Ben McKay

AAP democracy corro ... i try not to take this place too seriously
📧 [email protected]

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

in awe of this sign I passed this weekend. the absolute mana.

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@VinceRugari certainly more than Ange needs Manchester United

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@danielneljack not an expert … but … the govt could legislate around the bill of rights, (NZ First bottom line?) or pass a partial or time-limited ban in the same manner (safer legal ground). plus the Crown could still appeal

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

NZ High Court overruling the govt ban on pubity blockers is a biggie right in the middle of an election campaign.

From a brief read of judgment appears little to do with 'science', instead that Brown didn't consult & breached Bill of Rights. Seemingly possible to reinstate.

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

Full judgment: https://t.co/rargYoYKAC

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

Radio NZ coverage:
https://t.co/8KaCf2jhSE

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@kidsbooksin140 fair criticism Kids Books in 140. i try to stay true to reporting only trends or movements outside the margin of error but have my lapses.

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

unpopular opinion maybe but with the NZ election so close maybe the poll numbers shouldn't add up to 101.7%

[Jack Tame @jacktame]

Here are the party vote results from the latest 1News Verian poll.

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@LewSOS @jacktame if you assume an unintelligent audience

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@jacktame roger. could we get each party to the first decimal place? 🙏

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@shannon_wells sigh. this is beta new zealander behaviour.

[henry cooke @henrycooke]

Two fantastic reads in our series on the Christophers this morning.

Luke Malpass on Luxon's early career, from a camp bed in Wadestown to the big wide world:

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

today producing some doozies. also from Winston Peters on RNZ: "Everybody loves trailers. New Zealand's got more trailers than most countries have per capita."

[henry cooke @henrycooke]

“We know that Auckland more than any other city relies on transport” says Christopher Luxon.

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

Latest TVNZ poll firms Opportunity as kingmaker, and most likely, the lock-picking answer for the left bloc to win the November 7 election.

Hipkins also level as preferred PM. Historically this only happens (in this poll) just before a change of govt - 2008, 2017, 2023.

[David Capie @davidcapie]

UNGA Political declaration on pandemic preparedness. 153 in favour, 3 against (US, Israel, Argentina) and New Zealand & Paraguay abstained. Bizarre.

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@PastTenseOfJav interesting news on this “another”, presumably second, gender

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

a simply perfect trade week tweet

[Tom Morris @tommorris32]

As Nick Blakey explores avenues out of the @sydneyswans, yesterday he played Padel with North Melbourne pair Dylan Stephens & Finn O'Sullivan.

It was a mid-afternoon booking at Noo's Padel on Chapel St in South Yarra. 🦎

All this as @NMFCOfficial prepares to make a monster financial play for the son of 2x premiership player John Blakey.

@7AFL @1116sen @traderadio @7NewsMelbourne

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

New: The infrastructure department has confirmed no role in picking grants for the govt's $560m closed door MLCIP grants round which funded Labor's election promises. The Greens want ministers to front this month's Senate hearings.

https://t.co/2v48CPhOZM

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

@bobmccoskrienz havent posted a Roy Morgan NZ poll this term and not about to start now

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

two NZ polls out today have either Opportunity as kingmakers or the Labour-led left bloc in an election-winning position

(depending on whether you believe Luxon will stick to his pledge not to work with Opportunity)

[Ben McKay @benmackey]

just new zealand things: the populist party makes a stirring case against cutting foreign aid (which would fund more medicines for Kiwis under a centre-right party policy)

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

We need to double the size of the economy and we cannot do that if we neglect the very markets we need to be in. The old parties have never understood New Zealand has to work for its money.

The idea to cut foreign aid during one of the most uncertain global times in history is both desperate and dangerous.

It is irresponsible for National to jeopardise the relationships we have in the very markets we need to grow our economy.

We have just built and restored our influence and relationships in the world after years of neglect by both Labour and National. This will undo everything that our country has worked hard for over the past three years.

Relationships with our friends and allies has never been more important for the future of New Zealand’s security, trade, and economy.

Foreign aid is not just some sort of expense account nor is it just about assisting countries in need. It is about doing our part in the world with our allies to build stability and unity in such an unstable world - it is about investing in New Zealand’s future.

This will take us back decades in foreign affairs and have reverberations that the National Party has either naively disregarded, or worse, have no ability to comprehend.