chris bishop

So there was a little bit of excitement yesterday as Jack Tame caught the National Party spreading misinformation on Q+A.

Chris Bishop was talking about dropping smokefree legislation and made the claim that there would only be one outlet in all of Northland.

Tame had done his research and said there was more likely going to be 35, which resulted in a classic caught out face from Chis Bishop, who stuck to his line and said he understood there was only going to be 1.

Unfortunately, Jack never asked him where that understanding came from. It came from the Prime Minister, who made the same claim earlier in the week. It was not questioned then, but there was more than enough time for the media to research it and wait for someone to use it again publicly. Which Bishop did and walked into a "gotcha" trap.

Now you've got opponents of the Government jumping up and down going on about the lying Government. Which is a wild over-exaggeration. The factoid was not crucial to their argument about black market trade and gang involvement in tobacco.

Mr Luxon did the right thing and came out and said his team made a mistake. He has urged them to fact check more before they give his Government talking points.

But it's still a thing- and a lesson not to be loose with facts.

As the Prime Minister noted last week about the Pubic Interest Journalism Fund - he stopped short of calling it bribery, but said there was a perception of it. And perceptions are dangerous. But not necessarily true.

The Prime Minister has already been caught out amplifying incorrect statistics through the campaign, so there is a perception that making up statistics is their modus operandi.

As the numbers of outlets was clearly and easily available, a perception could be made that policy is being formulated without sufficient research.

Chris Bishop used to be a tobacco industry lobbyist. Now caught using misleading statistics to support continued sales of tobacco there could be a perceptions of favour for former employers- which is a bad look.

The Prime Minister could be perceived to be in thrall of the Dairy Owners Association who have argued against prohibition, because it would wreck dairy profitability.

The Labour Government found out that perceptions stick. Considering this new Government is only a week old, they might want to learn that lesson fast.

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Do you think a leopard can change its spots? I think it can. The Labour Party, though, doesn’t.

Which is why it has come out with what I would rate as the second-most hysterical reaction to the new government’s plan to do away with aspects of our smokefree laws.

So Labour decided last year that anyone born after 2008 would never be able to buy cigarettes and tobacco legally. So anyone 14 and younger right now.

But the new government’s getting rid of that. And, as I’ve been saying, I think it’s shameful and unforgivable. And the headlines around the world haven’t been all that favourable, either.

But I think our left-wing politicians, in their reaction and comments, have taken things a bit too far.

The number one spot for most hysterical reaction has to go to Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who is accusing the National/ACT/NZ First government of "deliberate, systemic genocide".

So that takes out the top spot.

Number two, though, is what Labour is saying. Specifically, it’s comments about National’s Chris Bishop.

Labour’s getting all excited saying, because he used to work for a tobacco company, he’s nothing but a sympathiser for those nasty outfits that make the cancer sticks. They reckon that he is one leopard who cannot change his spots.

A bit of background: back in the day, after qualifying as a lawyer and working in Gerry Brownlee’s office for a while, he went on the payroll at multi-national tobacco company Philip Morris, where he worked as a lobbyist.

And some of the stuff he did on behalf of Philip Morris, was lobby against plans to increase the excise tax on tobacco and lobby against plans to have cigarettes and tobacco wrapped in plain packaging.

Which, perhaps, shows he was pretty hopeless at that job and he’s better doing what he’s doing now. Because cigarettes and tobacco are taxed to the roof and the plain packaging is everywhere. So, maybe if Labour was really cruel, they’d be calling him a “failed lobbyist”.

So, when National chose him as its candidate in Hutt South in 2014, he had to go on the defensive. Saying his work for a tobacco outfit didn’t define him as a person.

At the time, he said: "Tobacco is a legal industry. It's controversial, but companies are entitled to legal and corporate representation and that's what I was doing."

He went on to say: "Two years at Philip Morris doesn't define me. I've done lots of other things in my life, both community development and working in a range of organisations and people should look at my whole CV."

The voters in his electorate obviously agreed. And, fast-forward to today, the former tobacco company lobbyist is the new Minister of Sport and Recreation - among other things.

Ayesha Verral, though - Labour’s health spokesperson - she doesn’t buy it. And she reckons there’s no way Chris Bishop is a different man from when he was on the payroll at Philip Morris trying to keep the colourful packaging and trying to protect smokers from more taxes on the ciggies.

