Mining II: The Empire Strikes Back

Written By: - Date published: 7:53 am, June 11th, 2011 - 52 comments
Categories: Conservation, Gerry Brownlee, Mining, national - Tags: ,

A little over a year ago the biggest single protest march in this country since 1938 put the final nail in the coffin of Gerry Brownlee and the Nats’ amateur hour plans to mine our most precious conservation land.

Or so we thought. But like a bad horror movie, the villain always comes back for one more round before the credits roll. So here we go again:

Mining sector ‘planning conservation land access’

Less than a year after being defeated by strong public opposition, the mining industry is planning another bid to gain access to minerals lying beneath the conservation estate, leading industry figures have indicated.

Labour MP David Parker yesterday said “senior” mining industry sources had told him they planned to seek an increase in the size of pockets of Schedule Four land, which may be used for mining related activities. … Mr Parker understood the industry’s objective was “to prove whether there’s a valuable resource there, and then you would cause a large amount of pressure to remove an area from Schedule Four protection”.

Currently the Nats are making all the right noises:

Last year, we consulted with New Zealanders on mining and Schedule Four and the answer was resoundingly clear – New Zealanders do not want mining on Schedule Four lands and the outcomes of that review will be incorporated into the Crown Minerals regime.

But we need to watch this space very carefully. Will they bow down to industry requests to facilitate access for prospecting? If they do we’ll know that their apparent obedience to the public will is a sham. Because there’s no point in prospecting if you aren’t going to dig up what you find.

As No Right Turn points out, the Nats are playing nice on this issue in election year. But if (heaven forbid) they are in a second term, they will be under increasing pressure to actually deliver something on the economy except dodgy numbers and excuses. In the absence of any actual ideas, and if prospecting has indicated the presence of mineral resources, the Nats won’t pass up the opportunity for some (self-defeating) short term gain. The only way to keep our conservation land safe is to elect a Labour / Green government.

52 comments on “Mining II: The Empire Strikes Back ”

  1. Akldnut 1

    Jerry, John, Bill – I am your father, you must bend to the power of the dark side.
    Use the deathstar (Beehive) to impliment total destruction on Schedule Four land.
    We will crush this insurrection.

  2. A Green/Labour Government sounds vital.

    • For the Labour/Green party ponzi savings scam Kiwi Saver to pay out a pension to the Green Party supporter … say in 20 – 40 years time we MUST continue mining and destruction of the environment.
      Kiwi Saver is based on economic growth, which is based on this system GROWING, if the system dose not grow you might as well burn your KS investment, as at least it will give you a kilojoule of warmth, as it adds a tad more carbon to the atmosphere, ops sorry don’t want to bring in the fact that the planet will be very human hostile long before the 18 year old Kiwi Saver investor sees retirement.
      We are so fucking stupid …. that is why we get fucking stupid leaders.
      Lets just chuck some more babies at the problem http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1484635787266506285#

      • weka 2.1.1

        So? Lets not vote on the left, National gets in again, they start mining in the next few years? How does that help?

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.2

        You’re completely misfocussed Robert. Conceptually you may be correct but what is your pre-occupation with KiwiSaver? Why aren’t you targetting ALL retirement plans? And ALL savings accounts? And ALL lending?

        Because they are ALL predicated on continuing economic growth. And even if you successfully get rid of ALL of them, the push for economic growth will continue unchanged because that push comes primarily from major institutional shareholders not from ma and pa KiwiSavers.

        I’m waiting for you to lay down the law banning people in NZ having more than one child now, and banning immigration here. Two things which drive unsustainable demand for economic growth.

        • Robert Atack 2.1.2.1

          “I’m waiting for you to lay down the law banning people in NZ having more than one child now, and banning immigration here. Two things which drive unsustainable demand for economic growth.”

          One child is one to many, and I have always said close the borders, giving the million or so Kiwis ‘out there’ 6 months to get back

          And yes ‘they are all dependent on economic growth’, but I didn’t see the Green Party voting for them?

          Even the local governments have 10 year plans based on utter bullshit …. It is up to our leaders to lead us, not keep the spin going at all costs.

          As I’ve said for the past 10 years they needed to educate the kids, that this system is suicide, and guaranteed to kill them, in subtle way, like gardening skills, and I’m not talking watching a Kumar sprout out of a jar.
          And ‘they’ could have sent NZ down a slightly more sustainable organic food production path other than us becoming the Saudi Arabia of milk. … This has not just happened over the past 2.5 years – Labour and the Greens had ample opportunity to show they cared.

