John Key’s $50,000 anniversary present

Written By: - Date published: 4:33 pm, November 27th, 2007 - 132 comments
Categories: election funding, john key - Tags: ,

250Just in case you don’t know, today is John Key’s first anniversary as National Party leader and his backers have given him the gift that keeps on giving & well over $50,000 worth of boring propaganda. Others including our good mates at blogblog have done the analysis of the spin behind this one so I thought we’d employ the oldest of journo tricks and follow the money. That’s why I had a talk to a few of my mates in the film industry and guess what? Film ain’t cheap. I’ve had a bit to do at the amateur end of the scale but today I’ve had a crash course in just how rich you have to be to make this sort of thing.

We sat down and identified this as at least two weeks of shooting across at least four locations: Christchurch, Wellington, Porirua and Auckland. We’ve all seen Key’s crew in the <a href=”https://thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/watch?v=vTE7EEixKvE” “>Porirua market video. It’s at least a seven person crew. That’s an assistant, two cameras, a soundperson, a director and a couple of stills photographers. For each of these factor in $2000 a week plus expenses (maybe $500 for the assistant) and remember we’re talking expensive expenses & each of these people is being flown around the country being fed and put up in hotels.

Then there’s the cost of gear. The first camera (there are some shoots with three) is probably a digibeta & that’s at least $500 a day and by the time you factor in all the other gear we’re looking at $1000-$2000 a day in gear. And remember there’s probably up to ten days of shoot here. That’s up to $40k on gear and staff alone.

Then there’s the cost of editing. A suite with an editor will run to hundreds of dollars an hour and there’s a good three day edit here. Add to that the cost of a sound mix at $3000(ish) and authoring it to DVD (at least another $2000) and the numbers are starting to add up. And that’s not counting the scripting cost & though I get the feeling our taxes paid that one because I’m sure Key will have a publicly funded communications adviser who can script a shoot.

What really blew my mates away though is the use of Coldplay & the truth is none of us knew what that would cost because it’s just out of the league of anyone we know. But here’s a little story. I went to dinner with a record label owner the other night & nothing special, just a struggling indy label with a few good acts. But here’s the kicker & he’d been approached by an ad company wanting to use one of his songs for an ad campaign in the UK. Their offer for the UK rights for a year? Forty thousand pounds. And that’s for an unknown band. Now, when you use a band’s music on the Internet you need the world rights and when that band’s Coldplay? Man, I can’t even guess what that would cost.

So this is the deal & at least $50,000 just to get the thing made and then who knows how much for the right to play “Clocks”. By the looks of it they’ve shelled out for a MediaOne video advertising campaign on the Herald to promote it too.

Now that’s a lot of money by anyone’s standards and given the fact that it’s a tedious bloody thing (and even the most sycophantic Tory adviser could see that) the question is why? No, scratch that, actually the real question is “Why???” Well I’ve kicked this around and all I can figure is that it’s the old story of them trying to get their spend in early. After all that’s a big chunk of cash they’re spending this year so they have a resource for next year that will be outside of any EFB campaign period.

Amazing, all that cash just so he can sell himself as an ordinary bloke. Happy Anniversary John.

UPDATE: For those arguing our figures are inflated because Key may have relied on volunteers, think again. Looks like he’s engaged the services of Production Shed TV, an outfit that boasts “over 40 years of combined industry experience, along with solid connections to many major industry players.”

132 comments on “John Key’s $50,000 anniversary present ”

  1. Billy 1

    I can see the headlines: “Politician in self-promotion shocker!”.

    You guys are really starting to look a bit obsessed. The last four posts are about John Key. Then one about “hysteria” over the EFB. Then one about the Australian election (fair enough). Then another about the EFB.

    How about a post on the acheivements of this government. Oh, hang on, I get it now.

  2. Matthew Pilott 2

    Billy, doesn’t the government have $70mil to spend touting it’s own achievements? That’s what you’ve been telling me. So why would the good lads/ladettes at the Standard need to do it.

    Oh, hang on, I get it now.

    Stunning analysis though, you’ve mentioned, like, six posts.

  3. Billy 3

    In fact, 47 posts on John Key and 61 on National. The next is “articles” at 36, and half of them seem to be about John Key.

  4. Tane 4

    Hi Billy, today I was interested to see what new policy John Key would pull out to take the agenda back. Instead, it turned out his only announcement was that he was ambitious and had spent $50,000 to say nothing new.

    Doesn’t it concern you that he has to spend $50,000 plus just to make people think he’s an ordinary bloke? And doesn’t it strike you as an odd way to squander all that money?

    If you want government achievements go have a look through the archives – there’s plenty there.

  5. Billy 5

    I have taken your advice, Tane. I wanted to see what nice things the good people at the Standard had to say about Labour’s record on the economy. Quite an important area for a government to concern itself with, I am sure you will agree.

    I was not deterred when I saw there were only three posts on the topic. Quality over quantity, I always say. Only all three were about National’s policy.

  6. Gruela 6

    That’s a good point, Billy. I’d like to see a bit more about Labour’s achievements, (which have been considerable.)

    Maybe you guys could start with a post on the ‘Quality of Life’ Project report released this afternoon, which paints a pretty damn rosy picture of how life has improved in New Zealand’s biggest cities over the last few years.

    Of course, there has been one downside. The distribution of wealth has become even more inequable obver this time.

    Care to tell us how National plans to fix this problem, Billy? (It seems especially important since every other social indicator seems to be improving, don’t you think?)

  7. rjs131 7

    yet every other propaganda tool the government uses is good value for money and perfectly acceptable. Under your logic you will be disgusted at every cent that the labour party uses to promote itself.

