New Zealand Listener Issue 38 2018

The Government’s Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill is misnamed. It is unnecessary, unethical and an example of coalition trade-offs of the worst kind. It has no integrity, not even in brackets. Known as the “waka-jumping” bill, the proposed legislation has quietly slid down Parliament’s Order Paper and is now in about 12th spot. The public might surmise that the Government is in no mood for another round of slap-downs from the wide range of voices – on all sides of politics – who argue this bill should be abandoned. Governments should be very careful about making changes to the way MPs are hatched or dispatched, or the way Parliament functions, that require only a simple majority. The same caution would have applied to the National Party, which, when previously in Opposition, proposed abolishing…

The Government’s Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill is misnamed. It is unnecessary, unethical and an example of coalition trade-offs of the worst kind. It has no integrity, not even in brackets. Known as the “waka-jumping” bill, the proposed legislation has quietly slid down Parliament’s Order Paper and is now in about 12th spot. The public might surmise that the Government is in no mood for another round of slap-downs from the wide range of voices – on all sides of politics – who argue this bill should be abandoned. Governments should be very careful about making changes to the way MPs are hatched or dispatched, or the way Parliament functions, that require only a simple majority. The same caution would have applied to the National Party, which, when previously in Opposition,…

WINNING CAPTION Colin Kemplen, Matamata FINALISTS Malcolm Turnbull: “Let’s put our hands together for a stable government.” – PM Lynch, Upper Hutt Turnbull: “My popularity yardstick.” – Edith Macklin, Hastings Turnbull: “Scott Morrison’s knife was this long.” – Michael Ramsay, Queenstown Turnbull: “Welcome, Peter and Scott. I have special drinks waiting.” – Margaret Cannon, Palmerston North Turnbull: “Promo for Scomo, but Julie has fomo.” – Ellie Henderson, Motueka Julie Bishop: “We simply have Dutton to lose.” – Kath Jones, Waikanae Turnbull: “And it was thees beeg.” – AP Murray, Whangamata Caption Competition {caption@listener.co.nz} TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo above to caption@listener.co.nz, with “Caption Competition No 298” in the subject line. Alternatively, entries can be posted to “Caption Competition No 298”, NZ Listener, Private Bag 92512, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141, or submitted through listener.co.nz/win. Entries must be received by noon,…

The future of farming as described in the August 25 cover story (“All that’s green is gold”) is encouraging. After decades of calls to not undermine the “backbone of the economy”, met by other voices asking “what about animal emissions and water quality?”, we are finally seeing something that could be described as reconciliation between town and country. There are a number of positive signs: a Dairy NZ workshop reportedly “packed” with people looking for answers to climate change; this week’s release of the Productivity Commission report on a low-emission economy; and dairy companies Synlait and Fonterra talking sustainability and zero emissions. Green Party co-leader James Shaw has been visiting farms, discussing the how-to of changing farming practices. This is in contrast with long-heard negative utterances from people in that…

The future of farming as described in the August 25 cover story (“All that’s green is gold”) is encouraging. After decades of calls to not undermine the “backbone of the economy”, met by other voices asking “what about animal emissions and water quality?”, we are finally seeing something that could be described as reconciliation between town and country. There are a number of positive signs: a Dairy NZ workshop reportedly “packed” with people looking for answers to climate change; this week’s release of the Productivity Commission report on a low-emission economy; and dairy companies Synlait and Fonterra talking sustainability and zero emissions. Green Party co-leader James Shaw has been visiting farms, discussing the how-to of changing farming practices. This is in contrast with long-heard negative utterances from people in that sector about…

“DoC confirms a right whale in Wellington Harbour is not the same one that came last month. That is to say, it is an alt-right whale.” – journalist Kim Baker Wilson “We have undermined the value of our own data so much by giving it away that we’re like those who once unwittingly sold entire countries to the European Imperialists in exchange for beads and trinkets.” – Michael Chertoff on the BBC’s HardTalk “According to a new poll, a majority of Republicans believe the news media is the ‘enemy of the people’. Which is … we all know the enemy of the people is gluten.” – US comedian Jimmy Kimmel “Find what you love and let it kill you.” – Charles Bukowski, quoted in the Daily Telegraph “I didn’t say you were wrong. I…