Ben McKay
@benmackey.bsky.social
AAP Pacific Editor. prev NZ Corro. I take the job seriously & social media less so. 📧 bmckay@aap.com.au
a piece on the recent PNG/Bougainville drought and the challenge to get relief to some of the world's most remote islands and atolls. with contributions and photos from CARE Australia
t.co/CZhTtnPlUH
t.co/CZhTtnPlUH
https://aapnews.aap.com.au/glance/news/inside-the-race-to-relieve-drought-stricken-png-islands
t.co
July 7, 2025 at 5:31 AM
a piece on the recent PNG/Bougainville drought and the challenge to get relief to some of the world's most remote islands and atolls. with contributions and photos from CARE Australia
t.co/CZhTtnPlUH
t.co/CZhTtnPlUH
reporting thread on Oceania FIFA World Cup qualification over the past fortnight... 🇳🇿 🇫🇯 ⚽ 🇵🇫 🇳🇨
March 26, 2025 at 4:34 AM
reporting thread on Oceania FIFA World Cup qualification over the past fortnight... 🇳🇿 🇫🇯 ⚽ 🇵🇫 🇳🇨
A piece today on Winston Peters' diplomatic tour of New York and DC. The foreign minister has let on very little, and that's deliberate.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/892057...
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/892057...
In US talks, a cautious NZ is keeping its head down
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has capped a week of talks in New York and Washington...
www.canberratimes.com.au
March 19, 2025 at 1:28 AM
A piece today on Winston Peters' diplomatic tour of New York and DC. The foreign minister has let on very little, and that's deliberate.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/892057...
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/892057...
Of course we knew USAID cuts would kill many, many innocent and poor people, despite what Trump & Musk say. This piece suggests more than one million this year alone due to cuts in HIV treatment. The gut punch is that medicines cost 12 cents a day.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Opinion | Musk Said No One Has Died Since Aid Was Cut. That Isn’t True. (Gift Article)
A journey through the front lines of global poverty shows that when the world’s richest men slash aid for the world’s poorest children, the result is sickness, starvation and death.
www.nytimes.com
March 18, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Of course we knew USAID cuts would kill many, many innocent and poor people, despite what Trump & Musk say. This piece suggests more than one million this year alone due to cuts in HIV treatment. The gut punch is that medicines cost 12 cents a day.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Ben McKay
Adding this to top of my thread. I agree this is so important, it is helpful and it's healing. Coming off today's beautiful Unity Hui
March 15, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Adding this to top of my thread. I agree this is so important, it is helpful and it's healing. Coming off today's beautiful Unity Hui
Reposted by Ben McKay
Guy who doesn’t even respond to the mothers of his children: reply to my email or you’re fired
February 22, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Guy who doesn’t even respond to the mothers of his children: reply to my email or you’re fired
pretty direct messaging from the new Vanuatu PM
February 22, 2025 at 2:36 AM
pretty direct messaging from the new Vanuatu PM
Fascinating media round from NZ Defence Minister Judith Collins in last 24 hours. Beginning with Trump's deranged comments on Zelenskyy, NZ's approach to proposed Russia-Ukraine peace talks:
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/889836...
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/889836...
New Zealand distances itself from Trump on Ukraine
Defence Minister Judith Collins says Ukraine President is not a dictator, nor did he start the war with...
www.canberratimes.com.au
February 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Fascinating media round from NZ Defence Minister Judith Collins in last 24 hours. Beginning with Trump's deranged comments on Zelenskyy, NZ's approach to proposed Russia-Ukraine peace talks:
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/889836...
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/889836...
wonderful turn of phrase from Samoa opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi that should enter the global political lexicon (from the Samoa Observer 📰)
January 28, 2025 at 3:11 AM
wonderful turn of phrase from Samoa opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi that should enter the global political lexicon (from the Samoa Observer 📰)
g'day from election day in Vanuatu 🇻🇺
January 15, 2025 at 9:43 PM
g'day from election day in Vanuatu 🇻🇺
reporting thread! i’m in Vanuatu this week for the snap election. some great scenes as the formal campaign period came to an end last night
January 14, 2025 at 2:20 AM
reporting thread! i’m in Vanuatu this week for the snap election. some great scenes as the formal campaign period came to an end last night
Australia has failed another test of its climate bona fides overnight. It has congratulated Vanuatu on bringing a landmark ICJ case arguing for broader legal responsibilities outside the Paris Agreement - but then opposed their argument at the UN's top court.
www.aap.com.au/news/big-pol...
www.aap.com.au/news/big-pol...
