When is Labour going to debate economic policy publically? Why has Cunliffe been effectively muzzled? Does Labour think that just being fairer and better managemrs than National is enough?
I’m waiting (and running out of patience, getting very bored).
I’m not holding my breath on that one. Labour caucus have shown in their choice of new leadership team they’re more interested in themselves staying in their troughs than NZ.
This is a steady as she goes rather than do what it takes party with the team chosen and it’s working out just fine for the govt.
Change was clearly needed in direction and approach whereas mallard and crew represent more of the same.
Even the less cogent of political watchers, must now be starting to think to themselves that there is something very wrong with our “democracy”…
There is a deliberate strategy going on inside the so called “opposition”, and its not the lets wait to see NACT implode…that will happen anyway, its a certainty, at which time the idiot public will vote again, for yet another moving of the deck cahirs on the NZ Titanic!
Thanks all those who stand back, say or do nothing of value other than vote sometimes or waste enery on blog sites and talkback…
Thanks for being party to the crime, have fun telling your kids and grandkids that you got sidetracked clinging to hope that all the governmnets actions were just an accident, or poor policy, perhaps a little bit corrupt. Thanks for not factoring in that governments have access to the most up to date “research” (read, failed exported US/UK policy), and for referring to the govt of any given day as stupid, or nanny state. They might act stupid, but they are not stupid, they are executing a strategy in front of your face, and while people debate the ins or outs of gay marriage and other diversions, this country is being taken away, and your kids wont have anywhere else to go, because the rest of the world is heading in the same direction, so thinking they will be able to head abroad to find a life is becoming less likely each day. Just keep thinking its all just the way it is, and that you have no real power, thats what the system wants!
Better hope that the Greeks and co do the hard work for us, because at least they seem to understand whats at stake!
Edit: TC, not aimed at you, it just seemed to fit off your post
And when are (some?, one or two?) Labour MPs going to turn their backs on the same corrupt, cronyist, suck-up-to-the-wealthy system that is promoted and maintained by right wing politics. Shane Jones, bye-bye!
Time for a complete change by mainstream left wing politics!
Absolutely Carol. Anyone who supports the current system, red or blue, is no better than a football hooligan, whose “support” of their team is a mockery to the game!
None taken Muzza I despair at the apathy of voters and dumbing down our MSM have allowed to occur by not doing their jobs and following the diversions carefully laid out by a well funded CT advised NACT spin machine that they have become an integral part of.
Shearer is the wrong choice, the results already appear to show that. Cunliffe has the drive, presentation and fire in the belly required to drag Labour into the territory required to take power as a major party.
J72, no not at all. people are entitled to have views and opinions on various issues, and in many cases they will find common ground, and in others not.
The system thrives on making sure that people are not able to find common ground, and are at eachother in as many ways as possible..
Once people unite with eachother against the root causes of inequality etc, then perhaps we have a chance to make meaningful change, otherwise not!
TC – Shearer was always the wrong choice, I’m sure people can look at it as simply a way to allow the govt an underchallenged environment. Look at what we have had, I challenge any of you Labour stooges to say otherwise. The strategy is deliberate, its as simple as that!
The footage of ‘Campbell Live’ with the piece about Shearer’s “profile problems” is available at on-demand at tv3. I’ll put up a link when it is available as a stand-alone piece. It comes on between a two thirds and three quarters of the way through the programme.
I’ll say just one thing. If anyone thinks that doing a tour of a factory accompanied by the top brass in their best suits doing awkward meet and greets with the workers, could be described as talking with real people and finding out what they’re thinking, they are delusional. If anyone sees any point to his touring the country doing this kind of “minor royalty” gig, I’d sincerely like to know what it is.
I’m thinking of inviting Shearer to share my best curried sausages with a few of my friends and I. I’m sure he would make time for us like he did the fat-cats from Sky
I saw that CL Shearer piece last night and was underwhelmed. Shearer playing guitar to school kids? Really? What is Fran Mold thinking? She did some good reports when working for TV3, but trying to make Shearer memorable as a personality is playing the neoliberal game of image over substance.
Time for some real left wing substance in the media – that would be a game-changer!
Hey buddy đ
I enjoyed your latest blog piece. Particularly the straw-man argument and the linked video where the police officer in charge states 3 pairs of glasses were stolen…3.
Hilarious.
You can believe what the Asst Comm Dave Cliff said or you can believe what the Police reported on the their website… either way I think such discrepancies in the Police account make the whole secretive affair look dodgy as.
By straw-man argument are you referring to the excuse given by police that the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act means the fingerprints are inadmissible… when it doesn’t say any such thing? Please, be my guest and point out where the act supports their claims Contrarian? I would enjoy that.
Don’t know if you still care or will see this but it is to do with section 21 which states that everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure, whether of the person, property, or correspondence or otherwise.
The issue is whether the gathering of fingerprints for compliance can then be used as evidence for criminal proceedings – the general feeling is no and that is what the police have been advised. It is the same as when you give fingerprints because your house is burgled or whatever they can’t then use those fingerprints to convict you.
Thanks Chris, I was aware of Section 21 and don’t think it explains away why the Police did not arrest the officer in question, being that they had reasonable suspicion to believe he/she committed the crime.
But they had nothing they had collected in the course of investigating a crime to explain why they suspected that person.
Using anything else can be termed to be an unreasonable search – I’m not a lawyer but that is my understanding and I assume that is the part the police are referring too
So let me get this right… you’re saying that if somebody stole something, left fingerprints that the police had on file at the scene of the crime, the police would not have cause to reasonably suspect that person was connected to that crime?
what you don’t get is that those seemingly natural answers to kids questions are what is driving Key’s popularity. You see spin and carefully manufactured answers. Most just see honest responses and like his comfort and willingness to talk with kids. Helen Clark was apparantly much the same, although slightly different when in front of the media.
Less than 25% of New Zealanders actually voted for Key and his mob. Has there ever been a more illegitimate governemnt.
That percentage decreases if you count the million odd kiwis that are entitled to vote but are living outside this country. Those good kiwis that have been driven out of here by Key. Economic refugees that had no hope of getting out of poverty in this country because of the policies that Key has implemented.
“Less than 25% of New Zealanders actually voted for Key and his mob. Has there ever been a more illegitimate governemnt.”
This is a legitimate government, mandated in a general election and accepted by the governor general. If this wasn’t a legitimate the opposition would be all over it.Â
Focusing on this non-issue is a waste of time when there are far more important issues to focus on.
The publics participation in general elections isn’t an important topic… while the amount of sunglasses somebody stole is? Oh contraire my little troll!
2011: National wins governence with 48% of the vote from a voter turnout of 73.83%.
Enough is Enough states this is illegitimate
Â
2002: Labour wins governance 41% of the vote from a voter turnout of 72.5%
Therefore, using your logic, Enough is Enough, the 2002 election should have also brought in an  illegitimate government.
ohh the old game of “but he did it to in 2002”. come on grow up.
Lets have a look at the Facts
1 million kiwis stayed at home on polling day. They did not vote for this mob.
1 million kiwis voted by getting on planes and getting the fuck out of this coutry run by John Key.
1 Act memeber came in the back door left open by John Key against the wishes of 99% of those that did vote in New Zealand.
Less than 20% of New Zealanders voted for John Key’s mob.
No more lets look over there distractions. These are the facts.
Nonetheless, this government is both legal and legitimate in the same way all previous elections were.
1 million kiwis stayed at home on polling day. They did not vote for this mob (neither did the 1 million who stayed home in 2002 – they didn’t vote labour)
1 million kiwis voted by getting on planes and getting the fuck out of this coutry run by John Key. (irrelevant – votes are not counted at the immigration desk)
1 Act memeber came in the back door left open by John Key against the wishes of 99% of those that did vote in New Zealand. (this is due to  MMP – if you have a problem with it I suggest making a submission on it )
Enough is enough, by that logic, only about 10% of the population voted for NZ’s largest left wing party! And that is enough to be 1 seat away from potentially forming a Government? MMP at its worst.
I think you’re largely missing the point Bob. If a political party is elected by less than 25% of the population, but then goes against what the majority of the public wants, that’s not democracy. That is the few impacting on the many ie a dictatorship, and is the antithesis of what MMP is all about.
I thought the same thing Carol. Impressions by themselves mean bugger all under the present conditions. And as to his visit to the AFFCO workers, while it is perhaps better to visit them than not, it does not mean much so long as he avoids stating and defending a position. Is it true, for example, that the leadership team is taking Labour to the right, as looks to be the case? If not, deny it without equivocation. If true, state it, let us know the kind of policy it entails, and try to defend it. As it stands it looks as if Shearer’s response to the leak about Cunliffe is to “cover the left flank” by visiting the AFFCO workers, while continuing to evade the real question.
At a Boxing match Round 1 and some of you would be screaming at your Favoured One, “Kill him! Waddaya waiting for? Kill him you lazy incompetent bugger!” Meanwhile the Favoured One works away at his carefully planned strategy. Select your target. Wait for the right opening. And wait for Round 3 or 4.
Me? I would credit the Favoured One credit for having a plan and and the skills and it is not to rush in just because the pseudo supporters want instant blood. Go Mr Shearer!
ianmac: your analogy sidesteps the worrying issue, which is not the matter of drawing blood in the house. To extend your analogy, the worry is whether or not the great new contender is in fact another member of Don King’s stable, committed to strategies that reflect that allegiance. One hopes not, but the silencing of Cunliffe along with the reticence on position gives one pause.
Problem is that as mentioned above Labour is as much at fault as National. Yet some here (especially loyalist to Labour – Green follows excluded) close their eyes to the damage that Labour caused in “Playing the game” e.g. Housing affordability issues, tax rorts and the accounting corruption to allow statements “under Lab NZ had a Nil debt”. Fools who perpetuated this fallacy.
And to the average person (Who cannot be bothered to vote) there is no improvement in the workers long term outlook.
Nationals philosophy that they are adhering to is not what will be beneficial to the country- yet Labours failure to get involved (more important are the Little, Mallard feeding the side tracking issues) just adds to the appearance that possession power is everything and the people/voter can get stuffed as they don’t count.
Labour offers nothing to the poor or the workers in this country. It makes no difference whether Shearer of Cunliffe or Goff is in charge.
They offer zero, nothing, nada, zip.
That they are not quite as bad as National is hardly a selling point.
If they offered anything they would be saying loudly and clearly we will increase taxes, we will increase the minimum wage, we will increase benefits, we will re-instate time and a half after 8 hours work a day, we will make salaries a minimum of 120% of the minimum wage, we will allow workers to go on strike for more than just an expired agreement, we will get rid of GST, we will bring back in centralised wage bargaining so employers have to compete on product and service – not on paying workers less, we will build state housing and the state will employ those who build the state housing directly, we will combine our power companies back into one government owned company and get rid of all those layers of management and fake competition, we will kick Jenny Shipley off every government board she is on find out what this valuable advice that she has been giving Christchurch, we will publicly list those people who invested in SCF in the weeks up to the bailout who got taxpayers money – the tax payer has a right to know who benefited from the tax payers largesse, we will remove funding to private and religious schools and only fund secular education.
That’s a start.
Does Labour stand for anything of those things – hardly. Bloody right wing party just like National.
Absolutely! I get the impression that some people here (and not just the RWNJs) would not be happy with Shearer even if he had himself whipped through the streets in order to prove his devotion to Labour!Â
You note that Talleys spit the dummy because he didn’t talk to them? Who would Key have talked to? I rest my case.
Yeah when discussing economic issues publicly is considered to be “disloyal to the leadership” there is something seriously wrong with the party. And the leadership.
He wasn’t just “discussing economic issues, he was proposing a quite different direction for Labour to it’s current apparent positioning.
If Labour get dragged leftward it will please a few commenters here, but will pitch them into a crowded part of the spectrum, and won’t attract back many lost voters in the centre.
Labour’s problem at the last election was not that some swinging voters in the middle did not swing back, it was that a million ordinary Kiwis did not see a reason to vote. Labour needs passionate dedicated leadership and a clear alternative approach to economics to persuade these people that it is in their interests to vote.
Being a slightly paler shade of blue will not do it.Â
TC, SP, Muz, Carol, thanks for replies, I posed the same question yesterday and it got lost in the gay marriage debate. What that said to me was that we were too easily distracted by minutae and losing sight of the real issue.
For my part I am going to hassle the shit out of Labour MPs, every opportunity. Our democracy is broken, it is “owned”. The only way we are going to take back our democratic power is to pose a valid alternative to the status quo, which is why I am so pissed off Cunliffe has been muzzled.
Yeah its broken alright – people have to get onto their local politicians, write letters go see them, get involved anyway you can, but do it directly!
Sitting back and whining online, is just a waste of time, and being sidetracked by fluff is for the simple! Spending energy commentating about the fluff, idiotic, that’s for the MSM, leave them to it!
As for Cunnliffe, I’m not so sure you know, because if he is really worth his salt, he would just cut loose IMO. The time for adhering to “protocol” is finished, just like this country is finished if people keep “hoping” that the system will right itself.
If you’re in politics you either love your country, and you do anything you can to assist, or you don’t and thus are compromised
What is difficult to reconcile, is the plea to get involved in a corrupted political system. One man cannot make difference using the same system that corrupted everyone before him. It would be like people were holding out for a hero or messiah. The Shearer/Cunliffe thing is a waste of time. Neither are Left, or “the answer” to the problem NZ has, and being “Left” in itself is not the answer either.
Militant Communism never took hold in NZ, in part due to the birth of the Labour Party and the closest you’ll get to the ghost of communism is within some unions or the Socialist Worker of Aotearoa. Just the other night, one of the most well known participants in HART – another organisation with a communist spirit – John Minto, was crossing his fingers publicly saying that joining Mana was either the smartest or worst thing he’s ever done. The thing most people either forget, or don’t know about communism, is that they are philosophically, “anti-political” as far as our style of politics goes. At base, communists are spokespeople for those with no social power/influence. They have few policies or agendas other than those of the immediate needs of people, because the whole point is for people to rule as a collective, rather than under the divisive and ineffective property/money hierarchies we all think are “normal” today. John Minto knows this and said he remains reluctant about giving up the ability to speak freely by joining an organised political party. How often do you hear people complaining that no politician or party listens to the people?
If the system is broken, then leave it be, don’t get involved in it and certainly do not vote and in doing so, uphold it. From all reports, the coming trouble is unavoidable. Financial problems beyond average man’s control; a concerted effort by our New Rich to oppress poor. History proves these things are doomed to failure – the whole oppression thing, by whatever means – but people still try, god bless ’em.
There are more important things to do than vote. As I see it, the best defence is to give up the traps of our economic and political system and enter into dialogue with the least influential people â the sidelined and the oppressed. The dominant collective perspective, “the system”, is increasing its pace to leave people behind and the idea that sidelined people are inferior has no basis; whether the measure is economic or philosophical. In fact, strategically it is a gross failure. Is the whole 1% thing not clear enough? One Percent, what is that, roughly 40,000 people living with more than enough. The rest â some 3,960,000 people â in various degrees of shortfall, conflict or poverty? I’m sorry, why exactly would I vote to participate in this system? And tell me again how a number that I assume includes armed forces and police â an army of much less than 40,000 â clearly poorly led and strategically incompetent, can hold back almost 4 million people whose will is sure? It would be like the US sending a single regular army division into Afghanistan, hoping for victory. Generals the world over must be turning in their graves. But it neednât get that far, and wonât. The reality is clear already.
