Bob Edlin: Waititi’s beating of the drum to enrol more Maori in Maori electorates....

Rawiri Waititi’s beating of the drum to enrol more Maori in Maori electorates (to vote for guess who?)

The table below gives us an idea of how Maori are responding to their right to exploit the Maori electoral option.

The data can be considered alongside Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi’s urging Maori to opt for the Maori roll and to have more Maori seats established.

David Farrar: Usual suspects want more debt

A group of economists have written to Nicola Willis complaining about the modest fiscal restraint imposed on the public sector. Grant Robertson grew government expenditure by $76 billion/year or a massive 7.6% of GDP, leaving NZ with a structural deficit. Many were champions of his policies or worked for him, and now they complain his successor is not going to carry on a policy of spend and borrow.

Chris Bishop had the best response, being:

Breaking Views Update: Week of 24.11.24

Saturday November 30, 2024 

News:
Whanganui council moves toward landmark iwi partnership
Whanganui District Council is going public with aspects of the Treaty settlement being negotiated by Whanganui iwi before it considers signing up to a binding "world-first indigenous-council partnership".

As part of redress for breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Whanganui Māori propose a platform for joint initiatives between the council and Takapau Whariki, the post-settlement governance entity for the settlement.

John Raine: Why Engineering Cannot be Decolonised

Concordia University is Decolonising

Early 2024, Lawrence Krauss reported [1] that Concordia University in Canada is in the process of decolonising and indigenising its curricula, including Engineering. He noted that this will put Concordia on the Map, but not in a positive way.

Professor Robert MacCulloch: Why the Nats are sweating bricks about the economy.

The previous Reserve Bank Governor, Graeme Wheeler, was an impressive and thoughtful person. He was also decent - each year coming to visit my classes and tell them his views about the state of the NZ economy. The students greatly appreciated his visits and Graeme Wheeler took it to be part of his public "duties", if you like, in terms of explaining what the Reserve Bank does to aspiring young Kiwi economists.

JC: A Global Look At the Left

A global look at the political left in Western countries around the world paints a bleak picture for the future of democratic governance.

It doesn’t matter where you look; governments on the left stand for a type of socialism that puts them increasingly at variance with governments of the right.

The left are all about taking away individual rights and subjecting the masses to a policy of ‘we know best’. The right is about freedom, peace and prosperity.

Karl du Fresne: Wellington Airport's rebranding exercise - And the point is?

I’m not a shareholder in Wellington Airport but if I was, I’d be getting up on my hind legs at the next annual meeting to object to an extravagant promotional charade that demonstrates how completely the corporate sector has been captured (or should I say conned?) by the twin forces of marketing hucksterism and feel-good wokery.The online platform Stop Press, which uncritically chronicles all the absurdities perpetrated by the bullshit artists of the PR and advertising industries, reports that the airport company is undertaking a rebranding exercise in which it will become “WLG – a portal to the future”.

Capitalist: Must Be Designed to Fail

You can imagine my hoots of derisive laughter at Andrew Coster being named head of the ‘Social Investment Agency’ (don’t worry, no one else had ever heard of it either until a couple of days ago) in order to “...[advise] the government on commissioning services for vulnerable people...” according to the NZ Herald. The article rather hilariously talks about a ‘hiring process’ and other twaddle, suggesting Coster’s job isn’t anything other than being fired as police commissioner and a government too sooky to pass a special bill through parliament officially firing him, as I would happily have done.

Kerre Woodham: Australia draws a line in the sand with social media ban

As you will have heard in the news, Australia has passed landmark rules to ban under-16s from social media. In a world first, social media firms will have to take all reasonable steps to prevent young teens from gaining access to sites like Facebook, Instagram, X - formally Twitter - and the like. The firms who own these sites will face fines of up to $50 million AUD if they fail to comply. The tech giants themselves have described the laws as vague, problematic and rushed, and that's probably quite true.

Friday November 29, 2024 

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Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive 29/11/24

So that’s what gets Reti riled – a National Public Health Service submission against McDonald’s setting up shop in Wanaka

There’s plenty to raise a Health Minister’s blood pressure.

Take – for example – news that Health New Zealand spent $72 million on contractors and consultants for a single IT project, in the lead-up to moving to get rid of over 1000 positions for IT employees.

Dr Eric Crampton: Why are our health system priorities so out of whack, and officials so obsessed with McDonald’s?