    How about a post on taito philip field being on bail and defending the rights of the workers exploited about him. How about a post defending the right to impartiality in the public service and defending Erin Leigh from ministerial abuse.

    We dont know how much public money was spent by national on these dvds, but i am sure it is a fraction of what labour spent on their pledge card. Or is even a fraction of judith tizard’s annual travel bill.

  8. Daveo 8

    Billy you’re pathetic. Your great white hope drops off the public radar and his attempt to jump back onto the scene has been met with derision. The best you can do is come onto this site and cry about how it should really be talking about something else, and would everyone please stop talking about poor John. Grow up man.

  9. Billy 9

    Thanks for your constructive input, Daveo.

    I certainly agree that, if one’s only source of news is the Standard, that is certainly the view one would come to.

    I thought you guys might appreciate someone coming along and disagreeing with you. Personally, I find all that smug echo-chamber shit a little tedious. If you’d rather I leave, I will do so willingly.

    I did not ask anyone to stop taking the piss out of John Key. That would be too much to expect, and make things a little boring.

    I am just saying that this focus on National, Key and DPF makes you all sound a little shrill and obsessed. But who the fuck am I? Ignore me all you want.

    Only you don’t seem to be able to…

  10. IrishBill 10

    I would’ve thought you righties might want to defend Key’s spend but it looks like all you can do is try to misdirect. One of the interesting things I didn’t mention in my post is that it’s based on the production of one 13 minute piece. There may well be hours of additional expensive footage still in the can. I’ve got a funny feeling we’ll be seeing more of these expensive PR exercises in the next twelve months. Just as well the big costs won’t be clocked up in election year.

    And by the way, I’ve got a few calls in with people who can answer my questions about the cost of coldplay rights. And you fools still think National’s opposition to the EFB is about megaphones? Suckers.

  11. the sprout 11

    Atrocious

  12. Billy 12

    I am quite happy to defend it, IrishBill, and will do so in a moment. I thought you might appreciate the heads up that you are all starting to look a little unnaturally fixated. It’s your blog, be as fixated as you want.

    It is a sad fact of modern political life that packaging seems to make a difference to large parts of the electorate. Hence Tony Blair’s style over substance approach. Hence Helen Clark’s highly airbrushed billboard. Hence John Key’s latest bit of fluff. I regard it all as a load of irrelevant shite, and am saddened that my vote counts the same as people who are swayed by it.

    So political parties promote themselves. Yes, even Labour.

    IrishBill considers, what? That certain of this promotion is worthy of particular derision (or perhaps should not be allowed?) because it is, in his opinion, too expensive.

    You socialists just know best about everything, don’t you?

  13. PhilBest 13

    Of course, what Our Dear Leader spends, of taxpayers money, on HER self-promotion, even if its a hundred times the amount in your beat-up of John Key, that just doesn’t rate comment, does it? It’s MORALLY RIGHT that “Dear Leaders” leading us to Socialist Utopia must receive the adulation of the masses.

  14. redbus 14

    Great… This is what I was expecting earlier.

    It’s pathetic, couldn’t the ‘ordinary man’ have grabbed his $1000 dollar phone and filmed it himself? Bloody lazy.

  15. sophie 15

    It seems a lot of money for the National Party to spend to portray their Leader as an “ordinary bloke”. I would have thought that they might see the need to put up a person who is more than just ordinary, to make up for their obvious lack of depth in the Policy Department.

  16. gobsmacked 16

    35,000 people will be packed into Wellington’s Caketin on Saturday, hoping for a glimpse of John Key, the man who rose from humble beginnings to be a global superstar.

    Hurry – tickets are going fast.

  17. Matthew Pilott 17

    I’m pretty ordinary and no-one will spend fiddy-Kay trying to sex me up to the masses – New Zealand you suck.

    PhilBest what is this socialist utopia you speak of? Labour is a Social Democrat party, perhaps you’re unimaginably unintelligent and have mistaken NZ for North Korea (that’ a guess based upon use of the term ‘Dear Leader’) in which case can you please tell me where the UN is, I’m short of cooking oil, have eaten my donkey and have no graing for the upcoming winter.

    That’s a pretty sick joke there, little man.

    Twat aside, I wonder if any journo will pick this up, in the context of the EFB and parties having bagloads to spend, and also in relation to the spending period.

    If anyone wants a blog with some commentary on Labour achievements, Jordan Carter usually gets in there and Billy – the link ‘just left’ is right there for you, sweet huh?

    P.S innit funny that on the ‘bog you’re a troll if you disagree, yet we’ve got someone here (not PB, that’s just being a muppet) disagreeing and in general people are trying to engage? Seems over there they would prefer to operate in a nice little right-wingvaccuum – kinda representative of the space between their e….

  18. The Double Standard 18

    A quick question for you Bill,

    How much did Labour spend in the last election campaign?

    $4,633,162.98

    Hmm, maybe you should be following the money on that total eh?

  19. redbus 19

    Haha, Pete Hodgson on the DVD:

    “Some people will think it’ll be a great frisbee, while others will want to watch it over and over again, and others will be within varying degree’s between.”

    What a legend.

  20. Gruela 20

    I agree with Billy that it might seem some political bloggers have started chopping at a single tree, and inadvertently forgotten about the rest of the forest

    However, it can’t be easy trying to compare and promote Labour’s policies against those of National when National doesn’t actually seem to have any policies.

    (Oops, I forgot about tax cuts. And, um …. tax cuts.)

  21. redbus 21

    Hmm, maybe you should be following the money on that total eh?

