days ago
- Western Ring Route CompleteAucklanders now have more ways to get around as Transport Minister Michael Wood opened the direct State Highway 1 (SH1) to State Highway 18 (SH18) underpass today, marking the completion of the 48-kilometre Western Ring Route (WRR). “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, more ...5 days ago
- Briefings to Incoming MinistersThis section contains briefings received by incoming ministers following changes to Cabinet in January. Some information may have been withheld in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. Where information has been withheld that is indicated within the document. ...5 days ago
- Teaming up for a stronger, more resilient FijiAotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...6 days ago
- Investment in blue highway a lifeline for regional economies and cyclone recoveryThe Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...6 days ago
- Next steps developing clean energy for NZThe Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...6 days ago
- Statement from the Prime Minister on Stuart NashThis morning I was made aware of a media interview in which Minister Stuart Nash criticised a decision of the Court and said he had contacted the Police Commissioner to suggest the Police appeal the decision. The phone call took place in 2021 when he was not the Police Minister. ...1 week ago
- CPTPP Trade Ministers coming to AucklandThe Government’s sharp focus on trade continues with Aotearoa New Zealand set to host Trade Ministers and delegations from 10 Asia Pacific economies at a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission members in July, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor announced today. “New Zealand ...1 week ago
- Govt approves $25 million extension for cyclone-affected businesses$25 million boost to support more businesses with clean-up in cyclone affected regions, taking total business support to more than $50 million Demand for grants has been strong, with estimates showing applications will exceed the initial $25 million business support package Grants of up to a maximum of $40,000 per ...1 week ago
- More than 160,000 new Kiwis to call NZ home80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visas applications have been processed – three months ahead of schedule Residence granted to 160,000 people 84,000 of 85,000 applications have been approved Over 160,000 people have become New Zealand residents now that 80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visa (2021RV) applications have been ...1 week ago
- Scholarships propel Kiwi students to NASAThe Government continues to invest in New Zealand’s burgeoning space industry, today announcing five scholarships for Kiwi Students to undertake internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash congratulated Michaela Dobson (University of Auckland), Leah Albrow (University of Canterbury) and Jack Naish, Celine Jane ...1 week ago
- New Zealand to attend regional security meeting in AustraliaThe Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques travels to Melbourne, Australia today to represent New Zealand at the fourth Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Security. “The Government is committed to reducing the threat of terrorism ...1 week ago
- Health and safety action plan for portsThe health and safety practices at our nation’s ports will be improved as part of a new industry-wide action plan, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Following the tragic death of two port workers in Auckland and Lyttelton last year, I asked the Port Health ...1 week ago
- Bikes and scooters to be exempt from FBTBikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they ...1 week ago
- Foreign Affairs Minister to reaffirm our close relationship with FijiForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will hold bilateral meetings with Fiji this week. The visit will be her first to the country since the election of the new coalition Government led by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka. The visit will be an opportunity to meet kanohi ki ...1 week ago
- New legislation to streamline Cyclone recoveryThe Government is introducing the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed. The legislation is similar to legislation passed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes that modifies existing legislation in order to remove constraints ...1 week ago
- Cost of living package: More bread and butter support for Kiwi familiesApproximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increases to rates and thresholds for social assistance to help with the cost of living Superannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a couple Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children ...1 week ago
- Freeing up more government bandwidth and money to focus on the cost of living$1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state ...1 week ago
- Pacific needs to sit up and pay close attention to AUKUS, says Dame Meg Taylor
A Pacific elder and former secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum says Pacific leaders need to sit up and pay closer attention to AUKUS and the Indo-Pacific strategy and China’s response to them. Speaking from Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, Dame Meg Taylor said Pacific leaders were being sidelined ...44 mins ago - Cyclone Gabrielle: Robertson warns of delays to rebuild decisions