This is why talking about things like gay marriage is not a distraction, but a necessity. No one left behind. Not gays, not immigrants, not maori, not those in palliative care and their caregivers, not those looking after intellectually of physically handicapped, not low income parents, not solo mums, no one. Get it? No one. Everyone has a say, with a view to inclusion. Discussing social issues only becomes a “distraction” when we try to hold two opposing concepts at once: one an important and timeless social issue, the other a divisive expression of current ideology. So beginning a process to an inclusive society by, for example, discussing the ideas and concepts around gay marriage, supports a society that will exist now and after any financial collapse. Gays aren’t going away just because the banks close. They were here before banks. Just as Africans and Jews were. They won’t be saying to themselves, “Oh shit, no money, oh well I guess I can’t make a commitment to a partner anymore.”. Their single most publicised problem seems to have been them thinking, “Oh shit, society wants me gone really badly, better live under a serious case of repression” and cue all sorts of associated symptoms. That’s the story for everyone and anyone who has limited social power, regardless of orientation, race or whereabouts – have you not noticed? Instead of bringing the wealth of the inner person into the outside environment, and letting those things benefit society and the individual constructively, our collective beliefs have made a business of limiting our understanding of life and the world to turning materials into money and power. Using this outlook, the world gets smaller and more dangerous, people limit the potential of their intelligence and start to hide away, behind fences, taupe concrete walls and automatic gates.
When a person or organisation wants to start a beneficial process, but uses it to reinforce a social harm, then it becomes a distraction. It being a distraction does not mean that the issue is wrong, or a luxury, the issue is a distraction to the harm inherent in the way the issue was offered. We have ideas like contraception, but tagged onto who we can force it onto to further our financial oppressions. We are offered ideas about including gays completely, but the only reason itâs brought up is to take attention away from asset sales that undermine short term social stability, or parliamentary corruption. So if this is the way politics is now, forget politics, forget voting and forget the system. Re-organise yourself around something that matters, and as far as I can see, the only thing that matters is the connection between people. If the people are fighting or insecure, imbalances and inequalities form and they cannot be fed. More or less food is irrelevant. The Farmer on his land cannot afford to fear the hordes descending for food when supply is restricted. Heâd be better off making changes right now. Because he canât stop the inevitable. And the hordes thinking that they can just roll through the countryside like locusts, but without any provision for sustainable food supply or social arrangements will soon run out of the immediate and suffer avoidable loses. If the fighting and jockeying for dominance continues, people cannot find solutions or understand their problems or rule themselves. They will be victim to opportunists and manipulators.
Politics stems from a basic social agreement and that agreement has always remained with the collective. In its simplest form, it is between two people who monetarily become peers â not one up one down, not law passed down from on high. Even the major religions of the world have a god who creates man to give him the choice of good or bad, to know god, or not. God needs man, yet gives him a choice to submit. So who exactly are these politicians that demand we need them and must submit without choice? SunTzu, writing the Art of War, tells us to control the enemiesâ movements. When you want him to stay put, show him the potential harm. When you want him to move, seize his most wanted asset. And what assets do our politicians covet the most? Power generators? Schools? Land? The crushed cars of boy racers? Nope. Their anxious demands reveal the greatest asset in NZ: itâs us. Their anxious demands reveal they have no more care for us than a horny boyfriend pestering a girl for sex. Remove support for these abusers and their systems. Donât vote, donât participate, control the enemy. We canât lose. None of the major parties offer a difference, so who cares if one or the other win a total nationwide vote of one or one hundred?
Start simple, with your neighbour, family and friends and live your life in community. What will come will come and if you have human connection outside of money, if you understand each other and give each other basic respect; if you commit to working through the dark nature of humanity as it appears as well as enjoying the good; if you commit to tackle the apparent void and anxiety outside of financial connections; you’ll live or die as well as anyone in history ever has. If it seems too sedate, if it seems like nothing is happening, check your vanity and try including people you wouldnât usually meet. If you want a fight, a really serious one, try fighting your own ignorance. If you win, together and finally, against those things that divide and destroy, it will be a future worth living. So what will it be? Keep voting, or start living as a human?
By not participating are we not then becoming what politicians want APATHY. I am sure with all the dumbing down of politics (remove the ability for indepth analysis and critical review and replaced with celebrity politics with Women’s mags and fluffy TV appearances) that there is a desire of removing the public from politics for all but 1 day in 3 years, and in reality we have no ability to change anything just where a few privileged sit in parliament. The voter or the country does not benefits – just a few who sold their votes for undelivered promises.
Not sure how to respond to apathy in politics..UTurns article probably needs to be a story in its own right, fascinating perspective. One concept that makes sense is the standing aside bit: reading Greer (the Archdruidreport) today he noted the need for example to be taken when moving to a protest position. The contention is that you cannot effect change unless you live it…i.e. climate change, you must not only demand legislative action, but your own living actions must pre-empt it, (like self diminution of your carbon footprint).
Non participation in the current political process and concurrently actively demanding a move to a process you practice is very powerful, it will challenge the status quo far more than chardonnay socialism.
Non participation in the current political process and concurrently actively demanding a move to a process you practice is very powerful, it will challenge the status quo far more than chardonnay socialism.
Sounds a lot to me like the hippy ethos that I bought into back then…. and look what happened after that?
Now I think how you live is only part of the strategy. The multitude need to find ways to tackle the power of the elites head-on… maybe as the occupy movement is doing?
It isn’t apathy, because there is strategy. The people refuse to give consent to hierachial rule and return to their own concerns and power base – those connections that last, between each other. If you think that is easy, give it try. The easy bit is not voting; all you have to do is not turn up to the polls and go about your life as normal. The hard bit is knowing from that point onward you must engage with people, constructively, socially. It might start with a nod and wave, or a borrowed wheel barrow or a looking after someones kids for an hour, but pretty soon you’ll have to tackle up close and personal disagreements and differences in values and personal viewpoints and there will be no escape. You have to go forward together, because the alternative is clear, getting dragged out of a comfortable insulated life when excess of funds meant problems could be defered or ignored and into real serious life with people. It’s like pressing the political reset button.
Then the next part comes: the threats and attacks of the polticians no one wants, but law says have legal rule. Stuff them. They will only try to isolate and persecute the weakest parts of society, turning people against each other with compromises and bribes of self interest; seeking out greed and hate, to inflame. By that, they will expose their true natures. But hey, lets not be too morbid, maybe they will see the light and wholesale change to our system will be voluntarily offered. No point ruling out hope. If it’s offered, there can still be no turning back, no loss of intent just because a rush of a minor improvement after so many loses makes us think the problem is solved.
Apathy it is not. It’s a gentle route into some seriously hard work, but not the kind of hard work where an overlord stands behind you and pushes you to exhaustion then takes all the rewards. Rest is an integral part of working. There is no natural law that says you must exceed your abilities and limits, but it will be obvious that stagnation and delay of what is necessary will come at a cost. People will have to move forward together, the least able helped along by the more able and the gains they make will be real and solid because they were hard won. Each step will be known in retrospect, the why will be obvious, the when and how clear, the future always an opportunity for improvements.
Uturn, I like most of you post. The difference between “not voting” and apathy seems to be the only weak link. One alternative is to ask our leaders to lead by example. They are cutting jobs continually on the grounds of recession but surely if the economy is that tight, they could set an example and take a pay cut. (50% ++) The money would do little for the economy but a disply of sincerity would be without value. Actions speak louder than words.
Show that they are sincere and care about the country. Lead by example has always been a golden rule.
Apparently, Greece, Spain, Italy etc. have problems worse than the recession of the 1930’s, yet when Germany asked Greece to accept austerity changes the population threw out the Greek government. Did the population know what it was doing? I suggest that it was an emotional reaction to a poorly presented austery move. The leaders were not going to suffer but they wanted the worker to. That is the way it was presented by the media. This seems too simplistic. The leaders of Greece, a land of great thinkers, must be able to manipulate the voters more elegantly than that. Perhaps the government wanted to be thrown out.
I have stocked up on flour, preserved fruit, dry firewood and a road worthy bike. Must get some candles. The back lawn would make a nice addition to the vegetable garden. Will not have time to watch TV.
Do not say “It can not happen to me.” The Great War (WW1) was supposed to be “The war to end all war.”
@ Uturn. Why not take the two minutes to vote? Just don’t expect much to come from it. And no need to spend time dissecting the policy of this party and that party – we know roughly where they stand and know that the more right the party is the more inimical to our wellbeing it’s policies will be. So vote against them.
And for the other 364 days, 23 hours and 58 minutes, do something worthwhile. That could be the sort of stuff you already wrote. But one thing was missing.
It’s not the politicians who sit above and over society determining it’s direction and focus. Politicians serve economic interests and those economic interests ultimately shape everything from parliamentary politics on down.
So what?
The competitive economy determines the shape or culture of our workplaces (dictatorial). It determines who has access to what resources and who can exploit them. (The economically powerful). It also determines where the things that are produced through the exploitation of resources get allocated. (That’s something which, again we have no say over… beyond pitifully offering up the dollars and cents from our exploitation to get a piece of that ‘dream pie’). And because it is about defending entrenched power, the competitive economy is produces a culture that is frighteningly conservative. (Oil today, oil tomorrow and oil for ever…until the power runs out)
How to counter that?
Insist at every juncture on a move towards democracy. In the workplace, in any place, in every place. On every issue and decision that we are afforded any input, keep pushing the envelope.
That has to go alongside your appeal for building connections and behaving decently because the market and the power it wields will happily ride rough shod over your decency and (figuratively) your dead body without even noticing.
As Tony Benn said, the most ‘subversive’ idea – and therefore the one always guarded against by the powerful – is not socialism, communism, capitalism, liberalism, etc. it’s democracy.
In the modern context, the subversive nature of democracy can be put quite simply: The more decisions get determined through democracy, the less they get determined through the market.
The battle, then, is between people and the machine – which in our case is the technical machine of the competitive, market economy. For all of our sakes, the machine must lose – it only has its own interests at heart, not ours.
The difficulty is having the skill to generate (and to recognise) democracy, as opposed to its various impersonators.Â
I think I’d put it more like this “Keep [thinking that] voting [on its own will result in the substantive change needed], or start living [together] as human[s]?”
I don’t think voting is a problem in the sense of it being an act of ‘collaboration’ with the enemy. One of the reasons that universal suffrage has been so roundly resisted by those with property and power over the centuries is that it at least has the potential to ruffle the elite’s feathers.
Of course, elites are adaptable and will use their power to subvert a system of voting as much as any of the other systems and arrangements fought for by people to gain more control over their destiny.
I see no reason why the vote should not be used as one of the many levers available to make the ground more amenable for the sorts of changes you wish for.
It isn’t the most important lever, of course. But it is one and given how little effort it takes I can’t see why someone who wanted change wouldn’t make use of it. A strategy of not voting only makes sense if it is part of a deliberate, widespread, organised public boycott to deligitimise the actions of any government that ends up getting elected.
Otherwise, the net effect is to make invisible the ‘non-voting’ of the non-voters (they don’t even get calculated in the ‘party percentages’ in our MMP elections – i.e., we don’t have a third of Parliament’s seats sitting empty and, in effect, preventing a government forming a majority).
Furthermore, what is being sold to us as centrism is not centrism in the strictest sense. Cunliffe’s speech was in fact quite centrist by any standard in which words mean what they say. Centrism increasingly means continuing to play the same vicious game but insisting on a few minor concessions that do not inconvenience our financial masters.
it was that a million ordinary Kiwis did not see a reason to vote.
And if they did see a reason to vote who would they have voted for? Non-voters aren’t to blame for Labour’s (and other parties) poor vote, a significant proportion of people deliberately don’t vote becasue they don’t like anything that’s on offer.
The Labour Mallardy is not attractive to votesrs, it turns many people off politics.
To improve voter turnout there needs to be an improvement in political behaviour and what parties offer to the voters – and that’s not overgrown kids with back alley behaviour.
Pete it has nothing to do with “political behaviour”.
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People are hurting. They are losing their jobs. Kids are developing third world diseases. The schools are being screwed over and the unions and working conditions are getting a battering.
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People do not give a shyte about someone not being very nice to someone else or about MPs playing political games with themselves. They care only about those basic issues.Â
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They want to see someone take this Government on. They don’t give a toss about beltway games.
Yeah maybe, maybe not. All we know for sure is that a whole lot of people who usually vote Labour decided not to vote at all.
Maybe you’ve seen some other polling that shows they stayed away because ‘Mallard was mean to John Key’s BFFs’ or some such bullshit, but you’d be the only one.
Until you do come up with some way to show that such trivial side-show beltway issues are of any interest to the million or so ex-labour voters who stayed home, I think it’s far more sensible to assume the obvious.
Pete the centre is the kiss of death for Labour and for the progressively impoverished citizens who claim to be “centre..middle class”. Its where faux leftists like the formerly Labour Peter Dunne reside. You had better hope the million non voting Kiwis dont catch on, it is pretty obvious to me they have rejected the “centrist” (read neo lib rightist) status quo as not worth voting for, and the so called “left” represent just another pack of “centrist” ciphers to them.
Sean Davison has written a letter to the editor of ODT, repeating that itâs a time to talk (about death and euthanasia), and thinks itâs also time for a law change.
One of the main reasons to publish was to open the publicâs eyes to the issues surrounding the deaths of our loved ones and encourage debate on a change in the law. Society is now embracing issues that have previously been uncomfortable to deal with such as sexuality, homosexuality, contraception, Aids, abortion and drug abuse.
I believe we are now ready to discuss the complex issues around death and dying. By openly discussing these issues, it also helps prepare us for death and may make us less afraid. Death is something we all must face.
I believe there is public support for a law change and I hope our politicians will take notice. New Zealand has led the world in social and cultural reform. Now I believe we are ready to lead the world in dealing with this complex issue.
I took the anti privatisation petition to Waitakere Court yesterday and asked a few legal colleagues to sign. The response was really good. Twenty people signed without hesitation and a few took forms away to get other signatures. If a bunch of middle class lawyers are so opposed to the policy this Government is in trouble on the issue.
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Can I suggest all good standardistas do the same. Keep a form with you and poke it under peoples noses. You will be pleasantly surprised with the response.
Good one micky, real world reports compliment the pontificating and debate of the âsphere. Anyone can put their 5 cents worth in, 2 cents in Peteâs case of course, but it is always instructive to hear about activity beyond the keyboard.
I reckon Johnny “derivatives” Key must be shitting himself right about now. What with continued bank runs in Spain and Greece and soon to be in Ireland and Italy which will result in the collapse of the entire financial system.
Dont bet on a collapse…the banksters can always “create” cash by fractional banking…they would rather hyper inflate the debt loaded economies than forgive any debt. The whole game is the financial enslavement of all but the 1%, the same game has been playing out since the creation of “debt” 000s years ago . Remember the Great Depression did not kill capitalism, finance or the ruling elites, they survive financial collapses well.
What is more likely to happen is that the bulk of the people will be faced with what they percieve as a threat to their very existence. if the food supply were to be disrupted as is very possible there will be trouble. In France a failed harvest tipped the country into revolution, as did hunger in Russia. People faced with starvation tend to see things as life and death and take extreme measures. What our tipping point looks like I dont know but I suspect that when little pleasures such as IPODs and the internet get rare, the EFTPOS has no cash for you and you cant get hold of a can of beans it is going to get very personal. And when the unemployed young can see no future look out for trouble as false prophets point fingers.
It is the hyperinflation which will collapse the system. I think that too many people are beginning to wake up to the bankster scam and yes it is the 99% who will suffer and it will be Mad Max. I never said I was looking forward to the collapse did I? In fact I dread the next foreseeable future.
Yes the âtipping pointâ for Aotearoa is most interesting. It is all about ownership and control really because this country has huge infrastructure and natural resources and the population of a Tokyo suburb. They just arenât shared around.
The post colonial dynamic, farming/small business sector and the punitive psychology of around 40% of kiwis have always been a retarding factor on class struggle. Not to mention years of neo liberalism.
A family friend has a successful rural business with a huge turnover, but with running costs removed it really just pays them a wage. The owners greatest fear is that in a crisis, zombie like, the citizens of nearby Whangarei will appear en mass to pillage his idyllic spread. And really that is the mentality of the 1% ers. Any self respecting lefties job is to make their fears a reality.
