Woman’s Day pays creep to stalk Mau

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 16th, 2010 - 58 comments
Categories: Media, Spying, tv - Tags: , , ,

Tabloid trash mag Woman’s Day has being paying someone to follow Alison Mau and her family to take pictures to fuel their prurient interest in her personal life, according to a statement by Mau on TVNZ’s Breakfast.

In her statement Mau pleaded for Woman’s Day Editor Sarah Henry to “call off the dogs” and the “creepy guy in a Corolla stationwagon following us around”.

Mau is one of the most impeccably professional journalists we have in this country and god knows she’s a welcome relief from having to listen to the pea-brained rantings of Paul Henry in the morning. Yet unlike Henry, Mau has done absolutely nothing wrong. So I really don’t think this sort of harassment is remotely fair. Mau’s acknowledged that as a person in the public eye there’s bound to be some attention, but really: for one she’s not exactly an elected official or the CEO of a multi-million dollar company, nor has she done anything particularly unusual to warrant unwanted intrusions into her and her family’s private life. 

And just what kind of sociopathic organization, other than the Police, goes around spying on people? It’s sick and it’s creepy and it serves no other purpose than to help rich people extract money from stupid people.

The valiant Sarah Henry refused to front on Close Up, but did offer the weasel excuse that Woman’s Day only paid for the pictures after they’d been taken. If you’d like to let Sarah Henry know your opinion on this, her email is [email protected]

Personally I’d just like to say FFS Sarah, how out of touch are you? It might have been news in the victorian age, but things have moved on from when you were a girl. Yours will be an unusually bitter life if you resent all the people who are at once smarter, more professional and better looking than you are, because believe me, they are legion.

In the mean time, if you know anyone witless or shameless enough to admit buying Woman’s Day, encourage them to spend their money on something else for the next few months. Something less damaging for their brains, like a can of glue to huff perhaps.

58 comments on “Woman’s Day pays creep to stalk Mau ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. tc 1
    16 February 2010 at 9:42 am

    Mixed feelings about this…….Allie/Simon happily courted and were paid to be the subjects of many a fluff piece and now it turns out the premise (i.e. being happily hetro and married) seems to be a sham.

    Can’t have it both ways Allie, once a media whore…..and as for professional journo……mmmmmm Professional presenter and autocue reader more like…..watch out for the paid PR pieces TVNZ will get underway and Megan mouthpiece fronting the campaign.

    Swimming with the sharks comes to mind.

    • Ag 1.1
      16 February 2010 at 1:14 pm

      That’s not quite the hypocrisy you’re looking for.

      What’s odd is that you have a person doing a spot on television devoted to these celebrity stalker rags in full knowledge that they all engage in this nonsense, who is complaining when they target her. Having said that, the news media had no business outing her and the whole episode is disgraceful.

      In any case, the only reason this is news is that the thought of Alison Mau having sex with another woman is a turn on for a significant portion of male New Zealanders, and the news media more or less peddles soft porn these days.

    • the sprout 1.2
      16 February 2010 at 2:27 pm

      So obviously consent and reciprocation mean nothing to you tc.
      I hate to think what that says about your sex life (I’m assuming that as you’ve commented here you consider this topic fair game).

  2. Bearhunter 2
    16 February 2010 at 9:46 am

    “It might have been news in the victorian age, but things have moved on from when you were a girl. Yours will be an unusually bitter life if you resent all the people who are at once smarter, more professional and better looking than you are, because believe me, they are legion”

    And nice piece of personal abuse to ruin what was in danger of becoming a cogent argument. When Sarah Henry was a girl wasn’t that long ago. She’s not some embittered, middle-aged harridan living on cigarettes and botox in a Viaduct apartment. You should know that given how well you appear to know her. Clearly you know her well enough to presume that she is not smart, not professional and not that good looking.

    I’m not defending Sarah Henry’s methods, mostly because I don’t give a shit about the micro-celeb market in NZ, but I do object to your ad hominem abuse. And given the lengths TVNZ have gone to in the past when chasing a “story” of dubious editorial value, I’m amazed that Alison Mau felt the need to pull a “poor me” on national telly.

    • Rex Widerstrom 2.1
      16 February 2010 at 4:46 pm

      Hear hear. I’d go a step further and point out that Mau has demonstrated a remarkable elasticity when it comes to journalistic ethics. She happily assisted journalism’s decline into sensationalism and “gotcha” behaviour when it suited her career ambitions.

      Sure, she didn’t do anything quite as grubby as this. And the stories she was on were arguably of (slightly) more import. But we’re still talking about people, some of whom were left feeling as angry as Mau now is.

