A story on MSN mentions the marks Erica Stanford and Penny Simmonds gave education agencies last year.
They say they are performing a lot better this year. I hope so, as hard to go much lower!
On Patreon (paywalled) I set out why the decision by the United States to renege on all 21 trade agreements it has signed is terrible, but it also creates opportunities for New Zealand. I propose three things we should do in response (and no not reciprocal tariffs).
Radio NZ reports:
Former politicians and health experts are calling for more transparency and regulations when it comes to lobbying, to “restore fairness to government decision making”.
Level the Playing Field is a joint campaign led by Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA), the Helen Clark Foundation and Transparency International NZ, which is chaired by Anne Tolley, to “end hidden lobbying”.
HCA is itself one of the biggest lobbyists in New Zealand. They see lobbying as noble and great when they do it, and evil when anyone else does it.
Winston doesn’t hold back what he thinks of them.
Slow the revolving door: A “cooling off” period to prevent former ministers and senior officials from immediately becoming lobbyists in their past areas of responsibility;
Does this include Green Party co-leaders leaving Parliament to head up one of the largest lobbying organisations in New Zealand?
David Seymour announced:
Associate Health Minister David Seymour is welcoming Cabinet’s decision to enable medicines to be approved in less than 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions.
This change is included in the Medicines Amendment Bill (the Bill), which amends the Medicines Act 1981. The pathway will be in operation by early 2026.
The policy will start with Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore and Switzerland, as recognised countries. These are the main countries Medsafe currently recognises.
This is something Eric Crampton and the NZ Initiative have pushed for many years, and great to see it finally agreed by Cabinet. It is a waste of time and money to have Medsafe with a tiny budget and resources try to duplicate the work done by agencies such as the US FDA which have a US$6 billion budget.
Changes like this are not high profile, but they are very important and collectively make a difference so that Kiwis can access safe drugs more quickly.
Winston Peters announced:
Rail Minister Winston Peters has described KiwiRail’s payment of $8 million to a management consultancy firm as unacceptable.
“We are not criticising McKinsey, whose services were tendered in a lawful and competitive manner. We are criticising the decision to pay that sum,” says Mr Peters.
KiwiRail engaged McKinsey on 6 December 2023, but did not tell the Government about it until 7 February 2024 or disclose the value of the payment to Ministers until 6 June 2024.
I think new board members are needed. To not tell the incoming Government of such a massive contract for two months, and keep the costs hidden for six months is astonishing.
As an economist/educator I have always sat in the framework of Julian Simon and Indur Golkany – and other future optimists. Both hold that the economic pathway of the world, with fulcutuations, is constantly improving since the industrial revolution and that humans are better off now that we ever have been.
An example is that Asia has reduced the number of people in “absolute poverty” by 1.5 billion in two generations.
Julian Simon famously wagered, in 1980, with the doom-sayers of the late 20th century – specifically Paul Ehrlich – that key resources would decline in price by 1990. He was right.
For all sorts of reasons – including media and political influence – we are panicking about what Trump is doing with tarriffs. I would argue that unbalnced tariffs are a disaster – which is what we have had for 30 years (at least), even tarriffs reduces resource distortion and is a good interim stage, and the free trade based on relative resource advantage is best for all.
Real per capita GDP in 2023 (PPP – which takes into account living costs) has:
USA at US$82,769 – 9th in the world. 2024 2024 real per capital growth of 2.4%
Australia at US$70,340 – 16th in the world. 2024 real rep capita growth of 0.1%
New Zealand at $53,481 – 33rd in the world. 2024 real rep capita growth of 0.1%
World Economic growth as GDP per capita in 2024 was 3.2%.
When shocks come – people, business’, economies adjust.
Hence – based on Simon, Golkany and other future optimists I have taken this bet with Steven Joyce via linkedin.
Education 710+ Ltd and Innovative Education Consultants Ltd
The great economist Julian Simon made a famous bet in 1980 with Paul Erlich and co re the price of resources moving forward.
Steven – you are jumping on a bandwagon and ignoring the true state of world trade.
I would be happy to take a wager that in three year’s time that the USA (Trump’s responsibility) and all countries who re-allign their practices towards the USA – will be measureably better off re per capita GDP.
Alwyn Poole I’d take that wager Alwyn. To me this has a distinct Liz Truss feel about it, in terms of its likelihood of success.
I am happy to put $1,000 on it and have David Farrar adjudicate.
Alwyn Poole
[email protected]
alwynpoole.substack.com
CNN reported:
A 22-year-old Palestinian man was tortured and killed by Hamas militants after he criticized the group publicly and participated in rare anti-Hamas protests in Gaza, his family said.
Hamas not big on free speech.
“He was still alive” when the militants returned him, Hassan said. Rabie was only wearing underwear and the fighters had him “tied by the neck with a rope, and were dragging him, beating him,” Hassan added.