But I take Eveâs point about âMad Maxâ, there may well be a nasty futurist âBlade Runnerâ type scenario rather than a left revolutionary transition.
you know I always felt the best imagining of what is in store was “children of men”…really a movie about immigration and trying to protect the idyllic spread from the zombie hordes…(read refugees of all types)…NZ will be a lifeboat of sorts, with nowhere near enough seats…question is, who will be first to start prising off the drowning peoples fingers to keep from all going under….well worth watching again for the terrible slow decline
It sounds close to the tipping point in Greece right now, with unemployment at 25% (as reported by Aljazeera on TV this morning), and people taking their money from the banks and putting it under the mattress. And with money being taken from banks in southern Europe and put in northern European banks, there could follow the rest of southern Europe and open north-south conflict.
We’re well past the tipping point for all of Europe. bank runs are contagious. We are past the second day of the Greek bank run, Spain is now in a full on bank run and both countries have either the whole country or their banks down graded.
If the Greek government decided on a bank holiday or a limited access to peoples funds there is going to be blood in the streets. Expect Italy and Ireland to follow in the Baking crisis.
But anyone who follows this stuff realises serious shit is about to go down in Europe. Bare cupboards, uncooperative ATMs, utilities turned off, what would you do?
I live at the beach with rain water tanks, a garden and some opportunity to gather shell and other fish, but a societal breakdown is scary stuff nonetheless. Civil Defence in the Far North has estimated just a three day supply exists at local Pak n âSaves and such like. But imagine Howick or Wadestown.
The 1%ers have to be dealt to sooner rather than later. OOoo thats socialism! Damn right it is. The alternative is what Eve and others, and me too, are concerned about.
“The 1%ers have to be dealt to sooner rather than later.”
And what better ‘revenge’ to exact on people who are self-centred than to relieve them of their ‘hard-earned’ wealth and then change the rules of the game so everyone has a fair go. Being forced to be on an equal footing with their fellow humans would be worse than torture or a violent revolution for people who follow the greed creed.
Not quite sure where you are coming from TFISG, your framing gives a hint though, my comments are not about ârevengeâ, more about survival and a reasonable life.
That’s why I used quote marks for the word revenge. Revenge isn’t in my nature but it is the best word that I could think of that fits, as in ‘success is the best revenge’. My point is that the best way to deal with the 1% is to make them share, which I think would be very hard for them to do.
I like that, lets try and bring a bit of humour into this very frightening situation.
This is nothing to do with the discussion but I feel it could bring a bit of lite relief. TM’s comment reminded me of the following.
Many year’s ago the then conservative party in Britain elected a new PM who’s name was Lord Home, we were informed that his name was pronounced Hume. David Frost on his show suggested if we were going to pronounce O’s as U’s then we can pronounce U’s as O’s and suggested that the following sentence could be read one of two ways.
Lord Home was in bed with flu, or Lord Hume was in bed with Flo.
We have great dependence on Tourism. So does Greece. If Greece fails -(out of Euro, formally in Recession, defaulted etc,) what effect does that have on those who had planned on Touring Greece. Is it better or worse for them? Would the Greek citizen benefit from the tourist? (Whatever it is will be reflected in NZ?)
Hey insider did you and Jimmie get the same instruction to publish the same Stuff article about Shane Jones?
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Your comments are three minutes apart and both refer to the same article.
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Are you members of a secret club with handshakes and a clubhouse and stuff?
I would think that by the time this court case is over there may be a little more of the stinky stuff over 1 or 2 Labour MP’s.
I hope Shearer see’s this as an opportunity to give a little ‘jump before you’re pushed’ advice to the MP’s involved and bring in a couple of fresh faces.
Hey Jimmy did you and insider get the same instruction to publish the same Stuff article about Shane Jones?
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Your comments are three minutes apart and both refer to the same article.
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Are you members of a secret club with handshakes and a clubhouse and stuff?
Yes, and they are a little slow off the mark – I already expressed my views on Jones (having read that article) above at 7.45am this morning…. looks like the two posters above were waiting for their instructions.
What I don’t understand re Shane Jones is that none of the rightwing bloggers have written about it, while the leftwing bloggers have. I guess that just goes to show the leftwing is more concerned with accountability in general.
Do you masturbate? Â Or do you just come onto this site to take the piss?
But to be frank if Jones has stuffed up he needs to be gone. Â The left needs to concentrate on real issues like poverty, third world illnesses, unemployment, the undermining of the trade union movement and workers rights. Â If Jones has deflected attention from these issues he needs to go.
Yes! By my calculation New Zealand will have lost 33% of its free to air network if TVNZ gets pulled. If you think otherwise, surely you would know what channels have already been lost?
I have freeview terrestrial and never could get SBS. But with TVNZ7 and Stratos gone, there’s not a lot of quality public service broadcasting left for me.
Choice, U etc… I never watch. And there’s some Chinese channels in a language I don’t understand. It seems the current strategy is to axe the quality English-language news, information & current affairs channels, and fill the channel slots up with low level dross.
Now the only benefit to me of my freeview box is some better reception of Maori TV, Prime and TV One. TV3+1 has some use, and parliament TV is a plus.
NZ currently has 17 free to air channels including TVNZ 7. If TVNZ 7 gets pulled you lose 1/17th which is a loss of about 6%.
That’s utter bollices! There are not 17 at all. I can get only free to air, and by that I mean genuinely free-to-air, no need to buy any expensive Freeview boxes etc.. and I can assure you that there are 3 networks, TV1/2, TV3/4 and Prime. That’s all.
So you don’t know the answer to the Jackal’s question? I guess you are just picking a fight to prove your credentials as a pedant and a bore. How very conservative you are, TC.
Doing bettter than you, thanks. Have a look at the number of TVNZ channels that have a dedicated news service. Then remove TVNZ 7. You are going to find yourself with 66% of the previous figure. Then, when the penny drops, go and sign the petition.
I was interested to know if the Contrarian had a clue about what he was basing his question on. He doesn’t. You might not be aware that New Zealand’s free to air network recently lost SBS one and two, and another two channels when they pulled Stratos Television. I haven’t included repeater channels in the calculation.
So if there are currently 17 channels, we recently lost 4 “SBS one and two, and another two channels when they pulled Stratos Television”
That equals 21.
21 – 5 = 15 (5 being the SBS one and two, and another two channels when they pulled Stratos Television and TVNZ 7).
23.8%. And SBS can STILL be found for free via satellite and is in fact an Australian channel and hasn’t been “pulled” so that lowers the % even more.
SBS was using the Optus D1 service satellite, which meant we could receive those channels here on our freeview network. That is no longer the case.
I’m not sure where you gained your 17 channels figure from, as there is no freeview system that receives all of the channels? We have lost five other channels not four, learn to read properly please. As previously stated, I havenât included repeater channels in the calculation.
Can you explain how SBS can still be found for free via satellite?
No answer eh! I guess you’re arguing from a lack of knowledge again… but what else is new?
Just to clarify how I reached 33% reduction in the free to air network…
The current amount of channels New Zealander’s are able to receive free to air from Analogue, UHF or Freeview receivers equates to an average of 11.6 channels per receiver (You don’t count the red boxes Contrarian).
Rounded up to account for people with multiple receivers = 12.
Amount of channels already lost 5 + 12 = 17. % change from 17 to 12 = 29.4%
Include the loss of TVNZ7 = 6 + 11 = 17. % change from 17 to 11 = 35.3%
I rounded this down to 33% to equate for variables such as regional broadcasting. I did not include SBS HD or TV3+1 as these are already broadcast.
It’s not a perfect equation, but it does show that New Zealand’s free to air broadcasting network is looking decidedly the worse for wear since National took over.
17 free to air channels covers regional channels as well, and takes into account all availble channels from the different free to air formats (i.e. UHF vs satellite etc)
I am getting conflicting stories on SBS and have never seen it myself so we’ll say that it is gone. However considering it was an Australian channel does it really get included as a New Zealand free to air channel?
So if you add in a few considerations like losing Australian TV channels which, as your linked article states, was only view-able by modification and was only because the satellite happened to pointing towards Tasmania and we could hijack it and we lost it due to Optus tinkering with its broadcast (i.e. nothing to do with the NZ government). And also averaging the amount of channels people receive as opposed to the actual number of free channels available then you have a case but a very very weak one because there are more than 11 free TV channels and SBS wasn’t technically a NZ free to air broadcast.
So what’s more important Contrarian, the amount of channels being broadcast or the amount of channels people can receive through free to air broadcasting?
The modification Beatson is talking about is simply getting your set top box to search all available channels, something most installers already do.
You state:
The satellite happened to pointing towards Tasmania and we could hijack it and we lost it due to Optus tinkering with its broadcast (i.e. nothing to do with the NZ government).
However David Beatson wrote:
The Optus D1 satellite is no longer delivering SBS to New Zealand. Thereâs some speculation that a Kiwi broadcaster could have nobbled the SBS fruit fly, but SBS was scheduled to switch its Tasmanian transmission to another satellite early next year anyway.
Anyway, I have better things to do than bandy words with a witless fool.
Its still a very very weird practice to include an Australian Channel which wasn’t part of the NZ free to air package into your calculations. Weak dude, very weak
My word… what complete argument fail by the Contrarian. Firstly he questions the 1/3 figure, obviously intent on picking a fight based on his ignorance.
Then he claims that channels people cannot even receive should be included in the calculation and that I was only talking about the loss of TVNZ7, which to anybody with even half a brain is obviously not the case.
So after providing the calculation again, the Contrarian starts clasping at straws by claiming that SBS wasn’t even a part of New Zealand’s Freeview network, when in fact it was advertised within New Zealand as part of the deal.
Clearly the several years he spent studying politics was several too few.
I passed by a couple of weeks ago and was surprised to see the Luke’s Lane premises boarded up. I suspect the current re-locations and separation of services is a last breath gambit for survival after its well used high functioning and centrally located premises met the same demise as most useful low wage/community services. Namely the financial throttling from council and government funding as its essential costs skyrocketed and it struggled against the psychotic death grip of profit junkies. That and the ongoing [global insurance scam] edicts for unrealistic earthquake strengthening.
Mate of mine has just bumped into the PM in Feilding. Handily, she had a copy of the asset sales petition with her and she asked Key to sign. Didn’t get a positive response!
That’s how we are gonna win it, V! If we all just carry a copy around and when the opportunity arises to get a signature … not Key’s obviously, but real people’s, we’ll get the numbers in no time.
Your article is a bit lacking in two aspects, Jackal. One, what you think Labour should do about it and two, what the reference to the Greens means.
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For mine, I think Labour can’t do a damn thing about it. He’s not a minister anymore, so other than a reprimand behind closed doors, that’s it, really.
The reference to the Greens is that they have not had any similar cases (that I’m aware of) where their standards can be questioned. It would truly be a pity if there was nothing Labour could do if the Fairfax article proves to be factual.
Tell that to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises:
What I am able to say is that certainly as a Minister in the National Government this Minister has been part of the team that has overseen the creation of nine new reserves in 3 years, which seems to be a pretty good record against 17 reserves in 9 years under the Labour-Green Governments.
In comparison it appears that National has only proposed 5 new marine reserves consisting of 17,528 ha combined. Some of these may have been legislated for… but as far as I can tell they haven’t.
The so-called Bluegreens had also announced in January 2011 3 new marine reserve, but I don’t think they disclosed where or how big these reserves are.
So who is more dedicated to creating new tourism dollars by increasing the conservation estate? I think this RadioNZ article from 9 May sums up the answer best:
The High Court has quashed a ministerial decision to decline an application for a marine reserve in Akaroa Harbour. In a decision released by Justice Christian Whata, the court has ruled in favour of an appeal by the Akaroa Marine Protection Society.
* Refer to links to find out the size of individual reserves.
Must everything that those on the treasury benches do be mirrored by Labour or vice versa ?
All we will see is the duplicity of Labour is in handling internal issues as National & Act.
And the game of politics is played on and the country suffers because of it. đ
They serve a practical and useful purpose DTB. Have you ever tried to lift a carton filled with glossy fancy house and garden books, gourmand’s cookery magazines or even the glossy women’s magazines telling other women about Spices boniness, the mole on the end of Tom’s toe, the secret baby that is showing itself in this side shot of pansy blah blah. This dreadful drivel is demoralising to the dopes who pant after women who have self- respect and respect for other women, even celebrities those driven bell-wethers.
Iâm going to have to admit that Iâd prefer that telephone books werenât printed at all as theyâre just a waste of resources.
So, what alternative would you like? It costs to phone directory services, and not everyone can afford to go online when they want to look something up. Grr… greens annoy me so much sometimes! Champagne greens! Be realistic please, mate.
I’m being realistic, maintaining paper books isn’t. Everybody should be able to afford to go online/have a PC as having both is essential to modern society.
Draco, there are a large number of New Zealanders who are elderly and don’t own a computer, are you going to deny them a telephone book that they can read without having to use a magnifying glass? You heartless Bastard đ
Draco, there are a large number of New Zealanders who are elderly and donât own a computer, are you going to deny them a telephone book that they can read without having to use a magnifying glass? You heartless Bastard
Dave you may think you’re being funny, but you are really not. In fact you come across as a bit of a prat.
I am not elderly, but I do have seriously bad vision, and I can’t read the verdammde thing even with a magnifying glass! So, for me it’s directory service despite the cost, or my memory. No new firm will ever get my business! đ
Youâre online with a PC that can alter the size of the text.
You’re like a 10 month old with a toy he just won’t give up, aren’t you? Yes, currently I am online with a PC that can alter the size of the text. But when I want to phone anyone or anything, I am never online… ever hear of dial up? đ Does it really hurt that much to admit that you spoke without thinking that other peoples’ lives might be different from yours?
Does it really hurt that much to admit that you spoke without thinking that other peoplesâ lives might be different from yours?
Why should I admit to something I didn’t do? I even considered people who can’t use PCs at all and still decided that it just wasn’t worth printing phone books.
But when I want to phone anyone or anything, I am never online⌠ever hear of dial up?
Ever hear of the ability to find the number, disconnect from the internet and then make the call?
BTW, I doubt there’s a lot of difference between $75/month for phone and broadband and what you’re paying now for phone and dial-up. At a guestimate I’d say that it’s between $10 and $15 (I wasn’t able to find a price for a phone line without broadband even on Telecom’s website).
BTW, I doubt thereâs a lot of difference between $75/month for phone and broadband and what youâre paying now for phone and dial-up
Yeah, well you’d be wrong there, as I pay $42.00 a month for my phone and 10.00 a month for dialup. The difference is $23.00, and to you, that’s nothing. However, as I am on an unemployment benefit of $204.00 a week, that $23 might well be necessary for other things..Â
ATM, I am lucky. My son is paying for me to have broadband on a Vodafone mobile connection. It costs him $85.00 a month, and I am not happy at all about my son paying for something that I ought to be able to afford, if I could just get a stenching job!
Kids shouldn’t pay for their parents, it should be the other way around.
Oh, and you try faffing around getting out and booting up the computer, looking up a number, disconnecting, phoning etc. You greenies are all so keen on being prescriptive, telling everyone else what extra trouble they must go to, to appease your delicate sensitivities…
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Yeah, I was guessing at how much a standard phone line costs. Last time I had one was 6/7 years ago @$45/month and I figured that inflation would have put it above $50/month by now.
You greenies are all so keen on being prescriptive, telling everyone else what extra trouble they must go to, to appease your delicate sensitivitiesâŚ
Printing books is bad economics as it uses up resources that could be put to better use. Especially short term books like phone directories. Yes, it has an ecological aspect as well but, then, the environment is the basis of the economy.
If we’re thinking of cheap communication, a cheap cellphone and a phone book are a good combination. You save money by first looking up the info in the book and only use the cellphone features when wanting to make the call. Cost saving and modern and lots of people have to watch their cellphone use because of lack of dosh.
And we don’t want to be totally dependent on computers driven by electricity batteries or solar, the more dependent we are on advanced technology the less we know how to self-manage and be capable without expensive props.
