GWPF Newsletter: BBC Losing Trust And Credibility Amid Concerns Over Political Bias, New Poll Finds

BBC ‘Preaches’ On Climate Change, Says Today Programme Guest Editor Charles Moore

In this newsletter:

1) BBC ‘Preaches’ On Climate Change, Says Today Programme Guest Editor Charles Moore
The Daily Telegraph, 28 December 2019

The BBC’s Today programme “preaches” to its listeners, its guest editor and Telegraph columnist Charles Moore has said as he described how he had to battle to get a climate change skeptic onto the Radio 4 show.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 22.12.19

Saturday December 28, 2019

News:
Policies threat to whanau Maori
The head of the Māori midwives roopu says National’s proposed social policies will make it harder for Māori mothers to keep their babies.

While the pressure needs to stay on the current Government to address the situation, National’s policies all seem to come down to Ōranga Tamariki taking babies rather than trying to fix the problems families get into because of poverty and stress.

Karl du Fresne: A country where too many avoidable accidents happen

She’ll be right. It’s almost the national motto. But in the aftermath of the Whakaari/White Island catastrophe, perhaps we should ask whether we’re just a bit too blasé about the acceptance of risk.

We go through national paroxysms of self-reproach after a tragic event – witness Pike River, the Christchurch earthquakes, Cave Creek – yet we seem to make the same basic mistake over and over again.

We’re world leaders at flaying ourselves after disaster has struck, but we never seem to see it coming.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Bob Edlin: Ombudsman invokes the Treaty and declares his aim to be fair – particularly to one group of citizens

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. This was the declaration of the pigs who control the government in George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm – a tart comment on the hypocrisy of governments that proclaim the absolute equality of their citizens but gives power and privileges to a small elite.

This country’s chief ombudsman – of all people – has tweaked this and declared that, for the purposes of his office, all citizens are equal but some are more equal than others.

NZCPR Weekly: Ideas for a Better Future

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we share some innovative policy ideas to create an opportunity society, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Sir Roger Douglas outlines a plan to eliminate dependency and transform New Zealand’s future – and we ask readers whether we have your backing to continue bringing you our newsletters in 2020 HERE.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
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Breaking Views Update: Week of 15.08.19

Saturday December 21, 2019

News:
Calls for councillor's resignation after 'racist' joke at Wanganui meeting
"Repo has an unfortunate connotation doesn't it," Vinsen said. "Repo means repossession. I don't know if I'd like to live in that street."

Race relations commissioner Meng Foon said the joke was in bad taste.

GWPF Newsletter: Attenborough Tacitly Admits Netflix Deception

Green Blob & BBC Start Anti-Boris Johnson Campaign

In this newsletter:

1) Attenborough Tacitly Admits Netflix Deception
GWPF TV, 19 December 2019
 
2) Green Blob & BBC Start Anti-Boris Johnson Campaign
GWPF, The Guardian, BBC 18 December 2019

Barry Brill: Climate Change Commission ”Fatally Undermined”

The potential credibility and standing of the Climate Change Commission announced by Minister James Shaw has been fatally undermined by the inclusion of four full-time climate change careerists and campaigners, according to the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition.

“The statutory role of the Commission is to provide independent evidence-based advice on those long-term policies which will most effectively abate emissions and promote adaptation. Its key role is to budget emissions abatement to tolerable levels of economic pain,” said Coalition chairman Barry Brill.

Guy Steward: The Left is Wrong about Fascism

It’s heartening to see the landslide victory of the Conservatives in the UK with support across different socio-demographics. It shows amongst other things what voters disenchanted by the frequent failure of left-wing parties can do when there are viable alternatives. May we see something similar in New Zealand in 2020.

And it’s fascinating to observe the reactions—especially of vociferous left-wingers—to resounding defeats like this. It reveals their political integrity or lack thereof. 

Street protesters tend to come across as less rational, less adult, in their reduction of everything to accusations. Granted that duplicity is no one’s preserve, and everyone occasionally wears the hypocrite label. Yet the political left at the street level take the cake, because while their banners display moralist statements like “Say no to racism”, they are quite OK with lying, smearing, slandering, misrepresenting, inferring evil intent, hating, threatening, and cursing anyone considered too “right” or conservative. …but please “Say no to racism!”.

GWPF Newsletter: Boris Johnson May Ditch EU Green Regulations After Brexit, No 10 Suggests

Greta Expectations = Great Flop

In this newsletter:

1) U.N. Climate Conference Flops As Nations Deadlock On Hot-Button Issues
Valerie Richardson, The Washington Time, 16 December 2019
 
2) Boris Johnson May Ditch EU Green Regulations After Brexit, No 10 Suggests
The Independent, 17 December 2019

GWPF Newsletter: Boris Johnson May Abolish BBC Licence Fee In Wake Of His Election Victory

Yes, Prime Minister: It's Time To Cut The BBC Down To Size

In this newsletter:

1) Boris Johnson May Abolish BBC Licence Fee In Wake Of His Election Victory
The Sunday Telegraph, 15 December 2019
 
2) The Government Is Right To Consider The Future Of The BBC - They Should Start By Scrapping TV Licences
The Daily Telegraph, 14 December 2019

Frank Newman: Madrid 2019

She moaned about over crowded trains, but travelled first class.  That pretty much sums up the hypocrisy of do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do radical environmentalists. 

"She" is Greta Thunberg, Times 2019 person of the year. The climate change icon tweeted a photo showing her sitting on the floor of a rail car among a pile of luggage, looking reflectively out of the window. Presumably her thoughts are of the earth's demise. The caption is, "Traveling on overcrowded trains through Germany. And I’m finally on my way home!"

She was returning from the annual UN Climate Change summit in Madrid.

Clive Bibby: The small guys fight back - they have nothing to lose!

The remarkable political successes of Boris Johnson and Donald Trump against what most "experts" described as insurmountable odds has to be the story of the year - at least that is the way l see it.

I hope you will have the patience to bear with me as l give my reasons for making that claim and also volunteering why it is important that this region, way down here at the opposite end of the planet, needs to take heed of any lessons we can learn from this northern hemisphere phenomenon.

Sterling Burnett: Climate-Change Alarmists Are Getting More Delusional In Their Predictions

Evidence is growing that climate alarmists — those peddling the delusion that human-caused climate change is destroying the Earth — are growing ever more desperate. 

Barely a day goes by without some so-called expert or group of experts proclaiming the world only has one year, two years, 10 years and so on to substantially reduce fossil-fuel consumption, or else it will be too late to prevent multitudes of cascading global disasters that make the biblical plagues of Egypt pale by comparison.

Yet, evidence shows people aren’t buying into the climate delusion. This has alarmists acting like used car salespersons, using ever direr and shriller language to get people to buy their “product,” which is ever more intrusive control over their lives.

Matt Ridley: The EU’s absurd risk aversion stifles new ideas

Excessive regulation means the health and environmental benefits of new technology are suppressed

With tariffs announced against Brazil and Argentina, and a threat against France, Donald Trump is dragging the world deeper into a damaging trade war. 

Largely unnoticed, the European Union is also in trouble at the World Trade Organisation for its continuing and worsening record as a protectionist bloc.

Frank Newman: Brexit exit for Corbyn

The UK Labour Party has been slaughtered in the recent election result. It's their worst result in 80 years. Electorates that had been Labour bastions forever have fallen as life-long Labour supporters held their nose and voted for Boris Johnson's Conservative Party - or didn't vote.  

Brexit was a crucial factor as was Labour's archaic socialist policies and its repugnant leadership. The Labour Party's position on Brexit was political rather than principled and their messaging was unclear. Were they for a Brexit exit or not? Voters simply wanted clarity and after years of political deadlock voters had had enough and pro-Brexit Labourites voted accordingly.

NZCPR Weekly: 2019 in Review

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we review the Government’s performance in 2019 and look ahead to the 2020 election, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Bob Edlin outlines some bizarre changes being introduced into prisons by Labour ‘to reduce Maori reoffending’, and our poll asks which party you think is likely to lead the country after the next election.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

Breaking Views Update: Week of 8.12.19

Saturday December 14, 2019

News:
Call for social work to be 'decolonised'
A Massey University researcher is calling for social work education in Aotearoa New Zealand to be decolonised. Social work lecturer Dr Paulè Ruwhiu, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, has just completed her PhD research into the process of decolonisation and the experiences of Māori social workers and Māori social work students.

