Author Archive
So what’s going on in the National party?
Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, January 22nd, 2012 - 124 comments
Labour’s internal politics is public property while National get a free pass on theirs.
This imbalance of transparency and accountability seems weird given National are the ones wielding the real power.
More to the point, what does it mean for our democracy?
POAL, DPF, and the politics of envy
Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, January 12th, 2012 - 142 comments
DPF has joined the chorus of overpaid righties calling for working people to have their pay cut.
That’s despite him being on a pretty good wicket himself.
What is it with the right and the politics of envy?
Rich attacks unions
Written By: - Date published: 6:56 pm, December 27th, 2011 - 98 comments
Katherine Rich attacks the waterside union in an opinion piece today.
But that’s not surprising given she’s being paid to speak on behalf of some of the biggest corporations in the world.
Anyone would think there’s some kind of connection between how strong unions are and how big a slice of the pie the rich can take for themselves…
The face of asset sales
Written By: - Date published: 7:33 am, December 12th, 2011 - 152 comments
Peter Dunne could stop the sale of our assets but he won’t.
Even though he didn’t campaign on selling them.
If he had it’s unlikely he’d have won his seat – let’s hope his constituents hold him accountable.
The puppet Act
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, December 5th, 2011 - 163 comments
Funny how John Banks has got so much more out of his coalition deal with National than Peter Dunne did despite Dunne having more leverage than Banksie.
It’s almost like National wanted to pack all of their hard right policy into Act’s deal so they could employ it without dirtying themselves.
A few thoughts on election 2011
Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, November 27th, 2011 - 321 comments
It’s been a funny kind of election and there’s a lot to ruminate on over the next few days.
Here’s a handful of random thoughts on the matter…
Keeping the help in line
Written By: - Date published: 7:20 pm, November 24th, 2011 - 37 comments
Keeping up brand Key means keeping the help in line.
Just pity the poor buggers that have to help hold that facade up.
A police recruitment freeze?
Written By: - Date published: 9:54 pm, November 23rd, 2011 - 43 comments
Phil Goff broke news of the Nat’s plan to freeze police recruitment but keep it quiet until after the election.
That policy’s at odds with some fundamental Nat claims.
Update: A freeze on replacement cops would see hundreds fewer on the job after just one year.
Teapot fiasco becomes an international embarrassment
Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, November 18th, 2011 - 58 comments
The teapot fiasco has become an international story.
And it’s making us look like a banana republic.
Is this what John Key means when he says he’s “ambitious for New Zealand”?
Dirty politics ironic lolz
Written By: - Date published: 8:22 pm, November 15th, 2011 - 111 comments
Well it’s been quite the day of ironic Key hypocrisy lolz.
It’s also been a day that’s shown Russel Norman’s not much better.
DPF putting his readers in harm’s way
Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, November 12th, 2011 - 72 comments
David Farrar is encouraging his readers to put themselves in harm’s way by authorising and distributing a misleading election advertisement he’s created.
Of course he won’t take the risk himself – instead he’s hiding behind “personal opinion”.
Pike River charges laid
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 pm, November 10th, 2011 - 20 comments
Charges have been laid over the Pike River tragedy.
National’s plan to screw workers some more
Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, October 28th, 2011 - 89 comments
John Key has announced National’s IR policy and it’s all about cutting back workers negotiating power.
The message from Key is clear – big business might have made this recession but you’re the ones who are gonna pay for it.
National’s Little smears and the big issue of market greed
Written By: - Date published: 6:40 pm, October 21st, 2011 - 42 comments
A good interview from Andrew Little on the Nat’s failed attempt to smear him over facebook comments. Nice comments about David Farrar and strong support for the occupy movement. Good to see.
By the way, is it just me or is National’s obsession with opposition social media starting to look less like straight research and more like creepy stalking?
A plan to fix the pay problem?
Written By: - Date published: 2:09 pm, October 16th, 2011 - 90 comments
Word around the traps is Labour is working on a significant new wage policy. Good – like nearly every other deregulated market the labour market has been failing Kiwis for more than twenty years. It’s time to bring some balance back into the system. Let’s just hope Labour has the guts to make a proper job of it.
Key misleads the house
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, October 10th, 2011 - 51 comments
Looks like John Key has been caught in yet another lie.
The right’s weird obsession with Darien Fenton
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 pm, October 3rd, 2011 - 261 comments
Darien Fenton makes a mean comment about a celebrity butcher on facebook and then apologises for it and offers to shout him a drink to make up for it.
No big deal? Well according to some hysterical righties that makes Fenton worse than Hitler.
You couldn’t make this sh*t up
Written By: - Date published: 10:22 pm, September 30th, 2011 - 16 comments
I missed it at the time but apparently John Key’s big plan for Christchurch was to have a yarn to Oprah.
What kind of weird fantasy world does this guy live in?
Be careful what you wish for
Written By: - Date published: 3:25 pm, September 25th, 2011 - 43 comments
On Friday the government announced a law change that opens the door to a whole world of cheap contract labour now available to anyone producing short projects like advertisements, tv episodes or parts of movies in New Zealand.
Many of the industry locals who will be most hurt by this are the same ones who were banging the drum against actors and for international producers during the Hobbit dispute. Ironic, huh?
Whaddarya?
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 pm, September 13th, 2011 - 39 comments
There once was a time tory leaders would wield the power of the state like the powerful tyrants they were.
Nowadays that might is lent to important things like… throwing a wee party.
Those tough old bastards must be rolling in their graves.
“A commodity”
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 pm, September 12th, 2011 - 94 comments
Big time businessman Damien Grant thinks we’re either rich or irrelevant commodities. And Granny Herald thinks it’s reasonable to give him a platform to preach this vile social darwinism. Suddenly the careless deaths of Kiwi workers and the systemic poverty of so many of our children becomes less surprising.
Third world NZ
Written By: - Date published: 10:05 pm, September 5th, 2011 - 123 comments
The stories coming out of the Pike inquiry paint a picture of a company with a basic disregard for workers’s safety.
But we shouldn’t expect anything else after thirty years of putting the interests of business ahead of everyone else.
FFS
Written By: - Date published: 9:40 pm, August 8th, 2011 - 107 comments
It’s bad to have a senior frontbencher attack the media.
It’s really really bad when that frontbencher is in charge of your election campaign.
Indeed
Written By: - Date published: 7:07 pm, July 27th, 2011 - 74 comments
A classic from stuff:
Prime Minister John Key said the Government had had very little room to move on the economy.
”The public recognises that the rest of the world isn’t in great shape and so New Zealand is having to contend with that global environment,” he said.
The violent right
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 pm, July 25th, 2011 - 316 comments
The kind of racist right wing opinions held by the Norway shooter are shared by quite a few New Zealand bloggers and commenters. Many of the same bloggers are now claiming the massacre is somehow the Left’s fault. We should be concerned that there are people with such hatred and self-delusion among us.
Exit, stage right
Written By: - Date published: 4:16 pm, July 9th, 2011 - 136 comments
It’s a big call, I know, but I’m pretty sure we’re seeing the end of the ACT party happening right before our eyes.
Friday lolz
Written By: - Date published: 5:09 pm, July 8th, 2011 - 60 comments
Even Bill’s readers like the CGT…
Aussies on Pike River
Written By: - Date published: 9:17 pm, June 28th, 2011 - 22 comments
Why is it the Australians are getting better coverage of Pike River than we are?
The Australian, for example, ran a story yesterday asking some hard-hitting questions about safety at the mine including the lack of remote gas measurement and a second escape route.
(Another) Tory astroturf fail
Written By: - Date published: 8:48 pm, June 28th, 2011 - 42 comments
The latest anti-MMP outfit is already unraveling with Pundit’s Rob Salmond uncovering the fact it’s basically the Peter Shirtcliffe club.
It’s a surprisingly clumsy effort. Especially given David Farrar provided strategic advice.
I guess he’s not learned any lessons from his previous PR fiascos…
A gutless strategy
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 pm, June 22nd, 2011 - 41 comments
Key is due to fly in to help announce the bad news in Christchurch tomorrow only to fly straight out to India the next day.
It’s seems the timing is all about keeping Key’s brand away from the bad news – he’ll do the sombre announcement and then leave others to deal with the fall out.
Gutless.
Curiouser and curiouser
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, June 13th, 2011 - 209 comments
It looks like the Labour party site was breached from National HQ.
Does this mean National are still laundering their dirty tricks though their pet bloggers?
- Dawn Chorus for Wednesday, April 3
These homes in Mt Cook, Wellington were demolished but the large rebuild project is now paused and the site sits idle, along with other social housing projects around the country. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six newsy things of note to me in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 7:06 ...2 weeks ago - Beehive bloat
While the new Government repeatedly vows to cut waste from within the Government, it has created seven new ministries and abolished only two left over from the Labour Government. A new study says that the more Ministers a government has, the more it will spend and the more difficult it ...3 weeks ago - At a glance – Global warming and the El Niño Southern Oscillation
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...3 weeks ago - Criminal enterprises
It was easter over the weekend, which meant the annual "debate" over relic easter trading laws, and various businesses deliberately flouting them for profit. I'd prefer those out-dated laws to be reformed - my preference is to make easter Sunday a public holiday, which solves all the problems other than ...3 weeks ago - Tax relief is included in the next stage of Government Action Plan – but hospital staff could do ...
Buzz from the Beehive Uh, oh. Maybe we are in the PM’s Naughty Book. We received a press statement from Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick to tell us the Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months “is as pointless as it is hollow”. She was more than somewhat ...3 weeks ago - You’re welcome, renters
More Than A Feilding: Good afternoon Prime Minister, thanks for making the time to talk to this little newsletter.Old Mate Grabaseat: You’re welcome mate! How’s it all going in Friendly Feilding, 14-time winner of NZ’s Most Beautiful Town?MTAF: Oh, I’m not actually in Feilding, that's just a reference to…OMG: I’m ...3 weeks ago - Fair Enough!
Sounds About Right: It would seem that the realities of practical politics makes utilitarians of us all.DOING THE GREATEST GOOD for the greatest number has long been the ethical rule-of-thumb for New Zealand politicians. At least, that is how they would argue if challenged to justify their own, or their ...3 weeks ago - Climate Change: The wrong directionToday the government released its "action plan" for the next three months - basically, the list of what it wants to get done. Yes, its government by KPI, with all the bullshit that that entails. But contempt for management culture aside, what about the substance? And in particular, the substance ...3 weeks ago
- The complex and bloated Executive
David Farrar writes – The NZ Initiative has published a research note comparing our Executive Government to others. They note: We have 44% more Ministers, 282% more portfolios and 156% more departments than countries of similar size NZ has 41 departments NZ has 27 crown agencies NZ has ...3 weeks ago - Steven Joyce’s revolving door entry into a $4000/day govt appointmentBryce Edwards writes – Former National Government Finance Minister Steven Joyce is being paid $4000 a day to chair the new Government’s “expert advisory panel” on infrastructure. That’s over twice what Prime Minister Christopher Luxon gets, and makes Joyce New Zealand’s highest-paid public servant. At the same time, ...3 weeks ago
- The debt rules being used to strangle NZIn reality, there is far too little ‘future proofing’ being undertaken by councils, mainly because of the fear of the perceptions of councillors, officials, mayors (and Government ministers) that they’ll be punished for being ‘fiscally reckless’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six news items of note on ...3 weeks ago
- A data scientist’s case for ‘cautious optimism’ about climate changeThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Michael Svoboda Against the regular drumbeat of negative news on climate and the environment, a positive note can be both startling and therapeutic. To keep pressing forward, we need to know that progress has been — and still can be — made. ...3 weeks ago
- Suddenly Seymour.
I know Seymour's the greatestBut I'm dating a semi-sadistSo I've got a black eyeAnd my arm's in a cast.Still, that Seymour's a cutieWell, if not, he's got inner beautyAnd I dream of a placeWhere we could be together at last..How are you feeling about David Seymour, six months after the ...3 weeks ago - The Kaka’s diary for the week to April 8 and beyond
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 8 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-cabinet news conference at 4pm today.Parliament is not sittingBuilding consents data is due on Thursday.Photo by Marissa Grootes on UnsplashThe Kaka’s diary for the week to ...3 weeks ago - Daughters of Derbyshire: Published
My 4300-word historical fiction piece, Daughters of Derbyshire, is now out, via The Lesbian Historical Motif Podcast. Print format: https://alpennia.com/blog/lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283-daughters-derbyshire-daniel-stride Audio format: https://lesbianhistoricmotif.podbean.com/e/daughters-of-derbyshire-by-daniel-stride-the-lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283/ It concerns seventeenth century English Puritans – at once alien to modernity, and yet also a story written in the grim shadow of 2020. ...3 weeks ago - A moment of friction.
In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), … Continue reading ...3 weeks ago - Spotlight on the CourtsMuriel Newman writes – “Houston, we have a problem!” New Zealand’s Supreme Court – the highest court in our land – has been captured by activist judges. What is heartening, is the emergence of a wide range of eminent legal voices all openly criticising the Court and calling ...3 weeks ago
- NZ Government announces ban on walking
RNZ reports: As part of their ‘100 Day Plan – Phase 2’, the government today announced a ban on walking on streets and in most public spaces. Transport Minister Simeon Brown says the move is part of the Government’s plan to boost economic growth and productivity. “Walking is just too ...3 weeks ago - 2024 Reading Summary (+ Writing Update)Completed reads for March: Lamia (poem), by John Keats The Moon Pool, by Abraham Merritt A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking Inverted World, by Christopher Priest Fugue for a Darkening Island, by Christopher Priest The Secrets of Dr John Taverner (collection), by Dion Fortune St Benedict’s Rule ...3 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #13A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 24, 2024 thru Sat, March 30, 2024. Story of the week When it comes to polar sea ice appearances can be deceptive, trends may be obvious ...3 weeks ago
- From forced kisses to power imbalances, violence against women in sport is endemic
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona Giles, Research Fellow, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University Former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales may face significant consequences for his non-consensual kiss of Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso. But this is not the norm for perpetrators ...4 days ago - As China’s influence on Pacific media intensifies, Australia can’t afford to lose the region’s...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy Morieson, Lecturer in Politics and Communication , RMIT University When the people of Solomon Islands go to the polls on Wednesday, they will be voting for more than just a new prime minister. The election will also be a referendum on ...4 days ago
- The best moments from the outrageous final episodes of MAFS AU
From the Jono and Ellie bombshell to the return of Collins, we look at back at the final episodes of Married at First Sight Australia 2024. When John Aiken told us back in February that we were in for a “quite shocking” season of Married at First Sight Australia, little ...4 days ago - Expanding Coal Mining In 21st Century An “absurd, Selfish Decision” Says WWF
Resources Minister Shane Jones announced today that the Government will ease the consenting process for setting up new coal mines or expanding existing ones. ...4 days ago - The Boy in the Water nominated for best podcast
Newsroom has received five nominations for the 2024 Voyager Media Awards, including best podcast for Melanie Reid’s popular nine-part in depth investigation The Boy in the Water. ReadingRoom’s Steve Braunias has been nominated for best columnist, opinion or critique, and Aaron Smale is up for the Te Tohu Kairangi award. ...4 days ago - Watch: Christopher Luxon faces questions in Singapore
The Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...4 days ago - Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions in SingaporeThe Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...4 days ago
- How The Lost Boys of Dilworth brought a ‘horrendous nightmare’ to lifeAlex Casey talks to the makers of TVNZ’s new docudrama retelling the stories of Dilworth survivors. This story contains reference to sexual abuse, please take care. When she first saw the child actors that would be playing the young versions of Dilworth survivors, Mary Durham nearly burst into tears on ...4 days ago
- Pro-independence activist issues dire warning to France over Kanaky New CaledoniaBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A pro-independence activist in New Caledonia is warning France to immediately halt its planned constitution amendments or face “war”. The call for a u-turn follows proposed constitutional changes to voting rights which could push the number of eligible anti-independence voters up. Pacific Independence Movement ...4 days ago
- The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park Raceway | Checkered Flag | The SpinoffIn the final months of the Pukekohe Park Raceway, the father and daughter duo managing the grassroots racecourse want to give everyone a last chance to go fast. This asphalt has been a part of New Zealand’s motorsport community and history for 60 years. Checkered Flag is made with the ...4 days ago
- Watch: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changesACT's leader read to children while sitting next to a book featuring Jacinda Ardern, before telling reporters the former prime minister was an authoritarian. ...4 days ago
- Smaller agencies cutting deepest into staffing, data to date showsSmaller agencies are making deepest cuts as they look to save costs, RNZ data shows. ...4 days ago
- The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park RacewayIn Checkered Flag, the father and daughter duo managing the Pukekohe Park Raceway want to give everyone one last chance to go fast before its closure. Since it opened in 1962, the Pukekohe Park Raceway has hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Tasman Series, and Supercar Championships as ...4 days ago
- Labour Productivity Falls 0.9 PercentLabour productivity fell 0.9 percent in the year ended March 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. The 0.9 percent fall in labour productivity was the largest fall since 2009. It follows a rise of 1.0 percent in the year ended March ...4 days ago
- Shane Jones Throws A Lump Of Coal To The Mining LobbyistsCoal Action Network Aotearoa (CANA), the national organisation campaigning for an end to coal mining and coal use, says Resources Minister Shane Jones needs to understand the world has moved on from the industrial revolution, and coal - and siding with ...4 days ago
- Jeepers creepers: the climbing cost of climate change compoundsKiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr explains what effect climate change will have on inflation, housing and policy – and whether there’s a way out. Climate change. It’s a gigantic force and it’s coming into play at a time when New Zealand is already struggling with inflation. We’ve gone from a ...4 days ago
- New deal intends to make trade with Singapore simplerCustoms has signed a cooperation agreement with its Singaporean counterpart. ...4 days ago
- Will pet bonds really be a win-win? I’m not holding my breathMaking it easier for people with pets to find rentals is a good thing. But the pet bonds policy is just one proposal in a suite of many that overwhelmingly favour landlords’ rights, argues Kristin Kelly. Renting in New Zealand, generally speaking, sucks. At the time of the last census, ...4 days ago
- Shane Jones announces easier coal mine consentingThe Resources Minister says changes to coal mine consenting will reduce barriers to extraction. ...4 days ago
- How a global crisis, drift racing and Memphis hip-hop gave us phonk – the music of the TikTok gene...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Ward, Senior Lecturer in Music, School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the Sunshine Coast Shutterstock What’s that sound you hear – a combination of down-tempo hip-hop, menacing bass, distorted drums and plucky synths? It’s phonk! Still ...4 days ago
- Watch live: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changesThe government has announced changes to the ECE sector, which it says will make it easier for new centres to be set up. ...4 days ago
- The cost of being: A skint student waiting anxiously to start a new jobAs part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 30-year-old who’s just finished his studies will be breathing a sigh of relief when that first paycheck comes in. Gender: Male Age: 30 Ethnicity: Māori/European Role: Student/trainee, volunteer for a youth organisation. Salary/income/assets: Me: $400pw ...4 days ago
- Breaking: Stuff wins race to replace Newshub with a new 6pm bulletin for ThreeSources familiar with the deal say the print news giant has beaten out NZME to create a 6pm bulletin to replace Newshub at Three. Less than a week after Three confirmed that its proposal to completely shutter Newshub will be going ahead, it will today confirm that Stuff has won ...4 days ago
- Can playing Tetris help prevent PTSD if you’ve witnessed something traumatic?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Bressington, Professor in Mental Health, Charles Darwin University In the wake of witnessing tragic events, many people turn to online communities such as Reddit to discuss and process their experiences. A common bit of advice users give each other is to ...4 days ago
- Have New Zealanders really been ‘misled’ about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco de Jong, Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, foreign minister ...4 days ago
- With democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s electio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Chacko, Associate Professor, International Politics, University of Adelaide India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is favoured to win reelection when India’s 970 million voters start heading to the polls on April 19 in the country’s massive, six-week general election. Modi, who has ...4 days ago
- What happens when I stop taking a drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University Diva Plavalaguna/Pexels Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about them? This month, The Conversation’s experts explore their rise, ...4 days ago
- Climate change is causing marine ‘coldwaves’ too, killing wildlifeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicolas Benjamin Lubitz, Researcher in marine ecology, James Cook University Ryan Daly The effects of ocean warming are profound and well-documented. But sometimes changes in the patterns of winds and ocean currents cause seawater to suddenly cool, instead. Surface temperatures ...4 days ago
- Our research suggests eating an unhealthy breakfast could have a similar effect on your child’s sc...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney Haley Owens/Unsplash, CC BY Many parents know it is important for their teenagers to have breakfast before they go to school. Even though young people can be reluctant ...4 days ago
- NZ joins call for Israel not to escalate tensions with IranForeign Minister Winston Peters says now is not the time escalation, but rather for calmness. ...4 days ago
- China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committeeA report sheds new light on NZ residents pressured into returning to China to face its legal system The post China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Mega tunnel idea prompts anger and satire but finds a couple of championsOne proponent has suggested the minister give Elon Musk a call about the newly resurrected mega tunnel idea for Wellington, 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. ‘We’re having a really good look ...4 days ago
- Costs of Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway not to be finalised until 2025The divvying up of costs for the billion-dollar Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will not be finalised until next year. ...4 days ago
- Air NZ calls for Govt mandates to help drive sustainable aviation fuel useNew Zealand’s national carrier has taken a leap towards its net zero 2050 goal, with its biggest ever purchase of sustainable aviation fuel. But Air NZ chair Dame Therese Walsh said it was now time for the Government to step in with policies that would help level the playing field ...4 days ago
- Public service cuts: $6.3m in payouts at one ministry so farThe total cost of redundancies across the public service is not yet known and the Finance Minister has not asked for an estimated price tag. ...4 days ago
- A flagpole, a failed space, and a confused history of white fragilityWellington’s Flagstaff Hill has a strange, dark history…. or does it? Max Rashbrooke uncovers the truth about a historical myth. I pass it almost every day, yet never see it used. The flagpole, placed on a grassy hill above Wellington’s CBD, surrounded by trees and houses, and accessible only by ...4 days ago
- A series of alternative, equally ambitious, transport options for WellingtonYou want to build a giant underground tunnel? Dream a little bigger. On Monday, news broke that the government is investigating the prospect of a mega-tunnel, running from Wellington’s The Terrace to Kilbirnie, designed to reduce the car load on State Highway 1 and speed trips up by an astounding ...4 days ago
- Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiascoCarers want to use their funding as they see fit The post Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiasco appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Swiss climate ruling full of holesOpinion: European Court of Human Rights rules that Switzerland’s climate policy violates human rights of its citizens The post Swiss climate ruling full of holes appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Rhapsody in feijoaThe greatest book ever written about the feijoa may well be the only book ever written about the feijoa but there is no doubting that the recently published Feijoa by Kate Evans qualifies as a New Zealand natual history classic, a deep and knowledgeable dive into the life story of ...4 days ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Principals on the truth behind truancyBad parenting – or are there a million other reasons that a child might not make it to school? Ask Ash Maindonald, the principal of Western Heights School, a primary school in West Auckland. He’ll tell you that every principal he speaks to has a litany of war stories they ...4 days ago
- Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’Losing staff is just the beginning of a coming storm for the Department of Conservation, environmental groups warn The post Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- ‘Reverse uplift’ foster parents still waiting to hear from OTThe foster couple at the centre of a Newsroom video investigation ordered removed from our website by the High Court are hopeful a Court of Appeal ruling means they finally hear back from Oranga Tamariki, who have been giving the couple the “silent treatment”. “We’re still in limbo. Our lives ...4 days ago
- Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appealThe court found the ‘clear benefits’ of continuing to take sand from Pākiri didn’t outweigh environmental concerns The post Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appeal appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 days ago
- Man in the middleIt’s no easy task leading a company that supplies fossil fuels in this day and age, and no one gives Z Energy chief executive Lindis Jones a harder time about it than his own kids. His work skating the friction zone – maintaining steady fuel supply while supporting the transition ...4 days ago
- Security steals focus in Luxon’s Singapore swingOne of New Zealand’s closest defence partners has warned of the possibility of “calamity” if countries didn’t come together to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict. “It is a very troubled world. And in particular, it is a very very troubled Middle East,” said Singapore Prime Minister ...5 days ago
- Rideshare giant Ola has abruptly exited the Australian market. What does this mean for the future of...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neil G Sipe, Honorary Professor of Planning, The University of Queensland Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock Last week, Indian rideshare giant Ola announced that it would abruptly cease operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. A competitor to Uber, the company ...5 days ago
- Recession, high interest rates take toll on construction industryTony Boyce threw "mega bucks" into his company to try keep it afloat but with no work coming in, he has to close it down for good. ...5 days ago
- New Wellington tunnel: 'An astonishing misunderstanding of transport priorities'A new underground mega-tunnel in the capital would be a colossal waste of money, opponents of the government's suggestion for the tunnel say. ...5 days ago
- Singapore PM warns against Middle East 'calamity', signs NZ agreementSingapore's PM has warned small countries cannot solve the Middle East situation but efforts must be made to push for peace, after promising closer cooperation with NZ. ...5 days ago
- Pet bond will be 'safety blanket' for landlords – Housing Minister Chris BishopLandlords will be able to charge up to two weeks' rent, but renters say it's just another way for landlords to "pad their wallets". ...5 days ago
- We found three new species of extinct giant kangaroo – and we don’t know why they died out when ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac A. R. Kerr, Research Assistant at Flinders University Palaeontology Laboratory, Flinders University Artist’s impression of the prehistoric landscape and creatures that Protemnodon would have walked among. Peter Schouten For millions of years, giant animals or megafauna roamed the lands that are ...5 days ago
- What public sector job cuts mean for Wellington small businessIt's not just public sector workers who are feeling the pain - the Wellington shops and services who rely on their custom fear they will be hit hard, too. ...5 days ago
- Judge finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins and dismisses Network 10 defamation case. How did ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer of law, The University of Melbourne Bruce Lehrmann has lost his defamation suit against Channel Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson after the media defendants proved, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped his colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament ...5 days ago
- Sydney attacker had ‘mental health issues’ but most people with mental illness aren’t violentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Ogloff, University Distinguished Professor of Forensic Behavioural Science & Dean, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology The man who killed six people and injured countless others at a Bondi shopping centre on Saturday, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, reportedly had “mental ...5 days ago
- Family carers lose employment status after successful Govt appealTwo parents victorious in the Employment Court have had the decision to count them as employees of the Government for the work they do in caring for their children, overturned. The Court of Appeal has released its judgment following a lengthy deliberation since the final day of the hearing ...5 days ago
- Australia now has a $70 ‘shadow price’ on carbon emissions. Here’s why we won’t see a real p...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Andriano/Shutterstock For those who have followed the tortuous path of Australian climate policy over recent decades, a recent report by the Australian Energy Market Commission of a “shadow price” of ...5 days ago
- Revealed: A cost-benefit analysis for Wellington’s long tunnelDoes the capital really need a really long tunnel? Quite possibly, reckons Simeon Brown. Here’s how the transport minister might* have decided a project once rejected because it was eye-wateringly expensive was worth another look. Transport minister Simeon Brown has asked Waka Kotahi officials to investigate building a long tunnel ...5 days ago
- Long Covid sufferers scared they'll face penalties under government benefit resetSarah Macrae is in "agony" just trying to drive her children to school. Looking for work is impossible, she says. ...5 days ago
- Crisis communication saves lives – but people with disability often aren’t given the messageSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ariella Meltzer, Research Fellow in Social Impact, UNSW Sydney In a pandemic, bushfire or flood, people need high quality safety and crisis information. Getting emergency messages quickly can help people know how to prepare, what rules to follow, where dangers are, where ...5 days ago
- More WorkSafe Cuts Will Put Workers’ Health And Safety At RiskMoves by WorkSafe to start planning for further job cuts risks making New Zealand workplaces less safe, and New Zealand’s already poor worker safety record even worse, the PSA says. In November 2023 WorkSafe disestablished 113 roles , putting ...5 days ago
- Something borrowed, something Bluey: why we love a TV weddingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney Ludo Studio There is nothing like a wedding episode. Bluey’s first 28-minute special, The Sign, was the ultimate wedding television. Full of family, and family-friendly, the wedding between Bluey’s ...5 days ago
- New Paper On A Framework For Assessing The Economic And Fiscal Impacts Of Climate ChangeMore fully understanding the impacts of climate change to New Zealand is a critical step in evaluating the potential threats or opportunities posed to New Zealanders’ living standards. ...5 days ago
- Digital ‘death knocks’: is it fair game for journalists to mine social media profiles of victims...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alysson Watson, Associate lecturer in journalism, University of Newcastle The family of Ash Good, one of the Bondi stabbing victims and the mother of the nine-month-baby who was also stabbed, issued a plea overnight for media to stop reproducing photos of Ash, ...5 days ago
- Pet Refuge Charitable Trust Welcoming Introduction Of Pet BondsPet Refuge hopes the introduction of Pet Bonds will lead to more families finding safe homes for themselves and their pets after fleeing family violence. The government has today announced it will make changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to make ...5 days ago
- Ships in the night – final day of election campaigning in Solomon IslandsBy Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor It is the final day of election campaigning in Solomon Islands and there is a palpable sense of anticipation in the country, which is holding national and provincial elections simultaneously for the first time this year. There is also significant international interest this year ...5 days ago
- Watch: Government announces pet bond policy for rentersThe government has unveiled a two-week pet bond and obligations for tenants to pay for damage their animals cause. ...5 days ago
- More adults are being diagnosed as neurodivergent. Here’s how employers can help in the workplaceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Anne Koeleman/Shutterstick There has been a rise in the number of people diagnosed with “neurodivergence” in adulthood over the past decade. This trend has been noted both internationally ...5 days ago
- Charges Laid Against Fraudulent Immigration Agent In ThailandCharges have been laid against two visa agents in Thailand after Immigration New Zealand identified they were providing fake documents for visitor visa applicants. ...5 days ago
- New Caledonia: Flags and emotions flying high over proposed changesBy Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s capital was on Saturday flooded by two simultaneous waves of French and Kanaky flags with two rival demonstrations in downtown Nouméa, only two streets away from each other and under heavy security surveillance. The French High Commission in Nouméa ...5 days ago
- Watch live: Government announces pet bond policy for rentersThe government has announced a two-week pet bond and obligations for tenants to pay for damage their animals cause. ...5 days ago
- PM Christopher Luxon would consider Singapore drone testing in NZ airspaceThe Prime Minister has talked up the prospect stronger defence ties Singapore. ...5 days ago
- What does a uni student with two part-time jobs eat?An interview with a student and food Instagrammer about eating as a first-time flatter and the importance of Auckland University mainstay Munchy Mart. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. “All I ever really want to know is how other people are making it through life ...5 days ago
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