Stupi-duty and Wisharts works of political fiction

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, August 19th, 2009 - 34 comments
Categories: scoundrels - Tags:

Open Parachute has a post Evidence, not lawyers about that well-known writer of political fiction, Ian Wishart, issuing a press release saying that he is preparing to sue the Chris Barton at the NZ Herald and Gareth Renowden at Hot-Topic.

As Open Parachute says

The offensive sentence? ‘Only this week breakfast TV host Paul Henry flirted with stupi-duty by lending support to Ian Wishart’s AirCon, a book that the excellent Hot Topic (www.hot-topic.co.nz) noted ‘appears to come from another planet” (see Chris Barton: Climate debate adrift on rising tide of lunacy). (The word ‘supi-duty’ was a parody on a critical missive the Herald had received from a climate change denier).

Seems pretty mild to me hardly worthy of legal action. After all it was Paul Henry who was accused of flirting with ‘stupi-duty.’ Yet Wishart is threatening legal action and also that ‘he may widen the lawsuit to include Renowden as well.’ Renowden is the author of the critical review of Wishart’s book on Hot Topic (see Somethin’ stupid ).

Ian Wishart in his delusions may believe that he is writing factual books. But in fact he is producing a body of political fiction. It is fiction because he doesn’t let facts get in the way of his imagination. If facts don’t fit his strange ideas of how the world should operate, then he twists them until they do, or just makes bullshit up and tries to market that as ‘fact’. They are political because they are targeted to activate the prejudices of the sewer or talkback.

It is difficult to understand why Ian Wishart is thinking about bringing this case. It is unwinnable because any reasonable person who has read any of his material before would have the same conclusion as Chris Barton without reading more than a review of Wishart’s latest opus, including me. The only reason that people I know haven’t bothered to sue Wishart in the past for his various defamation’s against them is because it is a negative sum game. Even if you win, then you’d have still lost in the time and effort taken.

However, if Wishart chooses to sue someone else, then all of those previous defamations would be admissible to show why Chris Barton’s statements were a reasonable opinion based on Wisharts previous writing. Not to mention that a legal offense fund would be easy to build.

After all Wishart has chosen to make a laughing stock of himself over time, along with gaining a considerable number of enemies. Personally, I’d be very interested in a court ordered disclosure of the finances of Wishart, Investigate, and the publishing of his books. It doesn’t appear to me that they could be self-funding. In which case a political blog like this would be very interested in who his supporters are.

In any case Chris Barton’s comments reflect a commonly held view of Ian Wishart and his books. Overleaf, I’ve pointed out how the authors of this site have viewed Ian Wishart. I’d suggest that other blogs pull out their posts from the archives. Besides like this one on Poneke’s blog about a comment by Danyl they are usually hilarious.

Various authors here have made their opinions clear over the last few years.

all_your_base commenting in Back to the future (again)

What this latest admission shows is that National hasn’t changed its spots since Brash. Turns out Key was actually telling the truth when he told Investigate magazine that he wouldn’t change the policy, just the tone. That could make it the first demonstrable fact that Ian Wishart has ever published.

From the Robinsod’s hilarious “review” of Absolute Power: Book review: Absolute Power

I had high hopes for Absolute Power, I really did. If Faulkner taught us anything with The Sound and the Fury it was that a tale told by an idiot could be a masterpiece, if Nabokov’s Pale Fire offers us any lesson it’s that an exposition of paranoia and madness can make for damn fine reading.

So it was with great literary expectation that I picked up on the first of the excerpts published on Cameron Slater’s blog. I have to say I was disappointed and further reading just brought further disappointment. I mean sure the idiocy, madness and paranoia are all there. So too the stream of consciousness prose, the wild Pynchonesque explosion of detail beyond logic and the refusal to be bound by traditional narratological process. It should have all added up to some kind of masterpiece.