The government says it should have details on which weather-hit areas are high risk within three weeks, and can then make decisions about rebuilding. ...53 mins ago - What to expect when you’re expecting an El Niño (the answer might surprise you)Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carly Tozer, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Dean Lewins/AAP La Niña and El Niño are well-known terms in Australia these days. Linked to them are certain expectations: we expect wet conditions in La Niña and dry conditions in El Niño. These ...1 hour ago
- Te Whatu Ora reveals it has about 200 comms people, following criticism from NationalThe organisation has about 200 communications staff. The figure came in response to a Parliamentary written question from National. ...2 hours ago
- Counter-protests planned against anti-trans speaker
Counter-protests are planned for this weekend as a controversial anti-trans campaigner speaks in two New Zealand cities. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull will be allowed into the country after Immigration NZ said the threshold to stop her had not been reached. In a tweet, Rainbow Greens, the group that released an open letter ...2 hours ago - The magical world of restaurant staff mealsWe asked workers at some of our favourite food establishments to show us what they eat when the rush is over. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter The Boil Up. Last week was Work Week on The Spinoff, dedicated to unpacking our relationship with the world ...2 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Who will drain Wellington’s lobbying swamp?Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Who will drain Wellington’s lobbying swamp? Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in ...2 hours ago
- New Norton 360 Platinum To Help New Zealanders Address Identity Theft Issues
65 percent of Kiwis surveyed admit they would have no idea what to do if their identity was stolen Norton, a leading consumer Cyber Safety brand of Gen, today announced the New Zealand launch of Norton™ 360 Platinum, which leverages the company's ...3 hours ago - Throwing voting-age legislation onto the ‘policy bonfire’ only delays a debate that has to happe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images There might have been pragmatic political reasons behind the government throwing voting-age legislation onto its recent policy bonfire, but it remains a sadly wasted opportunity. The announcement reversed former ...3 hours ago
- Does public safety trump free speech? History’s case for banning anti-trans activist Posie Parker ...ANALYSIS: By Bevin Veale, Massey University The impending arrival of Kelly-Jean Keen-Minshull — aka Posie Parker — has put the spotlight on the tension between free speech and protecting vulnerable communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. In particular, it raises questions about Immigration New Zealand’s role in limiting who can visit ...3 hours ago
- Iwi Leading Urgent Housing Rebuild And Managed Retreat For WairoaWairoa has ready-to-go projects that could be accelerated to quickly get people back into homes following Cyclone Gabrielle, Minister Willie Jackson was told on a visit to Wairoa today. Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa is seeking a Government commitment ...3 hours ago
- New Report: City Rail Link Project Throws Good Money After BadA new report published by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union exposes the bad decision-making that led to a 61% cost blowout in Auckland’s City Rail Link and shows that the costs of the project now significantly outweigh any benefits. ‘The City Rail Link: ...3 hours ago
- Immigration NZ allows anti-trans speaker into NZImmigration NZ has today confirmed that the controversial anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull will be allowed into New Zealand for her speaking events this week. You can read our report here – and the full statement from Immigration NZ’s Richard Owen to the media is below: “I can confirm that ...3 hours ago
- Confirmed: Anti-trans campaigner to be allowed into New ZealandImmigration NZ says it knows some people will be unhappy, but ultimately the threshold to bar Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull from New Zealand hasn’t been reached. The British anti-transgender campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, will be allowed into New Zealand this weekend, Immigration NZ has confirmed. Keen-Minshull’s ability to ...3 hours ago
- Antarctic ice age survival story: life seeking ice-free refuges imitates art in Ice Age, the movieSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Stevens, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Antarctica is an icy place today, but the ice extended even further during past ice ages. The question of how and where life survived on land in the icy continent, through the ages, has ...3 hours ago
- The Tongan māfana energy takes centre stage in Red, White & BrassLike a Tongan Cool Runnings, with trumpets instead of bobsleds, Red, White & Brass is a feel-good movie based on an incredible true story. First-time film producer Halaifonua Finau tells Sela Jane Hopgood how he got it made. In 2016, promising new Tongan producer Halaifonua Finau was sitting in the ...3 hours ago
- Why do animals living with humans evolve such similar features? A new theory could explain ‘domest...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Thomas Gleeson, Doctoral Candidate, Australian National University Luz Rovira / Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND In the 19th century, Charles Darwin was one of the first to notice something interesting about domesticated animals: different species often developed similar changes when compared ...4 hours ago
- Popular fertility apps are engaging in widespread misuse of data, including on sex, periods and preg...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney New research reveals serious privacy flaws in fertility apps used by Australian consumers – emphasising the need for urgent reform of the Privacy Act. Fertility apps provide a number ...4 hours ago
- USP still the ‘bedrock’ for Pacific regionalism, says university chiefThe Fiji Times “The University of the South Pacific (USP) has been and continues to be a bedrock for regionalism. A resource owned by the region; for the region and a precious institution that needs to be protected in line with the vision of our forebearers.” This was the message ...4 hours ago
- PNG family kicked out of their home after 46 years – with 24-hour noticeBy Claudia Tally in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinean family who have been renting a property from the National Housing Corporation for the past 46 years have been served with a 24-hour eviction notice by a different owner who had obtained an eviction notice from the Port Moresby District ...4 hours ago
- Auckland Council contemplates quitting Local Government NZAuckland mayor Wayne Brown’s plans to cut back on spending could see the council quit Local Government NZ, the group that represents councils across the country. Stuff’s Todd Niall has reported that $400,000 would be saved by the move, with mayor Brown reportedly wanting to direct that money into other ...4 hours ago
- Does it matter what time I go to bed?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frederic Gachon, Associate Professor, Physiology of Circadian Rhythms, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Gregory Pappas/Unsplash Some of us love to be tucked up in bed by a particular time every night, ensuring a certain number of hours ...4 hours ago
- Love Better: Youthline relationship break-up support campaign launchesThe government has launched campaign to help young people navigate break-ups with the long-term aim of preventing family violence, believed to be the first of its kind. ...5 hours ago
- Giving trans kids a sporting chanceSports can be hugely beneficial for children but there are still many barriers for trans kids wanting to play, writes researcher Julia de Bres. There’s been a lot of talk recently about trans athletes in high performance sport, much of which derives from a broader anti-trans project rather than a ...5 hours ago
- Watch: One woman’s battle to get back on the boardA new documentary follows Amber Clyde, skateboarder and founder of Girls Skate NZ, as she works to rebuild her confidence in the sport while juggling solo motherhood. Amber Clyde remembers being bullied as the only girl at the skate park in Birkenhead – but these days all the same bullies ...5 hours ago
- One woman’s battle to get back on the board | Back on the Board | The SpinoffAfter dedicating years to helping young women find their confidence in skateboarding, Amber Clyde must teach herself how to get back on the board after the birth of her second child. But balancing the realities of being a solo Mum with running her own business means that her time is ...5 hours ago
- GCSB spy boss Andrew Hampton to lead SISGovernment Communication Security Bureau (GCSB) boss Andrew Hampton has been appointed to lead New Zealand's other spy agency - the NZSIS. ...5 hours ago
- 25-million-year-old fossils of a bizarre possum and strange wombat relative reveal Australia’s hid...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arthur Immanuel Crichton, PhD candidate, Flinders University Relative of _Chunia pledgei_ named _Ektopodon serratus_ (top left), with _Wakaleo oldfieldi_. Reconstruction of the early Miocene Kutjumarpu faunal assemblage by Peter Schouten, CC BY-SA Imagine a vast, lush forest dominated by giant flightless birds ...6 hours ago
- Ratepayers' Alliance Urging Supporters To Give Budget FeedbackThe Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is urging its 27,000 members and subscribers to have a say on Auckland Council’s proposed 2022/23 annual budget. Last week, the Ratepayers’ Alliance launched a new website to encourage public feedback. Backtobasics.co.nz ...6 hours ago
- NZ Olympian runner given eight year suspension for dopingNew Zealand distance runner Zane Robertson has been banned from all sport for eight years due to doping. Robertson, who is the holder of six national distance running records and a Commonwealth Games bronze medal, was tested at the UK’s Great Manchester Run in May last year. His sample returned ...6 hours ago
- Why didn’t I simply wear a mask? Alex Casey asks a psychologist why she was too chicken shit to wear a mask during the flight that probably gave her Covid-19. In the live action replay in my head, I can basically see, frame by frame, the moment that one of those puny little Covid-19 Koosh balls did ...7 hours ago
- PSN Appoints New Kaitohu MatuaSocial services and health & disability provider Presbyterian Support Northern (PSN) has appointed Joe Waru as its new Kaitohu Matua (General Manager Māori). The appointment will provide PSN with strategic leadership and advice as it seeks to ...7 hours ago
- Does public safety trump free speech? History suggests there is a case for banning anti-trans activi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Veale, Lecturer in Media Studies, part of the Digital Cultures Laboratory in the School of Humanities, Media, and Creative Communication, Massey University Getty Images The impending arrival of Kelly-Jean Keen-Minshull – aka Posie Parker – has put the spotlight ...7 hours ago