      But if you’re happy to erode something’s foundations when it suits you, excuse me if I don’t weep when it caves in on you.

  3. Brett Dale 3
    16 February 2010 at 10:09 am

    Unlike Henry she has done nothign wrong?????

    What has Henry done that is wrong???

    You think it will be okay for these creeps to stalk him?

    Out of interest, In the past did she ever allow her kids to be photographed for a womans magazine???

  4. vto 4
    16 February 2010 at 10:19 am

    Gotta agree with bearhunters sentiments re the personal abuse of the ed person and the womans day reader.

    Talk about arrogance. Which is always always always always accompanied by its cuzzie “ignorance”.

    Do you think female interest in gossip and what the more prominent female members of our society are up to is something new? You think it doesn’t have a place in society? Gossip may well sometimes be a bit yucky but if you know women you will know that gossip and similar intimate discussion of people within a community (or versions thereof) are crucial aspects of human existence.

    Disappointing but not surprising mrs sprout. Arrogance is common among authors here at times. It shows a lack of understanding of the human society. It shows a youth and lack of wisdom.

    p.s. nuke the creep btw. bad form.

    • A Nonny Moose 4.1
      16 February 2010 at 12:52 pm

      Crucial. Really? How? To keep women in their place?

      Gossip arises from boredom. And a society that keeps women ignorant, un-invested and unwelcome in the larger runnings of said society has a vested interest in the vicious circle of bored women gossiping.

      “Allie/Simon happily courted and were paid to be the subjects of many a fluff piece and now it turns out the premise (i.e. being happily hetro and married) seems to be a sham.”

      A whole lot BS to unpack here, but for starters – have you ever thought that women who come out bi or gay later in life have been conditioned by society to be in a hetro relationship, and struggle with confusion and conflicting emotions earlier in life? There’s no sham – just people discovering who they really are at a later age.

      I’ve getting a passive aggressive homophobic AND sexist vibe from people lashing out at Mau, and claiming “she deserves everything she gets”. So, your pretty TV presenter became true to herself – boo bloody hoo. She’s a human being deserving of privacy just as much as you.

  5. felix 5
    16 February 2010 at 10:32 am

    That sign really gets my goat.

    “Sorry we couldn’t be fucked building proper walls; here’s a nice sign instead.”

  6. Lew 6
    16 February 2010 at 10:39 am

    Let’s just dispense with the canard that, because she once allowed the media to cover her family and personal life, she has no reasonable expectation of privacy for ever. Think about what that means, for a moment.

    To employ a stark analogy, agreeing to a kiss and a cuddle on one occasion under particular circumstances, does not imply consent to sex at any later time under any different circumstances. You agree with that, right?

    That having been said, there is no indication that what WD has done is illegal — only that it’s unethical. That’s a matter for wider society to respond to, and for the readership to punish if they see fit. So it’s as the sprout says — convince your WD-reading friends and acquaintances to pick up a rival glossy, if you can. Not that the others are any better.

    L

  7. gitmo 7
    16 February 2010 at 10:46 am

    How are the Police a ‘sociopathic organisation’ ?

    Does Mike Williams own a camera ?

    .. oh and the woman’s mags are trash.

    • felix 7.1
      16 February 2010 at 10:55 am

      Well…. it’s an association full of sociopaths for a start. Or were you being cryptic?

      • Lew 7.1.1
        16 February 2010 at 10:56 am

        It is? I think the actual psychological testing and evaluation data that the police conduct as part of the recruitment process would beg to differ.

        L

        • felix 7.1.1.1
          16 February 2010 at 11:07 am

          That who conduct?

          Oh, I see.

          • Lew 7.1.1.1.1
            16 February 2010 at 11:08 am

            Psst, hey cuz — over here. Yeah, this is a-grade tinfoil, man. You’re gonna need plenty.

            L

            • felix 7.1.1.1.1.1
              16 February 2010 at 11:10 am

              And that will protect me from sociopaths?

              I’ll need quite a bit for that, won’t I?

              • Lew …
                16 February 2010 at 11:15 am

                It’s not the sociopaths you have to worry about. It’s the massive conspiracy at the highest levels of the state which has allowed them to dominate our society. If they can do that, what can’t they do? Thoughtcrime is only the beginning.

                L

                Captcha: covering

              • felix …
                16 February 2010 at 11:29 am

                That’s exactly what they want you to think, Lew.

          • Rex Widerstrom 7.1.1.1.2
            16 February 2010 at 4:55 pm

            “…the actual psychological testing and evaluation data that the police conduct as part of the recruitment process…”

            The one that goes something like this?