But it hasn’t.

all_your_base pouring humour on Wishart ‘investigating’ Owen Glenn

I was particularly intrigued by the sensationalist chapter accusing Owen Glenn of Mafia connections. The basis for this defamation? ‘Some of his associates allegedly have names like ‘Guido’, ‘Luigi’ or ‘Tony’‘. Intrigued, I decided to do a little digging of my own. I’m delighted to be able to report that to these names we can also add ‘Mario’.

Steve Pierson in The best they’ve got?

When I heard a Chinese national had been approved for citizenship by a minister against the advice of officials and with a letter of recommendation from a Labour MP, after he had apparently donated to the Labour Party, I thought ‘seeing as this is coming from Ian Wishart, it’s probably nothing but the jokers better not have got themselves into anything dodgy’. So, it’s nice to see Wishart has made a fool of himself again, and accidentally turned what was meant to be this great scandal on Labour into an embarrassment for Key.

I commented in Book review of the insane about Gareth’s review of Aircon

Gareth has a lot of fun tearing the ‘science’ in Wishart’s opus to bits. As he points out, Wishart doesn’t actually understand the fundamentals of any of the science. It would involve learning and thinking, something that Wishart appears to consider is below his dignity.

I did this prior to reading Aircon. My subsequent read of that work of fiction merely confirmed my opinion. In the book Wishart manages to demonstrate his monumental lack of knowledge about science to a degree that is an appalling indictment of his lack of secondary level training. Where he has occasionally managed to find a “peer reviewed” paper, he has typically completely mis-interpreted the contents.

It is hardly surprising that Ian Wishart also appears to have committed a act of artistic plagarism on the cover of Aircon as Tane pointed out in Coincidence?.

So Chris Barton is hardly alone in considering that anything written by Ian Wishart is likely to be stupid, and Paul Henry (hardly the brightest spark around) was doing an act of stupi-duty by lending support to Wishart and Aircon.

In my opinion, Ian Wishart is a rather poor journalist who sometimes writes books. He doesn’t check his facts, preferring instead to selectively quote without making the effort to understand what he is talking about. This has showed up in the last two books of his that I’ve read.

In Absolute Power, I know many of the people he wrote about in the circumstances he was referring to, and what Wishart wrote was almost entirely a tissue of distorted and misinterpretation of facts, reporting of unsubstantiated rumours, plus some outright lies.

While my earth sciences degree is somewhat old and I’m not working in the area, I have been reading in the area for the last 30 years. It was clear to me reading Aircon, that Ian Wishart had no basic understanding of the topic. Again it was almost entirely a tissue of distorted and misinterpretation of facts, reporting of unsubstantiated rumours, plus some outright lies.

Open Parachute speculates on why Ian Wishart is thinking about bringing this case.

Seriously though, why the legal threats? Surely there is no serious ground for them? Wishart can’t seriously expect to win such a lawsuit? Has he lost the plot?

I think he has two motives:

1: Publicity. Some authors will do anything to promote their book. Legal stunts are not new. And there is the old adage ‘no news is bad news.’ Interestingly, though, my perception is that it is usually the purveyors of bad products who are the most likely to resort to defamation charges (consider the MaxiCrop case in New Zealand and the Chiropractors in the UK see Suppressing science).

2: Intimidation. Such legal action may have no chance of winning but companies can still be intimidated. They can often end up treating such litigious people with kid gloves. Editors may tell the journalists and columnists to go easy. Again we saw this effect of the MaxiCrop case pn the sensitivity of Crown research Insitutes in New Zealand (see Suppressing science).

Whatever. Legal intimidation is a sign of weakness. I would have thought that if Wishart was confident of his message he would rely on the facts, on the evidence, not the lawyers.

Probably he is trying both and looking at the posturing with little substance Crosby-Textor legal approach to silencing critics.