- Appointment Of Director-General Of SecurityDeputy Public Service Commissioner Ms Heather Baggott has today announced the appointment of Mr Andrew Hampton to the position of Director-General of Security and Chief Executive, New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS). The role of the NZSIS is to understand ...7 hours ago
- Money isn’t everything – but it can be a significant stressorMoney isn’t everything. But for most of us, it’s easier to deal with anything else in our lives if we know the bills are getting paid. So when household budgets come under pressure from cost of living increases – especially when that includes the mortgage that keeps a roof over ...7 hours ago
- National teases education plan and pledges to ‘rewrite’ curriculumThe National Party will announce the first part of its new education policy tomorrow in the prime minister’s own stomping ground of the Hutt. Leader Christopher Luxon said the “Teaching the Basics Brilliantly” policy will see the curriculum totally overhauled, with a direct focus on reading, writing, maths and science. ...7 hours ago
- Academics Invited To Respond To Survey For Report On Academic FreedomIn conjunction with Curia Market Research, the Free Speech Union has distributed a survey on academic freedom to academics across each of the eight universities in New Zealand. Respect for academic freedom is a statutory responsibility for universities, ...8 hours ago
- Dunne's Weekly: Time To Look Again At Coastal Shipping?Thirty years ago, after a marathon Parliamentary sitting, the Bolger National government passed the Maritime Transport Act which deregulated coastal shipping by abolishing cabotage. Cabotage was the practice which restricted the operation of sea, air, or ...8 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Big drop in number of people on benefitsNew reports out from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) this morning show that in the year to June 2022, 113,400 people came off a benefit, the highest number since electronic records began in 1996. From early 2020, at the start of the pandemic, there was a large increase in the ...8 hours ago
- Australia opens a fascinating new front in the fight for ethical investingA recent court action by Australia’s financial regulator suggests ‘greenwashing’ claims can expect far greater scrutiny – a situation likely to happen here soon enough, writes Steven Moe. Coal mining can seem like yesterday’s fuel – a relic of the last century, in the coming age of wind farms and ...8 hours ago
- National Party plans to rewrite school curriculum if electedThe National Party plans to rewrite the curriculum for primary and intermediate schools if it wins at the next election. ...8 hours ago
- Lizzo heading to NZ for one show in JulyGrammy-winning pop star Lizzo will return to New Zealand in July for her first solo show on our shores. The singer, rapper and flautist (yes) will play Spark Arena on July 26 as part of her Special Tour. The last time she was in New Zealand, Lizzo was a festival ...9 hours ago
- New asteroid sample study offers further hints of space origin for the building blocks of life on Ea...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trevor Ireland, Professor, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland MASCOT / DLR / JAXA How did life come about? The answer to this question goes to the very heart of our existence on planet Earth. ...9 hours ago
- Why is Australia buying hundreds of missiles?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Dwyer, Associate Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania Flying under the radar of last week’s AUKUS submarine announcement was the revelation that the United States had agreed to sell Australia up to 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles. This follows Australia’s ...9 hours ago
- Doctors may soon get official ‘endorsements’ to practise cosmetic surgery – but will that prot...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Unsplash/Olga Guryanova, CC BY Disturbing reports about botched cosmetic surgeries and injuries in Australia – from breast augmentations causing chronic pain to liposuction leaving patients with lifelong injuries – have sparked concerns in ...9 hours ago
- New research reveals how forests reduce their own bushfire risk, if they’re left aloneSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Zylstra, Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin University, Research Associate at University of New South Wales, Curtin University Shutterstock Fire management in Australia is approaching crisis point. Seasons such as the Black Summer three years ago showed how our best ...9 hours ago
- Species don’t live in isolation: what changing threats to 4 marsupials tell us about the futureSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, PhD Student, Deakin University Once abundant, woylies – or brush-tailed bettongs – are now critically endangered. John Gould, CC BY-SA Conserving native wildlife is a challenging task and Australia’s unenviable extinction record shows us we urgently need more sophisticated ...9 hours ago
- The National Skills Agreement needs time in the policy spotlight and it must include these 3 thingsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University ThisIsEngineering/Pexels , CC BY-NC Australia continues to grapple with acute skills shortages. Businesses are struggling to find workers with the skills they need. Meanwhile, workers struggle to get jobs because ...9 hours ago