            “Clearly you have a huge chip on your shoulder, having gone through school trading on your efficient brutality on the rugby field only to find that the smarter, wittier kids you used to bully have gone on to get good jobs while you’ve spent the past year guarding the meat section at Pak ‘n’ Save.

            “You demonstrated a complete lack of empathy – no understanding of other people whatsoever in fact – yet a willingness to back ‘the team’ no matter what transgressions it indulged in.

            “You used a great deal of unnecessary force during your physical evaluation… we’re going to have to replace several of our padded suits and a couple of police dogs.

            “It’s clear from your evaluation that you bear a grudge for the slightest provocation and would be prepared to misuse your considerable powers as a police officer to settle it. In short, you’re a dangerous sociopath.

            “Congratulations, that means you’ve passed with flying colours”.

            😛

            • Lew 7.1.1.1.2.1
              16 February 2010 at 4:58 pm

              So much more entertaining than felix’s response, even if it is just as wrong.

              L

              • felix …
                16 February 2010 at 5:24 pm

                Neither of them were really jokes though Lew.

                Rex’s is pretty much the life story of most of the cops I’ve ever met. YMMV.

              • Rex Widerstrom …
                16 February 2010 at 5:48 pm

                Watch and learn, Lew…

                They’re all an eye-opener, these recruits, like the girl who suggests a crime scene could be secured by “the dead body people” (even an armchair detective could do better than that after one episode of CSI) but this guy makes my point the best. You need to watch a few episodes to really get a feeling for just how dedicated, and how immeasurably stupid, he is.

                And yes, he’s a former security gurard… and he passed the academy despite even being grossly unfit. Must have been his attitude and intelligence that they wanted 8-/

              • gitmo …
                16 February 2010 at 6:51 pm

                “Rex’s is pretty much the life story of most of the cops I’ve ever met”

                Yes, but perhaps you’re just a complete cunt and are being treated as such ?

                Most police I’ve met over the years have been pretty good people, doing the best they can under pretty tough circumstances a lot of the time.

                • lprent …
                  16 February 2010 at 8:29 pm

                  So are most of the police I’ve dealt with. However I’ve also seen some friends and activists being dealt with quite differently. It is like any organisation – there are some people in it who drag the reputation into the dirt. The October 15th ‘terrorism’ raids come to mind. August 2011 when the trial begins should be interesting for looking at the role of the police prior to those arrests

              • felix …
                17 February 2010 at 12:42 pm

                gitmo: Yes, but perhaps you’re just a complete cunt and are being treated as such ?

                I was referring to the cops I’ve met socially. But you’re right, I am a complete cunt.

              • Lew …
                17 February 2010 at 12:54 pm

                Almost all the cops I’ve had anything to do with in NZ have been well decent. When I’ve had run-ins with the law I’ve found them to be generally professional and fair. I have a brother-in-law who’s a detective, and he’s as dedicated and hardworking and reasonable a chap as you’re ever likely to meet.

                I accept that there are a few bastards, and there are some situations where they habitually go off the deep end (protests/activism, surveillance, minor weapon incidents, enforcement of liquor bans, electing that mad bastard Greg O’Connor, etc). But it’s like in wider society: idiots tend to seek each other out and use each others’ idiocy to cause trouble. If you’re a prick, you’ll tend to end up with the prickiest cop around, all else being equal.

                And Rex, if you think the Australian police are remotely similar to the NZ force, I reckon you’ve been over there too long, and the heat has fried your brains.

                L

                • lprent …
                  17 February 2010 at 1:34 pm

                  Yep. But what worries me is when they herd the real dorks together into a anti-terrorism squad. Then they tend to feed off each others paranoia and it is a irritation to watch the average intelligence to drop in such units – especially when you see them in court.

                  • Lew …
                    17 February 2010 at 2:39 pm

                    Lynn, right on. Especially since, if the hype is to be believed, that is where we want the best and brightest.

                    L

              • Rex Widerstrom …
                17 February 2010 at 6:30 pm

                The Australian cops I’ve had delaings with are different to those I’ve encountered in NZ, Lew.

                They haven’t borne a childish grudge and therefore haven’t repeatedly tried to have me convicted of things I didn’t do; they don’t habitually pull me over every time they see me hoping to find some minor infraction; they generally leave me alone and I leave them alone.

                The NZ police, on the other hand, evidently feel – as one officer openly said to my then business partner – “he’s got it coming”.

                But then again, like felix, I am a complete cunt.

