The Herald reports:

A raft of internal NZ First documents have been leaked to the media and National, revealing internal discontent about the way the party ran the last election campaign and coalition negotiations. …

Members were upset about the fact Peters had filed to sue the National Party over their alleged leaking of his Superannuation information just one day before the 2017 election.
A member sought an explanation from Peters as to how true and fair the Coalition negotiations were, given Peters was in the process of suing National while attempting to hammer out a deal to be in Government.

In response, Martin said in an email she was “deeply disappointed” by the comments.
“None of us were aware of the papers filed by the Rt. Hon. Winston Peters because that was his private business and nothing to do with the formation of a government. None of us, particularly the Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, are that shallow,” the email went on to say.

What absolute nonsense. the leader of one party files a lawsuit against the leader of a party they claim to be negotiating with, and Martin thinks this was a private matter.

Martin also appeared upset at the implication that Peters conducted the coalition negotiations without seeking advice from his caucus.
She also said she was “deeply offended” that members questioned not only the character of the Peters but had, by implication, suggested she, NZ First MPs and board members were puppets in these negotiations.

Repeat after me – “We are not puppets”, “No, we are not puppets”

The documents reveal members felt the party’s list showed disrespect for hardworking, loyal, hardworking and long-serving members, and favoured candidates who had personal relationships with those who select the list placement.
Members also complained the list process was sexist, as only three of the candidates in the top 18 were female.

Your list place has a 100% correlation to what Winston thinks of you.

Stuff reports:

Porirua mayor Mike Tana’s “potentially unusual” petrol card transactions have led the council’s chief executive to contact police.
In an email to the city’s councillors, chief executive Wendy Walker says “some unresolved queries” about Tana’s transactions led her to speak with the Auditor General’s office who recommended she consult the council’s auditors, Ernst and Young.
Tana did not provide the auditors with the information required and they had now closed the investigation, suggesting the next steps would be to take the matter to the Serious Fraud Office, the police or the Office of the Auditor General, she said.

It is important to note that Mike Tana also had his Council credit card taken off him due to concerns about his spending, and cash withdrawals.

The request for information related to a number of times over three months when he refilled the 60 litre mayoral car in a two-day period, he said.

An car on average will do 100 kms every 12 litres in urban areas. So Tana would need to be driving 500 kms every two days to be refilling that often.

It’s 40 kms return between Porirua and Wellington so 500 kms would be 12 return trips over two days.

No wonder the Council is seeking more info.

There was more than one two-day refill period that the council sought clarification for: “I think there’s probably five, but it’s not like those are out-of-the-box things, but that’s what I do as a mayor.”

It would seem nigh impossible to go through a 60 litre car in two days if just driving around Porirua or even between Porirua and Wellington.

In Friday’s email which was sent to councillors – and copied  in Tana –  Walker wrote she was “alerted to some potentially unusual transactions” on the petrol card Tana used for fuelling the mayoral car.
“This matter was first raised with the Mayor on 16 September 2019 when I sought an explanation from him for those transactions.  I did not receive any explanation from the Mayor despite follow up.

16 September was almost three weeks ago. If I was a Mayor and my CEO raised an issue of my expenses, I’d respond within hours, not weeks.

If the concern is that Tana may have been using his petrol card for other vehicles, then the Police should be able to quickly determine if this is the case. They just need to ask the service stations to check their videos to match the date and time on the receipts.

They could sort this out within 48 hours, if they move quickly.

The Herald reports:

Documents reveal just how frustrated and concerned Treasury was behind the scenes of Wellington’s $6.4 billion transport plan.
An email leading up to the finalisation of the Cabinet paper for Let’s Get Wellington Moving shows Treasury asked why a second Mt Victoria tunnel had been put on the backburner.
“Why is the Minister [Phil Twyford] proposing to build the second Mt Vic tunnel after rapid transit has been delivered? There is no explanation for this sequencing”, April 18, 2019 email said.
The sequencing of projects is the subject of a secret letter Julie Anne Genter, Associate Transport Minister and Green MP, penned to Twyford just a few weeks before on March 26, 2019.

The refusal to publicly release it has heightened speculation over how much influence the Greens had over the transport project, in particular, the decision to push back construction of Wellington’s second Mt Victoria tunnel.

The explanation for the sequencing seems obvious. The Greens would have had a temper tantrum otherwise.

Treasury was also concerned the benefit of projects was largely unknown and that wasn’t made clear in the paper.
“Given that the Minister is asking Cabinet to endorse a large and costly package of investments, we consider it important that Cabinet is aware that the benefits may not justify the costs.”
The email criticised the paper for having little detail of what the package consisted of and for not explaining why the proposed investments would solve the city’s problems.

