Did Ms Ardern learn about this from the television news?
That really does sound like it was all Tsar Winston’s work.
His acolyte Ms. Jacinda will do as she is told.
Erm, it turns out you are an immigrant to this country yourself so I don’t see how you can legitimately speak for us on immigration policy after we have generously taken you in.
Are you now ashamed to be born an Englishman James ?
do you feel it crimps your trolling style ?.
As a troll your purpose is to waste time,… ie ‘ prove Im a pom’ ….
… to derail … and to perform the tasks that sending a dick pick achieves … to Lower the tone … to offend …. and make site users experience unpleasant.
You offended me immensely once… with a particularly shit stained troll post …. with you pretending to care about suicide … while painting the national party as off-bounds for criticism … according to you their dirty hands were clean …
Their policy of hardship … their attacks on workers …their Dirty Politics …. their racism were not to be mentioned … according to the you.
Feeling strong emotions and knowing the reality behind two suicides in my wider circle ….
James is not a person of integrity. He’s unwilling or unable to answer a simple question on his own nationality despite criticising the government for its immigration policy.
He also admires Jair Bolsonaro which is just plain weird.
Well you did say he is more charismatic than Jacinda Ardern who you didn’t rate as charismatic at all despite her forming a government within a month of becoming leader of her party. That’s as big an endorsement of Jair Bolsonaro as you can get really.
Things to consider before we legalize cannabis.
Will it be sold cheap enough that people stop buying synthetic weed.
Will the gangs go completely out of weed sales and push p harder.
Will freeing up police time not chasing weed for going extra hard against p and the gangs that sell it .
Do we need to legalize a MDMA or amphetamine.
That is a ridiculous position to take. By saying this you are legitimising meth and synthetics use which kills dozens of people and destroys hundreds of families every year.
It’s the high castle attitude RWNJs have which poisons communities. They just don’t care about anyone but themselves.
If the easy money is legislated out of peddling narcotics crime will morph.
I think it will bleed into areas that are currently shady. Outrageous credit, Internet trickery, immigration…
If I can’t find willing $17 per hour for 3 hour gig waiters for my contract waiting business I’ll need to open up the opportunities for new Kiwis. Offshore applicants with the US$5000 at hand for their orientation course would be welcome to apply.
Or whatever form it takes. Removing the easy money from dealing in any drug will just alter the direction from which we face the prevailing crime fashion.
Of course drug abuse is a health issue. Astounding that it has taken us this long to arrive there. Geez, what happened to the country that was first to give women the vote, we’re stagnating. Getting ripe, when we’re ripe we rot.
I agree that self-discipline is far better than external discipline but there’s always going to be some people who will do the wrong thing for profit if there are no consequences. These people need to be shown that there’s consequences to doing the wrong thing.
But it was legal is the catch cry of which political party?
Prohibition is the root cause of the most deleterious effects of drug use, from the victims of criminal activity to fund consumption to the poor health outcomes and family distress associated with the diversion of resources to fund consumption through to the social cost of stigmatising users and astronomical costs involved in criminalising drug related activities.
Without prohibition stoners laze, mumble and get fatter, MDMA kiddies get loved up, junkies nod and get constipated, coke heads sniff and bore the living daylights out of whoever’s ear they’re chewing, and after hours spent under their beds talking to themselves as they vacuum up dust and dog hair, speed freaks crash and burn.
But best of all, legalisation would save the nation a fortune, kill organised crime’s golden goose, put an end to the criminalising of users for indulging, and as experienced in Portugal, the number of users would drop.
For sure, because for many kiwi’s that’s part of it, being able to grow their own and not go to a dealer or (if it’s legalized) line the pockets of a big company.
Isn’t this truly amazing.
Trevor Mallard has decided that Tsar Winston never lied to the house.
I feel so pleased that Winston has been found to be as pure as the driven slush.
Mallard really is proving to be a worse Speaker than the unlamented Margaret Wilson.
In fact he even makes Carter look like a statesman. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12180193
Mallard has decided on whatever information he has and according to certain rules that Peters did not lie to the House. That will be a grand opportunity for sundry folk who know better than Mallard to throw little hissy-fits and tantrums.
Congratulations, you are today’s winner.
