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Ben McKay

@benmackey

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AAP Pacific Editor try not to take this place too seriously 📧 [email protected]

Wellington, New Zealand
Joined February 2009
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
in awe of this sign I passed this weekend. the absolute mana.
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Ben McKay
3 years
Surprised at NZ's lack of interest in Harvard tapping Jacinda Ardern to give their commencement address. She'll be just the 8th head of govt in 40 years to give it- including giants like Angela Merkel, Vaclav Havel, Helmut Kohl, Benazir Bhutto. It's a massive, massive honour.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
Complete killshot from Jacinda Ardern in the joint presser with Sanna Marin when asked if they were meeting because they were similar. "I wonder if anyone asked Barack Obama and John Key that? . because two women meet it's not simply because of their gender.".🪦🪦🪦.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
🥹 #FIFAWWC
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
Here's NZ PM Jacinda Ardern's blast at Australia today in Wellington. In the words of one senior gallery journo, 'that's the angriest I've ever seen her'. It stood out to me that she revealed her personal representation, throwing Scott Morrison under the bus
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
five straight days of precisely no engagement with media by New Zealand Rugby. the All Blacks have even stopped posting on facebook and instagram. incredible.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
SHOCK! New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is tapping out from politics. Will leave the job in the next month. "I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice.". She has also called an election for October 14.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
this is sick. everyone at the eden park #FIFAWWC opener tonight is getting their own poi with a qr code explaining it, mātaurangi māori & more. kiwi values on display! how good.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
Incredible crowd at NZ parliament for the Māori language moment on the 50th anniversary of the petition that saved the language. Bigger crowd than recent anti-gov protests or the accession of the King! Ka pai!!
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
exceptionally kiwi areas: anti-mandate protesters knock down a fence … but put it back up again 😇. great package from @TovaOBrien
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
7 months
perfect NZ coverage of the UK election result from a Europe Corro who left last month.
@zhuoyanakl
Justin
7 months
lol lmao incredible
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
Hundreds of people - MPs, staff, Kiwis - have come to farewell Jacinda Ardern as she heads to government house to resign as PM. Saw several MPs crying.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
Jacinda Ardern has batted away a Scott Morrison "price of bread" style question today on the soaring price of petrol (nearly $3 a litre in NZ) . How much did it cost you the last time you filled up your car?. "I drive an electric vehicle".
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
What's Samoan for goodbye?.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
Jacinda Ardern eyeballs the Australian journalist as she says and repeats that rapid tests will be free.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
Expect some anti-Ardern vitriol from Barry Soper after he stormed out of the 4pm post-cab press conf after not getting the call from the PM. He'd already had three questions and the vast majority of journos hadn't had one. Talk about throwing the toys out of the cot. 👶.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
not sure if James Shaw releasing the govt's climate change adaptation plan or playing a cop in gritty Scando BBC series with new details on a disappearance
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
New Zealand. Where the opposition has put out a media release upset that NZ has fallen to world No.2 in the COVID response rankings.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
New: As Chris Luxon scolds public servants for taking te reo bonuses, its been revealed taxpayers have been paying for the NZ PM's own private te reo Māori lessons.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
11 months
this is a doomsday scenario for NZ media. you might not have watched, the style might not be your cup of tea, but no one was more committed to breaking news than Newshub. we are all so much poorer if it shuts.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
wow. major revelation on election eve that chris luxon’s grandmother is michelle obama
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
a timely reminder that England voted AGAINST australia and new zealand hosting this #FIFAWWC.
@AardigOranje
Nice Orange
5 years
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
can't believe Dr Bloomfield has tested positive to COVID in Switzerland! surely he would have tested neutral.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
Al Noor Mosque has started a GiveALittle page for the New Lynn attack victims. "All terrorists are the same regardless of their ideology whether it is white nationalism or ISIS they stand for hate and we all stand for peace and love" - Imam Gamal Fouda.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
Just met a seven-year-old who is going to see her Mum for the first time in 15 months. I’m not really handling this well!! 😭😭
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
11 months
No idea how this will play among Kiwis - an exceptionally wealthy PM claiming a $52k handout to live in his own mortgage-free apartment during a cost of living crisis - but can confidently say it would be a top-order outrage in Australia.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 months
Just in: New Zealand is banning greyhound racing from 2026. Racing Minister Winston Peters: "“This is not a decision that is taken lightly but is ultimately driven by protecting the welfare of racing dogs . the time has come to do the right thing.".