You can learn a lot about a household’s priorities, or an agency’s priorities, when budgets tighten.

For the past few months, we have heard a lot about how the health system has been cut to the bone. Radio New Zealand piously reports every document leaked from the National Public Health Service (NPHS) showing how terrible the NPHS thinks that any cuts to the NPHS might be.

Simon O'Connor: Candace canned

It's time for the Government to stand up for free speech and overturn Immigration New Zealand's decision to ban someone because of their views.

You seriously have to question how free New Zealand really is when you consider Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) recent decision to ban Candace Owens coming to speak here.

It is a terrible decision on every level and another spurious attack on the fundamental democratic right to free speech.

Ele Ludemann: Not just Auckland

Labour leader Chris Hipkins’ response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19 suggests he doesn’t understand the full impact of his government’s response.:

David Farrar: Labour left seeking to castrate the leader

The Herald reports:

The “captain’s call” could become a thing of the past, at least for the Labour Party, with members this weekend having the opportunity to vote on a rule change that would effectively ban them.

A “captain’s call” is an informal convention of New Zealand politics which allows a leader to decide a party’s policy, at least as long as they’re in the captain’s seat.

Professor Robert MacCulloch: "NZ’s vaccination rollout was slightly slower to get started than in some other countries"...

Royal Covid Commission report says "NZ’s vaccination rollout was slightly slower to get started than in some other countries". And Pigs Fly.

The Australian Commonwealth Government COVID-19 Response Inquiry slammed that country's late "stroll-out" of the vaccine. It meant politicians viewed lock-downs as their only tool of control. According to the Sydney Morning Herald some of "the Inquiry's most specific criticism was around the delayed vaccine rollout ahead of the Omicron variant which swept through country at the end of 2021. “This meant our staged reopening occurred months later than it otherwise could have, with a direct economic cost estimated at $31 billion,” the Inquiry found". Similarly, the reason behind the oppressive Auckland lockdowns in 2021 were because Opposition Leader Hipkins & his PM considered vaccination rates too low.

Professor Robert MacCulloch: The Royal Commission Report on Covid Missed out the Graph....

Oops. The Royal Commission Report on Covid Missed out the Graph of "Confirmed Covid deaths" showing NZ has converged to the world average,

Oh dear. The graph below must have accidently been missed out of the Royal Commission into Covid-19 Report, showing that over time, NZ's total cumulative confirmed deaths from Covid has converged to the world average. That average includes a ton of countries that never practiced elimination-style lockdowns. But again, we must keep reminding ourselves: the Royal Commission Report is a "narrative" and we must not let facts get in the way of a good story.

David Farrar: Empowering victims

Paul Goldsmith announced:

The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at the heart of the justice system.

Professor Robert MacCulloch: The Royal Commission on Covid-19 Report....

The Royal Commission on Covid-19 Report is a Repugnant, Unstructured Mishmash of Disinformation, Dressed up as a Single Source of Truth.

How can Professor Blakely, who is co-author of NZ's Royal Commission Report into Covid, write a report critiquing our government's approach to Covid when he was the intellectual architect of that approach? He co-authored the British Medical Journal article with Professor Michael Baker called, "Elimination could be the optimal response strategy for covid-19". That paper falsely claimed, "A goal of eliminating community transmission of the pandemic virus causing covid-19 is achievable and sustainable". It was not sustainable. That paper asserted elimination "will be facilitated by the introduction of effective vaccines". Bollocks.

Centrist: Putin bans adoption of Russian children to countries allowing gender changes

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill banning the adoption of Russian children by individuals in countries that permit gender reassignment procedures.

“It is extremely important to eliminate possible dangers in the form of gender reassignment that adopted children may face in these countries,” stated Vyacheslav Volodin, a Russian politician who backed the legislation.

Kerre Woodham: There are lessons to learn from the Covid response

The first phase of the Royal Commission of inquiry into the COVID-19 response will be handed to the Government today. There’s one of finding I know is going to really resonate with a section of this listening audience and members of the wider community. The head of the inquiry, Professor Tony Blakely, says vaccine mandates caused huge pain to a “substantial minority” during the pandemic, and the government should consider whether their benefits, that is the vaccine mandates, outweighed their harms. The report found while the mandates during the later stages of the pandemic were supported by most New Zealanders, the damage to social cohesion needed to be considered when planning for future outbreaks as he told Mike Hosking on the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning.