So the package had no idea of the benefits, and no idea of whether it would solve the city’s problems.

We shouldn’t be electing DHB members, as the reality is the Government controls the funding, so DHBs tend to shelter the Government from accountability.

But as we do elect them, better to get competent people on there.

There are 23 people standing for seven positions.

Let’s start with the ones you should avoid at all costs, current members of the Wellington Regional Council. Can you imagine what would happen if they duplicated their “success” with the buses to say the emergency department. So don’t vote for Roger Blakeley or Sue Kedgley. Also don’t vote for those standing for Labour as their job will be to help Labour, not make the best decisions for the DHB.

So who would I vote for? The seven I would pick are:

1. Chris Kalderimis – strong health sector knowledge
2. Glenda Hughes – strong leadership and goverance skills
3. John Apanowicz – has governance and health sector experience
4. Ana Coffey – current board member. Sensible.
5. Simon Marsh – has served on WCC, useful experience
6. Letitia O’Dwyer – strong health sector knowledge
7. Vanessa Simpson – strong health sector knowledge

The Herald reports:

The number of people waiting for public housing has grown to more than 13,000 for the first time, despite the Government’s home-building efforts.
Latest official figures from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development show the waitlist had reached 13,167 households in August – up from 12,644 a month earlier.
The record (from 2004) was first broken in June, when the queue passed 12,000.

The waitlist was 5,844 when National left office. It has more than doubled in less than two years.

The Herald reports:

An information booklet published by the Labour Party and signed off by the Prime Minister has been pulled after the party was busted for plagiarism.
The guide to services for people aged over 60 years contained at least 50 apparent breaches of copyright, Newshub reported.

50 breaches!!

The Herald reports:

The president of New Zealand First has quit after just a year in the job – and the long-time member says he is walking away from the party altogether.
But it remains unclear why Lester Gray has decided to leave, after being elected at the party’s annual meeting this time last year.

Mr Gray had taken medical leave, and health issues would be a logical explanation for standing down as President.

But there is no way health issues would be why you are quitting as a party member. That strongly suggests there is more to this story that it seems.

The party president is the most senior volunteer in a party. To have a party president quit as a party member is unprecedented in my memory.

UPDATE: Stuff further reports:

NZ First party president Lester Gray has quit the party, citing his refusal to sign off financial reports for ‘moral’ reasons. 
A resignation letter reveals Gray took his stand against signing the party’s 2019 reports with a claim he has been kept in the dark over party expenditure and donations, leaving him unable to put his name to them with confidence.
The shock departure raises concerns about the internal financial arrangements of one of the government’s crucial coalition partners as election season looms in 2020.

It seems Lester Gray is an honest man.

NZ First have (off memory) never ever disclosed a donation. Yet everyone knows they get significant corporate donations from the industries they represent in Parliament – forestry, fisheries and racing.

The party office holders often get left in the dark, with Winston or his office or lawyers actually controlling the donations or money. A former party secretary filed numerous incorrect donation returns which she had to correct.

The Electoral Commission is charged with ensuring party’s donation returns are accurate. They should be talking to the former President to ascertain what his concerns were.

A few brief endorsements for the regional mayoral races around Wellington.

Hutt City

It’s really a race between incumbent Ray Wallace and Labour’s Campbell Barry. Labour are desperate to gain control of the Council. A vote for Ray Wallace is a vote for an independent Mayor.

Upper Hutt

Incumbent Mayor Wayne Guppy has done a good job in my opinion and speaks sense on transport issues. I’d vote for Guppy.

Porirua

Incumbent Mayor Mike Tana has not been impressive. He’s spent up large on Council credit cards and thinks his spending shouldn’t be scrutinised.

There are a number of credible challengers. The one who I think would be the best Mayor is former Deputy Mayor Ana Coffey. She’s experienced and impressive. I’d rank Anita Baker as No 2 after her.

Kapiti Coast

My vote would go to challenger Gwynn Compton. He’s run a smart campaign focused on the issues that matter around economic development and transport for the area.

Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments below.

Stuff reports:

For years scientists have been predicting the measles outbreak which has infected 1541 New Zealanders. Their requests for a catch-up campaign to plug immunisation gaps have been ignored. 

Measles cases are rising daily and 118 babies have been admitted to hospital this year. So far none have died, but it’s believed some have come very close.

Terrible trauma for the families involved.

There’s also a vaccine shortage. Children are being immunised but others are being turned away. Two additional batches of vaccine have been ordered to cope with demand. One batch is weeks away from arriving, the second is months away.

Just like meningitis outbreak also!