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
New Zealand's new self-ID laws come into effect today. Kiwis can now change their sex marker on their birth certificate to male, female or non-binary without going to the Family Court. The law passed parliament in 2021 with the unanimous support of the house. ✨🏳️‍⚧️🧑‍🤝‍🧑.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
You have to hand it to Jacinda Ardern. The most popular politician in a generation makes a COVID-19 announcement that upsets literally everyone.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
hipkins returns
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 months
Here’s a flag in the ground. New Zealand Labour is ruling out miliatry cooperation through the AUKUS alliance.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
John Campbell scathing of the “mean” & “narrow, limp vision of our future” coalition deals … says “deeply regressive” plans for Māori show the government’s “heart of darkness”.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
oh my god today has been so great
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
NZ PM Jacinda Ardern has left Wellington for the first time in over seven weeks during the Delta outbreak. She's off to support the vax effort in Rotorua, Murupara, Wairoa, Flaxmere, Hastings, Gisborne, and Ruatoria. 💉💪💉💪💉💪.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
at a snap press conference this afternoon, NZ PM Chris Hipkins has announced Labour's support for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
Congratulations New Zealand for its immediate response to the IPCC report of simply stopping power generation.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
A simple way to honour Efeso Collins today would be to read his maiden speech. He gave it last week. As he says in it, E le tu fa'amauga se tagata. Vale Fa’anānā Efeso Collins.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford have released some photos from their wedding today at Craggy Range Winery in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. 📸Felicity Jean Photography
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
Marin, sinking the boot in, "we are meeting because we are prime ministers".
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
well there’s a first? - booing at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds dawn service. It’s for David Seymour
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
Tākuta Ferris, the first of six te Pāti Maāori MPs sworn in today, offers allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi from his seat in the house, before taking the formal affirmation to the King Charles III
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
NZ PM Chris Hipkins is ruling out working with NZ First and Winston Peters. Says there’s no place for “imported culture wars”. Hipkins: “New Zealand First has become a party more interested in toilets than the issues that matter most to New Zealanders”.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
Judith Collins’ last hour:. 💁🏻‍♀️ street walk with obviously planted Nat volunteers/members.💁🏻‍♀️ refused entry to a shop, “we don’t want you in here”.💁🏻‍♀️ losing a cafe poll in deep blue Ponsonby.💁🏻‍♀️ media conf totally focused on these things & internal runctions. Tough #nzpol day.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
now do the refugees.
@karenlsweeney
Karen Sweeney
3 years
#Breaking Judge Anthony Kelly has rule that Djokovic be released from immigration detention within in 30 minutes. He says the visa cancellation decision will be quashed and the government wil have to pay his costs.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Grant Robertson will continue as finance spokesman in opposition. Robertson: “I’m sticking around … these first few days have indicated exactly why I’d like to be here.”.Verrall also staying in health. Full Labour portfolios expected tomorrow
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
Jacinda Ardern is 42 today - and she has celebrated by going to a Business NZ function. Those in attendance sang her happy birthday … except one at the back - her former deputy Winston Peters. Did not sing a single word.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
I love this. NZ's first family on the Hercules for the eight-hour flight to Antarctica. Ardern reading a book about explorer Ernest Shackleton. Clarke's got his book about "Pirates poaching perfect fish". Incredibly on brand
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
some personal news. tiny treasure rory patrick mckay arrived on november 2 like a timeline cleanse for my life 🥰 we love him
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
5 years
some personal news. Amid the big changes, AAP is keeping the role of NZ Correspondent and I am very grateful to accept an offer to stay. AAP is the only Aus company to have a print journo in NZ and its great and important to be able to keep the flag flying here.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
5 months
elon-endorsed!
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 months
Hooton's hit-piece on Luxon at 1000 comments and counting. The thesis being that Luxon missed too much of New Zealand's modernisation to understand it. Tough assessment after a tough week.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
Hone Harawira: "you buggers want to get rid of (the treaty), strip the treaty of its mana . to belittle te reo and try to make it a second class language in our land. It ain't going to happen!".to David Seymour: "your shitty arse bill is going down the toilet".
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
revealed: the event that clashed with the rescheduled Stuff debate tonight that was impossible for Chris Luxon to move: a Nats rally in Wellington
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
A rare official public outing for Neve Ardern Gayford today for New Zealand's Proclamation of King Charles III. Possibly the cutest kid ever & also very well behaved when meeting GG Cindy Kiro 😇.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
is there a more bad faith argument than the need to engage with #Convoy2022NZ protesters on the basis of "unity"? they deny vaccine science. 95% (!!) of Kiwis are now double dosed. there's your unity.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
From the Nats & NZ First agreement:."Refocus the curriculum on academic achievement and not ideology, including the removal and replacement of the gender, sexuality, and relationship-based education guidelines.".