          • Colonial Viper 2.1.2.1.1

            It’s fairly simple then mate, batton down the hatches in your own neighbourhood and ride out the storm back a hundred years to 2B global population.

          • ianupnorth 2.1.2.1.2

            I presume you are aware that during the 2000’s one of the biggest drivers of growth was the influx of migrants that brought their pounds, rand, rupees, bahts, Euros and whatever, increased the demand for homes, appliances cars, etc. Shame most of the cars were second hand Jap imports, the TV’s and appliances were Korean or Chinese, the homes were badly built and leaked, and the infrastructure needed to support the increase in population never transpired.
            BTW When I came to NZ over 10 years ago I paid approximately NZ$20K for the privilege; I also brought a degree, professional qualifications and post grad quals that were paid for by another government (as did my wife) and three healthy children that will all contribute to NZ society.
            Many of those that have jumped the ditch have had a bum deal from the NZ education system and there has been little or no investment to create jobs for them – many are in unskilled jobs in mining – maybe that’s why you want them back?

  3. Afewknowthetruth 3

    So, what it amounts to is this: NZers want all the benefits of western-style industrial living -cheap energy, cheap food, travel, entertainment, social services etc.- but don’t want to pay the price that is being paid everywhere else in the world.

    Have your cake and eat it arguments abound on this forum.

    Which is it to be: sacrifice rich living or sacrifice the environment?

    We already know the answer.

    And the international mining behemoth will continue to have its way until the global financial system collapses completely or there is no oil to run the machinery…. whichever comes first.

    (That hypocrite David Parker is a fine one to talk about mining!)

    • weka 3.1

      I think there is that degree of hypocricy but people are changing. They’re starting to make the connections that if we don’t mine here, we use someone else’s minerals. Or if we ban windfarms we don’t have enough power for our current lifestyles.
      I’d have less of a problem with mining in NZ if it was about using minerals here for stuff that’s actually important in a post peak oil/cc world rather than just making shitloads of money. Besides, we already mine the National Parks. It’s called tourism.
       

    • David do nothing Parker had ample opportunity to bring peak oil to the attention of the masses, it happened while he was playing minister of energy. His prim minister even said so at the time, even though David DN Parker and his office were saying “peak oil 2030-7” Helen said We are probable past peak production NOW which was 18-4-2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxIp5h0Xtuc&feature=channel_video_title
      Helen was possibly the first western leader to say this, I’m sure she was ‘closed down’ as she had stepped way over the mark, and spoken out of turn, It might have gone like this “shut the fuck up Helen, or no UN” … And then they stuck you all with a growth in global oil supplies ponzi saving scam
      I’m yelling into a vacuum I know.
      They say $85.00 oil equals a global depression, who knows what price it will go to? and I’m not even going to go there, but just now it is , and has been for some while over $85.00 so the global depression is guaranteed, how do you all think we are going to be able to say rebuild Chch, or clean up another GOM disaster (pretending they cleaned up the last one) or stop Fukushima taking out most of Japan?
      Personally I can’t see the mining industry lasting much longer as it is also dependent on a growing economy.
      The insurance industry is going broke, leaving more and more people wondering why they paid premiums (because they also believed in growth and destruction of their children’s environment)
      And least we forget Homer G Simpleton still thinks peak oil is 2030 or beyond, or at least the effects will not be significant? What is a global depression Gerry? A – the closure of Kentucky Fried

      • weka 3.2.1

        “how do you all think we are going to be able to say rebuild Chch,…”
         
        I don’t. Or at least not in the way being planned. The problem is that we don’t know timeframes for things like the mineral industry and insurance industries collapsing. So it’s very easy for people to get complacent even when they know how deep the shit is. Also, I’ve been hearing about the end of world for most of my life and it still hasn’t happened (40+years). So it’s hard to act as if it already is ending (which it is, just slower than necessary for it to be really obvious). You can say x will happen soon, and when it doesn’t people will stop listening to the whole message or will just think yeah that’s right but not right now.

      • Puddleglum 3.2.2

        Robert, I’m surprised you don’t support Kiwisaver. If, as you say, it’s a scam based on growth that won’t happen, then that means it effectively takes money out of immediate circulation (sometimes for around 50 years). That means less direct consumption now (which is good?).