Vicky, I may have come across as flippant but I intended no ill will against the vision impaired. You may not be able to read the telephone book under any circumstances but there are many others who could, if only it used a reasonable sized text. In this technological age many younger people will probably not use the book, therefore the most likely users would be older and yet the print is too small for them. It seems illogical. If they really wanted to save money they could easily just give people a choice of having one or not.
but I intended no ill will against the vision impaired.
I am glad to hear it! đ
I did use the book in previous years, which is why I am so annoyed at the present ones, especially as they’ve been very illogically split with the ghastly Localist taking over a lot of functions, it’s just not logically organised at all!
It’s just so much easier for someone of any age to use a handy book, than faff around with their computer – although someone with a netbook or a smartphone would probably not find it so much trouble. (My sister embarassed herself greatly by asking google about the spelling of some word or other, because she couldn’t find her dictionary! Her kids were laughing at her for months…)
(My sister embarassed herself greatly by asking google about the spelling of some word or other, because she couldnât find her dictionary! Her kids were laughing at her for monthsâŚ)
Were the kids laughing because she used Google or because she still had a book form dictionary?
Were the kids laughing because she used Google or because she still had a book form dictionary?
Because she faffed around starting up the computer, logging on, connecting, wasting money when the paper dictionary was under a pile on the kitchen table! My sister, like me is working class – money is to be conserved, not wasted. So, don’t be such a middle class kiddie, DtB!
They can be if you’re discerning! Some however, are wildly wrong, especially the American ones which incorporate every error known to high schoolers on the grounds that if an error’s common enough, (i.e., all 16 year old mall rats use it) then it has become correct… I know it’s not PC to say that Americans are lazy and stupid, but hey, can I help it if they’re lazy and stupid?
Then there’s the egregiously awful Urban Dictionary. I suppose you know nothing about the controversy my brother in law alerted me to? http://www.change.org/petitions/urban-dictionary-www-urbandictionary-com-remove-the-racist-definitions-of-the-word-maori?
“Then thereâs the egregiously awful Urban Dictionary”
The urban dictionary is a joke website, it is not to be taken seriously at all. It is not a dictionary, it is not a source of knowledge, it is nothing more than a joke. It is actually quite witty, funny, and yes – often very offensive. If that site offends you then be careful where you go on the internet.
“Because she faffed around starting up the computer, logging on, connecting, wasting money when the paper dictionary was under a pile on the kitchen table! My sister, like me is working class â money is to be conserved, not wasted. So, donât be such a middle class kiddie”
The internet saves me loads of time and money, especially when it comes to using dictionaries/thesauruses…try the thesaurus link DTB posted…the Synonyms: feature is very useful. Don’t worry, those sites are as reliable and accurate as a printed dictionary.
I don’t think you can judge a person’s class status by their internet connection. I have a fast 40 gig per month, but I need it for study.
I also cannot afford regular meat and veges, have to bike and walk cause the bus costs too much, cannot afford alcohol (even though I’m a student), cannot afford to go to the movies or a gig etc, etc.
Actually, if you want to judge a person’s class…ownership of a telephone landline is usually a sign of upperclass. That’s why political polls are skewed towards Nact.
Nope, I’d give them all a computer. It’d probably be cheaper than giving them a phone book, it would certainly be cheaper than giving everyone a phone book.
Everybody should be able to afford to go online/have a PC as having both is essential to modern society.
You think you’re being realistic? Don’t make me laugh! Try telling WINZ what you just said here… My son had a hell of a hard time at High School, because we didn’t have a computer at home – then my brother gave us one, because he was up-grading. Then, when he died, we briefly had two of them, but in the circumstances (the death of my only brother) I’d really rather not have had them!
Kids can now go online at school, and anyone quick and early enough can go online at their local library, if they can fight their way through the truanting school kids watching rap videos, but how does that help if someone wants to find a plumber at 8 pm? To say ‘everybody should be able to afford’ is not the same thing as them actually being able to! Please, don’t be such a middle class kiddie…
“Everybody should be able to afford to go online/have a PC as having both is essential to modern society.”
DTB is correct, it should be considered a right for all kiwis to have a computer and the internet. To put it in the Lab/Nat ‘third way’ terminology – its a necessary technology to ensure social inclusion. Just as a telephone/radio was 50 years ago, and TV was 30 years ago. The idea behind these technologies as a kind of human right steams from a desire for a unified nation who share experiences together and develop a sense of community. We lost sight of that vision a long time ago.
Vicky32; you are right, there is no way NZ can currently afford that, but that’s cause we choose not to afford it. Just as we choose to force 300,000 kiwi children to live in poverty.
LOL @ “school kids watching rap videos”…that’s classic.
Sadly, that’s all that they do, at ear-splitting volume, despite their headphones, I worry that they’re doing serious damage to their hearing.Â
I did my good deed yesterday, when I went to the library to do some printing from my USB, and sat next to a woman in her late 40s, googling how to cope with a difficult boss. She told me (at length) the whole story, and I urged her to ring the union, and find out what her rights actually are, as from what she said, the boss was more than just difficult – she was completely toxic! Actually, it frightened me how scared this woman was of contacting the union – I had to guess which one would cover her – and assured her that unions did mediation and not just strikes!
Nevertheless more than 11% of Australian farms are overseas owned in total or part, and yet it seems to be doing ok economically and sovereignty wise.
The Australian economy also has the benefit of supplicant countries like NZ sending them billions of dollars of receipts, in our case via ANZ, BNZ, National Bank, ASB, Westpac etc.
On watching Firstline Smalley/Shearer she brought up the fact that National always worked as a team with no divisiveness amongst itself. She said it as if that is a good thing.All it shows is that nobody in the National Government is allowed to have their own thoughts, or opinions or any negativity against the Party.They just need to have learnt their lines. I don’t see this as healthy and I agree with Shearer that robust discussion with everyone having an input that will lead to a concensus is what democracy is about.You just need to look at the Nats in Parliament and all they are there for is to be the audience to the sideshow that is key. Cue laughter,cue solemn head nodding, cue “well said” and all the other inconsequential mutterings that they utter,”stuck it to him there old man”Haw haw”
I am also looking forward to the time when Parliament returns to its roots and debates as adults, treating the debates with the courtesy they should have. None of this nup,dunno,can’t remember and all the third form Beano rubbish that is supposed to pass for answers to perfectly reasonable questions. And, yes I am talking of the gnats.
Shearer said he will play the ball not the man and I am looking forward to that.
When will the rest of Labour start playing the ball instead of the man? I doubt they know how after this long with it being their default mode. Do they even want to change? Shearer hasn’t made much progress sorting them out so far.
Looks you might get your wish granted over at the Angry Dunne post! Though dollars to donuts Pete will retract his comment because he values his ability to post here higher than his principles.
Ha! I got that wrong, (cheers, Eddie!). PG and theConformist were having a wee cry about it on KB earlier on. Pete was reduced to asking for help from the readers. Answer came there none.
Todayâs New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a further drop in support for Prime Minister John Keyâs National Party 44.5% (down 2.5% since April 16-29, 2012). Support for Keyâs Coalition partners has changed slightly with the Maori Party 1% (down 0.5%), United Future 1% (up 0.5%) and ACT NZ 0% (down 0.5%)
Support for Labour has risen 1.5% to 30%, Greens are unchanged at 15%, New Zealand First 5.5% (up 0.5%), Mana Party 0.5% (unchanged) and Others 2.5% (up 1%).
The next one will be interesting. Morgan usually fluctuates, but nat has been down for the last two. Next one will cover the two weeks around the budget…
Where is that misleading headline? Every report I’ve seen has National down & also possibly about Labour being (theoretically) able to form/lead a government.
National support slips further – poll
New Zealand Herald – â3 hours agoâ
By Adam Bennett Support for John Key’s National Party has fallen 2.5 per cent in the latest Roy Morgan political poll, suggesting a Labour-Greens-NZ First alliance would have the best chance of governing if an election was held today.
Roy Morgan’s latest Poll
Scoop.co.nz (press release) – â3 hours agoâ
Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a further drop in support for Prime Minister John Key’s National Party 44.5% (down 2.5% since April 16-29, 2012). Support for Key’s Coalition partners has changed slightly with the Maori Party 1% (down 0.5%), …
Labour could lead government: Poll
MSN NZ News – â1 hour agoâ
The Roy Morgan poll released on Friday showed the governing National Party still on top, but its support had gone down 2.5 per cent from the last poll in late April to 44.5 per cent. Labour was up 1.5 per cent to 30 per cent while the Greens were …
Oh, it’s a badly phrased headline. I think it is meant to say that National’s lead over Labour is down, while also stating that the poll indicates a possible Labour-led government. it says:
NATIONAL (44.5%) LEAD OVER LABOUR (30%) DOWN AGAIN
LABOUR, GREENS & NZ FIRST WITH MAJORITY OF VOTE (50.5%)
The insertion of the percentages confuses the headline intent, I think.
On the 26th and 27th of May, in conjunction with People’s Power Ohariu, we’re going to send Peter Dunne a message. We need your help to do it.
Dunne holds the casting vote on asset sales – that’s how thin National’s majority is. The people of Ohariu can make a difference by sending their MP a message.
We need as many helpers as we can get to turn up to Ohariu, disperse in our numbers throughout the Ohariu electorate to get signatures on the Keep Our Assets petition.
Austerity in Europe. Earlier today I suggested that politicians would increase their cedibility by accepting a personal pay cut. In this evenings TV news, some French politicans are taking a 30% cut!Ask and it will be given. (Mathew 7:7)
Dripping water wears away the hardest stone. Petitions ref. assett sales might win.
The urban dictionary is a joke website, it is not to be taken seriously at all. It is not a dictionary, it is not a source of knowledge, it is nothing more than a joke. It is actually quite witty, funny, and yes â often very offensive. If that site offends you then be careful where you go on the internet.
Fatty, did you actually follow the link? Because if you did, how on earth can you accuse me of being naively offended by a joke? It’s about egregious racism, that has actually been reported to Race Relations by a friend of mine who doesn’t think it’s very bloody funny at all…
Your comment about landlines is truly asinine. I have a mobile to talk to my son and him only. Mobile calls are far too expensive without the Best Mates. I always use my landline for making calls, and my neighbours – state house/bennys like me, are the same.Â
Landlines are cheap. Mobiles are expensive, unless you confine yourself to texting!
Yeah, I did, and it offended me, but I’d accuse you of being naively offended because its the internet…this is not RadioLive. Also if you read my post I stated that the urban dictionary is “often very offensive”. Just don’t read it. I could give you a list of webpages in 2 minutes with some brutal racism that leaves that page looking like a playschool quote.
The internet is the wild west, get used to it or get off.
“Mobiles are expensive, unless you confine yourself to texting!”
They sure are expensive, and I rarely talk on the phone. I consider that boring and a waste of my life. I text very little. I prefer talking and hanging out with people face to face.
“Your comment about landlines is truly asinine”
Here’s what Brian Edwards said about the issue;
“a problem arises from the fact that the information is gathered exclusively by landline. This creates a bias in the poll results, since people on lower incomes â the non-working, working and lower-middle classes â tend not to have landlines, relying instead on (frequently pre-paid) mobile phones. The same is true of students and younger people in general. You canât text on a landline.”
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes –Â New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern â and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her governmentâs ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As weâve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealandâs biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealandâs biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a âmoisture-ladenâ long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own governmentâs fiscal policies raised issues of substance. âToday in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media â sure enough â have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willisâ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra â that the Budget âwill deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing.  Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Itâs becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-MÄori andâŚ. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you donât like and donât ...
Don Brash writes –Â As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that countryâs mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isnât already pretty well-off? Itâs as if protecting landlordsâ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of Nationalâs ...
 Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, itâs that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxonâs ...
Robert MacCulloch writes –Â The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this yearâs Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran OâSullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm â a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon â note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinsonâs analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana â or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. Itâs a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealandâs highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes –Â Â Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – âIt is often said that behind every great man is a great womanâ. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their âLadies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxonâ. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Petersâ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes â If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshubâs closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Governmentâs plan to âget Auckland movingâ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities sheâs meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Governmentâs archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the Americaâs Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it wonât stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Memberâs Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labourâs change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand Firstâs State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared âco-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te PÄti MÄori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. âIâm calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to âtake back our countryâ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jonesâ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Governmentâs fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Governmentâs miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesnât act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. âIt was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. âThe Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.  âThis travel will focus on a range of New Zealandâs traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,â Mr Peters says.  Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. âRoad safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. âOur relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliamentâs order paper. âThe Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,â Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams wonât be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. âThe coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. âDam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. âI have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. âThe Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023â24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the governmentâs finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Governmentâs Budget objectives. âThe coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                        âThe Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.  âThese changes are long overdue â the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealandâs growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Ministerâs Prizes for Space today. âNew Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealandâs concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. Â Â âThe Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Educationâs School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. âThere is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âToday I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of Peopleâs Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. âThe use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,â Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. âWeâre sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealandâs ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. Â Â âI am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. âI have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commissionâs online consultation portal.â Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. âComprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. âI would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. âThis is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women donât ...
Good morning, itâs great to be here.  First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Governmentâs ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Governmentâs commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools MÄori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. âThe Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, Iâm proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of todayâs address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and Iâm sorry I canât be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the WhangÄrei site where the facility will be constructed. âNorthland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata MÄori 20 years ago, says MÄori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisationâs 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealandâs Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The countryâs largest trade union â The Public Service Association â says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership sheâs hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article â Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? â looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pickânâmix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If youâre at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, donât panic: The Spinoffâs got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but letâs be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time â but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who havenât accessed support to come forward and engage with the councilâs recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “Itâs official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “weâre in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliamentâs forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the âdisappearanceâ of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people âsequesteredâ in this weekâs raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Itâs Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether youâre a boomer, or an â80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fijiâs Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? â Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems thereâs one luxury most Australians wonât sacrifice â their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Educationâs claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxonâs fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20â24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50â44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayersâ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the Peopleâs Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether youâre facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, itâs always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. Itâs an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting âoff the booksâ illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Governmentâs announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is âshamefulâ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain â a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata MÄori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is âfar-off sightâ. In the contemporary and living language of te reo MÄori, âwhakaataâ as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israelâs war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Governmentâs decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for âDead in Bedâ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research â and large-scale commercialisation. Whatâs beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martinâs favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martinâs fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Heraâs help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. Iâm 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queenâs crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday â and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli militaryâs genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldnât give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this yearâs budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Departmentâs Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayersâ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the countryâs top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, MÄori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina â Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellingtonâs Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservationâs biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the planâs treatment of Auckland passed through the councilâs transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
When is Labour going to debate economic policy publically? Why has Cunliffe been effectively muzzled? Does Labour think that just being fairer and better managemrs than National is enough?
I’m waiting (and running out of patience, getting very bored).
I’m not holding my breath on that one. Labour caucus have shown in their choice of new leadership team they’re more interested in themselves staying in their troughs than NZ.
This is a steady as she goes rather than do what it takes party with the team chosen and it’s working out just fine for the govt.
Change was clearly needed in direction and approach whereas mallard and crew represent more of the same.
Even the less cogent of political watchers, must now be starting to think to themselves that there is something very wrong with our “democracy”…
There is a deliberate strategy going on inside the so called “opposition”, and its not the lets wait to see NACT implode…that will happen anyway, its a certainty, at which time the idiot public will vote again, for yet another moving of the deck cahirs on the NZ Titanic!
Thanks all those who stand back, say or do nothing of value other than vote sometimes or waste enery on blog sites and talkback…
Thanks for being party to the crime, have fun telling your kids and grandkids that you got sidetracked clinging to hope that all the governmnets actions were just an accident, or poor policy, perhaps a little bit corrupt. Thanks for not factoring in that governments have access to the most up to date “research” (read, failed exported US/UK policy), and for referring to the govt of any given day as stupid, or nanny state. They might act stupid, but they are not stupid, they are executing a strategy in front of your face, and while people debate the ins or outs of gay marriage and other diversions, this country is being taken away, and your kids wont have anywhere else to go, because the rest of the world is heading in the same direction, so thinking they will be able to head abroad to find a life is becoming less likely each day. Just keep thinking its all just the way it is, and that you have no real power, thats what the system wants!