“They handed him over to me, and told me, in these words: This is the fate of everyone who disrespects Al-Qassam Brigades and speaks ill of them,” Hassan said.
Hassan said he collected his injured brother and took him to a nearby hospital. Footage shared on social media showed Rabie lying on a hospital bed, covered in large cuts and bruises that stretched along his arms, back and feet. Hassan confirmed the authenticity of the video, and said the man on the bed was indeed his brother.
Rabie died shortly after being taken to the hospital, he said.
So criticising Hamas gets you tortured and killed, yet some people still claim moral equivalence between the sides.
Radio NZ reports:
The draft secondary school English curriculum is ringing alarm bells for some teachers, with no reference to Te Mātaiaho – the framework that underpins every other curriculum area.
Teachers told RNZ the omission of Te Mātaiaho in the document published this week was bizarre, and they were worried it was part of a move to sideline the Treaty of Waitangi, which until recently had been a critical part of Te Mātaiaho.
This is the English curriculum.
Jepsen said the change was “educational violence” and it was not happening in isolation
Educational violence. How hysterical.
Abercrombie said curriculum areas grounded in the partnership principles of the treaty would always have better outcomes for students.
I’d love to see the peer reviewed evidence for that assertion.
Politico reported:
Marine Le Pen’s plans to run for the French presidency in 2027 were dealt a likely fatal blow Monday after she was found guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds and deemed ineligible to stand in elections for the next five years.
Le Pen and 24 other codefendants were accused of illicitly siphoning European Parliament funds to pay for party employees who seldom or never dealt with affairs in Brussels or Strasbourg. The court estimated that the accused had over 12 years embezzled more than €4 million, €474,000 of which Le Pen was held personally responsible for as an MEP.
I am no fan of Le Pen, but this is not good. What Le Pen was found guilty of is that basically parliamentary funds were used for purposes that were more about helping her party, than parliamentary duties.
Anyone remember Helen Clark’s pledge card that the Auditor-General ruled was illegally funded by the taxpayer. This is basically what Le Pen did. Helen didn’t go to jail, get fined or ruled ineligible to stand.
All around the world, politicians use parliamentary funding to try and help their political parties. Now you should certainly do so within the rules, and there should be consequences for breaking the rules. But being ruled ineligible to stand for office (especially when you are the leading contender for President) is un-democratic.
One of the major criticisms (which I share) is that Donald Trump has broken many of the norms of politics in the US, and he undermines institutional legacy.
In New Zealand, Te Pati Māori do the same. But their norm breaking is not called out to even a fraction of the scale Trump’s is.
Matua Kahurangi blogs:
Te Pāti Māori’s refusal to appear before the Privileges Committee over their disruptive haka in Parliament is a brazen display of arrogance and entitlement. Their decision to ignore a formal summons demonstrates a fundamental disregard for the rules of democratic governance and the very institution they are elected to serve. Rather than facing scrutiny like any other Member of Parliament would be expected to, they have chosen to hide behind claims of unfairness, painting themselves as perpetual victims while undermining parliamentary process.
The Privileges Committee exists to uphold the integrity of Parliament, ensuring that its members abide by the rules that govern them. If every MP who disagreed with the process simply refused to participate, the system would collapse into chaos. Te Pāti Māori’s rejection of the summons is not an act of principled resistance. It is political theatre, an opportunistic stunt designed to rally their base while shirking accountability.
One of the hidden success stories in New Zealand is how well Parliament, or the House of Representatives works. We could devolve into a system where the majority in the House can do whatever it wants with impunity, but over time we have developed a system which ensures opposition parties can be effective, but also the Government can govern. Some examples are:
The antics of Te Pati Maori pose a huge challenge to the House. They think the rules do not apply to them. They think they’ll get more votes by refusing to abide by norms.
So what could the House do if Te Pati Maori refuse to abide by the rules everyone else does. Well this would be a last resort, but if TPM won’t recognise the value of abiding by the rules, then why should they benefit from them. The House could (this is very last resort):
Now don’t get me wrong. These would be terrible things to do. It would be the Government using its majority to amend standing orders in such a way to penalise a political party. This is something once done, can never be undone.
But if TPM continue on a path of thinking they are above the rules, then the only choices left are bad choices. So it is their choice.
The Herald reports:
Labour MP David Parker maintains tax policy disputes within the party are not behind his decision to leave politics.
Parker, an MP since 2002, today confirmed he would resign in early May after contemplating his future since Labour was kicked out of Government in the 2023 election. …
This will bring back Vanushi Walters, the former MP for Upper Harbour, as a List MP.
The Herald reports:
Former Labour leader Andrew Little has confirmed he is considering a tilt at the Wellington mayoralty.