        Of course, where the money is ‘invested’ matters (e.g., high energy consumption industries vs. low energy consumption industries) but, in any event – and according to you – that ‘investment’ won’t actually lead to growth as the system is poised to collapse.

        So, why do you want to keep Kiwisaver money in people’s pockets (now) so that consumption can be even higher (now)? If your analysis is correct then it’s ultimately neither here nor there whether or not we have Kiwisaver, isn’t it?

        • terryg 3.2.2.1

          LOL 😀

          sometimes education is a good thing.

        • Robert Atack 3.2.2.2

          What I’m trying to say is that the green party and Labour sold you this con, ok so removing some ability to buy crap is a good thing, but maintaining the environment destroying system via propping up failing money markets and the global banks is not good ether.
          Kiwi Saver is a drop in the ocean I’m sure, but it paints a future for the masses when clearly there isn’t one, so the fools rush out thinking there future first home is ‘in the bank’ so they can start the illusion of a house in the burbs, with little Johnny and Mary trotting off to school each day while daddy drives off to work
          This illusion is over, but as we maintain the con that money printed/created in some ones computer overseas then lent to us is real money and sustainable growth, allowing us to keep over grazing the planet just that much longer
          I will try and explain it
          take the deep sea fisherman, he goes out and strips the fish from the ocean, killing off all future generations of fish, so next season he catches less fish, in the real world he would starve to death and the fish would recover, but in our Disneyland world the fisherman just borrows more money (postponing his demise) and guaranteeing the fish will never recover
          So we use artificial money to convert accent sunlight to food, TVs, baby monitors etc. We are told this is all good, and the only way to survive the future is to keep consuming and increasing the population
          Yet the one party who pretends to promote future generations and the betterment of the environment is tits deep in the same illusion, which is that money markets and banks will improve the life style and future survivability of your children.
          To maintain the viability of Kiwi Saver we must keep doing what we have always done …. destroy the environment, not just your environment but all future generations ie the Green Party MPs children
          The Easter Islanders worshipped the same ‘growth on a finite planet’ god, and look where it got them.
          WE live with the same rules of nature.

          El Gigante” Moai

          This is the largest moai ever carved, but it is unfinished. It would have been 65 feet tall and would have weighed 165 tons. Experts say that the islanders would not have been able to move and erect a statue of this size.
          http://www.flickr.com/photos/travfotos/248408208/

          Our system is based on everyone going out each day and carving yet another statue call it voting.

          We haven’t progressed much have we.

  4. tc 4

    More distractions from the nats to appear like they have a handle on how to grow the economy…..it is not mining that’s for sure as plenty of the posts last time pointed out.

    They don’t create sufficient jobs, they’re foreign owned and unless you levy the shite out of what they extract to ensure NZ gets it’s fair share (like the nats would ever do that to big bus) they leave environmental damage whilst ruining the clean green image.

    More big business paybacks for that stonking wealthy mining chairman of CT.

  5. chris73 5

    This is very good news, I’m all for creating jobs in depressed areas, for giving work to people that want it and for bringing in money to pay for our health, education, retirement etc etc

    Thank goodness National will get re-elected

    • bbfloyd 5.1

      i’m beginning to think you use a trowel to do your hair… it would be the only thing that would keep the crap you use for a brain the right shape to fool people into thinking that’s just a wig on there.

      it’s fuckwits like you that would have this country turned into the new slag pile of the pacific.. too bad about the poor sods still trapped here when it comes about. but then, they would be the ones who “made bad lifestyle choices” , so probably would deserve all the hardship aye…

      • chris73 5.1.1

        Whatever Big Butch floyd (or is that Big Bitch floyd?) I want to see this country get ahead and using our natural resources is one way to do it

        Cumknuckles like yourself would rather see people unemployed lest some native grass gets trampled on

        Why don’t you piss off to some socialist paradise and dribble your fantasies there

        • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.1

          Ripping out our natural resources and selling them off leaves us with nothing. Nobody in their right mind would call that “getting ahead”.

          We have all the resources here to everything we need to do to maintain our society but arseholes like you keep wanting us to sell them off.

          • Bazar 5.1.1.1.1

            Ripping out our natural resources and selling them off leaves us with nothing. Nobody in their right mind would call that “getting ahead”.

            And leaving our natural resources to rot achieves what?
            Oh we have mountains of gemstones untouched and hidden away in a natural forest collecting interest?

            Meanwhile we have unemployed with nothing better to do then to be a bludge to those who are employed?

            Mining is a great way to generate capital, yes CAPITAL. This would create jobs, pay taxes, and improve living conditions. And if those funds that are created or saved are used to invest in more companies, it’d create more jobs, and it’d just permanently improve living conditions for New Zealanders.

            Instead we had greenies so worked up into a hype they got people marching down the streets protesting about land they’d never see, to help protect a tourism industry that would never be in jeopardy.

            I remember a TV interview done to some passer-by on the street, asking about what they thought about mining.
            She was fervently opposed to it.
            When asked what the government could do to improve the economy, she replied that the government should instead focus on improving the tourism industry (again during the recession, when tourism shrinks).
            I felt she summed up the thoughts of the anti-mining movement.
            A person who felt with feelings, and told to feel outraged, she marched on without any consideration or comprehension about NZ’s long term finances.
            We do not have a hidden away billion dollar a year tourism attraction. We do have it in minerals.

            Don’t even get me started about the island Auckland ratepayers subsidise as an effective retirement island, the local retirees opposing mining because it wouldn’t look as nice, all while their young go unemployed and move to Auckland to find work (or don’t, and don’t).

        • Purplescottie 5.1.1.2

          “I want to see this country get ahead”
          Ahead of what?

          • Akldnut 5.1.1.2.1

            Ahead in a race to the bottom, about three more years should do it.
            What better reason to get rid of this group of turds.

        • Colonial Viper 5.1.1.3

          Wow chris73 thinks we can “get ahead” by polluting and destroying our streams, rivers, lakes and forests.

          Who exactly is going to get ahead from this?

          Is National’s plan for economic growth all about digging up rocks then? Is that the best that English and Key can come up with after 3 years?

          Losers.

        • ianupnorth 5.1.1.4

          Chris, at roughly the same time as you post I asked a question – what do you do when the minerals run out? (Hint, look what Dubai has done)

          Unfortunately we have finite assets; once they are sold (be that coal, ore, power companies or airlines) they are gone.
          The government hasn’t quite worked out that if they kept the assets they are planning to sell they would return the same income in 10years as they stand to make from the sales (and they would still own them!)

          They also want to go ahead with deep sea drilling across a known volcanic fault line in very deep water – again highly risky. They also plan to do this via the model the UK took – licence the fields and the companies make the profits. In contrast Norway chose to do their oil and gas a different way – it was the countries asset, therefore a large proportion of the profits were returned to the Norwegian people, not big business.

          It’s funny how Norway has low crime, good health, minimal poverty and one of the most affluent (and highly taxed) populations in the world, yet the UK is broke, has high crime, poverty and massive debt.

          In case you aren’t aware – the oil was brokered away by Ted Heath, the conservative PM for short term gain, the Norwegians had a social democrat govt. Funny that!

          The only people seemingly happy with the proposed offer to drill are Petrobras.

  6. Steve 6

    Dig baby, dig. Let’s make some wealth for this country and create some jobs. We need money to pay the non productive people

  7. Afewknowthetruth 7

    It’s all a rigged game.

    Nathan Rothschild (yes, of the centuries-old Rothschild financial empire) is currently sponsoring Tony Hayward (the eco-vandal of the Gulf of Mexico) in the establishment of an energy trading and ‘investment’ company (read looting).

    National/Labour governments have always been part of the problem, and will never be part of the solution, since such governments are ‘owned’ by money-lenders and global corporations..

    Ordinary people are just the ‘cannon fodder’ that ‘entrepreneurs’ use to make their obscene profits while they wreck the environment for coming generations -that’s if there are going to be any coming generations: the rate of global environmental destruction is accelerating to such an extent few people are likely to survive much beyond 2030. Atmospheric CO2 is now 394ppm and risng at 2ppm per annum. 350ppm is the acknowledged ‘safe upper limit’, so we are now 44ppm in overshoot and doing nothing whatsoever about it -just adding more via coal burning etc.

    Kiwi saver: well, since that is predicated on perpetual economic growth on a finite planet and economic growth is now pretty much over (peak oil), Kiwi saver is also pretty much over (along with most so-called long term investments).