Better hope that the Greeks and co do the hard work for us, because at least they seem to understand whats at stake!
Edit: TC, not aimed at you, it just seemed to fit off your post
And when are (some?, one or two?) Labour MPs going to turn their backs on the same corrupt, cronyist, suck-up-to-the-wealthy system that is promoted and maintained by right wing politics. Shane Jones, bye-bye!
Time for a complete change by mainstream left wing politics!
Absolutely Carol. Anyone who supports the current system, red or blue, is no better than a football hooligan, whose “support” of their team is a mockery to the game!
None taken Muzza I despair at the apathy of voters and dumbing down our MSM have allowed to occur by not doing their jobs and following the diversions carefully laid out by a well funded CT advised NACT spin machine that they have become an integral part of.
Shearer is the wrong choice, the results already appear to show that. Cunliffe has the drive, presentation and fire in the belly required to drag Labour into the territory required to take power as a major party.
muzza, congratulations. So much more explicit than most. I hope you are not embarrassed by my support.
J72, no not at all. people are entitled to have views and opinions on various issues, and in many cases they will find common ground, and in others not.
The system thrives on making sure that people are not able to find common ground, and are at eachother in as many ways as possible..
Once people unite with eachother against the root causes of inequality etc, then perhaps we have a chance to make meaningful change, otherwise not!
TC – Shearer was always the wrong choice, I’m sure people can look at it as simply a way to allow the govt an underchallenged environment. Look at what we have had, I challenge any of you Labour stooges to say otherwise. The strategy is deliberate, its as simple as that!
The footage of ‘Campbell Live’ with the piece about Shearer’s “profile problems” is available at on-demand at tv3. I’ll put up a link when it is available as a stand-alone piece. It comes on between a two thirds and three quarters of the way through the programme.
I’ll say just one thing. If anyone thinks that doing a tour of a factory accompanied by the top brass in their best suits doing awkward meet and greets with the workers, could be described as talking with real people and finding out what they’re thinking, they are delusional. If anyone sees any point to his touring the country doing this kind of “minor royalty” gig, I’d sincerely like to know what it is.
I’m thinking of inviting Shearer to share my best curried sausages with a few of my friends and I. I’m sure he would make time for us like he did the fat-cats from Sky
I saw that CL Shearer piece last night and was underwhelmed. Shearer playing guitar to school kids? Really? What is Fran Mold thinking? She did some good reports when working for TV3, but trying to make Shearer memorable as a personality is playing the neoliberal game of image over substance.
Time for some real left wing substance in the media – that would be a game-changer!
It’s all designed to make politicians seems like humans, when in fact it’s the degrees to which they are inhumane that we have to worry about.
At least Shearer isn’t using it for therapy: John Key confides in primary school students
Hey buddy đ
I enjoyed your latest blog piece. Particularly the straw-man argument and the linked video where the police officer in charge states 3 pairs of glasses were stolen…3.
Hilarious.
You can believe what the Asst Comm Dave Cliff said or you can believe what the Police reported on the their website… either way I think such discrepancies in the Police account make the whole secretive affair look dodgy as.
By straw-man argument are you referring to the excuse given by police that the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act means the fingerprints are inadmissible… when it doesn’t say any such thing? Please, be my guest and point out where the act supports their claims Contrarian? I would enjoy that.
Don’t know if you still care or will see this but it is to do with section 21 which states that everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure, whether of the person, property, or correspondence or otherwise.
The issue is whether the gathering of fingerprints for compliance can then be used as evidence for criminal proceedings – the general feeling is no and that is what the police have been advised. It is the same as when you give fingerprints because your house is burgled or whatever they can’t then use those fingerprints to convict you.
I can’t explain it very well so see this part:
http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/global-publications/t/the-guidelines-on-the-new-zealand-bill-of-rights-act-1990-a-guide-to-the-rights-and-freedoms-in-the-bill-of-rights-act-for-the-public-sector/introduction-to-sections-21-to-26-search-arrest-and-detention#section21
I mean obviously there is no provision in the bill of rights about fingerprinting but it is how they are interpretedÂ
Thanks Chris, I was aware of Section 21 and don’t think it explains away why the Police did not arrest the officer in question, being that they had reasonable suspicion to believe he/she committed the crime.
But they had nothing they had collected in the course of investigating a crime to explain why they suspected that person.
Using anything else can be termed to be an unreasonable search – I’m not a lawyer but that is my understanding and I assume that is the part the police are referring too
So let me get this right… you’re saying that if somebody stole something, left fingerprints that the police had on file at the scene of the crime, the police would not have cause to reasonably suspect that person was connected to that crime?
Let’s just rewrite the rule book then.
what you don’t get is that those seemingly natural answers to kids questions are what is driving Key’s popularity. You see spin and carefully manufactured answers. Most just see honest responses and like his comfort and willingness to talk with kids. Helen Clark was apparantly much the same, although slightly different when in front of the media.
Nah, not “most”. Less than half and falling.
“Most” aren’t buying it at all anymore.
Less than 25% of New Zealanders actually voted for Key and his mob. Has there ever been a more illegitimate governemnt.
That percentage decreases if you count the million odd kiwis that are entitled to vote but are living outside this country. Those good kiwis that have been driven out of here by Key. Economic refugees that had no hope of getting out of poverty in this country because of the policies that Key has implemented.
“Less than 25% of New Zealanders actually voted for Key and his mob. Has there ever been a more illegitimate governemnt.”
This is a legitimate government, mandated in a general election and accepted by the governor general. If this wasn’t a legitimate the opposition would be all over it.Â
Focusing on this non-issue is a waste of time when there are far more important issues to focus on.
The publics participation in general elections isn’t an important topic… while the amount of sunglasses somebody stole is? Oh contraire my little troll!
I stand by that comment
They aren’t an illegal government but they are without a doubt illegitimate.
Lets look at this then:
2011: National wins governence with 48% of the vote from a voter turnout of 73.83%.
Enough is Enough states this is illegitimate
Â
2002: Labour wins governance 41% of the vote from a voter turnout of 72.5%
Therefore, using your logic, Enough is Enough, the 2002 election should have also brought in an  illegitimate government.
If not, why not?Â
EiE: They arenât an illegal government but they are without a doubt illegitimate.
In your view when was our last “legitimate” government?
ohh the old game of “but he did it to in 2002”. come on grow up.
Lets have a look at the Facts
1 million kiwis stayed at home on polling day. They did not vote for this mob.
1 million kiwis voted by getting on planes and getting the fuck out of this coutry run by John Key.
1 Act memeber came in the back door left open by John Key against the wishes of 99% of those that did vote in New Zealand.
Less than 20% of New Zealanders voted for John Key’s mob.
No more lets look over there distractions. These are the facts.
You right leening people are so stupid
Nonetheless, this government is both legal and legitimate in the same way all previous elections were.
1 million kiwis stayed at home on polling day. They did not vote for this mob (neither did the 1 million who stayed home in 2002 – they didn’t vote labour)
1 million kiwis voted by getting on planes and getting the fuck out of this coutry run by John Key. (irrelevant – votes are not counted at the immigration desk)
1 Act memeber came in the back door left open by John Key against the wishes of 99% of those that did vote in New Zealand. (this is due to  MMP – if you have a problem with it I suggest making a submission on it )
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Enough is enough, by that logic, only about 10% of the population voted for NZ’s largest left wing party! And that is enough to be 1 seat away from potentially forming a Government? MMP at its worst.
I think you’re largely missing the point Bob. If a political party is elected by less than 25% of the population, but then goes against what the majority of the public wants, that’s not democracy. That is the few impacting on the many ie a dictatorship, and is the antithesis of what MMP is all about.
I thought the same thing Carol. Impressions by themselves mean bugger all under the present conditions. And as to his visit to the AFFCO workers, while it is perhaps better to visit them than not, it does not mean much so long as he avoids stating and defending a position. Is it true, for example, that the leadership team is taking Labour to the right, as looks to be the case? If not, deny it without equivocation. If true, state it, let us know the kind of policy it entails, and try to defend it. As it stands it looks as if Shearer’s response to the leak about Cunliffe is to “cover the left flank” by visiting the AFFCO workers, while continuing to evade the real question.
At a Boxing match Round 1 and some of you would be screaming at your Favoured One, “Kill him! Waddaya waiting for? Kill him you lazy incompetent bugger!” Meanwhile the Favoured One works away at his carefully planned strategy. Select your target. Wait for the right opening. And wait for Round 3 or 4.
Me? I would credit the Favoured One credit for having a plan and and the skills and it is not to rush in just because the pseudo supporters want instant blood. Go Mr Shearer!
I’m not sure that such a macho analogy as boxing is appropriate here, but I’ll stick with it for the moment…..
It looks to me like Shearer isn’t even in the ring, battling the real issues. He just seems to be shadow boxing in the gym.
ianmac: your analogy sidesteps the worrying issue, which is not the matter of drawing blood in the house. To extend your analogy, the worry is whether or not the great new contender is in fact another member of Don King’s stable, committed to strategies that reflect that allegiance. One hopes not, but the silencing of Cunliffe along with the reticence on position gives one pause.
Problem is that as mentioned above Labour is as much at fault as National. Yet some here (especially loyalist to Labour – Green follows excluded) close their eyes to the damage that Labour caused in “Playing the game” e.g. Housing affordability issues, tax rorts and the accounting corruption to allow statements “under Lab NZ had a Nil debt”. Fools who perpetuated this fallacy.
And to the average person (Who cannot be bothered to vote) there is no improvement in the workers long term outlook.
Nationals philosophy that they are adhering to is not what will be beneficial to the country- yet Labours failure to get involved (more important are the Little, Mallard feeding the side tracking issues) just adds to the appearance that possession power is everything and the people/voter can get stuffed as they don’t count.
Labour offers nothing to the poor or the workers in this country. It makes no difference whether Shearer of Cunliffe or Goff is in charge.
They offer zero, nothing, nada, zip.
That they are not quite as bad as National is hardly a selling point.
If they offered anything they would be saying loudly and clearly we will increase taxes, we will increase the minimum wage, we will increase benefits, we will re-instate time and a half after 8 hours work a day, we will make salaries a minimum of 120% of the minimum wage, we will allow workers to go on strike for more than just an expired agreement, we will get rid of GST, we will bring back in centralised wage bargaining so employers have to compete on product and service – not on paying workers less, we will build state housing and the state will employ those who build the state housing directly, we will combine our power companies back into one government owned company and get rid of all those layers of management and fake competition, we will kick Jenny Shipley off every government board she is on find out what this valuable advice that she has been giving Christchurch, we will publicly list those people who invested in SCF in the weeks up to the bailout who got taxpayers money – the tax payer has a right to know who benefited from the tax payers largesse, we will remove funding to private and religious schools and only fund secular education.
That’s a start.
Does Labour stand for anything of those things – hardly. Bloody right wing party just like National.
Absolutely! I get the impression that some people here (and not just the RWNJs) would not be happy with Shearer even if he had himself whipped through the streets in order to prove his devotion to Labour!Â
You note that Talleys spit the dummy because he didn’t talk to them? Who would Key have talked to? I rest my case.
Yeah when discussing economic issues publicly is considered to be “disloyal to the leadership” there is something seriously wrong with the party. And the leadership.
He wasn’t just “discussing economic issues, he was proposing a quite different direction for Labour to it’s current apparent positioning.
If Labour get dragged leftward it will please a few commenters here, but will pitch them into a crowded part of the spectrum, and won’t attract back many lost voters in the centre.
Labour’s problem at the last election was not that some swinging voters in the middle did not swing back, it was that a million ordinary Kiwis did not see a reason to vote. Labour needs passionate dedicated leadership and a clear alternative approach to economics to persuade these people that it is in their interests to vote.
Being a slightly paler shade of blue will not do it.Â
TC, SP, Muz, Carol, thanks for replies, I posed the same question yesterday and it got lost in the gay marriage debate. What that said to me was that we were too easily distracted by minutae and losing sight of the real issue.
For my part I am going to hassle the shit out of Labour MPs, every opportunity. Our democracy is broken, it is “owned”. The only way we are going to take back our democratic power is to pose a valid alternative to the status quo, which is why I am so pissed off Cunliffe has been muzzled.
Yeah its broken alright – people have to get onto their local politicians, write letters go see them, get involved anyway you can, but do it directly!
Sitting back and whining online, is just a waste of time, and being sidetracked by fluff is for the simple! Spending energy commentating about the fluff, idiotic, that’s for the MSM, leave them to it!
As for Cunnliffe, I’m not so sure you know, because if he is really worth his salt, he would just cut loose IMO. The time for adhering to “protocol” is finished, just like this country is finished if people keep “hoping” that the system will right itself.
If you’re in politics you either love your country, and you do anything you can to assist, or you don’t and thus are compromised
What is difficult to reconcile, is the plea to get involved in a corrupted political system. One man cannot make difference using the same system that corrupted everyone before him. It would be like people were holding out for a hero or messiah. The Shearer/Cunliffe thing is a waste of time. Neither are Left, or “the answer” to the problem NZ has, and being “Left” in itself is not the answer either.
Militant Communism never took hold in NZ, in part due to the birth of the Labour Party and the closest you’ll get to the ghost of communism is within some unions or the Socialist Worker of Aotearoa. Just the other night, one of the most well known participants in HART – another organisation with a communist spirit – John Minto, was crossing his fingers publicly saying that joining Mana was either the smartest or worst thing he’s ever done. The thing most people either forget, or don’t know about communism, is that they are philosophically, “anti-political” as far as our style of politics goes. At base, communists are spokespeople for those with no social power/influence. They have few policies or agendas other than those of the immediate needs of people, because the whole point is for people to rule as a collective, rather than under the divisive and ineffective property/money hierarchies we all think are “normal” today. John Minto knows this and said he remains reluctant about giving up the ability to speak freely by joining an organised political party. How often do you hear people complaining that no politician or party listens to the people?
If the system is broken, then leave it be, don’t get involved in it and certainly do not vote and in doing so, uphold it. From all reports, the coming trouble is unavoidable. Financial problems beyond average man’s control; a concerted effort by our New Rich to oppress poor. History proves these things are doomed to failure – the whole oppression thing, by whatever means – but people still try, god bless ’em.
There are more important things to do than vote. As I see it, the best defence is to give up the traps of our economic and political system and enter into dialogue with the least influential people â the sidelined and the oppressed. The dominant collective perspective, “the system”, is increasing its pace to leave people behind and the idea that sidelined people are inferior has no basis; whether the measure is economic or philosophical. In fact, strategically it is a gross failure. Is the whole 1% thing not clear enough? One Percent, what is that, roughly 40,000 people living with more than enough. The rest â some 3,960,000 people â in various degrees of shortfall, conflict or poverty? I’m sorry, why exactly would I vote to participate in this system? And tell me again how a number that I assume includes armed forces and police â an army of much less than 40,000 â clearly poorly led and strategically incompetent, can hold back almost 4 million people whose will is sure? It would be like the US sending a single regular army division into Afghanistan, hoping for victory. Generals the world over must be turning in their graves. But it neednât get that far, and wonât. The reality is clear already.
