“Liz Kendall, with her permanent air of an office manager who has just come back from a course, couldn’t lure a voter out of a burning building – and her whole campaign is based on changing Labour to be whatever people who hate it want it to be.”
“Many people thought the Labour party would struggle to top the disaster of losing the general election, but it has silenced the doubters by somehow contriving to lose its own internal leadership election. Voters have signed up to support it, and Labour has reacted with a purge of such generalised unfairness that I’m almost starting to doubt that its leading lights really wanted to bring democracy to Iraq. ”
Frankie Boyle has some very pointed observations in his piece in the Guardian.
There are a number of similarities between the ABCs in London and in Wellington. The most obvious ones are is their antipathy towards membership power and their common background as insiders who have gone from Uni to political adviser roles to safe seats.
They are the reason the parties in both countries have been rejected by the voter for being aloof and uninspiring.
I watched a debate online between all the candidates about 3 weeks ago. As a long-time political observer (40 years) I was struck by one particular revelation. That was the similarity between what Corbyn was saying in 2015 to what Norman Kirk was saying in 1970. And guess what… Kirk went on to win the next election (1972) in a landslide!
Yes, we lost in 1975 but that was a direct result of the premature and tragic death of Norman Kirk. I believe had he lived to carry on as PM, Labour would not have lost that election to Muldoon and our political history would have taken a totally different path.
If Kirk hadn’t died I don’t think National would have been in power until the 1980s at the earliest and it would have been left to National to do the Rogernomics stuff and chances are they’d only last one term with Labour coming back in to undo their fuckups. NZ would be a vastly different place.
Yes Kirk’s untimely passing was a fork in the road alright.
At the same time I don’t think we can neglect the malign influence of neo-liberalism globally. Even if we had avoided the Rogernomic catastrophe – as Australia did – the left would still have faced some very strong head-winds.
Note the body language of one, Liz Kendall during this debate on NATO. Oh dear, petulance abounded and did I detect a hint of malice at the end? Never mind, Jeremy put her in her place.
I was reminded of a certain ‘left’ commentator in NZ.
Thanks for that link Anne. Very interesting. Amusing how Kendall quick off the mark at around eleven seconds to deploy a throwaway ‘branding’ line against Corbyn, when rebuffed (in a thoroughly gentlemanly and fairly unanswewrable way) then consoled herself with a pretty massive sulk for the next five and a half minutes. At the end of which period, lesson not learned, unsuccessfully tried the same trick again. Liz Liz Liz…..some ‘entitlement’ showing there maybe ?
Parallel personalities here anyone ? Which is what makes it so interesting, yes ?
Exceeded the maximum number of page not found errors per minute for humans.
I have quite a lot of traps for robots trawling the site. Some are for unknown robots that look like humans, or humans trying to do a site dump.
A characteristic problem is for robots to look for pages (that often don’t exist) as backdoors into the system. Especially old plugins with security holes. So the system automatically blocks for two hours any ‘human’ IP that tries to read more than 3 missing pages in a minute.
Just part of a general eternal war against idiot robots that runs alongside the war against idiot trolls and other fools.
However in all our pages we show the links and excerpts of a RSS feed to other blogs, party sites, and a couple of more general news sites. Which means that we show some of their content that is in the excerpt. Including their links to images.
There was a problem with the RSS feed from GarethWorld (Gareth Morgans blog). It had 2 links to images in 2 different RSS posts that started like
“/tmp/remote-image-cache/….”
ie they were links to local images on Gareth’s server.
Needless to say, when readers on our site tried to access these images, they found that they were completely unable to do so from our site, giving a invalid page error in each case. If people viewed two of our pages within a minute, my ever vigilant software minons locked them out of the site for two hours.
Fortunately this only became a problem for our more voracious consumers of pages in the morning. After the second post showed up, it became a more general problem. Which is when I got alerted (thank you Olwyn and Jenny Kirk) and killed the problem after work.
Now I either have to write some more code that detects invalid image links on the RSS receive and processing side, or better still report this as a bug to the person who wrote the plugin I use for this purpose.
Sorry for anyone who got caught by this bug. However it is a small price to pay compared to the damage and slowness of not dealing with the damn bots.
The Associated Press, one of the main sources for mainstream news articles in the world, is currently suing the U.S. government. It’s claim?
The FBI endangered the AP’s reputation when the federal law enforcement agency sent out a link to a fake AP article the FBI had created which was laced with a surveillance virus that would infect the computer of anyone who clicked on it, thereby enabling the FBI to spy on them.
If filtering slows flow, which it would have to to be effective, then you would risk serious flooding when it pours with rain as oulets overflow, so not sure this is solution
yes mr waghorn, and rightly so…… but why do so many farmers still cry that they should be exempt from rules like this?
btw re other commenters – there are ample examples of screens, large scale sump systems and the like that are incorporated into stormwater systems today to take out the shit and leave on ly clean water running into our waters…
I’m in no way excusing farming, just enjoyed watching townies get fired up on TV last night.
Of course the most sensible thing is for a law making all detergents for household use biodegradable but like the light bulb fiasco the fools would hate the idea.