    Hmm, an entire national campaign cost, versus one VERY expensive hindrance on the film industry… Hardly a sensible comparison.

  22. Billy 22

    Matthew,

    I agree that the tone over here is better. But before you get too self-congratulatory, the standard assault on anyone who disagrees over here is to call them thick. Except for Nih, who just accuses people of being gay (while, curiously, at the same time pretending he is not homophobic).

    That just makes you guys seem smug. And I personally doubt it’s true. I do not think anyone has ever accused Ghostwhowalks or Millsy of being intelligent.

    And, as if to prove my point, Redbus just used an apostrophe when none was required. Me and Robinsod bi-partisanly hate that.

  23. Tane, you seem to have missed the point of the video. It wasn’t meant to be about policy. It was presenting John Key to the public, and giving people a snap-shot about who the next Prime Minister is. We never get to see Helen and Judith in a nice family snap, do we? (On the subject of Judith, did she get her tummy-tuck in a private hospital recently?)

    I don’t know where you get your hilarious claim that it would take a 7-person crew to shoot the video. Have crown limos suddenly got larger, to accommodate the driver, JK, and SEVEN CREW?

    A friend of mine is a cameraman for a reality-based TV show here in Auckland. He charges $800 a day, provides his own camera, and does sound and editing himself.

    But nice try. It’s exactly your kind of economics that Michael Cullen has used for the last eight years to deny New Zealanders tax cuts.

  24. redbus 24

    On the subject of Judith, did she get her tummy-tuck in a private hospital recently?
    – Did she have a tummy-tuck? She was on the news tonight, but it only showed her face. Anyway, I don’t think it matters much.

    I don’t know where you get your hilarious claim that it would take a 7-person crew to shoot the video.
    – The Porirua market clip, all of the crew were there.

    It’s exactly your kind of economics that Michael Cullen has used for the last eight years…
    – Really? “Exactly”? Michael Cullen actually denied the nation tax cuts because the camera crew costed too much? How interesting.

  25. John 25

    Have you all not yet figured out yet why the media is so intent on sinking the Electoral Finance Bill. Well, this shows you if you haven’t got it already. It is all about the money. Think what Granny Herald would lose if New Zealand moved away from the American style of buying elections. The Herald would love to have George Bush running think of the M-O-N-E-Y!!! And TV, well you just showed us what that goes for….

    Fortunately, this is Key’s last opportunity to buy a government.

  26. deemac 26

    Coldplay are millionaires but somehow I can’t see them as National supporters. Are we even sure National got Coldplay’s permission? They are so incompetent I wouldn’t put it past them to think word would never get out of NZ.

  27. Gruela 27

    Good point, deemac,

    maybe someone should email their representatives and ask if National actually got their permission.

    It would only be the public spirited thing to do.

  28. redbus 28

    Why wouldn’t they like National? They love money and they’re all egotistical – it might even be possible that they paid National to use their song.

  29. Robinsod 29

    I don’t know where you get your hilarious claim that it would take a 7-person crew to shoot the video

    IP – There’s seven crew in the porirua video fool. So is it that you can’t count or that you can’t face facts? Oh and tell your friend if he’s charging $800 a day he’s a sucker. But he’d have to be to be you mate, eh?

  30. The Double Standard 30

    No mention how much this little bit of Labour self-promotion cost?

    http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx?mid=77196544

  31. Robinsod 31

    DPFDblStd- Straws. Grasping. At. So do any of you righties still think National’s against the EFB because of megaphones? Or are yah all just gonna complain about Helengrad some more?

  32. Oh, Robinsod, so you include among the seven person “crew”, a TVNZ camera crew who were shooting simultaneously, do you?

    Watch Police 10-7 tonight, Robinsod. It’s shot with a one-man crew.

  33. Gruela 33

    What are you talking about, Double Standard? Viewimages is a privately run website that sells images. How were those pictures supposed to have cost Labour anything?

  34. the sprout 34

    well robinsod, you have to admit it’s been a good feint to move attention away from their last magnificent effort “Labor’s election is good for National because Johgn Key is Kevin Rudd”.

  35. Billy 35

    Fucked if I know why National’s against it, ‘sod. I do not really care. Personally, I am against it because it is a hastily written (and more hastily redrafted) dog’s breakfast. And there is more than the faint suspicion electoral law has been drafted to suit the party in power. And that makes me feel uncomfortable.

  36. The Double Standard:

    Shame on you for daring to compare promotion of the Prime Minister, with an entourage of an entire Maori cultural group and dozens of staff, all paid by the taxpayer, with a one-man camera crew shooting John Key for a promotional video about John Key, paid for by the National Party.

    You are totally ungrateful. It’s thanks to Helen Clark attending the World Cup quarter-final that we beat France.

  37. redbus 37

    No mention how much this little bit of Labour self-promotion cost?
    – Wow, that was desperate! I think it’s a fair call to say that it didn’t cost Labour one cent… though it is nice that the promotion, although not a promotion of Labour intentionally, worked on you. I suppose you’re ready to join now?

  38. Nick C 38

    You guys have grossly over estimated the costs. How do you know that the crew werent National party volinteers? National has 50,000 members, so I wouldnt be surprised.

    >”So do any of you righties still think National’s against the EFB because of megaphones?”

    That is a poor arguement Robinsod as you are essentially trying to turn a motive into a counter-arguement. Any decent debater knows that such arguements are irrelivent. Whatever the reason the National Party opposes the bill the fact remains that there is a silly clause in the EFB which puts gross restrictions on megaphone use.

  39. Robinsod 39

    Oh, Robinsod, so you include among the seven person “crew”, a TVNZ camera crew who were shooting simultaneously, do you?