New Zealand has now had more cases of measles this year than the United States. Along with the United Kingdom and Australia, the US has warned citizens planning to travel to New Zealand of the risk.

Unbelievable that we have had more than the US, but it is true. They have had 1,243 only. And they seem to be declining in number now.

She said it would be a “miracle” if New Zealand did not lose its status of having eliminated measles. 
“It’s a reputational impact. New Zealand had said to the world we can control measles and now we’ve shown we can’t.”
To achieve what’s referred to as herd immunity – where enough of the population is immune to stop it being passed to those who are too young to be immunised or are immunocompromised – around 95 per cent of people need to be vaccinated. 

And vaccination rates are falling, after years of increasing.

Inside Wellington has scored the Wellington City Councillors, giving them both a personal and portfolio scores. I’ll average them out, so we can see how they look overall:

• 8.00 – Sarah Free
• 7.50 – Simon Woolf, Nicola Young
• 7.00 – Fleur Fitzsimons, Justin Lester
• 6.5 – Iona Pannett
• 6.33 – Brian Dawson
• 6.00 – Andy Foster
• 5.50 – Peter Gilberd, Malcolm Sparrow
• 5.00 – Simon Marsh
• 4.75 – Chris Calvi-Freeman
• 4.25 – Diane Calvert
• 4.00 – Jill Day
• 0 – David Lee

HDPA writes:

I don’t think we should for one minute tolerate what Shane Jones has just done.

And what the PM enables him to do.

Shane Jones has now threatened revenge against whoever it was who complained to the Herald about his comments at the forestry awards evening.
He says he knows who went to the Herald and he’s going to “deal to them”.
“When the election comes around and the Cabinet restrictions have been loosened, then I am personally going to deal to these National Party sympathisers who thought that it was a smart idea to try and have me quivering in a corner by racing to the media,” he said.
“At the appropriate time, I will deal to them as a big-time, New Zealand First wrestler.”
That is not OK.
It is not OK for a minister in Cabinet to threaten utu.
He is one of the most powerful politicians in this country which means the impact that he can have on a single person or their business could be devastating.
I don’t know what he’s planning… he hasn’t been clear about it… but threats like that are intolerable.

Basically a cowardly bully.

Now he’s admitted he told the forestry awards audience to vote for him if they want billions in funding  and when they complained about what they call bribery, he’s threatened them with utu.
Jones’ behaviour would not have been tolerated by previous governments.
Can you imagine Clark, Key or English making excuses for this kind of nonsense?

He would have been sacked long ago by any other Prime Minister.

Idiot/Savant blogs:

Yesterday the High Court released its decision in Moncrief-Spittle v Regional Facilities Auckland Limited, on the (alleged) decision by the Auckland Council and Mayor Phil Goff to deny use of a public venue to a pair of visiting nazi grifters. Based on the information available back then, I said that I found the decision disturbing: freedom of speech is the foundation for any democratic change, and the idea that a council or council-controlled organisation could deny it because they didn’t like what was being said was chilling (to point out the obvious, while everyone hates nazis, its not just nazis such powers could be used against).

But the court ducked the question:

Instead, the court found that the decision was unreviewable, because Regional Facilities Auckland – a Council Controlled Organisation, established for the benefit of the people of Auckland and subject to the LGOIMA – was not “public”, but acting in a purely private and commercial capacity.

Andrew Geddis has pointed out the irony here, because the decision was basicly made on the basis of National’s supercity “reforms”, which privileged “efficient” (privatised) public services over public control. But while enjoying that irony, I agree with Dean Knight that a finding that a CCO has no public duties and its decisions are unreviewable is disturbing to say the least. To point out the obvious, judicial review is a keystone of public accountability, but the effect of this decision is apparently to make a large (and growing) chunk of what was previously public business “private” and unaccountable.

So basically the CCO escapes the public duties of the Council.

Fran O’Sullivan writes:

It would be a travesty if the Norwegian committee plumps for the environmental activist de jour Greta Thunberg as the recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize over Jacinda Ardern or even Donald Trump.

I agree that Ardern is a better choice than Greta. Trump of course won’t win.

One of the first things Labour did in achieving office was to abolish the health targets of the previous government. They have made noises about coming up with new targets, but two years in nothing to show.

As journalists request data under the OIA for the previous health targets, they are still compiled by the MOH. But they are no longer actively promoted by the Government or Ministers. So what has been the result?

• The immunisation rate for eight month olds has fallen from 92.2% in 2017 to 90.1% today.
• The percentage of cancer patients starting cancer treatment within 92 days has fallen from 93.2% in 2017 to 87.6% today
• The percentage of ED patients seen within six hours has dropped from 93.1% in 2017 to 90.0% today

So the immunisation rate is now at the lowest point since 2013 and the ED waiting times at the lowest point since 2011. This is what happens when you have a Government that doesn’t want accountability, and abolishes the targets.