    The current game is to keep the proles misinformed and believeng for as long as possible by pretending growth is still possible (via mining), even though all the cheap and abundant oil was burned long ago and the globalised economic system is slowly imploding as a consequence.

    • Colonial Viper 7.1

      Meh, so what next? Batten down the hatches and wait for population collapse back to 2B?

      • Afewknowthetruth 7.1.1

        Depending on one’s age and circumstances one may be able to minimise one’s financial losses and learn skills relating to living in the real world -making, fixing, mending, growing etc. Hand tools will definitely be very useful .

        There is no stopping ‘the juggernout’, especially when such a large portion of the populace is grossly uninformed and utterly deluded, and is focused on ways to keep the sinking ship afloat a little longer via economic growth, electric cars, windmiills, converting food into motor vehicle fuel etc.

  8. vto 8

    Well I have it on good local source near to one of the mining industry’s main targets that the issue has risen straight to the top of the agenda again with respect to the fantasyland Haast-Hollyford dreamroad, which of course is a side-issue to gain access to the loaded-to-the-gunnels Red Mountains.

    If you want one target to really watch then check this one. Push hard the Westland and Central Otago regional councils and DOC for info. There have been talks again.

    It has blasted to the surface super-quick again. This post together with this recent happening in the deep southwest place pieces of a puzzle…

    • weka 8.1

      It’s also coupled in with corporate Queenstown wanting to build a connection straight to Milford instead of via Te Anau (current proposal is a tunnel through the Humboldt Mts into the Hollyford). Are there connections between those in Qtown pusing for this and the mining interests in the Red Hills? This is not only National Park, it’s a World Heritage site.

      • vto 8.1.1

        Yes there will be a tie-up. But it is completely and utterly brainless on two simple fronts. One, the cost benefit. They seem to think it can be done for $2-300million. ha ha ha ha ha ha fucking lying tossers. Add at least 1 zero to that. Why do you think the Haast stretch of the coast road was the last connected in late 1960s? Because it was so difficult (i.e. expensive) due to swamp and river and swamp and river and swamp and river. So several billions at least would be the answer. Which will then have people all over the country saying ‘hey what the fuck about the dangerous intersection down our street where our mate died last year? You can bloody fix that before you start paying for touro’s to go for a drive. Especially when they can already drive shitloads of that coast. Fuck off.” There is no cost-benefit. Simple.

        And two, environmental. That coast is the largest stretch of untouched and walkable coastline remaining in New Zealand. It is virgin New Zealand. The environment would be devastated. It would be Manapouri all over again. I will be lying in front of the bulldozers you can bet on that. In fact, I will place my own bulldozer in front of their bulldozer. No I wouldn’t, I would place ten bulldozers in front of them. And shove them all the way back to whatever over-developed barren wasteland part of NZ they came from.

        • lprent 8.1.1.1

          Because it was so difficult (i.e. expensive) due to swamp and river and swamp and river and swamp and river.

          You forgot the frigging sandflies. I vividly remember doing a bike trip down the west coast in the 80’s and ending up at Haast

        • weka 8.1.1.2

          There is a third thing – the road would be private. So you and I would have to pay to drive on it.
           
          I agree it would be another Manapouri, it would draw national protest. I’d be there in front of the bulldozers with you.
           

          • Armchair Critic 8.1.1.2.1

            The road is not economically viable unless it is purely for mining, and not open to public traffic (even as a toll road).
            If the backers of the road can convince some financier that the economics do stack up, then there will be the public opposition (which will be massive) and the whole consenting and appeals process to go through. I’ll donate my time to prepare submissions and evidence.
            But I won’t stand in front of the bulldozer. I’ll stand beside it, pouring sugar in the diesel tank or putting a gas axe through the links that hold the tracks together, in the middle of the night. Or setting them all on fire. Or blowing up the access bridges. Whatever it takes.

        • Armchair Critic 8.1.1.3

          Your cost estimate seems reasonable, vto, it’s billions of dollars, rather than hundreds of millions. And that’s where the problem lies for anyone proposing to build the road.
          According to my back of a cigarette packet calculation, the toll on a private vehicle would need to be over $50 and that would only cover the capital costs, not the financing costs or operations and maintenance.
          As for civil disobedience, in general my first inclination is to support passive protest. But, fuck it all, if anyone tries to put a road through the Haast-Hollyford route I won’t merely be passively resisting. That is the kind of idea that requires active protest, sabotage of machinery and the like.