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 months
Sad to report today is my last day in the NZ Press Gallery and the last week of Australian Associated Press in New Zealand. Thanks to everyone who has collaborated on stories, published them or read them. Or just followed along on twitter dot com.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
Hipkins’ statement confirmed by The Press editor Kamala Hayman
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@cjsbishop
Christopher Bishop
1 year
This is another lie from Chris Hipkins. Robertson was never put forward as a stand-in. We offered the Deputies - Nicola v Kelvin. We’ve never had a response to that. Offer remains open.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
8 months
NZ PM Luxon starts his budget speech with a long attack on Chris Hipkins. says Helen Clark is writing foreign policy & Kieran McAnulty is writing his valedictory. seems its hard to quit the habit of being opposition leader, even when PM!.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
10 months
Wow. NZF MP Tanya Unkovich using general debate to go off on vaccine mandates. Glorifies parliament occupiers, saying "they asked simply to be heard". 🤔.She must have missed the arson, violence and campaigning for the death of politicians, health officials and journalists.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
6 years
Not sure James Faulkner should be criticised for showing personality on social media. Very sure a few journalists should be criticised for running with stories without verifying them.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
Hipkins - still caretaker PM five weeks after the election - says he would have preferred to have National's support to make this New Zealand's position but National didn't support it. The scale of the casualties has moved him to make this Labour's position.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
oh no. jacinda ardern has just made a very deliberate decision to buy into the worst discourse of the NZ election
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
i see nz twitter having a normal one over the foreign minister’s desire for peace.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
6 years
“There were a lot of critics talking about us but we’re back so suck on that” - Sam Kerr. Etch it on a mountainside . #AUSBRA #Matildas.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
8 months
Mike Hosking with an . interesting . take on Luxon's "C-List" gaffe: "Was Luxon blunt? Yes. Was he wrong? No.".Calls press gallery journalists covering it "unsophisticated", "clickbaiters" & "children". Awkward given ZB's political editor broke it.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
It will be lost in the sexist questions but Finland PM Sanna Marin said a lot of interesting things about trade and democracy!. "I really worry about the dependencies that we have right now on authoritarian countries".
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
9 months
Newshub outlasts Melissa Lee as media and communications minister.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
6 months
coupla Lisa Carrington facts:.* only seven people in Olympic history (summer or winter) have more gold than her .* she has more gold than Simone freakin Biles. not just a Kiwi legend, certified all-time great.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
NZ's Ministry of Health has updated the Super Saturday figure . 130,002 !! 💉 🎉 💉 🎉.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 months
finding some of the RC reacts a bit OTT. yes, some poor language among hundreds of hours of pressers. podium of truth was dumb. yes, trust in institutions is down-for some-and that's bad. the topline remains: NZ did incredibly well & saved thousands.
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Ben McKay
1 year
absolutely scathing piece by Hooton of Luxon's approach to government negotiations. lots of tidbits from the talks. says Luxon will enter government a diminished figure as a result.
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Ben McKay
2 years
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has announced NZ has found 3.2 tonnes of cocaine - $500m worth - in the Pacific Ocean. "We believe there was enough cocaine to service the Australian market for about one year and this would be more than New Zealand would use in 30 years."
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
5 months
Incredible. NZ PM Luxon offers support for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori . when everyone is encouraged to have a go at speaking te reo . by referring to it in English: Māori Language Week.
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Ben McKay
1 year
A Chris Luxon corporate-speak classic in Christchurch today in his first speech this year as PM."We're looking ahead to deliver a set of deliverables that will help our vision of New Zealand take root and come to pass.".
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
First maiden speech of the 54th parliament: @JamesMeagerMP, Rangitata MP, a self-described "part-Māori boy raised in a state house by a single parent on the benefit". Says his dad had never set foot on North Island until yesterday!
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
just horrendous. Efeso Collins collapsed and died after a charity run to raise funds for clean drinking water in the Pacific. what can you even say
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
5 months
well put. fewer interviews. fewer postcabs. fewer doorstops in parliament. i think the low point capping an abuse in care royal commission presser to 15 minutes. not good!.
@NZQandA
Q+A
5 months
It has now been more than a year since Christopher Luxon has been interviewed by Q+A, including his entire tenure as PM. We hope he'll agree to be interviewed soon.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
7 years
An all-time curveball to end Nick Kyrgios' #AusOpen press conference tonight . 🤔
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 months
Update from DPM Peters’ office:.“The Minister of Foreign Affairs does not consult with coalition partners on the literally hundreds of UN General Assembly resolutions that are considered each year.”. Translation: Stay in your lane, Seymour.
