The Herald reports:

Officials warned the Government that its move to put the English name before the Māori name in its official branding could cause “material harm” to the Crown-Māori relationship.

The branding was officially updated in May, putting “New Zealand Government” before “Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa”.

Advice on the change, presented to Public Service Minister Paul Goldsmith by Public Service Commission officials, said it would be “likely to be perceived as de-prioritising te reo Māori and diminishing the Crown’s active protection and partnership obligations”.

Officials claimed it could cause “material harm to the Crown-Māori relationship”.

What a load of bollocks. This is the woke virus that has infested much of the public service. They say that putting the language used by 99% of NZers ahead of the language used by 3% of NZers will cause material harm.

Stuff reports:

A former political figure involved in a late night bar incident can now be named.

Jack Brazil, a former Green Party candidate and high profile activist, appeared for sentencing before community magistrate Sarah Steele in the Dunedin District Court on Friday afternoon.

Brazil, 33, was originally charged with assault, behaving disorderly and escaping police custody following an incident at a central city Dunedin bar on Friday, November 27, according to court documents.

Our Jack has done more than merely assaulting someone and escaping police custody.

His lawyer, Sarah Saunderson-Warner confirmed he was no longer seeking name suppression, but opposed in court media applications.

She noted Brazil’s volunteer work, and his wider work in the community.

Despite not working, he “was not opposed to community work”.

Of course he doesn’t have a job!

Brazil, a former Green Party candidate and high profile New Zealand activist, was shot in the liver on Littlebourne Rd, near Otago Boys’ High School, in the early hours of April 16, in 2023.

That investigation remains open, with police believing the shooting was an “isolated incident”.

There is a story there waiting to come out.

He left New Zealand in the months after the shooting, and was charged with the burglary of a Footlocker store in central Dublin during riots in the city.

The Greens really do pick therm well!

Stats NZ reports:

New Zealand’s consumers price index (CPI) increased 4.1 percent in the 12 months to the June 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

The largest upwards contributor to the annual inflation rate was petrol, up 27.5 percent.

“Higher petrol prices accounted for almost a quarter of the 4.1 percent annual increase,” prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

If petrol and diesel prices had not changed, the CPI would have risen 2.9 percent in the 12 months to the June 2026 quarter.

So while it doesn’t make things easier for consumers, good to know it would have been under 3% without the Iran war.

It is clear – from school feedback and an Auditor General’s report that the current school lunch programme is beset with issues.

Societally it is controversial as our history in this area has been parents providing the lunch box. On a Friday, when I was at primary school, you could order fish’n’chips and you could get plate sized potato fritters for 5 cents (still addicted). I was completely fired up when I returned home one day, as a boy called Ronald had beaten me up and stolen my lunch. I was around 8 years old. I wanted him sent to prison for life (or worse). My mother’s response was to make two lunches the next day.

In terms of the high performing countries on international data – NZ is an outlier (along with Australia) for not providing high quality school lunches.

Almost every European country offers school lunch programs. Finland, Sweden, Croatia and Estonia provide universal, free daily meals to all students. Most other nations rely on mixed systems where the government subsidizes meals, charges income-adjusted fees, or partners with local authorities to offer catered lunches. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, the UK, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Romania provide targeted meals at a range of levels and eligibility.

Outside of Europe. Singapore operates widespread school canteens and offers meal subsidies for students from lower-income families.

Canada is rolling out a National School Food Program. The government has agreements with all provinces and territories to expand local school meal and snack initiatives.

Japan has a highly structured, nationwide school lunch program that operates in over 99% of public elementary and junior high schools, serving freshly made, nutritionally balanced meals designed by licensed nutritionists.

China has a large-scale school lunch system, highlighted by the nationwide Nutrition Improvement Program. It provides free or highly subsidized, nutritionally balanced lunches to over 37 million students, particularly in deprived rural areas.

Taiwan has a widespread school lunch program, but it is decentralized. Each city and county operates its own school lunch administration, determining subsidies, menus, and whether lunches are free for students.

South Korea has a highly regarded universal free school lunch program that provides daily, freshly prepared, nutritious meals to over 5 million elementary, middle, and high school students.

