The Government has parked its plan for a 4 year parliamentary term. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said:
“Both the National-Act and National-New Zealand First coalition agreements include supporting to select committee a bill that would enact a binding referendum on a four-year term of parliament.
We’ve fulfilled those commitments. However, we won’t be progressing with a referendum on a 4 year term at this election.”
Otago University Law professor Andrew Geddis articulated concerns that I had about the Bill to RNZ:
“The original legislative proposal, which was an ACT Party move, was that four-year terms would only happen if the government agreed to give opposition parties control [of] the select committee and that would be written into the legislation.
“The worry about that was you never actually knew whether you’d have a three-year or four-year parliamentary term until the government made the decision as to whether to let opposition have select committee power.”
Canning it does put a lid on any clever suggestions that a Māori electorates referendum could be easily piggybacked on to an existing term referendum though!
Employment Relations Amendment Bill: contractors vs employees
The coalition passed its Employment Relations Amendment Bill, reversing a Supreme Court decision that found Uber drivers were employees. The law introduces a “gateway test” where workers are independent contractors if five conditions are met: a written contract, freedom to work elsewhere, the ability to set hours, no penalty for declining work, and time to seek legal advice. High income earners earning more than $200,000 can’t bring unjustified dismissal claims, and the legislation makes it harder for workers to claim they’ve been misclassified.
Minister Brooke van Velden sells the bill as certainty for everyone, while unions say it will leave vulnerable workers without protections. The unions are also unhappy with Winston Peters as he has called them out for not coming to NZ First with concerns, instead, he says, they are politicised, only willing to work with the Left bloc.
“If you care about workers, act in their interests and not in your political interests,” Peters fired at them through the media.
Making English official and Swarbrick officially lose her mind
The English Language Bill has prompted predictable outrage from predictable corners and been dismissed as a distraction or “divisive”. English is already the language of our courts, contracts, medicine, aviation, and everyday government and the Bill would formally recognise it in law alongside te reo Māori and NZ Sign Language. It simply affirms the obvious which may seem superfluous to some, but the histrionics from the Opposition benches would suggest it is a Bill setting up a chapter of the KKK in Kelburn.
They seemed to misunderstand(?) the purpose of designating a language as official as some kind of grievance token given not to languages we speak, but languages which deserve a cuddle because of historic wrongs. Chloe Swarbrick whipped herself into an unimaginable frenzy for something she also argues is meaningless. She accused the Government of every malign intent available and then conclude her speech talking about…Trump.
Wellington Council pauses cycleway project
Mayor Andrew Little has announced that Wellington City Council has paused consultation on the Bunny Street cycleway to focus on repairing pipes and pumps at Moa Point following the disaster that has seen tens of millions of litres of untreated sewage pumped into coastal waters. The Mayor says all non‑urgent capital projects will be paused until the cost of fixing the sewage plant is known.
I wrote about the Moa Point sewage poo-nami this week.
How to make Auckland CBD safer? Don’t talk about the crime
In Auckland, a scrap has kicked off between Heart of the City’s Viv Beck and local MP Chloe Swarbrick over crime. Beck has been vocal about safety concerns and homelessness in the Auckland CBD, and Swarbrick has accused her of painting the city in a bad light. The Spinoff (undoubtedly sympathetic to Swarbrick) reported that officials told Beck she should voice her frustrations privately because public emphasis on homelessness would entrench negative perceptions. Beck defended her advocacy as giving businesses a voice and said her pressure led to improvements.
The weekend after officials told Beck to hush, more than 50 people were involved in a brawl on Karangahape Road that left three men hospitalised. Police said video footage showed men being stomped and kicked.
Tolls for whom?
The Infrastructure Commission has floated a plan to toll Auckland Harbour Bridge at about $9 per trip to pay for a second crossing. Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown quickly distanced themselves from the suggestion with the Taxpayers’ Union having to apologise to Bishop for assuming he backed the idea. The low tax organisation are naturally not fans of a ‘Bridge Tax’.
This isn’t official policy… yet, but user-pays tolls feel inevitable at some point. New Zealand is tapped out. The government inherited an empty kitty and an infrastructure deficit. Either drivers pay at the toll booth, or everyone pays via higher taxes. Pick your pain. Those are just my thoughts and I am definitely not attributing them to any government minister.
Do Greens’ members even want stable candidates?
The Green Party’s new list-selection rules are causing internal friction, with former high ranking candidates reportedly excluded from even entering the pool for this year’s list. Members quoted in The Post say the changes look punitive, accusing the leadership of sidelining “interesting, nuanced, values-driven” figures and creating what one described as “a very James Shaw party list.” God forbid! By this I am assuming they mean safer, more polished, less likely to go off script, or crash out of Parliament in scandal. The memories of Golriz Ghahraman, Darleen Tana, and Benjamin Doyle should haunt the party.