This is why talking about things like gay marriage is not a distraction, but a necessity. No one left behind. Not gays, not immigrants, not maori, not those in palliative care and their caregivers, not those looking after intellectually of physically handicapped, not low income parents, not solo mums, no one. Get it? No one. Everyone has a say, with a view to inclusion. Discussing social issues only becomes a “distraction” when we try to hold two opposing concepts at once: one an important and timeless social issue, the other a divisive expression of current ideology. So beginning a process to an inclusive society by, for example, discussing the ideas and concepts around gay marriage, supports a society that will exist now and after any financial collapse. Gays aren’t going away just because the banks close. They were here before banks. Just as Africans and Jews were. They won’t be saying to themselves, “Oh shit, no money, oh well I guess I can’t make a commitment to a partner anymore.”. Their single most publicised problem seems to have been them thinking, “Oh shit, society wants me gone really badly, better live under a serious case of repression” and cue all sorts of associated symptoms. That’s the story for everyone and anyone who has limited social power, regardless of orientation, race or whereabouts – have you not noticed? Instead of bringing the wealth of the inner person into the outside environment, and letting those things benefit society and the individual constructively, our collective beliefs have made a business of limiting our understanding of life and the world to turning materials into money and power. Using this outlook, the world gets smaller and more dangerous, people limit the potential of their intelligence and start to hide away, behind fences, taupe concrete walls and automatic gates.
When a person or organisation wants to start a beneficial process, but uses it to reinforce a social harm, then it becomes a distraction. It being a distraction does not mean that the issue is wrong, or a luxury, the issue is a distraction to the harm inherent in the way the issue was offered. We have ideas like contraception, but tagged onto who we can force it onto to further our financial oppressions. We are offered ideas about including gays completely, but the only reason itâs brought up is to take attention away from asset sales that undermine short term social stability, or parliamentary corruption. So if this is the way politics is now, forget politics, forget voting and forget the system. Re-organise yourself around something that matters, and as far as I can see, the only thing that matters is the connection between people. If the people are fighting or insecure, imbalances and inequalities form and they cannot be fed. More or less food is irrelevant. The Farmer on his land cannot afford to fear the hordes descending for food when supply is restricted. Heâd be better off making changes right now. Because he canât stop the inevitable. And the hordes thinking that they can just roll through the countryside like locusts, but without any provision for sustainable food supply or social arrangements will soon run out of the immediate and suffer avoidable loses. If the fighting and jockeying for dominance continues, people cannot find solutions or understand their problems or rule themselves. They will be victim to opportunists and manipulators.
Politics stems from a basic social agreement and that agreement has always remained with the collective. In its simplest form, it is between two people who monetarily become peers â not one up one down, not law passed down from on high. Even the major religions of the world have a god who creates man to give him the choice of good or bad, to know god, or not. God needs man, yet gives him a choice to submit. So who exactly are these politicians that demand we need them and must submit without choice? SunTzu, writing the Art of War, tells us to control the enemiesâ movements. When you want him to stay put, show him the potential harm. When you want him to move, seize his most wanted asset. And what assets do our politicians covet the most? Power generators? Schools? Land? The crushed cars of boy racers? Nope. Their anxious demands reveal the greatest asset in NZ: itâs us. Their anxious demands reveal they have no more care for us than a horny boyfriend pestering a girl for sex. Remove support for these abusers and their systems. Donât vote, donât participate, control the enemy. We canât lose. None of the major parties offer a difference, so who cares if one or the other win a total nationwide vote of one or one hundred?
Start simple, with your neighbour, family and friends and live your life in community. What will come will come and if you have human connection outside of money, if you understand each other and give each other basic respect; if you commit to working through the dark nature of humanity as it appears as well as enjoying the good; if you commit to tackle the apparent void and anxiety outside of financial connections; you’ll live or die as well as anyone in history ever has. If it seems too sedate, if it seems like nothing is happening, check your vanity and try including people you wouldnât usually meet. If you want a fight, a really serious one, try fighting your own ignorance. If you win, together and finally, against those things that divide and destroy, it will be a future worth living. So what will it be? Keep voting, or start living as a human?
By not participating are we not then becoming what politicians want APATHY. I am sure with all the dumbing down of politics (remove the ability for indepth analysis and critical review and replaced with celebrity politics with Women’s mags and fluffy TV appearances) that there is a desire of removing the public from politics for all but 1 day in 3 years, and in reality we have no ability to change anything just where a few privileged sit in parliament. The voter or the country does not benefits – just a few who sold their votes for undelivered promises.
Not sure how to respond to apathy in politics..UTurns article probably needs to be a story in its own right, fascinating perspective. One concept that makes sense is the standing aside bit: reading Greer (the Archdruidreport) today he noted the need for example to be taken when moving to a protest position. The contention is that you cannot effect change unless you live it…i.e. climate change, you must not only demand legislative action, but your own living actions must pre-empt it, (like self diminution of your carbon footprint).
Non participation in the current political process and concurrently actively demanding a move to a process you practice is very powerful, it will challenge the status quo far more than chardonnay socialism.
Non participation in the current political process and concurrently actively demanding a move to a process you practice is very powerful, it will challenge the status quo far more than chardonnay socialism.
Sounds a lot to me like the hippy ethos that I bought into back then…. and look what happened after that?
Now I think how you live is only part of the strategy. The multitude need to find ways to tackle the power of the elites head-on… maybe as the occupy movement is doing?
It isn’t apathy, because there is strategy. The people refuse to give consent to hierachial rule and return to their own concerns and power base – those connections that last, between each other. If you think that is easy, give it try. The easy bit is not voting; all you have to do is not turn up to the polls and go about your life as normal. The hard bit is knowing from that point onward you must engage with people, constructively, socially. It might start with a nod and wave, or a borrowed wheel barrow or a looking after someones kids for an hour, but pretty soon you’ll have to tackle up close and personal disagreements and differences in values and personal viewpoints and there will be no escape. You have to go forward together, because the alternative is clear, getting dragged out of a comfortable insulated life when excess of funds meant problems could be defered or ignored and into real serious life with people. It’s like pressing the political reset button.
Then the next part comes: the threats and attacks of the polticians no one wants, but law says have legal rule. Stuff them. They will only try to isolate and persecute the weakest parts of society, turning people against each other with compromises and bribes of self interest; seeking out greed and hate, to inflame. By that, they will expose their true natures. But hey, lets not be too morbid, maybe they will see the light and wholesale change to our system will be voluntarily offered. No point ruling out hope. If it’s offered, there can still be no turning back, no loss of intent just because a rush of a minor improvement after so many loses makes us think the problem is solved.
Apathy it is not. It’s a gentle route into some seriously hard work, but not the kind of hard work where an overlord stands behind you and pushes you to exhaustion then takes all the rewards. Rest is an integral part of working. There is no natural law that says you must exceed your abilities and limits, but it will be obvious that stagnation and delay of what is necessary will come at a cost. People will have to move forward together, the least able helped along by the more able and the gains they make will be real and solid because they were hard won. Each step will be known in retrospect, the why will be obvious, the when and how clear, the future always an opportunity for improvements.
Uturn, I like most of you post. The difference between “not voting” and apathy seems to be the only weak link. One alternative is to ask our leaders to lead by example. They are cutting jobs continually on the grounds of recession but surely if the economy is that tight, they could set an example and take a pay cut. (50% ++) The money would do little for the economy but a disply of sincerity would be without value. Actions speak louder than words.
Show that they are sincere and care about the country. Lead by example has always been a golden rule.
Apparently, Greece, Spain, Italy etc. have problems worse than the recession of the 1930’s, yet when Germany asked Greece to accept austerity changes the population threw out the Greek government. Did the population know what it was doing? I suggest that it was an emotional reaction to a poorly presented austery move. The leaders were not going to suffer but they wanted the worker to. That is the way it was presented by the media. This seems too simplistic. The leaders of Greece, a land of great thinkers, must be able to manipulate the voters more elegantly than that. Perhaps the government wanted to be thrown out.
I have stocked up on flour, preserved fruit, dry firewood and a road worthy bike. Must get some candles. The back lawn would make a nice addition to the vegetable garden. Will not have time to watch TV.
Do not say “It can not happen to me.” The Great War (WW1) was supposed to be “The war to end all war.”
@ Uturn. Why not take the two minutes to vote? Just don’t expect much to come from it. And no need to spend time dissecting the policy of this party and that party – we know roughly where they stand and know that the more right the party is the more inimical to our wellbeing it’s policies will be. So vote against them.
And for the other 364 days, 23 hours and 58 minutes, do something worthwhile. That could be the sort of stuff you already wrote. But one thing was missing.
It’s not the politicians who sit above and over society determining it’s direction and focus. Politicians serve economic interests and those economic interests ultimately shape everything from parliamentary politics on down.
So what?
The competitive economy determines the shape or culture of our workplaces (dictatorial). It determines who has access to what resources and who can exploit them. (The economically powerful). It also determines where the things that are produced through the exploitation of resources get allocated. (That’s something which, again we have no say over… beyond pitifully offering up the dollars and cents from our exploitation to get a piece of that ‘dream pie’). And because it is about defending entrenched power, the competitive economy is produces a culture that is frighteningly conservative. (Oil today, oil tomorrow and oil for ever…until the power runs out)
How to counter that?
Insist at every juncture on a move towards democracy. In the workplace, in any place, in every place. On every issue and decision that we are afforded any input, keep pushing the envelope.
That has to go alongside your appeal for building connections and behaving decently because the market and the power it wields will happily ride rough shod over your decency and (figuratively) your dead body without even noticing.
That’s hitting the nail on the head, Bill.
As Tony Benn said, the most ‘subversive’ idea – and therefore the one always guarded against by the powerful – is not socialism, communism, capitalism, liberalism, etc. it’s democracy.
In the modern context, the subversive nature of democracy can be put quite simply: The more decisions get determined through democracy, the less they get determined through the market.
The battle, then, is between people and the machine – which in our case is the technical machine of the competitive, market economy. For all of our sakes, the machine must lose – it only has its own interests at heart, not ours.
The difficulty is having the skill to generate (and to recognise) democracy, as opposed to its various impersonators.Â
“Keep voting, or start living as a human?”
I think I’d put it more like this “Keep [thinking that] voting [on its own will result in the substantive change needed], or start living [together] as human[s]?”
I don’t think voting is a problem in the sense of it being an act of ‘collaboration’ with the enemy. One of the reasons that universal suffrage has been so roundly resisted by those with property and power over the centuries is that it at least has the potential to ruffle the elite’s feathers.
Of course, elites are adaptable and will use their power to subvert a system of voting as much as any of the other systems and arrangements fought for by people to gain more control over their destiny.
I see no reason why the vote should not be used as one of the many levers available to make the ground more amenable for the sorts of changes you wish for.
It isn’t the most important lever, of course. But it is one and given how little effort it takes I can’t see why someone who wanted change wouldn’t make use of it. A strategy of not voting only makes sense if it is part of a deliberate, widespread, organised public boycott to deligitimise the actions of any government that ends up getting elected.
Otherwise, the net effect is to make invisible the ‘non-voting’ of the non-voters (they don’t even get calculated in the ‘party percentages’ in our MMP elections – i.e., we don’t have a third of Parliament’s seats sitting empty and, in effect, preventing a government forming a majority).
Furthermore, what is being sold to us as centrism is not centrism in the strictest sense. Cunliffe’s speech was in fact quite centrist by any standard in which words mean what they say. Centrism increasingly means continuing to play the same vicious game but insisting on a few minor concessions that do not inconvenience our financial masters.
it was that a million ordinary Kiwis did not see a reason to vote.
And if they did see a reason to vote who would they have voted for? Non-voters aren’t to blame for Labour’s (and other parties) poor vote, a significant proportion of people deliberately don’t vote becasue they don’t like anything that’s on offer.
The Labour Mallardy is not attractive to votesrs, it turns many people off politics.
To improve voter turnout there needs to be an improvement in political behaviour and what parties offer to the voters – and that’s not overgrown kids with back alley behaviour.
Pete it has nothing to do with “political behaviour”.
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People are hurting. They are losing their jobs. Kids are developing third world diseases. The schools are being screwed over and the unions and working conditions are getting a battering.
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People do not give a shyte about someone not being very nice to someone else or about MPs playing political games with themselves. They care only about those basic issues.Â
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They want to see someone take this Government on. They don’t give a toss about beltway games.
Yeah maybe, maybe not. All we know for sure is that a whole lot of people who usually vote Labour decided not to vote at all.
Maybe you’ve seen some other polling that shows they stayed away because ‘Mallard was mean to John Key’s BFFs’ or some such bullshit, but you’d be the only one.
Until you do come up with some way to show that such trivial side-show beltway issues are of any interest to the million or so ex-labour voters who stayed home, I think it’s far more sensible to assume the obvious.
Edit: snap SP
Let’s not forget however that some people didn’t vote because this government took that right away:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Bill-passes-banning-prisoners-from-voting/tabid/423/articleID/190034/Default.aspx
Socialist Paddy Absolutely. But how far on the socialist line are you?
Pete the centre is the kiss of death for Labour and for the progressively impoverished citizens who claim to be “centre..middle class”. Its where faux leftists like the formerly Labour Peter Dunne reside. You had better hope the million non voting Kiwis dont catch on, it is pretty obvious to me they have rejected the “centrist” (read neo lib rightist) status quo as not worth voting for, and the so called “left” represent just another pack of “centrist” ciphers to them.
Sean Davison has written a letter to the editor of ODT, repeating that itâs a time to talk (about death and euthanasia), and thinks itâs also time for a law change.
And I’m continuing to collate news, links and discussions on Euthanasia here.
There are currently 56 proposed Member’s Bills, but Maryan Street’s End of Life Choice Bill isn’t on the list yet.
I took the anti privatisation petition to Waitakere Court yesterday and asked a few legal colleagues to sign. The response was really good. Twenty people signed without hesitation and a few took forms away to get other signatures. If a bunch of middle class lawyers are so opposed to the policy this Government is in trouble on the issue.
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Can I suggest all good standardistas do the same. Keep a form with you and poke it under peoples noses. You will be pleasantly surprised with the response.
Good one micky, real world reports compliment the pontificating and debate of the âsphere. Anyone can put their 5 cents worth in, 2 cents in Peteâs case of course, but it is always instructive to hear about activity beyond the keyboard.
Yeah Micky, I circulated it among my law firm the other day and got a HUGE response!
Downtown or suburban Frida?
Big 7 Micky, Wellington.
Respect!
I reckon Johnny “derivatives” Key must be shitting himself right about now. What with continued bank runs in Spain and Greece and soon to be in Ireland and Italy which will result in the collapse of the entire financial system.
Dont bet on a collapse…the banksters can always “create” cash by fractional banking…they would rather hyper inflate the debt loaded economies than forgive any debt. The whole game is the financial enslavement of all but the 1%, the same game has been playing out since the creation of “debt” 000s years ago . Remember the Great Depression did not kill capitalism, finance or the ruling elites, they survive financial collapses well.
What is more likely to happen is that the bulk of the people will be faced with what they percieve as a threat to their very existence. if the food supply were to be disrupted as is very possible there will be trouble. In France a failed harvest tipped the country into revolution, as did hunger in Russia. People faced with starvation tend to see things as life and death and take extreme measures. What our tipping point looks like I dont know but I suspect that when little pleasures such as IPODs and the internet get rare, the EFTPOS has no cash for you and you cant get hold of a can of beans it is going to get very personal. And when the unemployed young can see no future look out for trouble as false prophets point fingers.
It is the hyperinflation which will collapse the system. I think that too many people are beginning to wake up to the bankster scam and yes it is the 99% who will suffer and it will be Mad Max. I never said I was looking forward to the collapse did I? In fact I dread the next foreseeable future.
Yes the âtipping pointâ for Aotearoa is most interesting. It is all about ownership and control really because this country has huge infrastructure and natural resources and the population of a Tokyo suburb. They just arenât shared around.
The post colonial dynamic, farming/small business sector and the punitive psychology of around 40% of kiwis have always been a retarding factor on class struggle. Not to mention years of neo liberalism.
A family friend has a successful rural business with a huge turnover, but with running costs removed it really just pays them a wage. The owners greatest fear is that in a crisis, zombie like, the citizens of nearby Whangarei will appear en mass to pillage his idyllic spread. And really that is the mentality of the 1% ers. Any self respecting lefties job is to make their fears a reality.