Particularly on Finland – where the effects of the lunch programme have been deeply researched:

“The school meals system plays an essential role in Finland’s educational system. Equal access to education and free-of-charge school meals has been one of the key factors in supporting economic growth and transforming Finland into a knowledge based society. Initially, school meals were introduced to address post-war poverty and malnutrition. For more than 75 years, Finland has been offering school meals for all students – the longest-running free-of-charge school feeding programme in the world which is funded with the government and municipal taxes. The funds for operating costs are disbursed directly to the education providers.”

“A school meal is considered as part of the national core curriculum, providing the pupils not only with a free of charge, balanced meal every school day, but also with food-related knowledge and skills. School meals play a key role in food education in school and the promotion of the well-being of the whole school community. The objective of food education in school is to master healthy and sustainable everyday food choices, the diversity of food alternatives and their significance, and to aim at food competence.”

The effects in Europe:

– Reduced Absenteeism: Studies from the UK and broader Europe show that free school meals—particularly universal programs—significantly reduce absences. This is heavily attributed to both financial savings for struggling families and improved health-related immunity and nutrition.

– Academic & Long-term Benefits: Long-standing programs, such as those in Sweden, have demonstrated measurable impacts, including increased years of schooling and a higher likelihood of students pursuing university education.

As I have said before. If we are going to have a school lunch programme, and I think we should, we have to do it well. NZ needs to be pulling every possible leaver to improve the education provision for all children.

[email protected]

Paul Goldsmith announced:

A re-elected National Government will modernise sexual consent laws to specify there must always be a “yes,” rather than an absence of a “no,” National’s Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“National is focused on fixing the basics in law and order, and modernising our consent laws is an important part of that.

“Unlike other jurisdictions we normally compare ourselves with, New Zealand law does not define what consent is. Rather, the Crimes Act provides a non-exhaustive list of what consent is not.

“If re-elected, National will change the law to specify that consent must be actively given, meaning there must be a ‘yes’ rather than the absence of a ‘no.’ That ‘yes’ can be communicated by words or actions.

“The change would align the law with what we’ve been telling our kids for a long time: that you need positive consent before sex, each and every time, rather than presuming it.

“That means silence is not consent. A person who doesn’t say no has not said yes. And consent given once is not consent forever. A previous relationship, or a previous encounter, does not change that.

“This isn’t only about the courts, where explaining what consent is, not just what it isn’t, helps judges and juries. It also resets social expectations, so that sex is understood as something both people actively choose.

“Importantly, these changes will not shift the burden of proof in sexual cases. The prosecution will still need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that consent wasn’t given, and that the defendant didn’t believe on reasonable grounds that it was.

Having clearer consent laws is a good thing, and the importance of proof beyond reasonable doubt is noted.

Also important is that this does not say consent must be oral. It can be communicated by action.

I would want to see the actual proposed law change before being categorical about whether the benefits of this, outweigh the risks, such as making false allegations more likely to result in a conviction. Graeme Edgeler on X made the point that the law shouldn’t be written in a way where both parties who take part in sex can in theory be guilty of rape.

The principle is good, and any bill should be supported to select committee. Beyond that, would depend on the wording of the law change, and especially how it compares to other countries, and what their experiences have been.

Stuff reports:

ACT leader David Seymour is pondering introducing a ban on children having their own smartphones.

The National Party is trying to ban kids from social media, but its coalition partners – including ACT – have indicated they won’t support that move. Instead, Seymour is now suggesting a different ban to solve the issue.

In a somewhat surprising turn for the ACT leader, which Seymour noted during a speech on Wednesday evening, he suggested a ban on children having smartphones.

“Parliament could pass a law defining what constitutes a ‘dumb phone’ suitable for a person under 16. Prohibit the purchase, possession, and supply of smartphones for under-16s,” Seymour suggested, during a speech to youth development charity, the Graeme Dingle Foundation.

He stressed this idea was not ACT Party, or Government, policy. “To be clear, I don’t even know if the Government trying to ban smartphones for under-16s is a good idea,” he said.

Keeping under 16s off social media is a good aspiration. The social media ban is challenging though, as to be effective it would require every adult to use photo ID to register with social media.