GWPF Newsletter: At Last! Rebel Member States Reject EU Green Finance Law In Setback For Climate Goals

Arctic Temperature Was 7°C Warmer Than Today 10,000 Years Ago

In this newsletter:

1) At Last! Rebel Member States Reject EU Green Finance Law In Setback For Climate Goals
Reuters, 11 December 2019
 
2) COP Ritual, Stage 5: UN Climate Summit Deadlocked
Reuters, 11 December 2019

Sterling Burnett: The Paris Climate Agreement Was Doomed Even Before the US Withdrawal

The Paris climate agreement is a bad deal for America, costing jobs in the United States and putting the country at a competitive disadvantage with our international competitors. By finalizing this starting process on November 4 of this year, President Trump kept his campaign promise to put America first.

“It is time to put Youngstown, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, along with many, many other locations within our great country before Paris, France,” Trump said at a 2017 Rose Garden event, which initially announced the intention to withdraw.

For America’s sovereignty and continued economic success, Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement is among the most consequential actions he has taken since being elected president.

Barend Vlaardingerbroek: The start of a new era in the Middle East?

2019 has been a good year for Vladimir Putin with Donald Trump effectively handing over the reins as chief powerbroker in the Middle East, or at least a substantial part thereof, to him.

Putin did not need any further prompting once the US army units began their withdrawal from northern Syria. Within a fortnight he was in direct talks with Erdogan and a ceasefire was put in place. Days later, Turkey announced that it had ended its military operation against the Kurds. Russian and Turkish units began to patrol the 20-mile strip of land adjoining the Turkish border. (Trump claimed a great American diplomatic victory – he had threatened to annihilate the Turkish economy should they try to wipe out the Kurds. A BBC news report fittingly showed a line of Russian armoured vehicles on patrol as they presented this dubious announcement.)

Karl du Fresne: That Garrick Tremain cartoon

Cartoons can be a tricky issue for editors. It’s not enough that they should simply be funny, and indeed some of the best are not. To be truly effective, cartoons need an edge. They should be provocative.

Accordingly, editors need to cut cartoonists a lot of slack. They will sometimes publish cartoons they know some readers will find offensive, and that they may even find offensive themselves.

Brent Edwards: Political Roundup - Should Kris Faafoi be sacked?

The latest allegations of a corruption scandal involving a Cabinet minister suggests this government is far too loose when it comes to providing access to power for friends and associates.

Kris Faafoi is in trouble because of his alleged role in helping a mate with an immigration matter when he was the Associate Minister of Immigration. On the face of it, the evidence is bad for Faafoi, as it looks like he has breached the Cabinet Manual rules which prohibit helping mates out by doing them a personal favour.

NZCPR Weekly: The Dark Age of Political Intrusion

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we reflect on the insidious impact on society of interventionist governments, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Sir Roger Douglas explains the importance of policies to empower New Zealanders and he outlines the dismal state of affairs today, and our poll asks whether you believe New Zealanders are too complacent about the loss of personal freedom.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

GWPF Newsletter: Revolt Brewing Against EU’s ‘Unrealistic’ Climate Goals

German Car Industry Makes Stand Against New EU Commission's Climate Goals

In this newsletter:

1) Revolt Brewing Against EU’s ‘Unrealistic’ Climate Goals
EurActiv, 5 December 2019
 
2) EU Deeply Split About Net Zero Climate Goals
EURACTIV.com, 4 December 2019

Breaking Views Update: Week of 1.12.19

Saturday December 7, 2019

News:
Why all New Zealanders should speak Māori and how to get them to, according to young people
The Government is backing several youth-led strategies to get more Kiwis speaking te reo Māori.

Nine projects will each get up to $10,000 from Crown entity Te Māngai Paho to get them off the ground.