“according to certain rules”.
The only rules that Trevor follows as Speaker are.
1. Though shall immediately interrupt when Jacinda gets out of her depth and looks pleadingly in your direction. You are her protector.
2. Though shall not allow anyone to make Jacinda’s Boss, Winston the First, look embarrassed. Breach of that rule will see you fired.
3. Never forget that you are duty bound to jump in and dismiss from the House anyone who embarrasses you beloved Party of Labour Goons.
Of course they publish these things. What does that have to do with the matter at hand?
After all look at the words right at the beginning of your first link.
“ensure fairness among the different parties.”.
You aren’t really going to try and claim that Trevor takes the slightest bit of notice of that are you?
Even you don’t really have the nerve to claim that Trevor plays “fair”. He is just as down in the dirt Labour as he ever was.
Yes, I noticed it when it was too late to fix it.
Bloody predictive text.
The second “you” in rule three was also meant to be “your”.
I haven’t even got the excuse that I have had anything to drink.
I will even accept your example without comment.
Confirmation today that the Taratahi Institute of Agriculture [1] is to be liquidated proves that the tertiary education sector needs urgent reform – and that the tens of thousands of people that dedicate their working lives to teaching others need to be better supported when government policy fails so demonstrably.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins, Finance Minister Grant Robertson, and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor must commit this week to providing government support to the 1,200 students who are already enrolled for next year [2], and the around 250 staff who will be affected by the liquidation, the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) said. This must include assurances that every member of staff receives the redundancy and other allowances they are entitled to….
Sandra Grey, national president of the TEU, (Tertiary Education Union) said: “When it was agreed last year that Taratahi would take over the Telford division of Lincoln University we said that Ministers needed to back up the decision with a properly funded plan that guarantees locally-focused, quality training opportunities for current and future generations of students.
To now be talking about Taratahi’s liquidation is unspeakably disappointing. This is just the latest in a growing number of institutions that have been failed by government policy and poorly designed funding systems. But let’s be clear about this: we all as New Zealanders have been failed too. Because without community providers who will train future generations to work in sector so vital to our economy?
It was part of Lincoln University – so a mess-up there if government trying to provide some courses on the cheap – end up slimmed down and then just curses!
They are Wairarapa based and took over a Lincoln course based in Balclutha quite recently (2017) – surprising since they had debt problems from 2014 (when National claimed they had been overpaid for past years). They must have been trying to grow their way out of it.
Got to love the “No Mates Party” press release lol.
The current muppets of “No Mates Party” have to forgotten that they bugged up the Farm/ Horticulture Cadetship scheme in the 90’s would stood the test of time, just like the old apprentice scheme which they also bugged up at the same time. I’m not really surprised that this has happened and it would be interesting to see the books especially over the last 9yrs all so years as I find it a little bit hard too see this is the fault of the current CoL Government when they have in less than 12 mths or so.
It just shows how much the “No Mates Party” ran everything into the ground as usual, which really no surprises here for most us here at The Standard.
David Moffat, an Australian, claims to be a member of the New Conservative Party and says they will campaign against the government signing of the UN migration agreement.
The former National AG is right to question the role of foreigners in the membership and financing of our political parties. Part of our sovereignty is the right to block such activity.
I imagine you wouldn’t want to apply this to past heroes of the Labour Party in New Zealand.
After all Michael Joseph Savage was an Australian.
Peter Fraser and Walter Nash were both from the UK.
The first New Zealand born Labour PM was David Lange.
For mine, Ronno was the greatest English guitarist ever. Page and Clapton were good at riffing on the work of others (and not paying credit were it was due), but Mick Ronson transcended the boring British blues based rock scene. Jean Genie is the best example of him taking a blues lick and pulling it’s trousers down.
His producing work was top notch (Bowie gets the credit for Lou Reed’s magnificent Transformer album, but really, it was Ronno all the way). If he’d lived, he would have been one of the great record producers. Sad he went so soon.
It is very costly keeping tabs on someone like this and he isn’t going to improve.