Seriously, Chris and Gareth, if Ian Wishart does bring this case. Don’t fold. Just ask around and you’ll get a whole lot of help from affidavits to cash. There are a lot of people who are very pissed off with Ian Wishart. As well as the scientific distortions in Aircon, a case like this allows all of those previous distortions of fact to be brought forward to show why it would be reasonable to consider a Wishart book to be a work of political fiction.

34 comments on “Stupi-duty and Wisharts works of political fiction ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Rex Widerstrom 1
    19 August 2009 at 2:56 pm

    You write a book, you expect reviews. Some of those reviews are going to be critical, perhaps even mocking. Hardly lawsuit material I would have thought.

    Any publicity for the book will surely be subsumed under the the “WTF?!” reaction of most people, wondering what all the fuss was about.

    At least he got a better reaction than The Satanic Verses…

    Having said that, I await the day when Mullah Gore declares a fatwah on the “denialists” and the more fanatical of his acolytes vow to carry it out 😯

    The fact that people wedded strongly to one or other side of the debate aren’t the best at tolerating opposing views is evidenced by the fact that I find I must now… *deep breath*… support Paul Henry.

    He can interview whomever he likes and I agree it could be argued he’d be shirking his duty if he didn’t. Whether he does so competently, well that’s a different story…

    • lprent 1.1
      19 August 2009 at 3:11 pm

      Paul Henry can do whatever he wants. It is not as if I ever watch him anyway.

      However suing people saying what they thought of your book and/or authoring abilities seems more like trying to silence criticism. If he is that sensitive, then it probably time that Wishart found another line of work. The only reason that I really bother reading Wisharts stuff is because of the strange people that influx to this site before and after the publication writing comments lauding his latest pile of rubbish. Essentially using trolls on the The Standard for free advertising. That pisses me off.

  2. Bright Red 2
    19 August 2009 at 3:20 pm

    I was in a bookstore in hamilton the other day – Air-Con was in the sicence fiction department.

    • Jarvis Pink 2.1
      19 August 2009 at 3:39 pm

      Priceless

    • Lew 2.2
      19 August 2009 at 4:25 pm

      Booksellers have good sense – most put holocaust denial in the ‘War Fiction’ section. Right there with Tom Clancy.

      But putting Wishart in the same section as Wells, Heinlein, Asimov seems a bit off…

      L

      • Rex Widerstrom 2.2.1
        19 August 2009 at 4:49 pm

        Specially when he’s already undercutting them by offering a “buy one, get one free” deal on his website.

        Presumably it’s a new marketing ploy… “Books in 3D! Just hold one in front of each eye, defocus slightly, and you’ll feel like the truthiness has lept off the page and slapped you right on the forehead!!”

      • Scott Yorke 2.2.2
        19 August 2009 at 4:52 pm

        Maybe it should go in the Religion section

        • Lew 2.2.2.1
          19 August 2009 at 4:54 pm

          Maybe it should go in the Religion section

          An insult to the Prophet! Infidel!

          L

          • bill brown 2.2.2.1.1
            19 August 2009 at 5:26 pm

            Well, most bookshops don’t have a complete fuckwits section so it’s probably near enough.

            Oh and by the way mr security, fishs is not a word.

    • lprent 2.3
      19 August 2009 at 8:04 pm

      Arrghhh that is a nasty contamination.

  3. Jarvis Pink 3
    19 August 2009 at 3:37 pm

    1: Publicity. Some authors will do anything to promote their book. Legal stunts are not new. And there is the old adage “no news is bad news.’ Interestingly, though, my perception is that it is usually the purveyors of bad products who are the most likely to resort to defamation charges (consider the MaxiCrop case in New Zealand and the Chiropractors in the UK see Suppressing science).

    The British Chiropractic Assoc. must be ruing the day they decided to sue Simon Sing. The whole thing appears to have backfired on them badly by triggering wide media exposure of the pseudoscience behind chiropractic. If a legal action by Wishart led to similar discussion and exposure of the weakness of the AGW denialists case then he’d be doing us all a favour.