              • felix …
                17 February 2010 at 7:05 pm

                I’ve known a few, Lew, mostly bastards. From all my social interactions (note: social) with cops I’ve met I’ve got a strong sense of a deeply ingrained culture of sexism, racism, violence, intimidation, bullying, an “us against them” mentality where “them” means everyone not sworn in, a sense of superiority to anyone not sworn in, and much worse.

                One bloke springs to mind – mate of a mate – who a few years ago excitedly told us how much he and all the boys were looking forward being posted to Whangamata for new years. The best thing about a riot, he explained, is that you can get away with anything in the heat of the moment and the dark. They were particularly looking forward to being able to smash some young girls around with the batons cos it’s not often you can get away with that whereas you get to bash guys all the time. Extra points for a crack across the face.

                He was a right bastard but not at all atypical in my experience. I’m sure your brother in law is a nice chap though.

            • Mac1 7.1.1.1.2.2
              16 February 2010 at 10:24 pm

              Being of the descended from Irish persuasion, and therefore having numbers of relatives who were policemen, plus knowing the children of my friends who became policemen and women, plus the police who I meet through my work and throughout my life, I have to say (*choke*) that I agree with you, Gitmo.

  8. randal 8
    16 February 2010 at 11:46 am

    TVNZ’s new slogan in case you haven’t noticed is stuff you love to watch!
    looks like they all lovin’ each other.
    hey lets get all get nekkid and join in.

  9. sweetd 9
    16 February 2010 at 12:36 pm

    The people get what the people want. The same people that blamed the paparazzi for the death of Princess Diana were the same ones that week in, week out buy the magazines that the paparazzi feed. So, instead of getting all upset about someone getting photos taken, maybe you should stop buying that magazines that use those photos.

    • felix 9.1
      16 February 2010 at 12:46 pm

      What about those of us who don’t buy the magazines? We can still bitch about it can’t we?

      But yeah, I know what you mean. It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

      There was a really good South Park ep which framed the phenomenon as a modern form of ritual sacrifice.

    • A Nonny Moose 9.2
      16 February 2010 at 12:57 pm

      So, if you want people to not buy these magazines, are you prepared to dig in deep and long for the huge societal discussion it will take to air out the sexism and patriachy inherent in them? Are ready and willing to talk to every woman in your life at length about the terrible body images displayed, stoking of boredom, treating women as ignorant, and commercial vested interests by cosmetic/fashion companies in these magazines?

      It’s all very well to say “don’t buy these magazines” but you need the deep justifications for it too.

      • felix 9.2.1
        16 February 2010 at 1:05 pm

        I take part in discussions around all of those issues on a regular basis. I’m not at all sure what your point is.

      • felix 9.2.2
        16 February 2010 at 1:10 pm

        But of course the best reason to ignore those magazines is that they’re just shit anyway.

  10. The Voice of Reason 10
    16 February 2010 at 12:54 pm

    I don’t buy ’em anyway, but if it’ll help I won’t read anything while I’m waiting for the chippie to cook my order.

    Mau does not come into this argument with clean hands and I have no sympathy at all with her situation. If you pimp your relationships (and in the case of Michael Laws, your kids), you can expect a backlash at some point.

    The media have no duty of loyalty and will quickly turn on previous friends if it suits. Likewise, enemies become bosom buddies just as quickly if there is a buck in it. Look up ‘reverse ferret’, it’s quite illuminating.

    • A Nonny Moose 10.1
      16 February 2010 at 1:00 pm

      Ok, I’m coming to your workplace, to listen in to your water cooler discussions about your family, and the next time that happens I’m coming knocking on your door at to ask if I can watch you have sex with your SO or take your kids to the school gate.

      Not comfortable with that? Didn’t think so.

  11. The Voice of Reason 11
    16 February 2010 at 12:56 pm

    And while I’m at it, if Mau doesn’t approve of media organisations hiring creeps, how come she sits next to Paul Henry?

  12. BLiP 12
    16 February 2010 at 2:19 pm

    Given the hand in glove relationship betwixt television and the celeb mags is it too much to suggest the whole thing’s a jack up? Certainly got us talking about it.

    • the sprout 12.1
      16 February 2010 at 2:24 pm

      Magazines and newspapers are usually a jack-up, after all ACP owns Women’s Day, The Herald and The Listener – and they frequently orchestrate their public interactions (standby for a defence of WD in the Listener any day now).
      But print and TV generally hate each other. Given that, and Mau’s performance, I don’t think this particular case is a collusion.

      • BLiP 12.1.1
        16 February 2010 at 3:33 pm

        I haven’t seen a great deal of evidence to support the suggestion that the print and TV media generally hate each other. Perhaps there is some rivalry in the newsroom, for sure, but otherwise TV expends a lot of resources in promoting puff pieces in the print media to support the celebrity cult and generate interest in content. Some of those Idol/Reality type shows seem often to indicate a symbiotic relationship rather than a hateful one.