He could have a better life, more relaxed, if he was in a jail that kept him away from temptation. And he could help grow his own food, do something useful. Let one of those women out, who have been said to be living with someone. Let her do some useful volunteer work, learn new skills, confidence building, assertiveness – then she can chuck out the spongers. Make him do a course also, that would fix him. Probably she would end up better and so would he.
Silly answer DTB. When you say protection of public – you are thinking tht there is only one way – having them out with bracelets or having neighbours all informed.
I actually suggested keeping them under control in an open type prison. You didn’t respond to that.
Toddlers will be getting a touch of the Roumanian neglect problem under government strictures to push women into the work force doing anything but what they really need to be doing for the good of their child. Can you haunt these cruel irrational politicians and ardent trainee witch-hunters Dr Truby King. It seems your good advice is urgently needed in this enlightened century.
Radionz Jesse Mulligan Thursday 20 Dec 3.25pm Tell me about your thesis
In our final tell me about your thesis for 2018 I am joined by Dr Raewyne Bary – who has investigated the plight of what she terms ‘lost children’ at daycare centres. Those are the under-threes she has observed at some daycare centres who are at risk at a crucial stage of development because their need for a close one-on-one attachment with a teacher doesn’t fit the organisational model of staff rosters, routines and rotations.
Financial pressure.
If they can’t afford rent, or mortgage etc then they may have no choice.
Social Pressure.
IE Feminisms drive for equality in the workplace.
Personal Choice.
Both mother and father may have career goals.
Health issues.
Some parents just need some time out.
Relationship pressure.
Not all parents like the other parent not working.
This issue should increase with the new matrimonial property laws.
Stay at home fathers or part time working fathers can face pressure as the mother can get more with working for families, and child support, with them not around and the kid in kindy subsidised.
Myself having observed a few kindys, I think they do a great job with one of our kids starting at 2. Being isolated in the country it’s very important to us. She has made many friends, socialised, and had many experiences that she wouldn’t get at home. They are professionals and I trust them.
Some kindys are better than others. We switched kindys when an opening came up in our preferred kindy even though it is a few Km further away.
I do worry about the motive for the research, and how easy it could be to manipulate.
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
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 ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
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 ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,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, Friday 3 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
A warning – suicide is discussed in this podcast New Zealand’s own long-running soap Shortland Street doesn’t hesitate to kill off its much-loved characters. But would TVNZ dare to kill off our favourite soap? That’s the fear as times get tough in television – even though it’s been pointed out ...
Essay: If the Crown harms children, how do you hold it accountable? Analysis by Aaron Smale in light of the Waitangi Tribunal court decision. The post The Crown versus Māori Children appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan resistance leader has condemned the United Nations role in allowing Indonesia to “integrate” the Melanesian Pacific region in what is claimed to be an “egregious act of inhumanity” on 1 May 1963. In an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Organisasi Papua Merdeka-OPM ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A key part of the Albanese government’s political strategy is to fill the news cycle with its presence and messaging. Ministers are deployed to the maximum, even when they’ve little to say. This week ...
Recent extreme weather events showed the importance of a well-functioning insurance system, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs minister Andrew Bayly. ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
The Wellington-based Reserve Force soldier is now almost three years into his New Zealand Army career with 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. ...
"The Government needs to release the review immediately as this reckless approach to change risks disjointed decision making and creates more distress and uncertainty for staff," Fitzsimons said. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priestley Habru, PhD candidate, public diplomacy, University of Adelaide Former foreign minister Jeremiah Manele has been elected the next prime minister of Solomon Islands, defeating the opposition leader, Matthew Wale, in a vote in parliament. The result is a mixed bag for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Eaves, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jamey Stutz, CC BY-SA How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt? For Earth scientists, these are important questions as we try ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Flood, Professor of Sociology, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Most young adult men in Australia reject traditional ideas of masculinity that endorse aggression, stoicism and homophobia. Nonetheless, the ongoing influence of those ideas continues to harm men and the people ...
The NZQA proposal released to staff today would involve a net loss of 35 roles. There are 66 roles being disestablished with 13 of those currently vacant, and 31 new roles proposed, said Fleur Fitzsimons Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga ...
Alex Casey talks to Loren Taylor, the writer, director and star of new film The Moon is Upside Down, about assembling her dream ensemble cast, toilet paper pads and turning literal dreams into reality. There’s a moment in The Moon is Upside Down where frazzled anaesthetist Briar (Loren Taylor) gets ...