GWPF Newsletter: Requiem For A Climate Dream

Europe’s Climate Fiasco: EU Set to Miss 2030 Climate Goal

In this newsletter:

1) Europe’s Climate Fiasco: EU Set to Miss 2030 Climate Goal
Associated Press, 4 December 2019
 
2) Nation States More Divided Than Ever Over Climate Policy & Funding As UN Summit Gathers
Financial Times, 1 December 2019

GWPF Newsletter: 30 Years Of UN Climate Policy Failure

China Adds Coal Plants and Cuts Support For Renewable Energy

Japan Tells UN Summit: We Will Keep Using Coal Power Plants

In this newsletter:

1) 30 Years Of UN Climate Policy Failure As China Adds Coal Plants and Cuts Support For Renewable Energy
The Associated Press, 2 December 2019

2) Japan Tells UN Summit: We Will Keep Using Coal-Fired Power Plants
NHK World News, 3 December 2019

James Delingpole: Greta the Teenage Climate Puppet Goes Full Marxist

Greta Thunberg the teenage Climate Puppet has gone full Marxist. 

In her latest public statement, she says that the ‘climate crisis is not just about the environment’:

It is a crisis of human rights, of justice, and of political will. Colonial, racist, and patriarchal systems of oppression have created and fuelled it. We need to dismantle them all.

Chris Trotter: National's Going Gangbusters

Criminal Enterprises: Gangs are not welfare institutions. Nor are they a substitute for the family their members never had. They are ruthless, violent, criminal money-making machines. That is all.

OKAY, first-things-first. Gangs exist for one purpose – and only one. They are a sure-fired, time-tested institution for making crime pay – and pay big. National is right to go after them, not only because most voters will cheer them on for doing so, but also because gangs injure individuals and damage society. Pushing any other kind of argument simply makes National’s job easier. “Look at the Left”, Simon Bridges will crow. “Soft on crime. The gangster’s best friend!”

Karl du Fresne: We need to talk about Islam

New Zealand is overdue for a grown-up conversation about Islam.

It’s a conversation that has been made necessary because as a nation we’re conflicted, to use a popular term, about the religion founded by Mohammad. But the conversation needs to get beyond simplistic, kneejerk allegations of Islamophobia, and it needs to unpick some contradictions and inconsistences in how we view Muslims.

Mike Hosking: Why are we messing with democracy?

It was with dismay I watched last Sunday night not just a bunch of crooks getting given their vote back, but almost a follow-up story on a whinge fest around democracy and why Māori aren't better represented, and how as a result of that, we should have local council seats dedicated to Māori.

The plea starred Dover Samuels and another former Labour Party operator, John Tamihere fresh from his Auckland mayoral bid thrashing.

NZCPR Weekly: Treating New Zealanders Badly

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we highlight how badly Jacinda Ardern’s Government is treating New Zealand’s law-abiding firearms community – and we issue a reminder that the firearm buy-back scheme is due to end on December 20th; our NZCPR Guest Commentator Stephen Franks outlines how Labour’s law changes are vilifying licensed firearm owners while leaving criminal firearm owners untouched; and our poll asks whether you agree that further firearm law changes should be delayed until the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch attacks reports back.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

GWPF Newsletter: Europe Is Losing The Climate Wars As China Demands $100 Billion

New Survey: Climate Change Is Dividing Britain Like Brexit

In this newsletter:

1) New Survey: Change Is Dividing Britain Like Brexit
Sky News, 28 November 2019 
 
2) Europe’s Climate Emergency Success: Mercedes-Benz To Slash More Than 10,000 Jobs 
The Daily Telegraph, 29 November 2019

Breaking Views Update: Week of 24.11.19

Saturday November 30, 2019

News:
Maori Council's outgoing chair defends its role, relevance

The New Zealand Māori Council has advocated for the rights of Māori for more than 50 years, but it's now facing tough questions about its role and relevance today.

It was created under the Māori Community Development Act in 1962, making it the first Māori statutory body of its kind after World War II.

Clive Bibby: Is this the "game changer" we need for our own good?

Voting alliances in this country since the introduction of MMP have frequently produced strange bedfellows but the makeup of the current government has reached farcical levels when almost every decision of cabinet is filtered through the chook entrail brew overseen by Winston Peters' favourite soothsayer.

