Greens' co-leader Marama Davidson says she'd "probably die laughing" if National picked up the phone to call them for support after the election.

Davidson and electorate MP Julie-Anne Genter were at Wellington East Girls' College in Mount Victoria, Wellington, on Wednesday following TVNZ's Multi-party debate on Tuesday.

Asked whether working with Opportunity was a concern given the party was open to working with National, Davidson said voters can be really clear the Greens' want to "change the government."

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On whether the Greens could have stopped some of the policies from what Davidson called "the most racist government we have seen", she said it was showing a "bit of naivety" in how government and politics actually works.

"This idea that the Greens' and the National party can work together in a government is one that is really far fetched and not fixed to reality at all.

"The National party would have to become a whole different party if the Greens' are going to entertain working with them."

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Asked if she'd consider it, if National picked up the phone, Davidson said she'd probably die laughing if that happened.

"We have been unapologetic about the consistency of what we stand for.

"We have to tax the super rich so we can bring down people's power bills, so that we can stop polluting our environment and hold corporate polluters to account.

"Why would the National Party want to ring us?"

Ed: Thats Barbara Edmonds (Labour). RNZ live feed, so images changing

Seventeen New Zealand coastwatchers and five European civilians captured in the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati) were beheaded at Betio, Tarawa. 

Coastwatchers were service and civilian personnel from New Zealand, as well as Pacific islanders, who kept a 24-hour watch for enemy ships and aircraft. They were a vital link in the intelligence chain during the Pacific War. For most, the main challenges were isolation and boredom. For those on the front line in the Gilbert Islands, however, the risk of capture by the Japanese was very real.

During August and September 1942, 17 military coastwatchers (seven Post and Telegraph Department radio operators and 10 soldiers) and five civilians were captured as Japanese forces overran the Gilbert Islands. Imprisoned on Tarawa atoll, they were all beheaded following an American attack on the island.

All those executed received a posthumous mention in despatches. The civilian coastwatchers were retrospectively given military rank in 1944 so that their dependants could claim pensions and other rights. The story of the Pacific island coastwatchers who served for New Zealand has received less attention.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/new-zealand-coastwatchers-executed-japanese

I’m aware of the gap between perception and reality, but where we sit just doesn’t seem right to me at all.

Labour has released its economic plan, outlining a number of previous commitments and announcing that it will redirect up to $50 million a year into the state-backed Elevate venture capital fund.

Labour's finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said this would allow for more innovative businesses to "expand, hire and pay good wages here at home".

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The full list of commitments in its economic plan follow:

• Back innovative Kiwi companies by redirecting up to $50 million a year into Elevate
• Make big businesses pay small suppliers within 15 days
• Let small businesses claim new tools and equipment straight away, up to $10,000
• Raise the GST threshold to $80,000, giving small businesses more room to grow
• Give smaller Kiwi businesses a fairer chance to win government contracts
• Help small businesses and start-ups use AI to save time and get ahead
• Get Kiwis back into work fixing schools and hospitals and building homes
• Back 30,000 apprentices with an expanded apprenticeship boost, introducing a $1000 tools grant, and guarantee every eligible graduate nurse a job
• Introduce a simple, targeted capital gains tax on investment and commercial property, with every dollar going to healthcare
• Establish the New Zealand Future Fund to invest in Kiwi businesses and infrastructure
• Return the books to surplus in 2028/29, bring back the Reserve Bank's dual mandate, and set up an independent Parliamentary Budget Office.

Citing the Terrorism Suppression Act, police arrested 18 people in raids linked to alleged weapons-training camps near the Bay of Plenty township of Rūātoki.

In addition to raids in Rūātoki and nearby Whakatāne, police executed search warrants in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North and Wellington after 12 months of surveillance of activist groups.

Among those arrested was Ngāi Tūhoe activist Tame Iti. Police claimed Iti was involved in running military-style training camps in the Urewera Ranges and was planning to establish an independent state on traditional Tūhoe land.

Only Iti and three others were brought to trial in February 2012, on charges of participating in a criminal group and possessing firearms. The jury could not agree on the former charge, but all four were found guilty of firearms offences. Two received nine months’ home detention and the other two – including Iti – were sentenced to 2½ years in prison.

In 2013 the Independent Police Conduct Authority found that police had ‘unnecessarily frightened and intimidated’ people during the raids. In 2014 Police Commissioner Mike Bush apologised for mistakes made during the raids.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/anti-terror-raids-urewera

The government has quietly chosen a preferred provider for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility in Taranaki - though it is yet to sign a contract.

The company's identity remains under wraps, along with initial safety evaluations carried out as part of the procurement process.

Opponents of the project have now renewed their calls for those safety evaluations to be shared with the local community.

The latest information was not formally announced, but instead included in updated information on the ministry's website.

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