    There was no TVNZ there you fool – that’s Key’s crew and yep that’s how big it was. Police 10-7 is shot by one (very amateur) guy because they have to shoot for months to get enough interesting footage to make a show (hint: that makes it expensive). Oh and there’s no director for 10-7. They find the story in post not before they start the shoot.

    NickC – The footage shows these are professionals with craft skills who are obviously working to a schedule of several weeks. You just can’t coordinate a crew like that with volunteers.

  40. the sprout 40

    well they obviously saved heaps on the script.

  41. The Double Standard 41

    Robinsod – yeah we already know that you think that 10-7 is a ‘vile “crims getting what they deserve” right-wing TV show’ fronted by Bomber Bradbury. Lol. I don’t think you are really qualified to comment on it.

    How much do you think this little effort from Young Labour cost?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C87GPusax54

    Did they purchase the right’s to Split Enz’s ‘I see Red’

    And are they aware of the actual lyrics:


    How could someone wicked walk around free

    Squeezed me out of your life
    Down the drain like molten toothpaste
    I feel used and spat out.
    Poor old me

    And, while we are talking songs, I guess Teh Party has already had their campaign song written – I wonder who funded that little effort?

    Really boyz, you need to find a better angle than “follow the money” Teh Party has already stepped so far over the line that you are pushing shit uphill trying to paint the Nats as some big-spending outfit.

  42. Wayne 42

    DubStan: God you’re grasping at straws here. The YL effort was an amateur youtube clip thrown up for a bit of fun. I somehow doubt it falls into the category of Key’s mass commercial DVD run that’s been advertised all over the mass media.

    And Knoxy? The brother did it for a small fee but mostly for the love of it. He’s a party supporter and partner is an office holder. Here’s a hint – his fee will have been significantly less than $50,000 plus royalties!

    Go back to the Nat research unit, have a brain storm and try again.

  43. redbus 43

    If they got the lyrics wrong, then maybe it’s not Split Enz song and therefore they don’t need to purchase the royalties.

    The Labour song didn’t cost much. I hardly think its within the same league as creating 10,000 DVD’s to give away to people…

  44. burt 44

    IrishBill

    Thanks for that link, you are doing a great job of helping National with their publicity.

    You can call this boring propaganda but Key makes a lot of good points. I might even consider voting National after seeing that.

  45. The Prophet 45

    Gotta crew list Sod?

    Cause I think you’re talking out your arse.

    Please post the seven member crew list here. Names please.

    No?

    Thought not.

    Still pissing then?

  46. Tane 46

    Prophet, this really is desperation. Have a look at the film. The picture above has six people alone.

  47. Micky Savage 47

    I just watched the video. I had Chemical Brothers playing int he background and it made the video quite acceptable. I thought that it was also a very good justification for what has happened over the past 8 years. Everything that Key praised has been improved over that time. He should acknowledge that a socialist state provided him with an education and a home and he should promise to work to support it. Somehow I do not think that this is his intention …

  48. burt 48

    What The Prophet said.

  49. Matthew Pilott 49

    These jokers are really pushing shit uphill trying to make it look like Labour’s spending all the money.

    This? This thing? No, just something Johnnie and his mates chucked together over a few beers one day. But look at Labour – all those government trips where they meet other heads of state and government representatives – there’s Labour spending up large.

    There’s actually no argument to poke a stick through…

    Billy – is ‘smug’ the codeword for yes-you’re-right-but-I-don’t-like-it-so-I’ll-criticise-it-some-other-way? That’s the context I’m getting whenever it’s used these days…

    Incidentally, I also support death for apostrophe misuse; the Queen’s English is not some text language for miscreants to debase.

  50. redbus 50

    Prophet and Burt (my friend has a bulldog named Burt), look at the film. You will see seven members making up the crew.

    Why do you both think that having their names will suddenly justify their existance?

  51. Tane 51

    What’s even funnier is that the figures were actually calculated quite conservatively on the basis of five people – we mentioned there were seven only after we looked through the footage again and found two more. As I said in an earlier comment, six of them are in the screenshot on this post. So if your gripe is with the figures you’ll have trouble arguing there were fewer than five people on the payroll.

  52. burt 52

    Matthew Pilot

    Incidentally, I also support death for apostrophe misuse; the Queen’s English is not some text language for miscreants to debase.

    Vete a tomar por culo!

  53. redbus 53

    Queen’s English
    – I adore Her Majesty. Long Live The Queen!

  54. Tane 54

    Actually redbus, I’ve been meaning to ask you about that – socialism and monarchism seem an odd mixture.

  55. Alex Freeman 55

    The National Party is now holding all comments on the YouTube video of John Key’s try hard video following from what I can only guess is a poor reception with the comments. Free speech anyone?

  56. Gruela 56

    Does anyone know what the going rate for the DPB was back in the 70’s? I bet it was a lot higher than it is now. (But then, those were more caring times, unless you were brown, of course. Or gay.) Also, aren’t National quite keen on selling off big chunks of the state housing network?

    Talk about forgetting your roots.

    P.S. Viva la Republica!

  57. redbus 57

    Really, you’ve actually thought to ask me that before. I must say Tane, the thought of strangers pondering about my beliefs is rather flattering. Haha.

    I would also like to point out that I’m not a socialist, nor a monarchist. I’m a democratic socialist and a constitutional monarchist. Quite a big difference.

    I’ve had that said to me before, but you’ll find that they do work well. There are many Leftists who support the retention of our the constitutional monarchy of New Zealand, just as there are many Rightists who argue for a republic.

    —————————————————————

    What do you mean, Alex?