Chloe Swarbrick insists the tightened vetting is about protection and ensuring candidates are ready for the “gruelling” and “toxic” environment of Parliament.
I sourced this info from Henry Cooke’s reporting at The Post. I am hard on the mainstream media, but credit where it is due, Cooke is delivering consistently informative political pieces. I will read an article based on him having written it. This week he published some great policy and legislation focused stuff that was pretty down the middle.
Government Women’s Network to celebrate IWD with a keynote speech from a man
The Government Women’s Network has selected a transgender keynote speaker with fraud convictions for its International Women’s Day event this year. The theme is apparently empowerment and career progression… so naturally they gave the role of honour to someone from the other 49%.
Mary Haddock‑Staniland has a history of credit card fraud and spent time in a male prison. PrideNZ’s archives note he dreamt of being a newsreader, but instead he attracted headlines for stalking one. On Haddock’s obsession with Simon Dallow, TVNZ spokesperson Peter Parussini said "This person clearly has a sad life. He [Dallow] thinks this person is a sad individual as well."
The Herald reported:
“This is not the first time Haddock's name has been linked to controversy. He was sacked after a short stint as a receptionist with TV show Queer Nation after the alleged unauthorised use of an Eftpos card belonging to one of the show's presenters.”
🇺🇸 Rhode Island mass shooting and media double standards
In Rhode Island, USA, another trans-identifying male committed a mass shooting this week. Robert Dorgan (aka Roberta Esposito), shot dead his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, and their adult son, Aidan Dorgan and wounded three others at a hockey game. He then took his own life. Dorgan had threatened to “go berserk” in an online rant defending trans rights the day before.
Predictably, despite being quick to report on mass shootings when the killer is anything, but trans, New Zealand coverage was no where to be seen. In the US mainstream outlets downplayed or ignored the attacker’s gender identity wanting to avoid talking about the disturbing pattern of lethal violence by trans-identifying males.
In Rhode Island, USA, another trans-identifying male committed a mass shooting this week. Robert Dorgan (aka Roberta Esposito), shot dead his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, and their adult son, Aidan Dorgan and wounded three others at a hockey game. He then took his own life. Dorgan had threatened to “go berserk” in an online rant defending trans rights the day before.
Predictably, despite being quick to report on mass shootings when the killer is anything, but trans, New Zealand coverage was no where to be seen. In the US mainstream outlets downplayed or ignored the attacker’s gender identity wanting to avoid talking about the disturbing pattern of lethal violence by trans-identifying males.
🇺🇸 🇮🇷 US‑Iran tensions: brinkmanship on repeat
Donald Trump told reporters that a decision on whether to strike Iranian nuclear facilities could come “probably in 10 days”. The US has dispatched a second carrier strike group to the region and the internet watched this week as the US military swarmed across the globe toward the Middle East. Iran has in turn warned that US bases and assets across the Middle East would become targets if attacked.
🇬🇧 The man formerly known as Prince has been arrested
Former Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Leaked emails show he allegedly forwarded sensitive government reports to Jeffrey Epstein while serving as trade envoy. He denies wrongdoing but is under investigation.
The King’s statement about his brother read:
"I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.
"In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all."
🇫🇷 French far left political violence
In Lyon, 23 year old mathematics student Quentin Deranque, a member of the group Collectif Némésis (Nemesis), was beaten to death by around 11 masked Antifa activists. Two of the assailants arrested were aides to far‑left LFI politician Raphaël Arnault. One of them, Jacques-Elie Favrot, has had his work halted in parliament and contract is being terminated; the second has had his rights suspended.
The media have emphasised that Deranque is “far right”, but I hesitate to take this at face value given they have labelled perfectly respectable elderly women far right for protesting in recent times. Nemesis is reported as anti-immigration and the group says it focuses on issues like violence against native French women and opposes immigration it views as threatening women’s safety and French culture.
The incident has triggered a kind of reckoning in French politics in which far left politicians are being asked to account for the violence.
NZ Army pauses cultural framework
The New Zealand Army has paused its new cultural skills framework following an intervention from Minister of Defence Judith Collins. ACT MP Todd Stephenson raised with her that the Army was set to require leaders to memorise waiata and karakia by heart as potential requirements for leadership and career advancement. Defence Minister Judith Collins, unaware of the framework, asked for more information, leading the Army to pause implementation and consult more widely. The framework’s creators said it aimed to embed Māori culture, but critics argued it imposed ideological requirements on what is meant to be a politically neutral force.