@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 months
Seymour: "We hadn’t been consulted on this decision and have raised it with the Foreign Minister. We expect a more open dialogue in the future.". PM Luxon was asked yesterday if the coalition was in lockstep on the issue. "Yes we are.".
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Ben McKay
4 years
Jacinda Ardern accepts her appointment as NZ's Prime Minister by Governor General Patsy Reddy in Wellington today. A peaceful transition of power from the previous Jacinda Ardern administration #NZHellhole
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Ben McKay
4 years
Blown away by the graciousness, pride and humility Laurel Hubbard has shown overnight. Just glides over the haters even after her disappointment. NZ should be very proud. What an Olympian.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
7 months
great that NZ PM Luxon is meeting with French President Macron at NATO re: New Caledonia.but uh-oh … another demeaning slip of the tongue ranking leaders … “i spoke to everyone from the German Chancellor right down to the Iceland Prime Minister”.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
3 years
ryan bridge’s visceral hatred of jacinda ardern is really something. its must-see/can’t-look-away tv for political tragics.
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Ben McKay
2 years
half an hour until Jacinda Ardern’s valedictory. like her or loathe her, you cannot deny she is one talented six-year-old
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
8 years
✔️ 1st win over world No.1 🇺🇸.✔️ Biggest win in 32 years over 🇯🇵.✔️ Biggest win over 🇧🇷 ever.✔️ 11 goals. #ToN2017 champs: @TheMatildas.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
This afternoon the NZ govt released the Christchurch Mosques terrorism Royal Commission. After four hours in the lockup with the report, the line I can't get out of my head is the earliest evidence of the terrorist's racism was anti-Aboriginal comments at school.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
10 months
It's a very strange framing of a problem to set a goal of having 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker, as opposed to having 50,000 fewer people in poverty. Like if you change the Jobseeker rules, you hit the target.
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Ben McKay
1 year
National has admitted it knew just 3000 families - 0.2% of the country - would receive its maximum $250/ft tax relief it is heavily advertising. Luxon getting a serious grilling today at his daily press conference:.
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Ben McKay
2 years
quite extraordinary column. a knight companion of new zealand and lifelong labour voter writes about falling out of love with the party and his first example is ardern doing a woman's mag because her nice clothes are out of touch. righto.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
8 months
guys come home urgently.
@MaritimeNZ
Maritime New Zealand (Nō te rere moana Aotearoa)
8 months
🗺️ 🛥️ Our team represented New Zealand on the world stage at the 11th session of the International Maritime Organisations (IMO) on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue. Good work team!
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
Helen White on the way to caucus this morning:."I'm really really proud of my result. I didn't do badly, I did really really well and if you look at the stats, you'll see that.". Mt Albert was the safest seat in the country. A 21,246-vote Labour majority. It is currently 106.
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Ben McKay
1 year
Another way to read today's three polls:. Newshub-Reid Resarch.Right bloc: down 3.Left bloc: up 2.2. TVNZ-Verian.Right bloc: steady.Left bloc: up 3. Guardian-Essential.Right bloc: down 0.7.Left bloc: up 2.6.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
4 years
Hey America, @TovaOBrien has other classics too.
@trillyelliot
Josh
5 years
Tova getting a Pulitzer for this masterpiece lmao
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
Luxon savaged at a press conference just now- no willingness to grapple with the issues raised by the high-wealth tax report. couldn’t say whether NZ tax system was fair. pivoted to general lines on economic mismanagement.“Labour is softening us up for a tax grab”.
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
2 years
Groundswell NZ protest at 12:45pm. Protestors comfortably outnumbered by lunchers and security.
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Ben McKay
9 months
some person news. the stork has brought our family a fresh blessing who we have called ellie. elsie nalda, named after her great-grandmas. all is good 💕
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Ben McKay
4 years
grateful for this premium push opinoin
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@benmackey
Ben McKay
1 year
yep, that’s the deputy prime minister of new zealand tweeting a pic of ken dolls at it
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Ben McKay
1 year
Q: Why did you skip parliament and question time to come to Southern Field Days?.PM Luxon: “Because I want to celebrate farmers. Because they’re the best people in the world.”
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Ben McKay
2 years
He gave his maiden speech to Parliament last week, speaking at length about how Tauranga was beset by gang issues and a “growing culture of lawlessness, lack of accountability, a sense of impunity, and significant underlying generational social problems.”.
@kirsty_johnston
Kirsty Johnston
2 years
The National Party’s newest MP, Sam Uffindell, was asked to leave his exclusive boarding school after viciously beating a younger student late at night. He apologised 22 years later, just before becoming a National candidate.
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