Stuff reported:

Shane Jones has a stern word of warning for foreign-owned forestry companies looking to undermine him: “Political utu is a dish best served cold”.
He said the people who tried to undermine him would learn this lesson closer to the next election. 
Jones made the remarks after he was publicly rebuked by the Prime Minister for trying to solicit votes for NZ First at the Northland Forestry Awards.

Once again he ignores the PM. How many times has she publicly rebuked or chided him? Five? Six? Could you imagine him behaving that way if Helen Clark was PM? He obviously has no respect for her of the office of the the PM.

It was reported that Jones told attendees to vote for NZ First or risk missing out on Provincial Growth Fund money. 

Give us the money, or else.

A number of attendees contacted The New Zealand Herald, saying they felt Jones’ remarks were an example of the hot-mouthed MP buying votes. 
But now Jones is firing back. He wants the attendees to know he’s aware of who they are, and their relationship to the National Party. 
“They were playing a dangerous game,” Jones said.
“I know them. A handful work for international forestry companies,” he said. 
“It is wrong for overseas-owned forestry companies to have their staff briefing the media and using the same language as the National Party against me.”
Jones rubbished the leakers, saying that the rest of the people at the event had already reported their identities to him.

Except Jones was full of shit, as usual.

The Herald reports:

It’s not about politics, minister, it’s about you and your behaviour.
That’s the stinging retort from frustrated forester Pat Cox, who was one of those who criticised Minister of Forestry Shane Jones for electioneering at an industry awards ceremony.
“If he wants to have a scrap with me, then bring it on,” said Cox. “Bring it on Mr Jones, I’m the bushman you are looking for.”
Cox – and others – had told the Herald they were angered by Jones’ behaviour at the Northland Forestry Awards, during which he told the 550 people attending they needed to remember to vote for NZ First if they wanted continued access to funding its policies had brought.

Cox was appalled that an awards dinner turned into a political shakedown for money. Yet Jones thinks Cox is the bad guy, not him.

One News reported:

NZ First law and order spokesperson Darroch Ball said drug testing could legitimise and encourage drug use.
“We’re acting at the wrong end here. We’re being very reactionary if we think it’s okay to start saving lives or to start protecting people after the drug has been taken or after it’s been purchased,” he said.

So yes a NZ First MP is arguing against saving lives.

The Sun reports:

A WOMAN who claims she is allergic to WiFi sleeps in a £400 copper sleeping bag and is terrified that the rollout of 5G will kill her.
Rosi Gladwell, 70, a self-diagnosed radiation sufferer has spent thousands of pounds protecting herself against WiFi over the years.

A copper sleeping bag. That will make the mere tinfoil hat wearers jealous.

Rosi, from Totnes, Devon, has managed to cope by spending thousands of pounds to protect herself, but she said that she fears that 5G might literally kill her.

Wait until she hears about 6G –

Stuff reports:

A radical feminist banned from Twitter for violating its hateful conduct policy will panel a ticketed event hosted by Massey University in Wellington.
The event has attracted so many complaints that on Friday the university put out a public statement, acknowledging concerns, and reiterating it had a security plan and risk assessment in place. “We are closely monitoring the situation in the event of any potential issues,” the statement said. 
Meghan Murphy, a Canadian feminist blogger who believes transgender rights “nullifies women’s rights”, has been invited to speak at the campus’ theatrette in November.
She told Stuff she was pleased the university was protecting the group’s right to free speech and free expression.

This is the correct response from Massey – having a security plan in place, rather than cancelling an event because some people don’t like it.

Sounds like they have learnt a lesson.

Tallulah Farrar, College of Creative Arts Representative, said “concerning information” about the event had pushed her to lay a complaint. She “worried about the wellbeing and safety of students” if the event went ahead.

No relation of course.I love how “safety” has become the new code word to silence views people disagree with.

In the 2018 census, 48.2% said they had no religion and 6.7% objected to answering. The top 10 religions (as % of all NZers) is:

1. Anglican 6.7%
2. Christian 6.6%
3. Roman Catholic 6.3%
4. Presbyterian 4.7%
5. Catholic 3.7%
6. Hindu 2.6%
7. Islam 1.2%
8. Mormon 1.2%
9. Methodist 1.1%
10. Buddhist 0.9%

Also worth noting:

• Jedi 20,409 followers
• Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster 4,248
• Wiccan 1,482
• Satanism 1,149
• Yoga 327
• Druid 189
• Marxism 12
• Libertarianism 9