🇦🇺 Australia’s eSafety Commissioner loses in court
Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant suffered a humiliating defeat in court. She tried to silence Sydney mum Celine Baumgarten, who posted a 53‑second video criticising a primary school for having a “queer club”. Grant ordered the video removed, claiming it was “cyber‑bullying”. Baumgarten fought back, and the Federal Court dismissed Grant’s appeal. Sky News reports that the Commissioner spent more than AU$250,000 of taxpayers’ money pursuing the case.
The result is a warning of what New Zealand could face if public servants get their way and we end up with a similar “e-safety commissioner”.
🇺🇸 Mamdani encounters reality and budgets
Newly elected socialist New York mayor Zohran Mamdani is learning that maths is not his strong suit. After 45 days in office, he announced that funding his promises requires raiding the city’s Rainy Day Fund, retiree health fund, and increasing property taxes. I bet the unions who supported him are really happy about retirement funds being pilfered.
It’s early days, but signs suggest Mamdani may become another cautionary tale of how utopian promises collide with fiscal reality.
NZ Parliament quits X
New Zealand’s Parliament quit X on Friday (formerly Twitter) apparently because of the storm in a teacup that was Grok being found to have the same capability of every other AI platform (and Photoshop) of generating images of people in bikinis. There is no evidence that CSAM was generated and the platform is one of the very least likely to appear in child grooming and abuse cases. Clerk of the House David Wilson said remaining on X would give tacit approval to a platform that fails to remove harmful content. This parrots the declarations made by journalist Andrea Vance and New Zealand ultra left media mogul Sinead Boucher. If our Parliament were even pretending to be neutral and not virtue signalling to their woke progressive pals, they would exit all social media and halt any use of AI in Parliamentary Services.
Senior Minister Chris Bishop has tweeted his disapproval and indicated it could be discussed at the Business Committee which is made up of MPs, not jumped up staffers.
Click to view
Headline of the week
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In short - other stuff that happened:
- 🇺🇸 Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was a laughing stock at Munich Security Conference when she could not answer questions about USA Taiwan policies, incorrectly said Venezuela is in the Southern Hemisphere, and made fun of Rubio while being incorrect about US cowboy history.
- 🇺🇸 Meta (who NZ Parliament still use) is planning a US$65 million political operation to influence US state elections, funding pro‑AI candidates through a network of non‑profits and super PACs.
- 🇪🇸 Police analysis indicates that Spain’s regularisation scheme could grant legal status to between 1-1.35 million “irregular migrants”, far more than the 500 000 figure touted by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
- An OIA request revealed Inland Revenue spent nearly $2 million on outbound phone calls urging taxpayers to adopt two‑factor authentication.
- 🇦🇫 The Taliban’s new criminal regulation authorises husbands and “masters” to mete out discretionary punishments (tazeer) to wives and subordinates. Article 4(5) effectively legitimises domestic violence and slavery.
- 🇬🇧 In the UK, 15 staff at St Andrew’s mental‑health hospital have been arrested as part of an investigation into allegations of rape, wilful neglect and ill‑treatment. Ten people remain on bail while police investigate.
- 🇩🇪 In Germany, an actor delivering a “far right monologue” in the play Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists was heckled, pelted with an orange, and physically attacked by audience members. A theatre critic decried the “mind‑numbing self‑righteousness” of a crowd unable to distinguish fiction from reality.
- A Public Service Commission investigation found “low maturity” conflict-of‑interest management at the Teaching Council. Contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were awarded without proper procurement processes to Clemenger, an advertising firm run by the CEO’s husband.
- Audrey Young continues to do PR for MUMA and Willie Jackson. In my opinion.
I read quite a lot of interesting tidbits this week while I was sick. So I am going to just list and link them below. I do just want to point out that I call this section what I call it so I have the freedom to share things that I find interesting whether I agree with them or not. Last week I shared Marco Rubio’s Munich speech and called it extraordinary and had someone say they would not watch it because he and Trump are bad etc. That is her choice, but I didn’t share it for her to necessarily agree with it. I shared it because I think we will look back on it as the speech that set Rubio on course to be the next Republican candidate and the first Latino President. It was extraordinary because of the geopolitics, the tone, and the message. It will be regarded as one of the great speeches of our time in its impact and delivery. We can be interested in that without making value judgments about the guy giving the speech. Anyway, here is some interesting stuff:
- That irritating feeling that France was right: Donald Trump’s America makes Gaullism respectable again by The Economist
- No Boyz Aloud on BookTok: The literary world has zero interest in publishing novels for heterosexual men by Kyle Smith for the Wall Street Journal
- Faking Wokeness to Fit In: 88% of students report pretending to hold more progressive views than they really do by Professor Steve Stewart-Williams
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