        It does seem odd that by having a bleat on the box and mentioning the magazine concerned Mau expected to dampen interest. She might have been better to keep her nose clean and mouth shut. But, seeing as I didn’t see the Mau piece, and its you, I’ll take your word in this case.

  13. PK 13
    16 February 2010 at 4:00 pm

    “Mau’s acknowledged that as a person in the public eye there’s bound to be some attention, but really: for one she’s not exactly an elected official or the CEO of a multi-million dollar company, nor has she done anything particularly unusual to warrant unwanted intrusions into her and her family’s private life.”

    She’s a star by NZ standards & earns what, about 12 times above the average wage (?), through being an attractive presenter. If you enjoy the wealth that brings then you have to cop the prurient tabloid interest.

  14. Tiger Mountain 14
    16 February 2010 at 9:18 pm

    Too bad for Ms Mau on a personal level, I would not like to be treated like that either, but once you place yourself in the media/celeb orbit all bets are off it seems. Now, onto the pigs seeing as how others have raised this, the psychological testing of recruits looks for among other qualities-compliance, lack of empathy, ability to stretch the truth in court and boneheadedness. It is often the solid country boys that fit the profile. If you think otherwise you must have literally not had many encounters with the NZ Police. Yes there are exceptions, often the UK imports and non pakeha members and some of the new fangled community policing initiatives. They are handy for finding lost trampers and all sorts of unpleasant tasks that they are paid quite well for. My main beef with them, not being a criminal type personally, is their role as members of the state forces, with various sneaky subset units, where they are happy to spray, baton and if ordered shoot, unionists and political activists. They are not great with the mentally unwell/stressed either tending to use lethal force unnecessarily. This is not just an opinion, ample evidence exists.

  15. Melons 15
    17 February 2010 at 7:00 am

    When a persons job is in the media, there will always be a small grey area between when someone presents the news to when they become the news. Understood. You run that risk.

    But please tell me where the line is. When is it ever okay to follow around someones children?. Even if Ali is currently dating a woman, how do they think photographing her kids will add interest/strength to the actual story they are trying to promote?

    New Zealand is a small place. We have no A-list Celebrities here. The magazine editors such as Henry and certain newspaper gossip columnists have slim pickings when it comes to New-Zealanders in gossip-worthy tales. There is an aspiration of these people to live up to their American and English (etc) journalist peers when it comes to telling us what we apparantly want to hear about New Zealanders in the spotlight. They get a “Big fish in a small pond” syndrome and will take the story as far as they need to go to show they are worthy of getting just as much grit as our overseas journalists.

    Henry and her buddies fall very very short of worthy.

  16. Sue S 16
    17 February 2010 at 12:12 pm

    What Women’s Day is doing to Alison Mau is like raping a prostitute. Just because she’s sold herself and her private life to the sleaze media in the past doesn’t make it right for them to stalk her now. Standard readers, of all people, should be able to separate their (totally justified) distaste for Mau’s history of unbridled careerism from the principle that everyone, no matter how unpleasant, has the same human rights.

    • lprent 16.1
      17 February 2010 at 12:31 pm

      Provided they follow the policies I generally leave them alone and just moderate those that fall outside the bounds or who have annoying behaviours.

      So we get all types of people commenting here with widely varying opinions in a moderately civilised manner. The behaviour is civilised because Irish and I are not exactly civilised when we have to moderate and bounce people out. Then the policy is that we’re cruel and vindictive and we like leaving severe bruising to encourage people to be more civilised in future.

      But my point is that there is no real way to try and consolidate the morass of differently opinionated comments into a phrase of ‘Standard readers’. They’re even more varied than the authors who write here.

  17. PK 17
    17 February 2010 at 12:51 pm

    “Standard readers, of all people, should be able to separate their (totally justified) distaste for Mau’s history of unbridled careerism from the principle that everyone, no matter how unpleasant, has the same human rights.”

    What rights have been infringed? It’s legal to photograph someone in a public place isn’t it? Isn’t this what the ‘paparazzi’ do all the time?

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    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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 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
    2 days ago

  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 days ago

  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 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. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 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
    6 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days 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
    7 days 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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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

  • The New Government: 2023 Edition
    So New Zealand has a brand-spanking new right-wing government. Not just any new government either. A formal majority coalition, of the sort last seen in 1996-1998 (our governmental arrangements for the past quarter of a century have been varying flavours of minority coalition or single-party minority, with great emphasis ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    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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