  4. Ianmac 4
    19 August 2009 at 3:52 pm

    I did sort of wonder if the discussion here might be gold for Wishart? Narcism anyone?

  5. Lew 5
    19 August 2009 at 4:29 pm

    Lynn, expect a message which reads “address for service?” from Mr Wishart presently.

    That’s what Sam Vilain got, after all. He gladly provided it and has compiled all the relevant communications in the case here. Makes for hilarious reading.

    (H/T Russell Brown in the comments to this thread.)

    L

    • lprent 5.1
      19 August 2009 at 8:08 pm

      😈

      I look forward to it. I wonder how many affidavits I can get to attest to the fact that he distorts whatever he writes about, makes stuff up, and is just has a distorted viewpoint of the world from his last book. There are a lot of people that are severely pissed with him, who’d like nothing better than get a day or two in court describing exactly how nonfactual his books are.

      That is before we get on to the current bit of fiction.

  6. NickS 6
    19 August 2009 at 5:15 pm

    Stupid does as stupid is, and Whishart is deep in the stupid.

    Though I’m kind of wishing something similar to the “classic crackpot” thing done to Stuart Pivar after he threaten to sue a science blogger for U$15 million…

  7. lukas 7
    19 August 2009 at 5:20 pm

    Iprent, you going for the repeat a lie enough and it will become true by claiming Ian plagiarized the artwork of Air Con? Oh do you not bother to actually read your own blog? Here is a tip, look in the comments section regarding where the image came from.

    There is too much wrong in your article to address now, but it confirms my belief that the “standard” is going down hill rather fast in recent times. Being in opposition hasn’t been good for you.

    • felix 7.1
      19 August 2009 at 5:34 pm

      There is too much wrong in your article to address now…

      But you will be back to address it later, won’t you lukas?

  8. lyndon 8
    19 August 2009 at 5:28 pm

    Surely Wishart knows defamation law. The idea that this is actionable is nonsense.

    If I thought it would proceed, I’d suggest getting as many people as possible named in the suit and see how he likes having all their costs awarded against him.

    • Ron 8.1
      19 August 2009 at 8:16 pm

      Why would he know defamation law. The guy thinks the world is 8000 years old and that humans are more closely related to mice than chimps. He clearly knows FA.

      • Pascal's bookie 8.1.1
        19 August 2009 at 8:30 pm

        As he’s ever so fond of saying, he has a lawyer check most things he publishes to be sure that he stays scrupulously away from defaming people.

        Why he thinks admitting this enhances his reputation is anyone’s guess, but I suspect that he thinks people are fooled into thinking that it means that what he writes, and more importantly what he implies, must be true.

        And to be fair, he’s probably right about some people. After all he apparently makes a living from churning this stuff out. Though the ‘blog’ has turned into an extended ad for whatever the latest book or Investigate scoop-de-doo might be which may indicate desperation, or just not getting blogging, or just treating his readership like an ATM. But who knows?

        I also suspect that he won’t be suing anyone, and that he’s just feeling ignored, which isn’t good for business.

        • lprent 8.1.1.1
          19 August 2009 at 9:19 pm

          The question is if he is checking that what he writes is defamatory, or (as I suspect) if the probability of being sued for defamation is high.

          There is an important difference between the two in my untutored opinion. The first would be covered by privilege. The second could be argued is a business practice – in which case you could probably argue that the court should see the communications (if any). Wouldn’t that be fun. Look at exactly why Ian was saying about his evidence backing his opinions. Because he usually he leaps from some basic and public facts to a completely absurd conclusion that is not supported by the facts.

          The only reason that he hasn’t been sued by a number of people is because there was no intervening logic, and therefore he was expressing an opinion rather than a chain of logic. Typically about people who may be political and may be covered by the defamation exemptions. It’d be interesting getting these into an open court to establish a legal position about people who are not politicians. The current state of the law is a bit murky about all of that – eg Pope.