Everything including the anointment of the Prime Minister of this country appears to be subject to a scrutiny rarely wielded by a politician commanding such a small percentage of the national vote.

Melanie Phillips: A numbed electorate between devil and deep blue sea

In this most dismal and dispiriting general election, a numbed British electorate desperate to end the Brexit nightmare is instead being corralled with its hands tied behind its back towards the likely continuation of that nightmare.

One of the many fundamental negotiating errors made by Theresa May in trying to settle the terms of the UK’s Brexit withdrawal deal with the EU was to rule out leaving with no deal.

Political Roundup: NZ First scandal raises integrity issues for the Government

There are many electoral and political questions arising out of the current NZ First donations scandal. Will the imbroglio tarnish the reputation and popularity of Winston Peters and his party? Or will Peters and his colleagues be exonerated, allowing NZ First to climb back up the moral and polling ladder for the next election?

But the big political questions are about its impact on the Government’s credibility and popularity. And is Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern adequately dealing with the matter?

Chris Trotter: The Message From Messenger Park.

Coasters Turn Out In Droves: It’s precisely the widening gulf between those with actual experience of things like guns, chainsaws and drilling machines, and those who regulate their use, that accounts for the angry crowd at Greymouth’s Messenger Park on Sunday, 17 November 2019. In the rarefied atmosphere where decisions to shut down whole industries are made, hands-on experience is not only rare – it’s despised. What do workers know about anything?

THE NUMBERS WERE IMPRESSIVE. Indeed, it looked as is half the Coast had turned out to give this government a piece of its mind.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 17.11.19

Saturday November 23, 2019

News:
Treaty gives Māori the right to profit off cannabis - Willie Jackson
Labour MP Willie Jackson doesn't want recreational cannabis legalised, but if it is, says Māori have a right to share in the profits under the Treaty of Waitangi.

"Māori have a treaty right, an indigenous right, right across the spectrum in terms of New Zealand society. It's built in what's called Article 2... What it says is taonga needs to be protected, anything in terms of a resource. Where it's derived from in terms of the ground, all resources have to be treated equitably right across the spectrum... I'm not into legalising marijuana, but anything the Crown benefits off, Māori must get a share of too."

Viv Forbes: Aussie Bushfires Nurtured in National Parks

Listen carefully to a typical bush-fire warning: “A big fire in the XYZ National Park is now threatening adjacent homes and farms”. 

For decades now politicians have been recklessly locking up more land in National Parks, Reserves and Heritage Areas. There are now over 500 national parks covering over 11% of Australia.

In addition to this huge area of nationalised parks, the Howard government, in cahoots with compliant States, created untouchable Kyoto forests on private land in order to meet silly carbon dioxide obligations imposed by the Kyoto Protocol.

NZCPR Weekly: Powerful Forces Threaten Our Future

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we look into the forces that are dividing New Zealand and threatening our future; our NZCPR Guest Commentator Bob Edlin investigates the Race Relations Commissioner’s recent attack on a newly elected local body councillor, and our poll asks whether you believe Meng Foon should be asked to resign.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

GWPF Newsletter - Game Over: China Set For Huge Coal Expansion

Paris Agreement exposed as another climate con

Full details:

1) Game Over: China Set For Massive Coal Expansion

• Bloomberg, 20 November 2019

China has enough coal-fired power plants in the pipeline to match the entire capacity of the European Union, driving the expansion in global coal power and confounding the movement against the polluting fossil fuel, according to a new report.

Judith Bergman: The Court of Justice of the European Union Limits Free Speech

On October 3, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled in a judgment that Facebook can be ordered by national courts of EU member states to remove defamatory material worldwide:

"EU law does not preclude a host provider such as Facebook from being ordered to remove identical and, in certain circumstances, equivalent comments previously declared to be illegal. In addition, EU law does not preclude such an injunction from producing effects worldwide, within the framework of the relevant international law which it is for Member States to take into account."

The ruling came after the Austrian politician Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek, chairman of Die Grünen (The Greens) party, sued Facebook Ireland in the Austrian courts.