- Trans people aren’t new, and neither is their oppression: a history of gender crossing in 19th-cen...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robin Eames, History PhD candidate, University of Sydney Portrait of De Lacy Evans and his wife (1870) State Library Victoria This article contains references to anti-trans, colonial and institutional violence, and includes information about an Aboriginal person who died in the early ...9 hours ago
- New police minister wants to target ‘early end’ of crime, defends prison statsThe new police minister has defended the government’s approach to dealing with crime, as new figures show just 32% of charges laid against young people last year actually resulted in a sentence. Ginny Andersen was promoted into the police portfolio on Monday after Stuart Nash was sent falling to the ...9 hours ago
- The climate report to rule them allThe final IPCC report was unequivocal in its call to reduce emissions immediately but the government has no further news on how agricultural emissions charging will work, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...9 hours ago
- Government insists abuse survivor redress a 'top priority' after officials suggested delayPublic Service Minister Andrew Little has rejected the option mentioned in a briefing document, saying the work is high priority. ...10 hours ago
- A ‘climate change election’ in 2023? Here’s what the polling tells usThe Greens say climate change will be integral to the big decision this year. Toby Manhire explores the data. Devastating, global-warming-exacerbated storms. A new IPCC report laying out the calamitous fireball hurtling our way. And a prime minister jettisoning a host of climate-aligned policies. There is plenty of material for James ...12 hours ago
- Viral weight loss drug Ozempic has been approved for use in New ZealandMedsafe has approved applications for Ozempic to be used in New Zealand. How does this new drug work and why is everyone talking about it? What just happened? Last Thursday, New Zealand’s medical regulatory body Medsafe gave consent for Ozempic to be prescribed in New Zealand. The approval is for ...12 hours ago
- Sympathy cards and the lessons of birds
An author on the death of a baby and "a calm respectful grace" The normal world was out there. The clocks and the jobs and the traffic and the mortgages and the death. Especially the death. Death in suburbia means funerals with piped fake Celtic music despite the fact ...12 hours ago - The long road to Paris' rebound
One of New Zealand’s brightest young netball talents, Paris Lokotui has returned to the court 10 months after a knee reconstruction. Now she hopes her tough journey back paves a better way for other Māori and Pasifika players. Paris Lokotui remembers the moment time stood still. The 21-year-old was playing ...12 hours ago - Cyclone Gabrielle: Why many in Muriwai can't move on
A month on from Cyclone Gabrielle, many residents in Muriwai are still living in limbo, unable to return to their homes "I can't look back because it's too sad. I can't look forward because it is too daunting." Kat Corbett's Muriwai home remains out-of-bounds more than a month after ...12 hours ago - TOP and the not terribly Teal Deal
TOP leader Raf Manji talks to Nikki Mandow about going teal, and the opportunity for a party that’s pro-business and pro-environment ...12 hours ago - Govt should explain why it rejected our advice – Climate Commission
The Climate Change Commission's chair says the Government's decisions to ignore its advice could weaken the country's most important climate policy. ...12 hours ago - Central Otago subdivision buyers lose the plot
A wave of council rule rewrites drives section buyers to give up and look elsewhere ...12 hours ago - Credit Suisse rescue package shows why our banks shouldn't pay big dividends
This is why our bank shareholders shouldn't expect such big returns – their risk is lower. ...12 hours ago - Beware of coconut oil salesmen
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Who really knows what will happen between now and September after the past 6 weeks.
Provided we are safely back in level 1 with the borders water tight, I think the election will be fought on one issue – the recovery.
The Greens have launched policy this week which has the economic recovery front and centre. Constructing a high speed intercity rail network. Big and bold. Expect more of this
Nats will campaign on their track record through the GFC and earthquakes. I don't know if anyone will care though
Labour will focus on their management through this crisis and now is not the time to be changing course.
Winston, however. I am not sure. He has been largely missing for the past month. He won't be able to rely on immigration as we will have none of that for the next couple of years. I don't think he is capable of thinking up a new bold fair way to structure our economy. And he is going to be donkey deep in donation scandals.
Who knows, but it wouldn't be a bad thing if they got kicked out.
The party might sacrifice Winnie in exchange for staying in power.
No they won't. NZF is Winston, in the sense he is the one name the public associate with NZF. As with the captain of the ship, Winston will stay with the ship. It will either float or sink with him.
Covid will change the electoral calculation. Will the public give two hoots about the court case and the SFO? They might/probably will just see that as politics of the past.
I reckon NZF's chances will rely entirely on how they preform over the next few months. For instance I was quite impressed with Shane Jones on Q & A. A few more performances like that from NZF and their top team will have quite a few voters saying, "Well, they are talking commonsense".
Don't interpret that as a changed vote from me, rather it is my analysis of how NZF is going to go over the next few months.
Kia ora, Wayne, thanks for the analysis. I think you are right that the SFO outcome might be regarded by some as 'old news', however that depends on the timing of the announcement and also how closely linked Winston Peters is to the result.
As you note, Winston is NZ First. He calls the shots, approves all big decisions and is actively involved in fundraising. He runs a very tight ship. Readers might be surprised to learn that his staff are required to call him Mr Peters, as if he was a boss in some earlier age.
You say that you aren't going to change your vote, and fair enough, however you've seen what happens to National's vote when it's obvious they aren't going to win an election. I don't see a collapse like that in 2002, however, I can see National ceding support to both ACT and NZ First.
In NZ First's case, if they market themselves as the 'opposition within Government', keeping Labour and the Greens from going too far, I'll happily predict they will pick up some support from National's usually faithful grumpy old man voters.
Winston being called "Mr Peters" by his staff is entirely what I would expect. For instance does the Prime Minister's staff call her Jacinda, or do they say "Prime Minister"?
I reckon the latter. I note the PM just about always refers to Dr Bloomfield as Director General of Health, or Director General. Occasionally as Dr Bloomfield. And she usually refers to other senior officials by title, or by formal address. I reckon she probably learnt that pretty early in life, since her father was a senior police officer. So rank and formal address are part of her upbringing.
Call me old fashioned, but I think it is reassuring that senior officials are referred to as such. It gives a sense that there is an ordered system of government, with serious resources that can support us at this time.
However, the PM is also smart enough to know that journalists and the public should be addressed by first name. It is part of her empathy to know these things instinctively.
Wouldn't call it old-fashioned so much as just conservative.
Political animals are strange creatures. If I was 75 and had a home like Winston's up north, I wouldn't swap that for a return to the Wellington grind.
There's only one job there that he hasn't held, and he's never going to get it, so why not just relax and enjoy the fishing?
I know Whananaki and can say with some confidence that there was no way Winston was going to catch anything much in the estuary during the daytime – apart from sprats. Flounder at night – and further down towards the open sea at change of light, maybe kahawai, smallish trevally and undersized snapper. So the photo of him fishing was interesting – he wasn't fishing with the expectation of actually catching anything. More like a sly, election year dog-whistle perhaps?
he may have caught a few votes
Yup. It wasn't bubble-bursting, either: his property and a calm water. It's not like he was rockfishing with heavy waves crashing over him. If he needed emergency services for that, it would have been because of a medical event or the horse kicked him lol
he got a lot of bites with that photo, just as he planned. as for nzfirst surviving, I think they will. many pissed off nat voters will finally have enough of bridges, and the provincial growth fund will be even more important now . whether you like jones or not , he will be a lot more popular in the provinces,handing out cash, than some city slicker from tauranga with the whiff of yen trailing him, being negative. but ,more importantly, I wouldnt like to see nzfirst disappear from parliament , same as I wouldnt like to see act go, even though I disagree with most of their philosophies. for democracy to work we need more different points of view representing five million of us, not less.
Thanks AB for precious local knowledge passed on. Ruru are calling at night hereabouts, the european leaves are turning and spuds and bulbs are sprouting.
https://spartanideas.msu.edu/2018/11/21/the-narcotic-of-power/
The Judge did say that it was very likely that the news was leaked with malice intent but without evidence of who the Leaker was the case had to fail.
And of course there was no way Paula Bennett would have leaked because she has no record of leaking sensitive information for political gain, has she? She sounded so virtuous on Morning Report.
I want to know what this circus cost the tax payer in legal fees.
Is there anyway the Crown can seek recovery of costs from Winston personally?
Frankly, I think Winston was fully justified in taking the case. Someone did intentionally leak his private information.
The Talley's link and funding plot definitely need to be answered for, but the privacy breach was a slimy move from a slimy regime.
When you are spending taxpayers money, you'd hope he would have some sort of evidence.
Its a disgrace that he turned up in court without anything, other than "well who else could have done it".
He was justified to be pissed off. He wasn't justified in running a case that cost millions without any chance of success.
It was a fair effort – it only folded because the ministry said it might be the leak.
And taxpayers should have funded Tolley's contribution, if only via NZonair as an example of classic kiwi comedy.What a moron.
dont the scots have a law, something like" guilty, but unproven"
"Not proven" (they also have guilty and not guilty). Only available in criminal trials as civil trials are decided on the preponderance of evidence, so not proven would be lost in most cases.
Thanks ianmac, for adding an important piece of information that TRP managed to omit.
Winston needs better lawyers it seems–on balance of probability who was likely to have leaked? who had something to gain from Winston’s reputation being smeared? Who technically had access and could have done it? Maybe Peters should not have proceeded if his case was as difficult to prove as the decision portrays.
Bennett, as well as her famous, drawn out battle over maliciously breaching two beneficiaries privacy–quietly settled a couple of years later with Non Disclosure Agreements, has all sorts of form regarding leaking–or rather–her “office” does. Not to be trusted on anything, apart from the certainty that she will put the slipper into anyone.
NZ First are pains alright, a handbrake on CGT, Fair Pay Agreements and much more. The Provincial Growth Fund is well received in Northland, but my concern is whether that will actually lead to any more votes that help the Govt. get a second term. In one sense NZ First enabled Jacinda and the current Govt. to happen at all, and does represent a section of older style tories that could never bring themselves to vote Labour or Green. The flip side is NZ First pander to the worst reactionary side of older white folks and indeed give comfort to the most vicious anti union company–Talleys–in this country.
They probably will scrape back, and fair enough under MMP, the more every citizen feels represented the better in some respects. But c’mon Labour time to wake up–assist the Greens and let Chloe take Auckland Central.
NZ1 saving grace IMO is that Where does someone not bent on voting Greens or Labour go ? Should the current National setup raise some concerns in some central marginally right aligned voters? Sure some to Act but NZ1 does give a voter "some" options on the right that could influence the next govt. 😇
I agree with you. I live in an area which I suppose you would call semi-rural and have several friends who vote NZ First because, although having mostly left – wing views they simply can't bring themselves to vote Labour. And what are all those National people going to do who told Simon on Facebook that they wouldn't vote for him again? They don't have anywhere else to go really.
New Zealand First have achieved a massive amount for a minor party – even just this term. Their budget wins were stupendiously huge: Foreign Affairs budget, Defence budget, Provincial Growth Fund, etc. They have dwarfed the Green's achievements from the 2017 coalition deal to now – and get nothing but contempt from the left for it.
Winsron is pure political whakapapa. Losing Winston Peters from Parliament also loses the last filament of continuous political memory to a New Zealand before Roger Douglas, monetarism, and the laying waste to the working class with the destruction of our manufacturing base. He's well and truly our last Holyoake liberal.
Also, no one in Labour represents older people- even though they are the ones that kept the Labour Party alive for 30 years. Winston does.
He has contempt for the media because they generally deserve it. The reporter who put the NZSuper story out there from the leak is case in point.
He's played a useful part in the Covid-19 response. Not sure where the rest of Cabinet have been.
Whether he continues on in the next parliament is immaterial to his contribution to New Zealand.
Thats an interesting appraisal of Mr Peters….takes all sorts I guess
"Winsron is pure political whakapapa. Losing Winston Peters from Parliament also loses the last filament of continuous political memory to a New Zealand before Roger Douglas, monetarism, and the laying waste to the working class with the destruction of our manufacturing base. He's well and truly our last Holyoake liberal."
Yes, would be the end of an era when he goes. 2023 will be the first election in 50 years in which Winston Peters hasnt taken part. I think that is quite an achievement.
If they had any clues, the NZ1st Foundation would pick up the legal fees.
I admire yr penultimate paragraph, TRP.
There is a long list of folk who have logically, eloquently and incorrectly called his demise.
They need a circuit breaker eg, promote Tracey Martin to the leadership.
It's not as if the up north voters aren't going to vote for them after all.
Well, since Lange has left this mortal coil in the meantime, I would name Winston as the best-spoken politician since Muldoon (whom I disliked intensely, but had to admire.)
Similar thing – I dislike so much of what Winston has done, but can see why he is still admired by many, or maybe just some by now…
For all the derision heaped on Shane Jones his interview on Jack Tame's show on Monday night was illuminating. His story of his hatred of how his parents and siblings had been affected by Rogernomics, along with the rest of us, and determination that that not happen again to vulnerable NZers for any reason was more of a true measure of him than I have heard before. His family had to move to Australia for work for instance.
Also his determination to sidestep those interested in personal gain from delaying and thwarting policies and projects that will try to ensure ongoing jobs for the less well off, I thought gave a more enlightened view of the man than those of his political detractors.
Jones can put on a good show when he's bothered and convince those willing to believe.