Renters and realtors are upset with a government decision to scrap a bill meant to regulate property managers over concerns about unethical and unlawful behaviours. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassy Dittman, Senior Lecturer/Head of Course (Undergraduate Psychology), Research Fellow, Manna Institute, CQUniversity Australia With winter sports swinging into action, adults around the country have volunteered or been volunteered by others (humorously known as being “volun-told”) to coach junior sports teams. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University richardernestyap/Shutterstock Parents are often advised to burp their babies after feeding them. Some people think burping after feeding is important to reduce or prevent discomfort crying, or to ...
Workers at a major ASB contact centre in Auckland have voted to take strike action and withdraw their labour following disappointing pay negotiations with the employer and an "offer" to workers that would leave them worse off than the previous year. ...
As the government tries to get the country back on track with a school phone ban, Tara Ward has an idea for where they should turn their attention to next.New Zealand students returned to school on Monday morning, but their cellphones did not. The government’s new phone ban began ...
The Labour Party is demanding Peters be stood down, saying "he's embarrassed the country" with a "totally unacceptable" attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. ...
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance, whose members were victims of a China-backed cyber attack, is discussing forming a standing committee to deal with foreign influence. ...
The PSA is concerned that the voluntary redundancies being offered to staff by Stats NZ will impact on the agency’s ability to deliver on its core functions. ...
Results ranged from surprisingly yum to soul-destroying. I love cooking. The kitchen is a hearth of culinary creation, of sensory delights, of gastronomic poetry. I also can’t afford anything nice. Why does a pack of instant noodles and some milk cost ten bucks? I love you, Aotearoa, but I miss ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Police in Solomon Islands are on high alert ahead of the election of the prime minister today. The two candidates for the top job are former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele at the head of the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation, which is ...
He’s fine but it feels like I’m losing a friend and it’s making me bitter. How do I say ‘enough is enough’? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzHey Hera,I’ve recently moved in with a girlfriend, her partner Steve, and his friend. We all live in a lovely little house. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Chartres, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney shutterstockAhmet Misirligul/Shutterstock You go to the gym, eat healthy and walk as much as possible. You wash your hands and get vaccinated. You control your health. This is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Hendriks, Research Fellow and Lecturer, Curtin University Children and young people may be seeing news headlines about men murdering women or footage of people rallying to call for action. Perhaps they or their friends have even gone to the protests. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Balanzategui, Senior Lecturer in Media, RMIT University ABC “Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the most viewed ABC program of all time on iView. A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created ...
Labour led governments last minute signing seems to be popular.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/12/this-is-the-last-straw-donors-slam-red-cross-over-un-global-migration-compact-support.html
“Labour led government’s”?
Coalition led government.
There no longer is what can be recorded as a Labour led government.
Ardern and Winston told us.
Did Ms Ardern learn about this from the television news?
That really does sound like it was all Tsar Winston’s work.
His acolyte Ms. Jacinda will do as she is told.
Erm, it turns out you are an immigrant to this country yourself so I don’t see how you can legitimately speak for us on immigration policy after we have generously taken you in.
*citation needed.
How do you know if I’m an immigrant?
Reason has said so and you haven’t denied it.
Are you denying it here and now?
You are the one making comments about my personal details (twice today)
How about backing it up?
Are you now ashamed to be born an Englishman James ?
do you feel it crimps your trolling style ?.
As a troll your purpose is to waste time,… ie ‘ prove Im a pom’ ….
… to derail … and to perform the tasks that sending a dick pick achieves … to Lower the tone … to offend …. and make site users experience unpleasant.
You offended me immensely once… with a particularly shit stained troll post …. with you pretending to care about suicide … while painting the national party as off-bounds for criticism … according to you their dirty hands were clean …
Their policy of hardship … their attacks on workers …their Dirty Politics …. their racism were not to be mentioned … according to the you.
Feeling strong emotions and knowing the reality behind two suicides in my wider circle ….
I knew you were pure scum….
and you continually prove it .
Lets not forget your recent nomination of a politician who threatens rape against females … as the most “charismatic” politician in the world …. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2129024-amazon-rainforest-under-threat-as-brazil-tears-up-protections/
Or your past recommendation about public toilet sex ….
etc etc etc
Again since you keep telling the story and giving out personal details – citation that I’m a born Englishman required.
Again – since you are making comments about my personal details – back them up sunshine.
You offended. Well colour me surprised. Snowflake.
Good post, reason.
James is not a person of integrity. He’s unwilling or unable to answer a simple question on his own nationality despite criticising the government for its immigration policy.
He also admires Jair Bolsonaro which is just plain weird.
Thanks Muttonbird ….. Yes James is wasting peoples time by refusing the simple yes / no answer to his 10 pound pom heritage.
My citation to james is his lack of response to the multitude of times I’ve called him a pom / Englishman since he made me aware of this fact…..
Never once has he said ” your wrong reason ” …. something he would love to be able to say to me.
And now this dishonest racist creepy prick who admires Jair Bolsonaro for his “charisma”, is showing his true shit colors once more …..
By trying to mock me for having strong emotions in relation to two suicides and his sick postings on the wider subject…. ‘snowflake’ is his response.
He probably thinks the victims of suicides are snowflakes / weak too.
oh here we go – poor easily offended (lack of) reason – who indeed is a snowflake.
I moke you for a lot of reasons – all well deserved – but having views on suicides is not one of them.
You citation is that you keep saying the same shit and I dont bother to correct you. You know how pathetic that is.
Well – ive been insuiating that you are a fuckwit and you’ve never said anything about it … so that must be a valid citation you are a fuckwit.
Oh dear. James’ Kiwi mask has slipped. We are left with the pommy immigrant speak.
I dont need to answer your comments – you make comments stated as fact about me – but have nothing to back it up.
and I would happy bet you a months ban if you can find anything saying I admire Jair Bolsonaro.
Well you did say he is more charismatic than Jacinda Ardern who you didn’t rate as charismatic at all despite her forming a government within a month of becoming leader of her party. That’s as big an endorsement of Jair Bolsonaro as you can get really.
Things to consider before we legalize cannabis.
Will it be sold cheap enough that people stop buying synthetic weed.
Will the gangs go completely out of weed sales and push p harder.
Will freeing up police time not chasing weed for going extra hard against p and the gangs that sell it .
Do we need to legalize a MDMA or amphetamine.
I’m personally of the belief that we should decriminalize any and all drugs for personal use
What does jude say?
That is a ridiculous position to take. By saying this you are legitimising meth and synthetics use which kills dozens of people and destroys hundreds of families every year.
It’s the high castle attitude RWNJs have which poisons communities. They just don’t care about anyone but themselves.
Mutton Bird less people die from illegal drug use than farm accidents while legal drug use kills a 100 x more.
Na, depends on harm profile.
Cannabis, MDMA, LSD have very low harm profiles. Meth, cocaine and smack have high harm profiles.
All of those things. Drugs are a health issue. Criminalizing drugs suits corrupt policemen and criminal gangs.
If the easy money is legislated out of peddling narcotics crime will morph.
I think it will bleed into areas that are currently shady. Outrageous credit, Internet trickery, immigration…
If I can’t find willing $17 per hour for 3 hour gig waiters for my contract waiting business I’ll need to open up the opportunities for new Kiwis. Offshore applicants with the US$5000 at hand for their orientation course would be welcome to apply.
Or whatever form it takes. Removing the easy money from dealing in any drug will just alter the direction from which we face the prevailing crime fashion.
Of course drug abuse is a health issue. Astounding that it has taken us this long to arrive there. Geez, what happened to the country that was first to give women the vote, we’re stagnating. Getting ripe, when we’re ripe we rot.
Crime is the true face of the regulation free market.
You can’t force people to do the right thing by others. We have to want to.
To some degree.
I agree that self-discipline is far better than external discipline but there’s always going to be some people who will do the wrong thing for profit if there are no consequences. These people need to be shown that there’s consequences to doing the wrong thing.
But it was legal is the catch cry of which political party?
Pretty legal Draco
Plenty of evidence that providing better circumstances and opportunities, causes most people to behave better.
‘Synthetic weed’ should be banned on health grounds – that stuff is dangerous shit. Its even more dangerous than alcohol.
Probably but, then, they’ve been shifting out of weed anyway. It’s cheaper to make P.
Should do.
Cocaine and Ecstasy don’t seem too bad for legalisation.
Cocaine is highly addictive and can cause severe damage due to repeated use.
MDMA is relatively non-addictive and occasional use is fairly innocuous
I’d be fine with following Portugal’s lead and decriminalising the lot for personal use simply to avoid the extremes caused by continued prohibition.
Lol. That RWNJ puckish rogue just said the same thing. I do wonder sometimes about your ethics Joe 90…
Prohibition is the root cause of the most deleterious effects of drug use, from the victims of criminal activity to fund consumption to the poor health outcomes and family distress associated with the diversion of resources to fund consumption through to the social cost of stigmatising users and astronomical costs involved in criminalising drug related activities.
Without prohibition stoners laze, mumble and get fatter, MDMA kiddies get loved up, junkies nod and get constipated, coke heads sniff and bore the living daylights out of whoever’s ear they’re chewing, and after hours spent under their beds talking to themselves as they vacuum up dust and dog hair, speed freaks crash and burn.
But best of all, legalisation would save the nation a fortune, kill organised crime’s golden goose, put an end to the criminalising of users for indulging, and as experienced in Portugal, the number of users would drop.
Will the public be allowed to grow their own?
One of many questions that need to be answered pre reeferrendum
For sure, because for many kiwi’s that’s part of it, being able to grow their own and not go to a dealer or (if it’s legalized) line the pockets of a big company.
A 21 year old bloke went to work on a farm near Oamaru this morning and won’t get to have Christmas with his family.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/378736/21-year-old-killed-in-baler-accident-on-waitaki-farm
“Worksafe said this was the fifth death on a farm this month and the 17th for the year.”
That’s a lot of families that will have a huge dark hole this Christmas.
Greame that’s unbearable. I can’t imagine what that family will be going through. Sincere condolences
Isn’t this truly amazing.
Trevor Mallard has decided that Tsar Winston never lied to the house.
I feel so pleased that Winston has been found to be as pure as the driven slush.
Mallard really is proving to be a worse Speaker than the unlamented Margaret Wilson.
In fact he even makes Carter look like a statesman.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12180193
Or Mark the Merc failed to demonstrate that Peters was incorrect.
Is that the ‘I’d use my own Granny to grandstand and play politics’ Mark?
Mallard has decided on whatever information he has and according to certain rules that Peters did not lie to the House. That will be a grand opportunity for sundry folk who know better than Mallard to throw little hissy-fits and tantrums.
Congratulations, you are today’s winner.
“according to certain rules”.
The only rules that Trevor follows as Speaker are.
1. Though shall immediately interrupt when Jacinda gets out of her depth and looks pleadingly in your direction. You are her protector.
2. Though shall not allow anyone to make Jacinda’s Boss, Winston the First, look embarrassed. Breach of that rule will see you fired.
3. Never forget that you are duty bound to jump in and dismiss from the House anyone who embarrasses you beloved Party of Labour Goons.
Lying again alwyn?
The rules are well published.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/parliamentary-rules/
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/parliamentary-rules/standing-orders/
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/parliamentary-rules/rules-of-the-house/
Of course they publish these things. What does that have to do with the matter at hand?
After all look at the words right at the beginning of your first link.
“ensure fairness among the different parties.”.
You aren’t really going to try and claim that Trevor takes the slightest bit of notice of that are you?
Even you don’t really have the nerve to claim that Trevor plays “fair”. He is just as down in the dirt Labour as he ever was.
I’m going, under standard forms of justice, assume that unless someone proves otherwise.
You, most definitely, have not proved so.
In fact, all you’ve done is engaged in defamation.
In other words, you’re acting par for the course for a RWNJ.
As per normal.
Thou art a tool is correct wally, not though art a tool.
Yes, I noticed it when it was too late to fix it.
Bloody predictive text.
The second “you” in rule three was also meant to be “your”.
I haven’t even got the excuse that I have had anything to drink.
I will even accept your example without comment.
I just love that you think Ardern needs protecting from the nats.
In the meantime, there’s been another leak: someone filmed soimon getting ready for question time in the House.
marvelous
Good one thanks.
Thou not though Alwyn. Your spelling and sense is lacking today.
What a load of rubbish Alwyn.
+111
Bohoo still crying in your beersies Alwynger.
Puts our local boy to shame https://www.ft.com/content/2bd12012-01e4-11e9-9d01-cd4d49afbbe3
“The man that broke the Bank of England” https://www.thebalance.com/black-wednesday-george-soros-bet-against-britain-1978944
Hey George, John. You guys are amazing just amazing.
The FT link is a waste of time. “Antichrist” FFS. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/george-soros-a-standard-bearer-of-liberal-democracy-was-just-named-person-of-the-year-by-the-financial-times-2018-12-19
Reminds me of Roosevelt jnr. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/franklin_d_roosevelt_135688
An alpha male thing I guess.
Education should not be having this happen under a Labour Coalition government.
https://teu.ac.nz/2018/12/taratahi-liquidation/
Confirmation today that the Taratahi Institute of Agriculture [1] is to be liquidated proves that the tertiary education sector needs urgent reform – and that the tens of thousands of people that dedicate their working lives to teaching others need to be better supported when government policy fails so demonstrably.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins, Finance Minister Grant Robertson, and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor must commit this week to providing government support to the 1,200 students who are already enrolled for next year [2], and the around 250 staff who will be affected by the liquidation, the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) said. This must include assurances that every member of staff receives the redundancy and other allowances they are entitled to….
Sandra Grey, national president of the TEU, (Tertiary Education Union) said: “When it was agreed last year that Taratahi would take over the Telford division of Lincoln University we said that Ministers needed to back up the decision with a properly funded plan that guarantees locally-focused, quality training opportunities for current and future generations of students.
To now be talking about Taratahi’s liquidation is unspeakably disappointing. This is just the latest in a growing number of institutions that have been failed by government policy and poorly designed funding systems. But let’s be clear about this: we all as New Zealanders have been failed too. Because without community providers who will train future generations to work in sector so vital to our economy?
Seems to be a private business.
Private businesses have a tendency to go bust.
It’s a normal part of capitalism and a market economy.
It was part of Lincoln University – so a mess-up there if government trying to provide some courses on the cheap – end up slimmed down and then just curses!
1. Nothing lasts forever.
2. In it’s about it doesn’t say that it was part of Lincoln. Which would be strange if it was.
They are Wairarapa based and took over a Lincoln course based in Balclutha quite recently (2017) – surprising since they had debt problems from 2014 (when National claimed they had been overpaid for past years). They must have been trying to grow their way out of it.
Got to love the “No Mates Party” press release lol.
The current muppets of “No Mates Party” have to forgotten that they bugged up the Farm/ Horticulture Cadetship scheme in the 90’s would stood the test of time, just like the old apprentice scheme which they also bugged up at the same time. I’m not really surprised that this has happened and it would be interesting to see the books especially over the last 9yrs all so years as I find it a little bit hard too see this is the fault of the current CoL Government when they have in less than 12 mths or so.
It just shows how much the “No Mates Party” ran everything into the ground as usual, which really no surprises here for most us here at The Standard.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1812/S00270/govt-turns-back-on-agricultural-training-provider.htm
David Moffat, an Australian, claims to be a member of the New Conservative Party and says they will campaign against the government signing of the UN migration agreement.
The former National AG is right to question the role of foreigners in the membership and financing of our political parties. Part of our sovereignty is the right to block such activity.
I imagine you wouldn’t want to apply this to past heroes of the Labour Party in New Zealand.
After all Michael Joseph Savage was an Australian.
Peter Fraser and Walter Nash were both from the UK.
The first New Zealand born Labour PM was David Lange.
WTF are you on about?
Trying to distract from the fuckup that Tories around the world are making?
They became New Zealanders Moffat is still a ….
Alwyn youare incorrect again. Norm Kirk was NZ born
Bill Rowling.
You are both quite right.
I had completely forgotten both of them, and their rather sad example of a Government.
Sic transit Gloria mundi.
Gloria spewed on the bus on Monday.
He’s a maga fuckwit, too. Bless.
https://screenshots.firefox.com/ex47MT0cVM3pREeC/twitter.com
That’s funny, more so since i ARGFUED
That’s funny, given I argued the case on an American blog site a few days ago that those who wanted a wall should crowdfund it.
Counter-crowdfunding.
https://www.gofundme.com/ladders-to-get-over-trump039s-wall
The birth of Punk. But we didn’t know it.
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?
Mick Ronson and his protopunk guitar showed the way.
For mine, Ronno was the greatest English guitarist ever. Page and Clapton were good at riffing on the work of others (and not paying credit were it was due), but Mick Ronson transcended the boring British blues based rock scene. Jean Genie is the best example of him taking a blues lick and pulling it’s trousers down.
His producing work was top notch (Bowie gets the credit for Lou Reed’s magnificent Transformer album, but really, it was Ronno all the way). If he’d lived, he would have been one of the great record producers. Sad he went so soon.
Looking forward to watching this:
Let all the children boogie
A chap with 133? sexual offences has a bracelet on him, which he cut off for a while. Why isn’t the protection of the vulnerable public taken into account? Why are we treated so shabbily that someone with a tenth of these offfences isn’t kept in a special gaol, perhaps a farm?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/378753/convicted-child-sex-offender-who-went-on-the-run-sent-back-to-jail
It is very costly keeping tabs on someone like this and he isn’t going to improve.
He could have a better life, more relaxed, if he was in a jail that kept him away from temptation. And he could help grow his own food, do something useful. Let one of those women out, who have been said to be living with someone. Let her do some useful volunteer work, learn new skills, confidence building, assertiveness – then she can chuck out the spongers. Make him do a course also, that would fix him. Probably she would end up better and so would he.
Cut his nuts off. Problem solved.
Because it would breach people’s privacy.
Forget the bracelet – bone implant. I suspect that these criminals would be less like to remove such a device when it requires removal of a limb.
Silly answer DTB. When you say protection of public – you are thinking tht there is only one way – having them out with bracelets or having neighbours all informed.
I actually suggested keeping them under control in an open type prison. You didn’t respond to that.
Or we could shoot them.
There’s a line between where someone should be incarcerated and where they should be given home detention.
Acts three strikes is an attempt, a bad one, to recognise that those who keep doing the same shit should simply be locked up.
To a large degree I’m in agreement with them. But a minor offence is a minor offence.
Where’s the line and how should we write it into law?
heh
https://twitter.com/Stop_Trump20/status/1075538817426300929
Toddlers will be getting a touch of the Roumanian neglect problem under government strictures to push women into the work force doing anything but what they really need to be doing for the good of their child. Can you haunt these cruel irrational politicians and ardent trainee witch-hunters Dr Truby King. It seems your good advice is urgently needed in this enlightened century.
Radionz Jesse Mulligan Thursday 20 Dec 3.25pm
Tell me about your thesis
In our final tell me about your thesis for 2018 I am joined by Dr Raewyne Bary – who has investigated the plight of what she terms ‘lost children’ at daycare centres. Those are the under-threes she has observed at some daycare centres who are at risk at a crucial stage of development because their need for a close one-on-one attachment with a teacher doesn’t fit the organisational model of staff rosters, routines and rotations.
There is lots of pressure on parents.
Financial pressure.
If they can’t afford rent, or mortgage etc then they may have no choice.
Social Pressure.
IE Feminisms drive for equality in the workplace.
Personal Choice.
Both mother and father may have career goals.
Health issues.
Some parents just need some time out.
Relationship pressure.
Not all parents like the other parent not working.
This issue should increase with the new matrimonial property laws.
Stay at home fathers or part time working fathers can face pressure as the mother can get more with working for families, and child support, with them not around and the kid in kindy subsidised.
Myself having observed a few kindys, I think they do a great job with one of our kids starting at 2. Being isolated in the country it’s very important to us. She has made many friends, socialised, and had many experiences that she wouldn’t get at home. They are professionals and I trust them.
Some kindys are better than others. We switched kindys when an opening came up in our preferred kindy even though it is a few Km further away.
I do worry about the motive for the research, and how easy it could be to manipulate.
It was inevitable…