The alternative of simply banning smartphones for under 16s is worth considering. However social media can also be accessed on tablets and computers, so they are not a substitute for each other.

A depressing poll from Pew.

This is the sad legacy of Trump. More people in the UK, Australia and Canada have a favourable view of China than the US.

Peggy Burrows is the Principal of Haeata Community Campus. I have covered previously her claiming they received mouldy food from their school lunch provider. An independent report concluded it was actually a school error.

I have also covered the horrendous data for her school, which includes a 38% drop in the school roll, a suspension rate 900% higher than average and a 9% UE pass rate.

The Press has also covered many other issues she has been involved in.

Anyway she has just complained on LinkedIn:

Having held 4 Ministerial appointments prior to 2018 I wondered why the opportunities to serve my community are no longer open to me.

An incredible sense of entitlement. Ministerial appointments are a privilege, not a right.

But she answered her own question by asking AI!!

asked Chatgbt this question:

“Using all available information on the internet can you please find out if the New Zealand government would exclude Dr Peggy Burrows from ministerial appointments after Rigorous Due Diligence Vetting.”

The answer left me feeling stunned!

She asked ChatGPT a question, and she is stunned by the answer! Does she think ChatGPT actually decides on ministerial appointments!

By Lucy Rogers

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/723620/david-seymour-suggests-smartphones-could-be-banned-for-under-16s

David Seymour is seriously mooting to ban smartphones for under 16s. So much for Act being small government libertarians.

I do not have much to say that has not been said elsewhere: in my view, banning smartphones for kids should be up to parents, who can also limit screen time. However, I shall only add that this ban in addition to being state overreach is unenforceable.

The annual report of the Assisted Dying Registrar is here. Some key aspects:

• There were 1,289 applications – a 13% increase
• 486 people, or 38% had an assisted death. These were all people dying within six months, who got to choose a peaceful pain free death on their terms.
• 3% of applicants changed their mind and withdrew their applications. It is good that people can do so, and do so if they are at all unsure.
• 306 people died while going through the process, or 24%. This suggests that either the process needs to be quicker, or that the due to die within six months should be extended to say 12 months so that they have a better chance of getting the death they prefer
• 80% of assisted deaths were aged over 65. 80% were also in palliative care.
• 86% of applications were found to be eligible. This shows that applications are not rubber stamped, but often rejected as ineligible. The system works.
• 17 applications were halted as the applicant had lost competence – again a key protection

A guest post by: Artem Muravev:

I received the following e-mail (names redacted by me) a couple of months ago:

This report summarises a series of serious allegations and concerns raised regarding conduct associated with the University of Auckland Māori Students Association (Ngā Tauira Māori) and activities connected to the “KatchaMāori” event held for first-year tauira.

The matters outlined below involve allegations of physical assault, coercive behaviour, excessive alcohol consumption, intimidation, and unsafe initiation-style activities. Multiple executive members have reportedly indicated their intention to resign, including both co-treasurers, one co-president, and four additional executive members, due to concerns regarding student safety, organisational culture, and governance failures. Further reports state the organisation is likely to disband for good, after being around for 40 odd years and to wrap up shop.

Key Allegations and Concerns

1. Alleged Assaults and Physical Harm

There are allegations that several attendees, including younger and first-year tauira, were subjected to unsafe and harmful treatment during organised activities. Claims include:

• Individuals being physically restrained or held against their will.
• Participants allegedly being tied up near a campfire and to trees.
• Alleged assaults involving beatings and physical intimidation.
• Claims that younger members were held down while alcohol was forcibly administered.
• Reports of objects, including alcohol cans, being thrown at participants, causing distress and possible injury.

One allegation specifically concerns [redacted by DPF], who was reportedly assaulted and restrained during the event.

2. Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Coercion

Numerous accounts describe a culture of excessive drinking associated with the event and broader association activities. Allegations include:

• First-year tauira being pressured or intimidated into consuming dangerous amounts of alcohol.
• Students becoming blackout intoxicated during initiation-style activities.
• Drinking games and coercive group dynamics facilitated by senior members (“tuakana”).
• Intimidating conduct involving yelling, forced participation, and humiliation.