This also goes against decades/centuries of engineering thinking that we must pipe everything and get it the hell out of here as quick as possible. Working with natural systems by using swales and plants/wetlands as filtration systems before water gets out to sea is only very slowly being built into infrastructure. I think the only way we will see widespread change to a logical natural way is when hydrological engineers realise they don’t have a job anymore and communities can decide for themselves how they deal with waste water.
Dimly aware that in Christchurch ponds are built to catch the daily stormwater runoff and thus catch the heavy “metals?” etc. before running into the Avon. Or maybe that is Rangiora. Think tyre debris.
Having worked for a time in surveying I have come across the problem of dealing with stormwater (we set out many a storm water drain) – One project I was working in about 2007 was a commercial development in Albany North Shore, and it had a uniquie system for dealing with the direct runnoff from roads and treating that water prior to it ending up in the ocean (as all storm water eventually does). If you go to google maps (Google Earth) Albany NZ and zoom in on Albany Lake Reserve just to the north of the two lakes you will see along with Don Mckinnon Drive, Daviis Dr and Corban Ave. Zoom in on these two roads and you will see green rectangles dotted along the roads. Instead of normal “cesspits” for the storm water – these are natural filters built to take the storm water and filter it before discharging into the Albany lakes where the water settles again before joining the main drains to the sea. These large filters are about 4 metres deep (from recollection) filled with organic humus and planted with native plants such as flax and sedges ideally suited to filtering the water naturally. The Lake reserve is also planted with native aquatic species and I remember coming across several NZ Dotterels nesting there while I was working.
So Stormwater can be successfully treated If enough thought is put in to it. The result is not only benefitial to oceans it is also benfitial to us the result is a very pleasing place to be.
Luckily in NZ we have no sign of fettering the openess of media speech by having strong bias or signs of dropping any liberal speakers or writers, or cutting off the rights to vote of any group or …. OH dear Mr Key.
North Canterbury is a classic farming regional area, filled to the gunnels with appropriate types….
But two things have gone on recently which highlight very poor standards and qualities amongst its inhabitants….
Firstly, it is dry as a bone in these lands so the farming people there, not content with already have shat on the land, cry very loudly for more and more water. They have basically fucked all the rivers and waterways for their own gain…. This is a familiar story of course and the ins and outs of it are very well known.
It is a stain on their community.
Secondly, there has been a lot of media recently about heavy racism amongst Canterbury rugby clubs. It is thick in the air. North Canterbury has been one of the culprits, the Glenmark one at Omihi singled out recently for appaling racism and general pig-behaviour (apologies to pigs)….
any link do you think? I would posit that they have been targeted for their racism…
North Canterbury eh …. I wonder if any of the locals put these things together and realise the picture that is painted of their community… I don’t imagine they do. They would look to that old fool Griz Wylie who would just stand there and grump without a clue. Poor them.
Brazilian pollution in the spotlight because a wealthy yachtie from Germany says their rotten water has resulted in nasty bacterial growths in his body when he considered he was in good health previous to sailing in Rio de Janeiro.
This is a case for having contests in countries with many poor. The wealthy are encouraged to visit and frantic efforts have to be made to improve conditions. The people who permanently live in Rio de Janeiro won’t be immune to the troubles their visitor has suffered!
Heil, who finished third with Thomas Ploessel in the 49er class, was told by a Berlin hospital that he had been infected by multi-resistant germs, the German sailing team said.
“I have never in my life had infections on the legs. Never!” Heil said on the sailing team’s Olympic blog. “I assume I picked that up at the test regatta. The cause should be the Marina da Glória where there is a constant flow of waste water from the city’s hospitals.”….
Last year biologists said rivers leading into the bay contained a super-bacteria resistant to antibiotics used to treat urinary, gastrointestinal and pulmonary infections.
The waters along Rio’s Atlantic coast, including Guanabara Bay where the Olympic sailing events will be held, have been polluted for years and successive governments have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on clean-ups to little effect….
When Rio bid to host the Games, the city trumpeted the clean-up and said it would cut the amount of sewage flowing into the bay by 80%. However, it has since admitted it is unlikely to meet that target. The amount of sewage treated before reaching the bay had risen from 17 to 49%.
From Stephanie Rodgers on the side panel: “It seems thoroughly unfair that hot on the heels of losing Dita de Boni from our political commentariat, we’re saying goodbye to Brent Edwards as political editor at Radio New Zealand.”
(Thanks Stephanie.)
Very sad but I hope his influence on fair balanced reporting continues?
I sent an email of appreciation to Brent at brent.edwards@radionz.co.nz
An fawningly approving technocratic authoritarian doozey from Fran O’Sullivan today, where she applauds a right wing technocrat’s go at a palace coup against the elected democracy of Auckland
“…What’s clear is that Town is breaking through the political stasis holding Auckland back….”
What’s clear is no one voted for this guy and his “breaking through” involves an authoritarian conspiracy of little known neo-liberal apparachiks to ride roughshod over the constantly repeated wish of Auckland voters NOT to sell assets. I wonder if he can get the trains to run on time as well?
In all this, it is clear Len Brown’s utter obsession with the CRL is now turning him into an isolated lunatic prepared to any and everything to cement in his legacy. Brown is now as big a threat by omission to our assets as Mr. Town is by commission.
….”China needs external capital. Instead, China sees capital flight. Resultant stress is everywhere one looks because debt exceeds carrying capacity.
Symptoms of Too Much Debt
Yuan devaluation
Stock market prop jobs by Chinese regulators
Emerging market currency crashes
Global equity bubbles
Commodity price crashes
Junk bond bubbles
Slower global growth
Still raging property bubbles in Australia, Canada, and the US West Coast (thanks to influx of money from China)”….
( re “raging property bubbles in Australia, Canada, and the US West Coast (thanks to influx of money from China)”
…..is New Zealand also being flooded with Chinese money escaping China?…ie buy ups of NZ housing and land?
…we are a very small country…there must some restrictions on this flood…or is jonkey Nact using this Chinese buy up money to prop up his economic failures?)
Here is a just posted interview from Robert David Steele. For his opinion on TPPA, start at 8 minutes. Travellerev will be interested in this interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmJeK5M9mGE
A lawyer who has used intimidating legal requests to try to gain access to the records and emails of climate scientists has a financial relationship with a major coal company, it has been revealed.
Christopher Horner, who works with two groups to pursue scientists and environmental regulators, is listed in the bankruptcy papers filed by lawyers on behalf of Alpha Natural Resources and its 150 subsidiary companies in the coal industry.
The Heartland Institute, a “free market think tank” and major promoter of fringe views that greenhouse gases are not a problem for the planet, is also named in the papers, as are other key groups.
Investigative journalist Lee Fang, of news website The Intercept founded by lawyer and journalist Glenn Greenwald, first reported the links in two stories.
Can’t really say that I’m surprised.
It is not surprising that a coal company would support the kind of activities that Horner undertakes. It helps them attack the science, which advances their policy agenda. I think it’s also becoming apparent that most of the big players in the denial movement are indeed being paid by fossil fuel interests — via campaign contributions to sympathetic politicians and through dark-money payments to individuals and think tanks that are then used to fund useful – to them – activities. I think future generations will be disgusted by this.
I’m hoping that present generations are disgusted by this obvious corruption of the legal and political systems.
Lisa Owen is not up to the job of interviewing Helen Clark The Nation, TV3, Saturday 29 August 2015, 9:30 a.m.
Hosted by Lisa Owen and Patrick Gower, The Nation is an in-depth weekly current affairs show focusing on the major players and forces that shape New Zealand—TV3 publicity blurb.
Our former prime minister Helen Clark did not have a good relationship with high quality journalists. In 2002 she glowered with anger and tried to overtalk John Campbell when he confronted her with her dishonesty about an unapproved release of genetically modified sweetcorn. [1] During the long-running scandal of her regime’s persecution of Ahmed Zaoui, she brusquely terminated any attempts by the excellent Selwyn Manning to make her answer questions. [2]
Thankfully for Helen Clark, then, she didn’t have to put up with the indignity of being interviewed by a high quality journalist on TV3 this morning. Lisa Owen’s performance was as reliably useless as long-suffering viewers have come to expect from her. Instead of going into anything in depth, several topics were given the usual once-over-lightly treatment. This program is notorious for its low quality interviews, which are often utterly incompetent or horribly biased [3] or—as with Tova O’Brien’s outrageous performance with Murray McCully—a combination of both. [4] But, even so, this was a particularly abject performance. Here are a few selected highlights, or lowlights, complete with Ms Clark’s trademark snickering and snorting delivery….
LISA OWEN: So what can the rest of the world do, then, and why aren’t they stepping up?
HELEN CLARK:[speaking slowly and with the deepest possible tone, to indicate thoughtfulness and moral seriousness] In the short to medium term, peace in Syria would help enormously. But that’s not about to happen.
LISA OWEN: I want to talk about sustainable development…
Here Clark chuntered on in yawn-inducing officialese for a minute or so. She’s such a smooth operator that she managed to talk about the “G-7” instead of the G-8, casually accepting and therefore endorsing the U.S.-driven attempt to isolate the eighth member, Russia. Lisa Owen didn’t even notice.
HELEN CLARK: The EU’s calling for more action, the UN’s [snicker] calling for more action…. needs more commitment from countries that historically have contributed [snicker] to carbon levels. We need China [snort] to act, we need India to act….
But Lisa Owen, even if she were capable of discussing that issue in depth, had other questions she was required by management to ask. Someone had written a really pointed anti-Labour one for her to read out….
LISA OWEN:[nervously] How comfortable are you with Chinese people being singled out as an ethnic group here?
Ms Clark knows a partisan political angle when she sees it. However, instead of fixing the hapless Lisa Owen with her trademark rock-splitting stare, Clark took the bloodless option, and chewed up a couple more minutes saying something bland and non-committal. But Lisa Owen wasn’t allowed to let it go at that. She had obviously been ordered by her producers to keep banging away at this one….
LISA OWEN:[diffidently] So… are you uncomfortable with a single ethnic group, the Chinese, being singled out?
Again, Clark swatted her aside with ease.
Why can’t they get someone knowledgeable and with a bit of flair to interview a big hitter like Helen Clark? Oh that’s right—-they’ve got rid of all the good ones.
Well, seeing Lisa Owen interviewing the Serco boss on 3 news last night I thought she must be the best interviewer main stream media has got right now. I think you might be being a bit harsh on her performance on the Clark interview.
I am glad to hear that she did a good job there. Sadly, however, what I have seen of her suggests that she is nothing like the “best interviewer mainstream media has got right now.” She allowed Clark to get away with some nasty propaganda—talking about the “G7” as though she had had her comments vetted by the U.S. State Department—and boring ahead with those spurious, partisan questions, possibly written for her by Paul Henry, designed to aggravate and embarrass the Labour Party.
Further examples of Lisa Owen’s substandard performances…..
Tautoko Mango Mata – could you please put up the link to the WHO video “Are GMOs Safe to Eat” . This is a really informative doco, and I’d like to share it with people up here in the north who are strongly opposed to current govt attempts to introduce GMOs despite local councils not wanting that to happen. thanks.
ps Its okay thanks – I right-clicked onto it, and have the link now.
Thanks for putting this up.
Thank you Tautoko for link.
I’m only part way in and already I have heard that the experienced professional academic speaking has found a potato that after genetic modification tools have been used on it, has antibiotic resistance to three bacteria.
they share or codetermine those matters governing the essential terms and conditions of employment. In evaluating whether an employer possesses sufficient control over employees to qualify as a joint employer, the Board will – among other factors — consider whether an employer has exercised control over terms and conditions of employment indirectly through an intermediary, or whether it has reserved the authority to do so.
Overstaying is a crime; benes spending money on ‘luxuries’ is not.
Well, not yet but I’m sure that National, following patterns in the US as they do, are looking at it:
That “unmasking” is behind two recent bills that caught the Internet’s attention this week. Kansas and Missouri’s legislatures are working to target the social services provided to the state’s welfare recipients, limiting how people on welfare can use their assistance. In Missouri, a bill awaits Gov. Jay Nixon’s approval that would ban soda, energy drinks, cookies, and chips. Curtailing spending on snacks and soft drinks might be defensible from a public health angle (former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg would be a fan), but the state is also targeting steak and seafood—which speaks, ironically, less to concerns about welfare and more about policing what poor people do.
Actually, didn’t they give cards out to some beneficiaries to prevent then from buying luxuries?
As Barbara Ehrenreich memorably argued in the seminal Nickel and Dimed, it’s those low-wage workers who are essentially paying for everyone else’s prosperity with their cheap labor:
When someone works for less pay than she can live on—when, for example, she goes hungry so that you can eat more cheaply and conveniently—then she has made a great sacrifice for you, she has made you a gift of some part of her abilities, her health, and her life. The “working poor,” as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society. They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for; they live in substandard housing so that other homes will be shiny and perfect; they endure privation so that inflation will be low and stock prices high. To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor, to everyone else.
True. The rich get rich by taking from the poor not by working for it.
“The politics behind China’s stock market turbulence
One of the most extraordinary things about the world’s number two economy is that when it faces a crisis, the leadership carries on in public as if nothing has happened.
Decisions which affect the fate not just of 1.4 billion people in China but as we now know, the rest of the world as well, are made in secret by a handful of men.
This week, China’s top political leaders have made no mention of the crisis, flagship mainstream media avoided touching on it, and government censors constrained discussion on social media within firm boundaries.”
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Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
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Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
“Liz Kendall, with her permanent air of an office manager who has just come back from a course, couldn’t lure a voter out of a burning building – and her whole campaign is based on changing Labour to be whatever people who hate it want it to be.”
“Many people thought the Labour party would struggle to top the disaster of losing the general election, but it has silenced the doubters by somehow contriving to lose its own internal leadership election. Voters have signed up to support it, and Labour has reacted with a purge of such generalised unfairness that I’m almost starting to doubt that its leading lights really wanted to bring democracy to Iraq. ”
Frankie Boyle has some very pointed observations in his piece in the Guardian.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/27/how-will-labour-top-losing-the-election-by-losing-its-own-leadership-contest
Phil Quin, Shane Te Pou, and the Paganis are among those who support Liz Kendall for UKLP leader.
There are a number of similarities between the ABCs in London and in Wellington. The most obvious ones are is their antipathy towards membership power and their common background as insiders who have gone from Uni to political adviser roles to safe seats.
They are the reason the parties in both countries have been rejected by the voter for being aloof and uninspiring.
I watched a debate online between all the candidates about 3 weeks ago. As a long-time political observer (40 years) I was struck by one particular revelation. That was the similarity between what Corbyn was saying in 2015 to what Norman Kirk was saying in 1970. And guess what… Kirk went on to win the next election (1972) in a landslide!
Yes, we lost in 1975 but that was a direct result of the premature and tragic death of Norman Kirk. I believe had he lived to carry on as PM, Labour would not have lost that election to Muldoon and our political history would have taken a totally different path.
If Kirk hadn’t died I don’t think National would have been in power until the 1980s at the earliest and it would have been left to National to do the Rogernomics stuff and chances are they’d only last one term with Labour coming back in to undo their fuckups. NZ would be a vastly different place.
Yes Kirk’s untimely passing was a fork in the road alright.
At the same time I don’t think we can neglect the malign influence of neo-liberalism globally. Even if we had avoided the Rogernomic catastrophe – as Australia did – the left would still have faced some very strong head-winds.
Note the body language of one, Liz Kendall during this debate on NATO. Oh dear, petulance abounded and did I detect a hint of malice at the end? Never mind, Jeremy put her in her place.
I was reminded of a certain ‘left’ commentator in NZ.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-corbyn-snaps-liz-kendall-6331863
Thanks for that link Anne. Very interesting. Amusing how Kendall quick off the mark at around eleven seconds to deploy a throwaway ‘branding’ line against Corbyn, when rebuffed (in a thoroughly gentlemanly and fairly unanswewrable way) then consoled herself with a pretty massive sulk for the next five and a half minutes. At the end of which period, lesson not learned, unsuccessfully tried the same trick again. Liz Liz Liz…..some ‘entitlement’ showing there maybe ?
Parallel personalities here anyone ? Which is what makes it so interesting, yes ?
Kendall’s sulking bad manners would earn a 13 year old in our household the confiscation of an iPhone for a week.
Well, she won’t win the leadership after that childish display. Not that she is going to win anyway – surely not. God help the UK if she did…
What was going on with TS yesterday afternoon? I was blocked out of the site! Nasty little Gremlins maybe????
Anyone else affected?
Yep – told mr I was no human and tried to access too many times!!!
@ dv (2.1) Same here.
mary_a and dv – me, too.
Ok now
me too
Yes, I loved the ‘human’ bit – thought that maybe if I went next door and borrowed their cat he’d have more luck 🙂
I have quite a lot of traps for robots trawling the site. Some are for unknown robots that look like humans, or humans trying to do a site dump.
A characteristic problem is for robots to look for pages (that often don’t exist) as backdoors into the system. Especially old plugins with security holes. So the system automatically blocks for two hours any ‘human’ IP that tries to read more than 3 missing pages in a minute.
Just part of a general eternal war against idiot robots that runs alongside the war against idiot trolls and other fools.
However in all our pages we show the links and excerpts of a RSS feed to other blogs, party sites, and a couple of more general news sites. Which means that we show some of their content that is in the excerpt. Including their links to images.
There was a problem with the RSS feed from GarethWorld (Gareth Morgans blog). It had 2 links to images in 2 different RSS posts that started like
“/tmp/remote-image-cache/….”
ie they were links to local images on Gareth’s server.
Needless to say, when readers on our site tried to access these images, they found that they were completely unable to do so from our site, giving a invalid page error in each case. If people viewed two of our pages within a minute, my ever vigilant software minons locked them out of the site for two hours.
Fortunately this only became a problem for our more voracious consumers of pages in the morning. After the second post showed up, it became a more general problem. Which is when I got alerted (thank you Olwyn and Jenny Kirk) and killed the problem after work.
Now I either have to write some more code that detects invalid image links on the RSS receive and processing side, or better still report this as a bug to the person who wrote the plugin I use for this purpose.
Sorry for anyone who got caught by this bug. However it is a small price to pay compared to the damage and slowness of not dealing with the damn bots.
Thanks LP.
I KNEW I was human, and now I you have confirmed.
Thats ok, the system thought you were a human as well
Ha Success!!!
lol
so that’s why when I opened the front page and then a couple of articles in new tabs, it kicked me out “for a few minutes”…
well i’ll be…an admin that explains the cause of problems to the users…Thanks for the detailed explanation.
I usually do. May not be until I have cleared the problem though.
Yes, that is part of my general discourtesy to robots.
I imagine that when the singularity arrives that I will be virtually put up against a wall and shot – often.
Or suffer the fact from the machines of Ted in “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”
Good. That text of that short story is online here.
I had the same – we must have been very naughty! It came right after a while, but I was locked out completely!
Dismaland – metaphor for life.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/28/joy-dismaland-mickey-mouse-david-shrigley
that is so good, thanks for the link.
art at its best.
Dismaland—AKA Great Britain.
FBI in a pickle http://www.thedailysheeple.com/ap-sues-us-govt-over-fake-fbi-news-article-booby-trapped-with-surveillance-virus_082015
The Associated Press, one of the main sources for mainstream news articles in the world, is currently suing the U.S. government. It’s claim?
The FBI endangered the AP’s reputation when the federal law enforcement agency sent out a link to a fake AP article the FBI had created which was laced with a surveillance virus that would infect the computer of anyone who clicked on it, thereby enabling the FBI to spy on them.
Of the 80,000 people who lived in the harbour catchment area, 65 per cent were unaware that stormwater drains led directly into the harbour.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/71540950/porirua-council-embraces-car-wash-ban-backlash-as-a-chance-to-educate
After years of the council trying to clean up its harbour, has anyone thought of filtering the outlets?
If filtering slows flow, which it would have to to be effective, then you would risk serious flooding when it pours with rain as oulets overflow, so not sure this is solution
Improve capacity/storage areas to offset
Another alternative are drain inlet filters
http://www.erosionpollution.com/draincovers.html
“Improve capacity/storage areas to offset”
How? Last time I lived near a body of water the stormwater drains led directly to the water. There is no storage.
Drain filters made out of plastic are going to end up either in the landfill or here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_garbage_patch
I can imagine farmers all over the country smilling quietly. # boots on the other foot.
yes mr waghorn, and rightly so…… but why do so many farmers still cry that they should be exempt from rules like this?
btw re other commenters – there are ample examples of screens, large scale sump systems and the like that are incorporated into stormwater systems today to take out the shit and leave on ly clean water running into our waters…
all good
I’m in no way excusing farming, just enjoyed watching townies get fired up on TV last night.
Of course the most sensible thing is for a law making all detergents for household use biodegradable but like the light bulb fiasco the fools would hate the idea.
We should make all detergents biodegradable. But we’re talking stormwater drains right? and people pour all sorts of weird shit down their drains.
Every little bit helps, although car washing is a drop in the ocean compared to what would be washed off the highways every time it rains.
Have you thought of the difficulties of filtering storm water where having a blockage is contra-indicated?
This also goes against decades/centuries of engineering thinking that we must pipe everything and get it the hell out of here as quick as possible. Working with natural systems by using swales and plants/wetlands as filtration systems before water gets out to sea is only very slowly being built into infrastructure. I think the only way we will see widespread change to a logical natural way is when hydrological engineers realise they don’t have a job anymore and communities can decide for themselves how they deal with waste water.
Dimly aware that in Christchurch ponds are built to catch the daily stormwater runoff and thus catch the heavy “metals?” etc. before running into the Avon. Or maybe that is Rangiora. Think tyre debris.
I thought the suggestion of councillor Cropp to use towels as a dam to divert the wash water into the garden/lawn was smart.
I might dig a hole to act as a sump- fill with gravel and sand.
Re the suggestions of filtering – one of the problems is the soap.
I don’t think the problem is too difficult or onerous on the car washers.
Having worked for a time in surveying I have come across the problem of dealing with stormwater (we set out many a storm water drain) – One project I was working in about 2007 was a commercial development in Albany North Shore, and it had a uniquie system for dealing with the direct runnoff from roads and treating that water prior to it ending up in the ocean (as all storm water eventually does). If you go to google maps (Google Earth) Albany NZ and zoom in on Albany Lake Reserve just to the north of the two lakes you will see along with Don Mckinnon Drive, Daviis Dr and Corban Ave. Zoom in on these two roads and you will see green rectangles dotted along the roads. Instead of normal “cesspits” for the storm water – these are natural filters built to take the storm water and filter it before discharging into the Albany lakes where the water settles again before joining the main drains to the sea. These large filters are about 4 metres deep (from recollection) filled with organic humus and planted with native plants such as flax and sedges ideally suited to filtering the water naturally. The Lake reserve is also planted with native aquatic species and I remember coming across several NZ Dotterels nesting there while I was working.
So Stormwater can be successfully treated If enough thought is put in to it. The result is not only benefitial to oceans it is also benfitial to us the result is a very pleasing place to be.
Thank you Macro
+1
Canadian Election Gerrymandering. No surprises here. How the right wing corrupts democracy. http://www.theguardian.com/world/canada/2015/aug/28/all
Luckily in NZ we have no sign of fettering the openess of media speech by having strong bias or signs of dropping any liberal speakers or writers, or cutting off the rights to vote of any group or …. OH dear Mr Key.
More on that subject:
: http://nyti.ms/1LchAdQ
Enough and Janm
Please please don’t put up such links. We don’t want anyone to get any ideas to help NZ
North Canterbury is a classic farming regional area, filled to the gunnels with appropriate types….
But two things have gone on recently which highlight very poor standards and qualities amongst its inhabitants….
Firstly, it is dry as a bone in these lands so the farming people there, not content with already have shat on the land, cry very loudly for more and more water. They have basically fucked all the rivers and waterways for their own gain…. This is a familiar story of course and the ins and outs of it are very well known.
It is a stain on their community.
Secondly, there has been a lot of media recently about heavy racism amongst Canterbury rugby clubs. It is thick in the air. North Canterbury has been one of the culprits, the Glenmark one at Omihi singled out recently for appaling racism and general pig-behaviour (apologies to pigs)….
… and then this yesterday night http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/north-canterbury/71526790/all-blacks-history-destroyed-in-north-canterbury-rugby-club-fire ….
any link do you think? I would posit that they have been targeted for their racism…
North Canterbury eh …. I wonder if any of the locals put these things together and realise the picture that is painted of their community… I don’t imagine they do. They would look to that old fool Griz Wylie who would just stand there and grump without a clue. Poor them.
Brazilian pollution in the spotlight because a wealthy yachtie from Germany says their rotten water has resulted in nasty bacterial growths in his body when he considered he was in good health previous to sailing in Rio de Janeiro.
This is a case for having contests in countries with many poor. The wealthy are encouraged to visit and frantic efforts have to be made to improve conditions. The people who permanently live in Rio de Janeiro won’t be immune to the troubles their visitor has suffered!
Heil, who finished third with Thomas Ploessel in the 49er class, was told by a Berlin hospital that he had been infected by multi-resistant germs, the German sailing team said.
“I have never in my life had infections on the legs. Never!” Heil said on the sailing team’s Olympic blog. “I assume I picked that up at the test regatta. The cause should be the Marina da Glória where there is a constant flow of waste water from the city’s hospitals.”….
Last year biologists said rivers leading into the bay contained a super-bacteria resistant to antibiotics used to treat urinary, gastrointestinal and pulmonary infections.
The waters along Rio’s Atlantic coast, including Guanabara Bay where the Olympic sailing events will be held, have been polluted for years and successive governments have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on clean-ups to little effect….
When Rio bid to host the Games, the city trumpeted the clean-up and said it would cut the amount of sewage flowing into the bay by 80%. However, it has since admitted it is unlikely to meet that target. The amount of sewage treated before reaching the bay had risen from 17 to 49%.
Living longer>>>>>………………….
Lesotho had the world’s lowest healthy life expectancy, at 42 years, while Japan had the highest, at 73.4 years.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/282702/a-longer-lifespan-but-at-what-cost
From Stephanie Rodgers on the side panel: “It seems thoroughly unfair that hot on the heels of losing Dita de Boni from our political commentariat, we’re saying goodbye to Brent Edwards as political editor at Radio New Zealand.”
(Thanks Stephanie.)
Very sad but I hope his influence on fair balanced reporting continues?
I sent an email of appreciation to Brent at brent.edwards@radionz.co.nz
Looks like Peter Bromhead has been let go as well
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11503907
For some of the good ones it means that if not sacked they get promoted away from the Public view. Maybe?
An fawningly approving technocratic authoritarian doozey from Fran O’Sullivan today, where she applauds a right wing technocrat’s go at a palace coup against the elected democracy of Auckland
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11504525
It contains a sentence for the ages:
“…What’s clear is that Town is breaking through the political stasis holding Auckland back….”
What’s clear is no one voted for this guy and his “breaking through” involves an authoritarian conspiracy of little known neo-liberal apparachiks to ride roughshod over the constantly repeated wish of Auckland voters NOT to sell assets. I wonder if he can get the trains to run on time as well?
In all this, it is clear Len Brown’s utter obsession with the CRL is now turning him into an isolated lunatic prepared to any and everything to cement in his legacy. Brown is now as big a threat by omission to our assets as Mr. Town is by commission.
http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/serco-boss-admits-interest-in-nzs-rail-services-2015082910#axzz3k9uSFISc
I propose that the new flag should have “serco” as its main emblem.
‘Steve Keen on Economic Forecasts, Ponzi Schemes, GDP, China; One Way Streets and Poison’
Read more at http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2015/08/steve-keen-on-economic-forecasts-ponzi.html#Rpqrk3RPikCSprL7.99
….”China needs external capital. Instead, China sees capital flight. Resultant stress is everywhere one looks because debt exceeds carrying capacity.
Symptoms of Too Much Debt
Yuan devaluation
Stock market prop jobs by Chinese regulators
Emerging market currency crashes
Global equity bubbles
Commodity price crashes
Junk bond bubbles
Slower global growth
Still raging property bubbles in Australia, Canada, and the US West Coast (thanks to influx of money from China)”….
( re “raging property bubbles in Australia, Canada, and the US West Coast (thanks to influx of money from China)”
…..is New Zealand also being flooded with Chinese money escaping China?…ie buy ups of NZ housing and land?
…we are a very small country…there must some restrictions on this flood…or is jonkey Nact using this Chinese buy up money to prop up his economic failures?)
http://www.smh.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/wall-of-chinese-capital-buying-up-australian-properties-20150628-ghztdf.html
Here is a just posted interview from Robert David Steele. For his opinion on TPPA, start at 8 minutes. Travellerev will be interested in this interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmJeK5M9mGE
The commonality of criticism of TPPA is a pretty good indication of the potential of doing the bad stuff on the People- us!
Meanwhile….
Canada will not sign a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that would allow Japanese vehicles into North America with fewer parts manufactured here, says Ed Fast, the federal minister of international trade.
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5812122-no-trans-pacific-trade-deal-if-auto-parts-sector-threatened-trade-minister/
Oops:
Can’t really say that I’m surprised.
I’m hoping that present generations are disgusted by this obvious corruption of the legal and political systems.
Lisa Owen is not up to the job of interviewing Helen Clark
The Nation, TV3, Saturday 29 August 2015, 9:30 a.m.
Hosted by Lisa Owen and Patrick Gower, The Nation is an in-depth weekly current affairs show focusing on the major players and forces that shape New Zealand—TV3 publicity blurb.
Our former prime minister Helen Clark did not have a good relationship with high quality journalists. In 2002 she glowered with anger and tried to overtalk John Campbell when he confronted her with her dishonesty about an unapproved release of genetically modified sweetcorn. [1] During the long-running scandal of her regime’s persecution of Ahmed Zaoui, she brusquely terminated any attempts by the excellent Selwyn Manning to make her answer questions. [2]
Thankfully for Helen Clark, then, she didn’t have to put up with the indignity of being interviewed by a high quality journalist on TV3 this morning. Lisa Owen’s performance was as reliably useless as long-suffering viewers have come to expect from her. Instead of going into anything in depth, several topics were given the usual once-over-lightly treatment. This program is notorious for its low quality interviews, which are often utterly incompetent or horribly biased [3] or—as with Tova O’Brien’s outrageous performance with Murray McCully—a combination of both. [4] But, even so, this was a particularly abject performance. Here are a few selected highlights, or lowlights, complete with Ms Clark’s trademark snickering and snorting delivery….
LISA OWEN: So what can the rest of the world do, then, and why aren’t they stepping up?
HELEN CLARK: [speaking slowly and with the deepest possible tone, to indicate thoughtfulness and moral seriousness] In the short to medium term, peace in Syria would help enormously. But that’s not about to happen.
LISA OWEN: I want to talk about sustainable development…
Here Clark chuntered on in yawn-inducing officialese for a minute or so. She’s such a smooth operator that she managed to talk about the “G-7” instead of the G-8, casually accepting and therefore endorsing the U.S.-driven attempt to isolate the eighth member, Russia. Lisa Owen didn’t even notice.
HELEN CLARK: The EU’s calling for more action, the UN’s [snicker] calling for more action…. needs more commitment from countries that historically have contributed [snicker] to carbon levels. We need China [snort] to act, we need India to act….
But Lisa Owen, even if she were capable of discussing that issue in depth, had other questions she was required by management to ask. Someone had written a really pointed anti-Labour one for her to read out….
LISA OWEN: [nervously] How comfortable are you with Chinese people being singled out as an ethnic group here?
Ms Clark knows a partisan political angle when she sees it. However, instead of fixing the hapless Lisa Owen with her trademark rock-splitting stare, Clark took the bloodless option, and chewed up a couple more minutes saying something bland and non-committal. But Lisa Owen wasn’t allowed to let it go at that. She had obviously been ordered by her producers to keep banging away at this one….
LISA OWEN: [diffidently] So… are you uncomfortable with a single ethnic group, the Chinese, being singled out?
Again, Clark swatted her aside with ease.
Why can’t they get someone knowledgeable and with a bit of flair to interview a big hitter like Helen Clark? Oh that’s right—-they’ve got rid of all the good ones.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dET78Z5b5s
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeZ8yuEqZm0
[3] https://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/makers-of-tv3s-the-nation-refuse-right-to-reply-to-untrue-allegations/
[4] http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02082015/#comment-1053747
Well, seeing Lisa Owen interviewing the Serco boss on 3 news last night I thought she must be the best interviewer main stream media has got right now. I think you might be being a bit harsh on her performance on the Clark interview.
I am glad to hear that she did a good job there. Sadly, however, what I have seen of her suggests that she is nothing like the “best interviewer mainstream media has got right now.” She allowed Clark to get away with some nasty propaganda—talking about the “G7” as though she had had her comments vetted by the U.S. State Department—and boring ahead with those spurious, partisan questions, possibly written for her by Paul Henry, designed to aggravate and embarrass the Labour Party.
Further examples of Lisa Owen’s substandard performances…..
Bamboozled by Scott Campbell….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30112014/#comment-933681
Given the runaround by Murray McCully….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-18102014/#comment-913109
A lame, unwise attempt at being witty…..
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22112014/#comment-928974
Making vacuous comments about the London riots of 2011….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-10082011/#comment-362299
World Health Organisation only requires 90 DAYS ‘SAFETY TESTING’ ON GMOS – NOT long enough for tumours to show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D6z0HqpZWQ
“Not long enough for tumours to show?” But isn’t it the chemtrails that cause the tumours?
No it’s cell towers
Tautoko Mango Mata – could you please put up the link to the WHO video “Are GMOs Safe to Eat” . This is a really informative doco, and I’d like to share it with people up here in the north who are strongly opposed to current govt attempts to introduce GMOs despite local councils not wanting that to happen. thanks.
ps Its okay thanks – I right-clicked onto it, and have the link now.
Thanks for putting this up.
Thank you Tautoko for link.
I’m only part way in and already I have heard that the experienced professional academic speaking has found a potato that after genetic modification tools have been used on it, has antibiotic resistance to three bacteria.
“Analysis: German and Scottish GM cultivation ‘opt-outs’ could be first of many”
“Germany will utilise new EU rules to ban the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops on its territory – and other member states look set to follow.”
https://www.agra-net.net/agra/agra-europe/policy-and-legislation/biotechnology/analysis-german-and-scottish-gm-cultivation-opt-outs-could-be-first-of-many-489348.htm
Also “Latvia and Greece have both written to the European Commission requesting the use of new legislation on restricting the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the EU.
https://www.agra-net.net/agra/agra-europe/policy-and-legislation/biotechnology/two-more-member-states-signal-intent-to-restrict-gmo-cultivation-489595.htm
Can Tim Groser show us what food labelling and food cultivation rules he has agreed to in the TPPA on our behalf?
Unions win big decision in US with the role of joint contractors in effect being joint employees .
https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/board-issues-decision-browning-ferris-industries
they share or codetermine those matters governing the essential terms and conditions of employment. In evaluating whether an employer possesses sufficient control over employees to qualify as a joint employer, the Board will – among other factors — consider whether an employer has exercised control over terms and conditions of employment indirectly through an intermediary, or whether it has reserved the authority to do so.
Background here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/unions-plot-major-push-after-landmark-labor-ruling_55e10081e4b0aec9f35376e6
Over on the Border Fiasco thread RedLogix said this:
Well, not yet but I’m sure that National, following patterns in the US as they do, are looking at it:
Actually, didn’t they give cards out to some beneficiaries to prevent then from buying luxuries?
True. The rich get rich by taking from the poor not by working for it.
An interesting column re China from the BBC:
“The politics behind China’s stock market turbulence
One of the most extraordinary things about the world’s number two economy is that when it faces a crisis, the leadership carries on in public as if nothing has happened.
Decisions which affect the fate not just of 1.4 billion people in China but as we now know, the rest of the world as well, are made in secret by a handful of men.
This week, China’s top political leaders have made no mention of the crisis, flagship mainstream media avoided touching on it, and government censors constrained discussion on social media within firm boundaries.”
……continues http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-34071368