  9. ianupnorth 9

    Anyone care to comment on what you do when the coal/lignite/whatever runs out?
    Labour wanted to invest in research and innovation, which would appear to me to be a potentially more sustainable solution.
     

  10. ianupnorth 10

    Logan’s Run… everyone jumps down a hole aged 30. Currently we have Key’s Hole, everyone jumps to Aussie when they turn 30….

  11. John D 11

    For the 100% of you sitting in front of a computer or mobile device, I am sure you are feeling happy that the rare earths and other minerals required to build your device will be sourced from China, Australia, or “somewhere else”, other than “clean clean NZ”

    • vto 11.1

      Dopey man. If you read c a r e f u l l y you will learn that it is not about all mining it is about mining on the conservation estate. Sheesh.

      • John D 11.1.1

        I do realise that. However, there is a very large percentage of NZ that is conservation land, too much in my opinion.
        Furthermore, the bush has a habit of reclaiming land back fairly quickly.
        My point is that mining doesn’t have to be all bad, if done in a careful manner.

        Reefton, on the West Coast, for example, benefits from the local gold mine in terms of employment and money into the local coffers.

        I don’t see this as a black and white issue, that’s all.

        • vto 11.1.1.1

          fair enough. I have been involved in exploration and mining myself on and off over a lond period and definitely am aware of its place in the world.

          Imo though, a line needs to be drawn. For all extractive industries (including water takes for example). That line has been drawn and that’s it.

          And when you examine some of these in detail, such as going into south westland / fiordland and actually look at what is lost compared to what is gained it is a no-brainer against mining. If it was in the middle of the heavily industrialised canterbury Plains though, different story altogether.

          No way jose to schedule 4. End.

    • Draco T Bastard 11.2

      I’m not against mining even on schedule 4 land (it should be done very carefully and over a long time period) what I’m against is then selling those assets off in such a way as to leave us with nothing which is what the plan actually is. If we used them here, put in a strict recycling program so as to minimise what we needed to take out, I wouldn’t have a problem at all.

      Of course, in that scenario, the capitalists don’t make a profit and get to live like the debauched kings they believe themselves to be.

  12. ianupnorth 12

    John, another view would be that it would be more productive to invest in our talent pool and to go for some ‘value added’ part to all our raw material exports – why do we have to ship timber to Indonesia to be made into toilet paper that comes back here – silly example, but you get the point.

  13. THE SUNDAY PROGRAMME TOMORROW NIGHT IS COVERING PIKE RIVER MINE !

    Interesting that the ‘Sunday’ programme has chosen to investigate ‘disturbing questions’ about the Pike River Mine ‘disaster’?

    (This Sunday 12 June 2011)
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/coming-up-unanswered-questions-pike-river-0-30-video-4220647

    Chris.Cooke@tvnz.co.nz

    “Best Practice

    We has new evidence from inside the Pike River Mine that raises disturbing questions about what was going on after the first explosion and considers whether some of the men could have survived the blast.

    And SUNDAY has been down an Australian mine, compared operations, and talked to a mining expert who’s appalled at safety at Pike River and says the mine should have been closed before the disaster.”
    ________________________________________________________________________________
    Penny Bright
    http://waterpressure.wordpress.com

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  • How to Start a Dell Laptop: A Comprehensive Guide
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  • Bryce Edwards: Serious populist discontent is bubbling up in New Zealand
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    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
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  • How to Take a Screenshot on an Asus Laptop A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Instructions and Illu...
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    2 hours ago
  • The Folly Of Impermanence.
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    4 hours ago
  • A crisis of ambition
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago
  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago
  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 hours ago
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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 hours ago
  • The worth of it all
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    10 hours ago
  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    12 hours ago
  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    12 hours ago
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    12 hours ago
  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    12 hours ago
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    12 hours ago
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    12 hours ago
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    12 hours ago
  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
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  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
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    12 hours ago
  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
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    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    19 hours ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
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    21 hours ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
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    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    21 hours ago
  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    23 hours ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    1 day ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
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  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
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  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
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  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
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    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
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    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
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    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
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    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
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    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
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    2 days ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
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  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
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    2 days ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
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    2 days ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    3 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
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