This is what she’s saying: “When you make moral decisions as a politician, your background does influence them, and we know Chris Bishop is from a background where he has represented tobacco interests before.”

And she says he is bound to be “more sympathetic to the tobacco industry than others”.

My response to that is, “nonsense”. The only reason the Government is making these changes to the smokefree legislation, is so it can form a government with the Marlborough Man.

And I am in no doubt that, if this change wasn’t required to get a coalition deal, National wouldn’t be doing it. I’m also in no doubt that Chris Bishop’s old job as a lobbyist for the tobacco industry doesn’t make him a sympathiser for the tobacco industry.

Just like if someone’s a lawyer - it does that make them a sympathiser for criminals. And even if Chris Bishop was all in favour of smoking back in the day and if he did genuinely believe, at the time, that tobacco companies and smokers were being treated unfairly, it doesn't mean he thinks that way now.

That’s because I’m prepared not to define someone or base my perception of them on what opinions or beliefs they might have had in the past. Or what work they might have done in the past. But what about you?

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Tonight on The Huddle, Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

A school in Ōamaru is under fire after students were banned from contacting their parents on a school camp when a group of pupils and staff went missing. Do you think the kids should have been allowed their phones back?

Chris Luxon says he's had a chat with Chris Bishop after he compared the Hamas attack to the Holocaust in an email to a member of the public. Is this an example of how difficult it is to tread the line when it comes to this issue?

The Labour caucus is set to vote to decide whether or not they want to keep Chris Hipkins around to lead Labour. How do we rate his chances?

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Chris Luxon's attempted to rein in a top MP, after the leak of an email Chris Bishop sent a to a constituent, likening Hamas's attacks on Israel to the Holocaust.

In the email leaked to social media, Bishop was critical of the murders of woman and children at the hands of Hamas.

He said such barbarity has not been seen since the Holocaust.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says activist groups against antisemitism have claimed Hamas' attacks on Israeli civilians saw the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust- so Bishop technically isn't wrong.

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National has disclosed allegations of violence and intimidation threatening to disrupt their election campaign.

Allegations claim a gang threat has forced a candidate to move house, a volunteer's faced death threats, and another's been the victim of a dog attack.

Labour's Angela Roberts has reported being slapped at a debate, and Te Pati Maori's Hana Maipi-Clarke says she's had a politically-motivated home invasion.

National Campaign Chair Chris Bishop says the gangs are campaigning for a third Labour term and aim to keep National out of Government.

"The behaviour our candidates have experienced on the campaign trail has been disgraceful. There's been death threats, there's been people having to move house, one of our candidates has had a Head Hunters member threaten them when they're out at dinner."

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National has disclosed allegations of violence and intimidation threatening to disrupt their election campaign.

Allegations claim a gang threat has forced a candidate to move house, a volunteer's faced death threats, and another's been the victim of a dog attack.

Labour's Angela Roberts has reported being slapped at a debate, and Te Pati Maori's Hana Maipi-Clarke says she's had a politically-motivated home invasion.

National Campaign Chair Chris Bishop says the gangs are campaigning for a third Labour term and aim to keep National out of Government.

"The behaviour our candidates have experienced on the campaign trail has been disgraceful. There's been death threats, there's been people having to move house, one of our candidates has had a Head Hunters member threaten them when they're out at dinner."

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Hutt South is being tipped as one of the most gripping electorate races this year.

The high-profile seat sees senior National MP Chris Bishop take on Labour's Justice and Police Minister, Ginny Andersen.

Bishop flipped the historically safe red seat blue in 2017, but Andersen took it back three years later.

Azaria Howell headed to Hutt City and Petone to gauge the mood of voters.

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Ginny Andersen, Chris Bishop and Neelu Jennings joins Newstalk ZB’s Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills for a live Hutt South panel debate.

The trio, representing Labour, National and the Greens respectively, discuss the Melling Interchange and RiverLink project and National's promise to build the Petone to Grenada Link Road.

They also explain how each candidate can better support the Hutt Hospital and how they can crack down on crime in the area.

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National MP Chris Bishop and Labour MP for Hutt South Minister Ginny Andersen join Nick Mills on Politics Monday.

Together they debate the significance of Te Pāti Māori come election time, what we can expect from Budget 2023, and whether an increase of police officers across the country is having any effect on public safety. 