Big polluters’ legal obligations are in treaty: Aust
Australia has told the International Court of Justice it is
www.aap.com.au
December 2, 2024 at 10:17 PM
Australia has failed another test of its climate bona fides overnight. It has congratulated Vanuatu on bringing a landmark ICJ case arguing for broader legal responsibilities outside the Paris Agreement - but then opposed their argument at the UN's top court.
www.aap.com.au/news/big-pol...
www.aap.com.au/news/big-pol...
Reposted by Ben McKay
New: The Government’s backtracking on climate policy has been noticed globally, with New Zealand dropping to 41st out of 63 nations in the Climate Change Performance Index. #COP29
newsroom.co.nz/2024/11/21/n...
newsroom.co.nz/2024/11/21/n...
NZ downgraded in global climate rankings
The Government's backtracking on climate policy has been noticed globally, with NZ now ranking 41st out of 63 nations on climate policy performance.
newsroom.co.nz
November 20, 2024 at 6:36 PM
New: The Government’s backtracking on climate policy has been noticed globally, with New Zealand dropping to 41st out of 63 nations in the Climate Change Performance Index. #COP29
newsroom.co.nz/2024/11/21/n...
newsroom.co.nz/2024/11/21/n...
NZ Police now estimate more than 35,000 (!!!!!) people in Wellington for Hīkoi mō te Tiriti. Incredible turnout
November 19, 2024 at 12:05 AM
NZ Police now estimate more than 35,000 (!!!!!) people in Wellington for Hīkoi mō te Tiriti. Incredible turnout
if it gets more likes here than it did on the bird site then i'm moving
November 18, 2024 at 11:02 PM
if it gets more likes here than it did on the bird site then i'm moving
Former Aust foreign minister Bob Carr is in Wellington to ward New Zealand off joining AUKUS.
“New Zealand has showed more independence and realism in its foreign policy and been less gullible about American blandishments than Australia - why you'd surrender that, I don't know."
t.co/JxcMZdaIP9
“New Zealand has showed more independence and realism in its foreign policy and been less gullible about American blandishments than Australia - why you'd surrender that, I don't know."
t.co/JxcMZdaIP9
Bob Carr tells New Zealand: steer clear of AUKUS
A symposium in Wellington on Thursday will discuss controversial military pact AUKUS, with New Zealand urged to keep...
t.co
April 17, 2024 at 6:20 AM
Former Aust foreign minister Bob Carr is in Wellington to ward New Zealand off joining AUKUS.
“New Zealand has showed more independence and realism in its foreign policy and been less gullible about American blandishments than Australia - why you'd surrender that, I don't know."
t.co/JxcMZdaIP9
“New Zealand has showed more independence and realism in its foreign policy and been less gullible about American blandishments than Australia - why you'd surrender that, I don't know."
t.co/JxcMZdaIP9
On Stuff replacing Newshub as provider of Three’s 6pm bulletin. Might be an “exciting day” for Stuff, but today was also the day that locked in more than 200 media job losses.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/859303...
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/859303...
Axe falls on Newshub as Stuff enters NZ broadcast mix
From July, Media company Stuff will produce a nightly bulletin for New Zealand's only commercial broadcasters Three, replacing...
www.canberratimes.com.au
April 16, 2024 at 5:25 AM
On Stuff replacing Newshub as provider of Three’s 6pm bulletin. Might be an “exciting day” for Stuff, but today was also the day that locked in more than 200 media job losses.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/859303...
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/859303...