But I take Eveâs point about âMad Maxâ, there may well be a nasty futurist âBlade Runnerâ type scenario rather than a left revolutionary transition.
you know I always felt the best imagining of what is in store was “children of men”…really a movie about immigration and trying to protect the idyllic spread from the zombie hordes…(read refugees of all types)…NZ will be a lifeboat of sorts, with nowhere near enough seats…question is, who will be first to start prising off the drowning peoples fingers to keep from all going under….well worth watching again for the terrible slow decline
Great movie! Very apt!
It sounds close to the tipping point in Greece right now, with unemployment at 25% (as reported by Aljazeera on TV this morning), and people taking their money from the banks and putting it under the mattress. And with money being taken from banks in southern Europe and put in northern European banks, there could follow the rest of southern Europe and open north-south conflict.
We’re well past the tipping point for all of Europe. bank runs are contagious. We are past the second day of the Greek bank run, Spain is now in a full on bank run and both countries have either the whole country or their banks down graded.
If the Greek government decided on a bank holiday or a limited access to peoples funds there is going to be blood in the streets. Expect Italy and Ireland to follow in the Baking crisis.
The pastries, won’t anyone think of the pastries !
Lol, That would be banking crisis. Thanks for pointing my typo out. God forbid people like you would actually believe it was a baking crisis.
Dyslexics of the world Untie! etc.
But anyone who follows this stuff realises serious shit is about to go down in Europe. Bare cupboards, uncooperative ATMs, utilities turned off, what would you do?
I live at the beach with rain water tanks, a garden and some opportunity to gather shell and other fish, but a societal breakdown is scary stuff nonetheless. Civil Defence in the Far North has estimated just a three day supply exists at local Pak n âSaves and such like. But imagine Howick or Wadestown.
The 1%ers have to be dealt to sooner rather than later. OOoo thats socialism! Damn right it is. The alternative is what Eve and others, and me too, are concerned about.
“The 1%ers have to be dealt to sooner rather than later.”
And what better ‘revenge’ to exact on people who are self-centred than to relieve them of their ‘hard-earned’ wealth and then change the rules of the game so everyone has a fair go. Being forced to be on an equal footing with their fellow humans would be worse than torture or a violent revolution for people who follow the greed creed.
Not quite sure where you are coming from TFISG, your framing gives a hint though, my comments are not about ârevengeâ, more about survival and a reasonable life.
That’s why I used quote marks for the word revenge. Revenge isn’t in my nature but it is the best word that I could think of that fits, as in ‘success is the best revenge’. My point is that the best way to deal with the 1% is to make them share, which I think would be very hard for them to do.
Dyslexics of the world Untie! etc.
I like that, lets try and bring a bit of humour into this very frightening situation.
This is nothing to do with the discussion but I feel it could bring a bit of lite relief. TM’s comment reminded me of the following.
Many year’s ago the then conservative party in Britain elected a new PM who’s name was Lord Home, we were informed that his name was pronounced Hume. David Frost on his show suggested if we were going to pronounce O’s as U’s then we can pronounce U’s as O’s and suggested that the following sentence could be read one of two ways.
Lord Home was in bed with flu, or Lord Hume was in bed with Flo.
LOL!! Never mind getting your money out of the bank, stock up on flour.
Not flour, seeds and not Monsanto ones.
We have great dependence on Tourism. So does Greece. If Greece fails -(out of Euro, formally in Recession, defaulted etc,) what effect does that have on those who had planned on Touring Greece. Is it better or worse for them? Would the Greek citizen benefit from the tourist? (Whatever it is will be reflected in NZ?)
Go Emmerson…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10806663
Bill Liu is a fine upstanding NZ citizen. He must be, Shane Jones made him so.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6943391/Tycoon-boasted-of-his-MP-mates
Hey insider did you and Jimmie get the same instruction to publish the same Stuff article about Shane Jones?
Â
Your comments are three minutes apart and both refer to the same article.
Â
Are you members of a secret club with handshakes and a clubhouse and stuff?
I wonder if Shane Jones had a good nights sleep last night??
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6943391/Tycoon-boasted-of-his-MP-mates
I would think that by the time this court case is over there may be a little more of the stinky stuff over 1 or 2 Labour MP’s.
I hope Shearer see’s this as an opportunity to give a little ‘jump before you’re pushed’ advice to the MP’s involved and bring in a couple of fresh faces.
Hey Jimmy did you and insider get the same instruction to publish the same Stuff article about Shane Jones?
Â
Your comments are three minutes apart and both refer to the same article.
Â
Are you members of a secret club with handshakes and a clubhouse and stuff?
Yes, and they are a little slow off the mark – I already expressed my views on Jones (having read that article) above at 7.45am this morning…. looks like the two posters above were waiting for their instructions.
We just did it to induce paranoia into the left
What I don’t understand re Shane Jones is that none of the rightwing bloggers have written about it, while the leftwing bloggers have. I guess that just goes to show the leftwing is more concerned with accountability in general.
Do you stutter? Or do you just love the copy and paste function on your keyboard?
Do you masturbate? Â Or do you just come onto this site to take the piss?
But to be frank if Jones has stuffed up he needs to be gone. Â The left needs to concentrate on real issues like poverty, third world illnesses, unemployment, the undermining of the trade union movement and workers rights. Â If Jones has deflected attention from these issues he needs to go.
Your country needs you
If TVNZ7 gets pulled, New Zealand will have lost 1/3 of the free to air network. You can help save our public broadcasting service…
Please sign the Save TVNZ 7 Online Petition.
ummm, what are you talking about? 1/3 of the free to air network?
Are you sure?
You tell me… how many channels have we lost so far Contrarian?
Don’t change the subject.
You say: If TVNZ7 gets pulled, New Zealand will have lost 1/3 of the free to air network.Â
Â
Are you sure?Â
I’m not changing the subject. Do you know how many channels have been canned since National gained power in 2008 Contrarian? It’s a simple question.
Sorry, you are obfuscating. We are talking about this specific comment.
“If TVNZ7 gets pulled, New Zealand will have lost 1/3 of the free to air network.”
Are you sure?   Â
Yes! By my calculation New Zealand will have lost 33% of its free to air network if TVNZ gets pulled. If you think otherwise, surely you would know what channels have already been lost?
How did you come to that conclusion?
NZ currently has 17 free to air channels including TVNZ 7. If TVNZ 7 gets pulled you lose 1/17th which is a loss of about 6%.
Not 33%Â
(Note this is total free to air – some regions will differ and some types of freeview differ i.e UHF vs. Satellite)
So you don’t know how many channels have already been lost then? I’m talking about the free to air network, not just TVNZ 7 Contrarian.
Never mind the width, feel the (lack of) quality.
I have freeview terrestrial and never could get SBS. But with TVNZ7 and Stratos gone, there’s not a lot of quality public service broadcasting left for me.
Choice, U etc… I never watch. And there’s some Chinese channels in a language I don’t understand. It seems the current strategy is to axe the quality English-language news, information & current affairs channels, and fill the channel slots up with low level dross.
Now the only benefit to me of my freeview box is some better reception of Maori TV, Prime and TV One. TV3+1 has some use, and parliament TV is a plus.
That’s utter bollices! There are not 17 at all. I can get only free to air, and by that I mean genuinely free-to-air, no need to buy any expensive Freeview boxes etc.. and I can assure you that there are 3 networks, TV1/2, TV3/4 and Prime. That’s all.
Do you have a crazy calculator?
TVNZ7 is nothing like 1/3 of our free-to-air television.
So you don’t know the answer to the Jackal’s question? I guess you are just picking a fight to prove your credentials as a pedant and a bore. How very conservative you are, TC.
hey buddy, how’s it going?Â
Doing bettter than you, thanks. Have a look at the number of TVNZ channels that have a dedicated news service. Then remove TVNZ 7. You are going to find yourself with 66% of the previous figure. Then, when the penny drops, go and sign the petition.
Glad to hear you a doing OK.
Nice moving of the goal posts there too. Very clever
Keep up the average work, TC. You know you’re losing when Pete George has to bail you out.
The Jackal plus Te Reo Putake – formidabullshit.
Pete George + TheConsevative = purgaTory.
However, there are not 17 channels! Not for the ordinary poor person, that is… How does one get Maori TV, Stratos, TVNZ7 etc? I can’t…
Jackal doesn’t have an answer to Jackal’s question that makes any sense.
I was interested to know if the Contrarian had a clue about what he was basing his question on. He doesn’t. You might not be aware that New Zealand’s free to air network recently lost SBS one and two, and another two channels when they pulled Stratos Television. I haven’t included repeater channels in the calculation.
So if there are currently 17 channels, we recently lost 4 “SBS one and two, and another two channels when they pulled Stratos Television”
That equals 21.
21 – 5 = 15 (5 being the SBS one and two, and another two channels when they pulled Stratos Television and TVNZ 7).
23.8%. And SBS can STILL be found for free via satellite and is in fact an Australian channel and hasn’t been “pulled” so that lowers the % even more.
SBS was using the Optus D1 service satellite, which meant we could receive those channels here on our freeview network. That is no longer the case.
I’m not sure where you gained your 17 channels figure from, as there is no freeview system that receives all of the channels? We have lost five other channels not four, learn to read properly please. As previously stated, I havenât included repeater channels in the calculation.
Can you explain how SBS can still be found for free via satellite?
No answer eh! I guess you’re arguing from a lack of knowledge again… but what else is new?
Just to clarify how I reached 33% reduction in the free to air network…
The current amount of channels New Zealander’s are able to receive free to air from Analogue, UHF or Freeview receivers equates to an average of 11.6 channels per receiver (You don’t count the red boxes Contrarian).
Rounded up to account for people with multiple receivers = 12.
Amount of channels already lost 5 + 12 = 17. % change from 17 to 12 = 29.4%
Include the loss of TVNZ7 = 6 + 11 = 17. % change from 17 to 11 = 35.3%
I rounded this down to 33% to equate for variables such as regional broadcasting. I did not include SBS HD or TV3+1 as these are already broadcast.
It’s not a perfect equation, but it does show that New Zealand’s free to air broadcasting network is looking decidedly the worse for wear since National took over.
17 free to air channels covers regional channels as well, and takes into account all availble channels from the different free to air formats (i.e. UHF vs satellite etc)
I am getting conflicting stories on SBS and have never seen it myself so we’ll say that it is gone. However considering it was an Australian channel does it really get included as a New Zealand free to air channel?
It was free to air, so of course you count it. Here’s an article on the matter: Bang goes another public service TV channel
You might argue that SBS wasn’t widely viewed, but neither is Parliament TV for instance… so stop nitpicking!
So if you add in a few considerations like losing Australian TV channels which, as your linked article states, was only view-able by modification and was only because the satellite happened to pointing towards Tasmania and we could hijack it and we lost it due to Optus tinkering with its broadcast (i.e. nothing to do with the NZ government). And also averaging the amount of channels people receive as opposed to the actual number of free channels available then you have a case but a very very weak one because there are more than 11 free TV channels and SBS wasn’t technically a NZ free to air broadcast.
So what’s more important Contrarian, the amount of channels being broadcast or the amount of channels people can receive through free to air broadcasting?
The modification Beatson is talking about is simply getting your set top box to search all available channels, something most installers already do.
You state:
However David Beatson wrote:
Anyway, I have better things to do than bandy words with a witless fool.
Its still a very very weird practice to include an Australian Channel which wasn’t part of the NZ free to air package into your calculations. Weak dude, very weak
My word… what complete argument fail by the Contrarian. Firstly he questions the 1/3 figure, obviously intent on picking a fight based on his ignorance.
Then he claims that channels people cannot even receive should be included in the calculation and that I was only talking about the loss of TVNZ7, which to anybody with even half a brain is obviously not the case.
So after providing the calculation again, the Contrarian starts clasping at straws by claiming that SBS wasn’t even a part of New Zealand’s Freeview network, when in fact it was advertised within New Zealand as part of the deal.
Clearly the several years he spent studying politics was several too few.
Anyone know what happened to the Wellington People’s Centre?
http://wellingtonpeoplescentre.org.nz/iWPC/
Thanks. Doesn’t really tell me what happened though.
What do you mean by “what happened”? Is it no longer there?
Not sure, that’s why I was asking. Seems like some of it has closed and some of it has moved. Are there no Wellies here that know?Â
I passed by a couple of weeks ago and was surprised to see the Luke’s Lane premises boarded up. I suspect the current re-locations and separation of services is a last breath gambit for survival after its well used high functioning and centrally located premises met the same demise as most useful low wage/community services. Namely the financial throttling from council and government funding as its essential costs skyrocketed and it struggled against the psychotic death grip of profit junkies. That and the ongoing [global insurance scam] edicts for unrealistic earthquake strengthening.
Yeah, that’s what I was guessing. Except for the earthquake bit, hadn’t thought of that.
Very cool can I have one for XMAS please.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/6944554/The-New-Zealand-book-of-life
You’re right HS. Magnificent. If I didn’t know better I would almost believe in religion.
Mate of mine has just bumped into the PM in Feilding. Handily, she had a copy of the asset sales petition with her and she asked Key to sign. Didn’t get a positive response!
Would love to have seen that! Good on her!
Clever woman! Wow… đ
That’s how we are gonna win it, V! If we all just carry a copy around and when the opportunity arises to get a signature … not Key’s obviously, but real people’s, we’ll get the numbers in no time.
That’s true!
Torys donât like it up âem it seems. Keep the heat on.
Yep! Sadly, Key didn’t have time to chat with the group of Affco workers who were there too. Busy, busy man!
âhead shakeâ and check this out b 4 Emm is sacked.
http://thestandard.org.nz/emmerson-is-key-mum-enough/#comments
Shane Jones for the chop?
If Labour wants to see the same growth in support they must have the same principles as those adhered to by the Greens…
Your article is a bit lacking in two aspects, Jackal. One, what you think Labour should do about it and two, what the reference to the Greens means.
Â
For mine, I think Labour can’t do a damn thing about it. He’s not a minister anymore, so other than a reprimand behind closed doors, that’s it, really.
The reference to the Greens is that they have not had any similar cases (that I’m aware of) where their standards can be questioned. It would truly be a pity if there was nothing Labour could do if the Fairfax article proves to be factual.
they’ve never been in power to do anything
Tell that to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises:
Tony Ryal – 10 May 2012
How big was each reserve?
Labour did indeed create 17 marine reserves during their governance consisting of 515,802.24 ha.*
In comparison it appears that National has only proposed 5 new marine reserves consisting of 17,528 ha combined. Some of these may have been legislated for… but as far as I can tell they haven’t.
The so-called Bluegreens had also announced in January 2011 3 new marine reserve, but I don’t think they disclosed where or how big these reserves are.
So who is more dedicated to creating new tourism dollars by increasing the conservation estate? I think this RadioNZ article from 9 May sums up the answer best:
Judge orders minister to reconsider marine reserve
* Refer to links to find out the size of individual reserves.
Must everything that those on the treasury benches do be mirrored by Labour or vice versa ?
All we will see is the duplicity of Labour is in handling internal issues as National & Act.
And the game of politics is played on and the country suffers because of it. đ
Another example of where cost cutting and austerity measures discriminates against another group within our society. Appalling!
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/yellow-pages-accessibility.html
I’m going to have to admit that I’d prefer that telephone books weren’t printed at all as they’re just a waste of resources.
They serve a practical and useful purpose DTB. Have you ever tried to lift a carton filled with glossy fancy house and garden books, gourmand’s cookery magazines or even the glossy women’s magazines telling other women about Spices boniness, the mole on the end of Tom’s toe, the secret baby that is showing itself in this side shot of pansy blah blah. This dreadful drivel is demoralising to the dopes who pant after women who have self- respect and respect for other women, even celebrities those driven bell-wethers.
Weight training?
So, what alternative would you like? It costs to phone directory services, and not everyone can afford to go online when they want to look something up. Grr… greens annoy me so much sometimes! Champagne greens! Be realistic please, mate.