One attendee described being blindfolded and led to another location while intoxicated, hearing screaming from other participants, and later discovering individuals had alcohol thrown over them and cans thrown at their heads while senior members laughed.

3. Initiation-Style and “Gang-Like” Behaviour

Concerns have been raised that aspects of the event resembled hazing or initiation practices rather than culturally safe whakawhanaungatanga activities. Allegations include:

• Senior members abruptly taking control of activities and aggressively directing participants.
• Participants being separated into groups and subjected to intimidating treatment.
• A culture of fear and compliance among younger tauira.
• Behaviour described by witnesses as “gang-like,” involving domination, coercion, and humiliation.
• Reports of activities including members urinating in gumboots and forcing new students to drink it in order for them to be initiated as members.

4. Longstanding Cultural and Governance Concerns

Concerns have also been raised regarding a broader culture within the association over several years. Allegations include:

• Alcohol misuse allegedly being normalised within association events over the past 3–5 years.
• Claims that alcohol consumption occurred within marae and protected cultural spaces.
• A lack of accountability or intervention from leadership structures despite ongoing concerns.
• Questions regarding oversight, duty of care, and governance practices surrounding student wellbeing and safety.

5. Funding and Institutional Oversight Concerns

It has been alleged that funding connected to the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori was used in support of activities where harmful behaviour occurred. These claims raise significant concerns regarding:

• Oversight and monitoring of funded student activities.
• Risk management and student safety procedures.
• Institutional accountability where allegations of harm arise.

At this stage, these allegations remain claims raised by individuals and would require formal investigation and verification. However there have been claims that the Office itself has contacted its counsel and is reporting this case. One member of the association [name redacted by DPF] has associations and links with the Black Power gang “Mangu Kaha” and some threats that he would bring the gang around to do “baby bashing” to toughen people up – which means that they would bash first year students to give them more of an experience into what its like to be a maori student at the University.

DPF: As these are serious allegations I did an OIA to Auckland University in May. Their response is here. There is nothing much in the response because of a huge number of redactions. The redactions were partially based on the following grounds:

s 6(c) to avoid prejudice to the maintenance of the law including the investigation of offences.  

I have no first hand knowledge of any of these allegations. This is why I have redacted names. But the fact the OIA was redacted on the grounds of allowing the investigation of offences suggests to me there is at least some smoke, if not a fire.

Chris Luxon said in Whangarei that “I don’t need to do this job” and ““I choose to do this job because actually I want the potential in this great country of ours to be realised for the benefit of our kids and our grand kids.”

Quite an unremarkable statement. But Stuff decided that they had to manufacture a story so went around asking random people what they thought of Luxon saying he doesn’t need “a” job, and ran a story that was 100% negative on Luxon.

They then deleted the story, but only after the damage was done.

I hope there is a complaint to the Media Council about it.

The Guardian reports:

The Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has been paid £25,000 in compensation by the Metropolitan police and received an apology after his arrest over his gender-critical social media posts.

Linehan, 57, was detained by armed officers at Heathrow airport last September after a 10-hour flight from Arizona.

He was told he was being arrested on suspicion of inciting violence in relation to three posts on X and was held at a nearby police station for 12 hours.

A Met spokesperson said on Thursday: “We recognise the considerable distress caused to Mr Linehan, and have offered our sincere apologies.

“This case prompted a significant change, which means the Met no longer investigates non-crime hate incidents.

So some good came out of this.

This is what he said that got him arrested by armed police:

The third, on 20 April, said: “If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and, if all else fails, punch him in the balls.”

The UK must have very little actual crime to deal with.

Was sad to see today that Bill Birch has died. I knew him quite well, and he was one of the most competent Ministers of any Government.

His worth ethic was legendary. For the 1998 Budget I was in charge of producing the information sheets (propaganda) for the Government about them. This meant having each iteration signed off by the Finance Minister. They were taking me longer than I expected so I popped in to see him at 10 pm to say I didn’t think I’d get them finished tonight, but could show them to him tomorrow. He asked when I thought I’d finish them, and I said around 1.00 am to 1.30 am. He said that he would still be there, so just come through then.

He was the only Minister I knew that if there was a meeting with him for 11 o’clock, you would have to check if it was am or pm.

