It's too close to call as US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris head into election week. Graphic / NZME
It's too close to call as US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris head into election week. Graphic / NZME
OPINION
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Four-star general John Kelly, who lasted longer as Trump’s chief of staff than anyone else in his first term, told the New York Times Trump met the definition of a fascist, lauded Hitler often and, given another chance, would rule as a dictator. Kelly’s warning is echoed by other former Trump associates, including ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton, former Vice-President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
American voters appear not to be swayed despite the warnings, or possibly because of them, and the outcome still looks too close to call.
Meanwhile, the iconic Washington Post has lost 250,000 subscriptions in the fallout from its owner’s decision to block an endorsement of Harris made by the paper’s editorial board. Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos has owned the Post since 2013 and overrode the decision, saying he wanted the paper to be seen as independent.
The US embassy in Wellington has helped a handful of New Zealand journalists get to the US to cover the countdown to next week’s election, and the Herald’s deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan will be filing from this afternoon.
Most of the submitters were opposed to the bill, including some who would likely have to have their own court cases reheard because the bill is partly retrospective. (Officials advise that 43 applications covering eight areas that have been decided or decided and are under appeal will not be affected by the bill, including Edwards, which is heading to the Supreme Court next week; 29 that have been heard covering five areas but have a decision pending will be retrospective and have to be reheard under the amended law; and 330 applications are waiting in the wings and have not yet begun.)
One supporter of the bill was former Act MP Muriel Newman, who spoke on behalf of her think-tank, and her husband, Frank, who spoke on behalf of a group involved in the court case, the Landowners’ Coalition Incorporated. They gave evidence together, however, from their home and wanted, among other things, to get rid of the concept of “shared exclusivity” whereby more than one iwi can have customary title to an area. Labour’s Duncan Webb put it to them that they were a living example of “shared exclusivity” – individuals but sharing their own house and lives. Ingenious.
Feathers fly over airline upgrades
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in a bit of strife over Qantas upgrades he got when he was Transport Minister under the previous Labor Government (2007 – 2013). A new book suggests he sought them from the airline’s then-chief executive, Alan Joyce, which would be contrary to the Cabinet rules of the time.
After several days of furious record-checking, he has now ruled out having sought the upgrades (which were declared as gifts). The drama is not just about perks of the job. The Albanese Government was accused of unfairly blocking Qatar airlines from increasing its flights to Australia in order to benefit Qantas.
John Adams and John Quincy Adams were the first father and son presidents of the United States, No 2 and No 6 respectively. Who were the next two and in what years did they begin their terms? (Answer below.)
Brickbat
Labour's Ginny Andersen. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Goes to Labour frontbencher Ginny Andersen for resharing a crude social media post about the shape of King Charles’ trousers in a photo with the PM. She deleted it and apologised, but gaffes and apologies are common for Labour in Opposition. She referred to Police Minister Mark Mitchell as “paid to kill” when he was in Iraq. Likewise, Duncan Webb withdrew a tweet about hummus and Hamas. And Damien O’Connor deleted a tweet appearing to justify last year’s massacre by Hamas in Israel (although no apology). Where is the discipline?
Bouquet
Trade Minister Todd McClay. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Goes to Trade Minister Todd McClay, who is on his seventh visit to the Middle East this year. He is holding talks in Doha with the six countries in the Gulf Co-operation Council. Fingers crossed.