I’m being realistic, maintaining paper books isn’t. Everybody should be able to afford to go online/have a PC as having both is essential to modern society.
Don’t think I’ve had Champagne in about 20 years.
Draco, there are a large number of New Zealanders who are elderly and don’t own a computer, are you going to deny them a telephone book that they can read without having to use a magnifying glass? You heartless Bastard đ
Dave you may think you’re being funny, but you are really not. In fact you come across as a bit of a prat.
I am not elderly, but I do have seriously bad vision, and I can’t read the verdammde thing even with a magnifying glass! So, for me it’s directory service despite the cost, or my memory. No new firm will ever get my business! đ
You’re online with a PC that can alter the size of the text. Reading the Yellow Pages shouldn’t be a problem that you have.
You’re like a 10 month old with a toy he just won’t give up, aren’t you? Yes, currently I am online with a PC that can alter the size of the text. But when I want to phone anyone or anything, I am never online… ever hear of dial up? đ Does it really hurt that much to admit that you spoke without thinking that other peoples’ lives might be different from yours?
Why should I admit to something I didn’t do? I even considered people who can’t use PCs at all and still decided that it just wasn’t worth printing phone books.
Ever hear of the ability to find the number, disconnect from the internet and then make the call?
BTW, I doubt there’s a lot of difference between $75/month for phone and broadband and what you’re paying now for phone and dial-up. At a guestimate I’d say that it’s between $10 and $15 (I wasn’t able to find a price for a phone line without broadband even on Telecom’s website).
http://www.vodafone.co.nz/internet/dial-up/
Dial up with home phone
$10.45 per
month
When bundled with Vodafone fixed line home phone & calling.
That’s on top of about $45.00 per month for the phone – so about $55.00 per month.
For someone on a low income, that’s about $20.00 per month less than broadband – quite a difference.
Yeah, well you’d be wrong there, as I pay $42.00 a month for my phone and 10.00 a month for dialup. The difference is $23.00, and to you, that’s nothing. However, as I am on an unemployment benefit of $204.00 a week, that $23 might well be necessary for other things..Â
ATM, I am lucky. My son is paying for me to have broadband on a Vodafone mobile connection. It costs him $85.00 a month, and I am not happy at all about my son paying for something that I ought to be able to afford, if I could just get a stenching job!
Kids shouldn’t pay for their parents, it should be the other way around.
Oh, and you try faffing around getting out and booting up the computer, looking up a number, disconnecting, phoning etc. You greenies are all so keen on being prescriptive, telling everyone else what extra trouble they must go to, to appease your delicate sensitivities…
Â
Whoah! Why don’t you ask your son to pay the extra $23 to move your current plan to broadband and save the $62 per month?
Yeah, I was guessing at how much a standard phone line costs. Last time I had one was 6/7 years ago @$45/month and I figured that inflation would have put it above $50/month by now.
Printing books is bad economics as it uses up resources that could be put to better use. Especially short term books like phone directories. Yes, it has an ecological aspect as well but, then, the environment is the basis of the economy.
If we’re thinking of cheap communication, a cheap cellphone and a phone book are a good combination. You save money by first looking up the info in the book and only use the cellphone features when wanting to make the call. Cost saving and modern and lots of people have to watch their cellphone use because of lack of dosh.
And we don’t want to be totally dependent on computers driven by electricity batteries or solar, the more dependent we are on advanced technology the less we know how to self-manage and be capable without expensive props.
Vicky, I may have come across as flippant but I intended no ill will against the vision impaired. You may not be able to read the telephone book under any circumstances but there are many others who could, if only it used a reasonable sized text. In this technological age many younger people will probably not use the book, therefore the most likely users would be older and yet the print is too small for them. It seems illogical. If they really wanted to save money they could easily just give people a choice of having one or not.
I am glad to hear it! đ
I did use the book in previous years, which is why I am so annoyed at the present ones, especially as they’ve been very illogically split with the ghastly Localist taking over a lot of functions, it’s just not logically organised at all!
It’s just so much easier for someone of any age to use a handy book, than faff around with their computer – although someone with a netbook or a smartphone would probably not find it so much trouble. (My sister embarassed herself greatly by asking google about the spelling of some word or other, because she couldn’t find her dictionary! Her kids were laughing at her for months…)
Vicky32, yes, I have to use a magnifying glass at night. If a telephone book was an optional extra, how many would stand up and be counted?
Were the kids laughing because she used Google or because she still had a book form dictionary?
Online dictionaries and thesauruses are awesome. I use them daily.
Because she faffed around starting up the computer, logging on, connecting, wasting money when the paper dictionary was under a pile on the kitchen table! My sister, like me is working class – money is to be conserved, not wasted. So, don’t be such a middle class kiddie, DtB!
They can be if you’re discerning! Some however, are wildly wrong, especially the American ones which incorporate every error known to high schoolers on the grounds that if an error’s common enough, (i.e., all 16 year old mall rats use it) then it has become correct… I know it’s not PC to say that Americans are lazy and stupid, but hey, can I help it if they’re lazy and stupid?
Then there’s the egregiously awful Urban Dictionary. I suppose you know nothing about the controversy my brother in law alerted me to?
http://www.change.org/petitions/urban-dictionary-www-urbandictionary-com-remove-the-racist-definitions-of-the-word-maori?
“Then thereâs the egregiously awful Urban Dictionary”
The urban dictionary is a joke website, it is not to be taken seriously at all. It is not a dictionary, it is not a source of knowledge, it is nothing more than a joke. It is actually quite witty, funny, and yes – often very offensive. If that site offends you then be careful where you go on the internet.
“Because she faffed around starting up the computer, logging on, connecting, wasting money when the paper dictionary was under a pile on the kitchen table! My sister, like me is working class â money is to be conserved, not wasted. So, donât be such a middle class kiddie”
The internet saves me loads of time and money, especially when it comes to using dictionaries/thesauruses…try the thesaurus link DTB posted…the Synonyms: feature is very useful. Don’t worry, those sites are as reliable and accurate as a printed dictionary.
I don’t think you can judge a person’s class status by their internet connection. I have a fast 40 gig per month, but I need it for study.
I also cannot afford regular meat and veges, have to bike and walk cause the bus costs too much, cannot afford alcohol (even though I’m a student), cannot afford to go to the movies or a gig etc, etc.
Actually, if you want to judge a person’s class…ownership of a telephone landline is usually a sign of upperclass. That’s why political polls are skewed towards Nact.
Nope, I’d give them all a computer. It’d probably be cheaper than giving them a phone book, it would certainly be cheaper than giving everyone a phone book.
OK then! Not such a prat after all then…
You think you’re being realistic? Don’t make me laugh! Try telling WINZ what you just said here… My son had a hell of a hard time at High School, because we didn’t have a computer at home – then my brother gave us one, because he was up-grading. Then, when he died, we briefly had two of them, but in the circumstances (the death of my only brother) I’d really rather not have had them!
Kids can now go online at school, and anyone quick and early enough can go online at their local library, if they can fight their way through the truanting school kids watching rap videos, but how does that help if someone wants to find a plumber at 8 pm? To say ‘everybody should be able to afford’ is not the same thing as them actually being able to! Please, don’t be such a middle class kiddie…
“Everybody should be able to afford to go online/have a PC as having both is essential to modern society.”
DTB is correct, it should be considered a right for all kiwis to have a computer and the internet. To put it in the Lab/Nat ‘third way’ terminology – its a necessary technology to ensure social inclusion. Just as a telephone/radio was 50 years ago, and TV was 30 years ago. The idea behind these technologies as a kind of human right steams from a desire for a unified nation who share experiences together and develop a sense of community. We lost sight of that vision a long time ago.
Vicky32; you are right, there is no way NZ can currently afford that, but that’s cause we choose not to afford it. Just as we choose to force 300,000 kiwi children to live in poverty.
LOL @ “school kids watching rap videos”…that’s classic.
Sadly, that’s all that they do, at ear-splitting volume, despite their headphones, I worry that they’re doing serious damage to their hearing.Â
I did my good deed yesterday, when I went to the library to do some printing from my USB, and sat next to a woman in her late 40s, googling how to cope with a difficult boss. She told me (at length) the whole story, and I urged her to ring the union, and find out what her rights actually are, as from what she said, the boss was more than just difficult – she was completely toxic! Actually, it frightened me how scared this woman was of contacting the union – I had to guess which one would cover her – and assured her that unions did mediation and not just strikes!
Ooooh, that’s racist, that is! It turns out Aussies don’t want to sell the farm to Johnny Foreigner either. Funny that.
“More women (78%) disapprove than men (70%)”… chalk one up for woman being smarter than men.
Australians don’t like foreigners…Stop the presses! Never ever thought that.
Nevertheless more than 11% of Australian farms are overseas owned in total or part, and yet it seems to be doing ok economically and sovereignty wise.
The Australian economy also has the benefit of supplicant countries like NZ sending them billions of dollars of receipts, in our case via ANZ, BNZ, National Bank, ASB, Westpac etc.
On watching Firstline Smalley/Shearer she brought up the fact that National always worked as a team with no divisiveness amongst itself. She said it as if that is a good thing.All it shows is that nobody in the National Government is allowed to have their own thoughts, or opinions or any negativity against the Party.They just need to have learnt their lines. I don’t see this as healthy and I agree with Shearer that robust discussion with everyone having an input that will lead to a concensus is what democracy is about.You just need to look at the Nats in Parliament and all they are there for is to be the audience to the sideshow that is key. Cue laughter,cue solemn head nodding, cue “well said” and all the other inconsequential mutterings that they utter,”stuck it to him there old man”Haw haw”
I am also looking forward to the time when Parliament returns to its roots and debates as adults, treating the debates with the courtesy they should have. None of this nup,dunno,can’t remember and all the third form Beano rubbish that is supposed to pass for answers to perfectly reasonable questions. And, yes I am talking of the gnats.
Shearer said he will play the ball not the man and I am looking forward to that.
When will the rest of Labour start playing the ball instead of the man? I doubt they know how after this long with it being their default mode. Do they even want to change? Shearer hasn’t made much progress sorting them out so far.
looks like the littlepeople had their weetbix this morning.
um…how many can u do?
Chris
Remember in Parliament NZ First has only one speaker. Nobody else is allowed.
Rubbish. I watched a NZFer put a question to a Minister the other day. It wasn’t Winnie.
Yes, seen that a few times from non-Winnie NZFers.
Can we have a PFD (Pete free Day) tomorrow, or even a MPD (Minimal Pete day)?
âPurga-toryâ, nice one TRP. How about the Mora-Tory-Um on Bomber Bradbury at RNZ.
Bring back bomber!
Looks you might get your wish granted over at the Angry Dunne post! Though dollars to donuts Pete will retract his comment because he values his ability to post here higher than his principles.
Ha! I got that wrong, (cheers, Eddie!). PG and theConformist were having a wee cry about it on KB earlier on. Pete was reduced to asking for help from the readers. Answer came there none.
Amazing how this blind Chinaman has become such a big deal
More lies and spin from the AP MSM machine..
Much destabilisation going on in China currently
just amazing how shitty the tories get when they get outed for lying.
thye are like shizophrenic children.
they beleive their thoughts to be facts.
Roy Morgan’s out:
http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2012/4776/
Todayâs New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a further drop in support for Prime Minister John Keyâs National Party 44.5% (down 2.5% since April 16-29, 2012). Support for Keyâs Coalition partners has changed slightly with the Maori Party 1% (down 0.5%), United Future 1% (up 0.5%) and ACT NZ 0% (down 0.5%)
Support for Labour has risen 1.5% to 30%, Greens are unchanged at 15%, New Zealand First 5.5% (up 0.5%), Mana Party 0.5% (unchanged) and Others 2.5% (up 1%).
[lprent: added the graphs. ]
Confidence is dropping to an almost record low. It’s the economy, stoopid! And Banksie, obviously.
The next one will be interesting. Morgan usually fluctuates, but nat has been down for the last two. Next one will cover the two weeks around the budget…
Wow, don’t you just love that misleading headline:
NATIONAL (44.5%) LEAD OVER LABOUR (30%) DOWN AGAIN
I’m still waiting for the one that says ACT party leader confident on 0%.
Where is that misleading headline? Every report I’ve seen has National down & also possibly about Labour being (theoretically) able to form/lead a government.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10806840
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1205/S00286/roy-morgans-latest-poll.htm
http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8469771/labour-could-lead-government-poll
I quoted it, it’s the one from Roy Morgan itself and implies that Labour is down in the polls when they’re actually up.
Oh, it’s a badly phrased headline. I think it is meant to say that National’s lead over Labour is down, while also stating that the poll indicates a possible Labour-led government. it says:
NATIONAL (44.5%) LEAD OVER LABOUR (30%) DOWN AGAIN
LABOUR, GREENS & NZ FIRST WITH MAJORITY OF VOTE (50.5%)
The insertion of the percentages confuses the headline intent, I think.
ever since I viewed the movie âAnimal Houseâ as youngster, âzero point zeroâ (0.0) always brings a smile.
Operation Ohariu
Make it as difficult for Dunne as possible to continue supporting asset sales:
http://www.labour.org.nz/operation-ohariu
On the 26th and 27th of May, in conjunction with People’s Power Ohariu, we’re going to send Peter Dunne a message. We need your help to do it.
Dunne holds the casting vote on asset sales – that’s how thin National’s majority is. The people of Ohariu can make a difference by sending their MP a message.
We need as many helpers as we can get to turn up to Ohariu, disperse in our numbers throughout the Ohariu electorate to get signatures on the Keep Our Assets petition.
Four shifts, two days, and 24,000 signatures.
NZ’s only residential school for intellectually handicapped girls is to be closed. Parents are distraught. Typical NACTM!
Austerity in Europe. Earlier today I suggested that politicians would increase their cedibility by accepting a personal pay cut. In this evenings TV news, some French politicans are taking a 30% cut!Ask and it will be given. (Mathew 7:7)
Dripping water wears away the hardest stone. Petitions ref. assett sales might win.
Fatty, did you actually follow the link? Because if you did, how on earth can you accuse me of being naively offended by a joke? It’s about egregious racism, that has actually been reported to Race Relations by a friend of mine who doesn’t think it’s very bloody funny at all…
Your comment about landlines is truly asinine. I have a mobile to talk to my son and him only. Mobile calls are far too expensive without the Best Mates. I always use my landline for making calls, and my neighbours – state house/bennys like me, are the same.Â
Landlines are cheap. Mobiles are expensive, unless you confine yourself to texting!
“Fatty, did you actually follow the link?”
Yeah, I did, and it offended me, but I’d accuse you of being naively offended because its the internet…this is not RadioLive. Also if you read my post I stated that the urban dictionary is “often very offensive”. Just don’t read it. I could give you a list of webpages in 2 minutes with some brutal racism that leaves that page looking like a playschool quote.
The internet is the wild west, get used to it or get off.
“Mobiles are expensive, unless you confine yourself to texting!”
They sure are expensive, and I rarely talk on the phone. I consider that boring and a waste of my life. I text very little. I prefer talking and hanging out with people face to face.
“Your comment about landlines is truly asinine”
Here’s what Brian Edwards said about the issue;
“a problem arises from the fact that the information is gathered exclusively by landline. This creates a bias in the poll results, since people on lower incomes â the non-working, working and lower-middle classes â tend not to have landlines, relying instead on (frequently pre-paid) mobile phones. The same is true of students and younger people in general. You canât text on a landline.”
http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2011/08/how-political-polls-in-prime-time-no-serious-political-debate-in-prime-time-catwalk-values-and-dumbed-down-voters/
http://lancewiggs.com/2011/12/04/nobody-listens-to-me-or-you/
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/vicious-spiral.html
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1111/S00349/mana-says-landline-polls-must-go.htm
ha ha ha
The nastiest person on the Internet is an Adulterer, an admission from one of his friends
http://wonderfulnow.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/one-more-thing-before-i-go.html