His ability to express unhappiness in extremely restrained terms was also legendary. If in a meeting he would press the base of his nose, just below his glasses, and say “This is a bit untidy”. That was enough to send Treasury officials into a total panic, as that statements from Minister Birch was the equivalent of Minister McCully shouting at a room of officials that they were the most incompetent people he had ever known. No one ever wanted to hear Birch say twice that something was untidy.

His approach to meetings with colleagues was also somewhat well known. He would sit there for an hour or so while everyone had their say, and then at the end of the meeting announce that he took the initiative to have his officials prepare some draft minutes, and that he was sure everyone would agree they reflected the consensus. Of course no one would dare to say they didn’t. This is how he was a very effective Finance Minister.

Another story I recall is a bilateral meeting with Treasury officials on a Vote. Each vote has an analyst who is meant to be over every detail. It is their full-time job. The guidance from Treasury though was that they don’t focus on anything under $2 million, as that is departmental loose change. At one meeting Mr Birch said “Wasn’t there $300,000 we put into a reserve two years ago. Did that ever get used? If not, we can claw it back”. The Treasury officials realised with shock that the Minister actually knew their vote in greater detail than they did!

One of my other recollections is the two day caucus meeting in 1999 held at Te Papa. I was in attendance, and the guest motivational speaker was Kevin Roberts of Saatchi and Saatchi. A recent issue that had been in the news was controversy around the Government not funding Plunketline, and its possible closure. Now the reality is that the Government had never funded Plunketline. Plunket just set it up on their own initiative and self-funded it, and then emotionally blackmailed the Government that they would be blamed for its closure.

Ministers were not inclined to back down, as the principle was they shouldn’t be forced into funding something they never agreed to. But Kevin got up and spent several minutes telling caucus what a bunch of morons they were. He said that no institution is more beloved than Plunket, and trying to take them on will cost you 5% in the polls, just to save $1,500,000. He asked if there was anyone in the room who really cares about $1,5 million of extra government spending. Not a single hand was raised, except for Bill Birch. The room erupted in laughter as this was so on brand for him, and he was being truthful.

Bill (I never called him Bill in person – he was one of two Ministers I would never call by their first name) was an incredibly nice unassuming guy. He was devoted to public service, and served the public very well. He will be missed.

My kids were watching You Tube and an advertisement came up urging Māori to enrol on the Māori roll. It linked to this website. Tama Iti tells people the more people who go on the Maori roll, the more seats in Parliament. They do not mention that in fact the number of seats is now fixed for the next six years, so changing rolls before the election will have zero impact on the number of seats. What will count is which roll people are on in 2031.

At the bottom of the page it says that the campaign was made possible by a collective of 120+ Whanau Ora providers. That means it is funded by NGOs that are funded by taxpayers to provide support to Māori.

So we still have no idea who is behind it. So I looked up their .nz registration file. The registrant is Oxidar, a design company. I’m 99% certain they are not the actual registrant, but are a contractor to the registrant. When I was on the DNC Board, it was impermissible to hide your identity behind your design company (but rules may have changed).

So we don’t know who is actually behind this campaign, and if they have links or not to a political party.

Stuff’s headline:

The headline is based on the fact that the TU-Curia poll had Hipkins 0.1% ahead of Luxon as Preferred PM.

This is not statistically significant. In fact a probability analysis shows that there is only a 52% chance Hipkins is ahead, and 48% chance Luxon is ahead.

The Daily Mail reports:

Prince Harry appeared to criticise the High Court judge who ruled against him in his failed case against the Daily Mail.

In an extraordinary 374-word statement the Duke of Sussex referenced Mr Justice Nicklin’s previous work for newspapers just hours after he delivered a landmark judgement in favour of this newspaper.

Released jointly with Baroness Lawrence, Harry’s statement said the ruling felt like there was ‘one rule for newspapers and another for claimants’.

It’s more like there is a burden of proof, and the problem for Harry is he had none. His entire case was basically a theory that if the media had reported stuff about his wife, then they must have got hold of it illegally.

He failed entirely, and now may have to cough up 50 million pounds in costs, which must set a record for doing stupid things to see the wife happy.