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Peter Dunne - Latest News [Page 7]
Dunne Speaks: Not With A Bang, But A Whimper
Thursday, 3 March 2022, 8:29 am | Peter Dunne
I was reminded recently of T.S. Eliot’s famous lines at the end of his classic poem, “The Waste Land”: “This is the way world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.” The occasion was the government’s latest announcements bringing forward ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Time To Tone Down The Covid19 Rhetoric
Thursday, 24 February 2022, 9:10 am | Peter Dunne
The surreal occupation of Parliament's grounds and environs and the increasingly objectionable behaviour of at least some of the protesters is understandably dominating the news cycles at present. Whatever else it is doing, it is distracting attention ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: The Ever-so Earnest Commissioner Of Police
Wednesday, 16 February 2022, 10:36 am | Peter Dunne
In the early years of the twentieth century United States President Theodore Roosevelt described his approach to foreign policy as “speak softly and carry a big stick.” He stood, he said, for “the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Andrew Little's Refreshing Honesty
Thursday, 10 February 2022, 9:26 am | Peter Dunne
At first glance, Andrew Little’s admission that he does not know when the country will move to the orange traffic light system, or even what it will take to make such a move, seems utterly disingenuous. After all, he is the Minister of Health, and ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: So Far, So Good For Luxon
Thursday, 3 February 2022, 8:38 am | Peter Dunne
Christopher Luxon can feel well pleased with how things have gone since he picked up the previously poisoned chalice of leader of the National Party just over nine weeks ago. For the first time since going into Opposition more than four years ago ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Changing The Process Of Government By Stealth
Friday, 28 January 2022, 9:47 am | Peter Dunne
In a column some months ago I drew attention to the way the role of the Director-General of Health has changed during the pandemic. I expressed concern that the position has been allowed to expand well beyond the traditional role of the chief executive ... More >>
Pass The Parcel On Transmission Gully
Thursday, 16 December 2021, 9:03 am | Peter Dunne
An elaborate game of pass the parcel is underway in Wellington about who is responsible for the failure to have the new Transmission Gully Motorway, originally intended for completion in April 2020, and then five projected dates after that, finally open ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Question Time Is Anything But
Thursday, 9 December 2021, 8:52 am | Peter Dunne
The focus placed on the first couple of Question Time exchanges between the new leader of the National Party and the Prime Minister will have seemed excessive to many but the most seasoned Parliamentary observers. Most people, especially those ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Can ACT's Dream Run Continue?
Thursday, 2 December 2021, 8:29 am | Peter Dunne
By most reckonings the ACT Party has had a very successful political year. Not only has its expanded Parliamentary team settled in well to its work, without controversy or scandal, but its leader has gained in community respect, and the party’s support, ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Marama Davidson's Criticisms Hardly A Surprise
Thursday, 25 November 2021, 8:50 am | Peter Dunne
Last week, Greens co-leader and government Minister Marama Davidson spoke out against the government over the pace of its climate change response. Her remarks took some commentators by surprise, both because of their bluntness, but also because as a ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Vaccine Pass An Inevitable Necessary Evil
Thursday, 18 November 2021, 8:27 am | Peter Dunne
New Zealanders generally are very protective of their personal privacy. They do not like officialdom to know any more about them than is absolutely necessary and have traditionally been sceptical of attempts by governments trying to gather more ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Bridges' Return?
Thursday, 11 November 2021, 8:36 am | Peter Dunne
As political proclamations go, it was neither the boldest nor the most inspiring, but, in the circumstances, probably one of the more realistic of recent times. Judith Collins’ assertion that she would be still leader of the National Party next year ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: James Shaw's Trip To Glasgow
Thursday, 4 November 2021, 8:55 am | Peter Dunne
As the world’s great and good descend on Glasgow for the COP26 Conference there has been criticism of Climate Change Minister James Shaw’s decision to attend on behalf of New Zealand. Some have highlighted what they see as the hypocrisy of calling ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Words Count Minister
Thursday, 28 October 2021, 8:30 am | Peter Dunne
Just three weeks ago the Minister of Local Government received the interim report of the Future for Local Government Review which the government had earlier commissioned. Predictably, she welcomed the report the way Ministers usually do, with the standard ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Labour Snookers National Again
Thursday, 21 October 2021, 10:42 am | Peter Dunne
The Labour-led Government must be rubbing its hands with glee after the announcement earlier this week of its housing deal with the National Party. In one fell swoop it has effectively both taken increasing housing availability and affordability – ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: 25 Years Of MMP - And The Government Wants To Make It Harder For Small Parties
Thursday, 14 October 2021, 8:55 am | Peter Dunne
This week marks the 25th anniversary of the New Zealand’s first MMP election. Over the last quarter century, the MMP electoral system has led to our Parliament becoming more socially and ethnically diverse, more gender balanced, and to a wider ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Where Has Pharmac Gone?
Thursday, 7 October 2021, 8:04 am | Peter Dunne
As debate has intensified over the last year or so about the procurement of New Zealand’s Covid19 vaccines I have become increasingly puzzled by the apparent absence of Pharmac from the process. Pharmac is, after all, the government’s specialist ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Labour's High Water Mark
Thursday, 30 September 2021, 9:24 am | Peter Dunne
If I were still a member of the Labour Party I would be feeling a little concerned after this week’s Colmar Brunton public opinion poll. Not because the poll suggested Labour is going to lose office any time soon – it did not – nor because it showed ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Don't Get Too Excited By The "ute" Tax Delay
Thursday, 23 September 2021, 8:30 am | Peter Dunne
This week’s announcement that the introduction of the government’s proposed “ute” tax is being delayed by three months until 1 April next year will have been welcomed in many quarters. Those who joined the recent Groundswell protests ... More >>
Dunne Speaks: Proud to call Aotearoa home
Thursday, 16 September 2021, 8:41 am | Peter Dunne
Te Paati Māori continues to provide a breath of fresh air in the political space, otherwise thoroughly choked by Covid19. Its call this week this week for a referendum on changing the country’s name to Aotearoa by 2026 is timely and a welcome diversion ... More >>