  58. Matthew Pilott 58

    Burt – Yob T’voyu maht, tovarishch!

    Sorry Tane, guess some of us get all sentimental about Her Majesty.

  59. redbus 59

    Just checked it out… They keep deleting my comments. One thing that stunned me is that they deleted the comment when I called another commenter nice for telling another one ‘nice contribution’. How is it that they find that offencive?

  60. Thomas 60

    Her majesty? First against the wall

  61. Gruela 61

    Also, can anyone tell me why Idiot/Savant doesn’t allow responding at No Right Turn? He always has the most interesting posts. (No offence to you guys, but he must live and breathe politics.)

  62. Thomas 62

    too much abuse

  63. Gruela 63

    That’s nice, then.

  64. redbus 64

    I think he should allow comments, I enjoy his posts.

  65. Gruela 65

    Do you think if we all promised to behave he’d allow them? Maybe we could get up a petition. Or send him some chocolates.

  66. redbus 66

    Petition’s take too much work… I’d say go with the chocolates.

  67. burt 67

    Gruela

    The DBP as it was in the 70’s was circa $6/week per child. From memory in the early 70’s a low income worker was earning around $45/week (in the hand) around that time.

    So back then having 8 children would have been better financially than working a low paid job, just like now.

  68. Gruela 68

    Thank you, burt. Obviously not as lucrative as I’d expected.

    The whole thing sounds like a Catholic plot, if you ask me.

  69. Matthew Pilott 69

    Burt that line was a ignorant back then as it is now…

    “So back then having 8 children would have been better financially than working a low paid job, just like now.”

    The cost of bringing up a child these days is anywhere from 500k up to a mil; out of which hat do you get your ideas?

  70. Lee C 70

    gruela, you started out ok, but it has only taken you a week and a half to become infected with the generally vindictive and negative vibe that permeates The VDS. Shame really, I enjoyed reading your insights.

    As for the ‘breakdown’ of the cost of the dvd, really clutching at straws. How much did the photoshopped image and the pledge card it went on cost again? Of our money, I need not remind you. Yet again, a Very Double Standard.

    Did anyone hear the radio today, when it was announced that Key has enough support form the minor parties to form a government after the next election?

    You guys really have to get over this fixation with John Key. I don’t know, get a room, or something….

    While you are all sniping and biting at soap-bubbles, the real politics is going on right under your noses.

  71. burt 71

    Matthew Pilott

    I think Gruela got the point.

    Yes the comparison (then vs now) was ridiculous, I’ll give you that.

    In the 70’s Plunket was an institution that provided almost unlimited assistance to people with young families, all but killed off now. Children walked to school so each family needed one less 4×4. The costs of raising young children in the 70’s was a 1/10 the cost of today. No PSP’s, iPod’s, kiddies fashion, overseas holidays, new cars or big screen TV’s.

    Gruela is 100% correct, the Labour party of today has lost it’s roots. I was once a hard core Labour supporter, raised in a low socioeconomic hard core Labour supporter family in state housing. I don’t see the Labour party values anywhere in the current political spectrum, and I’m not so partisan I just envisage all my ideological boxes ticked because of the party name. If we are going to have self serving bastards running the country, at least let it be ones that don’t pretend to be something they are not.

  72. Gruela 72

    I think you’ve missed the point of what burt was saying, Matthew. Obviously what he meant was that the minimum wage should immediately be raised by 20%, and to pay for it, the top tax rate should be raised to 45%.

    Isn’t that right, burt?

  73. sweetd 73

    “The cost of bringing up a child these days is anywhere from 500k up to a mil; out of which hat do you get your ideas?”

    Simple, if you can’t afford them, don’t have them.

    **sorry if this has been double posted already

  74. Alex Freeman 74

    I should of written ‘for moderation’ after ‘holding all comments’. Obviously the National Party cannot handle the peoples views on the borefest that they spent thousands of dollars on.

  75. Lee C 75

    What burt said.

    ps visit my thing and hurl vitriol at me..http://troubleingodzone.blogspot.com/

  76. sweetd 76

    **sorry if this has been double posted already

    ***It wasn’t. Back to what you were doing.

  77. sweetd 77

    “Obviously the National Party cannot handle the peoples views on the borefest that they spent thousands of dollars on.”

    Hmmm, this ‘borefest’ has occupied you lefties all afternoon…and evening. Methinks she protests too much.

  78. Matthew Pilott 78

    I wouldn’t call it Labour roots or ideology to encourage large welfare-dependant families, if that’s what you’re meaning.

    I’m not happy with reports that the rich-poor gap is gettin worse if that is also what you’re alluding to, that’s one trend that I doubt any government could buck. However if you can see nothing for workers and whatever you consider Labour’s ‘roots’ in today’s Labour then I suggest you’re not looking very hard, or trying even harder to ignore what is going on. But from what you’ve said, I can’t decipher what it is you’d be after…

    Lee, those are some very negative and vindictive comments there, can I suggest you keep that type of stuff to yourself given you’re so concerned by the ‘vibe’ over here? Bit contradictory don’t you think?

    Constructively Lee, if you’ve got it in you, I would love to hear why it is you think this blog would not pay any attention to the leader of an opposition party that many detest?

  79. Thomas 79

    Did anyone hear the radio today, when it was announced that Key has enough support form the minor parties to form a government after the next election?
    Can you furnish us with more info
    which minor parties perhaps

  80. Gruela 80

    Lee c

    Sorry you feel that way. I shall attempt to raise my game. (I blame the gin.)

  81. burt 81

    Gruela

    No it’s not that simple.

    WFF should be capped at the same level the “rich bastard” threshold kicks in. Not twice the threshold, it’s just vote buying crap.

    The minimum wage increases should be indexed to the same percentage as the average of all MP’s each year. That would solve a lot of moral credibility issues over protecting the interests of the lowest paid people.

    Taxes… flatter, tax free bottom end, rich bastard threshold that is actually scooping the rich. Currently the rich bastard threshold scoops as many people as employed in the greater public service!

  82. Lee C 82

    Well gruela, I have home-made rum and coke to blame for my less than shining efforts, so we should call it evens

  83. Gruela 83

    burt

    I’m not sure of capping WFF at the highest tax threshold. At the moment, all it’s doing is taking money from childless ‘rich b******s’ and redistributing it towards those with kids. Considering NZ’s ageing demographics I don’t see it as necessarily a bad thing that some incentives are applied to having more children.

    I like the idea of indexing the minimum wage to MP pay increases, though. But the minimum wage would still be coming from too low a base. Maybe it would work better if we capped MP’s pay for a few years, first.

    But, come on, flatter tax?! I don’t want to live in the U.S. I want to live in a community, where those with more help out those with less. Maybe those in the top tax bracket can do without that wide screen TV for the bedroom, just for now, while there’s kids in South Auckland skipping school cause there aren’t enough truant officers, do you think?

  84. r0b 84

    Burt – “The costs of raising young children in the 70’s was a 1/10 the cost of today. No PSP’s, iPod’s, kiddies fashion, overseas holidays, new cars or big screen TV’s.”

    I’m not disagreeing with you completely, but it is still possible to raise children without these things. We’re all going to have to get over “consumerism” one day, because the earth will not sustain it…

    “I was once a hard core Labour supporter, raised in a low socioeconomic hard core Labour supporter family in state housing.”

    Interesting Burt. It makes your current knee jerk Labour hatred even more mysterious to me.

    “If we are going to have self serving bastards running the country, at least let it be ones that don’t pretend to be something they are not”

    Cut off our nose to spite our face? No thanks. Labour is far from perfect, but far better than the alternative.

    “I don’t see the Labour party values anywhere in the current political spectrum”.

    If you could just get past all the tory rhetoric and look at the actual record Burt. Unemployment is at record lows, the minimum wage has increased hugely, household incomes have increased, fewer are on benefits, crime rates are down, industrial action is down, the economy is strong and growing, the environment is taken seriously, there are many initiatives to support families, we are making provision for future retirements, the list goes on and on. Labour values in action Burt, if only you could see them…

  85. Lefty Basher 85

    Doesn’t it concern you that he has to spend $50,000 plus just to make people think he’s an ordinary bloke? And doesn’t it strike you as an odd way to squander all that money?

    Not as bad as spending govt coin to airbrush an old trout into a young trout.

  86. Luke 86

    For all our derision of the video it has been very popular. It has over 1500 views on Youtube today, which is very high by any standards. Also it is number 16 on NZ’s most watched videos for the day. On the other hand only having 5 responses is somewhat suspicious, have the Nats been rejecting many comments that are ridiculing the video?

  87. Luke 87

    “Not as bad as spending govt coin to airbrush an old trout into a young trout.”

    So none of Brash’s images were airbrushed at all to make him look less younger, and like he had a decent mop of hair.
    I don’t have too much of a problem with this anyway, most photos of celebrities and personalities you see are heavily airbrushed, It seems natural that politicians would do the same thing.

  88. Luke 88

    DPF seems to have been strangely quiet on this great relaunch of Key.
    Considering him being a National mouthpiece you would think he would have a nice posting about how great Key is and how much of an ordinary bloke he his. Or does he realise that all the great right wing thinkers that inhabit his site can see that the video is ridiculous and the video will be attacked from all sides?

  89. r0b 89

    “For all our derision of the video it has been very popular. It has over 1500 views on Youtube today”

    It is possible to be notorious without being popular.

    “which is very high by any standards.”

    Not by the standards of the 6 O’Clock news!

    “have the Nats been rejecting many comments that are ridiculing the video?”

    Yes, but no one knows how many of course.

  90. Gruela 90

    By the by, it sounds like you guys are going to get pretty busy tomorrow. From what I heard on the late news Granny Herald is going to have a nasty poll result for Labour on it’s front page. Get ready for some serious gloating.

  91. Dean 91

    John Key came from a beficiary upbringing and became wealthy.

    No wonder you people hate him.

  92. Razorlight 92

    This obsession you have is only serving to highlight this success of a man.

    Why do you despise him so much. It is the politics of envy at its very worst. He should be an example for everyone.

    And why the obsession with National spending their OWN money on this. It is alot better then them spending say $800,000.00 of our taxpayers money on it.

  93. dave 93

    I think JK got his present today.

  94. IrishBill 94

    RL – All I was doing was pointing out how much this effort cost in order to show how National campaigns. This is another example of how they are trying to substitute PR spend for policy. That kind of shallow politics is not a sign of a vital and robust democracy and that’s not good for anyone. It’s that simple.

  95. Lee C 95

    Pilott:

    you guys are so paranoid you can’t even accept good advice withiout assuming it isan attack.

    I’m simply sugesting that if the other blog were to run article after article targeting Helen Clark, you guys would be the first to point out out biased and slanted it is.

    Also I’m suuggesting that the fixation with Key is either because he is a threat, or, because there is an obsession with him.

    Simply to attack him as you are doing using ridicule and persoanl slights is doing nothing to address the actual issues that confront New Zealand.

    In fact he is running a positive campaign. The Labour ‘negative’ attack campaign is actually playing into his hands. It is you guys and and not Key who will end up scaring middle NZ away from Labour.

    Key is a monster of Labour’s own making, and you guys seem to enhance his ‘bogey-man’ status daily.

  96. slightlyrighty 96

    Yesterday, John Key launched a campaign to raise his profile. In the space of one day, this left leaning blog has 4 posts about John Key!

    Mission accomplished?

  97. redbus 97

    On the other hand only having 5 responses is somewhat suspicious, have the Nats been rejecting many comments that are ridiculing the video?
    Oh yes, there was some rather lively debate yesterday. I’ve just been back this morning to find they’ve deleted all the comments which exhibit frustration with the clip, with the exception of TaneStandard (probably because they think he will write a blog about it – already has… I think he should write one about the fact that National is blocking and deleting the comments of opposition).

  98. Thank you, the Standard. You are really the typification of the Labour Party online.

    Has it ever occurred to you that the reason why John Key, and the National Party, are so popular is because people are sick of being told that they’re no good, that they’re too stupid to make decisions for themselves, that the government knows best, and that anybody who disagrees with the Government is a traitor who should fuck off to Australia?

    Has it occurred to you that the surly, arrogant, backward-looking, negative expression about New Zealanders that is expressed by Helen Clark, Michael Cullen, Trevor Mallard, Pete Hodgson, and the folks at the Standard–as opposed to the optimistic, inclusive, forward-looking view of New Zealanders and what they can achieve–as expressed by John Key–is exactly what New Zealanders are ready for?

    Has it occurred to you that your constant obsession with him–for no other reason than that people LIKE him–shows just how out of touch with New Zealand voters you are?

    You have to be really pretty cynical to practice the politics of envy like that. It’s not working for you. The more Labour attacks John Key, the more voters flock to him.

  99. Lee C 99

    IP re your points above – I don’t think this has occurred to many who visit here.

    I don’t think it is likely to change either.

    Perhaps the Labour Party has empowered a certain personality-type who have over they years succeeded in marginalising and drowning out the voice of moderation within Labour, and that is why it will be difficult to communicate anything other than the ‘Party Line’ to them?

  100. Tane 100

    Yesterday, John Key launched a campaign to raise his profile. In the space of one day, this left leaning blog has 4 posts about John Key!

    Mission accomplished?

    Not all publicity is good publicity. When the meme going out there is that Key’s had to spend $50,000 on boring propaganda just to convince us he’s an ordinary bloke, that’s not the kind of profile he was after.

    As for your obsession with what we post about Lee, you do have to realise it’s Key’s one year anniversary and he’s just launched a major campaign. Of course we’re going to talk about him. Go back through the last month or so of our posts and you’ll find he’s hardly featured.

  101. Matthew Pilott 101

    Has it occurred to you, IP and Lee, that people such as myself don’t like what he stands for (despite – and therefore because of) the lack of concrete policy from him? It’s only people like you who think that Labour dislikes him because he’s popular, but that’s the insular thinking I have come to expect.

    IP, you’d need to be pretty cynical and blinkered (or deeply shallow 😉 )to brand it the politics of envy in the first place, it’s not working for you either (do you have a little handbook of random and broad arguments you pick from? I can’t see anything in your posts that tie them in with the subject most of the time?).

    Lee if you read the post there is nothing poersonal about Key in it, would you like some fact with that? When he comes out with some policies, I’ll probably argue against them too, unless I like them. Nothing surprising about that is there? No paranoia in that right? No big monster? So I don’t really know what you’re on about.

  102. Mike 102

    Given their political stances on “Fair Trade”, I don’t think Coldplay would appreciate their tune being used to promote a Tory party.

  103. Robinsod 103

    IP – I see you’ve moved from denying blatant facts to arguing using baseless conjecture. Well done, punter. I don’t actually think this is an attack on John Key so much as a pretty straight forward cost-analysis of his video and some speculation on why it has been done. As for the so called “obsession”? Yesterday was the man’s one year anniversary and a major National party PR push – it would be remiss of these guys to ignore that. There’s been very little Key coverage on the standard for a while.

    Oh and Prick you can’t really expect people to buy into the idea that National is positive and Labour is negative – you tories have been running attack spin for years now and it’s been fuckin sickeningly divisive. If you chumps can’t take a dose of your own medicine you should never have opened the box. Suck it up bitch.

  104. Max Call 104

    I hope that NZ election campaigns aren’t going to go all American. By that I mean all this focussing on the ‘personality’ of the leader. Where are the rest of the team? What are their policies? What are their skills and experience?
    It shouldn’t be about who has the best smile and most charming manner…
    How hollow.

  105. The Prophet 105

    Tane said –

    Prophet, this really is desperation. Have a look at the film. The picture above has six people alone.

    Well Tane – It appears to me that Sod has asked a couple of his Shortland St production assistant mates a few questions and then pulled a 50k figure out of his arse.

    Me, I have 18 years experience in the Film and Television industry and the production values do not have the look of a large crew.(yes, 7 is a large crew for a shoot of this type)

    So – If you guys can provide some proof of a seven man crew and a 50k budget then its all good – if not – Sod is talking out his arse.

    If Sod’s so connected he should be able to easily provide the information but I think he’s still just pissing out of the tent, which, I must say, is losing a lot of its shine.

  106. The Double Standard 106

    “Oh and Prick you can’t really expect people to buy into the idea that National is positive and Labour is negative – you tories have been running attack spin for years now and it’s been fuckin sickeningly divisive. If you chumps can’t take a dose of your own medicine you should never have opened the box. Suck it up bitch.”

    I think you just proved the point actually Robbo – with friends like you, who needs enemies?

  107. Robinsod 107

    DPFClawsDblStd – you can fuck off with that arguement ‘cos anyone with half a brain can see I’m no Labour man. I like democracy – your crew started a nasty game that ain’t doing democracy any good. Unfortunatley Labour and it’s supporters seem to have decided to give them a dose back. You reap what you sow.

    Profit – the size of the crew comes from watching the Porirua vid. Watch it. Count them. Can you count Profit?

    Oh and I’m not the one who said it was a $50k shoot – but I trust the standard to have gone to the right folk to find out. I’ve also noticed Mr Key doesn’t want to talk about the cost. Perhaps with all of your experience you’d like to throw up some analysis that show how much cheaper it could be? Thought not.

  108. I wonder how much money Charles Ashe is spending on his publicity?

  109. The Double Standard 109

    It just seems hypocritical for Teh Party’s acolytes to be banging on about how much a promotional DVD cost. They say it was funded by the party, not the taxpayer, so what’s the big deal. I don’t think anyone cares that much whether it cost $20k, $50k, or $100k

    If it was done in an amateur way, I’m sure there would be just as much rabid criticism.

    Teh Party is in no position to be critical on this issue, given how much it has rorted the taxpayer for political funding over the past 8 years.

  110. Robinsod 110

    DPFDblStdClaws – What a party spends on its PR and who’s pocket that money comes from are totally valid questions for discussion and pertainent to the political debate. If you don’t like that debate don’t join. Surely that’s so simple even you can get it?

    Oh and you’ve still not told me why you choes my witticism for your handle:

    http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2007/11/little_may_stand.html#comment-360421

    It’s very flattering but I’d still like to know the “why” of it.

  111. Robinsod 111

    Sorry – that should be “whose” not “who’s”. And I’m like supposed to be an expert in that shit. The shame of it…

  112. And it’s “pertinent”, Robinsod.

  113. slightlyrighty 113

    Guess what guys.
    the music used is similar to coldplay but it is most definately not coldplay.

    Listen to clocks, and you should notice that while the music is similar in Key’s dvd, it is not coldplay.

    Care to reassess your budget?

  114. Tane 114

    Slightlyrighty – care to reassess your reading comprehension skills?

    The potential Coldplay royalties are not included in the $50,000 figure, which is for production costs alone. We also haven’t included the cost of the heartland tour or the cost of the MediaOne online advertising campaign.

    As for whether or not it’s actually Coldplay, I don’t think it’s that simple. Even if it’s a cover version I’m pretty sure you don’t escape royalties that easily. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

    Got any half-credible rebuttal of that $50,000 figure yet?

  115. Robinsod 115

    It’s probably worth pointing out at this point that if the song ain’t clocks there’s gonna be some extra cash laid out for someone to do a safe version of it (and then some copyright lawyer’s fees to ensure it is a safe version – and they’d want pretty good lawyers ‘cos the last thing they’d need would be to face legal action over it.)

    How much would that be then?

  116. rod 116

    Do we throw up after watching the DVD, or before?

  117. slightlyrighty 117

    Tane.

    The problem is not the money spent. Personally I don’t mind that the nats have spent 50K of THEIR OWN MONEY on this type of promotion.

    I do mind that Annette King has probably spent close to that amount on a glossy newsletter that landed in my letterbox. The cost of this publication, emblazoned with the logo of the house of representatives and the Labour Logo, would have been paid for BY THE TAXPAYER.

    Note the difference tane.

  118. chance 119

    This “Coldplay” business is tragic. See if any of your tin-eared “industry” mates who thought that was the real Coldplay have heard of stock music. You can buy this sort of stuff for a few hundred bucks for a royalty-free CD. For example http://www.musicforproductions.com/search_quick.aspx?soundalike=Coldplay

  119. The Prophet 120

    And if they can’t even get the music right imagine how far out they are on the production costs.

    Funny though.

    Like fruit flies. Flitting madly in the little time they have.

  120. MikeE 121

    “The National Party is now holding all comments on the YouTube video of John Key’s try hard video following from what I can only guess is a poor reception with the comments. Free speech anyone?”

    Do you even remotely understand the concept of freedom of speech?

    Your freedom to speak ends at my doorstep. I.e. while you my freely comment on your own website, don’t expect someone else to provide you the means to communicate said message. You would be more than welcome to delete this comment, and any other comment you lke, and it wouldnt affect my freedom of speech.

    Again, what is the problem with the nats spending their own money on a video no matter how terrible it is. Its much better that they spend their own money that someone *chose* to give them, rather than MY money which is taken by taxes.

    You know… like that $800,000 of illegal expenditure that magically became legal.

  121. Askewniverse 122

    Theyve butchered Coldplay’s Clocks enough that they have managed to avoid paying for the rights. They did use it at their conference though – and im willing to bet they didnt pay for that. Like all good tories – always looking to rip people off!

  122. burt 123

    IrishBill

    What really blew my mates away though is the use of Coldplay & the truth is none of us knew what that would cost because it’s just out of the league of anyone we know. But here’s a little story….

    OK, so the shock value of the enormous expense of using Coldplay’s “Clocks” is gone so what is left? Ummm I know But here’s a little story …

  123. Benodic 124

    Burt you old drunk. IrishBill’s accounted for $50,000 on production. We still don’t know what Clocks or National’s butchered version of it cost them. I understand there was a campaign in the Herald too.

    That’s a lot of cost right there for sweet fuck all.

    Quick question: Are you on the National Party payroll or are you just an obsessive, lonely man?

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    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
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    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
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  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
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    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
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    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
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    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
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  • Progress continues apace on water storage
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  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
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  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
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