Peter Dunne: Wellington's $400 million savings package

Wellington’s controversial and embattled Mayor Tory Whanau deserves some political credit for the content of the $400 million savings package she steered through her fractious Council this week.

With one or two exceptions - most notably the Botanic Gardens' iconic Begonia House which is threatened with demolition - many of the pet projects that have divided councillors for so long have been saved, at least for now. The Mayor has even managed to protect her beloved plan to pedestrianise the city’s famous Golden Mile from Courtenay Place to Lambton Quay, thus preserving at least some of her Green credentials. Earlier, she had declared her Golden Mile project sacrosanct, at the same time as she was calling on every other councillor to set aside their own personal wish lists as they grappled with the city’s mounting financial problems.

Thursday November 28, 2024 

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Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 28/11/24

$82m for Maori housing projects – but it’s unlikely to mute Rawiri Waititi

It’s unlikely to silence the stroppy Maori Party as they rail against the Luxon government and throw accusations of racism.

But Housing Minister Tama Potaka yesterday delivered a speech to the Community Housing Aotearoa annual conference in which he mentioned government measures aimed at helping provide housing for Maori.

Mike's Minute: Is the CEO to blame for work and safety?

I am more knowledgeable about the Pike River tragedy than Tony Gibson's Auckland Port court case.

But out of Pike River came the law that got Gibson, as former boss of the Port of Auckland, over the death of a worker.

He has been found guilty. He may appeal.

Ele Ludemann: How many other stupid regulations?

Who knew it was illegal to serve drinks in a hair salon, or at least in the same part of the salon as the hair is being cut?

That’s not just alcohol, which would require a license, it’s tea and coffee, and maybe even water, too.

Alwyn Poole: My First Ever Interaction with the Ministry of Justice – Is this normal?

A week ago I received a letter from the Ministry of Justice telling me I had unpaid fines. Not knowing that I had any fines – let alone unpaid ones – I read further.

“As of today’s date, you have a fines balance of $180.00. This fine is on hold until 29/11/2024 to allow you time to make your request with the PIB and receive a response.

If you have any further questions, please call us on 0800 434 637. Information on our operating hours can be found on our website: justice.govt.nz/fines/contact-us/.”

Nga Mihi
Caroline
Collections Registry Officer

Jonathan Ayling: Candace Owens barred from entry into New Zealand

Late yesterday afternoon Immigration New Zealand barred Candace Owens from entering New Zealand. It seems (incredibly) the best response New Zealand now has to opinions that some find distasteful or wrong is to exclude them from the conversation entirely.

Gary Judd KC: KCs are not a special elite

Judges as philosopher kings and KCs as their handmaidens

In “Democracy Briefing: Foundations of a constitutional crisis?”, Bryce Edwards has pointed to the activist behaviour of the courts. He has signalled the possibility of a constitutional crisis because of the activism of some judges of New Zealand’s senior courts.

There have always been activist judges, those who are more adventurous than others in the development of the law, who may rightly be described as legal activists. As former Australian High Court Justice Michael Kirby put it when comparing the austere Australian Justice Sir Owen Dixon with the avuncular English Master of the Rolls, Lord Denning:

Ross Meurant: Finding Fraudsters in Crypto Currencies

Don’t call them scammers.  They are criminal fraudsters.

National (NZ government coalition partner) have decided to appoint an “Anti-Scam” Minister Mr Bayly.  Ironically, on a radio platform 19 Nov 2024, Hon Bayly appeared to “absolve” social media from any liability for scamming.  

Recently, Australian banks have begun to shut out crypto currencies (1) (2) which appears to be a policy in conflict with the electioneering pledges of President elect Donald Trump.

Professor Robert MacCulloch: The 50 basis point cut in the Official Cash Rate by NZ's Reserve Bank....

The 50 basis point cut in the Official Cash Rate by NZ's Reserve Bank today broke its remit. Truth is, its trying to kick start the economy, not fight inflation.

When National came to power, the Party amended the Reserve Bank of NZ legislation, which had previously instructed the Bank to pursue the dual objective of low inflation and "maximum sustainable employment". The latter aim allows a central bank to manage how fast the economy is growing, and to influence the unemployment rate, at least in the short term.

Bob McCoskrie: Green Party goes from bad to worse

If you thought standards of dress were declining in Parliament, wait until you see and hear the newest Member of Parliament. It had to be a Green MP eh

You’ve got to feel sorry for the Green Party. They’ve had it tough.

They had to get rid of Elizabeth Kerekere - which wasn’t really a loss – due to allegations of bullying.

Capitalist: Year One in Review

It has been a year since the coalition Government took office. Various changes have been made to taxes, regulations, employment laws, education and divers other areas and on the whole they’ve done a good job. We all have a list of things Mr Luxon and his team ‘should’ be doing but it is difficult to point to something undertaken by the government and say it was a grave error. This contrasts notably with the first year of previous National Governments – the disastrous train wreck of Jim Bolger’s first year still gives me nightmares, for example.

David Farrar: More on Marsden funding

A reader who has a PhD in science writes in:

I’m not sure if you are aware but the issue goes much deeper than just diverting funding from science to “woke” projects for the Marsden fund. For many years, ALL science funding has a proportion that all applicants are mandated to divert to Maori outcomes (Vision Mätauranga). This basically means that any successful science application ends up paying a Maori group a proportion of their funding. Science applications are unlikely to be successful unless this “bribe” is included into the application.

Kerre Woodham: Who's hands should social housing be in?

Who on Earth would want Chris Bishop's job? The Minister for Housing has launched a new scheme designed to make it easier for community housing providers to provide social housing. The previous administration was all about the government, we're from the government, we're here to help – people within the industry have told me of a rather bunkered attitude towards housing provision.

Wednesday November 27, 2024 

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Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 27/11/24

Peters pitches our Pacific-focused policy in a speech in Paris while Chinese envoy to NZ sounds a warning (or is it a threat?)

In this country, China’s ambassador Wang Xiaolong was warning of the political fallout if New Zealand were to join the AUKUS pact.

A decision by New Zealand to join AUKUS would ‘inevitably” have negative consequences for the country’s relationship with China, he said in an interview on 30′ With Guyon Espiner.

Professor Robert MacCulloch: Any cut in the Official Cash Rate by NZ's Reserve Bank today will be Illegal.

When National came to power, the Party amended the Reserve Bank of NZ legislation, which had previously instructed the Bank to pursue the dual objective of low inflation and "maximum sustainable employment". The latter aim allows a central bank to manage how fast the economy is growing, and to influence the unemployment rate, at least in the short term. However, Finance Minister Willis, when she came to power a year ago, removed the ability of the Bank to target the state of the economy, introducing legislation that gave the Reserve Bank the sole mandate of achieving price stability. That has been defined by the government as keeping inflation in a 1-3% bracket - so preferably close to 2%. Willis, who introduced the law, said removing the dual mandate was a “highly symbolic, important act”.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Merkel’s 16 years of tactical drift

Angela Merkel is “fundamentally an optimist”, she tells Der Spiegel magazine in her first major interview since leaving office. One wonders why.

After all, Germany’s economy is struggling, its energy prices are among the highest in the world, its military barely functions, and its relations with Eastern European neighbours remain strained.

This interview, carefully staged to promote her forthcoming memoir Freedom: Memories 1954-2021, offers a revealing glimpse into the mind of one of the world’s most influential leaders.

Peter Williams: Living Next Door to Nikki

Like many New Zealanders my wife and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Nikki Kaye because we had a connection different to most.

We lived next door to Nikki for much of the time she was our local MP.

Ele Ludemann: Restoring farmer confidence

By the end of six long years under the Labour governments, farmers were despondent.

After one year under a National-led government, farmer confidence is rebounding, and there are good reasons for that:

Guest Post: Koru-Koi

Call it what you want, a hikoi, a car-koi or a koru-koi, the recent protest march against Act's Treaty Principles Bill has been exposed now for what it was - a publicity stunt for and by the Maori Party.

The fawning media have presented it as a popular uprising, over-reporting the crowd sizes and not reporting at all who was really running and funding the show.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: It's time to scrap NCEA for good

I wouldn't be surprised if Education Minister Erica Stanford actually ends up scrapping NCEA level one.

Because she's already concerned enough to order a review - and the review has come back slamming it, so she's got all the ammo she needs to pull the trigger if she wants to.

And I hope she does, because it has become apparent, especially in the last three years, that NCEA is a massively flawed system. And I don't think this is just a level one problem, I think there's problems across all three levels.

Richard Lindzen & William Happer: Net Zero Policies Will Have A Trivial Effect on Temperature, But Disastrous Effects on People Worldwide

The United States and countries worldwide are vigorously pursuing regulations and subsidies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to Net Zero by 2050 on the assumption, best stated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), that the “evidence is clear that carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main driver of climate change” and is “responsible for more than 50% of the change.”

Professor Robert MacCulloch: Former Chancellor Merkel insults Trump....

No wonder Germany has failed: former Chancellor Merkel insults Trump and at the same time reveals she doesn't know what is a property developer.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has written a book full of insults about incoming US President Trump. You'd think, given the weakness of Germany's economy and military, that its not in the best interests of the nation to attack America's new leader. What's amusing about her book is the line that Trump “looked at everything like the real estate developer he was before he entered politics” - as a zero-sum game. “For him, all countries were rivals in which the success of one meant the failure of another. He didn’t think that prosperity could be increased for all through cooperation.” Which only goes to show that Merkel doesn't know what property developers do. That is, construct new buildings, renovate old ones and sell, lease and rent those buildings.

DTNZ: The All Blacks and freedom of expression

The controversy over some All Blacks displaying the Tino Rangatiratanga flag after Sunday’s test against Italy, and TJ Perenara’s modification of the haka, has spawned a passionate national conversation.

Those players have an absolute right to express themselves, but there are certain situations where saying or acting how you want is counterproductive.

Dr Bryce Edwards: Democracy Briefing - Foundations of a constitutional crisis?

The first question in politics is “who rules?” It’s at the forefront of the debate about David Seymour’s Treaty Principles bill, which holds that the Government has the ultimate right to govern and Parliament has the full power to make laws. Te Pati Māori argues that Māori never ceded sovereignty and should hold governing power over themselves.

But there’s another power struggle taking place in the background of this debate: a quiet but profound contest between Parliament and the courts over the power to make laws. In the week that Seymour’s bill passed its first reading, an open letter from forty-two members of the King’s Council called on the Prime Minister and the Attorney General to abandon the legislation, and it contained the aside “even if Parliament can legislate in this way (which is uncertain)…”

Yvonne Van Dongen: The Plot Sickens

Labour continues to support gender affirmation and courtesy of puberty blockers, the sterilisation of children.

Eight months after the comprehensive Cass report on gender affirming care was released in the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has finally responded to its findings.

Their evidence brief and position statement on the use of puberty blockers for gender identity issues has been both applauded and derided by interested parties.

David Farrar: Almost $800 million on traffic management.

Simeon Brown revealed:

The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. …

Kerre Woodham: Do people trust Labour with a capital gains tax?

One of the questions we’ll be putting to Chris Hipkins, of course, is a question around the capital gains tax, because this is an issue that simply will not die. Labour Party members will vote on whether to formally endorse continuing work on a capital gains or wealth tax at their party conference in Christchurch this weekend. The party's been debating tax policy since losing the election last year, part of a broader truth and reconciliation soul searching. The people loved us so much and then they didn't. How did it all go so wrong? So that's there's been a lot of that.

Tuesday November 26, 2024 

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Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 26/11/24

Govt rolls out initiatives – but we must wait to enjoy the benefits – on housing, health and police

Plans to provide more social housing, plans to provide more doctors and nurses, and plans to relocate a police station…

These were among the initiatives announced by our hard-working ministers in the past day or so.

Chris Lynch: Funding boost to bring 50 senior doctors and more nurses to New Zealand hospitals

The Government has announced funding to hire 50 senior doctors, along with additional specialist nurses and allied health professionals, as part of a push to improve healthcare across New Zealand.

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti said the initiative would reduce wait times, enhance patient safety, and support vulnerable specialties such as dermatology.

Centrist: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer admits Māori have ‘different rights’

In a Q&A interview with Jack Tame, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer acknowledged Māori have separate rights under Te Tiriti o Waitangi as tangata whenua. When pressed on whether this meant different standards of citizenship, she said, “We have different expectations and different rights, absolutely.”

She argued these rights are essential to protect all New Zealanders from “corporate exploitation” and the “Atlas agenda coming at us”.

Dave Patterson: Trump, the UN, and the World

The new administration will be familiarly transformational.

President-elect Donald Trump has not demonstrated a fondness for the United Nations (UN). During his first term, he pulled out of the United Nations Human Rights Council because it operated to attack rather than preserve human rights. There is little to recommend the UN for anything more than an opportunity for international diplomats to sit and chat among themselves.