Wrote a couple of geopolitics pieces this week with Helen Clark’s criticism of the coalition’s pro-US path
t.co/vCE18izAi4
t.co/vCE18izAi4
Helen Clark warns New Zealand is returning to ANZUS
The former New Zealand prime minister says a
t.co
April 10, 2024 at 7:52 AM
Wrote a couple of geopolitics pieces this week with Helen Clark’s criticism of the coalition’s pro-US path
t.co/vCE18izAi4
t.co/vCE18izAi4
Australian Test cricketer Usman Khawaja has revealed the unlivable state of the official residence of the New Zealand prime minister. PM Luxon denies his version of their conversation.
www.theage.com.au/world/oceani...
www.theage.com.au/world/oceani...
Khawaja reveals official New Zealand PM’s residence uninhabitable
NZ Prime Minister Chris Luxon “couldn’t live in his place”, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja said at an event on the lawn of Premier House.
www.theage.com.au
February 27, 2024 at 4:18 AM
Australian Test cricketer Usman Khawaja has revealed the unlivable state of the official residence of the New Zealand prime minister. PM Luxon denies his version of their conversation.
www.theage.com.au/world/oceani...
www.theage.com.au/world/oceani...
New Zealand is fragile, Chris Luxon says, as he prepares for a welfare crackdown
au.news.yahoo.com/luxon-calls-...
au.news.yahoo.com/luxon-calls-...
Luxon calls New Zealand 'fragile', pledges welfare hit
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon has described his country as "fragile" in a campaign-style state of the national address in Auckland.
au.news.yahoo.com
February 18, 2024 at 2:09 AM
New Zealand is fragile, Chris Luxon says, as he prepares for a welfare crackdown
au.news.yahoo.com/luxon-calls-...
au.news.yahoo.com/luxon-calls-...
A feature out today on Chris Luxon's corporate approach to leading New Zealand: the language, the plans, the KPIs and more
t.co/58ncZV9dud
t.co/58ncZV9dud
Prime Manager Luxon shows corporate style in NZ top job
Prime Minister Chris Luxon's managerial persona - including plans, KPIs and corporate-babble - is setting the tone for...
t.co
February 17, 2024 at 5:38 AM
A feature out today on Chris Luxon's corporate approach to leading New Zealand: the language, the plans, the KPIs and more
t.co/58ncZV9dud
t.co/58ncZV9dud
NZDF chief says Australia's military is "singularly focused" on a single threat (aka China) and had set out "very frank" expectations for New Zealand on Australia's eastern flank.
www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/852291...
www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/852291...
Australia 'singularly focused' on China: NZDF chief
New Zealand's outgoing defence force chief says Australia has been "very open and frank" about its expectations of...
www.newcastleherald.com.au
February 15, 2024 at 7:10 PM
NZDF chief says Australia's military is "singularly focused" on a single threat (aka China) and had set out "very frank" expectations for New Zealand on Australia's eastern flank.
www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/852291...
www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/852291...
Wrote about how zero govt MPs showed up to a Palestine protest but dozens went to a National Lamb Day barbecue at the same time
au.news.yahoo.com/nz-govt-mps-...
au.news.yahoo.com/nz-govt-mps-...
NZ govt MPs pick Lamb Day BBQ over Palestine protest
New Zealand government MPs have attended a free National Lamb Day barbecue rather than a Freedom For Palestine protest at parliament held at the same time.
au.news.yahoo.com
February 13, 2024 at 9:21 PM
Wrote about how zero govt MPs showed up to a Palestine protest but dozens went to a National Lamb Day barbecue at the same time
au.news.yahoo.com/nz-govt-mps-...
au.news.yahoo.com/nz-govt-mps-...
The government’s summer of discontent has resumed: PM Luxon says he won’t attend a Maori-led unity gathering
nit.com.au/18-01-2024/9...
nit.com.au/18-01-2024/9...
New Zealand PM Luxon opts out of major Maori meeting
The New Zealand government's summer of discontent has resumed as Prime Minister Chris Luxon faces criticism for opting out of a nationwide gathering called by the Maori King. The political year began ...
nit.com.au
January 18, 2024 at 6:56 AM
The government’s summer of discontent has resumed: PM Luxon says he won’t attend a Maori-led unity gathering
nit.com.au/18-01-2024/9...
nit.com.au/18-01-2024/9...