          • Pascal's bookie 8.1.1.1.1
            19 August 2009 at 10:12 pm

            Yep, it’s why his prose is so god awful dense. It’s hard to actually follow what he is arguing because, as you say, there is no actual structure to the ‘argument’. It’s just a grab bag of context shorn quotes, and a heap of innuendo, questions, and references to earlier not really answered questions, wrapped up in a sack of mind reading and dumped in the river of motive.

            Like you I get the impression that he doesn’t get a lawyer to see if something he wrote is defamatory, but rather to check that writing something this way isn’t defamatory. So yeah t’would be fun to see some of that advice, so we could stop speculating.

            • Lew 8.1.1.1.1.1
              19 August 2009 at 10:18 pm

              I reckon he gets it checked by a lawyer to make sure that when people level fairly ordinary criticism at him, he’ll be able to sue them for defamation.

              L

          • Scott Yorke 8.1.1.1.2
            20 August 2009 at 9:02 am

            Any communications between Wishart and his lawyer are likely to be subject to legal professional privilege. I can’t imagine any of the common exceptions to privilege would apply.

            So we’ll probably never know what his lawyer told him, unless Wishart releases the info himself.

  9. Mac1 9
    19 August 2009 at 7:01 pm

    Felix, I have in the past been the proud co-owner of a house with various cats (one never owns a cat) and you are indeed happily named.

    Sometimes the cat would wait outside the mouse hole, sometimes would walk away feigning indifference. Sometimes it would dispatch its victims with one swipe and crunch, sometimes play for hours. One memorable Christmas day, we humans got delivered a mouse to play with as we sat down to dinner al fresco.

    Never yet though have I seen a cat ask its potential dinner whether it’s returning for a rematch…..

  10. Spectator 10
    19 August 2009 at 7:06 pm

    Say what you want about Wishart, but he has performed one great service to the English language: in an era when politicians of all colours do not know the difference between a denial and a refutation, his allegations against David Parker a few years ago provided that politician with the opportunity to demonstrate one of the few categorical refutations of allegations against a politician that this country has seen in living memory.

    • r0b 10.1
      19 August 2009 at 7:12 pm

      the difference between a denial and a refutation

      I’m glad someone finally said something! That really is one of my pet grumpy old sod language peeves.

  11. Nick 11
    19 August 2009 at 8:33 pm

    Yeah, me too r0b especially when David Benson-Pope is involved.

  12. Scott Yorke 12
    19 August 2009 at 9:57 pm

    Wishart’s claim that Barton defamed him is laughable. This almost certainly won’t get to court. If it does Wishart will lose, unless APN buckles under pressure (and if APN settled with Wishart over this they’d be a laughing stock).

    It would be interesting to know who pays Wishart’s legal bills. I simply can’t believe operating a shabby magazine and selling a few thousand books would cover his costs. Defamation is an extremely expensive business, and he’d need tens of thousands to fund a legal fight. Maybe he thinks the publicity will help shift some stock, but he really hasn’t done his homework if he thinks he can come out of this looking good, or financially better off. There just aren’t enough tinfoil hat wearers in this country to swallow his rubbish.

    • lprent 12.1
      20 August 2009 at 2:01 pm

      Defamation in NZ is almost always a negative sum game at almost any level you want to look at it for the initiator. Which is what Wishart depends apon to prevent people suing him over his books.

      If he goes through with this, he’ll find that effort isn’t going to be worth it. Especially as the commentary about his actions will be worse than the original ‘offense’ (and a lot more voluminous).

  13. Damian 13
    23 August 2009 at 12:52 pm

    I have a confession to make; I tend to do my bit for humankind by stealthily moving
    Wishart‘s books from the science sections of bookshops to the mysticism or spiritual sections. Been doing it for years.

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    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    18 hours ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    18 hours ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    19 hours ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    22 hours ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    24 hours ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    48 mins ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
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