This means he is standing. I have little doubt he would crush Whanau. Little would at least be a competent Mayor. However I’m not sure Little would bring the fiscal discipline to Council that is so badly needed. 20% rates increases are obscene.
But this is all part of a plan by Labour to cease back the capital from The Greens. They will be standing very high profile candidates in Rongotai and Wellington Central to try and knock off Julie Anne Genter and Tamatha Paul also.
1 News breathlessly reports:
1News can reveal that a National Party MP is part of a religious group embroiled in alleged child abuse being investigated in New Zealand, Australia, and the USA.
Ilam MP Hamish Campbell said while he’s been made aware of the historical allegations through the media, he has no personal knowledge of the individuals involved.
So the MP gets ambush journalism from TVNZ because he is involved in a religious group. He doesn’t know either the alleged victims or perpetrators or the alleged child abuse, but lets do guilt by association.
Compare that to the softly softly coverage by the media of a left leaning MP who posted photos of children to social media with sexualised terms.
Campbell said the church was “a non-denominational Christian group just trying to live the best way possible”.
“I have an association through my family. I’ve also been a scientist for the last 20 years, so I have quite a broad view socially liberal.”
Such a total beatup.
The Wold World blogs:
Instead of front-footing it with a bit of accountability or even a mild, “yeah, fair play, that was dumb,” the Greens doubled down. They framed the whole thing as a morality play about queer identity and societal intolerance — completely missing the wider point. This wasn’t a homophobia problem. It was a judgment problem. And more to the point: a pattern.
Let’s take a quick look at the Greatest Hits of recent Green disasters:
Ghahraman – shoplifting
Tana – migrant exploitation
Kerekere – bullying
Genter – contempt of Parliament
Doyle – BibleBeltBussy, as spokesperson for early childhood education
That’s not a blip. That’s a cultural issue.
Either the Greens are just the unluckiest party ever, or it is a cultural issue.
The report that Shane Jones and his wife was physically assailed at Auckland Airport had me reflect how much more serious it is to have someone abuse you in person, rather than merely online.
It led to this post, which I had been ruminating on for a while. It is my attempt to they and work out a sort of hierarchy from bad to worst of abuse against public figures.
Now I’m not an MP but I’ve had 3C (he phoned me multiple times threatening to kill me) and that was traumatic.
What happened to James Shaw and Shane Jones is very serious. Its one thing to have online abuse, but quite another when someone physically assaults you or your spouse.
There is quite a difference between a 1B and say a 2C. Someone saying you deserve to die (while abhorrent) is not a death threat. Saying you will kill them is a death threat. I have reported to authorities messages in category 1C.
And again while all of it is bad, there is a difference between someone mouthing off on social media, and someone actually directly sending the message to you through a DM or an e-mail etc.
There is not an MP above who hasn’t had a 1A or 2A and sadly most would have had a 1B or 2B. If they were all reported, the Police would need those 500 extra police officers. It’s really category C that needs intervention – when people say they will themselves cause harm.
Judith Collins announced:
The Coalition Government today released a multi-billion dollar plan for a modern, combat-capable New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) that pulls its weight internationally and domestically.
“Global tensions are increasing rapidly, and New Zealand has stepped up on the world stage, but our current Defence spending is simply too low,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.
“This new Defence Capability Plan contains $12 billion of funding over the next four years, which includes $9 billion of new spending. This will raise New Zealand’s defence spending from just over one per cent of GDP to more than two per cent in the next eight years.
This is perfectly timed, and much needed. As the United States withdraws from the world, we need to be prepared to work with allies to protect our values and territory. We can’t freeload off other countries and only spend 1% of GDP on defence, when everyone else is spending 2% or more.
This graph shows how massive the increase will be. We will get back to a level last seen 30 years ago. The world was a lot safer in the mid 1990s than it is today.
Lots of polls in the last week or so. The time and size weighted average of the last six polls has the Government on 63 seats and the Opposition on 57.
The final report of the Court of Inquiry into the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui is here.
Key findings areL
So neither of the officers on the bridge realised it was on autopilot. They did not follow the bridge card which would have alerted them to this. And two of the three main officers involved were not endorsed for the ship’s platform, and the other one was endorsed but basically shouldn’t have been!
Radio NZ reports:
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says he will only re-work constitutional ties with New Zealand if the new agreement makes it clear his country is now “more independent” – risking a fresh brawl with Wellington.
Brown has been caught up in a bitter dispute with New Zealand over contentious agreements he’s signed with China, as well as his push to introduce a passport for Cook Islands.
New Zealand said both of those moves were in breach of long-standing constitutional agreements from 1965, 1973 and 2001, which made it clear Cook Islands must consult with it over foreign policy and security issues.
I agree the Cook Islands should be more independent. In fact they should be fully independent. But what Brown wants is all the perks of being part of the Realm of New Zealand, and none of the responsibilities.
So here’s what we should do: