It came out of the blue and on the face of it smacks of opportunism. If there is another more substantive reason I should like to know what it was. I don’t really buy the “we wanted the voters to have a better choice etc.” line which James Shaw has been peddling.
This seems to be what Shaw wants to bring to politics is parties working together, finding consensus, not always at each other’s throats. He thinks it turns people off politics and he’s probably right in that. This is what he’s trying to do for the climate change debate is to get cross party agreement on what should be done. We can only wait to see if this approach does anything in the poll results. I don’t think they’re going to lose voters over this, they’re still against the whole flag debate. But if it pulls in new voters, a lot of green voters will want this approach to carry on.
That’s my reading of it too. I don’t like what they’ve done re Red Peak, and I’m in two minds about doing any kind of working together thing with such a corrupt govt but something has to change or we’re screwed and maybe this is part of that change.
True, and despite my reservations about what the GP have done I am curious to see how they will make this work for the party. I don’t think they’re under any illusions about what working with National actually means (it’s not like they’re going to believe that National are their friends all of a sudden).
By itself, putting a motion to include the Red Peak is not the main issue.
The issue is (a) They did it secretly with Key behind Labour’s back (b) Blind sided Labour (c) Gave a helping hand to Key to get out of the muck that Key created himself (d) Promised Key that they would vote against Labour’s proposed Y/N amendment. What was the need for that? What game are the Greens playing here? (e) Enabled Key to play the Greens against Labour (f) Helped Key to falsely paint Labour as the bad guys (g) Put Labour and Little in a bad spot (h) Greens played dirty politics here to make the masters of dirty politics look good.
————
You also wrote: “people are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes)”
So, are you saying the exec consulted all the MPs and their members to play this disgraceful tootsie behind close doors with Key in this Red Peak case? Was there a consensus or majority support for this dirty move? Were YOU informed or consulted?
I think you’ve put it very clearly, Clem. And of course the members were not consulted – how could they have been? Nor, probably, all the Green Caucus MPs. The Greens are suddenly playing a dirty game, when up til now they’re been very principled and clean…….. this is not a good look for the Greens.
I’m a member and I don’t expect the be consulted on something like this.
For something like this I do expect to be consulted. It’s actually a fairly major move to go and work with a party that continuously attacking you and to do it in such a way as to help that party out of the hole that it’s dug for itself.
The exec/MPs already have a mandate from the members to work on policy with any party, within the kaupapa of the party. That’s what they did (I still disagree with it myself, but I don’t see them as having done the dirty on the membership).
For the GP to consult the membership on this particular issue (Hughes’ flag bill), it would take weeks if not months of work. Ideally I’d like to see internal processes set up and streamlined so that there was better democracy and representation within the party. But I just don’t think it’s possible the way things are now, certainly now with the timeframes involved here where things were changing quite rapidly.
For the GP to consult the membership on this particular issue (Hughes’ flag bill), it would take weeks if not months of work.
Nope. A simple email asking if they should work with National to get Red Peak included in the referendum and describing how they would do that with a link to a response web page. Send the email out in the morning with a close time of around 22:00.
Taking months for this type of feedback only occurs if you’re using paper methods and has been outdated since last century.
I doubt that the GP would consider that good consultation. What you propose would reach certain sectors, mostly the people who spend alot of time online or who happened to be online that day. It would actively exclude other sectors, eg people who are online intermittently or only every few days. If you wanted to get a sense of what group A thinks, it would work. If you want to consult with the membership, it wouldn’t.
As I said, the GP could improve its ability to consult on more day to day matters, but those processes aren’t in place currently. I doubt that you could ever get a 1 day turnaround, although they could set up feedback groups that people could join with the proviso that this was about feedback from activists rather than the membership.
“Taking months for this type of feedback only occurs if you’re using paper methods and has been outdated since last century.”
The GP have led the way in NZ for using IT to reach people so I really don’t think it’s that (they don’t contact me by paper and haven’t for years).
What, there’s people in the Green Party that aren’t online all the time? I seriously doubt that.
The Greens have been the party using and promulgating high tech since they started which is why Nationals cries of Luddite about them has always rung false.
Ideally I’d like to see internal processes set up and streamlined so that there was better democracy and representation within the party.
Not sure if that’s a joke, but I know quite a few GP members and they’re not online all the time. They use the internet as a tool, they don’t live there.
“By itself, putting a motion to include the Red Peak is not the main issue.”
It is to me. Havng RP on the referendum creates as many problems as it solves IMO.
Labour have had ample opportunity to form a sold working relationship with the GP (years in fact). If Labour were blindsided by this they migh want to reflect on the number of times they’ve declined to work with the Greens (I’m being polite). My feeling is that at any time that Labour steps up and builds that relationship with the GP, then the GP will be willing and keen. But as long as Labour keep hedging their bets, the GP are free to treat Labour as competition.
I haven’t followed the process this week that closely, but ‘dirty politics’ in NZ has a fairly specific meaning and I doubt that that is what the GP has done, despite how you feel about the treatment of Labour. One thing I did see was the GP being very clear in the media that this whole thing was National’s fuck up, with the clear implication that it wasn’t Labour’s fault.
You also wrote:
“people are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes)”
Please don’t selectively quote me out of context, and please don’t edit my words and misquote me (you deliberately took out meaning in your quote). Here’s what I actually said,
People who think that the GP can form govt with National the way it is now are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes).
That is clearly about formation of coalitions, and equally clearly doesn’t apply to the flag process. Get a grip.
“(hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes). That is clearly about formation of coalitions, and equally clearly doesn’t apply to the flag process. Get a grip”
Why does it not apply to this secret flag deal with Key? Do you know if the ‘executive’ had the backing of their MPs (If not the members) for it?
Or was it the brilliant brain fart of just Shaw and Hughes?
I’m not an active member, so I have no idea what happened at that level. But are you really suggesting that the GP go back to the membership each time they want to do something? Seriously? They don’t have any processes in place for that for things that need to be done quickly. No party does afaik.
“Do you know if the ‘executive’ had the backing of their MPs (If not the members) for it?”
Um, given Shaw and Hughes are both MPs and have been speaking on this publicly this week I think it’s safe to assume they knew. Honestly, I’m not sure what you are on about here.
Well, I applaud him for that maui – especially over Climate Change. It makes a lot of sense. The trouble is, he’s up against a cynical sleaze-bag in John Key who I suspect has used Shaw and the Greens to get him out of a hole of his own making.
It looks to me the ‘about face’ was going to happen anyway because Farrar would have been polling 24/7 on the issue and it would have become clear Key was on the losing side. Instead Shaw gave Key the opportunity to do it without egg on his face and, at the same time, rub the egg in Little’s face as if he was the culprit. Not the sort of thing you do to an ally.
I agree Anne, and MS – what the Greens have just done, is NOT what you do to an ally. And if Maui is right and the Greens under Shaw want to work more collaboratively with other political parties, then they’re going the wrong way about it. Working collaboratively surely means talking and working together ?NOT sticking it to one potential ally while pandering to the panda-like needs of a trumped-up self-satisfied American puppet – who just happens to be our PM.
I wouldn’t see Labour as an active ally of the GP, so I can understand why the GP wouldn’t put that up there as a priority. I’d love for Labour to form a solid working relationship with the GP, but they haven’t, despite attempts from the GP to make this happen. I was a bit surprised at how Labour got thrashed in this process, but I’m not surprised that the GP chose to not make Labour’s wellbeing their own priority. Given how Labour have treated the Greens historically I think it’s unrealistic to think that the GP should relate with Labour as anything special until Labour step up in that relationship. The ball is in Labour’s court on that one.
Yes weka. I know there was bad blood between Labour and the Greens in the past and I have no doubt a lot of the fault lay with the then Labour caucus. But those days have gone and those involved have gone too. Even so, I think the Greens also have to take some of the blame – especially over the fact the Clark government did a coalition deal (or something similar) with NZ First and not the Greens. The Greens failed to take into account they didn’t end up with sufficient MPs to make such a deal strong and viable in an MMP environment. That wasn’t Labour’s fault. That was the fault of the voters.
If I remember correctly Winston Peters held a gun at their heads too. He refused to sign any agreement that included the Greens. What was Labour supposed to do? Stand down and let the Tories form a government under Don Brash?
Sorry Anne, but it’s not in the past. It’s the current situation. At the last election the GP tried to work with Labour and Labour rejected that. I don’t see anything has changed since then except some vague noises from Little occassionally. The two parties aren’t working together in a way that promotes them as a govt in waiting. I don’t think that’s down to the GP despite what they’ve done this week.
I don’t agree with what the GP have done here, but I also don’t believe that the GP should be kind to Labour out of some sense of fairness or duty when Labour still shows no real sign of wanting to work together. I’m gobsmacked that so many people here think that the GP should put Labour’s wellbeing ahead of their own.
All I can say weka is the Labour members I know have no quarrel with the Greens and see them as a natural coalition party. I have also spoken to a few MPs and they have never shown any aggro towards the Greens so it’s hard for me to reconcile what I’ve encountered… and what you are saying. There does seem to be a difference in perception but maybe it’s a regional difference. Certainly in Auckland there seems to be generally good vibes between most Labour and Green members. That’s my experience anyway.
that’s good to hear Anne. I’m talking about the parties not the members. If we want a left wing govt, then Labour and the GP have to work together publicly. That’s not happening. Why not?
” If we want a left wing govt, then Labour and the GP have to work together publicly. That’s not happening. Why not?’
There are very good strategic, electoral and political reasons for not going too gung go together. That does not mean they, ie, all the opposition, including NZF, should not work together on several issues with reasonable commonalities. I know you are intelligent enough to figure it out yourself.
“The trouble is, he’s up against a cynical sleaze-bag in John Key who I suspect has used Shaw and the Greens to get him out of a hole of his own making.”
My concern is the sleaze-bag factor and the risk of the GP being tainted. Not so sure that the GP were victims to Key’s using them so much as they’re using the situation to build political capital. Dangerous, but I am curious to see how that plays out.
Shortly after he was elected leader of the Greens Shaw claimed he wanted to do this but couldn’t tell Guyon Espiner who Labour’s climate change spokesperson was. Now I would have thought if he was really interested in doing this he’d have noticed Megan Woods, who is one of the better Labour MPs. The recent working paper he produced on climate change was not impressive and showed no signs of cross party consultation.
This latest deal with National was unnecessary and damaging to the relationship between Labour and the Greens. It is hypocritical, unprincipled politics, and I am very disappointed in the Green Party leadership..
I also don’t like the way Metiria seems to have been sidelined. I thought initially she was allowing Shaw to get a higher profile, but it is going on too long. Why was it Shaw representing the Greens in the Nation debate last weekend? On the anniversary of women getting the vote, party leaders get to discuss the last election and the Greens send their male co-leader who was a backbencher at the last election.
“The recent working paper he produced on climate change was not impressive and showed no signs of cross party consultation.”
Please link to Labour’s response to the discussion paper. Really, I’m quite curious.
The GP have been waiting a long time for Labour to be willing for the two parties to work together. Still waiting, but not putting their own agenda on hold. Sorry, but I’ve run out patience with this. If Labour are being sidelined they’ve no-one to blame but themselves in this instance.
Agree,the Greens demonstrating a distinct cavalier responce to the rule of law.Showing this pathetic Govt the path to Urgency for such a trivial flag issue when other important matters are left alone.
Good on the greens, possibly a sign they can and are happy to look at coalition with national, actually achieve something vs hanging around with perennial losers that call themselves labour, here come the blue greens
That idea may be the thinking of their simple silly brains, but I suspect this move they have done behind the scene with Key, without first signalling it to Labour and blind siding them will back fire on the Greens. I think Winston and NZF will end up reaping the benefit of this dodgy dirty move. By this the Greens have shown to be untrustworthy and undependable and have lost some of their dignity, integrity and mana.
The only way that the GP can go into coalition with National is if National changes and becomes more like the GP (ie the GP has a mandate to work with any party where there is sufficient common ground on policy). Is that what you are suggesting?
People who think that the GP can form govt with National the way it is now are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes).
Looks to me like the GP exec have actually just done what it likes re Red Peak and flag issue, Weka – and to heck with the GP charter or mandate or whatever it is you think they’re working to. The Red Peak flag would not have been in the GP Charter !
Not following you there Jenny. The rules around coaltion formation are clear, and the membership has voted on what it wants the party to do for a number of years now. Day to day running of the party and taking stances on various issues can’t go back to the membership each time, for what I would have though were obvious reasons.
I’m curious which bits of the charter you feel have been compromised by the flag legislation or process.
And I’m curious too – Weka – as to how Green-supporting voters are going to take this dirty kick-in-the-back to Labour over the Red Peak flag when so many of them have been talking a Labour-Green coalition for the future.
There’s a fair bit of disappointment and shock coming thru on the Green Facebook page at the moment – I wonder if it will last, or fade away.
I’m not too happy about it myself, although I’m more concerned about the RP thing than the Labour thing. Exactly how long should GP members wait for Labour to show any real sign of wanting to work with the GP? As fas as I can see Labour still aren’t committed. Should the GP wait another election cycle, see how things work out after the 2017 election? Or what?
The GP have been trying for a very long time to work with Labour. It’s on Labour that that hasn’t happened.
As for GP voters, calcualted risk I’d say and I’ll be interested to see how it plays out. Main problem is that the last Roy Morgan was probably a rogue number for the GP (15%) so we’re not really going to be able to tell directly.
“Maybe they’ll go into coalition with national. There seems to have been a changing of the guard with the greens representing a younger urban demographic, not the old hippies and anarchists”
May be. Who knows? One thing is clear to me. At the moment, they are thinking through their arse on this issue. Dumb nincompoops.
That is a snap shot of every thing that is wrong with how big business is run.
I just read on a face book post that farmers are ditching fonterra flat out in the south island ,might be more trouble ahead for fonterra.
I don’t think it is the Greens helping National, I think the Greens have been hi jacked like the Labour party was by Douglas by electing an opportunist bit of shit like Dung, and the Greens are going to regret it.
“Despite that rolling controversy, Ms Tolley has said she would still be open to Serco – which is looking at running child services in the UK – being contracted to provide more social services.”
Of course< MM : the CYFs report just gives Tolley the excuse to dump CYFs as a real government service/department and to bring in privatisation to make it more efficient, more business-like, more profitable ….. and to hell (because that's where they'll go, if they're not already there) with those poor little kids.
Paula Bennett is responsible for this CYF disaster. She was Minister of Social Development for SIX years: 19 Nov. 2008 to 8 Oct. 2014.
Bennett ruined CYF by forcing them to cut budgets and services.
I am no fan of Tolley, who was previously the Minister of Education but has no university degree! Amazingly, Tolley would not have met the minimum qualifications for working in the ministry she was in charge of.
I want Bennett held to account for screwing up the lives of thousands of young people during her six years at the helm.
Selling one’s soul for Key’s vanity project isn’t smart, especially when most don’t seem to overmuch care about the flag issue anyway. One’s view might change if the Greens secure public transport instead of more highways, all kids going to bed with a full stomach and the country’s sovereignty is not sold off to the TPP rort as a payoff but of course, none of those will happen.
as i see it both the Greens and Labour have shot themselves in the foot over Red Peak….if they had left National out on a limb over this debacle rather than giving it oxygen then the Nats would have been solely responsible for an expensive waste of time in the publics eye and now theres enough blame to spread around….mugs the lot of them
Andrew Little, after Key initiated overture, made very wise, very reasonable and very statesman-like suggestions regarding the inclusion of the Red Peak and the referendums to make the process more democratic and sensible.
Key rejected those, even after little publicly showed willingness to discuss the issue again without any pre-conditions to find a solution. Then the Greens secretly played dirty behind Labour’s back. Those are facts. So, don’t unfairly blame Labour here.
Blame Key and the two, literal and figurative, Greens, Hughes and Shaw.
But you are right in a way. Key is a poisonous snake with a forked tongue. The Greens have been foolish pea nuts here pulling Key out of his own hole.
Really? Why were Labour MPs openly supporting red peaks? Why didn’t Labour have a wee think about its strategy and come out swinging 100% against the whole process? Because, like on many issues, it didn’t think, that’s why.
Labour MPs have different views on it. The referendum is an individual vote, not a party vote. Some want to change, some don’t want to, most think that Key has manipulated and poisoned the issue, some want the Red Peak, some don’t.
well I guess you wont be able to tell us what Andrew Little hoped to gain then….if it was to highlight how inept the government are they dont need any help highlighting that
“well I guess you wont be able to tell us what Andrew Little hoped to gain then’
I think he hoped to make the terribly flawed process a little better, a little more democratic, a little more fair, a little more worthwhile and a possibly a little less expensive under the circumstances.
As you know, Key started this very important process as a National party and personal stunt when the public had NOT actually shown any inclination or demand for change through a series of public media polls.
He then manipulated the whole issue as HIS personal ego trip project at great expense of time, resources and money.
The flag selection panel did NOT have ANY design experts. Two referendums were unnecessary. One would have sufficed if worded smartly. Leaving that point aside, they could have held the referenda along side a general election to save money and also to get better participation.
The extremely well paid stupid panel (at reportedly $600 per day each?) and the completely biased and dumb Key’s cabinet poodles choose and offered us FOUR ferns as our choice to pick one!
Don’t you see that this whole thing has been just shit?
“Don’t you see that this whole thing has been just shit”
indeed it has been….and that is why both Labour and the Greens had nothing to gain by getting involved
I think Labour got involved because Key specifically offered that he would include a fifth flag if Labour supported it. Labour said yes but publicly made its position clear. Not so the gormless Greens.
“I think he hoped to make the terribly flawed process a little better, a little more democratic, a little more fair, a little more worthwhile and a possibly a little less expensive under the circumstances.”
So he tried to make the process a little less terribly flawed? Wow, that’s certainly setting your sights high. What a winner!
i just dont get it.
a rudderless, clueless regime, headed to the rocks of tppa, bent ex copper mp going to court, $100B and climbing, mccully sheep ventures…..
the money manager plucks a flag change out his backside and tonight on the news we get labour mps outside parliament proudly with red peak flags celebrating when they should be railing against the whole distraction charade.
Re interview with Madam Fu Ying made my blood boil. Does nobody get that there is an elephant in the room here re investment in NZ when she criticises NZ for not wanting investment of the type that buys up huge farms Ie. great chunks of NZ land for the benefit of providing food sources for china and which employs mainly Chinese workers.
Does she forget that no foreigners can buy land in China? Does she forget the disgusting human rights abuses her country perpetrates daily? Does she forget the sweat shop work force that is making China rich? Does she forget the pollution problems created in Chinas get rich economy? Does she forget the corruption in her country and the counterfeit industry that is probably the biggest in the world ripping off patented products that people in other parts of the world have put in huge amounts of time and money into? Does she live in LaLa Land. I think she does. Backed herself into a hole when she blamed all other asian countries for conflicts over territory. Of course she saw it all the other countries as the aggressors. Also when China was being compared to the US, she said how China of course is fair and treats everyone equal. Vomit. What a load of rubbish. Yes and getting back to investment in NZ she compared the farm deals to business deals in the US. Well hallo, buying shares in a company is quiet different than taking over our land by stealth by buying up huge amounts of land that is the best food producing land in the country and basically shutting us out of the profit chain. Go back to where you come from you arrogant woman. Do you think we are completely stupid? I am so sick of the bowing and scraping to the Chinese investors that is going on. I have not seen any great benefit to Kiwis! So far investment in NZ by Chinese investor is all about benefiting Chinese investors at the expense of Kiwis. Maybe a few Kiwis at the top who are mates with the big wigs in the government are getting rich off it but ordinary Kiwis are getting shafted. It’s not racism it is the truth. I’m sick of people claiming it’s racist when people are disadvantaging ordinary Kiwi for their own greed. Why should the overseas investor in our land be reaping the benefits while Kiwi’s quality of life is getting worse and worse. Overseas investment in our companies is ok but not in our land. Get the message Madam Fu Ying and that is not being racist. You might look at the fact that your country is racist by not letting foreigners buy up huge amounts of land in China or for that matter any land in China. Racist racist China.
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Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
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 ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
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 ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
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Winston Peters blasts the Greens as naive and stupid in doing their backroom deceptive deal with Key.
He claims that even the Green supporters on Facebook are dismayed by this dumb move by the greens to help Key out of his hole.
And I agree.
Listen to his speech here (9 minutes):
http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/39875
Why did they do it? Does anyone know?
It came out of the blue and on the face of it smacks of opportunism. If there is another more substantive reason I should like to know what it was. I don’t really buy the “we wanted the voters to have a better choice etc.” line which James Shaw has been peddling.
“Why did they do it? Does anyone know?”
May be Shaw and Hughes think they are clever! Too clever by half!
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity” Martin Luther King, Jr.
This seems to be what Shaw wants to bring to politics is parties working together, finding consensus, not always at each other’s throats. He thinks it turns people off politics and he’s probably right in that. This is what he’s trying to do for the climate change debate is to get cross party agreement on what should be done. We can only wait to see if this approach does anything in the poll results. I don’t think they’re going to lose voters over this, they’re still against the whole flag debate. But if it pulls in new voters, a lot of green voters will want this approach to carry on.
That’s my reading of it too. I don’t like what they’ve done re Red Peak, and I’m in two minds about doing any kind of working together thing with such a corrupt govt but something has to change or we’re screwed and maybe this is part of that change.
National was not interested in working collaboratively. It was interested in getting out of a situation it created all by itself.
True, and despite my reservations about what the GP have done I am curious to see how they will make this work for the party. I don’t think they’re under any illusions about what working with National actually means (it’s not like they’re going to believe that National are their friends all of a sudden).
” I don’t like what they’ve done re Red Peak”
By itself, putting a motion to include the Red Peak is not the main issue.
The issue is (a) They did it secretly with Key behind Labour’s back (b) Blind sided Labour (c) Gave a helping hand to Key to get out of the muck that Key created himself (d) Promised Key that they would vote against Labour’s proposed Y/N amendment. What was the need for that? What game are the Greens playing here? (e) Enabled Key to play the Greens against Labour (f) Helped Key to falsely paint Labour as the bad guys (g) Put Labour and Little in a bad spot (h) Greens played dirty politics here to make the masters of dirty politics look good.
————
You also wrote:
“people are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes)”
So, are you saying the exec consulted all the MPs and their members to play this disgraceful tootsie behind close doors with Key in this Red Peak case? Was there a consensus or majority support for this dirty move? Were YOU informed or consulted?
I think you’ve put it very clearly, Clem. And of course the members were not consulted – how could they have been? Nor, probably, all the Green Caucus MPs. The Greens are suddenly playing a dirty game, when up til now they’re been very principled and clean…….. this is not a good look for the Greens.
FFS, what party consults with the membership on day to day issues? I’m a member and I don’t expect the be consulted on something like this.
What evidence do you have that the GP caucus didn’t discuss this?
For something like this I do expect to be consulted. It’s actually a fairly major move to go and work with a party that continuously attacking you and to do it in such a way as to help that party out of the hole that it’s dug for itself.
The exec/MPs already have a mandate from the members to work on policy with any party, within the kaupapa of the party. That’s what they did (I still disagree with it myself, but I don’t see them as having done the dirty on the membership).
For the GP to consult the membership on this particular issue (Hughes’ flag bill), it would take weeks if not months of work. Ideally I’d like to see internal processes set up and streamlined so that there was better democracy and representation within the party. But I just don’t think it’s possible the way things are now, certainly now with the timeframes involved here where things were changing quite rapidly.
Nope. A simple email asking if they should work with National to get Red Peak included in the referendum and describing how they would do that with a link to a response web page. Send the email out in the morning with a close time of around 22:00.
Taking months for this type of feedback only occurs if you’re using paper methods and has been outdated since last century.
I doubt that the GP would consider that good consultation. What you propose would reach certain sectors, mostly the people who spend alot of time online or who happened to be online that day. It would actively exclude other sectors, eg people who are online intermittently or only every few days. If you wanted to get a sense of what group A thinks, it would work. If you want to consult with the membership, it wouldn’t.
As I said, the GP could improve its ability to consult on more day to day matters, but those processes aren’t in place currently. I doubt that you could ever get a 1 day turnaround, although they could set up feedback groups that people could join with the proviso that this was about feedback from activists rather than the membership.
“Taking months for this type of feedback only occurs if you’re using paper methods and has been outdated since last century.”
The GP have led the way in NZ for using IT to reach people so I really don’t think it’s that (they don’t contact me by paper and haven’t for years).
What, there’s people in the Green Party that aren’t online all the time? I seriously doubt that.
The Greens have been the party using and promulgating high tech since they started which is why Nationals cries of Luddite about them has always rung false.
And the way to do that is to do it online.
Not sure if that’s a joke, but I know quite a few GP members and they’re not online all the time. They use the internet as a tool, they don’t live there.
“By itself, putting a motion to include the Red Peak is not the main issue.”
It is to me. Havng RP on the referendum creates as many problems as it solves IMO.
Labour have had ample opportunity to form a sold working relationship with the GP (years in fact). If Labour were blindsided by this they migh want to reflect on the number of times they’ve declined to work with the Greens (I’m being polite). My feeling is that at any time that Labour steps up and builds that relationship with the GP, then the GP will be willing and keen. But as long as Labour keep hedging their bets, the GP are free to treat Labour as competition.
I haven’t followed the process this week that closely, but ‘dirty politics’ in NZ has a fairly specific meaning and I doubt that that is what the GP has done, despite how you feel about the treatment of Labour. One thing I did see was the GP being very clear in the media that this whole thing was National’s fuck up, with the clear implication that it wasn’t Labour’s fault.
You also wrote:
“people are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes)”
Please don’t selectively quote me out of context, and please don’t edit my words and misquote me (you deliberately took out meaning in your quote). Here’s what I actually said,
People who think that the GP can form govt with National the way it is now are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes).
That is clearly about formation of coalitions, and equally clearly doesn’t apply to the flag process. Get a grip.
“(hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes). That is clearly about formation of coalitions, and equally clearly doesn’t apply to the flag process. Get a grip”
Why does it not apply to this secret flag deal with Key? Do you know if the ‘executive’ had the backing of their MPs (If not the members) for it?
Or was it the brilliant brain fart of just Shaw and Hughes?
I’m not an active member, so I have no idea what happened at that level. But are you really suggesting that the GP go back to the membership each time they want to do something? Seriously? They don’t have any processes in place for that for things that need to be done quickly. No party does afaik.
“Do you know if the ‘executive’ had the backing of their MPs (If not the members) for it?”
Um, given Shaw and Hughes are both MPs and have been speaking on this publicly this week I think it’s safe to assume they knew. Honestly, I’m not sure what you are on about here.
Good analysis.
Well, I applaud him for that maui – especially over Climate Change. It makes a lot of sense. The trouble is, he’s up against a cynical sleaze-bag in John Key who I suspect has used Shaw and the Greens to get him out of a hole of his own making.
It looks to me the ‘about face’ was going to happen anyway because Farrar would have been polling 24/7 on the issue and it would have become clear Key was on the losing side. Instead Shaw gave Key the opportunity to do it without egg on his face and, at the same time, rub the egg in Little’s face as if he was the culprit. Not the sort of thing you do to an ally.
I agree Anne, and MS – what the Greens have just done, is NOT what you do to an ally. And if Maui is right and the Greens under Shaw want to work more collaboratively with other political parties, then they’re going the wrong way about it. Working collaboratively surely means talking and working together ?NOT sticking it to one potential ally while pandering to the panda-like needs of a trumped-up self-satisfied American puppet – who just happens to be our PM.
I wouldn’t see Labour as an active ally of the GP, so I can understand why the GP wouldn’t put that up there as a priority. I’d love for Labour to form a solid working relationship with the GP, but they haven’t, despite attempts from the GP to make this happen. I was a bit surprised at how Labour got thrashed in this process, but I’m not surprised that the GP chose to not make Labour’s wellbeing their own priority. Given how Labour have treated the Greens historically I think it’s unrealistic to think that the GP should relate with Labour as anything special until Labour step up in that relationship. The ball is in Labour’s court on that one.
Yes weka. I know there was bad blood between Labour and the Greens in the past and I have no doubt a lot of the fault lay with the then Labour caucus. But those days have gone and those involved have gone too. Even so, I think the Greens also have to take some of the blame – especially over the fact the Clark government did a coalition deal (or something similar) with NZ First and not the Greens. The Greens failed to take into account they didn’t end up with sufficient MPs to make such a deal strong and viable in an MMP environment. That wasn’t Labour’s fault. That was the fault of the voters.
If I remember correctly Winston Peters held a gun at their heads too. He refused to sign any agreement that included the Greens. What was Labour supposed to do? Stand down and let the Tories form a government under Don Brash?
Sorry Anne, but it’s not in the past. It’s the current situation. At the last election the GP tried to work with Labour and Labour rejected that. I don’t see anything has changed since then except some vague noises from Little occassionally. The two parties aren’t working together in a way that promotes them as a govt in waiting. I don’t think that’s down to the GP despite what they’ve done this week.
I don’t agree with what the GP have done here, but I also don’t believe that the GP should be kind to Labour out of some sense of fairness or duty when Labour still shows no real sign of wanting to work together. I’m gobsmacked that so many people here think that the GP should put Labour’s wellbeing ahead of their own.
All I can say weka is the Labour members I know have no quarrel with the Greens and see them as a natural coalition party. I have also spoken to a few MPs and they have never shown any aggro towards the Greens so it’s hard for me to reconcile what I’ve encountered… and what you are saying. There does seem to be a difference in perception but maybe it’s a regional difference. Certainly in Auckland there seems to be generally good vibes between most Labour and Green members. That’s my experience anyway.
that’s good to hear Anne. I’m talking about the parties not the members. If we want a left wing govt, then Labour and the GP have to work together publicly. That’s not happening. Why not?
” If we want a left wing govt, then Labour and the GP have to work together publicly. That’s not happening. Why not?’
There are very good strategic, electoral and political reasons for not going too gung go together. That does not mean they, ie, all the opposition, including NZF, should not work together on several issues with reasonable commonalities. I know you are intelligent enough to figure it out yourself.
Fine, just don’t expect the GP to give Labour concessions while that’s the case.
“The trouble is, he’s up against a cynical sleaze-bag in John Key who I suspect has used Shaw and the Greens to get him out of a hole of his own making.”
My concern is the sleaze-bag factor and the risk of the GP being tainted. Not so sure that the GP were victims to Key’s using them so much as they’re using the situation to build political capital. Dangerous, but I am curious to see how that plays out.
I don’t buy this.
Shortly after he was elected leader of the Greens Shaw claimed he wanted to do this but couldn’t tell Guyon Espiner who Labour’s climate change spokesperson was. Now I would have thought if he was really interested in doing this he’d have noticed Megan Woods, who is one of the better Labour MPs. The recent working paper he produced on climate change was not impressive and showed no signs of cross party consultation.
This latest deal with National was unnecessary and damaging to the relationship between Labour and the Greens. It is hypocritical, unprincipled politics, and I am very disappointed in the Green Party leadership..
I also don’t like the way Metiria seems to have been sidelined. I thought initially she was allowing Shaw to get a higher profile, but it is going on too long. Why was it Shaw representing the Greens in the Nation debate last weekend? On the anniversary of women getting the vote, party leaders get to discuss the last election and the Greens send their male co-leader who was a backbencher at the last election.
“The recent working paper he produced on climate change was not impressive and showed no signs of cross party consultation.”
Please link to Labour’s response to the discussion paper. Really, I’m quite curious.
The GP have been waiting a long time for Labour to be willing for the two parties to work together. Still waiting, but not putting their own agenda on hold. Sorry, but I’ve run out patience with this. If Labour are being sidelined they’ve no-one to blame but themselves in this instance.
Agree,the Greens demonstrating a distinct cavalier responce to the rule of law.Showing this pathetic Govt the path to Urgency for such a trivial flag issue when other important matters are left alone.
Good on the greens, possibly a sign they can and are happy to look at coalition with national, actually achieve something vs hanging around with perennial losers that call themselves labour, here come the blue greens
Yes! Here they come! Any day now! You’re pathetic.
Bad day AOB ? Take a pill and chill …… Take 2
That idea may be the thinking of their simple silly brains, but I suspect this move they have done behind the scene with Key, without first signalling it to Labour and blind siding them will back fire on the Greens. I think Winston and NZF will end up reaping the benefit of this dodgy dirty move. By this the Greens have shown to be untrustworthy and undependable and have lost some of their dignity, integrity and mana.
Maybe they’ll go into coalition with national.
There seems to have been a changing of the guard with the greens representing a younger urban demographic, not the old hippies and anarchists.
Maybe you should go in a coalition with National, that’s right you’re already in one.
“Maybe they’ll go into coalition with national.”
The only way that the GP can go into coalition with National is if National changes and becomes more like the GP (ie the GP has a mandate to work with any party where there is sufficient common ground on policy). Is that what you are suggesting?
People who think that the GP can form govt with National the way it is now are just ignorant of how the GP functions (hint, the exec can’t just do what it likes).
Looks to me like the GP exec have actually just done what it likes re Red Peak and flag issue, Weka – and to heck with the GP charter or mandate or whatever it is you think they’re working to. The Red Peak flag would not have been in the GP Charter !
Not following you there Jenny. The rules around coaltion formation are clear, and the membership has voted on what it wants the party to do for a number of years now. Day to day running of the party and taking stances on various issues can’t go back to the membership each time, for what I would have though were obvious reasons.
I’m curious which bits of the charter you feel have been compromised by the flag legislation or process.
And I’m curious too – Weka – as to how Green-supporting voters are going to take this dirty kick-in-the-back to Labour over the Red Peak flag when so many of them have been talking a Labour-Green coalition for the future.
There’s a fair bit of disappointment and shock coming thru on the Green Facebook page at the moment – I wonder if it will last, or fade away.
I’m not too happy about it myself, although I’m more concerned about the RP thing than the Labour thing. Exactly how long should GP members wait for Labour to show any real sign of wanting to work with the GP? As fas as I can see Labour still aren’t committed. Should the GP wait another election cycle, see how things work out after the 2017 election? Or what?
The GP have been trying for a very long time to work with Labour. It’s on Labour that that hasn’t happened.
As for GP voters, calcualted risk I’d say and I’ll be interested to see how it plays out. Main problem is that the last Roy Morgan was probably a rogue number for the GP (15%) so we’re not really going to be able to tell directly.
“Maybe they’ll go into coalition with national. There seems to have been a changing of the guard with the greens representing a younger urban demographic, not the old hippies and anarchists”
May be. Who knows? One thing is clear to me. At the moment, they are thinking through their arse on this issue. Dumb nincompoops.
Interesting…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/agribusiness/72361647/fonterra-boss-theo-spierings-gets-up-to-18-per-cent-pay-rise
18% seems a lot more than the rate of inflation. 🙂
Rich people are worth more because they’re rich.
/sarc
That is a snap shot of every thing that is wrong with how big business is run.
I just read on a face book post that farmers are ditching fonterra flat out in the south island ,might be more trouble ahead for fonterra.
Farmers without the brains to reject this kind of economic feudalism deserve to be reduced to serfdom.
This makes me question the Greens.
Why help Key?
They must have reckoned it is a brilliant idea to join Henry and Hosking in sucking on Key’s jowls.
I don’t think it is the Greens helping National, I think the Greens have been hi jacked like the Labour party was by Douglas by electing an opportunist bit of shit like Dung, and the Greens are going to regret it.
Dung?
“Despite that rolling controversy, Ms Tolley has said she would still be open to Serco – which is looking at running child services in the UK – being contracted to provide more social services.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11518395
yeah I’m sure she’s still open after all that was the agenda in the first place.
be very afraid
Of course< MM : the CYFs report just gives Tolley the excuse to dump CYFs as a real government service/department and to bring in privatisation to make it more efficient, more business-like, more profitable ….. and to hell (because that's where they'll go, if they're not already there) with those poor little kids.
Paula Bennett is responsible for this CYF disaster. She was Minister of Social Development for SIX years: 19 Nov. 2008 to 8 Oct. 2014.
Bennett ruined CYF by forcing them to cut budgets and services.
I am no fan of Tolley, who was previously the Minister of Education but has no university degree! Amazingly, Tolley would not have met the minimum qualifications for working in the ministry she was in charge of.
I want Bennett held to account for screwing up the lives of thousands of young people during her six years at the helm.
Labour have been outplayed by the Nats again
The Greens have been pragmatic and will be seen as such.
Sterling stuff from James Shaw
Yep, that is just about what Key said! A crook endorsing the idiots.
Selling one’s soul for Key’s vanity project isn’t smart, especially when most don’t seem to overmuch care about the flag issue anyway. One’s view might change if the Greens secure public transport instead of more highways, all kids going to bed with a full stomach and the country’s sovereignty is not sold off to the TPP rort as a payoff but of course, none of those will happen.
as i see it both the Greens and Labour have shot themselves in the foot over Red Peak….if they had left National out on a limb over this debacle rather than giving it oxygen then the Nats would have been solely responsible for an expensive waste of time in the publics eye and now theres enough blame to spread around….mugs the lot of them
+1
Andrew Little, after Key initiated overture, made very wise, very reasonable and very statesman-like suggestions regarding the inclusion of the Red Peak and the referendums to make the process more democratic and sensible.
Key rejected those, even after little publicly showed willingness to discuss the issue again without any pre-conditions to find a solution. Then the Greens secretly played dirty behind Labour’s back. Those are facts. So, don’t unfairly blame Labour here.
Blame Key and the two, literal and figurative, Greens, Hughes and Shaw.
But you are right in a way. Key is a poisonous snake with a forked tongue. The Greens have been foolish pea nuts here pulling Key out of his own hole.
Labour did not fall for Key’s cunning.
dear God …and they call Cantabrians one eyed
Why? What did I write wrong? Labour did nothing wrong here.
Because in your eye Labour can do no wrong.
You are wrong. Labour or Little HAVEN’T done anything wrong in this case at all.
Okay, then.
“Labour did not fall for Key’s cunning.”
Really? Why were Labour MPs openly supporting red peaks? Why didn’t Labour have a wee think about its strategy and come out swinging 100% against the whole process? Because, like on many issues, it didn’t think, that’s why.
Labour MPs have different views on it. The referendum is an individual vote, not a party vote. Some want to change, some don’t want to, most think that Key has manipulated and poisoned the issue, some want the Red Peak, some don’t.
Yes, totally. Why can’t Clemgeopin and those of his or her ilk see this?
more to the point why cant their strategists see this?
Clemgeopin’s probably one of them.
lol.is that true Clemgeopin?
no
no
well I guess you wont be able to tell us what Andrew Little hoped to gain then….if it was to highlight how inept the government are they dont need any help highlighting that
“well I guess you wont be able to tell us what Andrew Little hoped to gain then’
I think he hoped to make the terribly flawed process a little better, a little more democratic, a little more fair, a little more worthwhile and a possibly a little less expensive under the circumstances.
As you know, Key started this very important process as a National party and personal stunt when the public had NOT actually shown any inclination or demand for change through a series of public media polls.
He then manipulated the whole issue as HIS personal ego trip project at great expense of time, resources and money.
The flag selection panel did NOT have ANY design experts. Two referendums were unnecessary. One would have sufficed if worded smartly. Leaving that point aside, they could have held the referenda along side a general election to save money and also to get better participation.
The extremely well paid stupid panel (at reportedly $600 per day each?) and the completely biased and dumb Key’s cabinet poodles choose and offered us FOUR ferns as our choice to pick one!
Don’t you see that this whole thing has been just shit?
“Don’t you see that this whole thing has been just shit”
indeed it has been….and that is why both Labour and the Greens had nothing to gain by getting involved
I think Labour got involved because Key specifically offered that he would include a fifth flag if Labour supported it. Labour said yes but publicly made its position clear. Not so the gormless Greens.
What’s so hard about understanding that supporting adding a fifth flag to the final choice involves giving tacit support to the process?
“I think he hoped to make the terribly flawed process a little better, a little more democratic, a little more fair, a little more worthwhile and a possibly a little less expensive under the circumstances.”
So he tried to make the process a little less terribly flawed? Wow, that’s certainly setting your sights high. What a winner!
i just dont get it.
a rudderless, clueless regime, headed to the rocks of tppa, bent ex copper mp going to court, $100B and climbing, mccully sheep ventures…..
the money manager plucks a flag change out his backside and tonight on the news we get labour mps outside parliament proudly with red peak flags celebrating when they should be railing against the whole distraction charade.
man, i am out of touch.
Re interview with Madam Fu Ying made my blood boil. Does nobody get that there is an elephant in the room here re investment in NZ when she criticises NZ for not wanting investment of the type that buys up huge farms Ie. great chunks of NZ land for the benefit of providing food sources for china and which employs mainly Chinese workers.
Does she forget that no foreigners can buy land in China? Does she forget the disgusting human rights abuses her country perpetrates daily? Does she forget the sweat shop work force that is making China rich? Does she forget the pollution problems created in Chinas get rich economy? Does she forget the corruption in her country and the counterfeit industry that is probably the biggest in the world ripping off patented products that people in other parts of the world have put in huge amounts of time and money into? Does she live in LaLa Land. I think she does. Backed herself into a hole when she blamed all other asian countries for conflicts over territory. Of course she saw it all the other countries as the aggressors. Also when China was being compared to the US, she said how China of course is fair and treats everyone equal. Vomit. What a load of rubbish. Yes and getting back to investment in NZ she compared the farm deals to business deals in the US. Well hallo, buying shares in a company is quiet different than taking over our land by stealth by buying up huge amounts of land that is the best food producing land in the country and basically shutting us out of the profit chain. Go back to where you come from you arrogant woman. Do you think we are completely stupid? I am so sick of the bowing and scraping to the Chinese investors that is going on. I have not seen any great benefit to Kiwis! So far investment in NZ by Chinese investor is all about benefiting Chinese investors at the expense of Kiwis. Maybe a few Kiwis at the top who are mates with the big wigs in the government are getting rich off it but ordinary Kiwis are getting shafted. It’s not racism it is the truth. I’m sick of people claiming it’s racist when people are disadvantaging ordinary Kiwi for their own greed. Why should the overseas investor in our land be reaping the benefits while Kiwi’s quality of life is getting worse and worse. Overseas investment in our companies is ok but not in our land. Get the message Madam Fu Ying and that is not being racist. You might look at the fact that your country is racist by not letting foreigners buy up huge amounts of land in China or for that matter any land in China. Racist racist China.