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Labour MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Meka Whaitiri and National MP Chris Bishop join Nick Leggett for Politics Tuesday.

Together they discuss Green Party MP Elizabeth Kerekere calling colleague Chlöe Swarbrick a "crybaby", Waka Kotahi fixing 54-thousand potholes on the state highway network during 2022, and what will come of the Three Waters overhaul.

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Some of the things that have scuppered the Labour Government are their use of hyperbole, and exaggeration, and magical word salads that are easily debunked and ridiculed

The good old favourites like the 100,000 houses from Kiwibuild or the light rail that would be started by 2021.

Too many times the words and promises have not matched the deeds and that reduces trust in their ability to govern.

So with this quite obvious it's a gimme for Opposition parties in their campaigning.

All they have to do is project competence, and common sense, and achievable goals and aspirations and we'd consider them a government in waiting.

So on Friday, Chris Bishop launched National's Electrify NZ policy. This is designed to create more renewable electricity to power on a green future away from oil, gas, and coal.

I was doing Drive so I got the first crack which is always hard because you haven't had long to digest the policy.

But right from the start, I realised that the policy principally involved shortening the resource consent process. I asked and Chris confirmed there was no financial help for generators.

I wondered whether this was just a resource management policy repackaged as an energy policy because Labour had just released its Second Harbour Crossing policy. I wondered whether this was just a piece of political flannel.

So Chris Bishop turned up on Q+A yesterday. By then questions had been asked of generators about what they needed. Turns out there are 8 wind farms already consented, but the generators are waiting for favourable market conditions. So consenting is not the immediate problem.

Now look, I have no problem with streamlining of resource processes. Nobody does. Minister David Parker has been wrestling with that for the past year. And Bishop's policy is not of itself bad. But… it's not a clean energy policy.

It's time for all politicians to realise that we're not stupid and present policy to us that makes sense and to back away from the bluster.  

We've had too much of it over the past 6 years and we won't want to vote for more.

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National MP Chris Bishop and Police Minister Ginny Andersen join Nick Mills for Politics Monday.

Together they debate what is continuing to drive youth crime, National's renewable energy policy, whether the minimum wage increasing is enough for struggling Kiwis, and what legacy Jacinda Ardern will leave behind as she makes her valedictory speech this week.

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National MP Chris Bishop and Labour MP for the Hutt South Ginny Andersen join Nick Mills on Wellington Mornings for Politics Monday.

Together they debate National's new Family Boost programme, Labour confirming Fleur Fitzsimons for the Rongotai electorate, the Government's new transport strategy and Rob Campbell's double sacking.

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National MP Chris Bishop and Labour MP for the Hutt South Ginny Andersen join Nick Mills for Politics Tuesday.

To start off the year they discuss Jacinda Ardern's shock resignation, how Chris Hipkins will perform  as Prime Minister and what policy changes he needs to make.

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New Zealand Herald Wellington Issues Reporter Georgina Campbell joins Nick Mills for A Capital Letter.

This week she discusses two of National’s most senior MPs staking their reputations on loosening Labour’s grasp on the Wellington Region, a Wellington preschool facing closure due to a shortage of teachers and Wellington’s digital tech sector starting to ‘soften’ as Australia beckons.

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National MP Chris Bishop and Labour MP for the Hutt South Ginny Andersen join Nick Mills for Politics Monday.

Together they debate the entrenchment clause in the Three Waters legislation that sparked outcry, just 22 percent of Kiwis supporting the TVNZ and RNZ merger, the murder of Malachi Subecz and crime across the country.

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The new housing intensification bill is generating plenty of discussion, especially following Christchurch City Council's recent rejection of the bill.

The bill concerns construction of property and allows people to build multiple three story houses without established permission.

Both Labour and National stand behind this bill, and National housing spokesperson Chris Bishop is here to explain National's position.

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National MP Chris Bishop and Labour MP for the Hutt South Ginny Andersen join Nick Mills for Politics Monday.

Together they debate National's calls for harsher ram raid penalties, Gaurav Sharma, Trevor Mallard's new position as ambassador to Ireland, Winston Peters criticising Labour's co-governance policies and how much ministers travel internationally. 

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Crobot's Chris Bishop.

What's going on with National's tax policy?

Labour has been raising questions over whether National is going to stick to the policy of indexing the income tax threshold.

National MP Chris Bishop joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to explain.

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